Thought for the day

GHOUL MORNIN' ~ Thought for the day ~ Happy Halloween

Currently Reading

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2981807-mercury-s-war

Recipe for the day ~ 5-Ingredient Beef Enchilada Casserole

5-Ingredient Beef Enchilada Casserole

(Courtesy of Pillsbury™)

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

1 can (10 oz) Ole El Paso™ mild enchilada sauce

1 jar (16 oz) black beans or corn salsa

8 Old El Paso™ flour tortillas for burritos (8-inch)

2 cups shredded Mexican four-cheese blend 

Directions:

Heat oven to 350

Spray a 9x13 - inch (3-quart) baking dish with cooking spray

Place 8 tortillas open side up in the baking dish

In a 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook beef with salt to taste over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until brown then drain

Transfer to a large bowl

Add 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce, the black beans/salsa and half of the cheese

Stir to combine

Divide beef mixture among the tortillas

Wrap tortillas around the filling, placing seam side down

Top with remaining enchilada sauce and remaining cheese

Spray a piece of foil large enough to cover baking dish with cooking spray

Cover baking dish with foil, sprayed side down

Cook for 45 minutes or hot and bubbly

**TO FREEZE**

Spray 2 (8-inch) disposable foil cake pans with cooking spray

After covering pans with spray foil, place a gallon-size resealable freezer plastic bags or wrap in double layer of plastic wrap

Label and freeze

When ready to bake

Thaw overnight in refrigerator

Heat oven to 350

Remove from plastic, and place foiled covered pan on a baking sheet

Bake for 40 minutes or until instant-read thermometer inserted in the center reads 165F

If baking from frozen, bake 1 hour then remove foil and bake 15 minutes

Thought for the day

GOOD MORNING ~ Thought for the day ~ “Words are a pretext. It is the inner bond that draws one person to another, not words.” ― Rumi

Recipe for the day ~ Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin Pie

(Courtesy of All Recipes)

Ingredients:

1 egg

1 TBspn all-purpose flour

3/4 cup white sugar

1/2 tspn salt

1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree

1 1/2 cups evaporated milk

1/2 tspn ground cinnamon

1/2 tspn ground nutmeg

2 TBspns light corn syrup

1 9-inch single crust pie (in the frozen section or your preference)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450

In a large bowl, add the sugar to the pumpkin puree

Beat well 

Stir in the flour, salt and spices

Stir in the corn syrup 

Beat well

Stir in the slightly beaten egg

Slowly add the evaporated milk, mixing until well blended

Pour the batter into the unbaked pie shell

Bake for 10 minutes

Reduce temperature in the oven to 325

Continue baking pie for an additional 30 minutes or until a knife inserted into the mixture comes out clean

Thought for the day

GOOD MORNING ~ Thought for the day ~ “Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and right doing there is a field.  I'll meet you there.  When the soul lies down in that grass the world is too full to talk about.” ― Rumi

Currently Reading

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1708127.Shifter

Currently Reading

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1707240.Aiden_s_Charity

Recipe for the day ~ Harvest Salad

Harvest Salad

(Courtesy of All Recipes)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 bunch spinach, rinsed and torn into bite-size pieces

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 avocado - peeled, pitted and diced

1/2 red onion, thinly slices

2 TBspns red raspberry jam (with seeds)

2 TBspns red wine vinegar

1/3 cup walnut oil

freshly ground black pepper to taste

salt to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375

Arrange walnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet

Toast in oven for 5 minutes or until nuts begin to brown

In a large bowl, toss together the spinach, walnuts, cranberries, blue cheese, tomatoes, avocado and red onion

In a small bowl, whisk together the jam, vinegar, walnut oil, salt and pepper

Pour over the salad just before serving

Toss to coat

Thought for the day

GOOD MORNING ~ Thought for the day ~ “Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.” ― Lao Tzu

Currently Reading

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/869068.Jacob_s_Faith

Recipe for the day ~ Pecan Sweet Potato Bread

Pecan Sweet Potato Bread

(Courtesy of All Recipes)

