Happy New Year!

Well, I'm still unpacking in my new home!

Wishing you and yours a Delicious New Year!

Bonnie

Saying Hi and A Little About My Traditional Whole Cranberry Sauce with A Twist

Hope everyone enjoyed a bountiful and delicious Thanksgiving!  Now, we're on to preparing for the forthcoming holidays.

We always have homemade cranberry sauce on our table at Thanksgiving.  I've discovered a little bit of a twist on my traditional whole cranberry sauce that makes it really pop (and those cranberries do indeed pop when cooking!).

This post is a little teaser about my recipe for this sauce.  As I'm still working on my move (hopefully within a couple of weeks), I will come back to this post and share this special twist on a very simple recipe for traditional cranberry sauce.

Just waving at you now.  Stay tuned and enjoy the spirit of the holidays!

What's Going On with Bonnie?

Hello my dear friends!  Some may wonder why I've not been cooking lately.  Well, it just doesn't seem to be a good idea when you are staging you place for sale!  So, yes I'm moving!

If you have had the experience of putting your property on the market, you know that today you have to stage it....it's like moving twice!  Add to that, I've been here several years and things just accumulate.  Funny, you spend your whole life accumulating, then you spend it paring down.

So, wish we me luck; and in the meantime, I hope you continue to enjoy the recipes I've shared with you.

I'm really looking forward to sharing more recipes (even more!) after I settle in my new place...like this luscious Peanut Butter Cake:

Thank you for your loyalty, Happy Cooking and stay tuned!


Bonnie

My Top 10 Recipes Upon My Sixth-Year Anniversary!

I'm approaching my sixth blog anniversary and thought you'd enjoy what has proven to be my ten most popular recipes to date.

So ladies and gents, without further ado, I present...
                          
                                                  My Top 10 Recipes....

                                                         Enjoy!


1.  Mouth-Watering Oven-Barbecued Beef Ribs and Barbecue Butter for Asparagus.

2.  Carrot "Souffle"Casserole ~ Adapted From The Famed Piccadilly Southern Cafeteria.

3.  A Very Tall, Buttery Pound Cake ~ Mother Taught Me How.

4.  Lightning McQueen and Tow Mater Cupcakes with Favors For A Car-Themed Birthday Party.

5.  How To Keep Berries Fresh Longer By Storing In Glass Jars.

6.  Reese's Puffs-Rice Krispies Squares with Peanut-Butter-Chocolate Drizzle.

7.  Dark Chocolate-Coated Matzos ~ One with Sea Salt and Crushed Shards of Burnt Caramel and One with Chopped Toasted Slivered Almonds.

8.  Extreme Orange Cornish Hen/or Chicken Breasts with Toasted Pecans.

9.  Crafty Chocolate-Coated Spoons.

10.  Hearty Beef Pot Roast with Vegetables In The Slow Cooker.

Blogging offers a creative outlet, is never boring and a constant learning experience.  I suppose that's why I love it so much (never mind the computer issues:).   I've met many interesting people and made many friends in this virtual world.

I've attempted to share my recipes as if my daughter were standing beside me.   I hope you've enjoyed them and look forward to sharing more.

Happy Cooking!

Smoky-Sweet Molasses-Marinated Grilled Steak

I'm so excited to share this incredibly delicious steak, which is currently my favorite way to enjoy flank or sirloin steak.  (I generally buy what looks the best to me at the time of purchase.)

I used to enjoy my steak medium-rare; and, though I agree that's the most appetizing in photos, I now eat my steak medium-well, as you see photoed here.

I know you and yours will love this very flavorful steak as much as I do...plus, it's so easy!  This is a great one for Labor Day, folks!

                                         Man, That Looks So Good...

                                    I'll Try To Save Some For You!

Peach and Blackberry Summer Salad with Goat Cheese and Walnuts

Subtle blackberries and creamy goat cheese temper the sweet peaches in this cool and refreshing summer salad, with walnuts adding a little crunch.  This light and easy salad will serve as the perfect accompaniment to your warm-weather barbecues.

Peaches may be my favorite summer fruit.  Sometimes, it can be difficult to find good ones.  I got lucky this year and have been enjoying some pretty luscious, sweet peaches...just like those I remember from my childhood.  I'm going to assume they are local; however, even those aren't always perfect.  Nectarines would be a great substitute for peaches in this salad.  In fact, I often use nectarines if I can't find the peaches I want.  Pears, too, would be a good alternative to peaches in this recipe.

