Absolutely, positively, without a doubt,  the best lemon pie recipe of all time.  This famous pie is just perfection.  This the pie your mother and your grandmother made, the one that has been on family tables for generations and often times the old recipes are best, and this is the BEST of the BEST.  You won't find a better lemon pie recipe, I've made it for years and years and it never fails. 

Filling:

1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
6 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups water
1/3 cup lemon juice
3 egg yolks
1 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
2 teaspoons vinegar
3 tablespoons butter

Never-Fail Meringue:

1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
1/2 cup boiling water
3 egg whites
 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch salt

Directions:

1. Bake prepared pie crust according to provided directions. Of course homemade is best and I love the vintage Crisco recipe, but Trader Joes makes a wonderful frozen crust.  You must let it come to room temperature before putting in your pie pan or it will break into pieces.  It's worth the effort, though, Trader Joes crust is the best I've found, but of course Pillsbury works, too.

2. To make filling, mix sugar and cornstarch together in the top of a double boiler. Add the two cups of water. Combine egg yolks with lemon juice and beat until well mixed.

3. Add to the rest of the sugar mixture. Cook over boiling water until thick — about 25 minutes which will eliminate any starchy taste.

4. Add the lemon extract, butter and vinegar, and stir thoroughly.

5. Pour mixture into deep 9-inch pie shell, and let cool.

5. To make meringue, blend cornstarch and cold water in a saucepan.

6. Add boiling water, and cook, stirring until clear and thickened.

7. Let stand until COMPLETELY cold.

8. With electric beater at high speed, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add sugar, and beat until stiff but not dry. Turn mixer to low speed; add salt and vanilla.

9. Gradually beat in cold cornstarch mixture. Turn mixer again to high, and beat well.

10. Spread meringue over cooled pie filling.

11. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until top is lightly browned.

Note:

If you want a sky-high meringue, like the ones you see in bakeries, just use 6 egg whites (save yolks for another recipe), and double the sugar....I just use the same amount of cornstarch/water mixture when I use 6 egg whites.

#lemonpie #annlanders #dearabby #famouslemonpie #lemonmeringuepie #worldsbestpie #awardwinningpie #yummy #homemade #foodie #jancooksrealfood #jancancook #janspicx #crisco #traderjoes #easterdessert #inagarten

This is my favorite dessert of all time.  This recipe dates back to the 60's and it's positively scrumptious.  Sometimes. you just can't beat old school and nothing compares to this in our family, it's one of those recipes that spans the generations and we will make forever.  It's timeless and it's just sinfully delicious.

Graham Cracker Crust

I make this in the food processor, it's so easy.  No food processor, no worries.  Just put the crumbs in a large baggie and crush with a rolling pin or a glass, then combine with the sugar and melted butter.

1 sleeve of graham crackers broken into pieces
1/3 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of melted butter

Combine all and pulse until combined.  Spray pie pan with cooking spray, and pat in the graham cracker crumbs, using a measuring cup to smooth and get close to the edges.  Homemade crumbs are so good, they are more coarse and gives you more graham cracker flavor.

Bake at 375 degrees for 7-8 minutes until it starts to brown.  

Cool before adding filling

Lemon Cream Cheese Filling

8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened at room temperature
1 can of Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk, don't get the low fat, go for it with fully leaded original, it's so much better
1/3 cup lemon juice - can substitute ReaLemon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling, chilled

Steps

Beat the cream cheese with a mixer on high until fluffy. Fold in the condensed milk, lemon juice and vanilla by hand, until blended. Pour the filling into the crust and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Top with the pie filling, chill thoroughly before serving in pan covered with aluminum foil.  I always place toothpicks vertically in the pie so that the foil doesn't smash the cherries. 🍒 #cherry #cherrypie #cherrycheesecake #cheesecake #food #foodie #yummy #yummyfood #jancooksrealfood #jancancook #janspicx #foodporn #fruit #dessert #delicious #sweets #pioneerwoman

You drive thru #Starbucks, buy a slice of their yummy lemon loaf for at least $3.50, knowing the next time they will have a price increase on your very favorite treat that you just are addicted to, then you buy a Venti Latte with a double shot of espresso, don't forget the tax and the tip, and oops, you've spent a chunka change.  Do that several times a month and it can be really painful.

