Tuesday's Tips & Tricks: Pasta

Always follow the cooking directions on your box of pasta.  Cooking times can very from brand to brand.  Angle Hair pasta can cook in as little as two minutes. Cook pasta only until it is slightly chewy.  The longer you cook pasta the mushier it will be.  Use plenty of water and keep it rapidly boiling to keep the pasta from sticking together.

Boxed pasta stored in airtight containers in the dark, will last up to 18 months.  If you transfer the pasta from the box or bag to a clear container on your counter, the pasta will last only one or two months.

Baked Pasta

For the best homemade pasta results, don't make it on a rainy or humid day.  The dough will be very difficult to knead if you do.

My new cookbook is available at schools, businesses, hospitals, and book fairs in cities across the United States.  Be sure to pick up a copy or two, when you see them.  They make great gifts!

Check back on Friday,
for my Slow Cooker Green Chile Chicken Pasta  recipe! 

Follow me on my Facebook page!

Visit my friends blogs!

 GINGERLOCKS' KITCHEN, has become one of your favorite blogs! Stop by Jordan's blog and take a peek!

You will love Bo and his blog,  Bo's Bowl.  Not only does he host great giveaways,  his recipes are incredible!  One visit to his blog and you will see why I faithfully follow it.

Also visit my friend Pam's blog, Pam's Midwest Kitchen Korner,  for more great recipes!  Once you read her blog, she will be your friend too!

Sober As A Judge Biscuits

Sober As A Judge Biscuits

4 cups Bisquick or Jiffy Baking Mix
1/2 cup sugar
12 ounces ginger ale or club soda
2 tablespoons melted butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a large bowl, combine all ingredients.  Mix well. 

Pour into well greased muffin tins.  

Bake 14 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

This recipe is a biscuit that looks like a muffin.  

Maybe it should be called a bismuff or a muffit.  Whatever you call it, spread butter and jelly on it and you will call it good!

My new cookbook is available at schools, businesses, hospitals, and book fairs in cities across the United States.  Be sure to pick up a copy or two, when you see them.  They make great gifts!

Check back on Tuesday,
for my Tuesday's Tips & Tricks post! 

Follow me on my Facebook page!

Visit my friends blogs!

 GINGERLOCKS' KITCHEN, has become one of your favorite blogs! Stop by Jordan's blog and take a peek!

You will love Bo and his blog,  Bo's Bowl.  Not only does he host great giveaways,  his recipes are incredible!  One visit to his blog and you will see why I faithfully follow it.

Also visit my friend Pam's blog, Pam's Midwest Kitchen Korner,  for more great recipes!  Once you read her blog, she will be your friend too!

Tuesday's Tips & Tricks: Measuring Batter

I have been on a baking binge lately.  Muffins and cupcakes are my binge of choice right now.  To achieve a uniform look, I measure the batter into each cup.  I usually use an ice cream scoop to do this, but occasionally I use a 1/4 measuring cup.  It is the perfect size to fill my muffin cups to 3/4 full.

My new cookbook is available at schools, businesses, hospitals, and book fairs in cities across the United States.  Be sure to pick up a copy or two, when you see them.  They make great gifts!

Check back on Friday,
for my Sober As A Judge Biscuits recipe! 

Follow me on my Facebook page!

Visit my friends blogs!

 GINGERLOCKS' KITCHEN, has become one of your favorite blogs! Stop by Jordan's blog and take a peek!

You will love Bo and his blog,  Bo's Bowl.  Not only does he host great giveaways,  his recipes are incredible!  One visit to his blog and you will see why I faithfully follow it.

Also visit my friend Pam's blog, Pam's Midwest Kitchen Korner,  for more great recipes!  Once you read her blog, she will be your friend too!

Slow Cooker Meatball Soup

Slow Cooker Meatball Soup

1 (16 ounce) package frozen meatballs
2 (10 3/4 ounce) cans Cream of Mushroom Soup with Garlic
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
1 cup water

In slow cooker, combine all ingredients. 

