Ultra Moist Rum Cake – Buttery, Boozy, and Irresistibly Delicious!

 

This isn’t just any cake—this is the kind of dessert that makes people close their eyes after the first bite. Ultra-moist, buttery, rich, and infused with vanilla and dark rum, this Rum Cake will instantly transport you to a sunny beach with a drink in hand.

With a double dose of rum—in both the batter and the glaze—this cake is bursting with flavor and moisture. It’s sweet, slightly boozy, and so juicy that each bite practically melts in your mouth.

Despite its bold flavor and elegant texture, it’s surprisingly easy to make. No complicated steps, no fancy equipment—just a simple batter, a rich rum soak, and a bit of patience while it cools.

Perfect for the holidays, a celebration, or simply when you’re craving something a little indulgent, this homemade rum cake recipe is a total crowd-pleaser. Go ahead, make it today—you don’t need a special occasion to enjoy this island-inspired classic!

Ingredients:

flour- 2 cups
Sugar- 1 1/2 cups
1 stick of softened or melted butter
Instant vanilla pudding- 1/2 cup (1 package)
Baking powder- 2 teaspoons
Salt- 1 teaspoon
Vegetable oil- 1/2 cup
Milk- 1/2 cup of
eggs- 4 large
Dark rum- 1/2 cup of
Butterscotch schnapps- 1/4 cup of
Orange bitters- 1 tablespoon

Steps:

1 ) Add all the ingredients to a large mixing bowl and blend on medium for 5 to 7 minutes.

2 ) Grease a Bundt cake pan with cooking spray or butter and coat with flour.
      A Bundt pan is traditional and works best for even baking and an elegant look.

3 ) Pour all the mixture in to the Bundt cake pan and place in a preheated oven in the middle rack at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a skewer can be inserted in to the middle of the cake and be removed without any residue.

For the rum sauce topping:

Ingredients:

1 stick of butter
1/4 cup of water
1 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of dark rum
Zest from 1 orange peel

Steps:

1 ) Add your sugar, butter, and water to a medium size cooking pan and bring to a boil. Once the butter has melted and the mixture begins to boil, place your orange zest in to a metal strainer and place over the top of the boiling mixture for about 5 minutes.

2 ) Use a spoon to press down on the zest when you’re done to remove the oils from the orange peel.

3 ) Once the cake is finished, test it with a skewer to make sure it’s cooked all the way through. Poke holes throughout the entire cake to allow the rum mixture to soak in better. Slowly pour your mixture over the top of the cake. Don’t pour it all at once. Pour a little, allow it to soak and repeat that process until you’ve used it all.

4 ) Allow the cake to completely cool, then insert a knife around the edges of the bundt cake and around the middle to loosen the cake from the pan. Place a large plate over the top of the Bundt cake pan and flip it over. Give it a minute and remove the pan. Serve and enjoy!

Note: Make sure you make your rum sauce topping close to the time your cake is finished cooking. If you make it too early you will develop a film over the top of the mixture as it cools.

Pro Tips for the Best Rum Cake

Use Good-Quality Rum

• Dark or spiced rum, like Myers’s, Captain Morgan, or Bacardi Black for the richest flavor. Don’t use anything labeled “cooking rum.”  

Soak It Well

• Let the cake sit for several hours (or overnight) after adding the glaze to fully absorb the rum and vanilla goodness.

Use Real Butter

• Butter makes the cake rich and flavorful. Margarine or oil just won’t do it justice.

Grease the Pan Generously

• Rum cakes are notorious for sticking. Use butter and flour, or a baking spray with flour for the best release.

Add Nuts for Texture (Optional)

• Chopped pecans or walnuts in the bottom of the pan add crunch and look gorgeous when the cake is flipped.

Poke Holes in the Cake Before Glazing

• This helps the buttery rum glaze seep into every bite of the cake.

Let It Rest

• The flavor intensifies and the texture improves after a day or two. It’s even better the next day!

How do I keep it moist?

• The rum glaze keeps the cake ultra-moist—store it tightly covered at room temperature.

