New Twist Sausage Balls

                                                                                                                                     

1 lb. hot or mild sausage, pinch off in small chunks

1- 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened and cut into small pieces

1 1/4 cups Pioneer baking mix

1 c shredded cheese

½ of a small can french fried onions, crumbled

This is a bit different from the traditional recipe but delicious.

Beat cheeses together in food processor just until incorporated. Add small chunks of sausage, onions and baking mix. Roll into 1" balls and bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned.

Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins

                                                                                                                                        

A Martha Stewart Recipe

10 tablespoons (1 1/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan

3 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/3 cup buttermilk

1 1/4 cups pure pumpkin puree (from a 15-ounce can)

3/4 cup light brown sugar

2 large eggs

For the sugar coating

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 12 standard muffin cups. Make batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and allspice. In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk and pumpkin puree. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down bowl as needed. With mixer on low, add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with two additions pumpkin mixture, and beat to combine.

Spoon 1/3 cup batter into each muffin cup and bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine granulated sugar and cinnamon. Let muffins cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Working with one at a time, remove muffins from pan; brush all over with butter, then toss to coat in sugar mixture. Let muffins cool completely on a wire rack.

Holiday Rum Cake

                                                                                                                                      

1 box yellow cake mix

3.4 oz. instant vanilla pudding mix

4 eggs

1/2 cup cold milk*

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum

1 cup finely diced pecans (optional)

Preheat to 325 degrees F.

Prepare a 12-cup Bundt pan or 2 bread loaf pans, greased & lightly sugared.

Combine all of the cake ingredients and beat for a couple of minutes on high with mixer. Fold in pecans at this point.

Pour into prepared pan(s) and bake for 1 hour (55 min if using loaf pans).

Cool in pan and invert on serving plate.

 Rum Glaze

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup water

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup Bacardi dark rum

Melt butter in saucepan, stir in water and sugar. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and stir in the rum (may cause release of steam).

Prick the top of the cake liberally with fork or toothpick and then drizzle over the top.

Steak Sliders

                                                                                                      

Boneless Ribeye Steak
Evelyn's rub (recipe under rub tag this blog)

French's yellow mustard
onion sliced as thin as possible
Potato rolls(recipe under rolls, bread, quiche tag this blog)

Let steaks come to room temperature. Rub steaks with Evelyn's seasoning rub and grill to medium.
Slice steaks into thin slices against the grain. Slice rolls, add a little mustard, the steak slice and the onion. Yummy!!!

BBQ Tater Skins

                                                                                                                                            

Toppings: Pulled pork, barbecue sauce, grated smoked Gouda cheese and sliced scallions

4 large russet potatoes washed, pierced with a fork

Grated Fontina cheese

Grated Smoked Gouda cheese

Bake directly on the oven rack at 350 degrees until tender, about 1 hour.

Let cool, then quarter lengthwise and scoop out the flesh, leaving a 1/4-inch shell.

Brush both sides with melted butter and season with salt and pepper.

Bake, skin-side up, at 450 degrees until crisp, about 15 minutes.

For cheesy skins, flip the baked shells over before topping, sprinkle with 1 cup Fontina cheese and bake an extra 5 minutes.