Great tips to help make your baking much simpler and easier. Share Pin Share Jump to Recipe Baking Tips Baking Tips Pan Release • 1 cup shortening • ¾ cup vegetable oil (not olive oil) • 1 cup flour 1. Mix all ingredients together; store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or cool area. 2. Use a pastry brush or fingers to coat pan. Baking Mix • 6 cups all-purpose flour • 4 Tbsp baking powder (fresh) • 2½ tsp salt • 1 cup vegetable shortening, cut into pieces 1. Mix everything together in a food processor until the mixture resembles fine c ornmeal. 2. Place in an airtight container and store in the door of your refrigerator up to 3 months. Use this mix as you would any baking mix. RATE Don’t love it Not great Good Great Love it PRINT Recipe for Blueberry Muffins here .

6 to 8 servings Lemon Slice Pie This is truly an old recipe. My grandmother would use her "slicer" and cut the lemons almost paper thin. My dad had made the slicer for her by using a piece of wood and a modified hacksaw blade with screws and washers to adjust the thickness. I have yet to find anything that can slice that thin. Ingredients • 1 pie crust (about 9 inches) • 1 egg yolk, beaten • 2 large lemons, thinly sliced, remove seeds • 2 cups sugar • 4 large eggs, beaten well Preheat oven to 375°F. Place oven rack in middle of oven. Instructions 1. Brush the entire pie crust with the beaten egg yolk; place on baking sheet; bake about 5 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool. 2. In a large bowl place layers of lemon slices and sugar; let sit for at least 2 hours. 3. Add beaten eggs to lemon mixure; mix gently; spoon into crust arranging lemon slices as you go until you have even layers. 4. Place pie on baking sheet; bake 30 minutes; cool for at least 2 hours before serving. Store in refrigerator. Tips • I have made tiny tarts using this recipe and mini muffin tins. I cut the lemon slices into quarters.

Layered Salad 8 servings Ingredients 1 head of lettuce, chopped or torn into 1-inch pieces ½ cup green onions, thin slices ½ cup green pepper, ½-inch dice ½ cup celery, ¼-inch slices 1 (10-ounce) pkg frozen green peas 3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped 2 cups mayonnaise 2 tsp sugar ¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated ¼ cup Cheddar cheese, finely shredded 6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled Instructions 1. Using one half of each ingredient at a time, layer in a salad bowl. Repeat layers ending with the mayo, cheese and bacon. 2. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight. Options • You can make the salad Southwestern by adding roasted corn instead of peas, green chilis instead of green pepper, black beans, corn chips instead of bacon, and so on. • You can add layers of drained pineapple bits, kiwi and mandarin oranges. Tips • Use a glass bowl to show the salad layers ( like this one ). Clear glasses work well for individual servings. • Clear plastic glasses work well when entertaining outd oors. KEYWORDS layered salad, best layered salad, layered salad ideas

Chicken recipes that you will want to try. Chicken Baked Chicken Bites Chicken Noodle Soup Southern Chicken & Dumplings Lemon Chicken Sesame Chicken Chicken Piccata Easy Chicken and Gravy Everyman's Fried Chicken Basic Dumplings

Our easy and quick Chicken and Gravy recipe. It is so delicious. Easy Chicken and Gravy Using skinless, boneless chicken breasts helps to make this dish simple and quick to prepare. This recipe makes 4 servings and is easily doubled. Ingredients • 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, patted dry • Sea salt * , black pepper & garlic powder • 1 Tbsp olive oil • 2 Tbsp butter • 2 Tbsp butter • 2 Tbsp flour • 1 cup+ chicken broth ** You will need a large skillet. Instructions 1. Lightly season the chicken with the salt, pepper and garlic powder. 2. In a large skillet, add the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter; heat the medium-high heat. 3. Place the chicken in the pan; cook about 3 minutes on each side until golden; transfer to a plate and set aside. 4. Reduce heat to medium-low; add remaining butter to skillet; whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute; add broth and continue whisking until flour is thoroughly incorporated. (Add more broth if needed to thin.) 5. Add the chicken back to the pan along with the juices on the plate; continue cooking about 5 minutes until chicken tests done at 165°F and sauce has thickened. * Eliminate the salt if using bouillon. ** You can use bouillon to make the broth if you don't have any. I like to use Better than Bouillon and follow their instructions to make the amount that I need. Tips • Depending on your taste, I like to add ¼ teaspoon poultry seasoning to the gravy for extra flavor. Sometimes I like a little more zip so I add ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper. • Milk or cream work well for the gravy too. Still add bouillon for flavor. KEYWORDS simple chicken and gravy, best chicken and gravy, quick chicken and gravy

