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< Back Tortilla (wheat or white) These really are the best ever homemade flour tortillas, no one can believe how easy and delicious they are! They're perfect for enchiladas, soft tacos, burritos, quesadillas, wraps... Previous Next

This delicious meal couldn't be easier if it tried! < Back Salsa Soup Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Serves: 6 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 1 pound of hamburger 1 quart of stewed tomatoes 1 pint favorite salsa Preparation Cook hamburger in a stew pot, drain. Add stewed tomatoes and salsa. Heat until warm and serve with (or without) sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, with chips on the side. Really, that's it! No need to spice it up because the salsa provides all the flavor. If you don't eat it all the first day, no problem, it just gets better the next day! This also freezes well. Previous Next

Pies, cakes, smoothies—it makes everything taste better! < Back Homemade Pumpkin Puree Prep Time: 45 Minutes Cook Time: 45 Minutes Serves: 6 Level: Beginner Ingredients 2 whole small pumpkins Preparation 1. Select a couple of small sized pumpkins. Cut the pumpkin in half. Using a spoon or a scoop, scrape out the seeds and pulp from the center. You don't have to be too thorough with this. 2. Reserve all of the seeds in a separate bowl. Repeat until all the pumpkin pieces are largely free of seeds and pulp 3. Place the pumpkin pieces on a baking sheet (face up or face down; I've done both) and roast in a 350°F oven until the pumpkin is fork-tender, 45 minutes. They should be nice and light golden brown when done. 4. Peel off the skin from the pumpkin pieces until you have a big pile of the stuff. If you have a food processor, throw in a few chunks at a time. A blender will work, too, if you add a little water. Or you can simply mash it up with a potato masher, or move it through a potato ricer, or process it through a food mill. 5. Pulse the pumpkin until smooth. If it looks too dry, add in a few tablespoons of water during the pulsing to give it the needed moisture. (Note, if the puree is overly watery, you should strain it over cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer to get rid of some of the liquid.) 6. Dump the pureed goodness into a bowl, and continue pureeing until all the pumpkin is done. 7. You can either use this immediately in whatever pumpkin recipe you'd like or store it in the freezer for later use. 8. To store in the freezer, spoon about 1 cupful of pumpkin into each plastic storage bag. Seal the bag with just a tiny bit of an opening remaining, then use your hands to flatten out the pumpkin inside the bag and push out the air. Store them in the freezer until you need them. It's around this time of year that I start storing up pumpkin puree in my freezer, in approximately one-cup quantities. I've read opinions that declare canned pumpkin puree just as good as, if not better than, the fresh stuff. And you know me—I'm always willing to go along with a more convenient shortcut. But all I can tell you is that in my experience… in my isolated, agoraphobic, reclusive experience… I've been more pleased with the outcome of pumpkin-based dishes in which I've used the from-scratch puree. To begin, select a couple of small-ish pumpkins. The larger they are—for instance, jack-o-lantern pumpkins—the more you’ll run into weird tastes and textures. (Though the first time my mother-in-law and I pureed pumpkin, we used a big motherin’ thing and it turned out just fine.) I think the one on the left senses the end is near. Could have something to do with the gigantic knife right next to him. Ugh. This is always the worst part. I'm sorry, guys… but you're a part of the food chain. I’m just following the natural order of things. Pretend he's a jack-o'-lantern and lop off his head near the stem. Cut in half Then take a moment to examine his innards. Pretend you're a surgeon. Repeat with the other pumpkin. Okay, wait a minute. I know there are vegetarians. I understand that. And while I don't necessarily subscribe to the exact same set of values vegetarians do, I do understand where they're coming from. Animals are sweet. And cuddly. And fellow citizens of this earth. But before I continue with this personification of vegetables, is there such a thing as a belief system that espouses that vegetables are somehow alive? And that if we lop off their heads we're committing some form of murder? I just want to make sure before I continue on to the next step. I'm all about not offending here at ThePioneerWoman.com . I don't want to make anyone's hiney cringe. Anyway, as I was saying, back to the pumpkin's guts… With a spoon or a scoop, scrape out the seeds and pulp from the center. Sometimes, you have to use a little elbow grease—the stringy stuff likes to hang on. And don't get too worked up about leaving a few strings behind. It won't hurt anything. (Translation: I give you permission not to be thorough.) Place all the seeds into a bowl and please do not discard them. We'll roast them later. Repeat until all the pumpkin pieces are largely free of seeds and pulp. Place pumpkin pieces on a baking sheet (face up or face down; I've done both) and roast in a 350° oven for 45 minutes, or until pumpkin is fork-tender. This is what it looks like when it's done—just nice and light golden brown. (FYI, I don't drizzle the pumpkin with olive oil before baking, because I want the puree to be in its purest form.) And that makes it pretty easy to remove the skin from the pumpkin pieces. Sometimes, I use a knife and scrape the "meat" from the skin as I peel it back. I don't want to sacrifice any of that delicious orange goodness. My eyes. They need it. Continue peeling off the pumpkin skin… Until you have a big pile of the stuff. And if you think I didn't break off a chunk of this stuff and pop it right into my mouth, you're sorely mistaken. Now, if you have a food processor, throw in a few chunks at a time. A blender will work, too, if you add a little water. OR… you can simply mash it up with a potato masher… OR move it through a potato ricer… OR process it through a food mill. Whatever makes your skirt fly up. Pulse the pumpkin until it's totally smooth. Now, while some pumpkin, depending on the batch you get, can be quite watery, this was almost too dry. I added in 3 tablespoons of water during the pulsing and it was just the moisture it needed. (Note, if the puree is overly watery, you should strain it on cheesecloth or over a fine mesh strainer to get rid of some of the liquid. Dump the pureed goodness into a bowl… Then fill the food processor with more pumpkin chunks. And puree away! And dump it into the bowl with its fallen comrades. NOW! You can either use this immediately in whatever pumpkin recipe you’d like…or you can store it in the freezer for later use. Here's how I store my pumpkin: Grab a large plastic storage bag and fold the edges outward. (This will keep you from smudging pumpkin all over the inside of the bag, not that that matters since it'll eventually be all over the inside of the bag anyway, so why am I even suggesting this? Forgive me, please. Forgive me.) I spoon about 1 cupful of pumpkin into each bag; that way, I know exactly how much I’m getting when I pull a bag out of the freezer. Seal the bag with just a tiny bit of an opening remaining, then use your hands to flatten out the pumpkin inside the bag and push out the air. See? IT'S A GOOD THING I HAD YOU FOLD THOSE SIDES DOWN SO YOU WOULDN'T GET PUMPKIN ALL OVER THE INSIDE OF THE BAG, HUH? Sometimes, I amaze myself. Fill as many bags as you can, stacking them as you go. Store them in the freezer until you need them. I know those freezer police try to tell you only to store it for six to eight months, but I SWEAR I've used a year-old pumpkin from the freezer before with great success. Don't tell the freezer police. I don't want any trouble. Previous Next

