South African Lekker Pudding

We love making foods from other countries at Christmas.  One of our favorites is this one from Africa.   We discovered it after doing a Christmas Around the World project a few years ago.    It seemed the obvious pick since Hannah and Uncle Larry did their missions work there and one of our close friends grew up in South Africa. Our friend introduced us to Lekker Pudding. Lekker Pudding is a traditional Christmas treat in South Africa. It is very yummy and very rich. Lekker in Afrikaan simply means "good" and oh my is it!

South African Lekker Pudding

Ingredients

3/4 cup of self-rising flour
1 egg
1 Tbsp apricot jam
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp softened butter
a pinch of salt
a pinch of ground nutmeg
1 tsp grated orange zest
FOR THE SYRUP:
1/2 cup boiling water
1/2 cup cream
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp grated orange zest

Directions

Dissolve the baking soda in the milk. Mix all the other ingredients together well, then add the milk and mix well until smooth. Pour into a baking dish and bake for 30-40 minutes at 350 or until a skewer comes out clean.
Place all the ingredients for the syrup in a small saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat. Serve pudding warm with generous amounts of syrup.

Copycat Lipton Onion Soup Mix

Note:  I use Lipton Onion Soup mix for a lot of recipes.  Now that I have a quick and easy recipe I will never wonder if I have any of those packets anymore! 

Copycat Lipton Onion Soup Mix
Ingredients
3/4 c. Dried minced onion
1/3 c. beef bouillon granules
4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp crushed celery seed
1/4 tsp sugar

Directions
Combine all ingredients.  Seal in a ziploc or vacuum seal jar. Approximate 5 Tbs of mix equals one envelope (1 1/4 oz).

To make onion dip:

5 Tbs. Prepared Mix
1 pint Sour Cream

Blend well, refrigerate for at least an hour.

Starbucks Lemon Loaf

Note:  Have you ever eaten Starbucks Lemon Loaf?   It is delicious.  Like lemonade goodness in a cake.   I was so excited when someone shared this recipe with me.   Now I can make their cake for less than what it cost to get a slice at Starbucks.   Yes!

STARBUCKS LEMON LOAF

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup(s) flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 cup(s) sugar
2 TBS butter; Softened.
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp lemon extract
1/3 cup(s) lemon juice
1/2 cup(s) oil

Lemon Icing Ingredients:
1 cup powdered sugar; Plus 1 Tablespoon.
2 TBS whole milk
1/2 tsp lemon extract

Instructions:
Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl.  Use a mixer to blend together the eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla, lemon extract and lemon juice in a medium bowl.   Pour wet ingredient into the dry ingredients and blend until smooth.  Add oil and mix well.  Pour batter into a well greased 9x5-inch loaf pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until a toothpick stuck into center of the cake comes out clean.
Make the lemon icing by combining all the icing ingredients in a small bowl with an electric mixer on low speed.  When the loaf is cool, remove it from pan and frost the top with the icing.  Let the icing set up before slicing.

Butterhorn Rolls

Note:  These are special occasion rolls.   They are not difficult to make as much as they take a long time to rise.   However, don't let that scare you away from giving them a try because they are delicious!

Butterhorn Rolls

Ingredients
1/2 cup warm water

2 Tbsp Instant yeast

2 Tbsp sugar

2 cups milk

6 beaten eggs

1 cup sugar

6 Tbsp melted butter

2 tsp salt

8-11 cups flour

Directions

Dissolve yeast and sugar in water and let stand for a few minutes until foamy. Meanwhile, scald milk in the microwave (usually 1 or 2 minutes) and then cool to lukewarm. Add the milk, eggs, sugar, butter and salt to the yeast mixture and stir. Add flour, one cup at a time and mix well until the dough is cleaned from the sides of the bowl, and soft and pliable. Place in a lightly greased bowl and cover. Let rise in a warm place for 5 hours.

After the first rise, divide dough into five pieces. Roll each piece into a large circle, 1/4" thick. Cut circle into 12 or 16 wedges. Roll up from the widest end to the tip, creating a butterhorn shape. Place on greased baking sheets and brush tops generously with melted butter. Let rise for 3 hours. Bake @ 350 degrees for 13-14 minutes. Brush tops again with melted butter immediately after removing from the oven.

