Beth's Favorite Recipes

Cheddar Bread Lil' Smokies

2012-02-02T07:00:00.001-06:00

This recipe makes A LOT of little smokies---more than 1 regular package for me. Maybe I didn't put enough of the dough on, but it was plenty for us. These were good, but Don said you could only eat a few before the breading became 'too much'(Guess that is a portion control help??)It is a great recipe for a different way to make little smokies. Next time I will either halve the recipe or wait for a bigger get together to make these--I only made them for our family on an appetizer night and we had 2 huge pans!

Cheddar Bread Lil Smokies

http://4littlefergusons.wordpress.com

2 sticks Softened Butter

2 cups Flour
4 cups Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
2 teaspoons Paprika
¼ teaspoons Tabasco (more If You Like Hot)
½ teaspoons Salt
1 package Little Smokies Cocktail Sausages

Mix all ingredients except little smokies until a dough is formed. Take tablespoon size balls of dough and spread thin with hands, wrap a little smokie and press to cover fully. The amount of dough to sausage ratio is up to you!
Bake at 400* for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with BBQ sauce and ketchup.

Quiche with Hashbrown Crust

2012-02-01T07:00:00.001-06:00

This has everything that my family loves in it. We loved the hashbrown crust. We DID cook it about 5 minutes longer to make sure it was crunchy.
We will be making this again!

Quiche with Hashbrown Crust

http://margo-joyfulhomemaking.blogspot.com

3 cups thawed hash browns
4 T melted butter
3 large eggs, beaten
1 c half-n-half(we used heavy cream since we had it)
6 or 7 slices of cooked, cut up bacon
1 T dried minced onion
1 c cheddar cheese, shredded

Dry out your thawed hash browns really well between paper towels, and then mix with the butter. Then pat into a 9 inch pie plate, forming a crust on the bottom and sides.

Bake in a 450 degree preheated oven for 20 minutes or till they start to get lightly crispy, but watch them so they don't burn.

Combine the rest of the ingredients while the crust is baking, and then when the crust is done, pour the egg mixture over it.

Turn oven down to 350 degrees, and bake for 30 minutes till quiche is a pretty light brown. Serves 6

Pizza Fries

2012-01-31T07:00:00.001-06:00

When I stumbled across this recipe, I KNEW we would make this one! What's not to love about cheese, fries and sauce?? I was right. These were a great snack(or meal). We DID have to cook them longer than the 10 minutes---about 30 to get to where they were hot enough.

Pizza Fries

http://millerfamilyorganizer.blogspot.com

Bag of frozen straight cut fries (I used crinkle

15 oz jar pizza sauce

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Bake 1/2 package of frozen fries according to directions on bag.

Place cooked fries in the bottom of a round foil take away container or an 8x8 square baking pan. Heat pizza sauce in a small saucepan on stove over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Pour pizza sauce on top of fries in pan.

Sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly over top of the pizza sauce. Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes or until cheese is completely melted. Let fries cool at least 10 minutes before digging in. YUM! :)

Italian Bread

2012-01-30T07:00:00.000-06:00

I was in the mood to bake bread and this fit the bill! This recipe is very easy to make and tasted great.

Italian Bread
amandascookin.com

1 package active dry yeast
1 1/2 c. warm water
1 T. shortening, melted or oil
1 T. sugar
1 1/2 t. salt
4 c. flour

Sprinkle yeast on water in large bowl. Stir to dissolve. Add sugar, salt, and half of flour. Stir to combine.

Add melted shortening and rest of flour. Mix well. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead about 5 minutes.

Place dough into a greased bowl in warm place and cover with towel. Let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Punch down and knead for one minute. Divide in half and shape in loaves (roll up and pinch very tightly).

Place on greased cookie sheet, seam side down, slice top with white sharp knife, then cover with a towel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about an hour.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until it sounds hollow when tapped. Can be brushed with butter afterwards or brushed with egg white before and sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds.

Allow to cool on a rack for at least 5-10 minutes before slicing.

Baked Cinnamon Bun Donuts with Vanilla Cream Cheese Glaze

2012-01-29T07:00:00.000-06:00

We made these while Jenna was home for Christmas break. Everyone loved them and they will be a go to baked donut recipe. I don't think our cream cheese was room temperature when we did the glaze--thus the chunks! Still tasted great!

