Gingerbread Pear Upside Down Cake

Warm gingerbread cake baked in a skillet on top of a sweet mixture of caramelized pears and flipped over to a stunning presentation, fancy enough for a Thanksgiving dessert. Gingerbread Pear Upside Down Cake The pairing of gingerbread and pears brings this cake to the forefront for the fall.   The pears hold up really well and play nicely with the cake's warm spices. Upside down cakes are famous here in the south, pineapple being the most traditional.   This Gingerbread Pear Upside Down Cake tastes and looks impressive and is made using a simple shortcut to save time and effort in the kitchen. The cake is moist and dense, just like I like it.  Usually, gingerbread cakes get better with age, but you will want to eat this cake in a day or two since the pears begin to soften.  The structure of the pears changes when cooked more than other fruits used in upside down cakes, such as pineapple, peaches, and apples. Serve thick slices of cake at a dinner party dessert or as an indulgent br

Epic! Pumpkin Roll Bread Pudding

My love for a pumpkin roll and bread pudding is the inspiration for the recipe.   The flavors of fall spices in the tender pumpkin roll cake and the sweetness of the cream cheese frosting are the beginning of an epic bread pudding.    Pumpkin Roll Bread Pudding with The Ultimate Custard Sauce. The bread pudding takes on a whole new level of deliciousness using a pumpkin roll cake cut up into cubes, and to add more richness, a pumpkin puree custard is poured over all the cubes.  And served with the Ultimate Custard Sauce, made with a secret ingredient.   

Jumbo Banana Carrot Muffins

Banana Carrot Muffins are a cross between banana bread and carrot cake, all the cozy ingredients that make this breakfast treats so delightful. Banana Carrot Muffins The recipe for these banana carrot muffins is packed with a full cup of bananas and 2 cups of shredded carrots, enhanced with brown sugar and a tiny bit of cinnamon and cardamom, yielding a light, fluffy and moist muffin. I love muffins of any kind for grabbing a quick snack on the go, and when they have healthy ingredients, it is a bonus.   We have been enjoying these Banana Carrot Muffins for breakfast each morning since I made them.  With the weather getting cooler, I think they would be a warm cozy accompaniment to a cup of tea in the afternoon. These Banana Carrot Muffins are delicious out of the oven or reheated after freezing.

Baked Lasagna Stuffed Peppers

Lasagna Stuffed Peppers are full of rich Italian flavors, such as lean ground beef seasoned with fresh oregano and basil and sauteed in a  marinara sauce.  And layered with a mixture of ricotta, parmesan, and mozzarella cheese all packed in sweet and colorful bell pepper. Lasagna Stuffed Peppers Two classic hearty dishes coming together to make a comforting meal.  With just 20 minutes of prep work, you can sit back and relax as these stuffed peppers bake. Any time I can make a dish that takes little time or no time at all to make, I am thrilled.  That's how I feel about these Lasagna Stuffed Peppers. Everything is cooked and then assembled just before going into the oven.   The marinara meat sauce can be made the day before.   A lovely weeknight meal made for the busy cooks.

Smoked Salmon Roll Appetizer

Smoked Salmon Roll Appetizer sounds fancy, you might say.  Well, they are, yet they are straightforward to make. Do not be intimidated. Give them a try! Smoked Salmon Pinwheels  Make this elegant appetizer at your next gathering.   All you need is a few ingredients rolled into one fantastic bite, presliced smoked salmon, cream cheese, wasabi paste, cucumber and avocado match sticks.    Be sure and make a double batch for your guest. They will go fast.   These Smoked Salmon Pinwheels are the perfect make-ahead appetizer, even a day ahead.  Keep them in the refrigerator until ready to serve.  There are so many variations you can make.   I think adding dill sprigs, pepper flakes, red onions, and what about capers?  Just go with it.  Make it your recipe for the occasion. I love recipes like this.  The add-ons are endless.   The whole recipe is leisurely.   I hope you will try making these Smoked Salmon Pinwheels for your next gathering.

