Thieves Household Cleaner

30 drops thieves essential oil

1 tablespoon castile soap

distilled water

Mix essential oil & castile soap together in 16 oz amber spray bottle. Fill to top with water. Use to clean & disinfectant household surfaces. 

Homemade Thieves Oil

60 drops clove essential oil

30 drops cinnamon bark essential oil

15 drops rosemary essential oil

20 drops eucalyptus essential oil

50 drops orange or lemon oil

Mix together in a dark amber bottle & use as needed.

Pigs In A Blanket

1 tube refrigerated pizza dough, thin crust

14 oz cocktail sausages

2 T butter, melted

¼ tsp garlic powder

½ cup BBQ sauce, or dip of choice

Preheat the oven to 400⁰. Prepare springform pan, by placing an oven proof bowl in the middle of the pan and generously spraying the pan and outside of the bowl with nonstick spray. 

On a lightly floured surface unroll tube of pizza dough. Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut into 35-38 rectangles {depending on how many sausages are in your 14 oz package}. Combine melted butter and garlic powder, spread generously onto each rectangle using a pastry brush.

Wrap each cocktail sausage into a piece of dough. Once all of the sausages have been wrapped, begin to place them vertically into the prepared pan. You want them to be snug but not super tight. 

Bake for 35-40 minutes. Remove from the oven, allow to cool for about 5 minutes. Remove the outside ring of the springform pan, fill the bowl with your dip of choice.

Serve your pigs in a blanket wreath and enjoy!

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Crust:

1¾ c graham cracker crumbs

5 T sugar

¾ tsp cinnamon

6 T butter, melted

Filling:

32 oz cream cheese, softened

1¼ c sugar

½ c sour cream

1 c pumpkin puree

4 eggs

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp vanilla 

Preheat oven to 350⁰. Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon & melted butter. Press into spring form pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Turn oven down to 325⁰.

Mix cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, pumpkin & eggs in mixer until smooth. Pour into pan. Rap the pan on thr counter 4 or 5 times to get the bubbles out. Bake for 40 minutes. Reduce temp to 250⁰ & bake another 45 minutes. Do NOT open the oven. There will be a slight giggle in the middle when done. Turn the oven off & leave in the oven for 30 minutes. Crack oven door & leave in the oven for 1 hour. 

Cool to room temperature for 2 or 3 hrs. Cover with a towel & refrigerate overnight. 

Top with toasted pecans & caramel sauce. 

Pie Crust

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

1/2 cup cold buttermilk

1-2 tablespoons cold water

1 large egg, beaten, for the egg wash

Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the cubed butter and toss to coat. Dump the mixture out onto a clean surface and use a rolling pin to roll the butter into thin sheets, combining it with the flour. Use a bench scraper to scrape the rolling pin and to bring the mixture back into a pile as necessary. Continue until all of the butter is incorporated into the flour. Mixture will be very flaky. Return mixture to the bowl and place in the freezer for 15 minutes to chill the butter.

Remove from freezer and add the buttermilk. Use a spoon and then your hands to stir the mixture until it comes together into a ball. If mixture is too dry, add the water a tablespoon at a time. Divide the dough in two and flatten into disks. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and chill until ready to use. 

English Butter Toffee

1 stick unsalted butter

1 cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

Line a small rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

In a heavy-bottomed small saucepan, begin melting the butter over medium heat. Add the sugar and salt to the partially melted butter and whisk vigorously for one minute until combined. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture looks like melted peanut butter and a candy thermometer reaches 295 to 305°F, about 10 minutes.

If the mixture separates at all, remove from heat and whisk vigorously until recombined. Return to heat and continue cooking.

Immediately and carefully pour the hot toffee onto the prepared baking pan, allowing it to spread into an even layer. Let cool and harden for about 20 minutes.

Place the sheet of toffee on a cutting board or in a zip top bag. Use a rolling pin to crack it into small pieces. You can also cut into bits with a sharp serrated knife while still warm. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Can top with melted chocolate & chopped nuts,  if desired.

The Best Cornbread

¾ cup Yellow Cornmeal

1 cup Flour

½ cup Sugar

2 T Honey

2 teaspoons Baking Powder

½ teaspoon Salt

4 T Butter, melted)

¼ cup oil

1 cup Milk (or buttermilk)

1 large Egg

1 large Egg Yolk

Honey Butter

½ cup Butter, softened)

¼ cup Honey

Preheat the oven to 350⁰. Grease a 12" cast iron skillet with butter. 

In a large bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add melted butter, oil, milk, honey, egg, and egg yolk and mix until smooth. Stir gently until just combined. Be careful not to overmix—this ensures a tender crumb.

Let the batter sit for 5–10 minutes to allow the cornmeal to soften and incorporate with the wet ingredients.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 24–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Watch carefully because you don't want to overbake cornbread.

Allow the cornbread to cool for about 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm with butter or honey or homemade honey butter.

