Taco Burger Pizza Easy Recipe

 

Home Pizzeria!

Taco Burger Pizza Easy Recipe - (Main Dishes, Beef)

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef
1 package (1-1/4 ounce) taco seasoning mix
1/2 cup water
2 (8-ounce) cans of refrigerator biscuits
8 ounces can of tomato sauce
1/2 cup (6-ounce) shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Grease a 12" pizza pan. In a large skillet brown the beef and drain. Stir in taco mix and water; simmer while preparing crust. Separate the dough into 20 biscuits. Press over the bottom and upside of the pan. Spoon hot meat over the crust. Spread tomato sauce over meat, and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Thoughts On Taco Burger Pizza:

Making homemade pizza is a fun cooking project to introduce cooking with children. It is quicker to grab a frozen pizza and just throw it in the oven but to make your own pizza at home will taste better too. You can add any toppings you like but most of all, when it comes to involving your children, they will always remember making pizza with you. This easy Taco Burger Pizza recipe is sure to provide memories for a lifetime.

More Information For You:

Taco Pizza is a great meal for pizza lovers if they love tacos. It is the perfect marriage of pizza and tacos. According to Wikipedia the owner of Happy Joe's invented the Taco Pizza. Learn more about Taco Pizza by visiting this link.

A Few Questions For You:

Do you like Taco Pizza? Do you like tacos? Have you tried Taco Pizza? If you haven't tried Taco Pizza I would like to encourage you to give this recipe a try. It has a great taco flavor you will enjoy. Did you miss my last recipe? If you missed it, it's called Heath Bar Cake Easy Recipe. Please let me know what you think of these recipes. I would love to hear from you.

My Thoughts For The Day:

Texas Fajitas - (video below)

It was a good Mother's Day yesterday. We celebrated at El Patron Mexican Grill in Seymour, Missouri. We had Texas Fajitas with queso, corn chips, and guacamole that was made fresh. The Texas Fajitas included chicken, beef, and shrimp. The atmosphere was very nice and they had plenty of decorations inside. The outside of the restaurant had a small decorative water mill. It didn't have water in it but it was very nice to look at. The tree outside next to the entrance had beautiful flowers on it. I created a video of our visit to El Patron on my YouTube channel called El Patron Mexican Grill Seymour Missouri that you can see. Remember to subscribe, like, and leave a comment on my video. I would recommend this Mexican restaurant for you to try.

I love dining out and trying different places. I will leave reviews for you to see. If you have been to El Patron Mexican Grill please feel free to leave your review of the restaurant here.

Keep on cooking!

>>>See all my recipes here!<<<

Heath Bar Cake Easy Recipe

Do you like Heath Bar? You'll love this cake!

Heath Bar Cake Easy Recipe - (Cakes)

Ingredients:

1 angel food cake (ready-made is fine)
6 crushed Heath bars
2 cups heavy cream
1 jar caramel/butterscotch sauce (10.4 ounces)

Directions:

Slice the cake horizontally into 3 layers. Whip the cream until it is stiff, and add sauce slowly. Ice each layer with the mixture and sprinkle with candy crumbs. Ice top & sides after the cake is back together. Refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.

Thoughts On Heath Bar Cake:

I love toffee, almonds, and milk chocolate, so it goes to say that I love Heath Bars. This candy bar is the perfect mix of the three mentioned ingredients. This Heath Bar Cake recipe is super simple and you can make it quick. If you don't have much time, and you have an event you are going to where a sweet treat is needed, you will hit a home run with this easy recipe.

More Information For You:

The birthday of The Heath Bar was in 1928. Eventually, the candy bar made it into the hands of soldiers who fought in World War II. You can discover more information on this candy bar by visiting the True Treats article called The Heath Bar: America's "Finest" Toffee which includes great historical pictures.

Some Questions For You:

Do you like candy bar cakes? If you do, what is your favorite candy bar cake? Do you have a favorite you would like to see here on my recipe blog? I would love to post it for you. Also, did you miss my last recipe? If you did, it is called Cashew Chicken Easy Recipe and you will enjoy it too. Let me know what you think of it in the comments on that post as well.

My Thoughts For Today:

Weber Grill

Pork Steaks

I feel I am a little late in getting the grill out and cooking great-tasting meats but I had a craving to make the time. I wanted to cook pork steaks. To me, the taste of charcoal-grilled pork steak is very nostalgic. I have great memories of my family cooking pork steaks. It was a great summertime for the family. The cookout would usually include canned pork and beans, BBQ chips, potato salad along green beans.

I have mentioned in previous posts I love using Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning and I use that seasoning on my steaks and black pepper as well. The taste is terrific and I would suggest you try it. You will want to lightly sprinkle the creole seasoning as it can be very salty. The combination is wonderful.

As always, Keep on cooking!

>>>See all my recipes here!<<<

Cashew Chicken Easy Recipe

 

A great recipe!

