The Cooking Family

Cheese and Sausage Balls

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Cheese and Sausage Balls
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
 

This three ingredient appetizer is great to make when you have unexpected company or a family gathering.

Sausage balls may be made ahead of time and frozen until ready to use. Reheat in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or in the microwave on high power for 1 minute.

Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: 3 ingredient recipe, 5 minute prep, easy appetizer, sausage appetizer
Servings: 6 dozen
Author: Linda
Ingredients
  • 2 1/2 cups Bisquick
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 lb. hot sausage
Instructions

  1. Blend all ingredients real well using your hands.

  2. Form into 1 inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet.

  3. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

  4. NOTE: Sausage balls may be made ahead of time and frozen until ready to use. Reheat in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or in the microwave on high power for 1 minute.

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Quick Corn Fritters

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Quick Corn Fritters

Don't have time for our corn fritter recipe. Try this one if you're short on time.

Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: corn fritters, quick corn fritters, quick side dish
Author: Juanita
Ingredients
  • 3 eggs, separated
  • 1 lb. can whole kernel corn, drained ( 1 2/3 cups)
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/8 tsp. pepper
  • 4 Tbsp. all-purpose flour (or pancake mix)
  • 7 Tbsp. shortening, melted
Instructions

  1. Beat egg yolks until light.

  2. Mix yolks in drained corn, salt, pepper, flour (or pancake mix).

  3. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff, but not dry.

  4. Fold egg whites into corn mix.

  5. Drop batter by spoonfuls into hot melted shortening in your skillet.

  6. Cook to golden brown, turning only once.

  7. Serve with maple syrup. Makes 16 fritters.

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Curry Chicken

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Curry Chicken
Course: Main Course
Keyword: curry chicken, curry chicken recipe
Author: Juanita
Ingredients
  • 1 whole chicken, skinned, boned and cut into pieces
  • 4 potatoes, cut each into 6 pieces
  • 4 Tbsp. curry powder
  • 2 packets Goya Zazon spice
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 Tbsp. oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 4 cups water
Instructions

  1. Heat oil in large skillet and add crushed garlic. Let brown over low heat.

  2. Add chicken pieces, onion, potatoes, spices, curry powder and water. Let simmer until chicken and potatoes are cooked through.

  3. Serve over white rice.

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Mom Romeo’s Bread Pudding

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Mom Romeo’s Bread Pudding
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: bread pudding
Author: Juanita
Ingredients
  • 6 slices bread
  • 3 cups milk
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar (can add more)
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 cup raisins (floured)
  • 1/2 – 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
Sauce
  • 1 pkg. vanilla pudding (made as directed on package)
  • 1/2 cup milk
Instructions

  1. Bring milk to a boil to scalding.

  2. In a bowl beat your eggs.

  3. Stir in your sugar and beat.

  4. Add scalded milk and mix thoroughly.

  5. Break the bread into small pieces and add to milk mixture.

  6. Add vanilla and raisins. Stir gently.

  7. Pour into greased casserole dish and sprinkle nutmeg over the top.

  8. Cook at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until puffed and browned.

  9. Make your sauce by making your vanilla pudding as directed on the package, except you will add an extra 1/2 cup more of milk than the package calls for.

  10. Pour sauce over bread pudding and serve.

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Ham Glaze

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Ham Glaze

You can also use this on baked chicken. Bake the chicken until about 15 minutes before the end of cooking time. Cover with glaze and cook remaining 15 minutes. Broil for 1-2 minutes to crisp the skin.

Keyword: chicken glaze, ham glaze, ham glaze recipe
Author: Steve
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
  • 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
  • 1 Tbsp. water (add more until you get the correct consistancy in small increments)
Instructions

  1. Mix all of your ingredients in a mixing bowl.

  2. Consistency should be liquid enough to pour but not thin. If it is too thin add small amounts of brown sugar until correct consistency. If it is too thick add more water to get the correct consistency.

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Apple Crunch

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Apple Crunch
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
 
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: 10 minute prep, apple crisp recipe, apple crunch, apple crunch recipe
Author: Juanita
Ingredients
  • 2 1/2 – 3 lbs. apples (peeled, cored and diced)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 3/4 cup quick cooking oats
  • 3/4 cup flour
Instructions

  1. Fill 9" pie plate 1/2 full of apples. Cover with white sugar and cinnamon.

  2. Mix butter, brown sugar, oats and flour together. Press mixture down on top of the apples.

  3. Bake at 350 degrees until apples are tender and topping is browned, about 45 minutes.

  4. Top with vanilla ice cream.

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Valentine’s Day 2021

Like most people, we like to go out to eat for Valentine’s day (although we usually pick a different day so it’s not so crowded in the restaurant).

