Rhodes Pumpkin Slices with Rum Sauce

Today I'm posting over at the Rhodes Blog.  I made Pumpkin Slices with Rum Sauce.  Oh. My.  This recipe is soo tasty.  It's cinnamony, pumpkiny all drizzled with rum sauce that tastes like penuche fudge.  I know I'm not adequately describing this delicious sweet bread.  You just need to make it and devour it today.

Pop on over to the Rhodes Blog and see the step by step instructions yourself.

Rhodes Basil Tomato Rolls

 
Today I'm posting over at The Rhodes Bake N Serv Blog.  I'm making Basil Tomato Rolls.  If you know me, you'll know how much I love Basil.  This was the perfect way to use some of my fresh from the garden basil and tomatoes.

Here's a little bit of the lovely basil from my herb garden, just waiting to be chopped and eaten.

 And here's the rolls fresh from the oven, before they are inverted onto the serving dish. 

Now head over to the Rhodes Blog and see the step-by-step instructions to make these delicious rolls.

My New Herb Mincer

I just wanted to share this new little kitchen tool I found.  Years ago, I saw something like this and I have been on the lookout ever since.  It seemed like a great way to slice fresh herbs, fast.  I was in my local Crate and Barrel store (I love that I can say that-my local Crate and Barrel.  It's fairly new where I live and I have always loved Crate and Barrel!) browsing through the housewares.  And there it was.  I had to have it.  And it wasn't even expensive.

 So I have been slicing herbs ever since.

You'll have to check out my Rhodes post later in the week to see what this little beauty did to my fresh basil.  Loved it!

You can buy it at your own Crate and Barrel Store or check it out online here.

Cinnamon Churro Chex Mix

At my house we love, Chex Muddy Buddies, or as we call it, Puppy chow.  It's one of those treats I can throw together quickly.  So I almost always have all the ingredients on hand.  When Chex cereal goes on sale, I stock up.

So I had been seeing a few variations around on the internet.  I found this cinnamon version over at The Double Dipped Life and gave it a try.  It was a hit.  We have made it several times.  The recipe calls for cinnamon chips.  If you haven't seen them they are sold next to the chocolate chips.  Most stores carry them now.

If you love cinnamon and sugar.  Make some soon.

Cinnamon Churro Chex Mix

9 cups rice Chex cereal
1 cup cinnamon chips
1/4 cup butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon


In a microwavable bowl, cook chocolate chips and butter for 1 minute. Stir until smooth. If the mixture still has some lumps, microwave about 30 seconds longer. Place cereal in a large bowl. Slowly pour cinnamon and butter mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, sugar, and cinnamon. Sprinkle sugar mixture over cereal and stir gently to coat evenly.  Pour onto a cookie sheet to cool.  It probably won't cool before the eating begins.

I'm Back

What has happened to me this year?

Working on this blog has always been in the back of my mind.  But somehow I've been M.I.A.  I've been busy with some other blogs.  Check out I Heart Salt Lake, the blog about Salt Lake City and surrounding areas that I run with my sister Dianna.  I've also been blogging with Rhodes.  I'll have another Rhodes post soon.  I've also been grilling a ton.  I have a new grilled corn salsa I can't wait to share.  I've also been baking banana bread as soon as the bananas get too ripe.  Sometimes that happens soo fast.  But my son at home doesn't seem to mind too much. I have a new banana bread recipe that I'll be sharing soon.

But I'm ready to get back to posting recipes and fun food stuff here.

Thanks for being patient with me.

Caramel Apple Toffee Dip

I love caramel!  If it has caramel in it, then I approve.  There are about a million recipes out there on the web for this type of recipe.  So let me add my version to all the others.  It's a simple dip for just about any type of fruit.  But apples are the best.  But don't stop there, crackers and cookies are good dipped into this as well.

Caramel Apple Toffee Dip

1 8 ounce cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup toffee bits

Beat cream cheese, brown sugar and vanilla with electric mixer until smooth.  Stir in toffee bits.  Serve.

Notes:

I have also heated this recipe in a small crockpot for caramel fondue.  The toffee chips will start to break down though. 

To keep apples from turning brown, soak in pineapple juice for 15 minutes.  Drain before serving.  Save in a ziplock bag in the refrigerator.  They will not go brown for a few days after doing this.  Plus you won't taste the pineapple juice like you do when they are soaked in lemon juice.

Rhodes Blog- Pepperoni Bread

Today I'm over at the Rhodes Bread Blog guest posting.  I made some yummy pepperoni bread.  It's soo easy to make and really good.  We love it for lunch or dinner.  But we really love it when we're watching a football or basketball game on tv.  It's great alone or dipped in marinara sauce or ranch dressing.  I've made it with different meats and lots of different cheeses too. 

It is so versatile.  Just keep a loaf of Rhodes frozen bread dough in your freezer and you can add whatever meats and cheeses you have on hand.

   

Now go thaw a loaf of Rhodes bread and start planning your dinner now.

2011 ReCap

Looking back over the past year, I picked out a few of my favorites from 2011.
It was hard to choose but here's what I came up with.

Oatmeal Carmelitas

These are easy to make.  A crowd-pleaser and I almost always have all the ingredients already in my pantry and fridge.  Or maybe I like them so much, I keep the ingredients on hand.


Cherry Checkerboard Cookies

These were a fun "lady cookie" as I like to say.  They take some time and not the kind of time your teenager would appreciate as they (and their friends) grab them by the handful.  Therefore, a lady cookie.  I made them for my book group the first time.

BLT Pasta Salad

One of our favorites salads when the tomatoes are fresh on the vine. It's a BLT and pasta salad in one!

Lemon Bars

These are definitely one of my favorite treats!  The hubby doesn't care for them as much as I do (He'd rather have chocolate).  So it's best I only make them when I can give most of them away.

Apple Cider Chicken Marinade

This makes The, Most, Moist chicken.  Ever!  The fresh herbs make it soo tasty too.  After making it the first time, I now grill up twice as much chicken as we need because the leftovers get eaten just as fast.