A dish of the best broccoli salad. I have made many versions of broccoli salad over the years. This, by far, is one of the least time-consuming, with minimal ingredients, and the slightly tangy dressing couldn't be simpler. It makes 4 generous servings and can easily be doubled. Why I like this recipe . . . • This recipe is the perfect side dish to use on a buffet for any occasion. • The colors make it a perfect dish to serve during the holidays. • You can change the amount of each ingredient to suit your taste. • Click here for instructions on how we cook our bacon for this recipe Ingredients-Salad • 4 cups broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces (2 heads), blanched* • ¼ cup red onion, diced • ½ cup dried cranberries (or pomegranate seeds) • ¼ cup cooked, crumbled bacon • ¼ cup sunflower (or pumpkin) seeds • ½ cup shredded cheese (I prefer sharp cheddar) Dressing • ½ cup mayonnaise • 1¼ Tbsp apple cider vinegar • 1½ Tbsp sugar • Dash of salt and pepper (to taste after mixing) Instructions 1 . Lightly toss salad ingredients in a medium bowl. 2. In a smaller bowl, whisk dressing ingredients until well combined. (I use my immersion blender . ) 3. Pour dressing over salad and toss. 4. Refrigerate for at least an hour for best flavor. Toss again right before serving. *To blanch, drop broccoli pieces into boiling water for 30 seconds; immediately scoop out and place in a bowl of ice water; when cool, drain on clean dish towel. This step takes just a few minutes and makes the broccoli more palatable. FYI • I have used chopped toasted walnuts in place of seeds, so good. • Replace half of the broccoli with cauliflower; blanch per instructions. • Add sliced apple pieces (1 apple) right before serving to add more flavor, color, and crunch. • For a change, use sweet onion slices (like Vidalia ). • Store leftovers in an airtight container. Broccoli Salad with Bacon PRINTABLE RECIPE ▼ 4 SERVINGS LAURA LEE ALICE COOKS PIN PRINT Don’t love it Not great Good Great Love it Broccoli Salad with Bacon Broccoli Salad with Apple Slices

Crustless Broccoli & Cheese Quiche PRINTABLE RECIPE ▼ MAKES 4 DOZEN + Makes at least 4 dozen mini quiches or one 9-inch quiche A broccoli and cheese quiche in its full size is good, but in these tiny little bites, the flavor seems to intensify. This recipe will make 4 dozen of these tasty tidbits; see tips and info below. Most ovens can easily hold 4 pans; five if needed. These can be served cold or at room temperature. Crustless Broccoli & Cheese Quiches Ingredients • 1 medium crown fresh broccoli; washed; dried and chopped into a ½ inch dice* • 2 cups (12 ounces) shredded, chopped cheddar cheese • 2/3 cup minced onion or scallions • 1-1/3 cups whole milk • 3 eggs • ¾ cup baking mix • ¼ tsp salt • ¼ tsp black pepper Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare 4** mini muffin pans by spraying with a nonstick cooking spray or use our pan release . Instructions 1. Lay out the pans; take a large pinch of the broccoli and place it in the bottom of each cup. You may need to adjust the amount to make sure they are all equal. Do the same with the cheese and onion 2. In a blender, add the rest of the ingredients and blend on high for 20 seconds, scraping sides. Do not overbeat, as you will be adding excess air. Pour mixture into each cup until it's a scant ¼-inch from the top. You may have to adjust the amount in each cup as before; Bake at 375°F for 12 minutes or until golden brown on top. Start checking after 10 minutes. 3. Remove; cool in pans for 5 minutes; then GENTLY turn out onto cooling rack. If any don't come out easily, use a table knife at the stuck places to help ease it out of the pan. If not using right away, store in airtight container in refrigerator with parchment paper between layers. * For frozen broccoli use 2 pkg (10 oz), rinse with coolwater; drain and pat dry, then chop as above, eliminating stems. ** If you don't have 4 pans, go ahead and bake what you have, but stir the batter again before using. Tips & Info • You can use paper liners but they must be sprayed with a non- stick cooking spray. • FYI, it is rare that the amount comes out exactly every time. • This recipe will also make a 9-inch quiche. The broccoli should be cut into larger pieces. KEYWORDS mini quiches, broccoli quiches , broccoli quiche