Air Fryer Fried Green Tomatoes

These air fryer green tomatoes deliver a crunchy outside with a smooth succulent inside.  The perfect summer food you will ever devour.   Fried Green Tomatoes The air fryer is the perfect way to cook fried green tomatoes.  I like to call them healthified fried green tomatoes.  To finish them off, you can sprinkle a generous drop of coarse salt, salty capers, or a few drops of hot sauce. To make air fryer green tomatoes, start with medium size unripe tomatoes.   I like to use light green tomatoes that are pale green and have a little pink coming through the skin.  They are not quite so sour.   Don't make the mistake of choosing green heirloom tomatoes.  Green heirloom tomatoes are fully ripe tomatoes, a different variety of tomatoes. I love combining self rising cornmeal and panko for the coating, and of course, don't forget to double dip to get the most delicious, crunchy outside, divine.

Air Fryer TikTok Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

You don't have to heat up the oven for a quick and easy breakfast. Try making these Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls in the air fryer.  You will not be disappointed. Air Fryer Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls I use my air fryer nearly every day in the summer months.  I am finding there is not much that I can't cook, bake, or grill in my air fryer.  I have been seeing the TikTok sensation for canned cinnamon rolls on every social media platform lately.  So I wanted to give them a try in my air fryer using sweetened pumpkin puree.  The viral TikTok cinnamon roll hack uses heavy cream, brown sugar, and cinnamon.   In this recipe, I combined the viral cinnamon roll hack ingredients with sweetened pumpkin puree to the heavy cream and adding pumpkin pie spice to the brown sugar. They are truly delicious, with pumpkin pie filling and cozy pumpkin pie spice in every bite, then topped with a brown butter icing; oh my gracious, did I say delicious?

Southern Sweet Iced Tea Made in A French Press

Southern Iced Sweet Tea Made in a French Press a quick and easy way to make tea using tea bags or loose tea since it strains automatically after steeping.  A French press is not just for coffee; it is so adaptable even for Southern sweet tea. I love sweet tea, and the stronger, the better.  When I think of a French press, I think of making strong coffee, but one day I thought, why not tea. I have used my French press to make my tea for the last couple of years.  I pour the boiling water over the tea bags, let them steep for 4 or 5 minutes, and pour in my tea pitcher with a cup of sugar.   This summer, though, I have been adding the sugar to the French press, pouring the hot water over it, giving it a couple of stirs, adding the tea bags, and then pushing the plunger down just below the water to steep, oh my so good.

Milk Butter Bath Mexican Street Corn

Milk Butter Bath Mexican Street Corn is a brilliant way to prepare corn on the cob.  If the name itself doesn't convince you, the clever method of crafting the recipe will.  Milk, Butter, Mexican flavors, Sweet Corn, who can resist? There are plenty of ways to cook corn on the cob, but not one of them will hold a memory the way these Milk Butter Bath Mexican Street Corn will. The popular Mexican street corn has become a favorite around my house, especially with the grandchildren.  I was introduced to it by four of my grandsons who worked for a vendor at our county fair the last several years.    My late husband loved corn on the cob simmered in a milk and butter bath.  Boiling your corn in milk brings out the sweetness of the corn. Around the first of July, most of the corn is ready to pick here in Texas.   When I was a young girl, my mother, sisters, and I would go to a nearby corn field and pick somewhere around 250 ears of corn.  We would haul it to our house, sit under a shade

Crisp Blistered Okra Recipe

Crisp Blistered Okra Recipe is a simple and fast okra dish that is crunchy, flavorful, and not at all slimy.  Some like it better than fried. There is nothing like fresh okra in the summertime.  I love okra any way you can cook it, but blistered okra could become my favorite way to eat it. This okra is super easy to make and takes very little prep work.  What keeps the okra crisp and does not release its juices which can be gummy, is to not add any water (liquid) when cooking the okra.   Another tip is to heat the avocado oil, firing hot but not burning, and then add the okra.  This renders the crisp outside to the okra and a tender inside.  This is also how I cook mushrooms, which makes a great compliment to the okra.   Once the okra is cooked, stop stirring it.  Continuing to stir the okra will change the texture of the okra, which is why it is best to cook the okra just before serving. The seasoning is straightforward, salt and pepper with a pinch of red pepper flakes.  Montreal ste