Baked Cinnamon Bun Donuts with Vanilla Cream Cheese Glaze

http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com

For the Donuts

1 c all-purpose flour
4 tbsp white sugar
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon (add more if you like cinnamon or want a stronger ‘cinnamon bun’ taste)
1/2 tsp salt, optional
6 tbsp buttermilk
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp butter, melted

For the Glaze

1/2 c (or more) powdered sugar
1-2 tbsp cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (use more if you like a stronger vanilla flavor)
1/4 tsp+ cinnamon, optional
1-2+ tsp Water, Milk, Half and half or cream
For the Donuts

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees and lightly grease or cooking-spray the donut pan (or muffin tin).

In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon (and salt).

Add buttermilk, egg, vanilla and melted butter. Whisk or stir to combine.

Use a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip (or a Ziploc bag with a corner cut off) to pipe the batter into a 6-donut pan. Or just be extra neat and do this with a spoon which is what I did.

Bake 8 to 11 minutes in the preheated oven, until doughnuts spring back when touched or until dough is set. Donuts will not be golden brown, but should be springy.

Allow to cool slightly before removing from pan, about 5 minutes.

For the Glaze

While donuts are baking or cooling, make the glaze by combining powdered sugar, room temperature softened cream cheese, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and milk/cream/water. Whisk or stir to combine, adding the liquid, one teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency is achieved.

Dip the donuts into the glaze while warm (or cool).

Add a final dusting of cinnamon, sugar, brown sugar, or cinnamon-sugar mixture; sprinkles, or other extras at end, as desired.

Crock pot Cajun Cabbage

2012-01-28T07:00:00.001-06:00

I saw this recipe and knew we would like it here at our house. I cooked the meats the night before and I put it on just before we left for church and it cooked 4 ish hours on low. Next time I will cook it at least 5-5 1/2 hours so the cabbage wilts a bit more. I sent some to a friends house and she and her husband both loved it.

Crock pot Cajun Cabbage

Crockin’girls on facebook

Cabbage, one head, chopped (not too small)

1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained
1 lb. ground sausage, browned and drained
1 large onion chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can Ro-Tel
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded.

Layer in crock pot cabbage, ground beef, ground sausage, onion, diced tomatoes, and Ro-Tel. Cook for 4 hours on low or until cabbage is tender; then stir ingredients together and sprinkle shredded cheese over top. Replace lid and continue cooking until the cheese has melted.

Sever with piping hot cornbread.

Chili Con Queso El Dorado

2012-01-27T07:00:00.002-06:00

I saw this in my newest magazine and new we would like it. It was delicious. It makes quite a bit and heats well one time. It seems to separate if heated too many time.

Chili Con Queso El Dorado
Carolyn Kumpe--Simple and Delicious Dec 2011/Jan 2012

1 cup chopped green onions

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

4 cans (4 ounces each) chopped green chilies

2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped

2 cans (5 ounces each) evaporated milk

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 to 4 drops hot pepper sauce

Tortilla chips

In a large saucepan, saute onions in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add chilies and chipotle peppers; cook 2 minutes longer. Gradually stir in milk; heat through.

Remove from the heat; stir in cheese until melted. Stir in the cilantro, salt and pepper sauce. Serve warm with tortilla chips. Yield: 4 cups.

S'Mores Dip

2012-01-26T07:00:00.001-06:00

How can a dip with 3 ingredients taste so yummy? This one fits the bill to a 't'. We dipped 'nilla wafers in this dip. It is very good warmed up, but it will turn brown when totally mixed up. You will be tempted to eat this by the spoonfuls--I won't tell!

S 'Mores Dip

http://sweetcheekstastytreats.blogspot.com

1 - 13 oz jar of Marshmallow Fluff (two of the smaller 7 oz jars will work too)

1 - 14 oz can of Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 1/2 Cup of Milk Chocolate Chips

First, pour the Marshmallow Fluff into whatever container you are going to serve the dip in. Doing this now gives it time to spread out and settle.

In a separate bowl combine the Chocolate Chips and the Sweetened Condensed Milk. Make sure the bowl is microwave safe!

Mix together until all of the Chocolate Chips are coated. Add the mixture to the microwave for about 1 minute. Remove from microwave and stir quickly. You'll end up with a wonderful hot fudge-like mixture.

Pour a little more than half of the fudgey chocolate over the Marshmallow Fluff in your serving dish. You can use more or less...it's totally a preference thing!

Next, I used a spatula to fold the Fluff onto the Fudge so we had chocolate all through the dip

Bacon Crisps

2012-01-25T07:00:00.002-06:00

These were very tasty. How can one go wrong with cheese, buttery crackers and bacon? A must for our next football party!

