Clover Lane

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This is our second favorite muffin, first being the lemon blueberry muffin.  Easy and quick, no tricky ingredients.  I bought new muffin "tins" and I LOVE them.  Why did it take me so long to switch over?  I hated cleaning the stainless ones, and I also always ran out of muffin liners.  All my problems solved!  These are so easy to use and to clean.  I'm adding these to my list of favorite kitchen supply purchases ever.

This is such a quick easy budget friendly recipe, and so savory.   I serve this on fresh buns, and some kids choose to top with BBQ sauce.  It's good just the way it comes out of the slow cooker also!  The next day I freeze the leftovers or save some to add for a coleslaw salad for myself.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

3-4 pounds of boneless pork shoulder (I always have to remember the shoulder is the one that shreds the best)

1 tsp paprika

2 tsps garlic powder

2 tsps cumin

2 tsp chili powder

2 tsp kosher salt

3 TBS brown sugar

1 onion, chopped

In a small bowl, mix together the seasonings.

Place the pork shoulder in the slow cooker and coat it with the seasonings and onion.  That's it!

Cook on low for 8 hours.  When time is up, shred the meat with two forks until it's all mixed up.  It's ready to serve!

Tortilla Chili

I am trying to make a soup for Sunday dinner, and then for me to have leftovers for lunch during the winter months.  This week I made my Tortilla Chili.  It's so easy and so good.  It's easiest to make in a large slow cooker like this, but I can fit it carefully in my regular sized slow cooker also.

This was a hit at my house last Sunday night, and I've saved the leftovers for lunch for me all week.  It hits the spot on a cold winter day!

Italian Sausage and Vegetable Soup

1 TBS olive oil

1 pound of Italian sweet sausage, removed from casings

1 cup diced celery

2 cups chopped onion

An easy family favorite.  

1 to 1 1/2 rolls of crushed Ritz crackers

3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into strips (about 1 and 1/2 pounds of chicken)

1 cup mayonnaise

1 tsp dried mustard

1 tsp garlic salt

2 TBS of olive oil

I had never heard of a "dump cake" until a bunch of them showed up in my feed on Pinterest and thought I'd give one a try.  Such an easy dessert to whip together at the last minute for your family (I halved the recipe below) or to bring to a family gathering or potluck.  It seems there are SO many versions of these dump cakes.  The one that I chose and adapted is very simple.

Two simple muffin recipes that are quick and easy for guests or hungry kids that must be fed.

This is a sweet tasting old-fashioned sheet cake made with a white cake mix, strawberries (fresh or frozen) and strawberry jello.

So I made it again...and I didn't burn it this time.  And took more photos.  And I made the frosting...and changed the recipe slightly...and it was HEAVENLY.

So easy and so good.


Pumpkin Pull-Apart Bread Rolls
12 Rhodes Dinner Rolls (in frozen food section), thawed but still cold
1/3 cup melted butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice


Rum Glaze:
3 TBS butter
2 TBS brown sugar
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla flavoring
3 TBS Kahlua liquor

Spray a loaf pan, or an oval Pyrex.
Once thawed, but cold, slice the bread rolls in half.  Melt the butter in one bowl, and mix the sugar and spice together in a another bowl.  Dip each 1/2 in the butter, and then in the sugar mixture.  (I put all of them in the butter, and coated, and all of them in the sugar mixture and coated well. Sprinkle any butter or sugar over the top.

Put the bread pieces in the loaf pan or Pyrex, and cover with a sprayed Saran wrap.  Let sit till double in size.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes, but cover with foil half way through so the top doesn't burn.

Meanwhile mix together the rum glaze ingredients well.

When the buns come out of the oven, spread or drip the rum glaze on the bread.

Eat when warm...they are incredible.

SEE NEW RECIPE HERE.

I might have to admit it's fall because well...it's October.  But you know I will stretch summer as long as I can and heck here in Ohio it still feels like summer.

But I did have a little craving for pumpkin bread...so I made this...and it was delicious.  Even though I burned it.  So much for cute photos, but it's also real life, so that makes up for the lack of cute photos.


Pumpkin Spice Pull-Apart Loaf with Rhodes Dinner Rolls

12 Rhodes Yeast Dinner Rolls
1/3 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Glaze: (Which I didn't put on because I didn't have a chance before everyone attacked the bread)

2 TBS butter
2 TBS brown sugar
1 1/2 TBS milk
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp rum flavoring (I am sure you could omit-I couldn't find at grocery store anyways.)

Let rolls thaw but not rise.  (They took about 2 hours out of freezer for me.) . When they are thawed, cut each roll in half.

Combine sugar and pumpkin pie spice in a bowl.