Southwest Salad PRINTABLE RECIPE ▼ 4 SERVINGS This is such a simple recipe to make, but it packs lots of flavors. I remember when I first started making this salad, avocados were hard to find. Now, they are just about everywhere. Southwest Salad Ingredients • 2 cups Romaine lettuce, shredded or chopped • 2 medium tomatoes, chopped • 1 small cucumber, ¼-inch slices • 1 cup frozen corn • 1 cup black beans, drained • 2 Tbsp canned green chilies, chopped (optional, but does offer a lot of flavor) • ½ cup sliced ripe olives (can also use green olives or both) • ½ cup sharp Cheddar cheese, fine shred • Corn chips, ½ cup crushed, for mixing in salad. Whole chips for scooping. • 1 large avocado, cut into small chunks or slices Instructions Mix all of the ingredients, adding the corn chips and avocado last, right before tossing with the dressing. Dressing Ingredients • 1 tsp finely minced onion • ½ cup sour cream • 2 Tbsp Italian salad dressing • ½ tsp sea salt • ¾ tsp chili powder Instructions Combine all ingredients; serve over Southwest Salad. About the ingredients: • Romaine lettuce-Usually one medium head will be enough for four people. • Tomatoes-You can also quarter the small tomatoes like San Marzana. • Cucumber-¼-inch slices work well for this salad. Halve the slices if they're large. • Corn-Allow ¼ cup per person. • Black Beans-Rinse and drain for the best results. • Green chilies-Optional but give this dish great flavor • Olives-Use ripe or green olives or even a mixture. Halve or slice. • Cheese-The sharp Cheddar blends so well with the other flavors. • Avocado-Use two if they're small. • Corn chips-I love to use colored chips for visual interest.

Apple Pudding Cake 12 servings This recipe not only tastes good, but the smell will certainly bring your family to the table. I have actually used the batter for cupcakes, and it worked beautifully. Ingredients • 2 cups sugar • ½ cup butter • 2 eggs • 2 cups flour • 2 Tbsp baking soda • ½ tsp salt • 1 tsp cinnamon • 1 tsp nutmeg • 1 tsp of a good vanilla* • 4 cups apples, peeled and diced • 1 cup walnuts, chopped Preheat oven to 350°F. You will need a greased 9-x-11 pan. Instructions 1. Cream sugar and butter; add eggs and blend well. 2. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and beat until smooth at low speed; add vanilla. 3. Stir in apples and nuts; pour the mixture into the pan and smooth; bake for 1 hour. Let cool in pan. * Make your own vanilla with our directions here . Hot Lemon Sauce Ingredients • 1 cup sugar • ½ cup butter • 1 egg, beaten • ¼ cup water • 3 Tbsp lemon juice • Zest of ½ lemon Instructions 1. Place all ingredients in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Remove from heat; pour sauce over servings of Apple Pudding Cake while still warm. KEYWORDS apple pudding cake, best apple pudding cake, easy apple pudding cake

Easy to make, delicious to eat, our Banana Nut Muffins are the best. Basic Banana Nut Muffins Make 12 muffins Just like banana nut bread, these muffins have a lot of flavor to spare. They are so easy to make and really ripe bananas take them to the next level. Ingredients • 1 egg • 2 Tbsp milk • ¼ cup sugar • 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 medium) • 2 Tbsp butter, melted and cooled • 2 cups baking mix (See our recipe or use Bisquick) • ¼ cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional) Heat oven to 400°F. You will need a greased (bottoms only) 12-cup muffin pan. Instructions 1. In a medium bowl, beat egg; stir in remaining ingredients in the order 1 listed, just until moistened. 2. Scoop batter into the prepared pan, dividing evenly. Bake until golden brown, 16 minutes. KEYWORDS banana nut muffins, banana muffins

