I whipped this up the other day when I was in need of some bbq sauce. I doubt I will ever use any bottled sauce again...and there are some GOOD ones out there. IT Guy declared it "out of this world" and you know he always tells the truth!!

Sweet and Smokey BBQ Sauce

2 cups ketchup

2 cloves of garlic ~ minced

1 tablespoons of onion powder

2 tablespoons of honey

1 cups of brown sugar

1 Tablespoons of red pepper flakes

2 Tablespoons of paprika

1 Tablespoons of apple cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Few drops liquid smoke

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and cook on low for about 30 - 45 minutes.

Here's the ingredients that will 
become wonderful goodness!

Dump it all in a saucepan and heat 
through for about 30 minutes and you're done!

A delicious sauce!!

This is so easy it's almost embarrassing. My mom used to make these for my brother and I when we were kids. I like to make them for a quick lunch for IT Guy and myself. I usually just go the cheese route, but adding toppings makes them extra yummy. It's a great little item that older kids can make for themselves. Just keep the ingredients on hand and they've got a quick after school snack!

Little Pizzas

1 loaf sliced french bread

1 jar pizza sauce

Mozzarella cheese

Pepperoni, cooked sausage, olives, etc (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Lay your bread onto a couple of cookie sheets.

Spoon the pizza sauce over the bread then sprinkle with cheese.

Bake for about 15 minutes until bread is toasted on the bottom and toppings are hot. Broil for a couple of minutes, if desired.

This is all you need for these little treats. 

Unless you want to add other toppings.

Lay your bread onto a baking sheet 

then top each piece with a couple 

of tablespoons of pizza sauce.

Sprinkle with cheese and add your topping if using those.

 Bake for about 10 or 15 minutes until the 

bottom of the bread is lightly toasted 

and the cheese is melted. I also like to 

broil them for a minute or so, 

so the top is nice and bubbly.

So easy!!!

This banana bread is so good. I love to throw stuff into sweet bread recipes. This is an easy bread to mix up and can be made into muffins as well. It's great for a quick "out-the-door" breakfast or for an afternoon snack.

Sunny Banana Bread

1/3 cup shortening

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 1/3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3 bananas)

1 cup Craisins

1/2 cup shelled sunflower seeds

Cream shortening and sugar until fluffy.

Add eggs and beat well.

Add dry ingredients until just blended.

Stir in mashed banana.

Stir in Craisins and sunflower seeds.

Pour into well greased loaf pan and bake for 45 – 50 minutes at 350 degrees until done. Let cool on wire rack for 10 minutes then remove from pan and cool completely.

Let's go!

Combine the sugar and shortening. 

Then add the eggs and beat well.

Add the dry ingredients.

Then the mashed bananas.

Stir in the sunflower seeds and the Craisins.

Plop into a prepared loaf pan. 

I like to put a piece of parchment paper 

in the bottom for easier removal. 

Bake it up!

Allow it to cool in the pan for a few

minutes then turn out of the pan to cool completely.

Did you know gravy is a beverage? IT Guy thinks it is. He loves it. So I knew if I made some seasoned hamburger patties, called them "steaks" and served them with some gravy, he would be happy. I was right. Do I know my man, or what? This was deeeee-lish!

Hamburger "Steaks" 

with Brown Gravy and Onions

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1 medium onion ~ sliced thin

1 egg

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1/8 teaspoon  pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup beef broth

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, pepper, salt, seasoned salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and Worcestershire sauce. Form into 8 balls, and flatten into patties

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions to the skillet and place the patties on top. Cook until browned on each side and onions are tender, about 4 minutes per side. Remove the beef patties to a plate, leaving the onions in the skillet.

Sprinkle flour over the onions and drippings in the skillet. Whisk and scrap the bits off of the bottom of the skillet. Slowly stir in the beef broth. Add the seasoned salt. Simmer and stir over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, until thick.

Place a pattie on a plate and spoon gravy on top.

Okay...let's go.

Combine the meat, breadcrumbs, egg, 

Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings.

Roll into large balls.

Add the oil to the pan, then the sliced onion 

and the meat that's been shaped into patties.

Cook about 4 minutes per side.

Remove the meat from the skillet then add the flour. 

Stir to let the flour cook a little bit.

Then add the beef broth, salt and pepper.