Mix well. Cover.  Cook on low 4 to 5 hours.  I have let this soup cook for over 8 hours before and it was still perfect.  It is also delicious served over egg noodles or rice.

This a creamy and rich beefy soup.  It takes less than two minutes to prep in the morning.  It was a big hit with my husband!

My new cookbook is available at schools, businesses, hospitals, and book fairs in cities across the United States.  Be sure to pick up a copy or two, when you see them.  They make great gifts!

Check back on Tuesday,
for my Tuesday's Tips & Tricks post! 

Follow me on my Facebook page!

Visit my friends blogs!

 GINGERLOCKS' KITCHEN, has become one of your favorite blogs! Stop by Jordan's blog and take a peek!

You will love Bo and his blog,  Bo's Bowl.  Not only does he host great giveaways,  his recipes are incredible!  One visit to his blog and you will see why I faithfully follow it.

Also visit my friend Pam's blog, Pam's Midwest Kitchen Korner,  for more great recipes!  Once you read her blog, she will be your friend too!

Tuesday's Tips & Tricks: Soup is Cool

The weather is chilly in the morning and evening, so you know what that means?  It is time to make soup!  I have a gas stove and when I make soup, it gets really HOT.  I decided to find out what is the best way to cool it down before you eat it.  My mom said to blow on it, but I thought I should check and see if she was correct.

If you dip your spoon in the soup and hold the spoon full of soup out of the bowl, it takes 103 seconds for it to cool down enough so you don't burn your mouth.

If you blow on it like mom says, it takes 66 seconds to cool down.  Once again Mom is right.  Why do I ever doubt her?

My new cookbook is available at schools, businesses, hospitals, and book fairs in cities across the United States.  Be sure to pick up a copy or two, when you see them.  They make great gifts!

Check back on Friday,
for a slow cooker soup recipe! 

Follow me on my Facebook page!

Visit my friends blogs!

 GINGERLOCKS' KITCHEN, has become one of your favorite blogs! Stop by Jordan's blog and take a peek!

You will love Bo and his blog,  Bo's Bowl.  Not only does he host great giveaways,  his recipes are incredible!  One visit to his blog and you will see why I faithfully follow it.

Also visit my friend Pam's blog, Pam's Midwest Kitchen Korner,  for more great recipes!  Once you read her blog, she will be your friend too!

Sweet & Savory Bacon Wrapped Cocktail Wieners

Sweet & Savory Bacon Wrapped Cocktail Wiener

1 pound sliced bacon
1 (13 ounce) package beef cocktail wieners
3/4 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Slice bacon into thirds.  

Wrap each cocktail wiener with bacon.  Secure with toothpick.  

Place on a 15x10x1 inch baking pan. Sprinkle brown sugar over top.

 Bake 30 minutes or until bacon is crisp.  

Serve in a slow cooker turned to warm or the lowest setting.

This is one of my husbands favorite appetizers.  I have no idea where I got this recipe; it is just one of those that seems to have always been there.

My new cookbook will soon be available at schools, businesses, hospitals, and book fairs in cities across the United States.  Be sure to pick up a copy or two, when you see them.  They make great gifts!

Check back on Tuesday,
for my Tuesday's Tips & Tricks post! 

Follow me on my Facebook page!

Visit my friends blogs!

 GINGERLOCKS' KITCHEN, has become one of your favorite blogs! Stop by Jordan's blog and take a peek!

You will love Bo and his blog,  Bo's Bowl.  Not only does he host great giveaways,  his recipes are incredible!  One visit to his blog and you will see why I faithfully follow it.

Also visit my friend Pam's blog, Pam's Midwest Kitchen Korner,  for more great recipes!  Once you read her blog, she will be your friend too!

Tuesday's Tip & Trick: S & P

Have you ever over salted or over peppered a fried egg of some other food item?  An easy way to perfectly season is to fill a shaker with a ratio of 75% salt and 25% pepper.  That is the blend my friend who is a chef keeps next to his stove.