Bacon Crisps
Paula Deen

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound sliced bacon -- cut in half
1 sleeve Waverly Wafers or other buttery crackers(We used Ritz)

Preheat the oven to 250F.
Place 1 teaspoon of the cheese on each cracker and wrap tightly with a strip of bacon (no toothpick required!).
Place the wrapped crackers on a broiler rack on a baking sheet and put the baking sheet on the oven rack; bake for 2 hours, or until the bacon is done.
Do not turn.
Drain on paper towels.
Serve hot or at room temperature.

These can be frozen after they're cooked.
Place the frozen crisps on a baking sheet and reheat them for 5 minutes in a 350F oven.

Cranberry Meatballs

2012-01-24T07:00:00.001-06:00

I made this recipe, but only made one pound of meatballs. They nearly drowned in the sauce! I had some jalapeno sausage that I cut into chunks and added to the crockpot. Don really liked it. Can be a main meal or used as an appetizer. I don't remember where I found this recipe--somewhere on the internet.

Cranberry Meatballs

Make your meatballs like you normally would with whatever recipe you have. But make sure they are baked or fried before adding the following mixture to them. Or you can buy already made meatballs and use them in the following recipe. If I am using the frozen meatballs, I do not thaw them. I place them in the roaster or slowcooker and add the following sauce and let them cook.

In a separate bowl combine

l lb. cranberry sauce, jellied or whole berry

1/3 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
12 oz. chili sauce
l Tbsp lemon juice.

Blend together.

Then stir in the meatballs to coat. Use at least 3 # of meatballs or add sausage

Place meatballs and sauce in the slowcooker and bake for one hour or longer depending on the amount of meatballs. You can place the sauce and meatballs in a roaster or casserole dish with a lid. Bake at 350 for one hour. Either way stir your meatballs and sauce to evenly coat everything together.

Blackberry Cobbler

2012-01-23T07:00:00.002-06:00

This is another recipe we saw the Pioneer Woman bake. We had some fresh blackberries that we needed to use and this turned out perfect!

Blackberry Cobbler

Ree Drummond--Pioneer Woman

1 stick Butter
1-1/4 cup Sugar
1 cup Self-Rising Flour(We made our own by adding 1/2 salt and 1 1/2 t baking powder)
1 cup Milk
2 cups Blackberries (frozen Or Fresh)

Melt butter in a microwavable dish. Pour 1 cup of sugar and flour into a mixing bowl, whisking in milk. Mix well. Then, pour in melted butter and whisk it all well together. Butter a baking dish.
Now rinse and pat dry the blackberries. Pour the batter into the buttered baking dish. Sprinkle blackberries over the top of the batter; distributing evenly. Sprinkle ¼ cup sugar over the top.

Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour, or until golden and bubbly. If you desire, sprinkle an additional teaspoon of sugar over the cobbler 10 minutes before it’s done.

Pico De Gallo

2012-01-22T07:00:00.001-06:00

I saw Mike had posted this recipe on Facebook and we had the ingredients. We made half a batch and it was still a lot. It is a good thing we LOVE Mexican food! This gets better as it sits, so make it ahead of time. You won't be disappointed!

Pico de Gallo

Mike Siehr

5 pounds Roma tomatoes diced small

2 bunches garden onions diced fine
1 red onion diced fine
2 Jalapeno peppers finely chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
1 bunch of cilantro chopped fine
juice of 3 limes
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/3 cup sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Mix in bowl chill in fridge for 2 hours mixing it up every half hour, serve with chips.

Homemade Chocolate Syrup in the Crockpot

2012-01-21T07:00:00.001-06:00

I saw this and KNEW I had to try this. I so love my crockpots! I doubled this recipe and put them in jelly jars. I got 7 jelly jars out of this. We opened a jar and stirred it well and poured over ice cream! Yum.

Homemade Chocolate Syrup in the Crockpot

http://crockpotrecipeexchange.com

2 cups of white granulated sugar

1/2 cup of cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup of water
1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Mix together the sugar, cocoa and salt. After they are well incorporated add the water. Stir until everything has been moistened. Now add your vanilla extract and just stir to incorporate.

Equally half the mixture between two pint sized canning jars. Wipe the rims so that they are clean and apply the lid and ring.

Line the crock pot with a dish cloth or dish towel. Place the two jars on top of the towel so that they will not be touching. Turn the crock pot to high.

Pour warm water (I just used water straight from the tap) over the jars until they are covered completely.

Place the lid on and watch for the water to come to a boil. Once the water comes to a complete boil,(It took about 1.5 hours) let it cook for 2 1/2 - 3 hours. This will completely dissolve the sugar and make the syrup a nice consistency.

Once the water has been boiling long enough turn the crock pot off and carefully remove the lid. Using an oven mit or pot holder in one hand and a pair of tongs or jar lifter in the other, remove the jars from the crock pot and place on a kitchen towel. Let them sit away from any drafts, fans or major air flow over night.