Honey Butter:

Allow the butter to come to room temperature or place it in the microwave for about 10 seconds. You don't want it to be melted but just slightly softened. Add in honey and stir.

Vanilla Custard Cake with Berry Filling

6 cups whole milk, divided

6 egg yolks

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 cup sugar

1¼ cups cornstarch

7 T butter, room temperature and cubed

2 cups heavy cream, whipped to medium peaks

Fruit Layer:

3 cups frozen cherries (or frozen berries of choice)

½ cup sugar

3 T cornstarch

½ cup water, divided

Powder sugar, for dusting

2 sheets puff pastry

To make the vanilla custard whisk together the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until smooth. Whisk in 3/4 cup of the milk. Add the cornstarch, and vanilla. Set aside.

Add the remaining 5 ½ cups of milk into a medium pot and bring to a simmer.

Remove from the heat, and temper about ½ of the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture, whisking vigorously. Return the mixture to the pot. Place the pot on low heat and cook for a few minutes, whisking constantly until thickened. Bring the custard to a boil for 5 minutes, then remove from heat. Whisk in the room temperature butter.

Transfer the custard to a mixing bowl, cover the top with plastic wrap and set aside until completely cold at room temperature.

In three additions, fold in the whipped heavy cream. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

In a medium pot, combine the cherries, and half of the water. Bring the cherries to a boil. Whisk together the remaining water with the cornstarch to make a smooth slurry. Add the slurry to the boiling fruit, and continue to cook, stirring constantly for 5-8 minutes until the mixture is thick and jammy. Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely.

Preheat the oven to 425°.

Roll each of the two pieces of the puff pastry into 15x11 inch rectangles. Transfer one rolled pastry onto a baking sheet. Use a fork or sharp knife to prick the pastry all over. Bake for 15 minutes until medium golden color. Repeat the baking process with a second puff pastry sheet.

Set the baked puff pastry sheets aside to cool.

Assembly: 

Place the first baked pastry sheet into a deep baking pan (15x11 inches).

Spread half of the vanilla custard evenly over top of the puff pastry.

Spread the fruit filling evenly over the custard and repeat the same steps with the remaining custard.

Top with the last sheet of baked puff pastry, pressing down gently to adhere it into the custard.

Refrigerate the cake for 1-2 hours to set. Dust with powdered sugar before slicing and serving.

Homemade Chocolate Syrup

Great for gift-giving!

12 C sugar

3 c cocoa powder

6 c water

2 t salt

2 T vanilla 

Bring to a boil for 3 minutes. Ladle into hot ½ pint jars & water bath for 15 minutes

Pecan Pie Balls

1 cup pecans, finely chopped

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

½ cup powdered sugar

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

½ cup butter, softened

¼ cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (for coating)

1 teaspoon coconut oil

In a large mixing bowl, combine the finely chopped pecans, graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. 

In a separate bowl, cream together the softened butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Pour into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until everything is well combined. 

Once the mixture is fully combined, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes. 

After the mixture has chilled, scoop out about a T of the mixture and roll it into a ball.

Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. 

Continue rolling. You should end up with about 20-25 pecan pie balls. Chill another 30 minutes. 

While the balls are chilling, prepare the chocolate coating. In a microwave-safe bowl, add the semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Microwave the chocolate chips in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until they are completely melted and smooth. Add a teaspoon of coconut oil or vegetable oil to thin it out.

Once the chocolate is melted, using a fork or a toothpick, dip each ball into the melted chocolate, making sure to coat it completely.

Allow any excess chocolate to drip off before placing the coated ball back onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. Add extra chopped pecans on top for garnish while the chocolate is still wet.

Repeat until all the balls are coated in chocolate. 

Chill for about 30 minutes to allow the chocolate to set completely.

Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup

Yield:  8 servings 

½ cup butter

1 onion, chopped

½ cup flour

4 cups chicken broth

4 cups half-and-half

5 cups broccoli, chopped 

2 cup carrots, grated

nutmeg, little sprinkle

1 lb sharp cheddar cheese, grated

salt and pepper to taste

Bread Bowls

Melt butter in a pot on medium heat. Add onion and saute until golden, about 5 minutes, stirring a few times.

Next, sprinkle flour and cook for 1 minute, whisking constantly.

Slowly add 4 cups of chicken broth whisking it with flour, then add 4 cups of half-and-half, whisk until everything is combined.

 Into the same pot add broccoli, grated carrots and season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Bring soup to a boil, turn the heat to low heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring few times.

Add a little sprinkle of nutmeg. Remove from the heat and stir the cheese into the broccoli soup.

Pour Soup into a bread bowl. Garnish with more cheese and a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper. Enjoy!