My new cookbook is available at schools, businesses, hospitals, and book fairs in cities across the United States.  Be sure to pick up a copy or two, when you see them.  They make great gifts!

Check back on Friday,
for an easy appetizer recipe! 

Follow me on my Facebook page!

Visit my friends blogs!

 GINGERLOCKS' KITCHEN, has become one of your favorite blogs! Stop by Jordan's blog and take a peek!

You will love Bo and his blog,  Bo's Bowl.  Not only does he host great giveaways,  his recipes are incredible!  One visit to his blog and you will see why I faithfully follow it.

Also visit my friend Pam's blog, Pam's Midwest Kitchen Korner,  for more great recipes!  Once you read her blog, she will be your friend too!

Caramel Banana Poke Cake

1 (16.5 ounce) box yellow cake mix
1 (5.1 ounce, 6-1/2 cup servings) box vanilla instant pudding mix
2 to 3 bananas, sliced
1/3 cup caramel ice cream topping
1 (8 ounce) container whipped topping

Prepare cake according to package directions.

Cool cake. Using the end of a wooden spoon, poke holes in the cake.

Prepare pudding according to package directions.  Pour over cake.

 Arrange sliced bananas over top.

Drizzle caramel ice cream topping over bananas.

Spread whipped topping over top.

Drizzle caramel topping over whipped topping if desired.

Cover, refrigerate until time to serve. 

The Poke Cake recipes I have posted have been very popular so I decided to make another one.  My most popular dessert is my Caramel Banana Trifle recipe.  I took the flavors in that dessert and make a Poke Cake out of them.  Everyone who tested it loved it and I think you will too!

 

My new cookbook will soon be available at schools, businesses, hospitals, and book fairs in cities across the United States.  Be sure to pick up a copy or two, when you see them.  They make great gifts!

Check back on Tuesday,
for my Tuesday's Tips & Tricks post! 

Follow me on my Facebook page!

Visit my friends blogs!

 GINGERLOCKS' KITCHEN, has become one of your favorite blogs! Stop by Jordan's blog and take a peek!

You will love Bo and his blog,  Bo's Bowl.  Not only does he host great giveaways,  his recipes are incredible!  One visit to his blog and you will see why I faithfully follow it.

Also visit my friend Pam's blog, Pam's Midwest Kitchen Korner,  for more great recipes!  Once you read her blog, she will be your friend too!

Tuesday's Tips & Tricks: Bananas

I love fresh fruit, but sometimes we can't eat it all before it goes bad.  I hate to waste food so I freeze as much of it as I can before it has to be tossed out. 

We always have bananas in the kitchen.  When you are running late in the mornings, like I usually am, it is very convenient to grab one and eat it as you hurry out the door.

Occasionally, bananas will ripen too fast.  I had heard that you could toss the bananas in the freezer with it's peel on.

I liked that easy idea, but when I tried it, I had trouble peeling it.  The peel stuck to the banana and I had to scrape it off.

If the bananas ripen too fast now, I like to peel them, slice them, and freeze them.  It makes it easy to add to a smoothie or thaw and use to make banana bread.

My new cookbook will soon be available at schools, businesses, hospitals, and book fairs in cities across the United States.  Be sure to pick up a copy or two, when you see them.  They make great gifts!

Check back on Friday,
for my Caramel Banana Poke Cake recipe! 

Follow me on my Facebook page!

Visit my friends blogs!

 GINGERLOCKS' KITCHEN, has become one of your favorite blogs! Stop by Jordan's blog and take a peek!

You will love Bo and his blog,  Bo's Bowl.  Not only does he host great giveaways,  his recipes are incredible!  One visit to his blog and you will see why I faithfully follow it.

Also visit my friend Pam's blog, Pam's Midwest Kitchen Korner,  for more great recipes!  Once you read her blog, she will be your friend too!