But there is a better way.  Just make this at home and enjoy a slice every morning for days for a fraction of the price.  There are a lot of copycat Starbucks Lemon Loaf recipes floating around online, I've tried several that were just meh, and then I found this.  And yes, it's ahh-mazing. If you follow me, you know that I'm a huge lover of anything lemon, in fact so much so that next month I'm going to post a new lemon recipe for you every day for the entire month.

So get out your bakeware, grab your ingredients and stir up this yummy lemon bread, you don't even need a mixer.  This is very simple to make and you will love it!  You can even take a walk on the wild side and add some blueberries, but if you do, toss those blueberries in a bit of flour so that they don't all sink to the bottom.

INGREDIENTS:

3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream 
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil, don't use olive oil for this, it needs to be vegetable oil
2 tablespoons lemon zest
1 to 2 tablespoons lemon extract, to taste (make sure you're using tablespoons not teaspoons)* and preferably use 2 tablespoons of this extract for maximum pucker power 
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
 2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Lemon Glaze:

1 cup confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice, or as necessary for consistency

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with  cooking spray, then make a parchment paper saddle and put in the pan so that you can lift the cooked loaf out easily.  Also spray the parchment paper with cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs, sugar, sour cream, and whisk vigorously until smooth and combined.

Drizzle in the oil while whisking to combine.

Add the lemon zest, lemon extract, and whisk to combine. Note – I used 2 tablespoons of lemon extract because no actual lemon juice is used in the loaf and I found 2 tablespoons lemon extract necessary for full-bodied lemon flavor, don't wimp out on this, just do it!

Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and stir until just combined, don’t overmix. Some lumps will be present and that’s okay, don’t try to stir them smooth.

Turn the batter out into prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula.

Bake for about 50 to 52 minutes, or until top is domed, set, and toothpick inserted in the center crack comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs but no batter. In the last 10 minutes of baking, tent pan with foil (loosely drape a sheet of foil over pan) to prevent excessive browning on the top and sides of bread before center cooks through.

Allow loaf to cool in pan on top of a wire rack for at least 30 minutes (I cooled 4 hours) before turning out onto rack to cool completely before glazing.

Lemon Glaze:

In a small bowl, add the confectioner’s sugar and slowly drizzle in the lemon juice while whisking until smooth and combined. You may need to play with the sugar and lemon juice amounts a bit as necessary for desired consistency and flavor.

Evenly drizzle glaze over bread before slicing and serving.

Extra glaze can be spread on the cut surface of the bread like you’d spread butter on toast and it soaks right in making the bread even moister and more lemony. Or you can halve the glaze recipe if you’re not a glaze person.

NOTES:

Bread will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months; I don’t recommend storing it in the fridge because it will dry out.

ONE OF MY FAVORITE KITCHEN GADGETS:

I've had a Butter Bell for years and sometimes I just assume that others have them as well.  I'm the kitchen gadget queen, and I try everything, but this is really a great way to keep soft butter on your counter at the ready.

This is the original Butter Bell, it's available in many colors and so worth the money, I have a red one, and I've  used it every day for years.

Do y'all make Taco Salad, the one that's been around forever that's made with Doritos and Catalina Dressing?  If you haven't made it, You've probably had it at your mom's house or at a potluck or picnic. Maybe you've eaten it and forgotten just how good it is.   I've been making this salad since the 80's, and it's still one of my most requested recipes.  Hubby would happily eat this multiple times a week, he enjoys it that much. 

A lot of people add taco seasoned ground beef to their Taco Salad, we never do, but we do serve it with grilled burgers.  It's just soul soothing, yummy goodness, period!

This is so easy, it goes together in no time.  Here's how you do it.

1 can of light red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 chopped onion, green onion is awesome in this salad
iceberg lettuce, shredded
sliced cherry or grape tomatoes
Handfuls of grated cheddar cheese
Handfuls of Nacho Doritos that you crush lightly with your hands.
Catalina Dressing

Put everything in a large salad bowl, ending with the Doritos, toss at last minute with the chips and serve.