Whether you choose to enjoy this sweet and savory salad as a side or light entree, it's a marvelous way to enjoy the fruits of summer!

                                     Refreshing and A Little Sweet...

                                                Just Like You!

Silver White Cupcakes with Lemon Curd and Blackberry Topping

Succulent blackberries perfectly complement the tangy lemon curd topping on these tender, light and fluffy silver white cupcakes.  The mini-cupcakes (as in the photos below) make a lovely bite-sized dessert for spring or summer parties, or showers for babies or weddings.

We thoroughly enjoyed these tantalizing cupcakes at a recent get-together for my daughter's birthday.  I adapted them from a recipe for Silver White Cake, which was one of several easy one-bowl cake recipes offered in my vintage Betty Crocker's Cookbook, First Printing, 1969.

Whether you choose to make the standard-sized cupcakes or the mini-cupcakes, you'll find them...

                                             A Delightful Way....
 
                                  To Celebrate Spring or Summer!

How To Keep Berries Fresh Longer By Storing in Glass Jars

I was quite intrigued when I first spotted on the internet this terrific concept for storing berries.   I've been successfully using this truly easy method for about a year now, and I'm so excited to share it with you!

Here's my Red, White and Blue for you to enjoy this Memorial Day...

   No More Tossing Berries Out Before You Can Finish Them...                          

                                          What A Life Changer! 

Dark Chocolate-Coated Matzos ~ One with Sea Salt and Crushed Shards of Burnt Caramel and One with Chopped Toasted Slivered Almonds

Chocolaty, salty-caramelly, nutty and crunchy...all here in these luscious and simple to prepare dark chocolate-coated matzos.  You'll have a hard time deciding which of these varieties to make, so you'll probably want to make both! (I like variety, don't you?) They were a big hit during our recent Passover celebration and I'm certain they'll be a big hit with you and yours!


                                            Crunchy with Elegance...

                                          And Crazy Scrumptious!

Dark Chocolate-Coated Peanut Butter Crunchy Bonbons

If it seems that I'm on a bite-sized dessert kick, that's because they make such terrific, well-received food gifts.  After the fall and winter holidays, a slew of our family birthdays begin, with our celebrating most of them in March.

I made these fantastic peanut butter bonbons for my peanut butter-loving son-in-law's recent birthday. Crushed graham crackers provide a delightful surprise crunch to the creamy peanut butter center of these decadent dark chocolate-drenched bonbons.  Chocolate and peanut butter...just meant to be! 

                                                   Call Them...

                                                 Irresistible!

Chocolate-Coated Peanut Butter Cup Pretzel Bites ~ Salty, Chocolaty and Crunchy!

Salty, chocolaty and crunchy, with a surprise of creamy peanut butter, these adorable pretzel bites make an terrific party dessert!  I presented as a Valentine gift this year; however, they'd be well received as a gift any time of the year or as a special treat for your family.  Also, they'd make a wonderful project to do with the children.

Drench these scrumptious pretzel bites with dark or milk chocolate (I prefer dark) and, for a special touch, adorn with your choice of a variety of toppings.  Any way you prefer, you'll love how easy these bites are and they'll love devouring them!

                                            Salty, Chocolaty and Crunchy...

                                           They'll Just Love Them!

Decadent Brownie Bread Pudding with Caramel and Dark Chocolate ~ In The Slow Cooker

Warm and satisfying, this easy decadent brownie bread pudding makes the perfect cold-weather or Super Bowl dessert.  Just imagine, a pool of French bread drenched in rich dark chocolate, caramel and cream with crunchy walnuts!  The sumptuous chocolate flavor is further enhanced with strong, brewed coffee (no need to tell finicky eaters...it can be our little secret)!

I shared this marvelous pudding at a gathering during the recent holidays, and they loved it!  I just took the cooked pudding in the slow cooker with me to the party and plugged it in when I arrived to keep it warm.  We enjoyed it with large dollops of whipped cream, but it would be wonderful with ice cream too!

                                              Who Knew Heaven...

                                           Could Be So Sinful!