However, since we are still under quarantine because of COVID, and most of the restaurants are not fully open, we’ve decided to do our special dinner at home.

This is a great time to have a home cooked meal with some of our favorite foods. This will allow us to spend some fun time together cooking and eating.

Feel free to borrow our dinner plan, or search through our site to find some other options.

We’ll be using our smoker for our main course and one of our sides. Of course, you don’t have to have a smoker, as you can cook it in the oven, just make sure to adjust time and temperature settings.

This Valentine’s day, we’re going to have: (click on the name to go to the page for the recipe)

Main Course

Savory Smoked Roast With Au Jus

We’ve only smoked a beef roast a few times, but we’ve loved it every time. And it doesn’t take long all thing considered, so we can enjoy our time together instead of watching it cook.

Side Dishes

If we’re going to smoke our main dish, then we often like to smoke at least one of our sides. Smoked Mac and Cheese is our favorite way to have Mac and Cheese! So we’ll be enjoying this side dish with our roast on Valentine’s Day.

Smoked Macaroni and Cheese

Of course, not everything has to be smoked. Sweet carrots are a tasty side that goes with many different meals, and since we have a bunch of carrots, this will make a nice addition.

Sweet Carrots

Dessert

Of course, a full meal isn’t complete without a dessert. Cherry Crunch is one of my all time favorites, ever since my grandmother introduced me to it. Serving it warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream will always hit the spot.

Cherry Crunch

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Peanut Butter Fudge

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Peanut Butter Fudge
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: 10 minute prep, fudge recipe, peanut butter fudge, peanut butter fudge recipe
Author: Juanita
Ingredients
  • 2 cups Dixie Crystals granulated sugar
  • 3 Tbsp. butter
  • 1 cup evaporated milk
  • 1 cup miniature marshmallows
  • 12 oz. jar crunchy peanut butter
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
Instructions

  1. Place the sugar, butter and evaporated milk into a heavy saucepan.

  2. Heat on medium high heat until boiling, stirring constantly. Let boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. You may need to turn the heat down if it starts to overcook.

  3. Remove from heat and add marshmallows, peanut butter and vanilla. Stir until well blended.

  4. Pour into a 9" square pan and cool. Cut into squares before serving.

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Classic Pecan Pie

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Classic Pecan Pie
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
 
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: 10 minute prep, classic pecan pie, pecan pie
Servings: 8 people
Author: Juanita
Ingredients
  • 1 cup light or dark corn syrup
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. butter, melted
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups pecans (you can use a 6 oz. bag)
  • 1 unbaked or frozen 9" deep dish pie crust
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. If using a frozen pie crust, place a cookie sheet in the oven while the oven is preheating.

  2. Mix corn syrup, eggs, sugar, butter and vanilla using a spoon.

  3. Stir in pecans.

  4. Place pie crust into pie pan. For easy cleaning spray your pie pan with cooking spray before placing pie crust into the pan.

  5. Pour filling into pie crust. Place pie crust on cookie sheet (if frozen use your preheated cookie sheet).

  6. Bake on the center rack of the oven for 60-70 minutes. If your crust is over browning while cooking, cover the edges with foil. The pie is done when the center reaches 200 degrees. Tap the center of the pie lightly. It should spring back when done.

  7. High altitude adjustments: Reduce sugar to 2/3 cup and increase butter to 3 Tbsp. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.

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Italian Cream Cake

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Italian Cream Cake
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: italian cream cake, italian cream cake recipe
Author: Juanita
Ingredients
  • 1 stick margarine
  • 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 small can coconut
  • 5 egg yolks
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 5 egg whites (stiffly beaten)
  • 2 cans cream cheese or vanilla icing
Instructions

  1. Cream margarine and add shortening.

  2. Add sugar and beat until smooth.

  3. Add egg yolks and beat well.

  4. Combine flour and baking soda in a separate bowl. Add to cream mixture alternating with buttermilk.

  5. Add coconut and nuts.

  6. Fold in egg whites.

  7. Pour into three 8" pans.

  8. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Cool and stack each cake on top of each other with a layer of icing in between each layer. Frost the top with your favorite vanilla or cream cheese icing.

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