Cashew Chicken Easy Recipe - (Asian Food)

Chicken Ingredients:

1 chicken breast per person
1 egg per pound of chicken
1/4 cup milk per egg
Salted cashew nuts
Snipped green onion tops or chives
Salt
Pepper

SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE:

1 cup pineapple juice
3/4 cup cider vinegar
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup brown sugar (firmly packed)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons catsup
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 medium clove garlic (minced)
1/4 cup green pepper (chopped)

Directions:

Remove the meat from the bone and cut into chunks. Flour and let stand for 15 minutes to dry the flour coating. Meanwhile combine eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Place floured chicken pieces in the egg mixture for 10 minutes. Remove from egg mixture and coat with flour. Fry in hot oil in a single layer. Keep chicken pieces warm in a covered pan in a 200-degree oven until all the chicken is cooked. Serve with Sweet and Sour sauce or Soy Sauce on top of the rice.

Sweet and Sour Sauce - Combine water, pineapple juice, vinegar, and green pepper. Cook until the green pepper is just crisp and tender. Add catsup, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic. Blend in brown sugar and cornstarch. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and cook until thickened and clear.

Thoughts On Cashew Chicken:

I am a huge fan of Cashew Chicken because, number one, it's delicious, and number two, I was born in Springfield, Missouri. Springfield is the home of Cashew Chicken brought onto the American food scene by David Leong. David started his restaurant in Springfield and began serving Cashew Chicken. I have been to Leong's many times. He passed in 2020 but most times when we would go into the restaurant he would be inside greeting people and watching them enjoy his food.

Some Questions For You:

Do you like Cashew Chicken, and can you remember the first time you tried it? If you have not tried cashew chicken, you are in for a delight! Also, did you see my last recipe? If you didn't, it is called Old-Time Corn Casserole and it will please those who love corn. Do you like corn dishes?

More Information For You:

All Things Considered, wrote a great article on David Leong and Leong's Restaurant you will enjoy. There's even a 30-minute recorded broadcast that you can listen to that will share the history and facts about this great American Asian delight.

My Thoughts For The Day:

Bibigo Korean Style Crunchy Chicken

GoWISE USA Air Fryer

The finished product!

My wife bought some frozen Korean-style chicken for me to try. I used the air fryer and it turned out pretty good. The sauce was very sweet and salty. It did not come with sesame seeds but I had those in the spice cabinet and decided to sprinkle them on top of my chicken. This meal has 18 grams of protein and filled me well. I would recommend this packaged chicken product for a quick meal.

Keep on cooking!

>>>See all my recipes here!<<<

Tater Tot Casserole Easy Recipe

 

Get this recipe in the oven!

Tater Tot Casserole Easy Recipe - (Main Dishes, Potato)

Ingredients:

1 pound hamburger (thawed)
Onion flakes
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can peas (drained)
1 package of frozen tater tots (2 lbs)

Directions:

Place the hamburger over the bottom of the baking pan or dish. Sprinkle the onion flakes over the hamburger. Pour cans of soup over the hamburger, then the drained peas. Place the frozen tater tots over the top and then sprinkle shredded cheese over the tater tots. Bake for 1 hour or until done at 350 degrees.

My Thoughts On Tater Tot Casserole:

This is one of the easiest recipes to put together. There are not that many ingredients and it is very easy to put it all together and put it in the oven. If you don't like peas you can replace peas with your favorite vegetable. As a kid, I always enjoyed tater tots and still do from time to time. To me, what makes this recipe so good is the mixture of the cream of mushroom soup and the cream of chicken soup along with the hamburger. It provides and great tasting sauce for the hamburger and potato mix.

More Information For You:

Tater tots came on the American food scene in 1953 and immediately became popular. Ore-Ida invented the "tater tot" name. You can learn more names and information about tater tots by visiting the US Foods website.

Questions For You:

Did you like eating tater tots when you went to school? If you didn't like tater tots, what did you trade them for? Let me know in the comment section below. Do you have a special tater tot casserole recipe you would care to share with me? I would love to see your recipe.

Did you miss my last recipe? If you did, I will share it with you here. It is called Spanish Coffee Cake Easy Recipe. Please let me know what you think of it.

My Thoughts For The Day:

Peacock Dickerson Park Zoo - Springfield, Mo.

This past weekend we took a trip to the local zoo to celebrate my oldest granddaughter's birthday. It was fun to see her enjoy seeing the animals. It was a sunny warm day and there were lots of people there enjoying the zoo. My granddaughter turned four years old and I would think this trip will be a memory for her for the rest of her life. It is interesting how events in life we experience can stay with us throughout our lives. I remember being four years old and getting to go to the zoo. I can't remember the whole day but I definitely remember the zoo and some things about being at the zoo.

I saw a male peacock at the zoo perched on a fence and decided to get a quick picture before he jumped down. Later I saw him raising and shaking his feathers for a female peacock. The female did seem impressed. It was very fun to witness and it was a great day.

