Marshmallow Fudge

 

There is something about fudge and the holidays!! Well, ANY kind of candy and the holidays! LOL. My entire family thinks this fudge is great!! Hopefully, you will find some time to make this - it is a very simple recipe!!

Ingredients

12-ounce package semi-sweet chocolate chips

14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups miniature marshmallows

1 cup cinnamon graham crackers, crushed

Line an 8-inch square pan with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside. In a medium size saucepan, put the chocolate chips, condensed milk, vanilla extract and marshmallows. Stir over medium heat until smooth. Remove from heat and add the graham crackers. Combine well and then press into the pan. Refrigerate for a minimum of two hours. Store covered in the fridge for up to a week. 

Easy Apple Turnovers

 

Recently, I bought a five pound bag of Granny Smith apples and a can of biscuits because they both were on sale. So, what do you do if you have apples and biscuits?!?!?! You make apple turnovers!!! I had been looking for a chunk of time in both my schedule and Dominic's to make this together. He had an almost two hour break between his first and third class this morning,  so we made them then!!! Just as Dominic's third class started, I handed him a bowl with the apple turnover in it. I asked him if he wanted a bite and before I knew it, he had grabbed the bowl and ate the entire thing!! My husband came down to the kitchen late morning and I showed him the turnovers. He said, "they smell good!" I had to agree!!!!

Ingredients

1 can refrigerated biscuits (8 biscuits)

Two apples, any variety (peeled, cored and sliced) - approximately 1 1/2 cups apples

1/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon unsalted butter (melted)

Optional Glaze: 3 tablespoons powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon water

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper and press each biscuit into a 5-inch circle and set aside. In a small bowl, put the apples, light brown sugar and cinnamon. Stir with a small spoon until apples are completely covered with the light brown sugar and cinnamon. On the bottom half of each biscuit, divide the apple mixture evenly. Fold the dough over into a half moon shape. Crimp the edges with a fork to seal. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the turnovers start turning a golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Serve as is or make the glaze. In a small bowl, put three tablespoons of powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon of water and stir with a small spoon until smooth. Drizzle over the turnovers. Store covered at room temperature. *Dominic and I each ate one of these for a late morning snack. You could certainly serve for a dessert after dinner or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Actually, they are yummy no matter when you eat them!!

No-Bake Chocolate "Lasagna"

Dominic has always liked to be in the kitchen. When he was a toddler, we would fill up bowls of soapy water and he would play for hours in the double sink in our kitchen with a spoon. As he got older, he would "assist" me by pouring different ingredients into a bowl.

During this Pandemic, I have been making a concerted effort to give him more and more responsibility in the kitchen. We taught him several years ago about how the stove could be hot and step away when I put things in or out of the oven. It is a place that has become very comfortable for him.

This time of being home to stay safe has forced me to slow down and get back to baking and cooking more!! It has also been a time of  "experimenting" with new recipes. It's been a win-win for our family!!

Ingredients

14.3 ounce package Oreo cookies (do not remove the cream centers)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons milk
2 8-ounce containers whipped topping, like Cool Whip
2 3.9 ounce boxes instant chocolate pudding (unprepared)
2 3/4 cups milk
1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips

In a food processor (or a Ziploc-type bag) put the entire package of Oreo cookies. Crush until the Oreos become fine crumbs. In a medium bowl, put the Oreo crumbs and the melted butter. Mix well with a large spoon and then press evenly into an ungreased 9 x 13-inch pan. Set aside. In a large bowl, put the cream cheese and beat by hand or with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the white sugar and the two tablespoons of milk and mix again until smooth. Fold in one of the 8-ounce containers of whipped topping and beat by hand or with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly on top of the Oreo cookie crust and put in the fridge for about ten minutes to set. In a large bowl, add the two 3.9 ounce boxes of instant chocolate pudding and add the 2 3/4 cups of milk. Beat by hand or with an electric mixer for about two minutes until it starts to get thick. Spread the pudding mixture evenly on top of the cream cheese mixture and put back in the fridge for about ten minutes. Once it's set, gently spread the other 8-ounce container of whipped topping evenly and then sprinkle with the mini chocolate chips. Put in the freezer for a minimum of three hours. Store covered in the freezer.

No Bake Golden Grahams S'mores Bars

What kind of cereal did you eat growing up? I loved Kellogg's Frosted Flakes, Fruit Loops, Trix and so forth.  Yep, all the ones that had TONS of sugar!!!! My very favorite cereal was (and still is) Golden Grahams. Did you know they came out in 1976? I turned 13 in 1976!! I even had a pair of Bi-Centennial overalls. I will spare you that picture.  Anyways, as I have gotten older, I have switched to more "healthier" cereals. From time-to-time, it's good to take a little trip down "memory" lane. I have wanted to make these bars for a while. For the past handful of weeks, every time I checked, the grocery store didn't have any Golden Grahams. This past week when I went, they had the "Giant Size" on sale. Of course, I picked it up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! These bars are so easy to make and they can be ready in 30 minutes.