Dip each oval in melted butter and then in sugar.  Line them up in a sprayed 9x5 loaf pan.

(Just a note-once I cut the rolls in half, I put them ALL in the butter mixture and coated them, and then ALL in the sugar mixture, and then put that in the loaf pan-I don't have time or patience for lining things up nicely.)

Sprinkle remaining butter and sugar on top of the slices.  Cover with sprayed plastic wrap and let rise until double in size.

Remove wrap and bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes, covering with foil halfway through to keep from over-browning.

While baking, combine the butter, brown sugar and milk in a saucepan and bring to a boil.

Remove from heat and add the powdered sugar and flavoring.  Drizzle over slices after baked.

Cute packaging:

Baker's Twine-a set of multi-colored string
Baker's Boxes with Scalloped Edges
Small Baker's Bags (fits a personal amount of treats ie a few cookies)
Personalized Stamp (mine is very old but this is a similar stamp)
Cute tags at Amazon that fit the stamp also.
Wax bags for a few cookies.

This is pretty easy and fun to make and SUPER delicious.  Top it with a little vanilla ice cream.

Delicious Apple Tart

1 pie crust-I use one roll of crust from the Pillsbury pie crust in the refrigerated section
5 Granny Smith (or any) apples, peeled and sliced (a job for a kid)

Mix:
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt

For The Crumb Topping_
1/4 cup cold butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup flour


Preheat oven to 400.
Spray the inside of a tart pan (or you could use a shallow pie pan) with non-stick spray.
Press the crust into the pan.
Put the sliced apples in the crust evenly.
Sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture on top.

Mix the crumb topping ingredients together (use a fork)-it will be a coarse mixture.  Sprinkle on top of the cinnamon/apple mixture.

Bake for 40-45 minutes until top is slightly browned.

More of our favorite recipes here.

This is so delicious! I doubled the recipe because it looked so tasty and was glad I did so since it went fast.  Matthew requested his own loaf and then topped the slices with vanilla ice cream.  He knows how to do dessert.

Apple Fritter Bread

Heat oven to 350.  Coat a loaf pan with non-stick spray.

Mix together in a bowl:
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Set aside.

In a different bowl combine:
Two apples, peeled, cored, chopped.
2 TBS white sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
Set aside.

In a mixer bowl combine:
1 stick of butter (1/2 cup)
2 eggs
2/3 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 3/4 tsp of baking powder
1/2 cup milk

Pour half of the batter into loaf pan (or if using mini-loaf pans, just eye the division so it's pretty equal).  Add half of the apple mixture, and then half of the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture.  Repeat.  Lightly press apples into the cinnamon mixture and swirl through batter gently with a knife (I just made a figure 8 with the knife through the whole loaf pan once).

Bake 55-60 minutes for a normal loaf pan or 45 for the mini-loaf pans, or until toothpick comes out clean.

To make glaze mix 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of milk.  Wait for 15 minutes after bread comes out of oven and drizzle on top.  (This is optional, it is sweet enough without this, but it adds a beautiful touch.)

I made this for a quick dessert one evening when we had friends over and it was delicious and it's now a requested item here.  The bars taste just like a sugar cookie but is so much easier (and less messy) to make.  It could also be served with a small side of berries to garnish the top, or sprinkles.

Sugar Cookie Bars

Crust:

1 box white cake mix, dry, not prepared
8 TBS melted butter
1 egg

Topping:

8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
16 oz powdered sugar


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine cake mix, butter and egg in a bowl and beat until smooth.
3. Press dough down evenly into a 13x9 greased baking pan.
4. In a separate bowl combine cream cheese, eggs and powdered sugar and beat well.
5. Pour over crust and spread to corners.
6. Bake for about 25-30 minutes at 350.  It will look slightly under-baked-you don't want to overbake it.  The top will still have the consistency of frosting.
7. Remove and let cool and garnish as desire.

My friend Jenny made this for us when I was sick and it was gobbled up so quickly I had to ask for the recipe.  I've made it many times since then and it is always a hit.  It refrigerates well after baked, so the kids can have a piece before they go to school in the morning (high school growing boy breakfast for sure) if there are any leftovers.


Grease a 9 x 12 pan (I use cooking spray).

Whip 8 eggs.
Add 3 cups of milk.
Add 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper.
Tear up 8 cups of bread-I've always used 5-6 English Muffins, but any bread would do.
Add 8 oz of ground cooked sausage (I only use 1/2 the 16 oz. package and save the rest so it's not too heavy on meat.)
Pour into the pan.
Top with 2 cups of shredded cheese (I've used provolone or cheddar.)

Chill overnight.
Bake for 40 minutes, at 350 degrees.

All my recipes here.