The best Pecan Pie Muffins ever! Divine Brownie Pie PRINTABLE RECIPE ▼ 6 to 8 SERVINGS Divine Brownie Pie PRINTABLE RECIPE ▼ 6 to 8 SERVINGS Southern Pecan Pie Muffins PRINTABLE RECIPE ▼ MAKES 12 MUFFINS This is another recipe I've had for a long time. I bring it out when I'm in the mood to bake. R ight now, I have an excess of pecans, so muffins are needed! It's also one of my comfort foods. (I have many!) And they smell so good when baking. I like using a good vanilla in this recipe because it complements the flavor of the pecans. Another thing I do with muffins (and cupcakes) is grease the paper that I put into the muffin cups. I despise trying to peel off the paper and end up leaving the best part. You can toast the pecans before adding to the batter if you choose. Just make sure they're not "overtoasted." *Our vanilla extract recipe . Why I Like This Recipe: ♥ It goes together quickly and has only six ingredients. ♥ The texture of these is fabulous, just like a pecan pie. ♥ These are versatile-they can be used as a dessert (with whipped cream). Yum!!! ♥ They can be made ahead and frozen for up to 2 months before they are served. ♥ Can be made in a mini-version; adjust the baking time to about 10 minutes. Watch carefully so they don't over-bake. About the Ingredients: • Brown Sugar -I prefer light in this recipe, but you could also do dark. • All-Purpose Flour • Butter -Softened butter blends the best in this recipe. • Eggs -Used as a binder; use the freshest possible. • Vanilla -Using a good vanilla makes a big difference, • Pecans -¼-inch dice is perfect! Chop before measuring. Best Southern Pecan Pie Muffins Makes 12 muffins Ingredients • 1½ cups light brown sugar, packed • ¾ cup all-purpose flour • 1 cup salted butter, softened • 3 eggs, beaten • 1½ tsp vanilla • 2½ to 3 cups chopped pecans Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare 12 muffin cups. Instructions 1. In a small bowl, mix the flour and brown sugar. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, butter, and vanilla together until thoroughly combined. Stir in the flour mixture just until combined; fold in pecans. 2. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups, top with a pecan half. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown. Before Baking After Baking LAURA LEE ALICE COOKS PIN PRINT Don’t love it Not great Good Great Love it Pecan Pie Muffins

White Chocolate Buttercream PRINTABLE RECIPE ▼ MAKES 2½ cups This is a different take on a white chocolate buttercream because of the coconut milk and flavoring. I especially like this frosting on a cake that will be sprinkled with coconut. You can also use regular milk or cream with vanilla or almond flavoring. Ingredients • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (2 sticks) • Pinch of sea salt • 6 oz white chocolate, chopped • 2 cups powdered sugar • ¼ cup coconut milk ( • ¼ tsp coconut extract Instructions 1. In medium bowl with mixer on medium speed, beat butter and salt until smooth, 3 to 4 minutes. 2. Add white chocolate, beating well. 3. With mixer on low, slowly add powdered sugar alternating with coconut milk until well combined. 4. Add extract, increase mixer speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Use immediately or refrigerate in a sealed container. LAURA LEE ALICE COOKS PIN PRINT Don’t love it Not great Good Great Love it White Chocolate Buttercream

Best Breakfast Casserole 10 servings Ingredients • 8 slices of bread, crumbled up • 8 oz Swiss cheese, grated • 1 lb bacon, fried * and crumbled • 8 oz mushrooms, chopped, sauteed in a bit of bacon fat • 1 medium onion, chopped • 8 oz Cheddar cheese, grated • 8 eggs • 2 cups of milk • 1½ cups half and half • 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce • 1 tsp seasoned salt • 1 tsp dry mustard • Sea salt and black pepper to taste Grease a 9-x-13 dish. Instructions 1. Pack crumbled bread into the bottom of the dish; place bacon, Swiss cheese, sauteed mushrooms and onions over bread. 2. Beat eggs until light and fluffy; add milk, half and half, and seasonings.; pour over other ingredients. Cover and refrigerate overnight. 3. Preheat oven to 350°F; bake uncovered for 1 hour. Let it sit for 15 minutes before serving. * Bake or fry bacon until done, not overly crisp. It can be cut with scissors if it needs it. KEYWORDS best breakfast casserole, breakfast quiche casserole