Triple Chocolate Cake

Note:  Too much craziness.   Too much stress.   This calls for chocolate... LOTS of chocolate!

Triple Chocolate Cake

Ingredients
1 pkg Devil’s Food cake mix
1 pkg instant chocolate pudding
1 cup chocolate chips
4 eggs
1/4 cup oil
1 1/2 cup water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350º.  Grease a bundt pan thoroughly.  Combine all ingredients with a mixer.

The batter will be slightly lumpy, but that is OK.  Pour batter into greased bundt pan and bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes.  Remove from pan immediately and allow to cool on a rack.  Dust with powdered sugar.

Store in an airtight container for up to 7 days in the refrigerator.

Breakfast Cream Cheese Danish

Note:  One day while shopping at Kroger there was a cream cheese danish on sale.   To my surprise, Little Guy asked if I would buy it for him.   He absolutely loves cream cheese danish apparently. That meant I needed to find a quick and easy recipe so I could make one for him.   This one has worked well.

Breakfast Cheese Danish

Ingredients:
2 cans ready to use refrigerated crescent rolls
2 (8-ounce each) packages cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg white

Glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
Preheat oven to 350* degrees and grease a 13X9-inch baking pan. Lay a pack of crescent rolls in the pan and pinch the openings together. Beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and egg together until smooth. Spread the mixture over the crescent rolls evenly and then lay the second pack of crescent rolls on top of the cheese mixture and brush with egg white. Bake for 35-45 minutes until the top is golden brown. Top with glaze after cooling for 20 minutes.

Caramel Cake

Note:  There is something so southern about a caramel cake.   Once you have tasted a really good caramel cake you kind of become a caramel cake snob.   I won't tell you my caramel cake is the best you will ever have, but there is rarely any left so I will say it is highly acceptable. 

Caramel Cake

Ingredients
1 cup whole milk
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
2 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups sifted cake flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons, softened
3/4 cup heavy cream

Icing
3 cups sugar
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter three 8-inch cake pans; line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter the parchment and flour the pans, tapping out the excess.  In a bowl, mix 1/4 cup of the milk with the egg whites and vanilla extract. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle, mix the flour with the sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the butter and the remaining 3/4 cup of milk. Beat at low speed until blended, then beat at medium speed until smooth, 1 minute. Beat in the egg white mixture in 3 batches.  In another bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the cream until soft peaks form. Stir one-third of the whipped cream into the batter, then fold in the rest. Divide the batter between the pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean. Let the cakes cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Unmold the cakes and peel off the parchment. Invert the cakes and let cool completely.

In a saucepan, stir 2 1/2 cups of the sugar with the corn syrup and milk. Cook over moderate heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Keep warm.  Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar in a deep, heavy saucepan. Cook the sugar over moderate heat, swirling occasionally, until an amber caramel forms. Carefully pour the warm milk mixture over the caramel. Cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until the caramel dissolves. Stop stirring and cook until the caramel registers 235° on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat. Stir in the butter, vanilla and 1/4 cup of the heavy cream. Strain the caramel into the bowl of a standing mixer. Let cool for 15 minutes.  Beat the caramel at medium speed, gradually adding the remaining 1/4 cup of cream, until creamy, about 15 minutes. Set 1 cake layer on a plate. Pour enough icing over the layer to cover the top. Top with a second cake layer and cover it with icing. Add the final cake layer and pour the rest of the icing over the top of the cake, letting it run down the sides. Working quickly, use an offset spatula to spread the icing gently around the cake. Let the cake stand for 2 hours to set the icing before serving.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins

Note:   I am working on a batch of these to be breakfast muffins for next week while the floor installers are here.   If I am honest with myself I will go ahead and double the recipe because I know these will be gone before the week even starts!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups oats (old fashioned or quick oats)
2 and 2/3 cups flour
2/3 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup butter
6 ounces chocolate chips

Directions:
Combine the oats, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, milk, and oil.
Stir the egg mixture into the flour mixture until moistened. Mix the chocolate chips in.
Fix greased or paper-lined muffin cups 2/3 full with the batter. Bake at 400 degrees for 16-18 minutes, or until tops are light golden.
Makes approximately 18 muffins.