Can I make this ahead of time?

• Yes! This cake gets better as it sits. Make it 1–2 days ahead for best results.

FROM

https://www.superfashion.us/rum-cake-recipe/

The Great Pumpkin Dessert

Canned pumpkin and cake mix make these bars an effortless alternative to pumpkin pie. It's a tried-and-true dessert that always brings big smiles. —Linda Guyot, Fountain Valley, California

Ingredients

1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 package yellow cake mix (regular size)
3/4 cup butter, melted
1-1/2 cups California Walnuts

Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream

Directions

In a large bowl, beat first five ingredients until smooth.
Transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Sprinkle with cake mix and drizzle with butter. Top with walnuts.
Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

Test Kitchen Tips 

If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can substitute 2 teaspoons of cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ginger, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves or allspice.

Unless otherwise specified, Taste of Home recipes are tested with lightly salted butter. Unsalted, or sweet, butter is sometimes used to achieve a buttery flavor, such as in shortbread cookies or buttercream frosting. In these recipes, added salt would detract from the buttery taste desired.

Nutrition Facts
1 piece: 385 calories, 21 g fat (8 g saturated fat), 70 mg cholesterol, 326 mg sodium, 44 g carbohydrate (30 g sugars, 3 g fiber), 8 g protein. 

FROM  Taste of Home

Beer Can Grilled Chicken

 

4 lb. Chicken
Chicken Rub
Vegetable or Olive Oil
12 oz. Beer, your choice

Beer Can Chicken Rub

2 tablespoons smoked paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder

For the chicken rub;
In a small bowl mix all the ingredients together and use for the grilled chicken.

Preheat your grill to medium high heat.  (350 degrees)

Rub the chicken and the cavity down with vegetable oil. Season the chicken and cavity with rub mixture.  Pour off (drink) 1/4 of the beer and sit the chicken on top of the beer can.  Place the chicken in the center of the hot grill and cover.  Cook the chicken for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the instant read thermometer reads 165 degrees F.  Once cooked, cover loosely with foil and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.

NOTE  This recipe can also be made in the oven.

Chicken Alfredo Baked Ziti

Creamy alfredo sauce, savory chicken, hearty pasta,
two delicious kinds of melty cheese — what’s not to love?!
There’s a reason why this one will always be a classic.

Ingredients

Chicken Baked Ziti Ingredients:

• 12 ounces uncooked ziti (or any pasta shape)
• 2 cups shredded, cooked chicken (about 2 small chicken breasts)
• 1 batch alfredo sauce (see below)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• toppings: lots of freshly-grated Parmesan cheese, finely-chopped fresh basil or parsley

Alfredo Sauce Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 cup low-fat milk
• 3/4 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

To Make The Chicken Baked Ziti:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.  Mist a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.
2. Cook the pasta al dente in a large stockpot of well-salted boiling according to package instructions. Drain. Return pasta to the stockpot and add chicken and alfredo sauce. Gently toss to combine until the pasta is evenly coated.
3. Pour half of the pasta into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with 1 cup of cheese. Layer the remaining half of the pasta evenly on top. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melted and just barely starts to turn golden. Remove and serve immediately, sprinkled with additional toppings if desired.

To Make The Alfredo Sauce:

1. Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute one minute, stirring occasionally, until fragrant. Sprinkle with flour, and stir to combine. Saute for an additional minute to cook the flour, stirring occasionally.
2. Slowly add chicken broth, whisking to combine until smooth. Whisk in milk, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Let cook for an additional minute until thickened, then stir in Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper until the cheese melted. Remove from heat and set aside.