Blueberry Tea Bread PRINTABLE RECIPE ▼ MAKES 1 SMALL LOAF This is a great recipe for an easy dessert, snack or breakfast. It has a soft, moist texture, a subtle sweetness from the blueberries, and a pleasant aroma. It's simple to put together, sort of like a quick bread. There is also a simple glaze recipe in the Options below. Ingredients • 1 egg • 2/3 cup sugar • 1½ cups cake flour, sift before measuring • 2 Tsp baking powder • ½ tsp cinnamon • ¾ cup salt • ½ cup milk • 3 Tbsp butter, melted • 1 tsp good vanilla extract • 1 cup fresh blueberries (if using frozen, use while still frozen) Preheat oven to 400°F; grease and flour a small loaf pan. Gather all the ingredients you will need before starting. Instructions 1. In medium bowl, beat egg and gradually add sugar while beating until mixture is smooth, light and fluffy. 2. Mix flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt together in a small bowl, alternately add with milk to egg mixture, beating after each addition. 3. After batter is well mixed, add melted butter and vanilla; gently fold in the blueberries. Do not overmix. 4. Pour mixture into prepared pan and smooth the top; place on a rack in the middle of the oven; bake for 25 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. The top should be a light golden brown. 5. Remove from oven; place on wire rack to cool. This recipe makes about 8 servings. Options • Try making these in mini muffin pans for bite-size tea cakes. • For the glaze: Mix 1 cup confectioner's sugar with 1 Tbsp soft butter and enough butter and enough milk to make it spreadable. LAURA LEE ALICE COOKS PIN PRINT Don’t love it Not great Good Great Love it Blueberry Tea Bread

Southern Potato Soup PRINTABLE RECIPE ▼ 6 to 8 SERVINGS This is definitely one of my comfort foods. It is creamy and thick with little chunks of tender potatoes, bacon, onions, carrots, and celery. I like to top it with bits of bacon and chopped green onions. Ingredients • 6 slices bacon*, chopped, fried, drained and crumbled (remove and set aside). Use the large pot for this, you will use it again for the soup. • ¼ cup + 1 Tbsp butter • 1 large onion, large ½-inch dice • 1 stalk celery, split and sliced (½ inch) • 1 medium carrot, ½-inch dice • ¼ cup + 1 Tbsp plain flour • 1 quart milk (may need more) • 2 tsp chicken or vegetable bouillon (I use Better than Bouillon) • 5 medium potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces, cooked and drained. For more flavor, cook the potatoes in chicken broth or stock. • Salt and pepper to taste (if using any kind of extra flavoring, like bouillon, don't salt until the soup is done.) You will need a large pot with lid. Instructions 1. Melt butter (medium heat) in the large pot, then add onion, celery and carrots; sauté until slightly tender. 2. Remove from heat; stir in flour, mixing well until all vegetables are coated. 3. Add milk, return to medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture begins to thicken. I like using a large whisk for this. 4. Add drained potatoes and roughly mash while stirring. Remove from heat. Add three-fourths of the bacon, saving the rest for garnish. If soup seems too thick, gradually add more milk to thin until satisfied. Options • Bacon, chopped chives, sour cream, or parsley for garnish. • Sprinkling cheddar cheese on the top; adds more flavor. • You can replace up to a cup of milk with cream. • I like to use oyster crackers or Brenton Multi Grain Crackers with this. Toast points, garlic bread, and cornbread are good too! Tips • Excess fat can be reduced after sautéing bacon by dabbing the pan with a paper towel. Make sure to leave any of the bacon bits in the pan. *I have used leftover country ham, torn into bits, instead of bacon. LAURA LEE ALICE COOKS PIN PRINT Don’t love it Not great Good Great Love it Southern Potato Soup About this recipe: • Cooking potatoes in bone broth enhances the flavor while providing collagen, vitamins, and protein. • Incorporating onions, celery, carrots, or garlic will add more richness and depth to the soup. • Potato soup is a warm, comforting dish perfect for chilly days or when you're under the weather. • While shredded cheese can be mixed into the soup, it's preferable to sprinkle it on top of each portion before serving. • If you like a thick, smooth and creamy soup, use an immersion blender . It makes the process go much faster. Favorite Things from the Kitchen I love these Le Tauci bowls with handles.