Now wasn't that easy?  It's not really a recipe, you just throw in what you like.  You can use any kind of  chip with this, Mexican corn chips, Fritos, etc. but the Doritos really are the best, because they have that great tangy, cheesy taste.

If you want to add seasoned and cooked ground beef, go for it and top it with a big dollop of sour cream.  You want corn in it?  That works, too.

So many possibilities with this, and you just can't go wrong, it's so good.

Note:  I put the beans in the fridge overnight, and then drain and rinse at the last minute so they are cold.

🍔
🍔
🍔

#tacotuesday #taco #tacosalad #salad #yummy #jancooksrealfood tacoseveryday  #tacolover #foodporn #foodie #tacosarelife #tacosfordays #mexicanfood # #tacotime #taconight #tacolife #tacotruck #tacoshop #yummy #tacolove #food #dinner #tacobar 

This famous recipe has 685,000+ views on Jan CAN Cook, so I thought it should be revisited.  It's a wonderful recipe that I first posted in 2009.  Here it is once again in it's entirety.

Heads up coconut lovers, this pie is amazing, totally decadent, and the coconut crust is absolutely awesome.  The crust takes it from ordinary to sublime.

Back in August of 2002, I emailed the L.A. Food Times regarding a recipe that I had gotten from their S.O.S. site and lost.  We made it several times and it was one of those special to-die-for recipes, so I was not a happy camper when I misplaced the recipe.

After writing to them, they reposted the recipe for me in their food column, I came across it again today and wanted to put it on Jan CAN Cook before I lost it again.  If you want a truly wonderful dessert, forget about the calories and make this.  It’s really special.

~ jan

DEAR SOS: About five or six years ago you printed a recipe for Lawry's Coconut Pie. It had a coconut crust and was to die for. 

JAN 

DEAR JAN: This is a great pie for those who fail at making pie crusts. This crust is really simple, consisting of melted butter and coconut pressed into a pie plate. 

Lawry's Coconut Banana Cream Pie 

Active Work Time: 20 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 30 minutes plus 2 hours chilling 

COCONUT PIE SHELL 

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, plus more for pie plate 
3 cups sweetened flake coconut 

Lightly butter a 9-inch pie plate and set aside. 

Melt the 1/2 cup butter in a large skillet over medium heat and brown the coconut flakes, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes. They should be golden brown. Press the coconut firmly and evenly in the pan to form a shell. Chill the crust 30 minutes before filling. 

PIE FILLING 

4 egg yolks 

3/4 cup sugar, divided 

3 tablespoons cornstarch 

1/4 teaspoon salt 

1/4 cup flour 

3 cups half-and-half, divided 

Yellow food coloring 

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

2 bananas 

1 cup whipping cream 

1 tablespoon powdered sugar 

Combine the egg yolks, 1/4 cup of the sugar, the cornstarch, salt and flour in a small bowl. Gradually add 1 cup of the half-and-half. 

Combine the remaining 2 cups half-and-half and 1/2 cup of the sugar in a 3-quart saucepan and bring just to boil over medium heat. Add the egg mixture and cook and stir until the mixture returns to a boil and thickens, about 1 minute. 

Remove from the heat. Stir in 2 drops of food coloring and the vanilla. Cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool. 

Slice the bananas into the pie shell. Pour the filling into the shell. 

Whip the cream with the powdered sugar until stiff. Spoon in dollops or pipe with a pastry bag around the edge of the pie. Chill 2 hours before slicing. 

6 to 8 servings. Each of 8 servings: 563 calories; 427 mg sodium; 182 mg cholesterol; 39 grams fat; 26 grams saturated fat; 50 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams protein; 1.62 grams fiber.

Update:  So many of you have found your way to this recipe via Pinterest, I appreciate all of the Pins, and hope you all enjoy this incredible pie.  I've received a few emails from people saying it was hard to cut through the crust, the only thing I can think of is that perhaps you are pressing the coconut into the pie pan, too firmly.  The majority of people seem to have no trouble with this, so I hope bit of information helps others who are going to bake this wonderful pie.  The response to it has been so positive, this is truly a one of a kind recipe.

