Sticky Buns

1 C packed brown sugar
1/2 C corn syrup
1/2 C butter
1 C pecans
Cook on medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Add pecans and pour into 9"x13" pan. Place cinnamon buns on top. Bake at 350F until golden on top. Invert onto serving tray. Don't share too many. :-)

Italian Peasant Soup

*the credit for this goes, I believe, to Sabrina's mother-in-law. She made it at their wedding rehearsal and I asked for the recipe.
*another thing - I don't usually use chicken and sausage, since that seems a bit excessive. If you're going to leave one out, I'd leave out the chicken. But for something heartier, it is really good with both!

1 lb. hot Italian sausage, cut into 1" slices (or just scramble fry it)
2 onions, chopped
6 cloves of garlic - uh huh, you heard me, baby
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces
2 cans navy beans, or whatever white beans you want to use
2 cans -28 oz total - chicken stock
2 cans - 28 oz total - diced tomatoes, don't drain them!
1 tsp (or more) dried basil
1 tsp (or more) dried oregano
6 C fresh spinach leaves, chopped (I use one pack of chopped frozen spinach, thawed)
parmesan cheese for garnish
*Optional: I added small shell pasta, cooked separately last time and we really liked it like that. Just makes it a little more filling.

Cook sausage and chicken until no longer pink. Drain and add onions and garlic; saute until onions are tender. Add beans, chicken stock, tomatoes and spices. When simmering, add spinach and cook just until wilted.
Serve with parmesan cheese and garlic bread!

Italian Vegetable Soup

1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
2-3 small potatoes, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5 ounce) can peeled and diced tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
2 (19 ounce) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups water
5 teaspoons beef bouillon granules
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
2 cups chopped cabbage
1 (15.25 ounce) can whole kernel corn
1 (15 ounce) can green beans (I used frozen corn and green beans)

Stir together onion, celery, carrots, potatoes, garlic, chopped tomatoes, tomato sauce, beans, water and bouillon. Season with parsley, oregano and basil. Simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in cabbage, corn, and green beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer until vegetables are tender (or til your husband comes home). I also add some cayenne pepper and lots of salt and black pepper. Also, this originally called for a pound of browned ground beef but it's very hearty without the meat and I don't think you'll ever miss it.

Balsamic Roasted Pork Loin

2 tablespoons steak seasoning rub
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
2 pounds boneless pork loin roast

Dissolve steak seasoning in balsamic vinegar, then stir in olive oil. Place pork into a resealable plastic bag and pour marinade overtop. Squeeze out air and seal bag; marinate 2 hours to overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place pork into a glass baking dish along with marinade. Bake in preheated oven, basting occasionally until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F (65 degrees C), about 1 hour. Let the roast rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

My notes: I used 2, 1 lb. pork loins, and I think this may have kept them juicier than using one bigger one. Also, I had only baked it for about 25-30 minutes by the time they reached 145 degrees internally. This is super easy and oh-so-delectable. :)

Whole Wheat Thin Crust Pizza Dough

Combine:
1 c. warm water
1 Tbsp. yeast
pinch of sugar

Add:
1 1/2 c. flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. olive oil

Knead until dough is smooth and elastic. Add more flour as necessary. Cover and let rest 20-30 minutes. Makes 2 12-inch pizzas. May pre-bake crusts at 425 F for 10 minutes.

Mini Tiramisu Eclairs

1/3 c. hot water
2 tsp. instant coffee granules
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
2 (3 oz.) packages ladyfingers, split
1 (8 oz.) package mascarpone cheese*
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar, divided
2 Tbsp. chocolate syrup
1/2 c. semisweet chocolate morsels
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. whipping cream

Stir together first 3 ingredients until sugar is dissolved; set aside 2 Tbsp. mixture. Brush cut sides of ladyfingers evenly with remaining coffee mixture. Stir together mascarpone cheese, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, and chocolate syrup until blended. Spoon or pipe (I would pipe) mascarpone cheese mixture evenly onto 24 cut sides of ladyfinger halves; top with remaining ladyfinger halves, cut sides down. Microwave chocolate morsels, butter, and cream at high for 30 seconds or until melted, stirring twice. Place chocolate mixture in a small heavy-duty zip-top bag; seal bag. Snip a tiny hole in 1 corner of bag, and drizzle over eclairs. Let stand until firm. Stir together reserved coffee mixture and remaining 1 cup powdered sugar, stirring until blended. Place coffee-powdered sugar mixture in a small heavy-duty zip-top bag; seal bag. Snip a tiny hole in 1 corner of bag. Drizzle eclairs evenly with coffee-powdered sugar mixture. Keep refrigerated until serving.
*1 (8 oz.) package of cream cheese, softened, may be substituted.

Bacon Appetizer Crescents

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
8 slices bacon, crisply cooked, crumbled
1/3 c. grated parmesan cheese
1/4 c. finely chopped green onion
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp. milk
2 cans (8 oz. each) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

Preheat oven to 375 F. Mix cream cheese, bacon, parmesan cheese, onions, parsley and milk until well blended; set aside. Separate each can of dough into four rectangles; firmly press perforations together to seal. Spread each rectangle with 2 rounded tablespoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture. Cut each rectangle into 12 wedges. Roll up wedges, starting at short ends. Place, seam-sides down, on greased baking sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm.
I gave up on the crescent shape and just made rectangle-ish ones. Just as good.

Mini Cheesecakes

1/2 (12 ounce) package vanilla wafers
1/4 c. butter, melted
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line miniature muffin tins (tassie pans) with miniature paper liners. Crush the vanilla wafers, mix with melted butter, and place 1/2 teaspoon (heaping) of the mixture into each paper cup. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy. Fill each miniature muffin liner with this mixture, almost to the top. Bake for approximately 8 minutes. Cool. Top with a teaspoonful of cherry pie filling.

Some changes: Next time I'll leave out or cut down on the vanilla extract. It was good, but too much of it. I also used fresh strawberries and shaved some chocolate on top instead of the cherry pie filling (as you can obviously see from the picture).

Tomato and Mozzarella Bites

20 grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
20 fresh basil leaves
20 small balls fresh mozzarella cheese (often labeled bocconcini)
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
20 toothpicks

Using a toothpick, spear a half of a tomato, a piece of basil, a mozzarella ball, and another half of a tomato. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Place on a serving dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper (be quite generous; maybe more than you'd think). Mix the vinegar and oil together in a small bowl and drizzle over bites before serving.

Corn Casserole

1/2 cup butter
1 box of corn muffin mix
1 can creamed corn
1 can corn, drained
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream

Mix together and bake in a greased 9x13 pan for 30 minutes at 350 F.

When you look at the big pan full of corn casserole you think "I made too much," but when you start eating it you think "I didn't make enough." That is my opinion. This is from Renee Byler, by the way, and she says you can add things like green chiles, cheese, etc.