Share my Recipe Sunday - Butterscotch Cake

I am giving my Gem of the Week Award to SnoWhite (isn't that cute?) from "Finding Joy in My Kitchen."
This cake looks soooo good! She gives the step by step pictures (which I love) to making this cake. You will have to go see the whole process. You can see it very simply by clicking HERE.


This cake is delicious. Reminds me of a butterscotch brownie, only in cake form. Yum. I found this recipe through Ultimate Recipe Swap, hosted each Thursday by FishMama. Let me tell you... I have found so many wonderful recipes through her carnival and other recipe-swap memes that I don't think I ever need to buy another cook book!

Butterscotch Cake* - Modified from Sweet and Simple Mama

Cake
1/2 C butter (1 stick)
1/2 C applesauce
7 T brown sugar, packed
1/3 C white sugar
3 eggs (I used two eggs and 1 egg white)
1 1/2 C flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3 T heavy whipping cream


Frosting
1/2 C sugar
1/4 C cold water
1/2 + 1/8 C whipping cream
3-4 oz cream cheese

SNOWHITE
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You can join in Share my Recipe Sunday by adding your name to the Mr. Linky. You can grab my button and put it on your post. Be sure to link Mr. Linky directly to your recipe on your blog (not your home page) and link the button and your post back to Share My Recipe Sunday on my blog. You may earn my Gem of the Week award too.

Share my Recipe Sunday - Sugar Free Peach Crisp

Kristen from Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker has earned my Gem of the Week again. She has given us a recipe that diabetics can enjoy! My father is a diabetic and loves good desserts...and is thrilled when we can find a good recipe that is sugar free.
Join our Share my Recipe Sunday and add your recipe to the Mr. Linky. Feel free to pick up any recipes to use in your kitchen!

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There are a lot of diabetics in my family. It runs in the family. Therefore, I try to make desserts once in a while that everyone can enjoy without as much guilt as usual ;-). This dish isn't terribly sweet and lets the flavor of the peaches shine through. If you choose to use fresh, you may have to alter the time a bit.

1/2 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup crystaline fructose
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 cups sliced frozen peaches
2 tsp minute tapioca
Place peaches in the bottom of a 9 X 9 pan. Sprinkle with tapioca and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Combine oats, flour, fructose, butter and remaining cinnamon in a bowl and combine with a pastry blender until nice and crumbly. Sprinkle over the peaches. Bake uncovered 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve with sugar free vanilla ice cream if desired.
Kristen

Share my Recipe Sunday - Kitchen Stewardship - Banana Flax Muffins

I am so pleased that Katie from Kitchen Stewardship added this recipe to our list this week. She has won my "Gem of the Week" and can pick up the button for her blog. I have been trying to eat healthier and have for the first time been using flax seed in a smoothie this week. I haven't gotten advanced enough to add it into a recipe but I am excited to try this recipe! I love banana nut muffins. There is one that I used to get with Jenny Craig that I loved and is lower calorie. I haven't been able to find a recipe that I like as well for the calorie count it had. So...will defiantly try this one.

Please join us for Share my Recipe Sunday! You can pick up recipes and add new recipes weekly. You can add the Share My Recipe Sunday to your post and link it here so others can see all the recipes. If you win the Gem of the Award that week then you can pick up that button and add it to your sidebar or post. Be sure to link it to your recipe!


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Recipe Connection: Banana Flax Muffins

We’re thinking about omega-3s this week, and one way to get them into even your baking is to use ground flax seeds in place of part of the fat in a recipe. Here’s an easy, yummy, kid-friendly muffin recipe for you to try, or get bold and learn to substitute flax into your family’s favorites (see below for details)!

Banana Flax Muffins

* 1 ½ cup whole wheat pastry flour (works just fine with regular whole wheat)
* ¾ cup ground flaxseed
* ½ cup white sugar
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 whole egg
* ½ cup oil or melted butter
* 1 cup mashed bananas (I used VERY ripe bananas)
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2 Tbsp. plain yogurt
* 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional - but adds MORE omega-3s!)