French Toast Bake

Note:  With our house in chaos, cooking has been quite the challenge.   Quick and easy one dish meals have been VERY appealing to me.   This is going into the refrigerator for our breakfast in the morning.   We are going to need a big breakfast before we completely empty out the house so our new wood floors can be installed next week. 

FRENCH TOAST BAKE

Ingredients
1/2 cup melted butter (1 stick)
1 cup brown sugar
1 loaf Texas toast
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Powdered sugar for sprinkling

Directions
Melt butter in microwave & add brown sugar....stir till mixed. Pour butter/sugar mix into bottom of 9 x 13 pan....spread around.  Beat eggs, milk, & vanilla.  Lay single layer of Texas Toast in pan. Spoon 1/2 of egg mixture on bread layer.  Add 2nd layer of Texas Toast. Spoon on remaining egg mixture.  Cover & chill in fridge overnight.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes (covered for the first 30 minutes).  Sprinkle with powdered sugar.  Serve with warm syrup!

7 up/Sprite/Ginger Ale Biscuits

Note:  We have been so busy this summer that family suppers have been more rare than common.   This past week I asked the boys what meals they had been craving.   Big Guy said he really wanted roast, mashed potatoes, homemade biscuits and veggies.    Last night I had everything almost ready and realized I hadn't made biscuits.   I didn't want to disappoint him but didn't want to hold up supper so I whipped up these 7 up biscuits which turned out to be ginger ale biscuits since I didn't have 7 up.   They aren't technically homemade, but they were as close as I could get in the time crunch I had.

7 up/Sprite/Ginger Ale Biscuits

Ingredients
4 cups Bisquick
1 cup sour cream
1 cup 7-up/Sprite/Ginger Ale (basically any kind of lemon-lime drink)
1/2 cup melted butter

Directions
Melt your butter in the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking pan.   Fold sour cream into Bisquick and then add 7 up.  Just mix, but don't over mix.    Dump onto a floured surface.   Roll out to a 1 inch thickness.   Cut out and place in the butter pan.   Bake in a 425 degree oven until golden brown. 

Homemade Coffee Creamer

Note: I like making my own coffee creamer rather than buying it.   It tastes better to me and I don't have to use very much of it.   Make the base recipe and then add whatever flavors you want to it.

Base Recipe

Ingredients
14oz sweetened condensed milk
1 3/4 cup half & half (whole milk, almond milk, whatever you prefer)
 
Directions
Pour ingredients into a jar with a tight lid and shake until well  mixed.   

Flavor Add Ins...

French Vanilla Creamer
2 teaspoons vanilla extract OR vanilla coffee syrup

Chocolate
2-3 tablespoons chocolate syrup

Vanilla Caramel
2 tablespoons caramel ice cream topping
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Samoa (like the Girl Scout Cookies)
2 teaspoons coconut extract
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
2 tablespoons caramel ice cream topping

Peppermint Patty
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
1 teaspoon peppermint extract

Turtle Cheesecake Ball

Note:   Our Aunt Raylene posted this recipe and now I am trying to figure out what party I am going to throw just so I can make it!   Doesn't it sound divine??

TURTLE CHEESECAKE BALL

Ingredients
8 oz softened cream cheese
1/4 cup butter (room temperature)
1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
1-1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup mini semisweet choc chips
1/2 pk dry vanilla pudding mix
1/2 cup caramel topping plus little more for drizzling
.
Directions
1.Cream soften cream cheese & butter.
2.Add caramel topping and beat well.
3.Cream in brown sugar & icing sugar.
4.Add vanilla & dry pudding mix.
5.Fold in choc chips & pecans.
6.Pat into a ball and refrigerate for one hour.
7.Place ball on serving platter, drizzle with caramel topping and serve with chocolate wafers, chocolate graham fingers, Nilla wafers or sliced apples.

Apple Fritters

Notes:   If we go to our local donut shop, my husband is going to get an apple fritter.   He loves them.   Recently one of the group pages on Facebook, Welcome Home, posted a recipe that was so easy and tasted very similar.   I can't make these very often or he will be completely spoiled and will  never want to go to the donut shop again.  Ha! Ha!