I made this recipe for Christmas 2021 and it was so good that I can't make it again.  Seriously, I have no willpower, ZERO willpower, I could eat the entire batch in a day, yes, it's that good!

I've struggled forever, trying to find the perfect peanut butter fudge recipe, and The View From Great Island, a wonderful blog site that I visit often, nailed it.  It's just perfection, don't change a thing, this will be your forever peanut fudge recipe, I promise it will.

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
1 cup creamy peanut butter, I use Jif. Note: I do not recommend using 'natural' peanut butter.
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1 lb confectioner's sugar, about 3 1/2 cups

Directions

Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper or foil. Note: you can use a 9×9 pan, or even a loaf pan.

Using a heavy bottomed saucepan melt the butter and peanut butter together over medium heat. Stir constantly to get the mixture well combined.

Turn the heat down to low and stir in the vanilla and salt.

Fold in the sugar with a silicone spatula or spoon. Make sure to get all the sugar incorporated and the fudge nice and smooth. The low heat will help this process.

When the fudge is smooth transfer to your prepared pan and spread out evenly with an offset spatula.

Let chill for at least 2 hours before slicing into small squares. If you have lined your pan with parchment paper or foil you can gently lift it out for neater slicing.

Fudge can be stored at room temperature, or in the refrigerator. It also freezes well.

I made after watching Paula make it in a video. It was so good, we loved it and served it with Bob Evans Mashed Potatoes and crusty bread. Yes, mashed potatoes, don't judge 😜 corn is good with this, too. This recipe is very similar to jambalaya without all the creole seasoning, I like it so much better than jambalaya. 

1 cup chopped onion - I used a large onion

1 cup chopped bell pepper - I used a whole yellow pepper

2 tablespoons butter

I used 1/2 lb. of garlic kielbasa, cut a thick piece, then cut the piece into 4ths, just use whole ring if you want more meat

1 (14.5 oz) can with juice crushed tomatoes

1 tablespoon hot sauce - I used Franks. Don't cut back on the hot sauce, this was just the perfect amount, it wasn't hot, just a little spicy. If you like more heat, just serve hot sauce at the table.

1 small 8 oz. can tomato sauce

1 cup water - next time I will use 1-1/8 cup water because my 8 oz. of tomato sauce didn't measure quite a full cup

1 heaping Tablespoon Chicken Better than Bouillon

salt to taste, I didn't add much salt, maybe 1/4 tsp, the bouillon is salty

pepper to taste

1 cup uncooked Instant Rice

Preheat oven to 350 °F. In a saucepan over medium heat, sauté onion and bell pepper in butter. Add sausage; heat until mixture is slightly browned. Add tomatoes, hot sauce, tomato sauce, water and bouillon cubes. Season with pepper and salt as needed. Stir in rice. Pour mixture into a greased 9x 12 casserole and bake uncovered for 45 minutes. She leaves it totally uncovered, I covered for 30 minutes, uncovered for 15 and it was perfect.

 

My friend, Carlene, gave me this recipe years ago and I misplaced it. I’ve searched for a couple of days, finally gave up, and she graciously sent it to me again. I’m not losing it this time, she is a wonderful cook and I posted this so I don’t lose it again.  She covers this when she bakes it, uncovering at end to brown a bit.

 This recipe dates back to the 70's, when I was a young mother.  It was given to me by my next door neighbor, she was a really special lady, and a great cook.  This is so simple, but it's excellent.

 Mrs. Shore was a friend of a friend, the McGuires, when I was a little girl.  She gave Helen this recipe, she gave it to mother and it became mom's favorite fall dessert.  It's a trip down memory lane, this recipe must be eighty years old.   I thought I had lost it, found it recently and decided to add it here so it won't be forgotten.  Is it as good as I remember? I hope so because some things are best left to childhood, but I'm going to make it and see.  It's actually relatively healthy, no butter except for the sauce

The best of the best, this tomato bisque soup is the only recipe you will ever need.  ~ Jan

