Homemade "Refried" Beans

1 onion, peeled and cut into quarters
3 cups dry pinto beans, rinsed
1 1/2 t jalapeno, finely chopped (pickled or fresh - remove the seeds and veins if fresh)
2 tablespoons minced garlic
5 teaspoons salt
1 3/4 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cumin seed
9 cups water

Place the onion, beans, jalapeno, garlic, salt, pepper, and cumin into a slow cooker. Pour in the water and stir to combine. Cook on High for 8 hours, adding more water as needed. Once the beans have cooked, strain them, and reserve the liquid. Put the beans in a mixer and mix until mashed to desired consistency. Add some liquid if needed.

Chicken Nuggets Two Ways

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 egg, beaten
1/2 c buttermilk

Either:
10 Ritz crackers, crushed
1 c coconut

Or:
20 Ritz crackers, crushed
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
1 t black pepper

Cut the chicken breasts into 1-1/2 inch chunks. Mix egg and buttermilk together in a shallow pan (I find pie plates work great). Mix your choice of breading (crackers and coconut or crackers and Parmesan cheese) together in another shallow pan. Cover the chicken pieces in the egg mixture and then in the breading. Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 400 for 20 minutes (I do it on convection, 400, for 15 minutes). Serving with your choice of dipping sauces ... we like honey mustard or a mixture of honey and peach jam.

To crisp up chicken, place a wire rack (like those you cool cookies on) to cook. You can bake the nuggets for five minutes less, then broil for 5 minutes for a little added crispiness.

Chocolate Chip Muffins

My friend made these this evening for the BCS Championship Game (WAR EAGLE!!! And can I take a moment to say I have a happy husband today?), and they were absolutely delicious. I was surprised when she gave me the recipe, all stuff I love, just not what I would have imagined would make the yumminess I partook of.

1 box chocolate cake mix (she likes to use Devil's Food)
1 can pumpkin
3 eggs
chocolate chips

Mix together the cake mix, pumpkin and eggs. Fold in chocolate chips. Separate into muffin tins and bake as directed on box.

She says it is also yummy to use a spice cake mix.

Peanut Butter Granola

3 c regular oats
1/2 c coconut
3 T sesame seeds
1/2 c nuts (walnuts or pecans), chopped
1/2 c creamy peanut butter
1/2 c brown sugar
1/4 c butter
1 T light corn syrup
1/4 t salt

Mix together oats, coconut, sesame seeds, and nuts in a large bowl. Place peanut butter, sugar, butter, corn syrup and salt in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat for three minutes, stirring often, until smooth. Pour over oat mixture and stir until well-incorporated. Spread thinly on a cookie sheet, and bake for ten minutes at 350, flipping once. Spread on countertop to cool.

Easy Chicken Cordon-Bleu

Another yumme recipe from my Grandma Lynnie.

boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
sliced ham
swiss cheese, sliced
1/2 pint sour cream
1 (10 oz) can cream of chicken soup

Pound chicken until thinned to 1/4-inch thickness. Place ham and swiss cheese on top. Roll up and secure with toothpicks. Place in casserole dish. Blend sour cream and chicken soup and pour over chicken. Cover and bake for 70 minutes at 300.

Peanut Butter French Toast 'Waffles'

12 slices whole wheat or white bread, crust removed
6 eggs
1 c milk
1 T sugar
1 t vanilla
pinch of salt
6 T smooth peanut butter

Whisk together eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla and salt. Spread 1 T peanut butter on 6 slices of bread. Top with remaining slices to make 6 sandwiches. Soak sandwiches in egg mixture, a couple minutes per side. (I split the egg mixture into two bowls so two sandwiches were soaking at a time.) Heat a waffle iron according to manufacturer's directions. Spray top and bottom with non-stick cooking spray. Remove sandwiches from the egg with a slotted spatula, allowing excess to drip off. Press top of waffle iron down gently at first, then add a little pressure and press until completely closed. Cook until golden brown. Serve with warmed syrup.

Pecan Pie Cake

This recipe is from my friend, Dana. We've worked on lots of events together, and have used this cake as a yummy dessert for a good handful of those events.

1 stick butter
1 butter pecan cake mix (reserve 3/4 c cake mix)
2 c pecans
1 c light brown sugar
2 T water
2 eggs, beaten

Mix together and pour into 9x13 pan. Bake 20 minutes at 325.

Mix together the following (there will be lots of lumps):
2 eggs, beaten
1 c sugar
1 stick butter, very soft
1 c whole milk
1 c light corn syrup

Mix and slowly pour around edges of cake. Bake at 325 for an additional 45 minutes. The cake will be browned (not lightly browned, a deep gplden brown) on top and the center will not jiggle when done. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.