Mandarin Orange Pecan Salad

I am not especially fond of green salads. 

I don't eat enough of them, unless I have this in front of me.

Then I can woof down a whole plateful, and more...

Easy, simple & delicious.

That's all that needs to be said...

MANDARIN ORANGE PECAN SALAD

Romaine lettuce

1 - 12 ozs. can mandarin oranges, drained

pecan halves, toasted in butter then coated with a little brown sugar

green onions, chopped

Dressing:

1 dash pepper

1/4 c. canola oil

2 Tb. sugar

2 Tb. apple cider vinegar

2 shakes tabasco sauce

1 Tb. fresh parsley

Blend together and toss over salad.

CHOW DOWN!

Linked to Weekend Potluck

Beloved Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

This recipe is definitely a beloved family favorite.

Both my daughter-in-loves make this often for their families.

A revised version of this recipe made it into my cookbook.  It has added peanut butter and peanuts.

It's something I've made for many years after writing the recipe into a 'make your own' cookbook. The page is very stained and torn out of the book.  The corner of the page has been taped back together...

Yet it's very treasured just the same.

Like family should be...loved and accepted as we are. 

This is what the dough looks like before baking.

And this is the beautiful bread after baking - MMM!

BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP BREAD

2-1/2 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

1-1/4 c. sugar (I use half Splenda) - it bakes faster

1/2 c. oil (I use half applesauce)

3 eggs  (I use 2 whole eggs and 2 egg whites)

1-1/2 c. mashed ripe bananas (about 3 large)

3 Tb. sour milk

1 c. semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325. Generously grease 4 - 6"X3"X2" foil loaf pans. (Or use 2 medium & 1 small)  In medium bowl, stir flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.  In large mixer bowl, at medium speed, beat sugar, oil & eggs; add bananas, then milk; beat in flour mixture at low speed just until blended.  Stir in chocolate chips.  If using medium pans, begin checking after 35 minutes. I don't really have baking time written down, so just keep checking - with a toothpick stuck in the middle - to see if they're done. 

Cool 10 minutes before removing from pan to rack to cool.  Store overnight before serving. 

These loaves freeze nicely.

Or bake them as muffins - about 15 - 20 minutes...YUM!

Hints:  To make your own sour milk, add about 2-1/2 TB. milk to a bowl, stir in 1/2 tsp. vinegar; let stand about 5 minutes. (I use 1% milk).

I freeze my bananas whole, in the peel.  Just thaw and they pop right out of the peel.  This adds a lot of moisture to anything being baked.

​

Linked to Miz Helen's Country Cottage

                 Ingredient Spotlight

Baked Waffles with Raspberry Cream Cheese

Oh my Ya'll! 

You're gonna love this tasty dish.....I found it in a Cooking with Paula Deen magazine and feel like I've 'struck gold' with this one!

(My friend Lois, took me to Chicago for my birthday a few years ago.  We saw Paula Deen Live and laughed ourselves absolutely silly.  I want to be just like Paula when I grow up! I love her sweet spirit and that she's always so 'common and every day'. Her recipes are mighty fine too.) 

I had to have TWO pieces of this for breakfast. It's so delicious! No way could I stop at one. *-*

I changed up the recipe a tad because I had raspberries on hand and had frozen waffles that needed to be eaten too, so this was the perfect dish for me to make.

Ya'll know I'm a big-time cream cheese hound!

My waffles were round and they worked fine, but I would suggest using square ones, just because they fill in the pan better.

I also used Splenda brown sugar blend and sugar free syrup.  No one would have ever guessed. 

I can't imagine it tasting a bit better than it did already!!

I love that it's an overnight dish so it's wonderful for brunch or lunch...any time of day!

It was simple to put together - no hassle.  Your older kids could even make this one.

I'm sure blueberries, or even apples, would work in this recipe.  Make it your family's favorite choice.

BAKED WAFFLES WITH RASPBERRY CREAM CHEESE

8 frozen buttermilk waffles

4 Tb. cream cheese, softened

1-1/2 c. sliced fresh raspberries (or strawberries)

(I cut the raspberries in half, but you wouldn't have to)

1-1/4 c. milk

6 lg. eggs

1/4 c. maple syrup (I used sugar free)

1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar

(I used 1/4 c. Splenda brown sugar blend)

1/2 c. butter

Garnish: fresh raspberries

Preheat oven to 350. Arrange waffles in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Toast for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Spray an 11" X 8" baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.  Line waffles in a single layer on the bottom of dish.  Spread cream cheese over waffles.  Top with raspberries. Arrange remaining waffles over raspberries. In a small bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, and maple syrup.  Pour mixture over waffles.  Cover and chill overnight.

Preheat oven to 375. In a small saucepan, whisk together brown sugar and butter over medium high heat until sugar dissolves and butter melts.  Pour over waffles.  Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until set in the middle.  Remove from oven; let stand 10 minutes before serving.  Top with additional raspberries if desired.