In large mixing bowl, mix together flour, flaxseed, sugar, and baking soda. In separate bowl, mix egg, oil, bananas, vanilla, and yogurt. Mix wet into dry ingredients. Fold in walnuts. Use paper muffin cups or spray the muffin pans with non-stick spray. Bake large muffins 20-25 minutes (or mini muffins for about 15 minutes) at 350 degrees. Makes 12 muffins or 30 mini-muffins.

How to Substitute Flax into a Baking Recipe

* Take out some of the fat in your recipe - butter, shortening (eek!), oil, whatever. I usually have been very safe taking out 1/4 cup of fat, whether there’s 1 cup or 1/2 cup in the original recipe.
* Replace that with 3x as much flax meal. If you delete 1/4 cup of fat, add 3/4 cup of flax. That seems like a lot, but it always works!
* You may need to store your baked goods in the fridge - I found they go bad faster with flax involved.

Good luck and enjoy!
Kitchen Stewardship

Share my Recipe Sunday - Grilled Cheesy Potatoe Packets

This recipe is from the Betty Crocker Site. I thought it looked great for something to use not only on a grill, but over a campfire.


4 cups frozen potatoes O'Brien with onions and peppers (from 24-oz bag)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (3 oz)




1. Heat gas or charcoal grill. Spray 1 (18x13-inch) sheet of heavy-duty foil with cooking spray. Place potatoes on center of foil. Drizzle with oil; sprinkle with seasoned salt.
2. Bring up 2 sides of foil over potatoes so edges meet. Seal edges, making tight 1/2-inch fold; fold again, allowing space for heat circulation and expansion. Fold other sides to seal.
3. Place packet on grill over medium heat. Cover grill; cook 30 minutes, turning once. Carefully open packet; sprinkle cheese over potatoes. Cover loosely; let stand 4 to 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Come and join Share my Recipe Sunday. Add your name and recipe with link to your blog (and the recipe) on Mr. Linky. Take the Share My Recipe Button from my right sidebar and post it on your site with the link back to Share my Recipe.

Share my Recipe Sunday - Annie with Crockpot Swiss Steak

I have to say that when I think of Swiss Steak, I think of a thin tough piece of meat that my mom used to fix. But I love meat cooked in the crockpot. It just falls apart in your mouth. So it just makes sense that the swiss steak would be really good in the crock pot.
I am giving Annie from Annies Home the Gem of the Week award.

Join us on Sundays for Share My Recipe Sunday. Pick up the badge on the sidebar and post a recipe you like on your blog on Sundays. Come back here and add it to Mr. Linky. You may win my Gem of the Week award! But be sure to visit some of the other blogs listed and pick up some great recipes to try. (click on the badge above for further instruction if needed.)


Swiss Steak


3 T flour
1 t ground mustard
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 lb beef boneless round steak (8 pieces)
2 T oil
Onion, sliced
bell pepper, sliced
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, I like seasoned (un drained)

Mix flour, mustard and salt. Coat beef with flour mixture. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Cook beef 15 minutes until brown. Place in 3 1/2 to 5 quart crock pot, and top with onion and bell pepper. Mix tomatoes ; pour over beef and vegetables. Cover and cook on low heat setting 6-10 hours.

Share my Recipe Sunday - Pumpkin cookies with Butterscotch Morsels

Kristen from Frugal Antics of a Harried homemaker wins my Gem of the Week award for her yummy and original pumpkin cookies. I have used chocolate chips and butterscotch chips in cookie recipes before, but I have never used them in the combination with the pumpkin cookies.
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Pumpkin Cookies with Butterscotch Morsels
I made these cookies this week in order to use up a half opened bag of butterscotch chips. I decided after looking at how few chips I actually had, however, to add chocolate chips as well. It turned out well and they didn't last 24 hours.

Pumpkin Cookies
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup white sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp soda
1 tsp powder
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup butterscotch chips
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Grease cookie sheets. In a medium bowl, cream the shortening and sugar. Add the pumpkin and vanilla. Combine the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon; stir into the creamed mixture. Then mix in the chips. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool for a minute on cookie sheets before transferring to cooling racks.


Come join us on Sundays. Share one of your recipes with us and pick up a recipe from someone else that you would like to try. It's all about the Sharing!!