Possible Variations:

There are so many ways to customize this chicken alfredo bake!  For example, feel free to…

• Add in veggies. Broccoli, asparagus, mushrooms, cauliflower, and any number of other veggies would be delicious added to this chicken alfredo recipe.  Just note that they won’t get cooked much during the 20 minutes of baking time.  So if whatever veggies you add require a longer cooking time, feel free to toss them into the boiling water with the pasta for a few minutes or sauté (or roast) them for a few minutes before adding them to the casserole.
• Add in extra Italian herbs. If you would like an herbier chicken alfredo pasta, feel free to add some dried Italian Seasoning or chopped fresh Italian herbs into the alfredo sauce.  (Or, you can also sprinkle some chopped fresh basil on top of the pasta after baking.)
• Nix the protein.  Not into chicken?  Feel free to use shrimp in this recipe instead.  (Or make it vegetarian and add in some extra veggies instead.)
• Make it spicy. I really love sprinkling lots of crushed red pepper into (and on top of) this casserole to give it a bit of a kick.
• Make it cajun. To give this recipe a Cajun twist, feel free to stir 1-2 tablespoons Cajun seasiing (to taste) into the alfredo sauce.
• Make it gluten-free.  Just use your favorite certified gluten-free pasta, and my gluten-free alfredo sauce recipe.

This recipe comes from GimmeSomeOven.com

https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/chicken-alfredo-baked-ziti-recipe/

Boneless Pork Ribs

Boneless Pork Ribs, also known as Country Style Ribs. are the easiest, meatiest ribs you'll ever eat.

What are commonly referred to as boneless ribs are actually a cut of pork shoulder that is then cut into rib like pieces.  The meat is super marbled for a delicious full flavor and super tender if cooked the right way... which is low and slow.

How to make the boneless ribs;

Season the ribs with dry rub.  Massage the rub into all sides of the pork.

Place the ribs into a baking dish.  

Cover with foil and place into a low even for several hours.

Cook the ribs at 300 degrees.

Once the ribs are tender enough to cut easily with a fork, you'll want to uncover them and drain away the juices from the pan.

Brush the ribs with your favorite BBQ sauce and bake for an additional 30 - 45 minutes uncovered.  or leave them as they are.  They will literally melt in your mouth after letting them caramelize in this last bake.

HAWAIIAN BBQ SAUCE
HULI SAUCE

Hawaiian BBQ sauce is super easy to make and yields a sticky glaze with hints of teriyaki from the fresh flavors of pineapple, soy sauce ginger and garlic. Tropical flavors that work great on any grilled chicken, pork or wonderful on beef ribs for entertaining!

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup Ketchup
1/3 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
1/4 cup Pineapple Juice
2 Tablespoons Sesame Oil
4 Garlic Cloves, Grated  or minced fine
1" Fresh Ginger, grated 
1 Teaspoon Rice Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Chili Garlic Sauce

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Grate garlic or chop to a very fine mince.
   
2. Peel 1" of a piece of fresh ginger, then grate. 
3. Place all ingredients into a pan and stir to mix well.
4. Bring to a boil and stir constantly until thickened and reduced, about 5 minutes once boiling
5. Store in airtight container up to a week.
6. Can be used as a marinade or brushed on while grilling or baking.
7. Reserve some sauce to serve on the side for people to be able to apply at the table themselves.

This teriyaki glaze comes together in mere minutes.
It's best if you heat it for just 5 minutes  to help the brown sugar dissolve and reduce it just a bit.

Mandarin Shrimp Pasta

This recipe came from one of my business associates,

Jan O'Rear.  Jan brought it and served it cold at a social event.

This a one of my favorites!  ~Shelly

INGREDIENTS

1 pound raw shrimp, shells removed

1 cup Italian dressing, divided

1 tablespoon peanut butter

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon honey

1 inch ginger root, peeled and grated

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 medium carrot, peeled and grated

6 green onions, chopped

3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro

1 8-ounce can mandarin oranges, drained

8 ounce package almond silvers or sliced almonds, toasted (see instructions below)

3 cups angel hair pasta, cooked

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Marinate shrimp in refrigerator for 1 hour in 1/3 cup of Italian dressing; drain shrimp after 1 hour.
2. While the shrimp is marinating, in a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining Italian dressing, peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, grated ginger root and red pepper flakes. Set sauce aside. 
3. Toast almonds in a dry pan for 4 minutes, in a preheated 350 degree oven. Set aside.
4. Boil pasta according to package directions, drain and set aside.
5. Saute the grated carrots, chopped green onions and chopped cilantro in the canola oil with the sesame oil until browned.  
6. Add the shrimp and saute until the shrimp are pink and opaque.
7. Combine pasta, vegetables, shrimp and sauce in a large saute pan and heat thoroughly, stirring continually, until heated through.
8. Garnish with toasted almonds and mandarin oranges.
9. Serve hot or cold.

