Copycat Recipe: Cracker Barrel Old Country Store's Carrot Cake

3/4 cup finely-chopped English walnuts
2 cups finely-shredded carrots
1 cup crushed pineapple (8 oz can) -- with juice
1/2 cup finely-shredded coconut
1/2 cup raisins -- soaked in water until plump, and then drained
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
3 cup flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
1 8 ounces cream cheese
1 stick butter -- room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups powder sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans -- for garnish

Mix together flour, baking powder,baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and
cloves. Set aside. In a large bowl mix with beater oil, sugars,vanilla and eggs
until smooth and fluffy. Add pineapple, walnuts, coconut,carrots, raisins and
blend well.

Gradually add flour mixture a half at a time until blended through. Pour
batter into a greased and floured 9- by 13-inch pan and bake at 350 degrees for
about 40 to 50 minutes. Test with toothpick for doneness. When cool frost with
cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting: Blend cream cheese and butter until light and
fluffy. Add vanilla and a little powdered sugar at a time until all has been
blended well. Turn mixer on high and beat until frosting is light and fluffy.
Spread frosting over the cooled cake and sprinkle with pecans.

Herbed Potato Slices

3 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon dried basil or oregano
2 tablespoons melted butter

Put half of the sliced potatoes and half of the sliced onions in a buttered 9-inch pie plate. Sprinkle with half of the dried herbs and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the butter. Repeat layers, ending with remaining melted butter.

Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cover plate with foil. Bake at 425° for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 to 20 minutes longer, or until potatoes are tender.Serves 4

Asparagus au Gratin

1 pound trimmed asparagus spears, fresh or frozen
salt and pepper
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

PREPARATION:
Heat warming drawer or preheat oven to 225°. Put asparagus in a pan large enough to hold them lying flat. Pour enough boiling water in the pan to cover asparagus; add salt, to taste. Cover and simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes, or until tender.

Lift asparagus out carefully with a spatula; transfer to paper towels to drain. Reserve 1/4 cup of cooking liquid. Arrange asparagus with tips all pointing in one direction on a warm, ovenproof serving dish; cover and keep warm in warming drawer or in a 225° degree oven. Simmer mushrooms in half of reserved asparagus liquid (2 tablespoons) for about 2 minutes, or until tender.

Drain and arrange over the bottom half of asparagus, leaving tips uncovered. Cover and continue to keep warm while making sauce.

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt butter; stir in flour until smooth. Continue to cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes, until golden in color. Remove from heat; gradually stir in milk, the remaining half of asparagus cooking liquid (2 tablespoons), and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Return sauce to heat; simmer for 2
minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened. Pour over mushrooms and sprinkle
with Parmesan cheese. Asparagus tips will remain exposed. Cover exposed
asparagus with foil; place dish under broiler for 2 to 3 minutes, or until sauce
with cheese is browned.
Serves 4

Copy Cat Recipe Cracker Barrel Cherry Chocolate Cobbler

1−1/2 cups flour
1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cups butter
1 (6 oz.) pkg. Nestle's semi−sweet chocolate morsels
1/4 cups milk
1 egg
1 (21 oz.) can cherry pie filling
1/2 cups nuts, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350F. In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter; cut with pastry blender until crumbs are size of large peas. Melt over hot (not boiling) water, Nestle's semi−sweet chocolate morsels. Remove from heat and cool
slightly at room temperature (about 5 minutes). Add milk and egg to melted
chocolate and mix well. Blend chocolate into flour mixture.

Spread cherry pie filling in bottom of 2 quart casserole. Drop chocolate batter randomly over cherries. Sprinkle with chopped nuts.

Bake at 350 F for 40 − 45 minutes. Serve warm with heavy cream.

Amaretto Coffee

1 ½ c Warm Water
1/3 c Amaretto
1 T Instant Coffee Crystals
Dessert Topping from a pressurized can

In a 2-cup measure stir together water and instant coffee crystals. Micro-cook uncovered, on 100% power for about 4 minutes or just till steaming hot. Stir in Amaretto. Serve in mugs. Top each mug of coffee mixture with some dessert topping.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Truffles

1 c peanut butter chips
3/4 c butter
1/2 cup cocoa
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon vanilla

Coatings:
crushed graham cracker crumbs, confectioner’s sugar or crushed nuts.

