What I've Been Cooking

Here are some the recipes and reviews from things I've made been making - lots of holiday goodies included!


Eggnog Pancakes ***** 
I do not like pancakes.  I make pancakes about once a year - maybe!  I've made these little gems using some Hood Gingerbread Eggnog.  They were amazing... I ate two!  Then, I even bought another carton of eggnog to make them again - the snow day we had last week was perfect day to make 'em again for my chickies.  I even had two again!!  I did add some regular milk along with the full amount of eggnog to get the batter thinner.  I can't praise these guys enough!!

Slow Cooker Pineapple Pork ***
I wasn't impressed at all.  The pork was okay - the "stuff" in the crockpot wasn't good at all. It does not make me happy to waste all the stuff as just a cooking liquid.  I won't make it again, when there are better recipes for use of my pork roasts.

Slow Cooker Cranberry Roast ****
This was pretty good - I made it exactly as written, thickening the gravy with butter and flour (I'm usually a cornstarch slurry kinda girl).  The gravy was very sweet - KK wasn't a huge fan (SS doesn't eat any gravy except over biscuits!) but it might get made again.


Fudge ***** 
This is the easiest fudge ever.  It lends it self well to flavors - using peanut butter chips & 1/2 cup peanut butter, a blend of semi-sweet and milk chocolate, different nuts.  I've even added coconut and almonds (for a mounds treat) and peanuts and marshmallows (for a rocky road treat).  It is only limited to your imagination!


Microwave Peanut Brittle ***** 
This has been my go to peanut brittle recipe for a couple of years.  It is soooooooo easy.  The trick is knowing what wattage your microwave is - after that just make sure you are using the power recommended in the recipe.  After a couple of tries you'll know what it should look like for the texture you like.  It doesn't make a huge amount - which can be nice if you don't want to eat peanut brittle until Easter!  LOL  I don't recommend doubling the recipe though - just make two batches if you want more.  It is so easy & quick you can do two batches in less than 45 minutes.


Saltine Candy Treats ***** 
I've made similar candies in the past, but this is the recipe I used recently.  It turned out very good.  It is another easy candy that can be made without a candy thermometer (mine cracked yesterday!).


Divinity ***** 
This is not an easy candy.  It can be fickle and easily persuaded to be a good texture or a bad texture by the weather.  The batch I made was quite good - not gooey, not too dry.  It does require a candy thermometer and a lot of patience.  And a good hand mixer! (or better yet a kitchenaid, which I do not own!  I know, be sad for me!!).


Boston Market Copycat Meatloaf **** 
This was a different meatloaf.  The binder, rather than bread, breadcrumbs, or even oatmeal, is flour.  KK wasn't a huge fan - but I liked it well enough.  It still isn't the definitive answer for the meatloaf to end the search for the perfect meatloaf - but I would make it again.


Herbed Rice Pilaf ***** 
We had this with meatloaf and KK loved it (SS didn't partake of the meatloaf/pilaf meal - she was having tummy troubles).  I did add about 2 tsp. of Better than Bouillon instead of any salt - I like the chicken-y flavor it added.  I will definitely be making this again!