For a variation, substitute 1 lb. boneless chicken breast cut into 1-inch pieces for the shrimp and add (1) 8 oz. can of sliced water chestnuts is desired.

Shelly's Green Tomato Relish

Is it just me or is Sunday made for cooking? This past week I picked up about 20 green tomatoes at the Farmers Market.   I LOVE green tomato relish. I used to help my mother-in-law make it every fall in her kitchen, using a recipe handed down from her mother and grandmother. We would use a food grinder and it was really messy. Today I use a food processor and, although I am still a pretty messy cook, the process is way faster and easier.

Here is my recipe, which is cut down from the original.

Green Tomato Relish

20 Green Tomatoes

3 Large Red Peppers

3 Large Green Peppers

2 Large Onions

Grate vegetables in a food processor. Cook slow about 15 minutes. Drain if too much juice.

In another pot, mix together and bring to a boil;

2 Cups Cider Vinegar

3 Cups Sugar

1 TBL Salt

½ Tsp ground Cloves

½ Tsp Allspice

½ Tsp Cinnamon

½ TBL Mustard Seed

½ TBL Celery Seed

(I really love spicy relishes also and always consider adding Jalapenos, but then I don’t. I bet it would be really good though, if you like sweet and spicy)

Add to Vegetable mixture and boil another 15 minutes.

I have Mason Jars and we sell Mason Jar LIDS at Harter House. (At least for sure at 1500 E. Republic Road)

I boiled the jars to sanitize them. Then filled them full with the relish mixture. My Mother-In-Law always let the full jars stand upside down on the counter to cool, to help seal the jars. So I will do that also, because that’s the way I learned. My kitchen smells SO GOOD! A mixture of sweet and sour.

And Barbara Kauffman, you’ve got a big jar of Shelly’s Homemade Green Tomato Relish with your name on it!

This batch really made a lot too. Three large jars, three medium jars and three small jars with just a bit more that we will serve with dinner tonight. Jars do not need to be refrigerated till opened.

By the way, our dinner tonight is Harter House Baby Back Pork Ribs.

Marinated Chuck Roast

It's always nice to find new recipes for products that are on sale, and this week at Harter House Supermarket, we have Chuck Roast On Sale for $8.99 lb. (Sept 17-23, 2025)























I saw this on a PTITChef Blog, and she said that her friends, that are not big beef eaters, really raved about this. She said it was the very best roast she has ever eaten also.

"A rich marinade deepens the mahogany color. But the flavor! Oh, the flavor is amazing, getting into the very corners of your mouth ~ slightly sweet and tangy, slightly winey, and tender good."

I can't wait to try it!!


Marinated Chuck Roast

3 to 4 pounds. chuck roast
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon tarragon (can substitute Anise seed)
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoon olive. oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (or fresh sliced garlic)
1/2 cup red cooking wine
8 small mushrooms ( I recommend Shittake mushrooms)
1 tomato, sliced



Directions
Preheated 350 degrees oven.

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients, except tomatoes, to make the marinade.
Salt and pepper both sides of the roast and then place roast in glass pan.
Pour the marinade over the roast.
Cover, refrigerate and allow meat to marinate at least 3 to 4 hours. Spoon marinade over roast from time to time.
Just before roasting, slice the tomato and place on top of the roast.
Roast at 350 degrees for one hour.

Doesn't this look delicious!

Chocolate Pumpkin Magic Cake

My very good friend, Theresa, served this cake to us for dessert.  I was hooked.  I knew I would share it in my weekly newsletter.  It is amazing.  ~Shelly


She told me this triple layer dessert is extremely easy to make, and comes out in perfect layers each time!