Share my Recipe Sunday - Joanna with Cheeseburger Lasagna

We are all used to having cheeseburgers on the grill and with Memorial Day being tomorrow I am sure many of us will be eating them soon!
Joanna from Princess on the Farm has a recipe with a different twist for the cheeseburger. It is lasagna made like a cheeseburger that you even serve with lettuce and tomato at the end. I just thought it sounded good.
This weeks Gem of the Week award is for you Joanna!

Join Share My Recipe Sunday and pick up some new recipes and share your recipes.
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This is a recipe I only made one time, but it was fabulous!

Betty Crocker's Make-Ahead Cheeseburger Lasagna

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb ground meat
3 tbs instant minced onion
1 can tomato sauce (15oz)
1 1/2 cup water
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tbs yellow mustard
1 egg
15 oz ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded cheddar-american cheese blend
12 uncooked lasagna noodles
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Make It:
1. Spray 13×9-inch (3qt) baking dish with cooking spray.

2. In 12-inch skillet, cook beef and onion over medium-high heat 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until beef is brown;drain. Stir in tomato sauce, water, ketchup and mustard. Simmer 5 minutes stirring occasionally.

3. Meanwhile, in medium bowl beat egg with whisk or fork. Stir in ricotta cheese and 2 cups cheese blend.

4. Spread 1 cup beef mixture over bottom of baking dish. Top with 4 uncooked noddles. Spread half of the ricotta mixture over noddles; top with 1 1/2 cups of beef mixture. Repeat layers once with 4 noodles, remaining ricotta mixture and 1 1/2 cups meat mixture. Top with remaining 4 noodles, beef mixture and 1 cup cheddar cheese.

5. Cover with foil; refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.

6. Heat oven to 350*. Bake lasagna covered 45 minutes. Uncover; bake 25-35 minutes longer or until bubbly. Remove from oven. Cover with foil; let stand 5-10 minutes before cutting.

7. Just before serving, top with lettuce,tomato and pickles. Serve with additional ketchup if desired.

Share my Recipe Sunday - Stephanie's southwestern rice salad

This salad looks wonderful. Stephanie from A High and Noble Calling submitted this salad. She has won my Gem of the Week Award.
There is so much color in this salad. It looks like something that would be a hit anywhere you served it.
She has great pictures on the process of making it too. (I love that!) Visit her blog to see all the great pictures!!


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This recipe was passed onto me by a friend and it is absolutely one of my favorites! Anything with corn and black beans ranks high on my list, and this dish has all that and one of my favorite spices: cumin!

It makes a large bowl full and is a quick and easy summer recipe. This recipe is adapted from Taste Of Home, and originally called for all of the veggies to be sauteed, but I like it better when they are raw and fresh. It makes it crispier, healthier and keeps your kitchen cool on a hot day!

Southwestern Rice Salad

2/3 cup cooked Brown rice

3/4 cup chopped green pepper

1/2 cup of chopped red onion

1 cup chopped medium carrot

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 16 oz package of frozen corn (thawed)

1 15 oz can of black beans (rinsed and drained)

2 medium plum tomatoes chopped

1 cup salted peanuts (or chickpeas)

1/3 cup of lemon juice

1/2- 1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper to taste

1/2 tsp ground cumin

Optional: 1 Tbsp of flax seed oil

1. Chop up the veggies an put them into a bowl

2. Add the corn and black beans and the peanuts
(or chickpeas) and cumin, then mix all together.

3. Add the lemon juice, cayenne and cumin and flax
seed oil and mix well.

4. Add the rice and mix well. Cover and refrigerate
for at least 4 hours for the flavors to meld
together.

5. Enjoy!!

Stephanie
Join our "Share My Recipe Sunday" and share YOUR recipe here. Be sure to link this to your recipe on your site. Add the Share My Recipe Button (you can get it off the right hand sidebar of this site for best results). You may win the Gem of the Week award that you can display on your site.
Thanks!

Share my Recipe Sunday - Jalapeno Cheesecake by Sweetpea

This weeks Gem of the Week award goes to Sweet Pea of Newlyweds.
I first looked at this recipe and thought....(that doesn't sound right). But once you read it and really think about it, I bet this taste wonderful!!! The hot of the jalapeno along with the sweet of the cheesecake offset by the salty of the fritos. Yum!!
You will have to go visit her blog to see a step by step picture tutorial of how to make this. It was wonderful. I felt like I was on a cooking show from all her great pics!