Thanks for reading my thoughts on the day. I hope you enjoy the tater tot casserole recipe and remember to stay positive and keep on cooking!

>>See all my recipes here!<<

Spanish Coffee Cake Easy Recipe

A Coffee Lover's Delight!

 Spanish Coffee Cake Easy Recipe - (Cakes)

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups flour (sifted)
3/4 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup cooking oil
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup walnut meats

Directions:

Mix the flour, white sugar, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and cooking oil, until crumbly mixture. Save 1/2 cup of this crumbly mixture for the topping. To the crumbly mixture add, soda, baking powder, egg, and buttermilk. Mix well and beat for several minutes with an electric mixer. Pour into a greased and floured baking pan. Take the 1/2 cup of crumbly add the 1/2 cup of walnut meats and sprinkle over the cake batter. Bake at 325 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes.

My Thoughts About Spanish Coffee Cake:

I enjoy a good cup of coffee and having a piece of Spanish Coffee Cake seems right. The cinnamon crumble on top mixes so well with the cake. Invite a coffee fan over and serve this cake with a cup of coffee. I would be willing to bet you will see a big smile on their face after they take a bite. The simplicity of this cake and crumble topping is very tasty for the cinnamon lover.

More Information For You:

 If you want to know where the coffee cake originated from you will have to look to Germany. The name "Coffee Cake" was not used until the late 1800s. To find out more interesting history on the Coffee Cake you can visit the article by OhDanishBakery.com where they provide plenty information on the subject. Another quick fact for you, the hole was also introduced to the coffee cake to make it more appealing to the eye.

Some Questions For You:

You came to this post for a reason. I have to ask, do you love coffee cake? If you have never tried it, you can try my recipe and see what you think. I would be willing to say you will enjoy this coffee cake and will want to share it with someone.

Did you see my last recipe? If you missed it I would like to share it with you here. It is called Coconut Cream Pie Easy Recipe. It is another great recipe that you will enjoy cooking almost as much as you love eating. 

Thoughts For The Day:

A new seasoning for me!

I was in the store getting some things and found this new seasoning. I love cajun seasoning and have never tried this one. I will have to come up with some good recipes for you incorporating this season. My go to seasoning is Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning and I have been using it for some time but I am excited to try this Slap Ya Mama. The name is funny and eye catching but slapping my mama would only get me in trouble for sure. I haven't asked my mama but I don't think she would like the name of this new cajun seasoning I've found.

Have a great day, thanks for reading, and keep on cooking!

>>See all my recipes here!<<

Blueberry Crisp Easy Recipe - Low Carb

 

You can afford ice cream on top of this recipe!

Blueberry Crisp Easy Recipe - (Desserts) - Low Carb

Ingredients:

4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (unsweetened)
12 packages of sugar substitute
2 2/3 cups cold water
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons cornstarch (dissolve in 4 tablespoons water)
7 (3 ounces) large shredded wheat biscuits, crumbled
1/2 cup brown sugar substitute
4 tablespoons diet margarine, melted
4 tablespoons liquid butter flavoring
Sugar-free whipped topping, option (2 tablespoons free)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small saucepan, cook blueberries with sweetener, water, lemon juice, and salt. Stir in the cornstarch mixture. Pour into the bottom of the 9x13 baking dish. Mix biscuit crumbs, brown sugar substitute, margarine, and liquid butter flavoring. Sprinkle evenly over the berry mixture. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the mixture is bubbly. Serve plain or with sugar-free whipped topping.

Serves: 8 people

My Thoughts About Blueberry Crisp:

The days are getting cooler and I know you will agree with me, there is nothing quite as nice as some warm dessert with ice cream on top. This is a low-carb recipe and it won't hurt to add a dollop of topping of some kind. I may be a bad influence if you count carbohydrates, but ask yourself if you deserve it. I am willing to bet you do.

A recipe like this brings back memories for me. It is almost like what we call here in the Ozark's a "cobbler" and there is nothing that gets attention more at family reunions than a cobbler. My mother also would make cobbler. I would always enjoy smelling the dessert cooking in the oven. Sometimes I would get a taste of the filling before it baked. It was such a joy for me. So every time I see or taste this kind of dessert it is very nostalgic for me. The holidays are coming up and if you are looking for something to bring to family, this recipe may just be one that will get you a lot of "THANK YOU!" comments from the crowd.

Some Extra Information For You:

It was the Native Americans who Introduced blueberries to early settlers. The settlers loved it so much that it became a main dish and then moved on to the dessert table as a favorite. Blueberries are popular around the 4th of July because they are in peak season then. So like most people when hearing about blueberries you might associate blueberries with Independence Day. Did you know July is National Blueberry Month here in the United States? You can learn more about blueberries in America by visiting TasteAtlas.