Wine & Cheese Bread Makes 1 round loaf This is one of the best artisanal breads that I've ever made. It's great for a cocktail party or a wine and cheese together (hence the name)! Ingredients • 3 cups unbleached flour, divided • 1 pkg dry yeast (not rapid-rise) • ½ cup dry white wine • ½ cup butter • 2 tsp sugar • 1 tsp sea salt • 3 eggs, beaten well • 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, , shredded You will need a 10-inch greased pie plate. Instructions 1. Combine 1½ cups flour with the yeast; set aside. 2. In a small saucepan, heat the wine, butter, sugar and salt until warm. Not too hot or it will kill the yeast! 3. Pour into the flour and yeast mixture; mix; add eggs; beat at low for about ½ minute, then beat on high for 3 minutes. 4. Stir in cheese and enought flour to make a soft dough; knead on floured surface for 5 minutes. 5. Place in greased bowl; cover; let rise in warm place for an hour (or doubled in bulk); punch down. 6. Shape into a round; place in pie plate; cover and let rise about 45 minutes. 7. Bake in 375°F oven about 40 minutes. You may need to cover with foil the last 20 or so minutes. Info This recipe, like many of the others on my site, are interesting to make. I have not tried to make this recipe on my bread machine but plan on doing so soon. Follow the instructions on your bread machine, using softened butter, warm wine and room temperature eggs. KEYWORDS wine and cheese bread, artisanal bread

Our deliciou s,and easy-to-make Rustic Blackberry Pie. Easy Rustic Blackberry Pie Recipe We grow blackberries but not enough to suit our needs. We are lucky enough to have a small store down the road from us that usually has seasonal fruits and vegetables. This year the blackberries are really nice so I will be freezing some as well. You can use bought pie dough but this is so easy and it doesn't have to be perfectly round. Make this style of pie just once and you will be hooked!! Crust Ingredients Every bit of this crust is flaky and delicious. Unlike regular pie crust where the crimped edge is usually left on the plate. • All-purpose flour -Simple, right? Make sure the flour you are using is new is fresh. It's easy to tell by the smell. • Sugar -Lump free please! • Salt -Preferably sea salt. • Unsalted butter -Make sure it is cold, cold, cold. After cutting into cubes, put in freezer for a few minutes. • Ice water -Although the recipe says 3 tablespoons, almost always it takes a little more. And make sure it is cold! I like to drizzle in the water while using a large fork to shape and make a rough ball. Filling Ingredients • Blackberries -Use the freshest and plumpest berries that you can find. You can also use apples, peaches, or cherries. I like using room temperature berries. • Cornstarch -I use cornstarch instead of flour because you need less and it makes the filling more palatable. • Sugar • Lemon -Not much , but necessary • Nutmeg -Freshly grated if possible Rustic Blackberry Pie Serves 6 to 8 Ingredients Crust: • 1¼ cups plain flour • 1 Tbsp sugar • 1 tsp salt • 8 Tbsp (1 stick) cold, unsalted butter, cut into small cubes • 3 Tbsp ice water, (depending on the weather, I have used more) Fill ing: • 4 to 5 cups fresh blackberries, washed and spread on towel to dry • ½ cup sugar (more if necessary) • 4 Tbsp cornstarch (¼ cup) • ¼ tsp nutmeg (optional, but good) You will need a baking sheet and parchment paper. * Instructions 1. Crust : In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar and salt**. Toss the butter cubes with the flour: cut in with a pastry cutter until the butter is the size of small peas. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of water over the mixture and fold with a spatula adding more water if needed until the mixture, when pressed together, forms a rough ball. Do not overmix. Form dough into a 6-inch disc; wrap in plastic wrap and chill about 20 minutes. Remove from chilling, roll on a lightly floured surface (I use the parchment sheet) until 13- inches in diameter; there will be no excess dough. Make filling. 2. Preheat oven to 425°F. 3. Filling : In a large bowl, mix together the corn starch, sugar and nutmeg. Add berries and fold to coat with the dry mixture. Place crust (leave on parchment) on sheet pan. Place filling in the center, leaving about 3 inches of dough uncovered on all sides. Fold that dough up over the fruit all the way around while creating rustic pleats. Place the pie on a middle rack in the preheated oven. Bake for 15 minutes; lower heat to 375°F and continue baking for an additional 45 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Remove from oven; cool completely on a wire rack. *After rolling the crust on parchment, it can be fitted into a large pie pan, leaving the parchment to make it easier to remove and slice after cooling. **This crust can also be made in your food processor. Print RATE Don’t love it Not great Good Great Love it Share Pin Share Jump to Recipe Rolling Pin Parchment Paper