In a heavy saucepan, over low heat, melt chips with butter. Stir in cocoa until smooth. Add condensed milk and vanilla. Cook and stir until thickened and well blended, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Chill until firm enough to handle. Shape into 1 inch balls. Roll in desired coating. Chill until firm.

Store, covered in refrigerator. Makes about 3 dozen truffles

Chicken Pasta Salad

2 boneless chicken breasts
3/4 cup steak sauce
1 (12 ounce) package fussili or bowtie pasta
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 medium Vidalia onion, diced
2 avocados, peeled and diced
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 cup blue cheese or ranch salad dressing
Marinate chicken breasts in steak sauce for 15 to 60 minutes.

Grill until done and chop into bite−size pieces. In a large pot of boiling water, add the bouillon cubes and cook pasta until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water.
In a large bowl, combine chicken, pasta, onion, avocados and tomatoes. Add salad dressing, mix and refrigerate until chilled.

Stir in additional salad dressing when ready to serve, if desired.

Italian Tuna Salad Toss

• 1 (10-ounce) package salad greens
• 1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained, quartered
• 1 (9-ounce) package tuna in water, drained, flaked
• 1/2 pound green beans, cooked, drained
• 1 cup sliced plum tomatoes
• 1 bottle (8 oz) Italian salad dressing - fat free

Place greens on serving platter. Arrange artichokes, tuna, beans, and tomatoes over greens. Top with dressing. Makes 6 servings, serving size 2 cups

Sweet Potato Salad

Makes 12 Servings


• 3 pounds red potatoes
• 2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup dill pickle relish
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley

DIRECTIONS
Boil until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes.

Drain, cool and slice. Combine the vinegar, olive oil, garlic, dill pickle relish and onion in a large bowl. Add sliced potatoes and mix to coat.

Whisk together mayonnaise, pepper, sour cream and parsley. Pour over potatoes and chill at least 8 hours before serving.

KITCHEN CLEANING TIPS

Cleaning up the kitchen is part of cooking. Not only is it easier to cook and bake in a clean kitchen, but clean surfaces and storage containers will keep your family healthier and safer. Take some time to learn these easy tips and preventative measures and before you know it your kitchen will be automatically cleaner and less cluttered. Make cleaning second nature and you'll save time and money.

BASIC TIPS

Have a place for everything. It's much easier to use a utensil or appliance, clean it and put it away when it has a home. I use foil as an example in my kitchen. I have a special drawer that is used just for foil, plastic wrap and parchment paper. Those items are always easy to find, and are put away after each use because they have a special home.

Don't mix ammonia and bleach because it will create toxic fumes. Identify spots in your kitchen that accumulate clutter and take a few minutes every day to clear those spots and place objects in their correct homes. Try to end each day with a clean, empty kitchen sink. Run the dishwasher before you go to bed and unload it first thing in the morning. A sponge is actually a great way to spread germs. I prefer using paper towels, discarding them after cleaning each surface, to totally prevent cross-contamination.

QUICK FIXES

To quickly clean burned food on a pan, add some dish soap and 1/2" of water. Bring to a boil, and then let the liquid cool in the pan. The burned food will be easy to remove. When food spills over and burns on the oven floor, sprinkle a bit of salt on
the mess. The smoke will be reduced and the spill easier to clean after the oven
cools.

To clean your microwave oven, mix together 2 Tbsp. of lemon juice or vinegar and 2 cups of water in a 4 cup glass microwave safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH for two to three minutes. Carefully remove the bowl and wipe the microwave with paper towels. Repeat as necessary.

To clean sluggish drains, pour 1/2 cup baking soda down the drain. Add 1/2 cup white vinegar and cover the drain. Let this mixture foam for a few minutes, then pour 8 cups of boiling water down the drain. to flush it. Do not use this combination after using any commercial drain opener or cleaner.

I like to put lemon or lime pieces through the garbage disposal every few days for a clean fresh smell.