(Using Splenda, I baked mine about 22 minutes - be sure to start checking early for doneness)

Linked to Everyday Sisters Sharing Sunday

              Made it on Monday

               Ingredient Spotlight

               Creative Thursday

              Mix it up Monday

            Breakfast Inspirations Monday

             Ingredient Spotlight - Berries

Gooseberry Patch Roundup - Favorite Fruit Weekend Potluck

Chicken Enchiladas

I've had this one in my files for some time...it's finally getting posted!


I prefer Mexican food over all other ethnic dishes. And this is definitely a favorite!

It's delicious and easy and we enjoy it often. Makes a great company dish also.

Sorry I can't post a picture of these delicious eats after they're cooked, and cheese is melted.

When I made these, I put them in the freezer for my daughter and family.

They are SO tasty and easy to put together. I love that they're moist too.

AND yes...they can be frozen ahead too! 

But they're not in Deb's freezer for long, because her whole family loves them and they get eaten quickly.

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

(From The Better Baker)

1 Tb. butter

1 (4 ozs) can diced green chilies

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 (10 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 c. sour cream

1-1/2 c. cooked cubed chicken

1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

6 - 12 flour tortillas

1/4 c. milk

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease 9" X 13" X 2" baking dish.  In saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and saute green chilies and garlic powder.  Add cream of mushroom soup and sour cream; mix well. Reserve half of the sauce; set aside. 

To remaining half of sauce, add chicken and 1/2 c. of cheese. Stir. Fill tortillas and roll up; place seam side down in baking dish.  In small bowl, mix the remaining sauce with milk. Spoon over tortillas and top with remaining cheese.  Bake 30 - 35 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

Yield: 4 - 6 servings

When I don't have the chilies, I substitute salsa instead.  You can also use cream of chicken soup if you prefer it over mushroom.

Lemon/Blueberry Biscuits & Peach/Blueberry Crisp

I LOVE BLUEBERRIES!

And they're sooo good for you! They're loaded with vitamins and are high in fiber and low in fat. Recent studies tell us that of all fresh fruits and vegetables, blueberries provide the most health-protecting antioxidants, those valuable elements which prevent cancer-causing cell damage and may limit the changes wrought by age related diseases.


When a friend served me this dish, warm from the oven, topped with ice cream, I knew I had to have the recipe. It's one among many delicious recipes in my cookbook "Recipes & Recollections from The Better Baker".

What a delightful combination the peaches are with the blueberries. Peaches are great for your skin too.

PEACH-BLUEBERRY CRISP

 3 - 4 peaches, about 1-1/2#, peeled and sliced into wedges
2 c. blueberries, cleaned
1 hp. TB. cornstarch
2 TB. lemon juice
1/3 c. sugar
2/3 c. all purpose flour
1/2 c. old-fashioned oats
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. light brown sugar
5 TB. (unsalted) butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 2.5 qt. baking dish. In a large bowl, combine peaches, blueberries, cornstarch, lemon juice and sugar; set aside. In small bowl, combine flour, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt; stir in brown sugar, then butter, mixing by hand until blended and crumbly. Spread fruit mixture in prepared baking dish and sprinkle with oatmeal mixture. Bake 45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped topping.

Yield: 6 - 7 servings



I began making this recipe many years ago. I found it in a Taste of Home magazine.

It's deliciously wonderful.  If you choose to make these sugar free/fat free...no one will guess. They are healthy nibbles of yumminess!

I think the marriage of lemon and blueberry is a perfect match....and that resulting thought is expressed beautifully in this biscuit.

Oh...another thing that I adore about this recipe is that you stir it by hand. No need to get out the mixer and dirty the beaters. 

It's easy to make and very tasty.

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl, and add the blended wet ingredients, then stir.  I love using my curved spatula...or spoonula, as Rachel Ray calls it.

I enjoyed some warm biscuits and hot tea in the middle of the afternoon!  Such pampering!

LEMON BLUEBERRY BISCUITS

(From The Better Baker)

2 c. all purpose flour (I replaced 1/3 c. with whole wheat)

1/3 c. sugar (I used Splenda)

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 carton (8 ozs) lemon yogurt

(I only had vanilla, so I added a tsp. or lemon flavoring to yogurt)

1 egg, lightly beaten (or 2 egg whites)

1/4 c. butter or margarine, melted

(I've substituted liquid Butter Buds to make this totally fat free)

1 tsp. grated lemon peel

1 c. fresh or frozen blueberries

(I like a little more lemon 'zing', so I add a little more lemon flavoring even when I use lemon yogurt)

GLAZE:

1/2 c. powdered sugar

1 Tb. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. grated lemon peel

Preheat oven to 400. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients. Combine yogurt, egg, butter and lemon peel; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.  Fold in blueberries. Drop by tablespoonsful onto a greased baking sheet.  Bake 15 - 18 minutes or until lightly browned. (Remember the Splenda 'rule'...it bakes faster). Combine glaze ingredients; drizzle over warm biscuits.

Yield: 1 dozen