A Question Or Two For You:

Have you ever been blueberry picking? I have and it is lots of fun. There is a local blueberry farm here in our area and every year it is open to the public. I took my daughters there and they loved picking blueberries. At the time it cost, from what I can remember, about four dollars a person. We were all given a small bucket and could pick until our bucket was full. We stored them in plastic bags and ate on them all through the winter. We would put them on our cereal and bake with them too.

Did you see my last recipe? This blueberry dessert would go well with it. My last recipe is called Tennessee Pride Hash Brown Casserole. If you missed it, take a look and let me know if you think these two recipes would pair up nicely.

My Personal Thoughts For Today:

Recently I purchased a portable dishwasher from a friend. It is in very good shape and I got a good deal. I have always hand-washed dishes in the home I currently live in. I have owned it since 2001 and never installed a dishwasher. I owned a home in Springfield, Missouri for about two years and I enjoyed the dishwasher there. 

General Electric Portable Dishwasher with Countertop.

This dishwasher is a General Electric brand and it fits nicely next to my cook stove. I can load it as I use dishes and when it's full I simply roll it to the sick just a few feet away and hook it up for use. The hose in the back of the dishwasher connects to the sink. My faucet is not the right size for the connector so I have to modify it or get a new faucet. That is not an issue to get a different faucet. I was going to sell this house when we lived in Springfield but decided not to after my two oldest daughters moved out of the house in Springfield. I moved back to this smaller home and sold the larger one.

Kitchen faucet without faucet ring.

The connector hose would not fit on my faucet because the dishwasher hose connector is too small. My friend who sold me the dishwasher said she would give me an adaptor that would work for it. I am looking forward to trying this and hopefully, it works well. If you know me at all you know I try to add humor to any situation, although I truly am a very serious person. I am serious about humor. I was looking at the faucet ring and it looks just like a big finger ring. I slid it on and what do you know, it worked well!

My kitchen faucet ring. Not a biker ring!

I promptly went to my daughter's room and she was busy writing. After a minute she noticed it on my finger and asked me if I was turning into a biker person. She is so funny! I said, "No honey, I am not turning into a biker person." and we both laughed out loud. I explained to her I put the kitchen faucet ring on my finger and it just looks like a biker ring, but without the skull. It is little funny moments like this I try to create that have lasting memories for me. I love to laugh and be happy! I hope I made you smile a little reading this. Thanks for reading! Leave a comment because I would love to hear from you.

>>See all my recipes here!<<

Tennessee Pride Hash Brown Casserole Easy Recipe

 

Y'all are gonna love this one!

Tennessee Pride Hash Brown Casserole Easy Recipe - (Main Dishes, Pork) Casserole

Ingredients:

2 pounds Tennessee Pride Sausage
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 can cream of Chicken Soup
1 cup sour cream
1 (8 ounces) container French Onion Dip
1 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup each of Red & Green Peppers
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 (30-ounce) Package of Frozen hash brown shredded potatoes thawed.

Directions:

In a skillet cook sausage until browned. Drain well. Combine the cheese, chicken soup, and sour cream in a large mixing bowl. French Onion dip, chopped onion Bell peppers, salt & pepper. Fold in thawed hash browns. Mix well. Spread 1/2 of the mixture over the bottom of a 9x13-greased baking dish. Spread 1/2 of the browned sausage over hash browns. Repeat layering the second 1/2 of the hash brown mixture. Wait to add the rest of the sausage to the top until the last 10 minutes of cooking time. Bake at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes. Spread the remaining sausage on top and bake for 10 minutes more. The casserole should be golden brown.

My Thoughts On Tennessee Pride Hash Brown Casserole:

In 1994 I moved to West Tennessee in the County of Dyer Tennessee. It is a beautiful part of the country. I was used to living in Southwest Missouri where we enjoy the Ozark Mountains and hills. West Tennessee is much different. In Missouri, there are plenty of cattle and hay fields. In West Tennessee, I found lots of land without a fence. It was adorned with cotton and soybean. More flat than hills, the cotton glowed with white buds at harvest time of the year. Such a beautiful place. The people there are even more friendly than I was accustomed to in my part of Missouri where everyone waves and says "Howdy!" upon greeting. Tennessee food is exciting. I experienced red-eye gravy and coleslaw on my barbeque sandwiches in Tennessee. Of course, there is Tennessee Pride Casserole. When you try this recipe you will be filled with pride as you receive compliments on its taste. Make plans to share this experience with your friends and family. They will thank you kindly for it!

Extra Information For You:

Hash browns are the best! I enjoy eating my hash browns with ketchup! I put salt and pepper on my hash browns as well. I like to eat hash browns for breakfast and dinner. Not in the same day of course. The hash brown was originally called "hashed brown potatoes" and the dish has a very interesting history. Maria Parloa shared the recipe in 1887. Even though this recipe is titled "Tennessee Pride" it is said that hash browns were first originated in Minnesota. You can read more about the history of hash browns by visiting the Tennesee State Library And Archives.