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

2/3 cups white sugar

2/3 cups packed brown sugar

2 cups mashed sweet potatoes

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

4 eggs, beaten

1 tspn ground cinnamon

1 tspn ground nutmeg

1/2 tspn ground ginger

1/2 tspn ground cloves

2 cups baking mix (such as Bisquick®)
1 cup chopped pecans

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350
Grease and flour 2 9x5-inch loaf pans
Beat butter, white sugar and brown sugar together in a bowl until smooth
Stir in sweet potatoes, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves until well blended
Place all the baking mix in a large bowl
Stir sweet potato mixture into the baking mix until batter is just blended
Fold in pecans
Divide the batter evenly between the 2 loaf pans
Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center of the loaves comes out clean
Cool loaves in the pans for about 5 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack for about 2 hours

Thought for the day

GOOD MORNING ~ Thought for the day ~ “Dreams delivers us to dream and there is no end to illusion.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

Currently Reading

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3852.Primal_Heat

Recipe for the day ~ Northern Italian Beef Stew

Northern Italian Beef Stew

(Courtesy of All Recipes)

Ingredients:

2 TBspns olive oil

2 pounds lean top round, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes

2 large sweet onions, diced

2 cups large chunks of celery

2 large carrots, peeled and cut into large rounds

1 pound crimini mushrooms

2 TBspns minced garlic

2 cup dry red wine

4 large tomatoes, chopped

1 1/2 pounds red potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks

1 TBspns dried basil

1 tspn dried thyme

1 tspn dried marjoram

1/2 tspn dried sage

1 quart beef stock

2 cups tomato sauce

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat

Cook beef in batches in hot oil until browned completely, about 5 minutes per batch

Remove browned beef cubes to a plate lined with paper towels, keeping skillet over heat and retaining the beef drippings

Cook and stir onion, celery and carrots in the retained beef drippings until softened, 2 to 3 minutes

Stir in mushrooms and garlic into the onion mixture

Pour red wine into the pan

Bring to a boil while scraping the browned bits of food off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon

Continue cooking the mixture until the wine evaporates, 7 to 10 minutes

Transfer everything to a slow cooker

Stir tomatoes into the mixture

Add beef to slow cooker with potatoes, basil, thyme, marjoram and sage

Pour beef stock and tomato sauce over the mixture 

Cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours or until the beef is very tender and the sauce is thick 

Thought for the day

GOOD MORNING ~ Thought for the day ~ “We ate well and cheaply and drank well and cheaply and slept well and warm together and loved each other.” ― Ernest Hemingway

Currently Reading

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/767547.Tanner_s_Scheme

Recipe for the day ~ Sweet Potato and Coconut Bread

Sweet Potato and Coconut Bread

(Courtesy of All Recipes)

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tspns baking powder

1 tspn baking soda

1 tspn freshly ground cinnamon

1/2 tspn freshly ground nutmeg

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups white sugar

4 eggs

2 2/3 cups cooked mashed sweet potatoes

1 tspn vanilla extract

1 cup flaked coconut

1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350

Grease a 10-inch tube pan or 2 loaf pans

Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a bowl

Beat butter in a large bowl using an electric mixer until creamy, about 2 minutes

Gradually beat sugar into creamed butter until fully incorporated, about 3 more minutes

Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating each egg completely before adding the next

Beat in sweet potatoes and vanilla extract until well mixed

Stir in flour mixture, coconut and walnuts into butter mixture until just combined

Pour batter into prepared tube pan or loaf pans

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean

Thought for the day

GOOD MORNING ~ Thought for the day ~ “Words are easy, like the wind; Faithful friends are hard to find.” ― William Shakespeare

Recipe for the day ~ Chicken Noodle Casserole

Chicken Noodle Casserole

(Courtesy of All Recipes)

Ingredients:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

6 ounces egg noodles

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup

1 cup sour cream

salt to taste

ground black pepper to taste

1 cup crumbled buttery round crackers

1/2 cup butter

Directions:

