Apple Cider Donuts from scratch

I never thought I'd make donuts from scratch. However, they are super easy and inexpensive! Who can resist a yummy fall treat of apple cider donuts!
Ingredients:
1 cup apple cider
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening
2 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk (you can always add 1 tbsp. lemon juice to milk, let sit for 5 minutes)
3 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
Vegetable/canola oil for frying

Glaze:

1 cup apple cider
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Boil apple cider in small saucepan until it is reduced to 1/4 cup, 8 to 10 minutes; cool.

2. Beat sugar with shortening until smooth. Add eggs and mix well, then add buttermilk and reduced cider.

3. Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in another bowl. Add to liquid ingredients; mix just enough to combine. Refrigerate for 2 -4 hours.

4. Transfer dough to lightly floured board and pat to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut with 2 1/2- to 3-inch doughnu/biscuit cutter; reserve doughnut holes and reroll and cut scraps.

5. Add enough oil or shortening to fill a deep pan 3 inches; heat to 375F. Fry several doughnuts at a time, turning once or twice, until browned and cooked through, about 4 minutes. Remove to paper towels with slotted spoon.

6. Make the glaze: Simmer the remaining 1 cup cider in a small saucepan over medium heat until reduced to 1/4 cup. Whisk in confectioners' sugar until smooth and glossy, then set aside. Mix remaining 1 cup granulated sugar and 2 tsp. cinnamon in a shallow bowl.

7. Did warm donuts in glaze, then roll in cinnamon sugar.

Chicken And Dumplings

Steff had us over for dinner tonight and made an amazing dinner of Chicken and Dumplings. I highly recommend this yummy dinner!

1 (32 oz) container low sodium chicken broth
1 (14 oz) can low sodium chicken broth
3 cups shredded chicken (about 1 1/2 lbs)
1 (10 3/4 oz) can reduced fat cream of celery soup
3/4 tsp poultry seasoning
2 hard cooked eggs, chopped (she omitted this)
1 (10 oz) can refrigerated jumbo buttermilk biscuits

Stir together first 5 ingredients in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer, stirring occasionaly, 15 minutes. Add chopped eggs.

Place biscuits on a lightly floured surface. Roll or pat each biscuit to 1/4 inche thickness; cut into 1/2 inch wide strips.

Return broth mixture to a low boil over medium-high heat. Drop strips, 1 at a time, into boiling broth. Reduce heat to low; simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Very yummy!

If anybody needs a non-cooking meal, we tried the Stouffer's Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake last night, and it was pretty good:) Joe liked it!

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Oh these are the easiest and the yummiest muffins ever! (If you love pumpkin that is)

1 can pumpkin puree
1 box spice cake mix
1/2 cup water

Mix all ingredients. Bake per cake temp. usually 350 degrees for about 15-18 minutes, keep an eye out. I added the water so they are not to thick, you don't have to use it.

Enjoy!

Jambalaya

I have made this for dinner twice now and it is delicious and easy. I added some precooked frozen shrimp to it as well. Enjoy - Steffany

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 package (12 ounces, 4 links) spicy smoked chicken or pork sausage, such as habanero green chile or andouille, cut into coins
1 medium-size onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 rib celery, trimmed and diced
1-1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes with zesty mild green chiles, drained
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 can (15.5 ounces) light, low-sodium chicken broth

Directions
1. Heat oil in large lidded skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sausage and saute, shaking pan and stirring frequently until chicken is no longer pink but not cooked completely, about 4 minutes.

2. With a slotted spoon, remove chicken and sausage to a bowl. Reduce heat to medium and add onion, green pepper and celery to skillet. Cook vegetables until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in Cajun seasoning, tomatoes and rice. Add broth.

3. Bring to a simmer, then cover pan and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 20 minutes, until almost all the liquid is absorbed. Stir chicken and sausage back into pan, along with any accumulated juices. Cook, uncovered, 5 minutes, until rice is tender.

Meatball Soup & Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bars

Meatball Soup

If you aren't a soup person at least make the meatballs. They are one of the best I've ever made. It's looks like a lot of work but it does not take that long to make and is very yummy. This would freeze well too!

Ingredients:
3 ounces whole wheat pasta shapes (bowties, wagons)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, with their juice (I used diced since I did not have whole on hand)
1/4 cup carrot puree
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 cups beef or chicken broth

Meatballs:
3 slices whole wheat bread, cubed
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup sweet potato puree
1/4 cup nonfat skim milk
2 tbsp Parm cheese
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
1/2 lb lean ground turkey

Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to package. Drain, set aside.
2. Coat a large pot with cooking spray and put over medium high heat. When pot is hot add the oil, onion, and garlic. Cook until softened and not browned.
3. Puree the tomatoes and their juice with the carrot puree (I just mashed them in the pot). Add to the pot along with 1/2 tsp salt. Add the broth, reduce heat to low, and simmer, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Put the bread in a large bowl. Add the egg, sweet potatoes, milk, parm, 1 tsp salt, pepper, and paprika. Let soak until bread is very soft. Stir to break up the bread and add the ground turkey. Mix until smooth. Form into mini meatballs and add to the pot of soup. Simmer for 12 to 15 minutes or until no longer pink. Stir in pasta, sprinkle with cheese, serve!

Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients:
1 pouch Betty Crocker oatmeal cookie mix
1/2 cup firm butter
2 packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp flour
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 can apple pie filling
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350. Grease bottom and sides of 13 x 9 pan.
2. Place cookie mix in bowl; cut in butter until mixture is crumbly and coarse. Reserve 1 1/2 cups mixture; press remaining crumbs in bottom of pan. Bake 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, flour, vanilla, and egg.
4. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over partially bakes crust. Mix pie filling and cinnamon. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle reserved crumbs over top.
5. Bake 35 to 40 minutes longer or until light golden brown. Cool 30 minutes and chill.

Meal Plan Friday

Maybe I will try to make a habit to put my menu for the week on Fridays... let's see how long that lasts! :) Don't forget that it can just be what you ate the week before if you don't actually make a meal plan.

Sunday - ham, egg, cheese, mushroom scramble, biscuits
Monday - chili, white rice
Tuesday - chicken, cheesy broccoli
Wednesday - chicken parmesan, mixed vegetables, breadsticks, olive oil tossed pasta
Thursday - tacos, cornbread
Friday - pizza?
Saturday - sweet potato pancakes, monkey bread

Would love to see what you ate!!