These Cranberry Pecan Brie Bites are perfect for holiday entertaining! Whether you make them for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s, no one will be able to resist the gooey melted brie, tart cranberry sauce, and toasted pecan atop a piece of naan! Easy and fabulous – just what holiday entertaining should be! < Back Cranberry Pecan Brie Bites Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cook Time: 6 Minutes Serves: 12 Level: Beginner Ingredients 1 cup cranberry sauce 2 8.8 oz packages Original Stonefire naan flatbread 1 8 oz package brie 24 pecan halves fresh thyme to garnish Preparation Holiday entertaining is one of my very favorite things. I love planning and preparing food for friends and family and appetizers are my very favorite. When it comes to holiday entertaining, appetizers are the one element that can make or break a party. It’s really more about quality over quantity. Having a few good appetizers is much better than putting too many so-so options in front of your guests. These Cranberry Pecan Brie Bites are an amazing appetizer that I will be serving this holiday season. The cranberry sauce is homemade, adding a touch of elegance and warmth to this easy-to-prepare dish. If you are short on time, or simply don’t have access to fresh cranberries, canned cranberry sauce will do in a pinch. Go for the “whole berry” version if you can find it. The cranberry sauce only takes about 15 minutes, start to finish, and is a wonderful complement to the brie. Because brie is such a favorite during the holidays, I knew it would be perfect for these tasty bites. I simplified the whole recipe with the use of Original Stonefire naan. Not only does it make preparation a breeze, it adds fantastic texture as well. Stonefire naan comes in so many great varieties and is available at many stores but the best places to find Stonefire are at Ahold, Publix or Kroger. I used a pizza cutter to cut the naan into small pieces. Each piece of naan is topped with a small wedge of brie, a small amount of the cranberry sauce and a pecan. The pecan gets toasted, the cheese gets all melty and fabulous, and the entire bite is total bliss. Hello, holidays. I topped each bite with a little fresh thyme. A pop of color is always a good thing and it really makes these Cranberry Pecan Brie Bites extra festive and fun. Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Cut naan into pieces using a pizza cutter. Aim for 6 to 8 pieces per naan. Cut small wedges off the wheel of brie and place on top of the naan. Spoon a small amount of the cooled cranberry sauce on top of the brie. Top with a pecan half. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until brie starts to melt and bubble. Remove, top with a sprig of fresh thyme and serve immediately. Previous Next

