Delicious Apple Enchiladas

1 21 oz can Apple Pie Filling
12 flour tortillas
Ground cinnamon
1/3 cup margarine
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spoon fruit evenly onto all tortillas, sprinkle with cinnamon. Roll up tortillas and place seam side down on lightly greased 8x8 baking pan. Bring margarine, sugars and water to a boil in a medium sauce pan. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring constantly for 3 minutes. Pour sauce evenly over tortillas; sprinkle with extra cinnamon on top if desired. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Best when served with ice cream or whipped topping

Ideas Anyone????????

I LOVE gathering ideas for decorating, cooking, and entertaining. Yesterday after a very long day Kent and I returned home around 8:30 or 9:00 pm I suppose. We were really too tired to eat dinner. Now that's tired! We ran thru Arby's Drive Thru for me and Kent decided he would eat yogurt and fresh strawberries once we got home.

As I was at the table eating Kent came in with the mail. I was so excited that he was bearing a good gift. You know sometimes the mail isn't always good gifts. He had folded around the mail my March/April edition of Southern Lady Magazine. This month's edition is subtitled "The Annual Entertianing Issue". I didn't have a chance to read it last night but I did flip thru it's pages. Beautiful! The cover boasts of Spring parties, celebrate Easter, layered desserts, table settings, and centerpieces. Aaaahhhhh just the things I love!

If you need fresh ideas rush to the news stand and purchase your copy today. Make sure you get the correct issue. In fact once your purchase your copy tear out the litle card and subscribe. You will not be sorry. Thank you Sue Davidson for your generosisty in giving me a gift subscription. I LOVE it!!!! Each time I read the pages of Southern Lady I think of you, a person I only know thru blogging.

Just sitting here looking at the cover of the awesome magazine makes me want to drag out my beautiful bunnies, foil covered eggs, and grass from the attic. Is EASTER on it's way??? I think I hear the bunnies hopping. Really, I'm priviledged to enjoy the beautiful wild bunnies in my yard all the time. Also, every day I enjoy the resurrection of Christ in my heart and soul. It must be EASTER....ideas anyone???

Let's decorate! Let's celebrate!

Blueberry Seasoned Pork Roast

Definitely a deep south favorite is pork. One of my Mom's and Mamaw's favorite was the pork roast. Of course Tony Chachere's gives a little different flavor to a more traditional southern flair. The blueberry fruit spread brings it right back into line, however.

1 6 or 7 lb. Boston Butt Pork Roast (trimmed)
1 packet - Lipton onion / mushroom soup (dry)
10 oz. - Blueberry fruit spread or Blueberry Jelly
Tony Chachere's Seasonings
Black Pepper
Kitchen bouquet
Garlic powder

Rub and coat roast with Kitchen Bouquet. This allows seasonings to stick to it. Sprinkle generously with Tony Chachere's Seasonings, garlic powder, and Black Pepper. Sprinkle and pat with Lipton onion / mushroom soup mix. Spread Blueberry jelly or fruit spread over the top of the roast. Wrap very tightly with 3 layers of aluminum foil. Place in preheated oven @ 250 °F and cook slowly for 8 hours (overnight is easiest). Leave wrapped until ready to serve to hold in juices. The recipe makes its own "Au Jus ". Slice and enjoy!

Approximately 8-10 servings

Share ..... Another word for Hospitality

I know during the holidays we have lots of house guests. In fact if your home is like mine by January you grow a little weary of entertaining. No, I didn't just say that! I never truly grow weary of entertaining it's just the work getting ready for parties that wearies me.

Today, I challenge you to share....why not share the best gift. I truly believe the best gifts aren't monetarily based or even tangible. Rather I feel the best gift is to share of one's self. An easy way to accomplish this is through hospitality. How long since you've had someone over to share of yourself?

Of late Kent and I have challenged our church to CARE. Why not think of someone that may need a little CARE shown to them? Think of what the people need most. Are they stressed with life? If so plan a relaxing evening. Are they missing joy? If so maybe find a couple of fun games to laugh and play. Do they just need someone to talk with? If so plan to sit around the living room sipping on coffee or tea and enjoy desserts.

You will be amazed how you will be blessed when you share of your hospitaility with others. It is truly more blessed to give than to receive. When the guests leave I promise you will fee rewarded. Go ahead make the time...do it...share!

Sausage Bread

1 loaf French Bread
1 lb Owens Italian Flavored ground Sausage or add Italian flavorings to mild sausage
Minced onion to taste
Black Pepper to taste
5 oz fresh grated Parmesan Cheese
8 oz Cream Cheese
½ c water
Mozzarella Cheese Slices

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brown Sausage with Onion and pepper. Add cream cheese, water, and Parmesan cheese. Heat till melted. Slice French Bread in half. Place Mozzarella cheese on both sides of bread (insides). Pour meat mixture on bread. Top with other ½ of bread and Mozzarella cheese.

Cover with foil and bake for 10 -11 minutes.

Chicken / Sausage / Peppers / Onions

Last night I cooked one of Kent's favorites. Let me share it with you. Who knows you may enjoy it as much and he and Donie did! :)

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 pkg smoked sausage (Eckrich, Chappell Hill or similar)
1/2 white onion, cut in thin rings
1 large green bell pepper cut in thin rings
coarse gound black pepper, to taste

Cube chicken breasts about 1" x 1". Slice sausage in thin circles. Combine meat and veggies on double stovetop griddle. Sprinkle with black pepper. (I use alot!) Cook until meat is done and veggies are grilled.

I complimented this wonderful entree with whole green beans, wild rice, and delicious hot buttered yeast rolls. Of course we enjoyed southern sweet iced tea, too. We decided to take our dessert next door and share with my parents, Uncle Billy & Aunt Nancy, and Scott & Courtney. I served a Southern Pecan Pie from Pie in the Sky with Homemade Vanilla Blue Bell Ice Cream.

Try it and then stop back by and let me know what you think!

Happy cooking to each of you....

Baked Ziti - Easy Italian Dinner

Baked Ziti

1 pkg. (16 oz.) ziti pasta or small penne pasta
1 can (26 oz.) traditional spaghetti sauce
1 container (15 oz.) Ricotta Cheese
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided
1/4 cup KRAFT 100% Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 lb of hamburger meat.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Brown and drain hamburger meat. (I don’t like the smell of hamb meat cooking without seasoning. I add some minced onions, salt, pepper, and some Italian seasonings) Cook pasta as directed on the package while meat is browning. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.

Mix spaghetti sauce, Ricotta cheese and reserved 1/2 cup pasta cooking water in large bowl. Add pasta, hamburger meat and 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese; mix lightly. Spoon into 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese and the Parmesan cheese. Cover.

Bake 30 min. Then uncover and bake an additional 10 min. or until heated through.

Add a salad and hot buttery garlic toast and you have a easy wonderful meal. My family enjoys adding corn to the menu, too. I melt 1 stick of margarine and pour 1 small frozen bag of corn into the melted margarine. Then I add 1/3 cup sugar and salt and pepper to taste.