The bottom layer is a delightful pumpkin pie, the middle is a rich chocolate cake and then it’s topped off with a vanilla pudding frosting that is to die for.

The secret to this magical cake is how you bake it.
First you pour in the chocolate cake batter and then the pumpkin pie batter over the top.

Since the pumpkin pie filling is heavier, it will sink to the bottom and the cake will rise to the top.

Now… she got asked a lot, “Why don’t you just put the pumpkin on the bottom to begin with?” 
The pumpkin needs to bake longer in order to set, this little trick makes it so both the cake and pie come out perfect!

On the original pumpkin magic cake, the frosting had a hint of pumpkin pie spice, but you can opt to sprinkle some crushed gingersnap cookies on top.

Once your family tastes this cake… they’ll be hooked and asking for it all the time!


Grab a fork and dig in to this chocolate delight!

Ingredients

For the Cake:
1 box of devil's food cake mix PLUS ingredients needed to make (eggs, water, oil)
For the Pumpkin Pie:
1 (15oz) can Pumpkin Puree
1/2 cup evaporated milk

 

1/2 cup heavy cream
3 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
For the Frosting
1 (4 serving size) box vanilla instant pudding mix
1 cup cold milk
8 oz Cool Whip, thawed
4 to 5 gingersnap cookies, crushed into crumbs

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Prepare box of cake mix according to package instructions, then pour into a lightly greased 9"x13" cake pan. DO NOT BAKE. Set aside.
3. In another bowl whisk together the ingredients for the Pumpkin Pie (pumpkin, evaporated milk, cream, eggs, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice), until smooth. Slowly pour the pumpkin pie mixture all over the cake mix.
4. Carefully place cake into the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes or until the center is no longer jiggly, and a toothpick inserted into cake mix comes out clean. Let cool to room temperature.
For the Frosting:
5. Place the vanilla pudding mix into a large bowl and pour in the cold milk. Whisk until combined and starting to thicken. Gently fold in the Cool Whip until it's completely combined. Spread on top of the cooled cake then sprinkle with the crushed gingersnap cookies.
6. You can serve now, or chill the cake, and serve when chilled. Either way tastes great. Enjoy!

Best Beef Stroganoff

 

I never get tired of this recipe!  ~Shelly

Ingredients

1.2 lb boneless rib eye or tenderloin
2 tbsp vegetable oil , divided
1 large onion (or 2 small onions), sliced
10 oz mushrooms , sliced (not too thin)
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour 
2 cups beef broth, preferably salt reduced
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2/3 cup sour cream
Salt and pepper

Serving:

8 - 10 oz pasta or egg noodles of choice (Note 3)
Chopped chives , for garnish (optional)

Instructions

• Use your fist (or rolling pin or mallet) to flatten the steaks to about  1/3" thick. Slice into  1/5" strips (cut long ones in half), discarding excess fat.
• Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper.
• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over high heat. Scatter half the beef in the skillet, QUICKLY spread it with tongs. Leave untouched for 30 seconds until browned. Turn beef quickly (as best you can!). Leave untouched for 30 seconds to brown. Immediately remove onto a plate. Don't worry about pink bits and that it will be raw inside.
• Add remaining 1 tbsp oil and repeat with remaining beef.
• Turn heat down to medium high. Add butter, melt. Then add onions, cook for 1 minute, then add mushrooms.
• Cook mushrooms until golden. Scrape bottom of fry pan to get all the golden bits off (this is flavor!).
• Add flour, cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
• Add half the broth while stirring. Once incorporated, add remaining broth.
• Stir, then add sour cream and mustard. Stir until incorporated (don't worry if it looks split, sour cream will "melt" as it heats).
• Bring to simmer ,then reduce heat to medium low. Once it thickens to the consistency of pouring cream (3 - 5 minutes), adjust salt and pepper to taste.
• Add beef back in (including plate juices). Simmer for 1 minute, then remove from stove immediately. (Note 4)
• Serve over pasta or egg noodles, sprinkled with chives if desired.
  
