Dutch Apple Pie is my favorite type of apple pie. The crunchy topping and the perfectly cooked apples make it a perfect dessert on its own or a delicious base for vanilla ice cream and/or caramel sauce. Fall is also the best time of year to make Dutch Apple Pie especially if you can get fresh apples straight from an orchard. However, this pie is delicious even if you must buy your apples from the local grocery store. I suggest using 3 types of apples in this pie. First, start with the tart Granny Smith apples. These apples are the base for most apple pies but if you want depth of flavor, then ..read more

I'm always trying to find appetizers to take to a party that are easy to transport and take very little time to create.  This is one of those appetizers.  It is very similar to one my mother created with cream cheese and pecans but I believe the goat cheese and apricots give it just a step up in flavor with the tangy cheese and sweet apricots.   The creamy goat cheese, salty almonds and sweet apricots are the perfect combination.  Get in your kitchen and start making this appetizer. It will be the star of your next party or family gathering. Ingredients 8 oz. goat cheese ..read more

Sloppy Joes are a classic sandwich and very easy to make.  If you have a pound of ground beef, then you can make these yummy sandwiches with items added from the pantry.  It takes less than 30 minutes from the time you remove the ground beef from the refrigerator to serving a tasty sandwich.  I have also served them open face and on slider buns for appetizers.   Ingredients 1 lb ground beef, lean 1 medium onion, diced 1 medium green pepper, diced 3 cloves garlic diced 1 tbsp chili powder 3/4 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 8 oz. can tomato sauce 1/2 cup ketchup 1 cup water 1 tbsp ..read more

When you need to find a dessert for a crowd, then there is nothing easier than a sheet cake.  It must be chocolate to satisfy my crew but I have to add a touch of mint to make it satisfying for me too.  And since it is St. Patrick's Day, I had to add a bit of green to the mix.   Of course, I have made this cake many times without the mint layer but I think it adds a great flavor to complement the chocolate.  Add it looks pretty too.   Give my cake a try and let me know what you think. Ingredients Cake 2 cups flour 2 cups sugar 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp instant espresso ..read more

Recently a friend had asked for a cherry treat for her birthday. However, this treat needed to be portable and easy to serve. Therefore, I decided to alter my Apple Pie Bars recipe and use cherries instead. With only a few minor changes to the apple recipe, I created a yummy treat.  It was also so easy to make since I used cherry pie filling with a minor adjustment of almond extract.   I cut the bars into 18 squares and placed them in cupcake liners (jumbo size) to make them easy to serve. They looked like a bought them at a local bakery.  So good and perfect for a crowd ..read more

Valentine's Day is the perfect time to make a Red Velvet Cake. It has the chocolate flavor everyone wants for the occasion and the perfect accompaniment of cream cheese icing. This cream cheese icing isn't too sweet. The frosting has the perfect balance between the cream cheese and confectioners' sugar. It has become a favorite with my family and it can be one with yours too. A few hints about this recipe will make your cake turn out perfectly too. First, make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature. It really does make a difference in your cake, so take our the butter, eggs, b ..read more

The only way to describe this lasagne is "Delicious". It blends together the flavors of Italian sausage, ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, creamy noodles and a tangy marinara sauce.  Serve it with a simple salad and garlic bread and your feast is complete.   Lasagne is a comfort food my family really loves. However, my recipe made enough for 6 people and with only the two of us, it was just too much leftover. Using disposable loaf pans the recipe can be made into 3 pans with servings for two or one 11x7 in. dish serving for 6.   Ingredients (Serves 6 or 3 pans with servings for 2 ..read more

Since my husband and I are empty nesters, I am constantly striving to create recipes for just two. I definitely don't need extra dessert sitting around so having just enough for two is best.  I know this seems counter intuitive but I must show some restraint.   I used pears because that was what I had available but you could use any fruit.  Using individual dishes would also work well.  Enjoy! Ingredients 2 large ripe pears 1/4 tsp salt 1/3 cup granulated sugar 1/3 cup dried cranberries 1/2 cup flour 1/4 tsp cinnamon 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup ch ..read more

Seasoning salmon with citrus has always been my practice. But one time I didn't have the required ingredients and I experimented with orange marmalade. What an explosion of flavor the orange created. It was the best salmon I had ever made. I won't be going back to my old recipe any longer. Fish is always an easy meal and this salmon recipe is no different.  A simple mixture of marmalade, soy sauce and garlic and it is ready to pop it in the oven.  In 20 minutes this entree is complete and ready to eat.  I only made two filets but there is plenty of the orange sauce mixture for ..read more

Caramel is a flavor made for the fall. It enhances the flavor of a variety of foods. One of my favorites is popcorn smothered in caramel. Caramel corn used to be one of treats collected on Halloween. It was always homemade and everyone knew which neighbor had the best. I think my mom's caramel corn was the best because she heated it in the oven so the caramel melted on all the popcorn. I have added pecans and peanuts to the mixture to add to the crunch.  Make a batch to munch on while handing out the treats to all the ghosts, goblins, princesses and superheroes in your neighborhood. Ingr ..read more