Amish Apple Butter

I have  been making this little  recipe for years. Its very simple! It is a canning recipe.

You can also make applesauce with this recipe also by leaving out the allspice and cloves. I  dont  put  my apples through a sieve, I like my applesauce chunky.

Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar
1 cup shredded smoked Gouda
1 box med pasta shells cooked and drained
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 1/2 cups whole milk
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
pinch of cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper   to taste                                                                  
BESCIAMELLA SAUCE:
Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat. Stir in the flour with a wooden spoon. Cook's Note: This is an important moment, as you have to slowly toast the flour without burning it. This will help you loose the floury taste.
Warm up the milk and gradually ladle into the pot with the butter-flour mixture, whisking constantly while bringing the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer for about 15 minutes until thick and will coat the back of spoon. Season the sauce with freshly grated nutmeg, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Then add in your cheeses and stir until melted into the sauce. Stir in your cooked pasta and dumped into lightly greased baking dish 9x13 bake at 350 until bubbly and lightly brown around the edges.

Philly BBQ Brisket on Texas Toast Sandwich

Makes 4  sandwiches


Ingredients :
2 -  cups chopped cooked BBQ  Brisket  * See notes  below for Brisket recipe
8 -  slices of Texas toast
4  -  sliced Provolone cheese
1 - med. yellow  onion thinly sliced
1 -  green pepper thinly sliced
olive oil
butter

Directions:

  Preheat oven to 350*

In a med. skillet put a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, sliced onion and sliced pepper  in and  sautee` till soft and remove from heat.

Butter the Texas  toast and place  the 8 slices on a baking sheet, put in oven till  golden on the bottom and take out of the  oven and flip them over , leave  them on the baking sheet,  put 1/2 cup of Brisket of 4 slices and  put the onion  and pepper mixture and  a dab of  butter on the other 4 slices and  place back in the oven for about 10 min. remove from oven, then put the Provolone cheese on the pepper and onions and Brisket  and put back in the  oven till cheese is slightly melted, Remove  from the oven put the top on the  sandwich and serve.

* Notes
http://homecookinrecipes.blogspot.com/2013/06/honey-barbecue-brisket.html

Chess Squares a` la mode

Chess Squares are very rich in flavor but perfect with a cup of coffee!

Ingredients:
1 box yellow cake mix
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
3 eggs
4 cups (1 lb box) powdered sugar
8 oz cream cheese, softened
Vanilla Ice Cream
Butterscotch Ice Cream  topping

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300º and spray a 9×13 dish with  butter spray.
Mix together cake mix, melted butter and one egg to a soft dough. Press into the bottom of the pan. Then mix powdered sugar, softened cream cheese and remaining two eggs until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Pour on top of crust.   Bake for 40-50 minutes until top is golden brown.
 Let  sit for about 15 min. before cutting into  squares.
Place one or two squares  in a bowl and a couple of scoops of ice cream and  drizzle the top with Butterscotch Ice Cream topping and serve.
* The butterscotch flavor pairs perfectly with the flavor of the Chess Squares.

COCONUT FLOUR PANCAKES WITH BLUEBERRY SYRUP

Delicious and healthy!  

makes 8 small  pancakes or 5 med size as shown

Ingredients
4 Eggs
3 Tbsp melted coconut Oil
1/4 cup buttermilk  * batter thickens as it  sets  add more buttermilk if  necessary
1/4 cup Coconut Flour
1 Tbsp Sugar
1/4 tsp  Salt
1/4 tsp Baking Powder

Directions
In a large bowl whisk together eggs, oil and buttermilk until well combined.
In a separate bowl sift coconut flour, sugar, salt and baking powder.
Add dry to wet and thoroughly mix until there are no lumps.
Ladle 2 Tbsp to 1/4 cup batter per pancake onto a hot skillet. Cook until bubbles begin to form on the top, about 4 minutes, then flip and cook on the second side.

Blueberry Syrup recipe
1/2 c. sugar
1 T. cornstarch
1/3 c. water
2 c. fresh or frozen blueberries

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in water gradually. Add berries; bring to a boil. Boil, stirring constantly, for one minute, or until mixture thickens. Serve warm, or pour into a covered jar and keep in the refrigerator for several days. Makes about 2-1/2 cups.

Choc.Zucchini Brownies

Pepper Stuffing Over Rice

A new twist of old favorite growing up,  classic Stuffed Peppers.

makes 4 servings

Ingredients: 
1 pound ground chuck
3 bell peppers diced, you can use  green or the stop light colors, your choice
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoon  Worcestershire  sauce
1 1/2 teaspoon ground  cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1   8 oz. can tomato sauce
Basmati  rice
Olive Oil
Freshly ground  black pepper to taste
1 large yellow onion diced
Directions:
Add 2 teaspoons Olive  oil to a med.sized skillet and brown the meat on med. heat.  Once the meat is browned set aside.
In a 5 quart pan add  2 teaspoons of  olive oil and add diced peppers ( * Reserve about a half a cup of the peppers for a garnish ) and  add the chopped onion, and the minced garlic and saute for  10 minutes until vegetables are soft.
Then add  the browned meat to the  onions and peppers and add the the salt and pepper, Worcestershire  sauce, tomato sauce and the cumin and stir and   simmer  for 15 min.
While the meat  mixture is simmering cook the* Basmati rice according to the box for  4 servings.
Once the  rice is  done,  place about 3/4 cup of rice on a plate and add a nice portion of the meat mixture on the rice and garnish with the reserved  peppers, sprinkle them over the top.

*  I like to use Basmati rice, it  is a long  grain rice and it does not get sticky.