1 gallon, serves 10

1 large onion, chopped
2 ribs celery chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 qt. heavy cream
3 quarts chicken stock quality or broth
1/3 cup sugar or to taste
2 bunches fresh basil
salt and pepper to taste
crushed red pepper, one dash
2 large cans tomatoes, chopped or crushed

cooking wine or sherry -

Preparation time 1 hr.

chop veggies and saute in olive oil with garlic, about 5 minutes. deglaze pan with wine or sherry. add stock and tomatoes, let reduce about 20 minutes. add cream, let come to boil. puree with emulsion blender or in a food processor in batches. thicken with cornstarch slurry or roux. season and add fresh chopped basil at the end. you may at this point leave the soup with texture to it or strain the solids out for a smooth texture.

Per serving, excluding unknown items - 343 calories, 35 grams fat, 90.4% calories from fat, 2grams protein, 6g carbohydrates, 1 gram dietary fiber, 131 mg cholesterol, 48 mg sodium

What a great salad this is.  My friend Barb gave me this recipe and she thinks it’s far superior to any other Ramen Noodle Salad she’s ever had.  I agree, this is absolutely wonderful!

1 package Chicken Ramen Noodles

1/4 cup butter

1/3 cup sesame seeds

1/4 cup sliced almonds

1 Tablespoon low sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup white vinegar

1/4 tsp. sesame oil

1/3 cup sugar (can substitute Splenda)

salt and pepper to taste

1 large head cabbage, chopped - I use a package of coleslaw mix

6 green onions, chopped

Melt butter, add seasoning mix from noodles.  Break up dry noodles and mix with sesame seeds and sliced almonds in skillet and brown.

Let cool.

Mix together soy sauce, oil, white vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, salt and pepper in pint Ball jar and shake to emulsify.  Stir crunchy mixture and sauce into chopped cabbage and onion 20-30 minutes before serving.  Let set at room temperature.

Notes:

I only stir the crunchy topping into the portion of the salad I’m using.  This coleslaw keeps well in the fridge and I store the crunchy topping separately in a sealed baggie with paper towel to absorb the moisture.  Then I pour the amount I need to serve.  If you mix it all together it gets soggy in the fridge.  

This stuff is Holy Grail, best BBQ sauce EVER!

1  cup ketchup

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 Tablespoon Worchestire Sauce

1 Tablespoon Rub

Simmer ingredients to marry flavors

 

Ryan uses Big Ron’s Original Rub, but any rub works...

 

Margaritas

This is our friend Charlie’s recipe and it’s excellent, these are the best margarita you will ever make!  The ladies in the famiily love this!

1 can limeade concentrate - 12 oz.

3/4 can triple sec

3/4 can tequila

2 caps roses lime juice

ice

Blend all to a slushy consistency - Enjoy!

 

Marti got this recipe from Hacienda’s bartender. It’s worth a mention but Charlie’s has to be better

1 can limeaide

2 cans lemonade

4 parts tequila

1 part triple sec

I made this so often when the boys were little, lost the recipe and thanks to the wonders of the Internet, I just found it again.

We called it Hot Potato Salad, and made it exactly like this using Velveeta.  It was just SO good.

I was thrilled to find this recipe again and to add it here so I will always have it….

INGREDIENTS 

9 medium potatoes, cooked, peeled and diced

1 cup mayonnaise

1 lb Velveeta cheese, diced

1 small onion, chopped

salt

pepper

1⁄2 lb bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

1⁄2 cup green olives, sliced

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 325F.

Combine potatoes, mayonnaise, cheese, and onion, adding salt and pepper to taste.

Put into greased 9x13 baking dish.

Top with bacon and olives.

Bake 1 hour.

Nutrition

• 9 medium  potatoes, cooked, peeled and diced
• 1 cup  mayonnaise
• 1 lb  Velveeta cheese, diced
• 1 small  onion, chopped
• salt
• pepper
• 1⁄2lb  bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
• 1⁄2cup  green olives, sliced

Oh my, there are no words, this was indescribably delightful.  We had it for Easter this year, I tweaked Betty Crocker’s original recipe and it was a huge hit.  It tastes just like a lemon drop.  It’s so moist, but not a heavy cake, it’s very lemony and tart, just the perfect spring dessert.