This is the very best and simplest Mushroom Soup. Fresh Mushroom Soup Yes, I know you can buy it in a can, but you can make it fresh in less than 30 minutes. I ngredients • 1lb fresh mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed and chopped • 1 small onion, ¼-inch dice • 3 tbsp butter • 3 tbsp flour • 4 cups of a good beef stock • 1 cup water • 1 tsp salt • 1 cup sour cream You will ne ed a large saucepan. Instructions 1. Melt butter; cook mushrooms and onion until tender. 2. Sprinkle with the flour and cook about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. 3. Stir in stock, water and salt; simmer about 10 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking to pan. 4. Just before serving, stir in sour cream and heat but do not bring to a boil. KEYWORDS best mushroom soup, simple mushroom soup, easy mushroom soup

Herbs According to the Oxford Dictionary, a ny plant with leaves, seeds, or flowers used for flavoring, food, medicine or perfume is an herb. That pretty well sums it up. How To Make Vanilla Vanilla seeds on the tip of a knife Mulling Spices Fragrant spices in a tiny muslin bag to use for steeping. Herbal Sachet Bags Tiny bags filled with savory herbs for cooking. Rustic Herbal Sea Salt Beautiful dried herbs being ground with a mortar and pestle.

This recipe requires more ingredients than I usually like to work with, but the result makes it worthwhile. Plus, t he leftovers freeze beautifully. I like to cook the whole recipe and then divide up the leftovers into single servings before freezing using my Food Saver . This recipe is not quick cooking like stir-fry so less tender cuts of meat can be used. Ingredients • ½ cup so y sauce • 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil • ½ cup brown sugar, packed • 2 Tbsp ginger, peeled and finely chopped • 2-4 cloves garlic, minced • 2½ to 3 lb beef roast* or stew meat • ½ cup all-purpose flour • ¼ to ½ cup vegetable oil • 1 cup beef stock** • 2 tsp vinegar • 1 cup carrots, julienned Instructions 1. Prepare medium crockpot by using cooking spray or liner. Set to low and start. 2. Whisk together in small bowl the soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, ginger and garlic until thoroughly combined; pour into crockpot. 3. In large zip bag, toss the beef with flour to coat thoroughly; discard bag and extra flour. 4. In large skillet, heat about 3 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add about half the beef, stirring to brown each piece. Transfer to crockpot and repeat with more oil and remaining beef. 5. Add stock to skillet, heat to boiling while scraping up any bits on the skillet bottom. Add to crockpot, gently stir to combine. Cover and cook on low setting up to 10 hours until beef is tender. Start checking after 8 hours. 6. Add carrots and vinegar to crockpot, stir and cook an additional 30 minutes. 7. Serve with rice or noodles. Garnish with julienned green onions or sesame seeds, Tip • The soy sauce and the bouillon contain salt to taste before adding any extra. * If necessary, cut into 1½-inch pieces or ½-inch thick slices. ** If you don't have beef stock, try Better Than Bouillon . I use it all the time and it adds great flavor. Crockpot Mongolian-Style Beef PRINTABLE RECIPE ▼ 6 to 8 SERVINGS Facts about Crockpot Mongolian Beef • Typically served over rice or noodles. • High in protein in addition to zinc, iron, vitamin B12 and more. • Known for the savory, sweet, and slightly sticky sauce that's made with garlic, brown sugar, soy sauce, and ginger. • It's not a traditional Mongolian dish. • Since it's cooked in the crockpot, the beef has a longer time to cook so it's tender and flavorful. LAURA LEE ALICE COOKS PIN PRINT Don’t love it Not great Good Great Love it Crockpot Mongolian-Style Beef

