A Hodge Podge of Cooking Tidbits

I am crafting-I promise-I am just working on a couple of biggies right now so for today I thought I would share some random cooking ideas.

1. Pumpkin Pie Waffles.  I had some pureed pumpkin in my fridge (to be honest I am not sure why even-maybe it was just for this).  I decided I would add some to my morning waffle batter.  I used regular waffle mix (mine is 2 cups mix to 3/4 cup water and 1 tbsp of oil).  I mixed that as normal then I added about 3/4 cup of pureed pumpkin, 1/2 tsp (or slightly more) of pumpkin pie spice and a dash of cinnamon sugar.  They were so yummy.  Served warm with butter and maple syrup-HEAVEN!!!!  This is a perfect fall recipe-only you can begin perfecting it right now.

2.  If you are like me you like hot dogs-but only when they are flame kissed and slightly burned on the outside.  I am just not a fan of boiled hot dogs (barf!!).  Well sometimes I am just too tired to go turn on the grill, or maybe it is cold outside or whatever but the girls and I are craving a hot dog and baked beans for lunch.  Well I found the perfect alternative-the George Forman Grill.  I used to be so anti about these grills (that was because my college roommates would cook with one and then leave the little grease trap out on the counter for a week)  but I am now becoming a big fan.  Especially when it comes to hot dogs.  Put 3 or 4 on your grill, close the lid and within minutes you have a hot dog that is slightly charred on the outside and hot all the way through.  It is the next best thing to an open fire or your barbeque.

3. Here is a super easy sweet and spicey sauce to slather your bbq'd  chicken in.  Mix hickory flavored bbq sauce with a couple of tbsp's of brown sugar and a good healthy dash of seasoning salt.  Mix and slather.  Remember not to add it until the final minutes of cooking and increase your heat to give it a bit of flame kiss.  Serve chicken with lots of napkins.  This is going to be finger lickin good.

4. Oh here is one you are going to LOVE!!!! Bacon wrapped green bean bundles.  I was inspired by a recipe I saw in Our Best Bites.  Take your fresh green beans, cut off the ends and blanch them for 2-3 minutes depending on the size.  Then sprinkle them with a little salt and pepper.  Take a small bunch and wrap them with a piece of bacon (uncooked and fairly lean).  Place on foil lined cookie sheet.  Bake at 400 until the bacon is crispy (about 20 mins).  These are heavenly.  Roasting veggies is becoming a new addiction for me.  It just brings out such great flavors and I love that the texture is different than with steam cooked vegetables.

5.  This isn't really a cooking tidbit but more of an eating tidbit.  I will admit that I buy no name brand food quite often (Western Family-we call it no name because in Canada No Name is the name of the off brand food).  Some of it I am impressed with and some of it is lousy.  For that matter plenty of Western Family items are lousy-Paper Towels and diapers are two examples.  But people-you aren't going to believe this but you are just going to have to take my word for it-THE WESTERN FAMILY BRAND OF OREOS-DUOS THEY ARE CALLED-TASTE EXACTLY LIKE THE REAL DEAL.  I know-you are probably shaking your head that is just can't be-but it is true.  They taste exactly the same but for half the price.  Score one for Western Family!!!!