Much Ado About Felines (Whales and Tails Mystery Book 4) (15 page)

Cranberry Orange Scones – submitted by Robin Coxon

Pumpkin Oatmeal – submitted by Marie Rice

Seafood Salad Louis – submitted by Vivian Shane

Corn Chowder - submitted by Nancy Farris

Irish Sweet Potato Bake - submitted by Janel Flynn

Creamsicle Cake – submitted by Joyce Aiken

Ingredients:

6 oz. pkg. smoked sausage links, thinly sliced (or any sausage)

4 oz. pkg. pepperoni slices

2 small onions, chopped

2 small cans sliced olives

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 can cream of cheddar soup

2½ cups milk

1½ cups water

5 cups potatoes, peeled and cubed

Sauté sausage, pepperoni, and onion in large saucepan until meat is done and onions browned.

Drain fat. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender.

Ingredients:

1 box (16 oz.) penne pasta

4 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed

1 can Campbell’s Cream of Cheddar soup

1 can Campbell’s Nacho Cheese soup

   (you can use two cans of either if you like your casserole more or less spicy)

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 jar (16 oz.) alfredo sauce (any brand)

¾ cup milk

1 cup cashews (or more if you’d like)

Salt and pepper to taste

Cheddar cheese crackers

Boil pasta according to directions on box (10–12 minutes).

Meanwhile, mix cooked and cubed chicken, soups, cheeses, alfredo sauce, milk, cashews, and salt and pepper together in a large bowl.

Drain pasta when tender and add to chicken mixture.  Stir until well mixed.

Pour into a greased 9 x 13 baking pan. Top with crumbled cheddar cheese crackers.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Ingredients for cake:

1½ cups all-purpose flour

1½ tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. baking soda

¾ tsp. salt

3 large apples, peeled and grated

1½ cups sugar

2 large eggs, beaten

½ cup vegetable oil

Mix together flour through salt. In a bowl mix apples and sugar. Add to flour mixture. Add eggs and oil.

Bake at 350 degrees in greased and floured pan (one 9 x 13 or two round cake pans) for 25–30 minutes. Let cool.

Frosting:

¾ cup butter, softened

6 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 tbs. vanilla

3 cups powdered sugar

Whip together and frost cake when cool; top with pecans.

Ingredients:

Layer 1:

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

½ tsp. salt

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1⅓
cup flour

Layer 2:

1 (10 oz.) box vanilla wafers

6 oz. cream cheese, softened

½ cup sugar

14 oz. bag caramel cubes, unwrapped

2 tbs. milk

1½ cups milk chocolate chips

½ cup semi-sweet milk chocolate chips

1 tbs. shortening

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Layer 1

Cream butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Add vanilla and eggs and mix well. Add salt, cocoa powder, and flour and stir to combine well. Do not overmix.

Pour into a greased 9 x 13–inch pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 22–25 minutes.

Layer 2

Place cookies in a food processor until fine powder. If you don’t have a food processor it’s okay to use graham cracker crumbs. Mash in cream cheese and sugar until mixture is well combined.

Gently press over cooled brownies.

Layer 3:

Place caramel cubes and milk in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments until melted, stirring in between each increment until melted and smooth.

Evenly pour over layer 2.

Place in fridge to let it cool.

Layer 4:

Combine chocolate chips and shortening together in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in between each increment until melted and smooth.

Evenly spread over the top of cooled caramel layer.

Let set in fridge before cutting into.

Submitted by Robin Coxon

I love to visit a coffee shop that offers scones, but especially cranberry orange scones with orange butter.

Ingredients:

1 cup dried cranberries

¼ cup orange juice

2 cups flour

10 tsp. granulated sugar, divided (7 tsp., 3 tsp.)

1 tbs. orange peel

2 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. baking soda

½ cup cold butter

¼ cup half and half (or cream)

1 tsp. vanilla

1 egg

1 tbs. milk

Glaze:

½ cup confectioner's sugar

½ tsp. vanilla

1 tbs. orange juice

Orange butter:

½ cup butter, softened

2–3 tbs. orange marmalade

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a small bowl soak dried cranberries in ¼ cup orange juice. Set aside.