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Jalapeno Cheesecake

Crust:

2 Cups Frito’s (crumbs)

4 T butter


Cheesecake:

3 sticks of cream cheese, 8 oz each (total of 24 oz) room temperature

1/4 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup water

2 cubes chicken bouillon

1 tbsp. taco sauce

1 T lime juice

1 T tequila

2 T pickled Jalapeno juice

4 oz pickled Jalapenos, chopped

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Begin to boil a large pot of water for the water bath.

2. Mix together the crust ingredients and press into your preferred pan. You can press the crust just into the bottom, or up the sides of the pan too - baker’s choice. Set crust aside.

3. Combine cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of a stand-mixer (or in a large bowl if using a hand-mixer) and cream together until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next. Make sure to scrape down the bowl in between each egg. Add heavy cream, water, chicken bouillon, taco sauce, lime juice, tequila, jalapeno juice and blend until smooth and creamy.

4. Pour batter into prepared crust and tap the pan on the counter a few times to bring all air bubbles to the surface. Place chopped pickled jalapenos on top of cheese cake and slightly press in.

Place pan into a larger pan and pour boiling water into the larger pan until halfway up the side of the cheesecake pan. If cheesecake pan is not airtight, cover bottom securely with foil before adding water.

I used 2, 8 inch foil pans and baked for 20-25 minutes, but if you’re using a spring form pan, bake for 45-55 minutes.

5. Bake 20-25 until it is almost done - this can be hard to judge, but you’re looking for the cake to hold together, but still have a lot of jiggle to it in the center. You don’t want it to be completely firm at this stage. Close the oven door, turn the heat off, and let rest in the cooling oven for one hour. This lets the cake finish cooking and cool down gently enough so that it won’t crack on the top. After one hour, remove cheesecake from oven and lift carefully out of water bath. Let it finish cooling on the counter, and then cover and put in the fridge to chill. Once fully chilled, it is ready to serve.

Serve with Jalapeno jelly poured on top, and Fritos!


If you visit Sweet Pea's blog called Newlyweds you will see that she did this for the Daring Bakers Challenge. She has the recipe for "The original Recipe
Abbey’s Infamous Cheesecake" on her blog along with some variations of that cheesecake.

Come visit Share my Recipe Sunday (hit link for more instructions). Add your name to Mr. Linky and submit your recipe. Pick up the button for your site, with a link back to Share Your Recipe Sunday. You may win my Gem of the Week award and have your recipe featured on my blog that week with links to your more links to your blog.

Share my Recipe Sunday - Lisa with Home Made Taco Sauce and Seasoning

Lisa from Easy Living has won my Gem of the Award for her thrifty recipes to save money making taco sauce and taco seasoning. For all of us trying to conserve our dollars, it is great to see some recipes that help us do that.

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When making enough burritos and tacos for a family of four or larger it gets expensive to buy everything needed. The meat and cheese alone is expensive.

So to make it more frugal, when I dont have these items stockpiled (from purchases using coupons to get them really cheap or free) I make my own. Making these two things from scratch shaves $4-$5 off the price of this dinner by itself.

Taco Sauce
1 small can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground Cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Mix all together and let sit for at least 30 minutes so spices wed.



Taco Seasoning
6 teaspoons chili powder
5 teaspoons paprika
4 1/2 teaspoons cumin
3 teaspoons onion powder
2 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Use 2 heaping tablespoons to equal one commercial packet.

When my oldest son and any of his friends are here for dinner, I will stretch the hamburger by adding 1 cup of cooked minute rice.

Lisa B.

Share my Recipe Sunday - Yogurt Coffee Cake Muffins

I thought these muffins looked so good and when I first saw the picture I was so hungry. I wanted one!!
Amy from The Finer Things In Life submitted this recipe.
Enjoy!!
Join along - Add your recipe onto the list with the link back to your blog. Pick up my Button and post it with your recipe. Click on the Share my Recipe Button above more more directions if needed. Thanks.



