Amy's (actually Ree Drummond's) Barbecue Sauce Jalapeno Thingies

My friend Amy B. serves these at parties-- Super Bowl, baby shower, Rock Band! And I like them. Whether or not you do, haha. She can make hers prettier than I can. Oh well! The recipe is modified, first by Amy, then by me, from Ree Drummond ("The Pioneer Woman").

18 fresh jalapenos (not too big)
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 c grated sharp cheddar
green onion-- the recipe calls for 1-- I doubled the recipe but used a whole bunch (white parts)
18 thin slices bacon, cut in half
bottled BBQ sauce

Preheat the oven to 275. Lay out bacon on a baking sheet; brown a little bit (NOT near done-- they will still bake in the oven on the jalapenos. This is just to make sure they get all the way done).

Cut peppers in half lengthwise; try to keep the stems in tact. Scrape out the seeds and membranes (to taste).

Combine cheeses, green onion-- mix. Stuff pepper halves. Put a smear of sauce on top. Cover with a piece of bacon. (The recipe calls for wrapping them around, but this is just so hard for me. So I put it on top and it worked fine). Brush the bacon with BBQ sauce.

Bake 1 hour. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Penzeys Saffron Rice

Recording one Penzeys recipe made me think of another that I know I like.

1 c long-grain white rice
2 c water or chicken stock
1 T butter
1 T finely minced onion (optional)
1/2 t salt
1 small pinch saffron, crumbled

Place butter and onion in saucepan. Saute over medium heat until onion is translucent. Add rice, saffron, water/stock, salt. Bring to a rolling boil. Cover, reduce heat to simmer, and cook until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed (about 18 minutes).

Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

My sister T. makes a mean (meaning really nice) pumpkin streusel muffin. The recipe (natch) is from Penzeys.

1/2 c butter, soft
1 c brown sugar
1 egg
1 c pumpkin puree
1/4 c evaporated milk
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 1/4 t cinnamon
1/4 t ginger
1/8 t cloves
1 2/3 c flour

TOPPING
2 T flour
2 1/2 T sugar
1 t cinnamon
1 T butter, firm

Set oven to 375 F. Grease or line 12 muffin cups. Blend streusel ingredients to the size of small peas. Cream butter with brown sugar. Blend in egg. Mix in pumpkin and milk. Gently stir in spices and soda. Stir in flour-- don't overmix. Portion into cups; distribute streusel. Bake 18-22 minutes.

Pancakes. Just Normal Pancakes.

This blog is meant to be my recipe box-- and yet-- I haven't recorded the recipe for normal family pancakes. I had to have sister T recite it to me, twice. Scale up the recipe as you please.

1 c flour-- you can use 1/2 white, 1/2 whole wheat
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1-2 T sugar
1 egg
2 T oil
3/4 c milk OR 1 c buttermilk

Mix dries (including sugar). Mix wets in liquid measuring cup; combine. Cook on griddle.