Poach chicken in a large pot of simmering water

Cook until no longer pink in the center (about 12 minutes)

Remove from the pot and set aside

Bring chicken cooking water to a boil and cook pasta in it

Drain

Preheat oven to 350

Cut the chicken into small pieces and mix with noodles

In a separate bowl, mix together mushroom soup, chicken soup and sour cream

Season with salt and pepper

Gently stir together cream soup mixture with the chicken mixture

Place in a 2 quart baking dish

Melt butter in a small saucepan and remove from heat

Stir in crumbled crackers

Top casserole with the buttery crackers

Cook for 30 minutes or until heated through and browned on top

Thought for the day

GOOD MORNING ~ Thought for the day ~ “What is a friend? A single soul dwelling in two bodies.” 
― Aristotle

Currently Reading

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/319639.Megan_s_Mark?ac=1

Recipe for the day ~ Sweet Potato Crisp

Sweet Potato Crisp

(Courtesy of All Recipes)

Ingredients:

3 cups mashed cooked sweet potatoes

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

2 1/2 TBspns butter, melted

1/2 cup milk

1/2 tspn salt

1 tspn vanilla extract

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 1/2 TBspns melted butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350

Butter a 9-inch square baking dish

In a medium bowl, mix together the sweet potatoes, white sugar, eggs, 2 1/2 TBspns melted butter, milk, salt and vanilla until well blended

Spread evenly in the prepared baking dish

In a separate bowl, stir together the light brown sugar, pecans and flour

Stir in remaining 2 1/2 TBspns of butter to make the crumb topping

Spread topping over the sweet potatoes

Bake for 30 minutes or until topping is brown and crispy

Thought for the day

GOOD MORNING ~ Thought for the day ~ “Keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground” 
― Theodore Roosevelt

Recipe for the day ~ Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

(Courtesy of Pillsbury™)

Ingredients:

1 deli rotisserie chicken

2 TBspns unsalted butter

2 TBspns all-purpose flour

2 cups Progresso™ chicken broth (from the 32-oz carton)

1 1/2 cups Yoplait® Greek 100 plain yogurt (from 32-oz carton)

3 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (12 oz)

7 flour tortillas (1-inch)

Directions:

Heat oven to 350

Remove meat from chicken; discard skin and bones

Shred chicken meat; set aside

In a 10-inch skillet, melt butter over medium heat

Stir in flour with whisk until blended

Cook about 2 minutes, stirring frequently

Gradually add broth, stirring continuously with the whisk

Stir in yogurt until sauce is smooth and free of lumps

Add 1 cup of the cheese

Stir well

Set aside

Place about 1/4 cup chicken in the center of each tortilla with about 2 TBspns cheese

Roll up tortillas into a cigar shape

Place in ungreased 9x13-inch (3-quart glass baking dish

Pour white sauce over filled tortillas

Sprinkle remaining 1 1/2 cups of cheese evenly over the top

Bake for 35 minutes or until cheese is melted

***SUGGESTIONS***

-Add some chopped fresh cilantro to garnish and serve will tortilla chips and fresh salsa

-Save time and make these enchiladas ahead.  Keep them in the fridge until you need to bake them

Thought for the day

GOOD MORNING ~ Thought for the day ~ “Give a girl the right shoes and she'll conquer the world.” 
― Anonymous

Recipe for the day ~ Sweet Potato Fluff

Sweet Potato Fluff

(Courtesy of All Recipes)

Ingredients:

3 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup butter

1/2 tspn vanilla extract

1 cup flaked coconut

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup chopped pecans

1/3 cup butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350

Mix the mashed sweet potatoes, white sugar, eggs, 1/2 cup butter, vanilla and flaked coconut

Place in a heat proof 2 quart sized casserole dish

With a fork, mix the brown sugar, flour, pecans and the remaining 1/3 cup butter

Sprinkle over the top of the potato mixture

Bake for about 30 minutes

Thought for the day

GOOD MORNING ~ Thought for the day ~ “Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.” 
― Ralph Waldo Emerson