Apple Fritters
Ingredients
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 cup apple cider
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 cups vegetable oil

GLAZE:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup apple cider
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Spread prepared apples in single layer on paper towel–lined baking sheet and pat thoroughly dry with paper towels. Combine flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in large bowl. Whisk cider, eggs, and melted butter in medium bowl until combined. Stir apples into flour mixture. Stir in cider mixture until incorporated.

Pour oil into a large deep skillet or a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. You should have at least 2 inches of oil in your skillet or Dutch oven. Test the oil to see if it is ready by dropping a pinch of dough into the oil. It is ready when the dough floats to the top.

Using a measuring cup (I use the 1/3-cup) carefully drop heaping portions of batter to the hot oil. Press batter lightly with back of spoon to flatten. Fry, until brown, about 2 minutes, then flip. Cook another 1-2 minutes, until both sides are browned. Transfer briefly to paper towels to absorb excess oil, then transfer to cooling rack.

Transfer fritters to wire rack set inside rimmed baking sheet. Bring oil back to the same temperature and repeat with remaining batter. Let fritters cool 5 minutes

Meanwhile, whisk confectioners’ sugar, apple cider, cinnamon, and nutmeg in medium bowl until smooth. Top each fritter with 1 heaping tablespoon glaze. Wait approximately 5 minutes for glaze to harden, then flip fritters and drizzle glaze over the other side. Best served warm.

Squash Croquettes

Note:  Getting my boys to eat squash is a challenge.  I love it and they do not.   However, this has been a recipe that they do not object to so much!  

Squash Croquettes

Ingredients
2 cups yellow squash, finely chopped
1 cup onion, finely chopped
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
vegetable oil

Directions
In a large bowl, combine squash, onion, egg, salt and pepper. Mix well. Stir in flour. In a skillet, heat ½-inch oil over medium-high heat. Drop batter by tablespoonfuls into oil. Cook about 3 minutes per side or until golden brown, turning once. Drain croquettes on paper towels.

Beef Stew with Cheddar Dumplings

BEEF STEW WITH CHEDDAR DUMPLINGS

Ingredients:
2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into small pieces and floured

Garlic

salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon oil

2 quarts water

8 beef bouillon cubes

1 medium onion, chopped

1 (16-ounce) can sliced carrots, undrained

1 (16-ounce) can green beans, undrained

Splash of liquid smoke

Dumpling Ingredients:

2 cups buttermilk biscuit mix

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2/3 cup buttermilk or milk

Directions:
Coat meat with flour, garlic salt and pepper. Brown meat in oil. In Dutch oven combine water, bouillon, onion, carrots, green beans, and liquid smoke. Bring to a boil. Add browned meat and simmer 30 minutes. For dumplings, combine biscuit mix and cheese. Add milk to form a soft dough. Drop by tablespoonfuls into bubbling stew. Cover and simmer for 12 minutes, do not lift cover until dumplings are done. Serve with slaw and garlic bread.

Bread Machine Cream Cheese Yeast Bread

Note: Rediscovering our bread machine has made our house smell delicious and the boys are quite addicted. It is a nice thing to share with neighbors!

Bread Machine Cream Cheese Yeast Bread

Ingredients
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 beaten egg
4 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast

Directions Place the ingredients in the pan in the order as suggested by your bread machine manufacturer. Process on dough cycle. Remove from machine, form into a loaf and place in greased 9x5 loaf pan. Cover and let rise until doubled. Bake in a 350 degrees F oven for approximately 35 minutes.

Ham and Cheese Quiche

Note:     Don't tell my boys that real men don't eat quiche because they LOVE it.    We have it quite often.    By far their favorite is ham and cheese quiche.      I always make two at a time so that we have it for supper and then one for breakfast the next morning.

Ham and Cheese Quiche


Ingredients
1 (9-inch) Pie shell, thawed
2 cups shredded sharp cheese
1 cup chopped ham
1/4 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup evaporated milk

Directions
Preheat oven to 375. Toss together cheese, ham, and onion. Spoon into pie shell. Whisk together remaining ingredients until well blended. Pour over ham and cheese mixture. Bake 45 minutes, or until golden and knife inserted into center comes out clean.