Yogurt Coffee Cake Muffins

* 1/2 c. butter
* 3/4 c. sugar
* 2 eggs
* 1 tsp. vanilla
* 1 1/2 c. plain yogurt
* 1 tsp. baking soda
* 1 tsp. baking powder
* 1 c. unbleached, all-purpose flour
* 1 c. whole wheat flour

Topping:

* 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
* 3 T. sugar
* 1 1/2 T. brown sugar

** sour cream is a nice substitute for plain yogurt

** the topping is also delicious with chopped pecans added

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, sour cream and vanilla. Mix well. Combine baking soda, baking powder and flours. Add to wet mixture. Scoop into greased muffin tins. Sprinkle topping over each muffin. Bake at 350° for 20-22 minutes. Yield: 2 dozen muffins

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter! Enjoy your family today. Share your recipe Sunday will be back next week.

Share My Recipe Sunday - Creamy Roasted Garlic Chicken Fettuccine

Heather from What's Cooking in Heather's Kitchen has joined Share my Recipe Sunday with this wonderful sounding recipe. She has won my Gem of the Week award for this week. You will have to go look at all the other great recipes she has on her blog.



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I'm preparing for next weeks Menu Plan, so I decided to add one of our favorite pasta dishes to the mix this week. My family can't get enough of this one.

CREAMY ROASTED GARLIC CHICKEN FETTUCCINE (The roasted garlic really adds a sweet, unique flavor to this dish)

6 (4 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts (pounded to ¼ inch thick cutlets)
1 cup flour + 1 Tbsp
Sea Salt and Pepper to taste
3 Tbsp E.V. Olive Oil
2 Tbsp butter
1 red pepper, thinly sliced (julienne)
*6 cloves roasted garlic, crushed into a paste
½ cup White wine (one you would drink)
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 good handful fresh Italian Parsley, chopped
Crushed Red Pepper
1 lb fettuccine, cooked according to package (reserve 1 cup cooking liquid)

Heat Olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Dredge cutlets in 1 cup flour that is seasoned with sea salt and pepper. Sauté cutlets until light golden brown (about 2 minutes per side)
Set cutlets aside and add butter to pan. Sauté red peppers then add 1 Tbsp flour. Slowly add wine, cream and garlic paste then cook over medium heat until bubbly. Add Parmesan and stir until melted in. Then add parsley and red pepper. Toss Pasta with Sauce (If pasta seems "dry", add some of the reserved pasta cooking liquid). Serve with chicken cutlets on top.

*Roasted Garlic – Place 1 or 2 whole heads of garlic (with just the top sliced off) in a large piece of foil. Drizzle E.V. Olive oil over the top and sprinkle a pinch or 2 of salt and pepper on them. Close up tightly and place in a 400F oven for about 20 to 30 minutes (depending on if you want whole cloves still or paste like). Remove from the oven and allow to cool. From the bottom of the cloves, squeeze the cloves out of the garlic skins.

Thanks to Sandy @ Organize with Sandy for hosting Share My Recipe Sunday. You can check out all the great shared recipes there this week.

Heather

Share my Recipe Sunday - Heather with Easist Ever Avocado Salad

This week's Gem of the Week goes to Heather from Just Doing My Best. She had presented a couple of good recipes. This is her Avocado salad. Did you know you can freeze avocados? I didn't. Make sure you visit her blog and see what else she has been up to.



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This embarrassingly easy recipe came from my grandpa in Texas, whom I think is one of the best cooks ever.

Easiest Ever Avocado Salad

Coarsely dice 2 avocados and 3 small tomatoes and place in serving bowl. (I've used Roma and they work well because Roma's have less liquid than some of the other varieties.) Then, coat the diced duo with Italian dressing. You will have to eyeball the amount, but you will not want to use too much. Just enough to coat.

It's THAT easy. My kids like to eat avocado salad with tortilla chips, as they would guacamole, but it's also great served by itself. The salad is extremely versatile so you can vary the quantity of fruits used based on the size of your family and personal preferences.

Heather
Join me for Share your Recipe Sunday. Add your name and recipe to Mr. Linky. Post it on your site with the Share your Recipe Button. You may win my Gem of the Week award. Be sure to pick up some other good recipes and come back each Sunday if you would like to add even more recipes!