Clean your coffee maker every few weeks by filling the water reservoir with equal parts white vinegar and water and putting it through the brew cycle. Then use clean fresh water and repeat the brew cycle to rinse the machine. Repeat with fresh water
two more times.

If you don't have a self-cleaning oven, scrape up any large spills, then spray cleaner inside the oven, close the door and let it sit overnight so the cleaner has time to work.
To clean a blender, squirt a few drops of liquid soap into it, fill halfway with warm water, cover and blend away the mess. Rinse and repeat if necessary.

MAKE YOUR OWN CLEANERS
For your own window washing solution, mix 1/3 cup vinegar and 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol in a 1 quart spray bottle. Fill up with water.

Dry baking soda cleans chrome perfectly.

Cream of tartar and water mixed to a paste will clean porcelain.

A paste of baking soda and water will clean coffee stains.

Plain liquid Ivory soap mixed with water is one of the best all-purpose cleaners. You can keep this solution in a spray bottle, but only use a bit of soap or the mixture
may become too foamy to spray.

Dissolve 1/4 cup baking soda in 1 quart of warm water for a good general cleaner.

PREVENTATIVE TIPS

Clean up spills as they occur so you won't be faced with one huge cleaning session.
Did you know that you use 20% of your utensils 80% of the time? Any tool or appliance which doesn't get used during a week of cooking should be cleaned and stored to save counter and cupboard space and cleaning time. It's easier to clean a
grill if you do it after each use. Also oil the grill rack before each use to make cleanup easier.

Wash as you go. Fill one half of a double sink or a separate waterproof tub with hot soapy water and drop in utensils as you use them. Food won't dry on the utensils and cleanup will be a breeze.

Once every 7-10 days, remove all the food from your refrigerator, wipe
down the inside with warm soapy water, clean all the shelves and trays, then
replace the food. As you work, check expiration dates and discard food past
those dates. Place an open box of baking soda in the back of the fridge.
Once a month, remove all the food from your pantry, wipe down with a clean
damp cloth, check for spoilage and expiration dates, then replace items in their
designated places.

Moo Goo Gai Pan

4 chicken breast halves, skinned, boned and sliced
salt and pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 tb cornstarch
5 tb corn oil
8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
4 lb. bok choy or Chinese white cabbage, chopped
2 tb sugar
4 tb soy sauce
6 scallions, chopped

In a bowl, toss chicken with the salt and pepper, garlic and cornstarch mixture. Set aside. Heat 3 tablespoons of corn oil in a wok and stir in mushrooms, bok choy/cabbage and sugar for 2 minutes. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
Remove from wok.

Heat remaining corn oil in wok. Stir−fry chicken for 2 minutes over high heat. Add soy sauce and mix well. Cover and cook for about 6 minutes, or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Mix in the cooked vegetables and scallions. Stir fry together for about 1minute. Serve hot with rice.

Basic White Sauce

Basic white sauce is the mainstay of many delicious sauces for a savy cook.You do not have to be a savy cook however to make this very easy sauce base. Once made you can refridgerate it for use another time. (it will keep tightly covered in the back coldest part of your fridge for 2 weeks)

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 dash white pepper

1 cup milk

DIRECTIONS:
In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, salt and pepper until smooth. Gradually whisk in the milk.Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

Use immediately or refrigerate.

Suggested uses:

Cheese Sauce: To the hot basic white sauce, add 1/2 cup of your favorite grated cheese (or a combination of several cheeses equalling 1/2 cup.)

Mustard Sauce: Add 2 Tblsp of brown spicy mustard to the sauce,stir well.
(More if you desire a stronger mustard taste)

White Wine Sauce: Substitute the milk for 1 cup white wine, and add 1 tsp chopped fresh parsley. Perfect for pouring over chicken.

Creamy Garlic Sauce: Add 1 tsp chopped fresh garlic and 1 tsp freshly chopped parsley. Salt and pepper to taste.

Creamy Alfredo Sauce: Substitute 1/2 the milk with 1/2 cup chicken broth, add 1/4 cup romano cheese and 4 oz cream cheese, cubed.