bbq brisket

day one-
1 beef brisket (3-4 pounds)
3 tbsp Worcestshire sauce
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp celery salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp liquid smoke except I am pretty sure I used 1 TBSP it was early when I put this together
2 cloves minced garlic
-mix all of the ingredients above together and marinate in a plastic bag for at least 24 hours

day two-
you will need a can of cheap beer or beef broth will work too
dump it with the marinade & meat into a crock pot and cook on low7-8 hours
remove meat from crock pot and put into a baking dish smother with bbq sauce of your choosing, we really like Rendezvous sauce which I can happily buy at Target
cover then throw it in oven on 350 degrees for about an hour

the original recipes had a lovely homemade bbq sauce recipe and I had every intention of making it as well but come on who has time for their own bbq sauce? not me!

apple dump cake?

apple crumble? apple crisp? not really too sure how to label it but I can tell you it was damn good.

2 cans apple pie filling
1 box yellow cake mix
apple pie spice
1 stick of butter

-preheat oven to 350 degrees
-spray a 13 x 9 pan with cooking spray
-empty cans of apples into pan
-sprinkle apple pie spice over apples as much or as little as you like
-dump cake mix over apples
-dot entire dish with butter
-bake uncovered for 50 minutes
super easy, stuff you most likely have on hand and while we bought ice cream to go on top it did not need it at all in my opinion.

first cookout of the season

applesauce spice cake

got this from a great bundt cake cookbook put out by Nordic ware

1 box yellow cake mix
1 (3.4 oz) package instant butterscotch or french vanilla pudding mix
1 cup applesauce-I prefer cinnamon applesauce but anything works
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup oil
4 eggs
1 1/2 tsp apple pie spice

-heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease & flour or just use the Pam spray for baking a Bundt pan
just use the regular normal sized pan the 12 cup. You can use the fancy smaller ones(10 cup) but that will leave you with extra batter that will make about 4 cupcakes.
-Mix all of the ingredients on medium speed for 2 minutes, pour into pan
-bake for 55 to 65 minutes or until toothpick inserted in cake comes out clean
-cool for 10 minutes then remove from pan & cool completely on rack
-I prefer a dusting of powdered sugar but this can also be left plain or be glazed

corn bread casserole thing

I am going to credit my mother with this one she started making it many many years ago I want to say probably more than 15 years ago maybe. I have no idea where she picked it up from but at this point the recipe is all over the place these days. She generally just makes it for the holidays but a few years ago I started making it all of the time and it became a standard at most functions at our house from the summer bbq to Easter dinner and even Superbowl Sunday with pinto beans!

1 box jiffy cornbread mix
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 8.5 oz can creamed corn
1 8.5 oz kernel corn drained
1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter(margarine works fine but go with the butter)

-preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray down an 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray of your choice
-put all of the corn into the dish and mix.
-add the eggs and sour cream and mix
-add the cornbread mix & melted butter mix into blended
-pop it into the oven for around 45 minutes
-let it cool some and serve either still warm or cooled down completely

this is also way easy to double just make it in the 9x13 baking dish

thin mints meet the oreo

Newman-O's hint of mint have been a big hit around the homestead

now that is a spicy meatball

normally as far as appetizer meat type things I usually prefer mini-hotdogs but for some reason this New Year's Eve is was drawn to the meatballs. I'd love to say I made them from scratch like my mother but after working all day and trying to make a quick run to the grocery before fetching the kid & going home to clean & prepare for the evening's festivities I bought the frozen meatballs. I am a convenience cook so shoot me....

Using the standard grape jelly & bbq sauce mixture I was looking for something interesting in the bbq sauce department. And interesting I found! The most excellent habanero bbq sauce from Sticky Fingers! I can also recommend the restaurant having eaten at one in Chattanooga many many moons ago. It gave the meatballs a nice spicy bite and had me back at the grocery store the next day picking up a couple of bottles of bbq sauce. I look forward to using it in my jerk chicken later this week.

cucumber dip

found this in a junior league cookbook I picked up at a used bookstore it's yummy and easy and was given the 4 star rating by my husband. you do need to start prep a day in advance

2 large unpeeled cucumbers
1/2 cup white vinegar
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
16 oz cream cheese at room temperature
3/4 cup mayo
dill to taste
pepper to taste

-grate cucumber and mix with vinegar, salt & garlic powder refrigerate overnight
-drain off the liquid and put cucumbers in a sieve press out as much liquid as possible
-mix together cream cheese, mayo, pepper & dill to taste
-add cucumbers
-serve with fresh vegetables or crackers appetizer