  

Notes

1. Best cut of beef for stroganoff - use decent to good quality quick cooking cut of beef such as:

• boneless rib eye 
• beef tenderloin
• boneless sirloin, sirloin steak tips

I don't recommend: beef round steak (aka topside), skirt, flat iron, 

Pork can also be used - pork stroganoff is found in Russia too.

2. Flour - any is fine here, I use plain white flour (all purpose).  Or use 1 TBL. corn starch.

3. Serving - I like serving this with short pastas, rather than long pastas. Easier to eat. It's also great with mashed potato, rice, polenta - anything that's suitable to slop up all that gravy!

4. Sauce thickness: You can make sauce thinner with touch of water if you want, but DO NOT keep simmering to thicken once the beef is added, it will overcook the beef.

5. Storage - 3 to 4 days in the fridge, also freezes fine. Thaw fully then reheat carefully, being sure not to overcook the beef!
I found this recipe at;RecipeTinEats

Grilled Ribeye Steak with Cabernet Mushrooms

This recipe for Grilled Ribeye Steak with Cabernet Mushrooms is the last of the incredible grilled steak recipes Chef Brandon Douglas taught participants at the “Sizzling Summer Steaks” event that was part of the “Made from Scratch” cooking classes in 2013 at the Winrock Institute on Petit Jean Mt.

Chef Douglas says the ribeye is his favorite steak cut because of the wonderful marbling of fat this cut features compared to leaner cuts of beef steak. He says the fat adds to the sweet, rich flavor of this recipe. He combined sliced baked sweet potato wedges when he plated the finished steak and mushroom sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry cabernet sauvignon
• 2/3 cup green onion sliced in rounds
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons for garnish
• 3 teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves, chopped; plus sprigs for garnish
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup demi glaze or Beef stock
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 Harter House Ribeye Steaks, 1-1/2 inches thick
• your favorite mushrooms, rough chopped or whole
• Baked Sweet Potato (Optional)

Directions

1. Make small cuts with knife into fat around the edge of steaks. Rub with your favorite seasoned salt steak rub and pepper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour.
2. Clean grill grate and preheat grill to high heat.
3. Place steaks on hot grill for three minutes on each side to sear. Reduce grill temperature to low and close the lid. Continue cooking steaks an additional five to 10 minutes for medium-rare, turning halfway through. Let steaks rest for five minutes before serving.
   OPTION - cook till Medium Rare on the grill.
4. As steaks cook, add olive oil to saute’ pan. Add mushrooms, garlic and saute’ until mushrooms become tender. Excluding green onions, add remaining ingredients and reduce until sauce forms. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
5. Pour on top of finished steak. Garnish with green onions and remaining olive oil. Serve with baked sweet potato.

Rainy Day Blueberry Muffins

It's a very cloudy, damp morning and I'm wondering, what to do.
My first thought is baking.
I love the sound of the rain and I'm happy to stay in and cook today.
If you have blueberries, fresh or in the freezer, you probably have everything you need for some delicious blueberry muffins. (I always have yogurt in my fridge also.)





Blueberry Muffins Recipe

Ingredients

3 cups of all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 Tbsp unsalted butter (1 1/4 stick), softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 1/2 cups blueberries
1 Tbsp flour (if using defrosted frozen berries)

Method

1 Adjust the oven rack to the middle-lower part of the oven. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2 Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.

3 In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together, beating until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated after each one. Beat in the grated lemon peel.

4 Beat in one half of the dry ingredients until just incorporated. Beat in one third of the yogurt. Beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients. Beat in a second third of the yogurt. Beat in the remaining dry ingredients and then the remaining yogurt. Again be careful to beat until just incorporated. Do not over beat. Fold in the berries. If you are using frozen berries, defrost them first, drain the excess liquid, and then coat them in a light dusting of flour.

