Welcome!

Welcome to Simple Fare, Fairly Simple. This is a place for me to post recipes of all kinds...along with other miscellaneous fodder from my so-called life here in the south. Who knows what you will find here. Could be anything from my husband...known as IT Guy...to my kids and beautiful grandbabies that are growing up way too fast right before my eyes. But...mostly this will be a place for food. I hope you'll see something you like and if you decide to try something from the list...leave me a comment and let me know!



Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Fast Turtles

A couple of weeks ago I hosted a cookie/treat/goodie exchange here at my house. There were about 15 women that showed up bringing all kinds of wonderful sweets. We had everything from cookies to flavored popcorn. From jam to pecan brittle. Yes....pecan brittle. Oh so good! But one of the most popular things that was there were these yummy little treasures. One of the young moms brought them (Hi, Tab!!) and they were a HIT! So many people asked for the recipe...me being one of them. I asked Tab if I could post the recipe and she graciously said yes. She had found it on a site somewhere....I also found it here: www.southernplate.com.
And now it's HERE! If you're needing a quick little treat, make this! If you're going to a New Year's Eve party....take this! If you're having a bad day and need to go hide in the closet, make this!! You won't be sorry. Or maybe you will if you eat the whole plate. Try to refrain....it's hard, though. Just ask me...I'm still working on not going into the kitchen to gobble down the remaining few. I may need therapy.
Fast Turtles



1 12-ounce package Rolo’s candies
1 bag pretzels – small twists or squares
Pecan halves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place pretzels on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Place one unwrapped Rolo on top of each pretzel. Heat in the oven for 2 (TWO) minutes. Any longer and you will have a big, melty mess on your hands. As soon as pretzels come out of the oven, lightly squish a pecan half on top on the melty Rolo. Let set until firm. 

If you want to make a LOT of these...buy 2 or 3 bags of Rolos because you will run out of those first. I used 1 bag and scored about 50 or so turtles...which seems like a lot but really isn't. These babies need quite a while to set up. In the fridge for a few hours or overnight works best.

This is all you need to make these yummy little treats. 
This is all you need to make 
these yummy little treats.

In the oven for TWO minutes!! 
In the oven for TWO minutes!!

You'll notice that a few of mine I didn't put pecans on. We have someone in our family allergic to nuts. But I just used my finger to mash down the Rolo. 
You'll notice that a few of mine 
 didn't put pecans on. We have 
someone in our family allergic to 
nuts. But I just used my finger to 
mash down the Rolo. You can also 
just add another pretzel on top.

Pecan Coconut Sauce

Don't you just love a good thick ice cream topping? I sure do and I think that's why I LOVE Mrs. Richardson's sauces. I use them in lots of recipes, not just for drizzling over ice cream. I knew IT Guy would love this sauce because it has two of his favorite things in it. Coconut and pecans. Talk about thick....you can spackle walls with this stuff. Not that that's a bad thing, mind you, but that's how thick it is. And yummy? Oh yeah...very. We plopped it on top of french vanilla ice cream the other night, but how yummy would it be with chocolate? It would be like eating german chocolate cake! It's just so good! You gotta try it!!

Pecan Coconut Sauce

 

1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2 egg yolks
¼ cup butter
½ cup coconut
½ cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a small sauce pan, heat sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, and butter over medium heat, stirring constantly.
Cook until thick and bubbly...maybe 5 minutes or so.
Remove from heat and add coconut, pecans and vanilla.

Serve warm over ice cream or cake.

Here's whatcha need.
Here's whatcha need.

Dump the SCM in a saucepan along with the eggs and buttah.
Dump the SCM in a saucepan 
along with the eggs and buttah.

Cook AND STIR for 5 - 8 minutes until the mixture is thick and bubble. You gotta stir it the whole time, though. You don't want the milk to burn on the bottom of the pan. Ew.
Cook AND STIR for 5 - 8 minutes 
until the mixture is thick and bubble. 
You gotta stir it the whole time, though. 
You don't want the milk to burn on 
the bottom of the pan. Ew.

Remove the mixture from the heat and add the vanilla, coconut and pecans.
Remove the mixture from the heat 
and add the vanilla, coconut and pecans.

Stir to combine and serve warm over ice cream!
Stir to combine and serve warm over ice cream!

Grilled Cheese Puffs

Okay...so these aren't actually grilled...they're more oven baked but it doesn't really matter what you call them when they're as good as these little guys. I made a small pan because I wasn't sure how they'd go over. Note to self: double the batch next time. We inhaled these gooey little dough balls of wonderment. Spice yours up any way you want...but I went the plain route. Did you know Velveeta comes in a spicy Mexican flavor? Who knew? I bet those would be super good. These are great with pasta or soup...or as snack. Just delicious!

Grilled Cheese Puffs



1 8-count container Grands biscuits 
1 16-ounce Velveeta cheese
3 tablespoons butter ~ melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a small baking pan or cake pan with cooking spray.

Remove biscuits from container and flatten out to about 4 - 5 inches in diameter.

Place a piece of cheese, about 1/2 inch x 2 inches on top of flattened biscuit. Flatten cheese a little bit.

Gather biscuit up around cheese and place seam side down in prepared pan.

Brush tops of biscuits with melted butter.

Bake for about 20 minutes until biscuits are golden brown.

Here's all you need right here.
Here's all you need right here.


Flatten out the biscuits then place a hunk of cheese on top and flatten that out a bit.
Flatten out the biscuits then place a 
hunk of cheese on top and flatten that out a bit.


Gather up into a little ball, securing the cheese inside then place seam side down into a baking dish. Brush the tops with melted butter.
Gather up into a little ball, 
securing the cheese inside 
then place seam side down 
into a baking dish. Brush the 
tops with melted butter.


Bake!!
Bake!!


Ooey-gooey goodness!
Ooey-gooey goodness!