Recipe for the day ~ Slow Cooker, Easy Baked Potato Soup

Slow Cooker, Easy Baked Potato Soup

(Courtesy of All Recipes)

Ingredients:

10 red potatoes, cut into cubes

3 TBspns all-purpose flour

3/4 cup real bacon bits

1 small red onion, chopped 

1 clove garlic, minced

2 TBspns chicken bouillon granules

1 TBspn ranch dressing mix

2 tspns dried parsley

1 tspn seasoned salt

1/2 tspn ground black pepper

3 cups water

1 cup half and half

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, or to taste

1/4 cup chopped green onion, or to taste

Directions:

Put potatoes in the bottom of your slow cooker or crockpot

Scatter flour over the potatoes

Toss to coat

Scatter bacon bits, red onion, garlic, chicken bouillon, ranch dressing mix, parsley, seasoned salt and black pepper over the potatoes

Pour water in the slow cooker/crockpot

Cook on LOW for 7 to 9 hours

Pour half and half into the soup

Cook another 15 minutes

Garnish with Cheddar cheese and green onions when ready to serve

 **You can always cook on HIGH for 4 to 6 hours**

Thought for the day

GOOD MORNING ~ Thought for the day ~ “Take the first step in faith, you don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” ― Martin Luther King Jr.

Recipe for the day ~ Sweet Potato Pound Cake

Sweet Potato Pound Cake

(Courtesy of All Recipes)

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups white sugar

2 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes

1 tspn vanilla extract

4 eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tspn baking powder

1 tspn ground cinnamon

1/2 tspn baking soda

1/2 tspn ground nutmeg

1/4 tspn salt

1 cup sifted confectioner's sugar

5 tspns orange juice

2 TBspns grated orange zest

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350

Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan

Sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt

Set aside

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy

Add mashed sweet potatoes and vanilla

Beat until well blended

Add eggs, one at a time (the batter will looked curdled)

Add flour mixture to potato mixture

Beat on low until combined

Pour batter into 10-inch tube pan

Bake for about 1 hour and 30 minutes

When cooled a little, invert onto a serving plate

**To make the Glaze**

In a small bowl, combine confectioner's sugar with 3 to 5 tspns orange juice to achieve drizzling consistency

Spoon over warm cake and sprinkle with orange zest - if desired

Thought for the day

GOOD MORNING ~ Thought for the day ~ “Begin doing what you want to do now. We are not living in eternity. We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand and melting like a snowflake.” 
― Francis Bacon, The Essays

Recipe for the day ~ Fluffy French Toast

Fluffy French Toast

(Courtesy of All Recipes)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup milk

1 pinch salt

3 eggs

1/2 tspn ground cinnamon

1 tspn vanilla extract

1 Tbspn white sugar

12 thick slices of bread

Directions:

Measure flour into a large mixing bowl

Slowly whisk in the milk

Whisk in the salt, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla and sugar until smooth

Heat and lightly oil griddle or frying pan over medium heat

Soak bread slices in mixture until saturated

Cook bread on each side until golden brown

Serve warm

Thought for the day

GOOD MORNING ~ Thought for the day ~ “We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.” ― Maya Angelou

Recipe for the day ~ Sweet Potato Souffle

Sweet Potato Souffle

(Courtesy of All Recipes)

Ingredients:

6 sweet potatoes

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup melted butter

1 tspn vanilla extract

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 tspn salt

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup melted butter

1 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

In a large stock pot, cover sweet potatoes with 1 inch of water

Boil for 20 minutes or until fork tender

Drain and allow to cool and remove skins

Preheat oven to 350

Grease or butter a 2 quart casserole dish

Place potatoes in a mixing bowl and with an electric mixer, beat on low speed until potatoes begin to break up

Increase speed to medium high and blend until smooth

Reduce speed to low and add sugar, milk, butter, vanilla, eggs and salt

Mix well

Allow any potato fibers to remain on the beater and remove

Pour sweet potato mixture into the casserole dish

Prepare the topping in a small bowl by whisking together the brown sugar, flour, butter and pecans

