Coffee Cake (Literally!) - Pioneer Woman

Prep Time: 15 Minutes | Cook Time: 20 Minutes | Difficulty: Intermediate | Servings: 12

Ingredients

■FOR THE CAKE:

■2 cups Flour
■2 cups Sugar
■¼ teaspoons Salt
■2 sticks Butter
■3 Tablespoons Instant Coffee Crystals
■½ cups Buttermilk
■2 whole Eggs
■1 teaspoon Baking Soda
■2 teaspoons Vanilla
■_____
■FOR THE ICING:

■1-½ stick Butter
■1 pound Powdered Sugar
■2 Tablespoons Instant Coffee Crystals
■¼ teaspoons Salt
■4 Tablespoons Heavy Cream

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two round baking pans.

In a large bowl, mix sugar, flour, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set aside.

Melt 2 sticks of butter in a pot over medium-low heat. While that’s melting, add 3 tablespoons instant coffee to 1 cup boiling water. Set aside.

Once butter has melted, add coffee mixture to the butter in the pot. Let it come to a boil for about ten seconds, then turn off the heat. Set aside for just a minute.

In a separate bowl, add buttermilk, eggs, baking soda, and vanilla. Mix until well combined.

Pour the butter/coffee mixture into the flour mixture. Stir the mixture together gently. The purpose here isn’t to mix it together perfectly, but to cool down the heat before adding the egg mixture.

Add in the egg mixture and stir gently until well combined. Then pour into pans. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes or until set.

Allow to cool completely.

Combine all icing ingredients, then ice the cake. Chill for an hour before serving.

Crockpot Chicken and Biscuits

Four boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 Potatoes, peeled and cubed
1-2 c. mini carrots
1 onion diced
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 can chicken broth
(I like to add celery too, if I have some on hand)

Place all ingredients in crock pot

Salt and pepper to taste

Cook on low 7-8 hours

Take one can of refrigerated biscuits and cut each biscuit into four. During last hour of cooking, drop each quartered biscuit on top of chicken mixture and finish cooking. ***Optional, I sometimes add a tsp. of chicken bouillon to stew before adding the biscuits. I like things salty though. Add to your liking. I also add some frozen peas to stew before adding the biscuits. Yummy!!!

Cherry Delight (Cobbler)

1 box of yellow cake mix
1 can of Cherry pie filling
1/2 cup of melted butter

grease the crock pot(i used non stick spray)

put the cherries in the bottom ad cake mix and butter and mix til you get a lumpy grainy mixture .

Cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 let cool and serve with ice cream.

Mexican Chicken - Crockpot

Ingredients:
1-1/2lbs chicken breast shredded (or small chunks)
1 - can (15oz) whole tomato (I use diced)
1 - 10 oz can enchilada sauce
1 medium onion chopped
1 - can (4 oz) chopped green chilies
1 - clove garlic minced
2 cups of water
1 - (14-1/2 oz) can of chicken broth
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 pkg (10 oz) frozen corn
1 Tbls dried chopped cilantro

Add everything to crock pot, mix together, cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hrs. Serve with tortilla chips, you can also use sour cream, hot sauce, cheese.

CHICKEN STEW

Prep time: 12 minutes 

 3 Med potatoes, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes 

 2 cups baby-cut carrots 

1 package (8 ounces) fresh whole mushrooms,cut in half 12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 2 1/2 pounds) 1/2 tsp salt 

1 tsp instant chopped onion 

1/4 tsp garlic powder 

1 TBS tomato paste 

1 jar (15 ounces) roasted chicken gravy 

1/2 cup of dry white wine or water 

 Toss potatoes, carrots and mushrooms in 3 1/2 to 4 quart slow cooker. Arrange chicken on top. sprinkle salt, onion and garlic over the chicken. Stir the tomato paste into jar of gravy. pour gravy mixture and wine or water all over. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or until veggies are tender. Serve with a crusty bread....I have made chedder biscuits

Vegetarian Penne Pasta

Ingredients

2 cups uncooked penne or medium tube pasta
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1 small yellow summer squash, sliced
1 small zucchini, sliced
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions

1.Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute the onion, summer squash, zucchini, mushrooms and garlic in butter until tender.

2.In a bowl, whisk the flour, seasonings and cream until smooth; add to the skillet. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until thickened. Drain pasta and add to vegetable mixture. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until heated through.

Chicken Fried Rice

Ingredients

1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
1 onion
1 1/2 pounds cooked, cubed chicken meat
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 large carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, diced
3/4 cup fresh pea pods, halved
1/2 large green bell pepper, diced
6 cups cooked white rice
2 eggs
1/3 cup soy sauce

Directions

1.Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute until soft, then add chicken and 2 tablespoons soy sauce and stir-fry for 5 to 6 minutes.

2.Stir in carrots, celery, red bell pepper, pea pods and green bell pepper and stir-fry another 5 minutes. Then add rice and stir thoroughly.

3.Finally, stir in scrambled eggs and 1/3 cup soy sauce, heat through and serve hot.

Baked Ziti

Ingredients:

1 (16 oz) package Ziti Pasta
16 oz Ricotta Cheese
4-6 slices Provolone Cheese
1 lb. shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1 (32 oz) jar Spaghetti Sauce
1 Egg, beaten
1/4 C grated Parmesan Cheese
Fresh Basil (optional)

Directions:

Preheat Oven to 375*

Bring large pot of lightly salted water to boil. Add Ziti and cook for 8-10 minutes or until al dente; drain and rinse.

In medium bowl mix: Ziti, Ricotta Cheese, Mozzarella Cheese, egg, and 1 1/2 C Spaghetti Sauce.

Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish and spoon in Ziti mixture. Top with remaining Spaghetti Sauce, followed by Parmesan Cheese and then sliced Provolone Cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes; let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Sprinkle freshly topped Basil on top.