Pecan Cinnamon Bun Bread

I confess that I am a "dunker"! I LOVE to "dunk" any kind of coffee cake, donut or cinnamon roll in my coffee. 

If any of you like "Monkey Bread" then you are going to LOVE this recipe.  Think of it as "Extreme Monkey Bread"! 

I have been making this recipe for some 20 years and I have to say that it is one of my very favorite breakfast splurges!

I hope you enjoy it, too!

1 stick butter

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon cinnamon

4 oz. Butterscotch pudding mix (NOT instant)

25 oz. pkg. homestyle frozen rolls

1/3 cup chopped pecans

additional 1/3 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Melt butter, brown sugar and cinnamon in saucepan over medium-low heat; stirring frequently.

While butter mixture is melting in saucepan, grease Bundt pan well.

Sprinkle chopped pecans in bottom of prepared Bundt pan.

Place frozen rolls on top of pecans. Sprinkle dry pudding mix evenly over frozen rolls.

Continue stirring butter and brown sugar mixture until butter is melted completely and mixture is blended well.

Pour this mixture over everything in the Bundt pan. If desired, you may sprinkle an additional 1/3 cup chopped pecans on the top of this mixture in pan.  

Cover pan loosely with wax paper and allow to sit on counter overnight in a draft free area.

This is what it will look like the next morning after you remove the wax paper prior to baking.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes. 

*Note: I usually cover mine loosely with a piece of aluminum foil after about 15 minutes so the top does not overcook.

Remove from oven.

Invert onto serving plate.

FUTURE "DUNKER" IN TRAINING

Spicy Smoked Sausage Soup

1 (14 oz.) turkey smoked sausage, or kielbasa

1 onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

2 stalks of celery, sliced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 (32 oz.) box of chicken broth

1 can (15.5 oz) great northern beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (14.5 oz.) stewed tomatoes, cut up

1 small zucchini, sliced

2 medium carrots, shredded

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon pepper

In a nonstick skillet, cook smoked sausage over medium heat until lightly browned.  
Add onion, green pepper, celery and garlic. Cook approximately 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender; stirring constantly.

Transfer sausage and vegetable mixture to slow cooker. 

Add shredded carrots.

Add sliced zucchini.

Add rinsed and drained beans.

Add stewed tomatoes.

Finally, add chicken broth and stir until well combined.

Cover and cook on Low for 8-9 hours.

Crock Pot Coney Dogs

1 package (1 lb.) hot dogs

1 can (10 3/4 oz.) condensed cheddar cheese soup, undiluted

2 cans (15 oz.) chili without beans

1 can (4 oz.) diced green chilies, undrained

1 medium onion, chopped

hot dog buns

1 cup corn chips, coarsely crushed

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Place hot dogs in bottom of crock pot.

Place chili, cheddar cheese soup and green chilies in medium bowl.

Stir until well combined.

Pour chili mixture over hot dogs in slow cooker.

Cook on Low in crock pot for 3-4 hours.

Serve hot dogs in buns; top with the chili mixture, crumbled corn chips, cheddar cheese and chopped onions. Add any other condiments you desire and Enjoy!

All you need now is a Cherry Limeade and you'll never have to leave home!

Oven Roasted Broccoli

I LOVE roasted vegetables!  I like to roast eggplant, peppers, zucchini, and squash and I am sure that if you follow this blog for very long, you will see more roasted vegetable recipes.

This week we had roasted broccoli with dinner and it was so yummy I decided to share with all of ya'll.

Oven roasted vegetables are so healthy and so simple to make! Perfect for a weeknight dinner when you don't have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen.

1 red onion

2 cups broccoli florets

3-4 Tablespoons olive oil

Salt

Pepper
Peel onion and cut into wedges.

Cut broccoli into florets.

Spread broccoli and onion on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Toss broccoli and onion to coat with oil.  Season well with salt and pepper.

Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 15-20 minutes or until broccoli and onion are tender and cooked to desired doneness; stirring half way through cooking time.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

My family loves mushrooms and we love Cream of Mushroom Soup. Canned soups are fine for convenience in recipes, but this Cream of Mushroom Soup is delicious and does not have any of those "ingredients you can't pronounce" that are found in many canned soups. You can really taste that yummy mushroom taste in this soup!

It is said that "Necessity Is the Mother of Invention" and I originally came up with this recipe because my son has a Gluten allergy. With 2 small changes to this recipe, I was able to adapt it to his dietary needs.  I simply used brown rice flour in place of the All-purpose flour and I substituted Coleman's dry mustard.

Of course, whole milk would be the best in this recipe, but, as you can see, I make mine with 2% milk and it is quite delicious! I don't think the taste is compromised and it makes it a little more healthy! Enjoy!

olive oil

1 lb. of mushrooms (whatever kind you like)

6 Tablespoons butter

2 cups chicken broth (could also use vegetable or beef)

2 cups milk

6 Tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon dry mustard 

Dash of garlic powder

Scant 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

salt and pepper to taste

Chop or slice mushrooms to desired size.

Saute mushrooms in olive oil and set aside.

Melt butter in large saucepan.

Once the butter is completely melted and beginning to bubble, add flour. Then add your spices and stir with wire whisk to make a roux.

Let the roux continue to cook and bubble, stirring constantly, until it is light brown in color.

Add milk and broth.

Continue to whisk until sauce thickens.

Once the sauce has cooked to desired thickness, add sauteed mushroom.

Stir until well-combined and heated through.

" Orange Fluff "

This salad always reminds me of an orange creamsicle, but our family has always called it "Orange Fluff"- because that's basically what it is --- just fluffy orange-flavored goodness.  

I typically make it with regular Cool Whip and Jello, but this time I substituted Sugar-free Jello and Cool Whip Free, with equally good results. It doesn't get much easier than this with only 4 ingredients! 

1 (16 oz.) cottage cheese (preferably small curd)

1 (3 oz.) package orange gelatin

1 (15 oz.) can mandarin oranges, drained

1 (8 oz.) carton Cool Whip, thawed

In a large bowl, sprinkle gelatin powder over cottage cheese and mix well.

Add drained mandarin oranges to cottage cheese mixture.

Stir in Cool Whip .

Mix until well-combined.