Sprinkle mixture over the potato mixture

Bake for about 45 minutes

Thought for the day

GOOD MORNING ~ Thought for the day ~ “Happiness depends upon ourselves.” ― Aristotle

Recipe for the day ~ Chicken-Ranch Monkey Bread

**GREAT for a tailgating parties**

Chicken-Ranch Monkey Bread

(Courtesy of Pillsbury™)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken

1 package (1 ounce ranch dressing and seasoning mix (the milk recipe

2 cans (7.5 ounce each) Pillsbury™ Country Style™ refrigerated biscuits

1/3 cup cubed mozzarella cheese

4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

1/4 cup melted butter

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 ounces)

1/2 cup ranch dressing for dipping

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375

Lightly spray 12-cup fluted tube cake pan with cooking spray

In a medium bowl, toss cooked chicken with 2 TBspns of the dry ranch seasoning mix; set aside

Separate each can of dough into 10 biscuits

Cut 4 biscuits into quarters to make a total of 16 pieces

With hands, press and stretch each piece slightly to make dough round

Place 1 cheese cube in the center of each round; bring sides up and over, pinching dough to enclose cheese

Press and stretch remaining 16 biscuits into larger rounds

Place 1 heaping tablespoon chicken in the center of each round; bring sides up and over, pinching dough to enclose chicken

Sprinkle half of the crumbled bacon in the bottom of the tube cake pan

In a small bowl, mix remaining dry ranch seasoning mix with melted butter

Dip each dough ball into the butter mixture, rolling ball around to coat

Layer half of the dough balls in the tube cake pan; sprinkle with shredded cheese and remaining bacon

Top with remaining dough balls

Bake for about 25 minutes or until tops are golden brown and biscuit dough is completely baked

Cool slightly

Place serving plate upside down over pan; carefully turn plate and pan over

Remove pan

Serve bread with ranch dressing for dipping

**SUGGESTIONS**

-If you are not a fan of mozzarella, trying using cheddar or pepper jack cheese for a little extra zip

-Garnish with freshly chopped parsley or diced green onions to make for a pretty presentation

  

Thought for the day

GOOD MORNING ~ Thought for the day ~ “Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.” ― Mark Twain

Recipe for the day ~ Sweet Potato Bread

Sweet Potato Bread

(Courtesy of All Recipes)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 3/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 tspn baking soda

1/4 tspn salt

1/2 tspn ground cinnamon

1/2 tspn ground nutmeg

1/3 cup water

1 cup cooked and mashed sweet potatoes

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350

Combine sugar and oil; beat well

Add eggs and continue to beat well

Combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg

Stir flour mixture into egg mixture alternately with water

Stir in sweet potatoes and chopped pecans

Pour batter into greased 9x5 inch loaf pan (or 2 small loaf pans)

Bake for 1 hour

Thought for the day

GOOD MORNING ~ Thought for the day ~ “Peace cannot be achieved through violence, it can only be attained through understanding.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

Recipe for the day ~ Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

(Courtesy of All Recipes)

Ingredients:

Oil for frying

1 (6 ounce package chicken-flavored stuffing mix

1 pound ground chicken

1/3 cup hot sauce (such as Frank's RedHot®)

2 eggs

1 tspn hot sauce or to taste

Directions:

Pour stuffing mix into a plastic resealable bag and crush into fine crumbs using a rolling pin

In a large bowl, mash crushed stuffing mix, chicken, 1/3 cup hot sauce and eggs together using a potato masher until just combined

Form mixture into 1-inch meatballs

Fry meatballs in the hot oil until browned and cooked through, about 10-15 minutes

An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F

Drizzle meatballs with about 1 tspn hot sauce

Thought for the day

GOOD MORNING ~ Thought for the day ~ “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” 
― Mahatma Gandhi

Recipe for the day ~ Pumpkin Roll

Pumpkin Roll

(Courtesy of All Recipes)