In a large bowl combine flour, 7 tsp. sugar, orange peel, baking powder, salt, and baking soda, and stir until mixed.

Cut cold butter into flour mixture until coarse crumbles form.

In the small bowl that holds the dried cranberries and orange juice add half and half (cream), vanilla, and egg.  Stir until blended.

Add small bowl of ingredients to large bowl with flour mixture.  Stir until combined.  

Dump out mixture onto floured surface and gently knead 6–8 times.  Pat into 8-inch circle. Cut into 8–10 wedges.  

Place on ungreased cookie sheet but do not let them touch each other.  Brush with 1 tbs. milk and sprinkle with remaining 3 tsp. of sugar.

Bake 12–15 minutes until golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet and let cool on wire rack.

Mix the ingredients for glaze and drizzle on cooled scones.

Mix ingredients for orange butter and serve with scones.

Scones are good without orange butter too.

Submitted by Marie Rice

In the winter of 2012–13, I went through a hot oatmeal phase and began working on this flavoring but got interrupted and didn't get it tweaked until the autumn of 2014. Because the plain oatmeal was just too bland and I was trying to cut down on the total sugar, I would add if I just added sugar to sweeten the oatmeal, this is one of the versions that I came up with. I use unsweetened apple juice, but regular apple juice is good too. The raisins add a little sweetness (especially when using unsweetened juice) and also provide a good source of dietary iron.

Ingredients:

⅓ cup old-fashioned oats (or ¼ cup fine-milled Scottish oatmeal)

½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice

2 tbs. (approx.) dark raisins (I just eyeball it and pour some into my bowl)

2 tbs. canned or fresh pumpkin (not pie filling)

¾ cup apple juice or apple cider

⅛ tsp. vanilla extract

Place ingredients in order specified into a microwavable bowl. Sprinkle on the spice and raisins and then stir in the juice.  Microwave for 1½ minutes and stir. Microwave for another 30 seconds and then continue microwaving in 15-second increments until desired consistency is achieved.  Stir once again and enjoy.

Notes:

If the extract taste is too strong, don't fill the measuring spoon all the way, or use a dropper to better control the amount you want.

If additional sweetness is required, add a little honey or agave syrup after microwaving is complete.

Submitted by Vivian Shane

Crabbing is one of the simple joys of living in the Pacific Northwest. I love to make this salad when we have a successful catch of fresh Dungeness crab! This recipe serves two, so adjust the ingredient amounts accordingly if you’re serving more guests. 

Ingredients:

1½ cups uncooked rotini (spiral pasta)

⅓ cup mayonnaise or salad dressing

2 tbs. chopped green onions

3 tbs. chili sauce

1 tsp. lemon juice

¼ lb. fresh or frozen medium shrimp, shelled, deveined, cooked, and thawed

¼ lb. fresh or frozen crabmeat, cooked, thawed, and flaked

2–4 leaves leaf lettuce

Garnish with tomato and hard-boiled egg wedges

Cook rotini per package directions. While pasta is cooking, combine mayo, green onions, chili sauce, and lemon juice in a medium bowl and mix well. Drain pasta and rinse with cold water until cool. Add rotini, shrimp, and crab to mayo mixture in the bowl and toss gently to mix.  Serve on lettuce-lined plates. 

Contributed by Nancy Farris

Growing up in the corn belt in Ohio, corn found its way into all food categories. If you want it to be vegetarian, substitute the bacon with olive oil. Did I mention that I always serve it with cast-iron corn bread?

Ingredients:

2 stalks chopped celery

½ cup chopped onion

2 slices chopped bacon or 2 tbs. olive oil

1 can (15½ oz.) whole kernel corn, drained

1 can (15½ oz.) creamed corn, undrained

2 cups chicken broth

2 cups milk

½ cup heavy cream

3 dashes hot sauce

2 cups cubed potatoes

2 tbs. butter, softened

2 tbs. flour

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Cook celery, onion, and bacon over medium heat for 5–10 minutes until tender, stirring occasionally.

Add both corns, broth, milk, cream, and hot sauce. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add potatoes, return to boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

In a small bowl combine butter and flour, then stir until smooth. Add to soup mixture, stirring until thickened and bubbling. Cook and stir for another minute or two.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with chopped parsley if desired.