66. Banana-Pecan Pound Cake

From 2006 Southern Living Annual Recipes

I originally came across this when I was searching for a cupcake recipe. Turns out, I didn't have enough liners when I got home, so I went with the suggested cake variation.

This pretty much tasted like banana bread (and less like "cake"), because it wasn't super sweet. On the other hand, it wasn't super moist, either, like traditional banana bread.

I was kind of so-so on this recipe...but it went FAST at work!

1 (16-oz.) package pound cake mix

3 large bananas, mashed
2 large eggs
1/3 cup milk
1-1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans


Beat first 4 ingredients at low speed with an electric mixer 30 seconds. Scrape down sides, and beat at medium speed 3 minutes. Stir 1 cup pecans into batter.


Sprinkle 1/4 cup pecans evenly on bottom of a greased and floured 10-inch Bundt pan; spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 35 to 40 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan, and cool completely on wire rack.

65. Mini Pesto-Turkey Meatloaves

From 2009 Southern Living Annual Recipes

Y'all...don't be put off by the picture. I, too, was a little dismayed when I pulled them from the oven. Ground turkey just doesn't cook up "pretty."

But, let me tell you, these totally deliver in flavor. The pesto knocks them out of the park. I was concerned about them being dry, since there's no sauce and turkey is so lean, but they were so surprisingly moist.

I love the muffin presentation of them, too. Serve two or three per person, add a starch and a salad, and you're done.

1 to 1 1/2 lb. ground turkey

1/4 cup panko
1 medium onion, shredded
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons refrigerated pesto
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups (5 oz.) freshly shredded mozzarella cheese, divided


Preheat oven to 375°. Gently combine ground turkey, next 6 ingredients, and 1/2 cup cheese just until combined, using hands. Spoon turkey mixture into 12 lightly greased muffin cups.


Bake at 375° for 16 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Bake 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and a meat thermometer inserted into centers of meatloaves registers 165°.

64. BBQ Chicken Quesadilla Torta

From 2007 Southern Living Annual Recipes

For our third game-day recipe, we went a little heartier, for some substance...and this fit that bill. It was incredibly filling!

The combination of barbecue with Mexican ingredients like black beans, cheese, and guacamole seemed a little odd to me, but I was intrigued enough to try it out. (And, I wanted to put my never-used springform pan to a good savory use!)

The flavors really worked well together...and this could easily be a main dish recipe. We were STUFFED!

1/2 pound (about 2 cups) chopped barbecued chicken

1 (15-oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
4 (10-inch) burrito-size flour tortillas
1 cup seeded, diced plum tomatoes (about 2 large)
2 green onions, finely chopped
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded Mexican-style cheese blend
Toppings: sour cream, guacamole

Stir together barbecued chicken, black beans, and 1/2 cup barbecue sauce in a medium bowl.


Place 1 tortilla in a lightly greased 10-inch springform pan, and spread with one-third chicken mixture. Sprinkle with one-third each of tomatoes, green onions, and cheese. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining tortilla, and gently press. Cover pan with aluminum foil.


Bake at 400° for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove sides of pan, and cut into wedges. Serve with desired toppings.

63. Cream Cheese-Vegetable Squares

From 2004 Southern Living Annual Recipes

Here's the second of three appetizers we made to kick off college football season. I've had this one earmarked for awhile, and I was really excited to try it.

It's a great blend of creamy and crunchy, and the crescent rolls on the bottom were hearty enough for this to be a "pick-up" dish.

The suggestion was to cut these into 20 squares, but we went a little larger. I think they would have been easier to handle and eat cut smaller.

The cream cheese mixture had a delicious flavor, but the spread was almost a little bit too thick. It's a rich combination, so I'm thinking that a thinner layer would work better.

1 (8-ounce) package refrigerated crescent rolls

1 (8-ounce) package 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1 (1-ounce or 1.4-ounce) envelope Ranch salad dressing mix
1 cup broccoli slaw mix*
1 cup (4 ounces) finely shredded Cheddar cheese

Press crescent roll dough into a 13- x 9-inch baking pan; press perforations to seal.


Bake at 350° for 12 minutes or until golden; cool.


Stir together cream cheese, mayonnaise, and dressing mix; spread over crust. Sprinkle with broccoli slaw, and top with cheese; gently press into cream cheese mixture. Cover and chill at least 2 hours. Cut into squares before serving.

62. Warm-and-Spicy Salsa

From 1999 Southern Living Annual Recipes

One of my favorite parts of football season is having "carpet picnics," a la Pretty Woman. I love making a meal out of a bunch of appetizers.

So, for the kick-off Saturday, my friend Jenny and I cooked up a bunch of nibbles, starting with this recipe. Two more to come...

We went to the store on game day, and the Rotel section had taken a pretty good hit, so we had to get the Mexican variety. It kicked this salsa up big time!

There's a lot of acid in this dish, particularly from the vinegar, so it's not for the faint of heart, but I loved the slight crunch of the onions and celery. A warm salsa was new to me, and I really liked the variation.

1 cup white vinegar

1 large onion, diced
2 celery ribs, diced
3 garlic cloves, pressed
3 (10-ounce) cans diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
1 (16-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon pepper


Bring first 4 ingredients to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat; add tomatoes and green chiles and remaining ingredients. Return to a boil, stirring occasionally. Serve warm with tortilla chips.