Southern Crockpot BBQ PRINTABLE RECIPE ▼ 8 to 12 SERVINGS This is a super simple recipe for crockpot BBQ that even a beginner can pull off if they have the ingredients. FYI, a small crockpot will not work for this recipe. Our Southern Crockpot BBQ recipe transforms simple ingredients into a delicious pulled pork meal that is suitable for many occasions. About the Ingredients: • Onions -The sweet Vidalia onions work great in this dish. Their mild and sweet flavor accents all the other ingredients. • Brown sugar -It only takes a little bit to makes a big impact. • Paprika -I use smoked for its smoky sweet flavor. • Cumin -Goes hand "n" hand with pork dishes, especially BBQ. • Pork butt -Trimmed of most of the outer fat. • Apple cider vinegar -Another ingredient that works well with pork, especially when used in the sauce like this is. • Worcestershire sauce -It definitely adds another layer of flavor to the sauce. • Crushed red pepper flakes -Adds just a little zing, but if you're not a fan, still use about ¼ teaspoon or less to enhance the flavor of the sauce for the BBQ recipe. • Dry mustard -Used in so many BBQ sauce recipes. It brings a tangy, subtle heat to the sauce. • Granulated garlic -It brings a smooth, balanced warmth and complexity to the sauce. • Cayenne pepper -Definitely adds some heat, use less or more, definitely up to you. • Try our Basic BBQ Sauce if you want something fresh and different. • I ngredients • 2 medium onions, quartered • 2 Tbsp brown sugar, light or dark • 1 Tbsp paprika, smoked if you have it • 2 tsp salt • ½ tsp black pepper • ½ tsp cumin • 1 pork butt, 4-6 lb, trimmed of all visible fat • 1 cup apple cider vinegar • ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce • 1-½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes or to taste (but don't leave out) • 1 Tbsp sugar • ½ tsp ground cumin • ½ tsp dry mustard • ½ tsp granulated garlic • ½ tsp cayenne pepper or to taste You will need a large crockpot. The crockpot liners work great for this; easy cleanup. Instructions 1. Place quartered onions in bottom of crock pot. 2. Blend together the brown sugar, paprika, salt, cumin and pepper; rub thoroughly over roast. Place roast in the crockpot. 3. Combine the remaining ingredients and mix well. Drizzle about a third of the mixture over the pork, refrigerate the remaining mixture. 4. Cook pork on low for 8-10 hours. Internal temperature should be a minimum of 165°F. I like my temperature be just a bit higher. 5. Remove meat and discard onions. Shred meat to your personal preference. You can use the vinegar mixture as is or mix with some of the juices from the crock pot (skimmed of fat) to serve on the side. Keep refrigerated when not using. Tips • I like to use a flip top bottle or a clean soy sauce bottle to serve the extra sauce as it needs to be continually mixed. • A crockpot liner will make cleanup a breeze. Our LLA Basic Coleslaw Recipe goes great with BBQ. LAURA LEE ALICE COOKS PIN PRINT Don’t love it Not great Good Great Love it Southern Crockpot BBQ

Basic Chili If you like traditional cooking, you'll love this chili. My family loves it and rarely do I have any leftovers. You can use ground chuck or a chuck roast cut into cubes. I prefer the latter. Easily serves 6 to 8 people generously. I ngredients • 3 Tbsp olive oil • 2 cups chopped onions • 4 cloves garlic, minced • 3 lbs chuck roast cut into 1-inch cubes or ground chuck • 1 (6 oz) can tomato paste • 2 Tbsp to ¼ cup chili powder (start with 2 Tbsp) • 1 Tbsp sea salt • 1 tsp pepper • 1 tsp ground cumin • 1 tsp dried oregano • 1 tsp thyme • 2 cans (15 0z) pinto beans, drained and rinsed • 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed 1 can (28 oz) crushed or diced tomatoes 2 cups beef broth, low sodium if possible 12 oz bottle beer Instructions 1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat; add onions a nd garlic; saute just until translucent. Remove from pot; drain. 2. Add the ground or cubed beef to the pot and brown; remove, drain and return to pot. 3. Add the tomato paste and the spices; cook while stirring for just a couple of minutes. 4. Increase heat to medium-high; stir in beans, tomatoes, broth and beer; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, simmer, stirring often, about 30 minutes. Garnish with shredded cheese. KEYWORDS best chili, best ever chili

C razy Green Beans My grandchildren have always loved this recipe . It contains bacon, and they LOVE bacon, and it's colorful. The fact that it also contained tiny pearl onions didn't bother them (tiny is the keyword here). It really doesn't take long to put together if you have all the ingredients. You can use fresh beans if you like but I use canned green beans for convenience. can my own beans but I do buy store brands when they're on sale. Ingredients • 6 bacon slices • 1½ cups frozen pearl onions, thawed and dried • 2 cans green beans (14.25 oz), only drain 1 can • 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped (mixed colors would be nice) • ½ tsp sea salt • ¼ tsp black pepper Instructions 1. In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until golden brown; place bacon on paper towels; remove all but 1½ tablespoons d rippings. 2. Add pearl onions and chopped peppers to skillet; cook until peppers and onions start to caramelize. Add green beans, combine and continue to cook, stirring often, until most of the water is cooked. They are best when most of the moisture is cooked out. Tips • Some grocery stores now offer colorful diced peppers in plastic containers. These work great, and it's so easy to freeze what you don't use. KEYWORDS green beans, crazy green beans

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