A Question Or Two I Must Ask You:

Would you please share a memory you have of hash browns? Maybe you remember your parents, relative, or friend cooking hash browns for you? I would love to hear your story. Let me know in this post. Also, I am wondering if you missed my last recipe? It is called Texas Hash Easy Recipe. It is not Tennessee hash browns but it is Texas Hash! This recipe has pork in it as you have read but hash browns alone are great!

My Personal Thoughts For Today:

I usually post or try to post more than once every week but I have been extremely busy this past week with life. I am sure you can relate. I work full-time as you might know, and I am in the middle of several projects. While working on my wood pellet stove installation, I am doing it for myself, and I am also spending time with my youngest daughter. No doubt homesteading is in my mind or at least the subject of homesteading. I would at least like to be more efficient in my living as far as saving money on heating my home.

Recently, I went through some of my quarters and found a Homestead quarter.

Homestead Quarter - Front Side - 2015

I have a one-gallon glass jug in which I keep my change in and I was pleasantly surprised to find this homestead quarter. Honestly, I didn't even know this type of quarter existed. I am not proud to admit that. I should stay more informed on things like this. Am I being too hard on myself? I'm not for sure. I assume most people already know about this quarter. I looked up the price on these quarters and they are worth more than their minted value. Collectors will pay a good amount for these and apparently, there are quarters with a mistake that are valued in the thousands of dollars.

Homestead Quarter - Back Side - 2015

Do you have any Homestead quarters? If you do, you might find it interesting to find the value of your quarters. If you are lucky, you might have one that is very valuable to a collector and if you wanted to sell it, you might have enough money to start your very own homestead.

You can learn more about the Homestead National Monument of America Quarter by visiting the United States Mint website.

I would like to finish up this post by sharing I am excited to know my oldest daughter and her family are moving back to my area. I am excited to see them and that means I will get to see my two granddaughters. I enjoy getting to see them when I can. They are so cute and remind me of when my own daughters were little. I still consider myself to be somewhat young but I am a fairly new grandparent. I am 50 years old so in reality, that is not too young. I try to stay young at heart and my grandchildren make me feel that way. What a joy!

Thanks for reading this recipe post!

>>See all my recipes here!<<

Texas Hash Easy Recipe

 

Texas Hash Easy Recipe - (Main Dishes, Beef)

Ingredients:

1 pound hamburger

1 large green pepper (chopped)

1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 ounces)

1/2 cup uncooked rice

1-2 tablespoons chili powder

3 large onions (diced)

2 teaspoons salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, stir ground beef until it is light brown. Then drain off the fat. Add the onions, and green peppers, cook, and stir until the onions are tender. Stir in the tomatoes, rice, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Heat thoroughly, and pour into an ungreased 2-quart casserole dish. Cover & bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

My Thoughts On Texas Hash:

When I was a child I lived in East Texas. Longview, Texas to be exact. I lived there for about seven years. I loved it there but I am originally from Missouri. I picked up a little accent while living in East Texas, which was very noticeable when I moved back to Missouri. It is amazing how a person can adapt to a certain geographical area and pick up an accent. One thing that also was picked up was my love for Texan food. I love Texas Hash! If you have never tried this recipe I would encourage you to give it a whirl! There's some Texas talk for you!

Extra Information For You:

Texas Hash is really a Tex-Mex casserole but I logged it under Beef Dishes in this blog because of the love for beef in Texas and originality. This recipe is something that the whole family will love. The recipe originated in 1971 by the one and only Betty Crocker. I'm just kidding! She didn't invent it. She just published it then to share her version with the world. Betty Crocker isn't even a real person. She is a brand. Texas Hash is originally thought to come from the Great Depression era when families needed to conserve food and make ingredients stretch just to survive. You can learn more about its origin by visiting Apron Advisor.

A Question Or Two For Ya:

Do you remember the first time you tried Texas Hash? If you don't remember the first time then maybe you remember the last time. Did you cook it or did someone else? If you make this recipe would you mind sharing your experience with me here? Great! I knew you would. Also, did you see my last recipe? If you missed it, it is called Choco-Holic Ho Ho Cake. Check it out and tell me what you think of it too.

Personal Thoughts For Today: (Wood Pellet Stove Installation Pictures)

It has been a busy week for me as usual and I have been working on my wood pellet stove, as you may know from reading my previous posts. I got the area wall cleaned up and ready to get this thing installed. The nights here have been colder and I appreciate the warmth of wood heat. I am really looking forward to it being warmer and cheaper to heat my home.

Where the propane wall heater hung.

I need to paint over the spots on the wall where the propane heater used to hang. I got the holes filled and then I moved on to the next step in the process. I had to find the flue exhaust pipe hole and drilled in the area where I thought it was until finally I found it. I began by cutting the hole all the way open until it was completely revealed. I think I removed so many bird nests from the flue I filled up a small trash can.

I put putty in the hanging holes. Next, I need to paint.