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter, unsalted
10-ounce bag mini marshmallows
1 cup milk chocolate morsels
5 cups Golden Grahams cereal

Spray a 9-inch square pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside. In a large stockpot, melt the butter slowly.  On medium heat, add the marshmallows and chocolate morsels. Using a large spoon, stir constantly until the marshmallows and chocolate morsels are completely melted. Remove from heat and add the cereal. Combine until all the cereal is covered with the marshmallow and chocolate mixture. Press evenly into the prepared pan.  Let cool a minimum of 30 minutes. Store covered at room temperature.

No Bake Caramel Pecan Turtle Bars

My husband is incredibly hard to buy for whether it's Father's Day, his birthday or Christmas! One gift I have bought him MANY times are the DeMet's Turtles. If you ever had them, you know that they are really rich and delicious. I was curious how hard it would be to make them, I thought you would need to bake it in the oven. Given that the weather here in Michigan is HOT and even with our air conditioning on, it is still hot when I put on the oven, I knew I wanted to make a "No Bake." This recipe is really easy and the only two appliances you need are a microwave and a fridge!!!! Dominic helped me and my husband LOVED these homemade "Turtles!" Don't they look happy?!?!?! I think he will remember this Father's Day fondly!!!

Ingredients

1 3/4 cup + 1/4 cup milk chocolate chips, (reserved)
3/4 cup pecans + 1/4 cup pecans (reserved), chopped
2 2.2 ounce bags, soft caramels (I used Werther's)
1 1/2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream (no substitutions)

Line a 8 x 8-inch pan or 9 x 9-inch square pan with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside. In a microwave safe bowl, put the 1 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips and in 15-30 second intervals, melt the chocolate until smooth. Pour in the bottom of the prepared pan and if you have any air bubbles, tap the pan a few times to get them out. It will also help smooth the chocolate. Sprinkle the 3/4 cup of pecans evenly across the melted chocolate. Set aside. Unwrap all of the soft caramels in both bags and put in a separate microwave safe bowl. Add the heavy cream and in 15-30 second intervals, melt until smooth. Spread evenly across the melted chocolate. In a small microwave safe bowl, melt the remaining 1/4 cup milk chocolate chips. Using the end of a teaspoon, drizzle the melted chocolate on top. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup pecans on top. Put in the fridge for one hour. *these must be kept covered in the fridge. 

Chicken Taco Stew

During this time of staying at home, I have definitely baked and cooked more than I did before! My husband said he has probably gained 10 pounds! It's good we go for a walk every day now!!

Anyways, about a month ago, I had it in my head that I wanted to make a Chicken Taco Stew. I couldn't find a recipe, so I decided to make Chicken Tortilla Soup instead, but wanting to be creative, I used a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Whew, I think I am still blotting my forehead from all the sweating I was doing while I was eating it. Note to self: that stuff is HOT. Last night, I wanted to try again to make Chicken Taco Stew and after searching for over a half hour on the Internet for a recipe and it continuing to bring up Chicken Taco Soup recipes, I decided to invent my own recipe! It was YUMMY and the hubby said he liked it almost as much as the Hot Dog and Bean Casserole. That's quite a compliment, because that is his #1 favorite Quarantine dinner!!!

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, chopped

16-ounce can Traditional Refried Beans

14.5-ounce can Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes, undrained 

15.25-ounce can No-Salt Added Black Beans, drained and rinsed

10-ounce can Red Enchilada Sauce, mild flavor

1.25-ounce package Taco Seasoning, reduced sodium

In a large stockpot, put about a tablespoon or two of vegetable or canola oil and cook the chicken until it is no longer pink inside. Drain off the grease. Add the rest of the ingredients in the order given, cover and stir occasionally on medium heat about 15 minutes. You can eat as is or put a "bed" of white rice underneath and top with shredded cheese. Makes about six servings. Store in a covered container in the fridge. 

Hot Dog and Bean Casserole

Okay, before the Quarantine started, I had probably made a hot dog and bean casserole for my husband exactly one time. I guess since it didn't get a warm and fuzzy response, I didn't make it again. Growing up, I was a PICKY eater.  One of my favorite meals was hot dog and bean casserole with Jiffy corn muffins on the side.  My mom would take a pack of hot dogs and a can of baked beans, mix in a little ketchup and mustard and bake it. I LOVE the little boxes of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix.

Growing up in Maryland, I never knew where the mix was made, it turns out it's Chelsea, Michigan! About an hour from where I live now. Once this Quarantine is over, I'm definitely going for a tour of their factory. Now that I'm done taking a trip down memory lane, I'll move on!! During this time of family togetherness, I have been trying different recipes, something I didn't have time for before this Quarantine started. I have always eaten the hot dog and bean casserole separate from the corn muffin mix. What if the two were put together into a casserole?!?!? I looked at the Jiffy website and their recipe included onions. Hmm, I'm still not a fan of onions (a carryover of my childhood pickiness)!!! LOL. I mixed together the hot dogs and beans and then spread the corn muffin mix over the top and baked it. My husband thought it was one of the best things I have ever made!! This casserole has become a new "Quarantine" favorite!!