Copycat Bonefish Grill Bang Bang Shrimp

Note:    Anytime I am on Facebook and someone posts about going to eat at Bonefish Grill, nine times out of ten they will say they have eaten "Bang Bang Shrimp".    It seems to be just "the" thing to eat when you are at Bonefish.      I ran across this copycat recipe and decided it was a must try!


Copycat Bonefish Grill Bang Bang Shrimp

Spicy Sauce:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
4 teaspoons chili garlic sauce (sambal sauce)
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon rice vinegar

Souffle:
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon rubbed (ground) sage
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
8 to 12 cups vegetable shortening or oil
16 to 18 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Garnish:
1 handful of mixed greens
1 green onion, chopped (green part only)

Directions
Combine all ingredients for chili sauce in a small bowl. Cover the sauce and set it aside for now.
Combine the beaten egg with milk in a shallow bowl. Mix flour, panko, salt, black pepper, sage, onion powder, garlic powder, and basil in another shallow bowl.

Heat shortening or oil to 350 degrees F. Use the amount of oil required by your fryer.
Bread the shrimp by first coating each with the breading. Dip breaded shrimp into the egg and milk mixture, and then back into the breading. Arrange the coated shrimp on a plate and pop them into the fridge for at least 20 minutes. This step will help the breading to stick on the shrimp when they are frying.

When your oil is hot, fry the shrimp for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on a rack or paper towels. When all of the shrimp have been fried, drop the shrimp into a large bowl. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the sauce over the shrimp and stir gently to coat. Stack the shrimp on a bed of mixed greens, then sprinkle the stack with chopped green onion.

*Serves 2 to 4 as an appetizer.

Easy Blueberry Cobbler

Note:  I found some blueberries in the freezer.   I made some into syrup for pancakes for breakfast yesterday and then used the rest to make a quick and easy blueberry cobbler.    Mmmm... come on summer.   Ready for fresh vegetables and fruits!

My Easy Blueberry Cobbler


Ingredients
2 sticks unsalted butter
2 cups self rising flour
2 cups sugar
2 cups milk
3-4 cups fresh blueberries

Directions
Heat oven 350    Melt butter in the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Mix flour, sugar and milk. Pour over melted butter. Top with fruit. Batter will rise over it. Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes

Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup

Note:  We are supposed to get a wave of cold weather.  I HOPE!   I plan to throw all of this into the crock pot so that we can enjoy soup over the next couple of days.  

Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup

Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons minced garlic 
1 rotisserie chicken, about 4 cups shredded, remove the skin
32 ounces reduced sodium chicken broth
2 -  28 ounce cans mild green enchilada sauce
2 - 10 ounce cans Mild Rotel diced tomatoes with peppers
4 cups cooked spanish rice (I used a package version from Knorr)
2 tablespoons ground cumin
8 ounces sour cream
shredded cheddar cheese for topping
1 bag tortilla chips for topping

Directions
Saute' onions in oil over medium heat until softened.   Stir in garlic and cook another minute.  Pour into crock pot and turn on Low.   Add the rest of the ingredients.  Stir well and let cook on low for 4-6 hours.   Serve into bowls.  Top with shredded cheese and tortillas chips.

Cheez It Macaroni and Cheese

Some of the guys we hosted for 180 Weekend.

Note:  We hosted 15 tenth grade boys this weekend as part of discipleship weekend for our church.   Each guy was told to bring a 2 liter of their favorite drink and some sort of snack food.   Apparently tenth grade boys love Cheez It crackers because we have five boxes left at our house.     Tonight we are trying this recipe using some leftovers!

Cheez It Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients

1 box elbow macaroni

3/4 stick butter

8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 cups Cheez-Its, crushed

Salt and pepper, to taste

chopped chives, to garnish

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Boil macaroni until it's tender. 7-10 minutes (check firmness). Strain and set aside. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, then add a splash of cream. Add a handful of cheese and stir until combined. Add another splash of cream and stir again, add more cheese and stir again. Repeat this process until you only have a little cheese left (reserve that to sprinkle on top). Return macaroni to pot, pour cheese sauce on top and stir. Pour into an oven-safe pan or casserole dish. Stir in some crushed Cheez Its and salt and pepper. Sprinkle remaining cheese and Cheez-Its on top. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until Cheez -Its are lightly toasted on top.