You can see in the picture above where I placed putty in the wall holes where the propane wall heater used to hang. You can also see the propane line coming in through the floor. I have a cut-off valve on there and was advised to cap it off with a flair cap to be safe. I didn't have to put it under the floor. I decided to keep it there if I wanted to use it in the future for a propane heater. I still have a central air system that has a propane furnace in it but the more options available for heat is the best in my opinion.

6-inch flue hole I gloriously cut out. 

How do you like the tiny drill holes above my flue exhaust hole? I tapped on the sheetrock that covers my flue and listened. I thought I found the hole but as you can tell, I had it wrong. I think it is funny. Well, that is just some more holes I will have to putty over and paint. I plan to run a 3-inch exhaust pipe up through the flue to use for the wood pellet stove instead of using the original flue itself. My home is an old home and I am sure the flue was built to resist heat but by using the exhaust pipe I am being safe.

Stove pipe for the flue I bought at Lowe's.

This weekend my daughter and I visited Lowe's and purchased three 60-inch stove exhaust pipes. I previously measured my flue that when down to the opening inside and it was about 12 feet. That gives me a little extra when I install the topper and cap on top of the house. I also purchased a 3-inch elbow to connect to the pipe on the inside of the flue. At the time of the purchase, these pipes were about $14 each. After-tax, my total was around $50 dollars. It is adding up for sure but it is an investment that will pay for itself in the long run. 

Hole for cold air intake hose.

Since the wood pellet stove has to have cold air from the outside I figured out a great way to get it. I decided to drill a 2 1/4-inch hole in the floor behind where the stove will sit. I can run the intake hose under the house over to a vent on the side of the house. It really worked out perfectly because the vent is in the exact place I need it. I bought a 2 1/4-inch Craftsman drill bit because that is the size of the intake hose that came with my wood pellet stove. I also purchased this drill bit at Lowe's. It was the cheapest option for me and worked great.

I hope you enjoyed my post for today about Texas Hash Easy Recipe and my wood pellet stove installation journey. Please feel free to share this post with a friend and if you have any tips or feedback about this recipe or my wood pellet stove I sure would love to hear from you. I am learning how to install this stove so if you can, please help me out. Thanks so much for reading!

>>See all my recipes here!<<

Choco-Holic Ho Ho Cake Easy Recipe

 

Choco-Holic Ho Ho Cake Easy Recipe - (Cakes)

Ingredients:

2 2/3 cup flour

2 cups sugar

6 tablespoons cocoa

2 tablespoons vinegar

2 cups water

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons oil or 3/4 cup

Directions:

Mix together ingredients. They will be runny. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.

Middle Layer: (Directions)

Cook until thick... 

5 tablespoons flour

1 1/4 cups milk stirring constantly

Cool - (keep covered)

After cooled add to the cream mixture

Cream Mixture:

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup Crisco

Spread the flour/cream mixture over the cake. Cool in the refrigerator while preparing icing.

Icing:

1/2 cup butter

Melt 3 ounces of square unsweetened chocolate

Add:

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 egg

2 1/2 tablespoons hot water

1 1/4 cup powdered sugar

Icing will continue to be runny. Pour over the top of the cake. Then refrigerate. 

My Thoughts On Choco-Holic Ho Ho Cake:

I love the Hostess Ho Ho's but this recipe takes the cake! Literally! It is an easy recipe with three steps but you will be glad when you cut yourself a piece of this chocolate lover's delight. If you like coffee it would go great with it too. You will be sure to win some people over with this recipe.

Extra Information For You:

Mr. McKee started selling 5-cent cakes in 1933. Then in 1935, he came out with the Oatmeal Creme Pie. Since then, the family has been selling great dessert cakes. Hostess has the Ho Ho's and The Little Debbie company has the Swiss Roll. They are comparable and both are tasty. You can learn more about Little Debbie and its history by visiting their site in this post.

Question For You:

What is your favorite snack cake? The Hostess Ho Ho or Little Debbie's Swiss Roll? I am sure after you try your hand at my Choco-Holic Ho Ho Cake you will love it the best. Did you see my last recipe? It is also a dessert recipe and it's called Brown Edge Saucies Easy Recipe. It is an applesauce cookie recipe.

Personal Thoughts For Today:

It's starting to get cooler and you know what that means. It's time to make a fire outside in the firepit and enjoy the warmth with family or friends.

My backyard metal firepit with stars cut in the side.

My daughter asked me recently if we could make a fire. It is such a great thing to do and a great excuse to roast hotdogs and marshmallows over the fire.  I had to get some beef hotdogs because they are the best tasting in my opinion and some marshmallows. I found some graham crackers with cinnamon and sugar on them along with a Hershey's milk chocolate bar for making smores. I only had one but it was so good.

The Smore I made. You know the recipe.