Serve gravy over the patties! Enjoy!!

Brioche Bread Pudding with Praline Pecan Sauce

I never had bread pudding until I was an adult. I don't think I'd ever even HEARD of it. But guess what...I know about it now and I love it!! It's like a little bowl of french toast! I decided to make this with brioche...a nice eggy bread. It was a good choice! I found the brioche at Trader Joe's. I came home and popped it in my freezer to save for a rainy day. And what a glorious day it was. Nice and sunny...and perfect for bread pudding!

Brioche Bread Pudding 
with Praline Pecan Sauce



1 loaf Brioche - cubed
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups half and half
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
5 eggs
Pinch salt

Place cubed bread in a large, greased baking dish. I used a 10x14 inch dish.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the heavy cream, half and half, vanilla, sugar and salt. Whisk to combine.

Pour cream mixture over the cubed bread.

Using a large piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap, cover the top of the bread and gently press down so bread can absorb the liquid.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Set oven to 350 degrees. Bake bread pudding for 45 minutes until lightly browned on top. Serve with sauce. (Recipe follows)

Praline Pecan Sauce

1 1/4 cups chopped pecans
7 tablespoons butter (divided)
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
3 Tablespoons flour
3/4 cup light corn syrup
2/3 cup half & half

In a medium saucepan, melt  3 tablespoons butter. Add pecans and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.

Add remaining butter and heat until melted. Whisk in brown sugar, flour, and light corn syrup until blended. Cook on high another 5 minutes, stirring twice, until the sugar is dissolved and mixture is thickened.

Add half and half and cook and stir another minute.

Remove from heat and serve with bread pudding.


 
The goods....

 
Beat the eggs then add the 
cream and half and half.

 
Add the vanilla, salt and sugar...stir well.

 
Cube your bread and place in a large 
baking pan. Pour cream mixture over bread.

 
Place a piece of waxed paper on 
top and press down on top of the 
bread to help it absorb the liquid. 
Place in the fridge overnight.

 
Bake bread pudding for 45 minutes 
or until lightly browned on top.

 
While the bread pudding is baking, 
start the praline pecan sauce.

 
Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a 
saucepan then add the chopped pecans. 
Let that cook for about 10 minutes or so.

 
Add the rest of the butter and 
stir until the butter is melted.

 
Add the brown sugar, corn syrup 
and the flour and stir well.

 
Cook on medium high for 5 minutes, 
stirring two or three times.

 
Add the half and half and stir well. 
Cook another 5 minutes.

 
Keep warm until ready to use.

 
Pour the sauce over the bread pudding...yum!

I'm always looking for ways to use my ice cream freezer before it decides to die. That little Sunbeam freezer is almost 40 years old and I love it. So I took my basic vanilla ice cream recipe and added a couple of things to jazz it up. So very, very good! You gotta try this before the end of summer!

Caramel Flipz Ice Cream

4 eggs, mixed well

2 cups sugar

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 quart heavy whipping cream

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 quart half & half

1 15-ounce jar caramel ice cream topping

2 8 ounce bags Chocolate covered Pretzels (Flipz) ~ rough chopped

Cook and whisk eggs and sugar over double boiler for 10 -15 minutes or until eggs are thick and pale.

When eggs are cooked, remove from heat and pour into your ice cream freezer.

Add sweetened condensed milk, whipping cream and vanilla extract. Stir well with a whisk.

Add enough half & half to fill line. Stir.

Freeze according to freezer instructions.

When ice cream is done transfer into a large plastic container.

Add caramel topping and chopped pretzels and stir gently until topping and pretzels are mixed in but not thoroughly.

I freeze mine a few hours or overnight before serving so it has a chance to set up.

Okay...let's go!

Combine the eggs and sugar over a 

double boiler and cook for about 10 minutes or so.

Until the mixture is thick and pale, like this.

In your ice cream freezer, 

pour the heavy cream, 

sweetened condensed milk and vanilla.

Then pour in the egg/sugar mixture.

Top off with some half & half.

Churn!!

Rough chop the pretzels.

When the ice cream is done, 

transfer it to a large container 

then sprinkle the chopped pretzles 

over the top and then pour 

the ice cream topping over the top.

Gently stir but don't mix so much that your 

ice cream topping is mixed in. 

You want swirls of caramel!

Yeahhhh buddy!!