I use canned goods and my slow cooker to whip up an old-fashioned treat that’s loaded with sweet fruits. It makes a cozy dessert or even a change-of-pace side dish for large parties. < Back Slow Cooker Fruit Compote Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 2 Hours Serves: 18 Level: Beginner About the Recipe I use canned goods and my slow cooker to whip up an old-fashioned treat that’s loaded with sweet fruits. It makes a cozy dessert or even a change-of-pace side dish for large parties. Ingredients 2 cans (29 ounces each) sliced peaches, drained 2 cans (29 ounces each) pear halves, drained and sliced 1 can (20 ounces) pineapple chunks, drained 1 can (15-1/4 ounces) apricot halves, drained and sliced 1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling Preparation In a 5-qt. slow cooker, combine the peaches, pears, pineapple and apricots. Top with pie filling. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or until heated through. Serve with a slotted spoon. Previous Next

Make Your Own Cream Of Anything Soup, Taste So Good!!! < Back Homemade Cream Of Anything Soup Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 10 Minutes Serves: 1 can Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients Cream of Celery Soup: 2 tablespoons butter or oil 1/4 cup finely diced celery 2 tablespoons flour 1 1/2 cups milk (any percentage) 1 teaspoon crushed celery seed salt and pepper to taste Cream of Mushroom Soup: 2 tablespoons butter or oil 1/2 cup finely diced mushrooms 2 tablespoons flour 1 1/2 cups milk (any percentage) salt and pepper to taste Cream of Chicken Soup: 2 tablespoons butter or oil 2 tablespoons flour 1 3/4 cups milk (any percentage) 1 1/2 teaspoons chicken base, bullion or powder salt and pepper to taste. Preparation Cream of Celery Soup: In a medium-sized saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add celery and until softened, three to four minutes, stirring often. Stir in flour, whisking as the flour cooks for a minute or two and smooths out. Add milk, a little at a time, whisking until it’s all incorporated. Bring to a simmer and simmer gently, stirring now and then, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and leaves a distinct line when a finger is run across it. It will thicken more as it cools. Add the celery seed and salt and pepper to taste. Use as a substitute for a can of Cream of Celery Soup. Cream of Mushroom Soup: In a medium-sized saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook until lightly browned and softened, four or five minutes, stirring often. Stir in flour, whisking as the flour cooks for a minute or two and smooths out. Add milk, a little at a time, whisking until it’s all incorporated. Bring to a simmer and simmer gently, stirring now and then, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and leaves a distinct line when a finger is run across it. It will thicken more as it cools. Add salt and pepper to taste. Use as a substitute for a can of Cream of Mushroom Soup. Cream of Chicken Soup: In a medium-sized saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour, whisking as the flour cooks for a minute or two and smooths out. Add milk, a little at a time, whisking until it’s all incorporated. Bring to a simmer and simmer gently, stirring now and then, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and leaves a distinct line when a finger is run across it. It will thicken more as it cools. Add chicken base and salt and pepper to taste. Use as a substitute for a can of Cream of Chicken Soup. Previous Next