I had some wood logs left over from last year that I purchased from the store. I don't live in the country so I am forced to buy wood for the firepit. I do live in town and have some trees that create small wood in the yard but I use that for getting the fire started. 

An Update On My Wood Pellet Stove:

I got the hole cut in my chimney to run my metal stovepipe through for the exhaust. I figured out how to get cool air from outside based on the location of my wood pellet stove. I am drilling a hole in the floor behind the wood stove and running my intake hose under the house using a plastic pipe. The pipe leads to the vent in the side of my house and is almost exactly where I need it. It will work out great and I am going to be posting more pictures as I get it installed.

Today I am going to the Lowe's store. I will be looking at more exhaust pipe to complete the job and a stove plate to sit the wood pellet stove on. The idea for the stove plate is to catch any ashes that might fall out of the stove and to help protect the floor under the stove as well.

It is 57 degrees today so it is a little cooler and I had to put on my pullover hoodie. I think it will be warmer tomorrow and will give me a chance to work on installing the cool air intake system I have designed. I was thinking about making a video to post on my YouTube channel so you can see it after I have it installed. Please subscribe so you won't miss my videos.

Beef hotdogs over my fire pit.

I hope you enjoyed my post for today. If you have a fire pit, it is a good thing to get out and use it this time of the year. It will give you a chance to unwind and forget about work or whatever you have been distracted by recently. If you don't have a fire pit, maybe you know someone who does. Thanks for reading and be sure to share my Choco-Holic Ho Ho Cake with a friend.

>>See all my recipes here!<<

Brown Edge Saucies Easy Recipe - Cookie And Master Forge Wood Pellet Stove

 

One of the best applesauce cookies you will ever taste!

Brown Edge Saucies Easy Recipe - (Cookies)

Ingredients:

2 cups flour (sifted)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup canned applesauce

Directions:

Step 1. Measure flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves into sifter. Save for step 4.

Step 2. Cream shortening until soft in a medium-sized bowl. Add sugar gradually creaming after each addition until well blended.

Step 3. Stir in egg and vanilla. Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Step 4. Sift and add dry ingredients alternately with applesauce blending well after each addition.

Step 5. Drop batter by teaspoon onto lightly greased cookie sheet keeping mounds 2 inches apart.

Step 6. Bake in a moderate oven at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned around the edges. Makes 3 dozen cookies.

Thoughts On Brown Edge Saucies:

The cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves will pop in this cookie recipe so much you will think you are biting into Christmas morning! You can add a small amount of vanilla icing to the top of these cookies for an added flavor if you like.

Extra Information For You:

Here is some information about the history of applesauce. Applesauce came from Central Europe. It was originally found in an English cookbook. You can learn more details about this cookbook and the history of applesauce in the article called Apple Sauce by Tasteatlas.

A Question or Two For You:

Do you like applesauce or apple sauce cookies? Have you ever made these cookies? If you have had any experience with these cookies I would love to hear your story. Please share with me in the comments below. Also, did you miss my last easy recipe? If you did miss my last recipe, I would like to share it with you here. The recipe is called Italian Meatballs Easy Recipe. Take a peek at it!

Personal Thoughts For Today:

In previous posts I have shared I wanted to get a wood pellet stove. I finally got over to the Lowe's store and bought one. It is a Master Forge wood pellet stove.

I picked up my wood pellet stove with my truck.

I had to wait a few days before picking it up at the store. I heat with propane but I wanted to add a wood pellet stove to not only have more of an option for heating my home but it is also a beginning towards being more independent and self-sufficient. Eventually, it would be ideal to produce power as well with solar panels and wind turbines. 

In the middle of the house. It is the dining room area.

My stepdad owns ramps for his truck and brought them to me. We put the ramps on the tailgate and slid the stove down the ramp to the ground. Then we used a dolly to wheel it into the house. The picture above is basically where I want to place the stove in my home. The next step is to measure how much pipe I need for installation. I have to get on top of the roof and measure the amount of pipe I need to run down to the stove for exhaust. I have a chimney flu built into the home so I will run pip down the flu instead of using the flu itself.

I am thinking I would like to purchase a plate for the stove to sit on and possibly a plate to go on the wall behind the stove as well. If I don't use a plate for the wall I may use some kind of decorative wall board that looks like bricks. It is just an idea. I also would like to use black pipe for inside the house. The pipe going up the flu won't be seen so it will be the cheapest and probably just regular silver metal.

This stove heats 2,000-3,000 square feet and my house is not as much as that so this stove should heat the house very well. I can use the central air unit to circulate the warm air throughout the house. The intake for the central air is in the ceiling of the dining room where the heat from the stove will go to. I think it will work out well and I will keep you updated on the progress and experience.

