Microwave Peanut Brittle

I’ve been making this candy during the holiday season for many years now. It’s very easy and has been fool-proof for me. Just remember to work quickly once you add the baking soda. And be careful, because the mixture is hot!

This is very tasty and much lighter in texture than store-bought peanut brittle. It’s great to give as a gift.

Prep time 5 minutes
Cook time 10 minutes
Servings 24

Ingredients

1 cup white sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
1 cup salted peanuts
1 tsp butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking soda

Directions

Coat a jell yroll pan with nonstick cooking spray. Combine sugar and corn syrup in a 2 quart glass bowl and microwave on high for 4 minutes. Add peanuts and microwave 3 ½ minutes, then stir in butter and vanilla and microwave for 1 ½ minutes more.

Stir in baking soda until the mixture turns light and foamy. Pour onto the cookie sheet and spread it thinly and evenly. Let cool completely and break into pieces.

Hot & Spicy Pecans

Let me warn you: these nuts are addictive! I like to make them during the holiday season for an appetizer/snack. They are also great to give as a gift. I found this recipe on allrecipes.com and it has never let me down.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 16

Ingredients

2 TBSP butter, melted
1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
¼ tsp ground red pepper
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp garlic powder
1 TBSP chili powder
2 cups pecan halves

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

In a medium bowl, mix butter, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper, salt and garlic powder. Stir in the pecans and gently toss with the chili powder to coat.

Spread coated pecans on a medium baking sheet, and bake for 30 minutes, stirring the pecans about every 10 minutes.

Savory Black-Eyed Peas

I must admit I used to think that black-eyed peas taste like mud, but then I realized I hadn’t really done anything to season them. I started researching recipes online and let my imagination go wild. I think you’ll see that once you properly season them, black-eyed peas can be delicious! This dish is a hearty dinner, one that works great on a cold winter’s night. Of course, corn bread is the perfect accompaniment to the peas.

Prep time 15 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Servings 8

Ingredients

1 pound dry black-eyed peas (sorted and soaked overnight)
Water
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups chopped ham
2 onions, chopped
2 cans Rotel tomatoes (you choose the heat level)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Place black-eyed peas in large pot. Barely cover with water. Stir in ham, onions, garlic, and Rotel tomatoes. Then add salt and pepper to taste. Bring beans to a boil. Cover beans, and simmer on medium-low heat for 2 ½ to 3 hours, or until peas are tender.

Parmesan Crab Spread

This is a great recipe for a party. I think it is best when served with toasted baguette slices, but you could serve it with crackers or tortilla chips. I had several recipes for crab dip, so I combined the best of each of them and came up with this recipe.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings 16

Ingredients

1 cup crab meat (if you must, use canned crab, drained and flaked)
1 8 ounce package softened cream cheese
1 cup mayonnaise (I use reduced fat)
1 cup sour cream (I use reduced fat)
2 cloves chopped garlic
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Dried parsley

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, mix the crab, cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, garlic and Parmesan cheese. Pour into a medium casserole dish and sprinkle with parsley. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes or until the spread is bubbly and golden brown.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

How could this get any better? It’s a combination of two of my most favorite things! When I make this for dinner, I serve it with a tossed salad. At a party, I cut it into squares and serve it with ranch or blue cheese dressing with carrot and celery sticks on the side. Either way, it’s delicious!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8-10 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

1 prepared pizza crust (such as Boboli)
1 cup cooked, cubed chicken breast
½ small onion, chopped
½ cup sliced banana peppers, chopped
¾ cup Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
¼ cup melted butter
1 to 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients except mozzarella in a large bowl and stir. Evenly spread chicken mixture on the pizza crust. Top with desired amount of mozzarella cheese. Bake for about 8-10 minutes, until cheese is melted completely and crust is crispy.