This is good with wings, but this week I am using drumsticks.

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup parmesean cheese

"nude" baked chicken (can be wings, drumsticks, breast, etc)

1.  In a small glass bowl, melt butter in microwave

2. Whick into butter the garlic powder, onion salt and pepper

3. Arrange hot, fresh baked nude chicken  on a serving platter and drizzle with butter mixture

4.  Top with parmesean cheese and serve immediately

By Becky LeFevre

As a child, I spent most of my days at home with my grandma and grandpa while my mom was at work.  My grandma practically lived in the kitchen.  She was a great cook and made absolutely delicious pies.  I watched her diligently and over time learned how to add just the right amount of water to make the dough flaky but not tough, how to flute the edges of apple pie or make a lattice top for a cherry pie.  I learned that sometimes you have to adjust the amount of sugar depending on the sweetness of the fruit.  I can bake a great pie.  But, I also learned that great pie takes a lot of time, and time is in short supply. I’ll bake a pie for Thanksgiving and Christmas, maybe a birthday or once when the sour cherries are in season, but for the rest of the year I settle for creative alternatives. 

The following recipes are the absolute simplest pie-alternatives you can find.  Not only are they thrown together in less than 5 minutes, they look and taste fabulous and are nutritious.  If you want a pie but don’t have time, try this:

First, get some of your favorite fruits. I have peaches from Partyka farm and 20oz apples from Chryst farm, both from the Genesee Country Farmers Market.
Then, turn on your oven to 350
For Peaches, cut peaches in half and remove pit. Place facing up (skin down) on a baking sheet (you can cut a thin slice off the back of the fruit so it sits up straight on the baking sheet).  Top with either:
· a pad of butter and teaspoon of light brown sugar  OR
· drizzle on some honey with a few sprigs of fresh lavender, or lemon zest
· for extra excitement, add a some fresh berries or plums to the peaches when they are halfway done. Don’t add berries in the beginning or they will get mushy.
Bake for a half hour (while you are eating dinner). Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream.
For Apples, remove the core from apple (try to keep the bottom of the apple intact).  If your apple is quite large or you don’t have patience with the core removal, cut it in half and remove the core that way.
 Fill the apple with a pad of butter and approximately a teaspoon of light brown sugar, depending on the size of apple.  Sprinkle on some cinnamon or insert a stick of cinnamon. You can also add some raisins and pecans. Bake on 350 for a half hour or till tender. Serve will a scoop of vanilla ice cream. 

Tonight I’m roasting a chicken for dinner, with potatoes, onions and beans from the market. I’m going to slip 2 huge sugar-butter stuffed apples into the oven when the chicken is done, and voilà…dessert!

Every once in a while an occasion comes up when you want to make something just a little different.

I played around with a chocolate cake mix (from Aldi's no less) and ended up with this moist, rich, cake.  At the end of the evening, the piece in the picture was all that was left of the cake.

Pre-heat oven to 350F   Prepare baking pans according to directions on box.  I use cocoa instead of flour in my pans when I make a chocolate cake.

1 box chocolate cake mix

1 pkg. instant chocolate pudding

1 cup brown sugar

Mix dry ingredients

Add:

1 cup sour cream

1 cup oil

1 1/3 cups water

3 eggs (one at a time)

Mix batter, on medium, for 3 minutes.  Pour into prepared pans.  Baking time will vary according to oven.  I did a sheet cake and it took just about 50 minutes.

I frosted with a butter cream frosting, but the last time I made this, I just sprinkled confectioners sugar on it. 

Chocolate Zucchini Bread
INGREDIENTS
3 eggs
2 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup chopped almonds
2 cups grated zucchini

..DIRECTIONS
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 9 x 5 inch loaf pans well.
2.Sift together flour, salt, cinnamon, baking powder, and soda.
3.In a large bowl, beat eggs until lemon colored; beat in sugar and oil. Stir in vanilla, zucchini, and cooled chocolate. Mix dry ingredients into zucchini mixture. Stir in the chopped almonds. Pour batter into prepared pans.
4.Bake for 60 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans 15 to 20 minutes, then flip onto racks to finish cooling.