>>See all my recipes here!<<

Weights And Measures For Cooking Easy Recipes

 

some of my cooking tools

Weights And Measures For Cooking Easy Recipes

Standard Abbreviations

(I may not use these in my recipes but if I do this will serve as a useful guide)

t. --- teaspoon

T. --- tablespoon

c. --- cup

f.g. --- few grains

pt. --- pint

qt. --- quart

d.b. --- double boiler

B.P. --- baking powder

oz. --- ounce

lb. --- pound

pk. --- peck (learn how much a peck is here)

bu. --- bushel (learn how much a bushel is here)

Guide to Weights and Measures

1 teaspoon = 60 drops

3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon

2 tablespoons = 1 fluid ounce

4 tablespoons = 1/4 cup

5 1/3 tablespoons = 1/3 cup

8 tablespoons = 1/2 cup

16 tablespoons = 1 cup

1 pound = 16 ounces

1 cup = 1/2 pint

2 cups = 1 pint

4 cups = 1 quart

4 quarts = 1 gallon

8 quarts = 1 peck

4 pecks = 1 bushel

Substitutions and Equivalents

2 tablespoons of fat = 1 ounce

1 cup of fat = 1/2 pound

1 pound of butter = 2 cups

1 cup of hydrogenated fat plus 1/2 t. salt = 1 cup butter

2 cups sugar = 1 pound

2 1/2 cups packed brown sugar = 1 pound

1 1/3 cups packed brown sugar = 1 pound

3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar = 1 pound

4 cups sifted all-purpose flour = 1 pound

4 1/2 cups sifted cake flour = 1 pound

1 ounce bitter chocolate = 1 square

4 tablespoons cocoa plus 2 teaspoon butter = 1 ounce of bitter chocolate

1 cup egg whites = 8 to 10 whites

1 cup egg yolks = 12 to 14 yolks

16 marshmallows = 1/4 pound

1 tablespoon cornstarch = 2 tablespoons flour for thickening

1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice + 1 cup milk = 1 cup sour milk

10 graham crackers = 1 cup fine crumbs

1 cup whipping cream = 2 cups whipped

1 cup evaporated milk = 3 cups whipped

1 lemon = 3 to 4 tablespoons juice

1 orange = 6 to 8 tablespoons juice

1 cup uncooked rice = 3 to 4 cups cooked rice

Thoughts On Weights And Measures For Cooking

It is essential that you do not confuse "weight" and "volume" when it comes to cooking. I want to share the Guide to Common Cooking Measurements by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Hopefully, this guide will be helpful to you. If you have any comments about these measurements please let me know at the end of this post.

Extra Information For You:

Maybe you have been cooking for a while and you have heard someone use the term "smidgen" or "dollop" when they provide instructions on a recipe. These terms among other cooking terms are very unique. It is almost like a cooking language. I would like to share a great article that explains these terms on these weights and measures. It is by Lapham's Quarterly, and is called How Much Is a Smidgen?

Quick Question To Think About:

Do you have a memory of being in the kitchen with a loved one and they used a cooking term concerning weights and measures? I remember my grandmother cooking and saying "dash" or "pinch" and sometimes she wouldn't use a measuring device except for her hands. This confused me because I am a very analytical person. To me, it made more sense to use a measuring spoon or cup. It seemed to work for her very well and all of us benefited from her tasty cooking. What words do you recall hearing in the kitchen while someone cooked your favorite meal?

Did you miss my last easy recipe? If you did, then you can read it now. It is called Beef Stroganoff Biscuit Casserole where I share a BONUS recipe for BEST CHILI that you just love. Check it out and let me know what you think!

My Personal Thoughts:

Me at Barnes & Noble Bookstore

It has been a very busy week and I intended to share more recipes but just haven't been able to. Friday night my daughter had her friend over to stay the night. I took them to eat Chinese food and then to a local thrift store. I found a couple good T-shirts and some books. I did find an old wood walking cane I plan to refinish and maybe sell. I will share pictures of that later when I get around to working on it.

The girls found a few items at the thrift store and then we went next door to the Aldi grocery store to get snacks for them. After the sacks, we went to the Vintage Stock store so they could shop there. I sat in the car while they looked. The Vintage Stock store is a video game store that also sells posters and movies. I am not into video games that much so it didn't interest me.

Auto Problems:

Before we went into the thrift store I had problems with the side van door opening up. It is automatic and it didn't seem to want to work. No matter how hard I tried or what I did it just didn't work. I had filled up my gas tank at the station and I figured out my gas cap door was not all the way closed. This prevents the sliding door from opening. Once I clicked the gas cap door all the way closed, the sliding door began to work correctly. This happened before but it was so long ago I forgot all about it. The girls had a good time and I got a dad-win taking them out. One thing I learned was that when pumping gas it is very important to make sure the gas cap door is all the way closed before leaving the station.

Ok, I hope I haven't bored you with my dad journeys and making teenage girls have a fun time shopping. I'll be finishing up this post and hopefully, you find the information I shared here helpful. If you have a recipe you would like to share please send it to me. I will give you recipe share credit and link back to your page or social media. Until next time, thanks for reading!

>>See all my recipes here!<<