< Back All-Around Excellent Herb Tomato Sauce This sauce is good for pizzas, spaghetti, for dipping garlic bread sticks, and for making Chicken Parmigiana among other things. This recipe makes a lot of sauce, but it stores well and if it is in the fridge, you can whip together a pizza, or whatever, in just moments. Previous Next

Simple and delicious creamy lemon pasta ready in just 15 minutes! Also known as Pasta Al Limone, the beauty of pasta is how simple but flavorful the pasta sauce is. Perfectly cooked pasta tossed in a zesty and lemony cream sauce with a touch of salty parmesan cheese. Perfect to be served with roasted vegetables, fish, meat, or chicken. < Back Creamy Lemon Pasta Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cook Time: 15 Minutes Serves: 4 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Simple and delicious creamy lemon pasta ready in just 15 minutes! Also known as Pasta Al Limone, the beauty of pasta is how simple but flavorful the pasta sauce is. Perfectly cooked pasta tossed in a zesty and lemony cream sauce with a touch of salty parmesan cheese. Perfect to be served with roasted vegetables, fish, meat, or chicken. Ingredients 8 oz (225g) angel hair pasta (Capellini) 2 tablespoons butter 2 cloves garlic minced ½ lemon juice and zest ¼ cup heavy cream (double cream in the UK) 1 teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper ½ cup grated parmesan ¼ cup parsley chopped Preparation If you know how to make a few good pasta sauces from scratch, you will never run out of dinner ideas! I’m a carb-loving person and eat A LOT of pasta. It’s so comforting and delicious, I mean, who doesn’t love pasta especially when it’s generously covered with an amazing sauce? Lemon Pasta Sauce Ingredients To make this simple lemon pasta sauce, here’s what you’ll need: Pasta – I like to use angel hair pasta, but any type of pasta works here. Lemon – use fresh unwaxed lemons. Parmesan – the best that you can get your hands on! Butter and heavy cream – the cream can be substituted with half and half. Garlic, salt, and pepper. How To Make Lemon Pasta In a medium-sized saucepot, boil water and add salt after it starts boiling. Add your pasta, and cook according to the package instructions to al dente. When the pasta is cooked, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta. In a skillet , melt butter on medium heat and saute the sliced/minced garlic and lemon zest very lightly without allowing the garlic to brown. Add the heavy cream, lemon juice, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 1 minute. Add the hot pasta along with a part of the pasta water, and toss it using kitchen tongs until the sauce is emulsified and coats the pasta. Keep on tossing and add more pasta water if needed until you reach the desired consistency. Remove from heat, and add freshly grated parmesan cheese and chopped parsley leaves. Toss and season with salt if needed. Serve warm with extra grated parmesan cheese and a little bit of lemon zest if desired. Top Tips For Pasta With Lemon A key step in this recipe is to cook the pasta until just al dente . The pasta will continue to cook as it’s tossed with the lemon sauce, so if you cook it all the way through in boiled water, it will end up overcooked. It’s important to reserve some pasta cooking liquid as you cook the pasta. It’s full of starch and used to loosen up the lemon cream sauce. I use angel hair pasta because I like the thin noodles with the cream sauce, but you can go for linguine or bucatini if you like. Storage And Reheating Instructions Fridge : Store in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 3 days. Reheat : Reheat the pasta in a skillet over low-medium heat, and add a splash of water to thin out the sauce. Do the same if using the microwave. Freezer : I don’t recommend freezing this lemon pasta, as I found that it breaks when frozen and reheated. Instructions In a medium-sized saucepan, boil water and add salt after it starts boiling. Add your pasta, and cook according to the package instructions to al dente. When the pasta is cooked, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta. In a skillet, melt butter on medium heat and saute garlic and lemon zest very lightly without allowing the garlic to brown. About 30 seconds. Add the heavy cream, lemon juice, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 1 minute. Add the hot pasta along with a part of the pasta water, and toss it using kitchen tongs until the sauce is emulsified and coats the pasta. Keep on tossing and add more pasta water if needed until you reach the desired consistency. Remove from heat, and add freshly grated parmesan cheese and chopped parsley leaves. Toss and season with salt if needed. Serve warm with extra grated parmesan cheese and a little bit of lemon zest if desired. Notes: Salt the water to cook the pasta just like seawater. You might not need to use all of the reserved pasta water, see how much you need to make the sauce as you make it. You can substitute the heavy cream with half and half or light cream, but the sauce will be a bit thinner. Use freshly grated parmesan cheese as store-bought grated parmesan does not melt smoothly. Storing Tips Fridge : Store in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 3 days. Reheat : Reheat the pasta in a skillet over low-medium heat, and add a splash of water to thin out the sauce. Do the same if using the microwave. Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing this pasta, as I found that it breaks when frozen and reheated. Previous Next