Hint of Lemon Zucchini Bread
INGREDIENTS
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup white sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 1/3 cups grated zucchini
3/4 teaspoon lemon extract
2/3 cup chopped pecans
..DIRECTIONS
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
2.In a large bowl, beat eggs with sugar for 10 minutes. Gradually add oil and beat for two more minutes. Mix in lemon extract, zucchini and pecans. Fold in flour mixture until evenly moistened; do not overmix. Pour batter into prepared pan.
3.Bake in preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean.

Because people use different size cans of beans to make their dish, I am just going to give the basics.  Ingredients can be measured according to the size of dish prepared.

1. 1 large can baked beans (Bush or Grandma Browns are best)
2. Bacon (I crisp it first in the microwave, then cut into chunks, it doesn't make the beans greasy)
3. Brown Sugar
4. BBQ sauce (I like Kraft original for this)

Spread a layer of beans in a roasting pan.

Sprinkle bacon and brown sugar over the beans then drop, by tablespoon) BBQ sauce.  Do not stir in the BBQ sauce.

Continue layering and end with a layer of baked beans.

Bake at 350F until beans are bubbling.

Serve hot or cold.

(you can add chopped onions and/or a chopped chili pepper if you like the extra heat.)

Applie Pudding

Don't like to make piecrust? Try this easy, crustless, delicious apple pudding.. Ingredients

2-1/2 cups apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup sugar
 

3/4 cup melted butter or margarine
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped (optional)
1 cup bisquick
1 cup sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 pinch salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 9-inch pie pan with butter or margarine. Fill 2/3 of pie pan with sliced apples. (Do not overfill or will overflow pan.) Sprinkle the apples with cinnamon and 1 teaspoon sugar. In medium bowl mix the 1 cup sugar and melted butter. Stir in nuts, flour, egg and salt. Mix well. Spread over apples. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 65 minutes or until top is brown and apples are tender. Slice into 6-8 servings. Delicious served warm with ice cream or whipped topping.

This is the original recipe.  I've played with it and came up with the following variations:

Substitue one can of cherry pie filling (or other pie filling) for the apples - eliminate the cinnamon and the 1tsp. of sugar.  If using canned filling, reduce the cooking time by about 1/2 hour  or until topping is browned.

Today I had a few bananas that were getting really ripe.  I also had strawberries that needed to be used.

I mashed the bananas and placed them in the bottom of the pan. Then covered the bananas with sliced strawberries. 

I made the topping with:

3/4 cup melted butter or margarine
1 cup bisquick
1 cup sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 pinch salt

and baked at 350degrees for 40 minutes (ovens vary, so use your own judgement)

This can be served warm or cold.

Enjoy!

This is a simple reciepe I made for my entire family and it was a hit. If you are a fan of cheesecake, I am sure you are going to love it. I also used Smart Balance Cream cheese and Smart balance butter sticks. Each product is half the fat than reg. butter and cream cheese and still gave a rich yummy taste. I found the butter at Wal-Mart and the cream cheese at Tops.

From Taste of Home Cooking for Two,

Minature Peanut Butter Cheesecakes

Prep: 20 min Bake: 15+chilling

Ingeredients:

1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 tablespoon sugar

5 teaspoons butter, melted

Filling:

4 ounces Cream Cheese

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons beaten egg

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

6 minature peanut butter cups

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter. Press onto the bottom of six paper-lined mufin cups; set aside.

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and flour until smooth. Add egg and vanilla; beat on low speed just until combined. Place a peanut butter cup in the center of each muffin cup; fill with cream cheese mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 mins. or until center s set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 mins before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Yield: 6 servings

This is a perfect recipe for a great Superbowl appetizer!

You couldn't ask for more perfect timing on this one folks—that is, as long as you've already got the ingredients in the house. In this fifth episode of Cooking With the Dairy Princess, Anika Zuber shows us how to prepare a rich, white chocolate, hot chocolate.

Mmm.

Earlier this month, eleven 4-Hers from around the county showed off their nutritional and culinary know-how at the Produced in New York State Food Contest that was held at Martin's Super Food Store in Batavia. In front of a panel of judges, each participant prepared a recipe using at least one cup of fruits, vegetables or meat that had been produced here in the Empire State.