5 Use standard 12-muffin muffin tins. Coat each muffin cup lightly with olive oil or grapeseed oil using a pastry brush, or with a little butter. Or use one of those convenient vegetable oil sprays. Distribute the muffin dough equally among the cups. Bake until muffins are golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Test with a long toothpick to make sure the centers of the muffins are done. Set on wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Remove muffins from the tin and serve slightly warm.

Yield: Makes 12-16 muffins.

Slow Cooker Ham and Beans

Ingredients

1 pound dried Great Northern or Pinto beans, sorted and rinsed

4 cups water

1/4 cup celery, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

2 bay leaves

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 leeks (bulb only), cut in half lengthwise

1 pound cooked ham, cut into bite-size pieces (OR a Ham Shank - This week $3.99 lb.)

5 slices bacon

4 cups chicken stock

1 pinch sea salt to taste

1 pinch fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Place the beans into a large container and cover with several inches of cool water; let stand 8 hours to overnight. Drain and rinse before using.
2. Combine the soaked beans, 4 cups of water, celery, onion, bay leaves, cumin, garlic powder, and parsley into a slow cooker.
3. Melt the butter with the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir the leeks in the butter mixture until tender and the smaller pieces start to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the leeks to the slow cooker. In the same pan, cook and stir the ham until the edges start to brown; stir into the soup. *** If using a ham shank, just put it in the soup.
4. Place the bacon into the hot skillet, and pan-fry until the bacon is crisp, about 10 minutes. Cut the bacon into bite-size pieces and stir into the soup. Pour the chicken stock into the hot skillet, and stir to dissolve any brown flavor bits from the skillet; pour the chicken stock into the soup. Season with sea salt and pepper.
5. Set the cooker to Low cook the soup until the beans are very tender, 6 to 8 hours. Roughly mash about half the beans with a potato masher to thicken the soup.

Bacon Wrapped Meat Loaf

 Do you have a favorite meatloaf recipe?

Growing up, my mom made meatloaf and sour cabbage.  I did NOT like it as a child.  Of course I do now.  But it was the only meatloaf I remember being introduced to when I was young.

So, when my mother-in-law served us meatloaf for dinner, it was instantly my favorite meatloaf.  My kids still ask for me, or Grandma, to make it for them.

I also published it in the first edition of the Harter House Cookbook,
Recipe by Barbara Kauffman.



This recipe makes two loafs.  Tomorrow I'll enjoy a meatloaf sandwich

2 lbs. Harter House lean Ground Chuck
1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1/4 C Dried Bread Crumbs
2/3 Cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup Ketchup
2 Tbl. Parmesan Cheese
2 Tbl. Worchestershire
1 tsp. salt
1.4 tsp pepper
2 eggs
12 strips Harter House Double Smoked Bacon

Combine all ingredients except bacon.
Mix well.
Divide mixture in half.
Shape each in a roll.
Wrap in Bacon.
Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes.
Do Not overcook.
Allow to rest before slicing.

Old Fashioned Apple Crisp

 

This easy apple crisp is made the old fashioned way like Grandma used to make, and is perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and salted caramel sauce!

Ingredients

6 golden delicious apples, peeled and chopped (other varieties can be used, can also be sliced)

2 Tbsp granulated sugar

1 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon, divided

1 1/2 tsp lemon juice

1 cup light brown sugar

3/4 cup old fashioned oats

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, diced into small cubes

pinch of kosher salt

 

 

Instructions

1.             Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.  Butter an 8×8 baking dish, or spray with non-stick cooking spray.  Set aside.

2.             In a mixing bowl, add chopped apples, granulated sugar, 3/4 tsp of the cinnamon and lemon juice.  Stir to combine, then transfer to prepared baking dish.

3.             In a separate mixing bowl, add topping ingredients (brown sugar, oats, flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, salt, and diced cold butter).  Use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the oat mixture, using a slight downward twisting motion, until mixture resembled pea-sized crumbs.  Alternatively, you can use two forks or even your hands to cut butter into the mixture.

4.             Spread topping over apples in baking dish, and gently pat to even it out.  Bake 40-50 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly.

5.             Serve warm and enjoy!