Biscoff Cookie Butter Ice Cream

1 cup Biscoff cookie butter, divided

14 oz. canned sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups heavy cream

5 - 6 Biscoff cookies, crushed

Pour ¾ cup Biscoff cookie butter into a microwave safe bowl. Heat the cookie butter for 15 - 30 seconds or until the spread becomes more liquidy.

Reserve the remaining ¼ cup cookie butter for swirling into the ice cream.

Pour the Biscoff cookie butter, sweetened condensed milk, ground cinnamon and vanilla extract into a mixing bowl fitted with whisk attachment. Mix the ingredients together on medium speed until well combined. 

With the mixer on low speed, pour in the heavy cream into the cookie butter mixture. Once all the heavy cream has been added, increase the speed to medium until the cream mixture whips into soft-medium peaks. 

Layer ½ of the homemade Biscoff ice cream into the freezer proof container. Swirl in 2 T of Biscoff cookie butter and ½ of the crushed Biscoff cookies.

Repeat with the remaining Biscoff ice cream mixture, melted cookie butter and crushed cookies.

Transfer the ice cream to the freezer to set for 1-2 hours. Then cover the entire container in plastic wrap and a layer of foil. Freeze the ice cream for at least 8 hours, but preferably overnight.

Pull the ice cream out to sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes, scoop and enjoy!

Buster Bar Ice Cream Cake

24 Oreo cookies, crushed

6 T Butter, melted

1.5 qt Vanilla ice cream, softened

1 cup Hot fudge sauce, slightly warmed

1 cup Spanish peanuts, chopped

1 cup Heavy whipping cream, chilled

2 T Powdered sugar

1 teaspoon Vanilla

2 T Chocolate syrup

Crush Oreos in food processor. Mix crushed Oreos with melted butter.

Press the mixture into a 9x13 inch pan to form the crust.

Freeze the crust for 10–15 minutes.

Spread softened vanilla ice cream evenly over the crust.

Pour and spread slightly warmed fudge sauce over the ice cream layer.

Sprinkle chopped peanuts evenly over the fudge layer.

Freeze for at least 1 hour to set the layers.

Whip the chilled cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form.

Spread whipped cream on top of the frozen layers.

Drizzle chocolate syrup over the top.

Cover with plastic wrap or foil and freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Slice and serve chilled.

Bread Bowls

Yield: 6 bread bowls 

½ cup warm water (110⁰)

1½ Tbsp fast rise yeast 

½ tsp sugar 

2 cup warm water (110⁰)

6 cup all purpose flour 

1½ Tbsp sugar

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 

2 tsp refined sea salt

1 egg white

DIRECTIONS:

1. Add ½ cup of 110⁰ water, 1 & ½ Tbsp of fast rise yeast and ½ tsp of sugar to a stand mixer. Let it sit for about 5 minutes. 

2. Using the dough hook, turn it on the lowest speed and then add in the olive oil, sugar, salt, 2 cups of 110⁰ water. Finally, add in the flour, one cup at a time. 

3. Once the dough comes together, turn it up one notch and then let it knead for 5 minutes. *It’s ok if the dough looks sticky. 

4. Scrape the sides of a bowl and then cover with a bowl cover or tea towel. 

5. After resting for 15 minutes, punch the dough down one time. Repeat this step 3 more times for a total of 4 punches and 1 hour. 

6. After 1 hour, your dough should have visibly risen. Pour it out onto a lightly floured work surface and cut it into 6 even pieces. 

7. Form each piece into a ball and then place them on a parchment lined baking sheet. *I like to form them like I shape my sourdough. You can shape them however you like to though. Be sure to keep any seams on the bottom though. 

8. Cover with a tea towel and let them rise for 30 more minutes. During this time, preheat oven to 450⁰. 

9. After the second rise is complete, brush each one with the whites of 1 egg. 

10. Bake at 450⁰ for 10 minutes, reduce heat to 350⁰ and then bake another 18-20 minutes. 

11. Let cool slightly before cutting off the tops and scooping out the insides. *We use the insides to dip in our soup.

Southern Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole

4 chicken breasts, 5 cups shredded chicken

2 T butter

1 onion finely diced

2 T flour

1 cup milk

1 ½ cups chicken broth

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 cup sour cream

2 cups Town House Crackers 40 crackers – 1 sleeve, crushed

½ cup butter

1 T poppy seeds

Preheat oven to 350º. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray.

In a large skillet, add butter and onions and cook over medium heat until the onions are soft, about 3-5 minutes. Add flour and cook for 1 minute.

Warm milk in the microwave for 1 minute. Slowly add warm milk and chicken broth to the onion mixture, whisking continuously until it has thickened.

Once thickened to the consistency of soup, remove from the heat and whisk in sour cream.

Add shredded chicken to the sauce and pour into a baking dish.

Crush the crackers and add melted butter, stirring with a fork to combine. Add poppy seeds and stir to combine.

Cover the chicken mixture with the cracker mixture and bake for 25-30 minutes until it starts to bubble.

Serve over rice.