Recipes Intermediate Festive Cake This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content.

This is the perfect recipe to take to a party or church function. It is quick and easy, and everybody will rave about them! It is also a good recipe to make when you don’t want to share with anyone. This desert freezes well and is delicious fresh, frozen, or thawed. (I know this because I’m eating a frozen slice right now.) < Back No Bake Lemon Cheesecake Tarts/Pie Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: N/A Serves: 12 tarts/8 pie Level: Beginner Ingredients 1 can 14 ounce Borden Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk 8 ounces cream cheese 1 teaspoon lemon zest (optional, but really good) 1/3 cup lemon juice ½ teaspoon vanilla 1 can/bottle of favorite pie topping or syrup (i.e., cherry, strawberry, blueberry, caramel, chocolate, etc.) Preparation Soften cream cheese and beat in a mixer to remove lumps. Add sweetened condensed milk, beating on high until mixture thickens. Add lemon juice and vanilla, and continue beating on high until mixture is quite thick and slightly fluffy. Stir in lemon zest. After placing it in a serving container, refrigerate for about an hour. Just before serving, top with your favorite topping and enjoy. For tarts : place muffin paper cups in a muffin tin and put a vanilla wafer in the bottom of each cup. Pour mixture to about ¾ full in each cup. For pie : pour into pre-cooked 8 or 9-inch graham cracker crust and refrigerate for about an hour Previous Next

Yummy! Creamy! And a fun family dish! < Back Cheese Fondue Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Serves: 6 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 1 cube of butter 1/2 cup milk 1 lbs. mozzerella OR Swiss cheese, grated 2 tablespoons flour Preparation Melt the butter and milk in the warm fondue pot Dust the cheese with the flour and mix it until all of the cheese is lightly coated. This will help make the sauce thicker. While stirring, slowly add the dusted cheese to the butter/milk mixture a small handful at a time. Make sure to allow the cheese to thoroughly melt before adding the next handful. Repeat until all of the cheese is incorporated This makes a perfect dipping cheese sauce. Other cheeses may be substituted. Try different ones to see what you like best. Previous Next

< Back 5 Minute Bread Easy fast homemade bread! Previous Next