Here’s my version, I added pudding to the cake mix, extra lemon juice to the poke part of the recipe and used two cans of lemon frosting, with zest on the top.  The two cans of frosting worked so well, it wasn’t too much, but you had enough to spread without having to spread it thinly.

This one is a winner, winner, chicken dinner for sure!  You can all thank me later for the recipe.  ~ Jan

Oh, you sweet talker, Betty Crocker  XXo

1 box Betty Crocker™ SuperMoist™ lemon cake mix
1 box instant Jello Lemon Pudding
 4 eggs
1 cup water
1/3 cup oil

1 cup powdered sugar, I sift this so it’s smooth
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (1 large lemon)

2 containers Betty Crocker™ Rich & Creamy lemon frosting

Lemon drop candies, crushed, if desired - I didn’t use the lemon drop candies, I zested Lemon Rind on top of cake instead

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F. Line two 9" pans with foil, letting foil hang 2 inches over 2 opposite sides of pans. Grease or spray bottoms and sides of foil.

Make cake batter as directed above, using Pudding, eggs, water and oil.  Pour into pans. Bake 25 to 32 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes.

In small bowl, mix powdered sugar and lemon juice. Poke top of warm cake every 1/2 inch with long-tined fork or you can use the handle of a small wooden spoon, wiping fork or spoon handle occasionally to reduce sticking. Drizzle and spread lemon mixture over top of cake. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until chilled. Remove cakes from pans by lifting with foil; peel away foil.

On serving plate, place 1 cake, rounded side down; trim if necessary so layer rests flat. Spread with half of frosting. Top with second cake, rounded side up. Frost top of cake with remaining frosting. Garnish with lemon drop candies. Store covered.

This was absolutely delicious.  Okay, so my picture isn’t perfect, the patty-melt is in the front, the soup has been slurped up a bit.  But this is real life, not a photo shoot. :)

This was so simple, and it turned out perfect.  If you don’t have a Vitamix, I’m sure you could achieve same results in a regular blender and then heat on the stove.

2 cans of diced tomatoes (original recipe called for italian style with oregano, basil and garlic)  I didn’t have those, all I had was a can of stewed tomatoes and a can of diced tomatoes, so that’s what I used, and added a bit of basil leaves and garlic powder.

1 8 oz. block of cream cheese 

A dash of sweetener (I used 3 drops of EZ-Sweetz) or sugar, about 1-2 teaspoons to cut the acidity.

I put all of this in the Vitamix and set it to soup, in 6 minutes, I had hot wonderful tomato soup.  It keeps well, leftovers are great!

Since I used the Vitamix I didn’t soften the cream cheese to room temp, I just put it in cold, but if you’re blending in a regular blender I would soften cream cheese first...

I think I’ll try this same recipe with broccoli or cauliflower and add some cheddar cheese along with the cream cheese.  Who would have thought soup could be so easy...

 

 

 

Hammie Sammies are a huge hit, my friend Nisha made them for a tailgating party and declared them a “must try.”  My neighbor, Julie had them at a shower and said they were fantastic.  This is on our family’s list to make this holiday season, since you make them the night before, it’s an easy fix ahead meal to pop into the oven during this busy time.

Here’s a variation of the original recipe from King’s Hawaiian Rolls

Mini Baked Ham Sandwiches

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 20 min

Serving Info: 12 people

Ingredients

1 pound deli ham shaved

1 pound swiss cheese thinly sliced

1 1/2 sticks butter

1 1/2 tablespoons Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard

1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce

1 small onion, diced

2 12-pack  KING’S HAWAIIAN Savory Butter Dinner Rolls (you won’t need all of these, but you do need two packages to fill a 9x13 pan

Optional:  1 Tablespoon of poppy seeds

Preparation

1. Melt butter, saute onions until soft and whisk in dijon mustard, worcestershire sauce and poppy seeds if desired

2. Cut the entire pack of rolls in half, horizontally (keeping all top and bottom halves separately intact).

3. In a 9x13 inch pan sprayed with Pam, place bottom half of rolls and cover with ham and cheese.  You will need to use a few rolls from the 2nd pack to fill the pan.