Ingredients:

3 eggs, beaten

1 cup white sugar

1/2 tspn ground cinnamon

2/3 cup pumpkin puree

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 tspn baking soda

2 TBspns butter, softened

8 ounces cream cheese

1 cup confectioner's sugar

1/4 tspn vanilla extract

Confectioner's sugar for dust

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375

Butter or grease a 10x15 inch jelly roll pan

In a mixing bowl, blend together the eggs, sugar, cinnamon and pumpkin

In a separate bowl, mix together flour and baking soda

Add the pumpkin mixture and blend until smooth

Evenly spread the mixture over the prepared jelly roll pan

Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes

Remove from the oven and allow to cool enough to handle

Remove cake from pan and place on a tea towel (cotton, not terry cloth)

Roll up the cake by rolling a towel inside cake and place seam side down to cool

Prepare the frosting by blending together the butter, cream cheese, confectioner's sugar and vanilla

When cake is completely cooled, unroll and spread with cream cheese filling

Roll up again without towel

Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve

Sprinkle top with confectioner's sugar and slice into 8-10 servings

Thought for the day

GOOD MORNING ~ Thought for the day ~ “A room without books is like a body without a soul.” 
― Marcus Tullius Cicero

Recipe for the day ~ Beer and Soy Sauce Chicken

Beer and Soy Sauce Chicken

(Courtesy of All Recipes)

Ingredients:

1 cup soy sauce

1 cup beer

1 cup water

1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

salt and pepper to taste

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix the soy sauce, beer, water and garlic

Season with salt and pepper

Place chicken in the bowl

Cover and marinate in the refrigerator 8 hours or overnight

Turn chicken once while marinating

Preheat outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil grate

Place chicken on the prepared grill and cook for about 15 per side or until no longer pink and juices run clear

Discard remaining marinade

Thought for the day

GOOD MORNING ~ Thought for the day ~ “Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”― Mahatma Gandhi

Recipe for the day ~ Upside Down Pumpkin Cake

Upside Down Pumpkin Cake

(Courtesy of All Recipes)

Ingredients:

1 (29 ounce) can pumpkin puree

2 tspn ground cinnamon

1/2 tspn ground cloves

salt to taste

1 3/4 cups white sugar

3 eggs

1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk

1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix with pudding

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup butter, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350

In a mixing bowl, blend pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves, salt, sugar, eggs and milk

Pour mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish

Sprinkle dry cake mix and nuts over batter

Pour melted butter over the cake

Bake for about 1 hour

Let cool

The cake WILL be "liquidy" at first, but will become solid as it cools

Thought for the day

GOOD MORNING ~ Thought for the day ~ “Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds up to be.” ― Abraham Lincoln

Recipe for the day ~ Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pull

Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pull

(Courtesy of All Recipes)

Ingredients:

3 slices bacon

1 (1 pound) loaf round sourdough bread

8 (1 ounce) slices Cheddar cheese, or more as needed

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 TBspn dry ranch dressing mix

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350

Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium heat, turning occasionally, until halfway cooked, about 5 minutes

Drain the bacon slices on paper towels

Cut crosswise into 1/2 inch wide strips

Cut slits halfway through the bread in two directions creating a checkerboard pattern

Slip Cheddar cheese slices and bacon pieces into the slits

Mix butter and ranch dressing mix together in a small bowl

Pour over bread, allowing to drip into the slits

Wrap entire loaf in a sheet of aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet

Bake for about 15 minutes

Unwrap bread and return to baking sheet

Bake until cheese is melted and bacon is crisp, about 10 more minutes

Thought for the day

GOOD MORNING ~ Thought for the day ~ “The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.”― David Bowie

Recipe for the day ~ Pumpkin Squares

Pumpkin Squares

(Courtesy of All Recipes)

Ingredients:

4 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

2 cups white sugar

1 (15 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin puree

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tspns ground cinnamon

1/2 tspn ground cloves

1/2 tspn ground ginger

1/2 tspn ground nutmeg

1 tspn baking soda

2 tspns baking powder

1/2 tspn salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350

Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan

In a medium bowl, mix together the eggs, oil, sugar and pumpkin until smooth

Stir together the flour, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, baking soda, baking powder and salt

Stir into the pumpkin

Spread evenly into the prepared pan

Bake for 30 minutes

The bars should spring back to the touch when done

Allow to cool before serving

**Optional** 

You can sprinkle the bars with powered sugar - if desired

 OR

You may frost with cream cheese frosting - if desired

Thought for the day

GOOD MORNING ~ Thought for the day ~ “We live in a dark and romantic and quite tragic world.” 
― Karl Lagerfeld

Recipe for the day ~ Bacon Wrapped Bratwurst

Bacon Wrapped Bratwurst

(Courtesy of All Recipes)

Ingredients:

5 bratwurst

3 (12 ounce) cans light beer

  5 TBspns brown sugar

1 tspn cayenne pepper

7 slices bacon, cut in half

Directions:

Poke bratwurst several times with a small fork

Place in a saucepan with the beer

Bring to a boil over high heat then reduce heat to medium

Simmer for 15 minutes

Remove the bratwurst from the beer

Allow to cool to room temperature

Preheat oven to 425

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil

Place a wire rack on top

Toss the brown sugar and cayenne pepper together in a large bowl 

Set aside

Cut each bratwurst into 3 pieces

Wrap each piece with half strip of bacon 

Secure with a toothpick

Toss the bratwurst with the cayenne mixture to coat

Place onto the prepared baking sheet

Bake for about 30 minutes or until the bacon is brown and crisp

Thought for the day

GOOD MORNING ~ Thought for the day ~ “Conquer the angry one by not getting angry; conquer the wicked by goodness; conquer the stingy by generosity, and the liar by speaking the truth. [Verse 223]” 
― Gautama Buddha, The Dhammapada

Recipe for the day ~ Pumpkin Dessert

Pumpkin Dessert

(Courtesy of All Recipes)

Ingredients:

1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix

1/3 cup butter, melted

1 egg

1 (29 ounce) can pumpkin

1/2 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup milk

3 eggs

2 TBspns pumpkin pie spice

1/4 cup butter, chilled

1/2 cup white sugar

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350

Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish

Set aside 1 cup of cake mix

Combine remaining cake mix with melted butter and 1 egg

Mix until well blended

Spread the mixture in the bottom of the prepared baking dish

In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, brown sugar, milk, 3 eggs and pumpkin pie spice

Mix well

Pour this mixture over the cake mixture in the baking dish

In a small bowl, combine chilled butter and white sugar with the reserved cake mix until it resembles coarse crumbs

Sprinkle over pumpkin mixture

Sprinkle chopped walnuts all over

Bake for about 45 minutes or until top is golden brown

Thought for the day

GOOD MORNING ~ Thought for the day ~ “Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.” ― Albert Einstein

Recipe for the day ~ Baked Hawaiian Sandwiches

Baked Hawaiian Sandwiches

(Courtesy of All Recipes)

Ingredients:

24 Hawaiian bread rolls (such as King's®), split

12 thin slices of honey-cured deli ham, halved

12 slices Swiss cheese, halved

12 thin slices of deli smoked turkey, halved

12 thin slices of Provolone cheese, halved

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup dried onion flakes

2 TBspns poppy seeds

1 TBspn honey mustard

Directions:

Place a rack onto the lower half of the oven

Preheat oven to 400

Arrange bottom halves of Hawaiian rolls on a baking sheet

Place a half slice each of ham, Swiss cheese, smoked turkey, and Provolone cheese onto each roll bottom

Place top halves onto each bottom to make sandwiches

Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat and stir in sugar, dried onion flakes, poppy seeds and honey mustard until mixture is smoothly combined, creamy and the sugar has dissolved, about 2 minutes

Brush over the tops of each sandwich

Bake sandwiches on the preheated oven's lower rack until tops are golden brown and fillings are hot, about 15 minutes