Pear and Cherry Buckle

This is a recipe from Sandra Lee. It is so yummy and especially on a cold winter day! I think we are going to make it for desert for our Christmas dinner. Mmmmmm.....

1 (26-ounce) can cherry pie filling
2 (15-ounce) cans diced pears in syrup
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 (18.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix
1 stick butter, cut into small pieces
1 (1.19-ounce) packet maple and brown sugar instant oatmeal
1/4 cup sliced almonds
Whipped topping, for serving

Spray a 5-quart slow cooker with butter-flavored cooking spray and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine pie filling, pears, and almond extract. Pour into prepared slow cooker. Sprinkle cake mix over fruit mixture. Dot with butter. In a small bowl, combine oatmeal packet and almonds. Sprinkle over cake mixture.
Place 8 paper towels over slow cooker bowl and secure with lid. (This helps to trap steam.) Cook on LOW setting for 4 to 6 hours. Do not lift lid to check cake for the first 3 hours.
Serve warm with whipped topping or vanilla ice cream.

Hobo Pork Chop n' Pineapple Dinner

I watched Paula Deen make this one and it looked oh so good. The same day I watched the episode, I went out and bought the ingredients to try it for myself and it was oh so good!!

Pork Chops
Bell Pepper
Onion
Canned pineapple slices
Teriyaki sauce (I used Kikkoman)
Salt and Pepper

For each serving, lay a pork chop on a large square of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Top each chop with the onion, green pepper, and pineapple slices. Drizzle with the teriyaki sauce. Top with the margarine and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Wrap tightly in the foil, rolling ends to completely seal the package. Place on the grill for 15-20 minutes. (mine took 22 minutes on medium heat)

P.S. For those of you who don't like onions or bell pepper, I'm sure it would still taste yummy without them.

Peanut Butter Cups

If you love Reeses Peanut Butter Cups you will love these. We love them at our house.

Peanut Butter Cups

2 cubes butter
1 cup peanut butter
Melt together then add
2 cups powdered sugar
1 ¾ cup gram cracker crushed ( can buy crushed at Target)
Mix all together and put in a 9x13 pan
Melt 1 bag milk chocolate chips and pour over peanut butter mixture.
Put in freezer for 30 min to set. Take out and let them get back to room temp. Enjoy

Pulled Pork (or Carnitas)

I saw that this was on sale for $0.99 a lb at Ralphs so I thought I would share a delicious and very versatile roast. Hurry and try this one while you can do it cheap~

1 pork butt or pork shoulder roast (it is better if it is boneless)

Season both sides generously with salt, pepper and paprika

Place in a turkey sized baking bag
(before you put in the baking bag, put 1 Tbs of flour in the bag and shake to prevent the bag from sticking)

Put 1/4 c. of water

Close the bag and slice 5 one inch slits in the top of the bag for venting.

Cook at 300 degrees for 5-6 hours (or until fork tender, should literally fall apart with the swipe of a fork)

This is great couple of different ways. As carnitas, serve with warm tortillas, black beans, cheese, guacamole to make into burritos. For another way to serve, add some BBQ sauce and place on hamburger buns. In fact, you will probably have left overs so do it as Mexican the first night then re heat for BBQ the second.

Chicken Pot Pie

This is a great meal for our family. I love getting Costco's rotisserie chicken for dinner but we don't eat the whole thing in one meal and I'm never good with leftovers, so this recipe is great to use with the leftover chicken. I imagine eventually our kids will eat more and then I'll have to buy two chicken to accomplish the two night's of meals, but for now...Enjoy!

3-4 c. chicken(or whatever you have leftover from last night's Costco rotisserie chicken), cooked and cubed
2 c. potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 onion, chopped
6 T. flour
2 c. chicken broth
1 c. sliced carrots
1 c. forzen peas
6 T. butter
1 c. milk
I pie crust

In a small saucepan, cover the carrots and potatoes with water. Bring to a boil and let boil 5 minutes. Drain and putin a 2 qt. round casserole or deep pie pan. Add the frozen peas and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with the chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper again. Melt butter in a saucepan and add the chopped onion. Cook until the onion is soft. Add the flour, stirring constantly until it is a smooth paste. Add the milk and the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until the broth is thick and bubbly. Pour over the chicken and vegetables. Top with the pie crust. Cut holes in crust to vent. Bake at 425 (400 for glass pans) for 25-35 minutes, until crust is brown. Put a piece of foil on the rack under the pie to catch any broth that drips out during baking.

Spicy Cinnamon Cake

Oh this is so easy and so yummy. I stole it from Paula Dean so you know it is good. We make it for a brunch recently and I have been craving it again ever since!

- 1 spice cake mix
- 1 small box vanilla instant pudding mix
- 1 cup sour cream
- 4 eggs
-1/2 cup oil
-5 Tbsp sugar
-2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans (or not for me, I put them on half the cake)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease well a bundt pan. Combine cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, eggs and oil and beat together well. In a separate bowl, combine cinnamon and sugar. Pour half the batter into the prepared bundt pan then sprinkle half the cinnamon and sugar mixutre over the top (sprinkle the nuts on the desired part of the cake but make sure you can tell what section so you do the same on the top layer). Pour the remainder of the batter into the pan and finish sprinkling the sugar mixture and nuts. Bake one hour and let cool before removing from pan. This does not need to be served hot and we ate it without anything on it but maybe it would be good with whipped cream because everything is! Yum~

Pumpkin Soup

This has become our family's traditional Thanksgiving dinner appetizer. It freezes really well too....just a little FYI!


1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 turn of the pan 2 tablespoons butter
1 fresh bay leaf
2 ribs celery with greens, finely chopped
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
***I don’t add the celery or onion****
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning or 2 teaspoons ground thyme
2 teaspoons hot sauce, or to taste
6 cups chicken stock
1 (28-ounce) can cooked pumpkin puree
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon


Heat a soup pot over medium to medium high heat. Add the oil and melt the butter. Add bay, celery, and onion (optional in my opinion). Season the veggies with salt and pepper. Cook 6 or 7 minutes, until tender. Add flour, poultry seasoning and hot sauce, to taste. then cook a minute. Whisk in chicken stock and bring liquid to a bubble. Whisk in pumpkin in large spoonfuls to incorporate it into the broth. Add the Chili powder, honey and ground cinnamon. Simmer soup 10 minutes to thicken a bit then add in cream and nutmeg. Reduce heat to low and keep warm until ready to serve.