4. Cover ham and cheese stacks with top half of rolls.

5. Drizzle butter mixture over top of rolls, making sure onion is evenly distributed.

6. Refrigerate over night.

7. Bake covered at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, uncover and bake an additional 5-10 minutes and, once finished, separate for serving.

Some recipes call for part of the sauce to be drizzled over the ham and cheese, then put on the top roll and drizzle on the rest.  Nisha just drizzled hers over the top and it worked great.

Taste this before drizzling to see if you want additional mustard or Worcestershire Sauce, some people prefer it a bit more tangy...

 

 

Yes, these are wonderful.  Stephanie, from So Simply Stephanie,  has a post about how to make them, the lady knows her stuff.

Check out the how to’s here...

"A good biscuit starts with good flour," says Jason Roy, owner of Biscuit Head who serves the famous Tupelo Honey Cathead Biscuits. Like many Southern cooks, he uses self-rising flour because it's pre-mixed to include a blend of hard and soft wheat as well as a leavening ingredient for the perfect rise—something you can't get in plain all-purpose, cake, or pastry flour. (Want to reallydo as the Southerners do? Try White Lily self-rising flour, available nationwide at specialty supermarkets and online.)

Whether you use shortening, lard or butter as your fat of choice, "snap it in" like Brian Sonoskus, chef of Tupelo Honey Café, does. "Pinch the flour and fat together like you're snapping your fingers," he explains. This creates thin sheets of butter that create puff pastry-like layers in your biscuits.

For soft and fluffy biscuits, blend the liquid and dry ingredients just until the dough "resembles cottage cheese," Sonoskus says. This stops you from activating too much gluten in the flour and ending up with a tougher biscuit that doesn't rise as high. But even if you mix too much, don't worry. "Denser biscuits have their place—they're better for making sandwiches," he rationalizes.

Gently shape biscuits with an ice cream scoop instead of a biscuit cutter. That's what Roy does to make Biscuit Head's oversized cathead biscuits, so-called because they're as big as a cat's noggin. Whether you make them big or small, it's an incredibly easy and foolproof technique. Don't have a spring-loaded scoop? Use a measuring cup and a silicone spatula.

Use real buttermilk if you can get it. Both chefs pledge allegiance to Asheville-based Cruze Dairy's whole-milk buttermilk for its unsurpassed creaminess and acidity. Look for local farms in your area to get the good stuff, not the watery low-fat substitutions found at the supermarket.

Ready to try it yourself? Here's Tupelo Honey's much-sought-after recipe:

Tupelo Honey Buttermilk Biscuits

Makes 10 biscuits

• 2 cups White Lily self-rising flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ⅓ cup chilled shortening, cut into pieces
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 1 cup buttermilk
• Melted butter

Preheat the oven to 425°F and position the oven rack slightly below the center of the oven. Lightly butter a round cake pan or cast-iron skillet.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, sugar and salt. Snap the pieces of shortening with your fingers until the shortening pieces are no larger than peas. Make a well in the mixture and pour in the cream and ⅔ cup of the buttermilk. Using your hands or a rubber spatula, sweep in the flour and turn the dough until the dry ingredients are moistened and the dough resembles cottage cheese, adding enough of the remaining ⅓ cup buttermilk to reach this consistency.

Sprinkle the rolling surface with flour. Turn the dough out onto the surface and sprinkle the top with flour. With floured hands, fold the dough in half and pat the dough into a ⅓- to ½-inch-thick round, using additional flour as needed. Flour again if necessary and fold the dough in half a second time. If the dough is still clumpy, repeat the folding process for a third time. Pat the dough into a 1-inch-thick round. Dip a 2-inch biscuit cutter into the flour and cut out biscuits, ensuring you do not twist the cutter.

Place the biscuits in the pan, sides slightly touching. Brush the tops of the biscuits with melted butter and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until light golden brown, rotating the pan 180°F after 6 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush the biscuits again with melted butter.

Reprinted with permission from Tupelo Honey Cafe: New Southern Flavors from the Blue Ridge Mountains by Elizabeth Sims with Chef Brian Sonoskus, Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2014.