Ingredients

8-pack of hot dogs, chopped
16-ounce can baked beans (I used Vegetarian Baked Beans)
Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
1 large egg
1/3 cup milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 2.5 quart baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Put in the chopped hot dogs and baked beans and combine well with a large spoon. Set aside. In a small bowl, put the corn muffin mix, large egg and 1/3 cup milk. With a large whisk or spoon, blend until just barely combined (don't overmix). Let the batter "rest" for about 3-4 minutes and then spread evenly on the top of the hot dogs and beans. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the casserole comes out clean. You want to make sure the corn muffin mixture on top gets done!! Makes six servings.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Fudge

Last Friday morning, I tried to make a new scone recipe. Despite my best efforts, they didn't exactly turn out the way I would have liked. The butter in the scones melted onto the bottom of the stove, which caused smoke, which in turn made the smoke alarm go off. Luckily, we have a self-cleaning oven and I set it on the longest length of time possible - four hours. After the oven had cooled off, I cleaned the residual that was left and on Saturday night made lasagna. Again, the smoke alarm went off. I finally came to the conclusion that the two racks in the oven needed to be cleaned. Ugh. Since I didn't feel like cleaning them immediately, I decided to make a "no-bake" recipe Sunday afternoon. Oh my, this is SO good. At Cathy's Kitchen, we aim to have happy "customers!" LOL.  By the way, I cleaned the two racks Sunday afternoon and then made a new Quarantine "favorite" for dinner - Hot Dog and Bean Casserole covered with Jiffy Cornbread!! This time the oven did NOT set the smoke alarm off!! Yeah - success!!

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, unsalted
1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
16.3 ounce jar smooth peanut butter
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
12-ounce bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. In a large saucepan or stock pot, put the butter, light brown sugar, vanilla extract, peanut butter and powdered sugar. On low to medium heat, stir constantly with a large spoon until smooth and blended together. Remove from heat and pour immediately into the prepared pan and spread evenly.  In a small bowl, melt the chocolate chips. Pour the melted chips over the peanut butter mixture and again, spread evenly. Use a knife to "swirl." I swirled both diagonally and horizontally. Place in fridge for a minimum of two hours. When ready to eat, cut into squares. Store covered in the fridge. Enjoy!!!!

Chocolate Brownie Pie

Since being in Quarantine, we have definitely done more baking.  A few weeks ago, Lauren made homemade biscuits. Dominic and I have made my mother-in-law's Sour Cream Kuchen numerous times (we actually have it on the schedule to make today)! This past Sunday, it was the traditional "Bunny Cake." Besides our baked goods tasting super duper yummy, I have used the baking "sessions" with Dominic to reinforce life skills, like having him read the recipe and getting all the ingredients out, following directions and measuring out the flour, sugar, etc.

Since we had a teeny bit of vanilla frosting left over from the "Bunny Cake," I thought making some homemade brownies were in order! After looking through a few cookbooks, I found the perfect recipe (meaning we had all the ingredients)! Dominic and I made it before dinner, so it could cool while we were eating dinner. We even made it a bit more fancy by adding some green sprinkles! I have made brownies in all different shaped pans, but never in a pie pan. The hubby, Dominic and I ate ours quickly, but I set Lauren's piece on a plate on the dining room table. When she came looking for it, I told her where it was.  Much to our surprise, there were a couple bites taken out of it. The culprit was Dominic!!! He had helped himself to her piece when I wasn't looking, LOL. Guess he wanted a second piece! This morning, we discovered he had eaten two chocolate bunnies out of Lauren's Easter basket. He's a sneaky little thing.....

Ingredients

1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup white flour
1/3 cup baking cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch pie pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. In a large bowl, put the sugar and butter and beat until smooth with electric mixer or by hand. Add the remaining ingredients in the order given and combine well. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the pie comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool thoroughly. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, frost or enjoy as is!! Serves eight.

Layered Fruit Spritzer

*Picture courtesy of Mary Gajda - Capital Area Women's Lifestyle Magazine

This winter has definitely been the most unusual since moving to Michigan in December of 2001. Wednesday, the temperature outside when I was running around doing errands was 50. This morning, I had high hopes of putting a lighter weight jacket on Dominic for school instead of a heavy winter jacket that he has almost outgrown. My hopes were dashed when I saw rain/snow falling as his bus pulled up to our curb. I heard this Sunday it may hit 60! I may have to go sit out on our back deck with this drink in my hand, because Monday, it might snow!

Ingredients:

20-ounce can pineapple chunks, in pineapple juice

6-ounce container blackberries

1 cup strawberries, hulled and chopped

1 cup blueberries

1 cup ginger ale

Drain the juice from the can of pineapple chunks and reserve the juice. Set aside. It should be approximately one cup of juice and 2 cups of pineapple chunks. In a 16-ounce glass, put a 1/2 cup of the pineapple chunks, 7-8 blackberries, 1/4 cup strawberries and 1/4 cup blueberries. Pour 1/4 cup of the pineapple juice and 1/4 cup ginger ale on top of the fruit.  Makes four servings. Feel free to add a splash of champagne to make it more "bubbly!"