Jennifer Lichtenthal showed us how to make her cabbage casserole, a recipe passed down from her grandmother. She also informed us that New York, if you can believe it, is the number one cabbage growing state in the country. Enjoy! 

For the complete recipe, or for any of the other ten recipes featured at the Produced in New York State Food Contest, please contact the Cornell Cooperative Extension at (585) 343-3040.

Here it is: Episode four in our series Cooking with the Dairy Princess. In this episode, your favorite princess and mine, Anika Zuber, is welcomed by a speical guest. Enjoy! 

Don't forget! You can visit The Batavian at Blip.tv to see this video in large format, as well as many of our other videos. Simply go to The Batavian's video channel at: thebatavian.blip.tv.

Chili

Tossed Salad

Whole Wheat biscuits

Wild Cherry Frozen Yogurt for dessert

We begin our countdown to Halloween tonight with the first of five videos devoted to the celebration of the spooky. Our good friend Anika Zuber, the Genesee County Dairy Princess, will show us how to make Jell-O eyeballs, a perfect treat for the ghoul and goblin in your life. So, without further ado...

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs Italian Sausage

2 apples, peeled and cored

1/2 cup raisins

Over medium heat lightly brown the sausage with apples and raisins until 3/4 of the sausage is gray but still barely pink. Drain fat.

Mix in:

1 teaspoon anise

1 1/2 lbs baked potatoes, cooled

1 onion, chopped

1 teaspoon sage

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

salt and pepper to taste

Fill a quiche pan with mixture

Top with

1 layer of puff pastry

brush with an egg wash made of 1 egg and 2 tablespoons of milk

Bake in a 450 oven for 30-40 minutes (if potatoes were chilled, 40 minutes)

Serves 8

I strayed from the basic recipe using turkey Italian sausage from Tops. I used a biscuit batter for a topping rather than the puff pastry the last time I made this for a luncheon.

Ok...so these are far from homemade. But trust me when I say they are fantastic. Everytime I've taken them somewhere I'm asked for the recipe, which I embarrassingly provide. :)

Yields about 2 dozen.

1 (9 oz.) pkg. yellow cake mix (or your favorite flavor)

2/3 cup oatmeal

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

1 egg

     (following ingrediants are optional)

* 1 tsp almond extract

*1/2 cup chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, peanut butter chips, M&Ms (your preference)

* For a healthier cookie, substitute raisins in place of the chips.

I personally love the, "healthier" part. As if there is anything healthy about a stick of butter and cake mix!

Preheat oven to 375. In a mixing bowl, beat the cake mix, oatmeal, butter and egg. Stir in the chips (if using). Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately remove to wire racks to cool.

In  response to our request, Bea McManis has posted some of her recipes.

• Harvard Beets
• Roasted Yams and Apples
• Corn Relish
• Apple Butter

If you have recipes you want to share, post them as a blog post and tag them "recipes" and we'll highlight that as a category on The Batavian.

What I'm thinking -- if we could come up with some other "special interest" categories, I'll create a block some where on the left rail to link to these categories.  It might be fishing, or photography, or travel -- if you have a special interest and want to get a category going on that topic ... get it started and we'll create a way to highlight it.

UPDATE: Here's Katie Elia's Cake Cookies.

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup white sugar

4 teaspoons cornstarch

1/3 cup white vinegar

1/3 cup water

2 (15 ounce) cans sliced beets, drained

3 tablespoons butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS

In a saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, vinegar and water. Bring to a boil, and cook for 5 minute. Add the beets to the liquid, and simmer for 30 minutes over low heat. Stir in butter, salt and pepper and remove from the heat. Serve warm or chilled.

ROASTED YAMS AND APPLES

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon soy sauce

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons yellow mustard

1 tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup olive oil

1 pound sweet potatoes or yams, scrubbed and cubed with skin

1 pound apples, cored and cut into wedges

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Whisk together the vinegar, soy sauce, mustard, brown sugar, paprika, and salt in a large bowl until well mixed. Whisk in the olive oil until smooth, then add potatoes and apples, and toss to coat. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Bake in preheated oven until the potatoes are tender and golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Try this as a stuffing for acorn squash halves or as a side dish on it's own.