Super Simple No Fail Fudge

Who doesn't love fudge? But it's a treat that can only be bought in a store, not reasonably made at home for the vast majority of people, right?

Wrong.

With this super easy recipe, anyone can make fudge at home; and more than that, you can make a huge array of kinds of fudge, from strawberry lemonade fudge for a summer picnic, to ultra decadent chocolate hazelnut fudge to give away at Christmas.

Pumpkin Biscuits

A delightful semi-sweet treat for the fall and winter. Complements Jamaican Pumpkin and Chicken Soup beautifully. Absolutely mouth-watering fresh out of the oven with a pat of butter!

Jamaican Pumpkin and Chicken Soup

This is a hearty, rich soup with a hint of sweet and a pleasantly warming heat to it.  It is perfect as cold weather descends, and of course when pumpkins are readily available inexpensively as failed jack-o-lanterns.

Beef and Leeks with Mashed Potatoes

Quick, easy, and oh-so-tasty!  You can't ask for much more from dinner.

Ingredients:

(beef and leeks)

• 1 lb. ground chuck
• 2 large leeks, washed and any 'icky' parts removed
• 1 medium onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• salt and pepper
• 1 Tbs corn starch (optional)

(mashed potatoes)

• 3-5 red potatoes (depending on size)
• 2 Tbs butter
• 1/2 c. sour cream (approx.)

Directions:

1.  Peel potatoes, then cut into 1/2-1 inch cubes.  Place them in a pot, cover with water, and add about 1/2 tsp. salt, then set aside for the moment.


2. Mince onion, slice leeks into rings about 1/4" wide, dice garlic.  



3. In a large skillet, heat 1-2 tsp vegetable oil on medium-low heat (about 4 on most stoves).


4. Add minced onion, and saute until just beginning to turn translucent at the edges.


5. Add 1/2 of the leeks (both white and green parts, but more of the white).  Saute until onion is fully translucent and beginning to brown slightly.

Pan Fried Chicken Recipe

This is an exceedingly simple recipe, but quite tasty! It's definitely a 'taste of home' for many people.

A Note on Pasta

A majority of nutritionists seem to agree that one of the biggest problems with the modern American diet is the overabundance of simple carbohydrates (carbs). Not all carbs, necessarily, but simple carbs.

One easy way to reduce simple carbs in most peoples' diets is pasta. I resisted for years switching to whole wheat pasta, because every time I tried it, it was awful. I couldn't stand the taste, and I couldn't stand the texture.

However, I found the key is to find the right brand. While white spaghetti is white spaghetti and there is virtually no difference between brands, there is a vast difference between brands for whole wheat spaghetti. After finding four or five, I found the right one for me and my family. The potential health benefits are well worth the time and effort to find the right brand for you.

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Barilla Whole Grain Spaghetti,
13.25 Ounce Boxes (Pack of 10)
Available on Amazon!

Cream of Mushroom Chicken and Rice Recipe

 This is an extremely easy meal, and quite inexpensive, but healthful and very tasty!  This is easily enough for six generous servings.  This lovely chicken recipe was a fond memory from my childhood, one of my favorite dinners growing up; now that I am the one cooking, I can understand why my mother was happy about that.

Simple Stovetop Healthy Popcorn Recipe

With all of the hype recently about the health benefits of popcorn, it is increasingly obvious why people love and crave popcorn so much.  Of course, without a doubt, the healthiest popcorn to eat is air-popped, with no toppings.  However, let’s face it: air-popped popcorn, with no oil, butter, or salt, is not very appetizing.

So what is the best compromise between “naked” popcorn and the butter-laden salty kernels from the movie theater?  Stove top popped popcorn.

Made with a little thought, it can be made with a minimum of unhealthy aspects while still being tasty.  You can also add a wide variety of flavorings that are both delicious and still healthy — most cooking spices, like chili powder, cumin, curry powder, garlic powder, Cajun spice, garam masala, or even combinations of spices are wonderful ideas.

Stovetop popcorn is a wonderful compromise between healthy and tasty

Cheater Microwave Raspberry Cake Recipe

Easy Dessert Recipes Perfect for Dorm or College Food, or Any Time

This easy cake recipe using fruit preserves is quick and simple, but can be modified to fit any taste for sweets.

This super easy cake recipe is perfect for satisfying a sweet tooth without lots of preparation and mess, or a lot of technical know-how, as with most baking recipes. This makes it ideal as a beginner college recipe for a young adult just off on their own and living in the dorms, or any time you have limited space or equipment for baking. No oven or specialized equipment is necessary, just a couple of bowls, a glass or ceramic dish, and a microwave. It is also very quick to make, so can be easily used to just throw together if you decide at the last minute that a meal just has to have a dessert, or whenever you don't have the time to deal with the mess that most baking results in.

Try experimenting with different preserves, in addition to the recommended raspberry. Apricot, blackberry, plum, strawberry or even apple would probably be wonderful. Just be sure to use the seedless preserves, not jams with the seeds, nor jellies, as these are likely to give the finished cake undesirable tastes or textures. Above all, have fun with it! Try combining different flavors in the cake and the frosting, like apricot in the cake and plum in the frosting. Or try a triple-berry cake, with raspberry, blackberry and strawberry. With a recipe this easy to put together, it isn't hard to get creative.

Indian Chicken Curry Recipe

Wonderfully Seasoned Curried Chicken from India

This is a spicy and delightful chicken curry dish from India, usually served over rice.

This recipe for Indian chicken curry is actually surprisingly easy to prepare; most of the preparation involves measuring and grinding spices, and the cooking, although it requires some amount of time, requires little attention.

Like most Indian food, it is quite spicy, which can be moderated by reducing the amount of chili powder. But, also like most Indian dishes, it has a subtle array of flavors which has been very appropriately compared to a symphony for the taste buds, as opposed to Western recipes, which may contain only one or two seasonings, if any at all besides salt or pepper.

This chicken curry is generally served with rice. Optionally, it can also be served with plain yogurt, which can cut down the heat factor considerably for those who aren't quite up to eating such spicy foods.

It also keeps well in the refrigerator for up to a week or so.

Indian Chicken Curry