Easiest Muffins Ever

I pinned this recipe on Pinterest ages ago and finally made these for breakfast last week. You couldn't ask for it to be any easier! There's no oil, butter or eggs in these. I think this is even a well-known Weight Watchers treat. Also, you can experiment with different cake flavors and add-ins. I used spice cake and added cinnamon chips.

Easiest Muffins Ever

1 box cake mix
1 can pumpkin
Add-ins such as chocolate or cinnamon chips or nuts

Thoroughly combine cake mix and pumpkin. Mix in add-ins. Spoon into paper-lined muffin tins. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until done.

Corn and Avocado Salad

I took this salad to a going-away lunch for a friend today. It was even yummier than I'd hoped it would be! This is my new favorite pot luck dish!

Corn and Avocado Salad
Adapted slightly from Picky Palate

5 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
3/4 lb. frozen corn, thawed (original recipe calls for kernels from 4 ears of fresh corn but I couldn't get fresh corn)
2 oz. cotija or feta cheese, crumbled
fresh cilantro, chopped
1 lime, juiced
1 large or 2 small avocados
kosher salt
pepper

After cooking bacon, remove all but about 1 tablespoon of the grease. Add corn to the pan. Cook over medium-high heat until slightly golden brown, about 5-10 minutes. Turn off the heat. Add the cheese, cilantro (to taste), lime juice, bacon and salt and pepper (to taste). Stir to combine. Dice avocado and add to salad. Toss gently. If not serving immediately wait to add the avocado. Can be prepared beforehand (up until adding avocado) and stored in the refrigerator. Serve at room temperature.

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

I think this recipe came into our family through my grandmother on my dad's side. However it arrived, I'm happy it did. It's delicious, rich and so simple. As this cake bakes, the cake rises to the top and a thick fudge pudding forms on the bottom.

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
1 3/4 cups hot water

Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar (white, not brown) and 2 tablespoons cocoa powder. Add milk and butter and stir until combined. Spread into an 8" square pan. Sprinkle the batter with the brown sugar and remaining cocoa powder. Pour the water over all. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Mona's Brownies

So legend has it that there was a beauty queen named Mona. I believe she was Miss Louisiana...or something like that. She was beautiful, but she couldn't cook worth a lick. But the one thing she could make were these scrumptious brownies. And so they became known as Mona's Brownies. They're perfect.

This is what Ezra thought of them...

And then all the sugar inspired him to hold a 15-minute dance party like this...

That's how good they are. The best.

Mona's Brownies

Cake:
1 cup butter, melted
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
3 round tablespoons cocoa powder
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt

Icing:
1/4 cup butter, melted
5 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/3 cup milk
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix all cake ingredients together. Bake in a 9"x13" pan at 300 for 30 minutes. Mix all icing ingredients together and ice brownies while hot.

Salmon Dry Rub

Since I've forced myself to start eating (and, surprisingly, liking!) fish, we eat salmon for dinner about once a week for about 3 out of 4 weeks. Usually we Aaron grills it on a cedar plank. This recipe came on the wrapper of the plank and has quickly become our favorite. It's the perfect combo of salty and sweet and pairs perfectly with the cedar smoke flavor.

Salmon Dry Rub

2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon dried tarragon (optional, I left it out)

Place salmon, skin side down, on plank. Season with 3 tablespoons dry rub. Set plank on preheated grill and close lid. Grill 10-20 minutes or until salmon flakes easily.

Note: Store extra dry rub in pantry.

Hot Ham and Cheddar Sliders

I'm baaaaaaack!  Between tax season and a lack of cooking inspiration (trying to feed a picky toddler will do that to ya') I haven't posted a recipe in over 2 months! This is a good one to come back with.

I've seen these little sandwiches on several food blogs and they all rave about how tasty they are and great for parties. We were having some friends over for lunch after church a few Sundays ago and I was trying to find something that would be easy to pop in the oven as soon as we got home. I made these sandwiches the night before and then threw the sauce together right before cooking. They are really delicious and so simple. So good that I made some more for MOPS the next Friday and they were long gone before everyone made it through the serving line. Next time you need a good party food you should whip these babies up!

Hot Ham and Cheddar Sliders
Adapted from The Two Bite Club

12 Hawaiian rolls
sliced deli ham
sliced cheddar cheese
3/4 tablespoon mustard
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tablespoon minced onion
1/2 tablespoon poppy seeds

Slice rolls in half. (I left them all together and sliced at once.) Place the bottoms of the rolls in a 9x13 pan. Top with ham and then cheddar. Cover with tops of rolls. Mix remaining ingredients together in a small bowl. Spoon sauce over rolls and spread to cover. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Remove foil and bake 2-3 more minutes.

Cincinnati Chili

This recipe popped up in my Food Network magazine this month. Back when we had cable and I watched Food Network constantly I would see them talk about Cincinnati chili from time to time. It always looked delicious, and the idea of chili over pasta intrigued me. I hope I'm not betraying my Texas roots, where chili is heavy on the chili powder and you might be excommunicated for putting beans in it. I still love Texas chili, but I wanted to branch out and give this a try. I really liked it! The unique spices made it different, and it was great comfort food on a chilly (pun intended) night.

Cincinnati Chili
From Food Network Magazine

Note: I only made half.

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 sweet onions, finely chopped, plus more for topping
2 pounds ground beef chuck
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup chili powder
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pound spaghetti, cooked
Pinto beans and grated cheddar cheese, for topping (I threw the beans into the chili while it cooked)
Oyster crackers, for serving (optional)

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add the ground beef to the pot, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and return the cooked onions to the pot; stir in the garlic.

Combine the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, vinegar, chili powder, paprika, cinnamon, cumin, allspice, cloves and cayenne in a bowl; add to the pot along with 1 cup water and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and cook until the chili is slightly thickened, about 1 hour, 30 minutes.

Serve the chili over the spaghetti; top with chopped onion, pinto beans and grated cheddar and serve with oyster crackers on the side.