Now you have homemade chocolate syrup to use in or on anything you'd like.

Next Day Tex-Mex Casserole

2012-01-20T07:00:00.001-06:00

This was another recipe from the Jelly Roll Cookbook. It was fast and easy to put together--just need to remember to make it the night before you need it.

Next Day Tex-Mex Casserole
Jelly Roll Pan cookbook

1 14.5 can diced tomatoes with green chiles
2 1/2 c milk(divided)
12 eggs
1 1/2 t salt
7-8 slices bread, cubed
3 c shredded cheddar cheese
sliced jalapenos(opt)
sour cream(opt)
salsa(opt)

Spray a jelly roll pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

Drain off juice from tomatoes into a glass measuring cup; reserve tomatoes. Add enough milk to the juice to make 1 cup of liquid--set aside.

In a large bowl, beat eggs. Add tomato juice mixture, salt and remaining 2 cups milk. Arrange bread cubes in the jelly roll pan. Spread reserved tomatoes over bread layer. Sprinkle 2 cups of cheese over tomatoes and bread. Pour egg mixture over the layers in pan. Top with remaining 1 cup cheese. Sprinkle a few sliced chiles over top, if desired. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Heat oven to 350. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until puffed and lightly browned on top. Let cool slightly before cutting into serving pieces. Serve with sour cream and salsa as desired.

Pancake and Sausage Casserole

2012-01-19T07:00:00.001-06:00

My mom brought down a Jelly Roll Cookbook she had gotten. I want to try almost all of them! The day they left we tried two breakfast recipes. What WAS I thinking??? We gave some away since we could only eat so much! This recipe is great and tastes like you are eating pancakes.

Pancake and Sausage Casserole

Jelly roll pan cookbook

1-16 ounce package bulk pork breakfast sausage
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
2 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
butter
syrup

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Prepare a baking dish with cooking spray. Preheat the baking dish in the oven.

2. Brown the sausage in a skillet over medium heat; drain.

3. Mix the flour, white sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla to form a batter. Add the sausage and stir. Pour into the preheated baking dish.

4. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the dish comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Allow to cool 10 minutes before cutting to serve. Serve with butter and syrup.

Bite Sized Apple Pies

2012-01-18T07:00:00.000-06:00

I saw this recipe in a Taste of Home magazine just as we were getting our apples from my parents in Wisconsin. We finally made these after Christmas and these were wonderful! We will be making these again. They are best eaten on the same day since the crust gets soggy if you try to save them.

Bite Sized Apple Pies

Taste of Home magazine

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 package (14.1 ounces) refrigerated pie pastry

3 tablespoons butter, melted, divided

2 medium tart apples, each cut into 8 wedges

In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon; set aside 1 tablespoon. On a lightly floured surface, unroll pastry. Brush with 2 tablespoons butter; sprinkle with remaining sugar mixture.

Cut each sheet into eight 1-in. strips, about 8 inches long. Wrap one strip around each apple wedge, placing sugared side of pastry against the apple.****Beth cut 16 strips since her apples were small.

Place on parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Brush tops with remaining butter; sprinkle with reserved sugar mixture. Bake at 425° for 13-15 minutes or until pastry is golden brown. Serve warm.

Yield: 16 servings.

Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce

2012-01-17T07:00:00.001-06:00

I needed whole berry cranberry sauce for an appetizer recipe I was making and didn't have any in the pantry. I found this recipe and made it. It was good, just a bit thinner than the canned version.

Whole-Berry Cranberry Sauce

Food.com

1 lb fresh cranberries (Beth used 12 oz bag)

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan.

Bring to a boil, cover, then turn to medium heat.

Continue cooking until all the berries pop.

Remove from heat and let cool.

Refrigerate until cold, or serve warm.

Caramel Apple Marshmallow Tarts

2012-01-16T07:00:00.001-06:00

These were delicious! Don really really really liked them. We didn't eat them all that night and put them in an airtight container. That was a mistake since the crusts got soggy. We know now not to do that next time. There WILL be a next time!

Caramel Apple Marshmallow Tarts
Pillsbury.com

1 box Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box

1 cup apple pie filling (from 21-oz can) We diced this smaller

3/4 cup miniature marshmallows

3 tablespoons caramel topping

Heat oven to 400°F. Unroll pie crusts on work surface. With 4 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut 4 rounds from each pie crust.***We got more than 4 rounds using a wide mouth jar ring

Spoon about 2 tablespoons pie filling onto center of each pie crust round. Firmly fold edge of crust over sides of filling, ruffling decoratively. Place on ungreased large cookie sheet. ****We put each round into a muffin tin and it worked great!

Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Sprinkle marshmallows over filling. Bake 3 to 4 minutes longer or until marshmallows are puffed and just beginning to brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Just before serving, drizzle about 1 teaspoon caramel topping over each tart.

Sweet Corn Fritters

2012-01-15T07:00:00.002-06:00

We had some leftover corn and Jenna found this recipe. They are very good and not hard to put together. Eat them plain or with sour cream, like a baked potato.

Sweet Corn Fritters
about.com

2 large ears fresh sweet corn (or 1 packed cup of thawed, drained, frozen corn)
2 large eggs
1/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
peanut oil for frying (may substitute canola) ****We used vegetable oil

Over a large bowl, using a sharp knife, carefully shave the corn kernels off the cob. With the back of the knife, scrap the milky juice from the cob into the bowl. Whisk the eggs and milk into the corn until thoroughly combined. In another bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Pour into the bowl of the corn mixture, and stir with a spatula to form a thick batter.

Pour oil about 3/4-inch deep into a heavy-duty skillet. Over med-high heat bring oil to 375°F. When oil is hot, drop rounded tablespoons of batter carefully into the oil. Don’t crowd, the fritters should not touch each other. Best done in two batches. Cook about 3 minutes on each side, until the corn fritters are golden brown. Drain on paper towels or wire rack. Salt if desired, and serve corn fritters immediately.

Sweet and Sour Cabbage

2012-01-14T07:00:00.001-06:00

This recipe comes from my sister's blog. We made this for Christmas lunch, too. The red cabbage makes a pretty presentation and also tastes great!

Sweet and Sour Cabbage

K2cook.blogspot.com

1 head red cabbage
1/2 lb. bacon
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. vinegar
salt and pepper

Cook bacon until crisp. Remove from pan and add cabbage to bacon drippings. Cook cabbage until wilted. ( I added a lid). Add sugar and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Crumble bacon and add to cabbage.

Bacon Breadstick Focaccia

2012-01-13T07:00:00.000-06:00

I saw this recipe in early November and new I would make this when Jenna was home over Christmas break. It was very easy to put together---just don't fry the bacon too crisp so it can still bend. Everyone liked this.

Bacon Breadstick Focaccia

Pillsbury.com

1 can (11 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated breadsticks (12 breadsticks)

10 slices packaged precooked bacon (from 2.1-oz package)

1 egg, beaten

1 slice packaged precooked bacon, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley, if desired

Heat oven to 375°F. Unroll dough; separate into 12 strips. Starting at center of ungreased cookie sheet, coil bacon slices with dough strips into a loose spiral, pinching ends together securely as strips are added.

Drizzle or brush egg over dough, using all of egg to fill crevices. Sprinkle with chopped bacon and parsley.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until edges are deep golden brown. Cut into wedges; serve warm.

Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic and Cranberries

2012-01-12T07:00:00.003-06:00

While my parents and sister were here, we watched the Pioneer Woman make these on a Christmas special. Having only eaten brussel sprouts once in my life(and I think raw from the garden) I knew I wanted to try these. We fixed them for Christmas dinner and we all were pleasantly surprised and really enjoyed these

Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic and Cranberries

Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond

3 pounds Brussels sprouts

1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Trim/clean the Brussels sprouts, then cut them in half. Arrange on 2 baking sheets and toss with the olive oil. Roast until brown, 25 to 30 minutes.

Combine the balsamic vinegar and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and reduce until very thick.

Drizzle the balsamic reduction over the roasted sprouts, then sprinkle on the dried cranberries.

Italian Drip Beef

2012-01-11T07:00:00.001-06:00

I was looking for a different Italian Beef recipe and found this by the Pioneer Woman. It was easy to put together and tasted great. I did change this up by using my crockpot(can you believe it? )We served this on homemade hamburger buns with a side of German Potato Salad.

Italian Drip Beef

Adapted from Ree Drummond, Pioneer Woman

1 whole Beef Chuck Roast, 2.5 To 4 Pound
1 can Beef Consomme Or Beef Broth
3 Tablespoons (heaping) Italian Seasoning
1 teaspoon Salt
¼ cups Water
½ jars (16 Oz) Pepperoncini Peppers, With Juice
Buttered, Toasted Deli Rolls
Provolone cheese

Combine all ingredients in a heavy pot or dutch oven.(Beth put this in a crockpot) Stir lightly to combine seasoning with the liquid.

Cover and bake in a 275 degree oven* for 5 to 6 hours, or until meat is fork-tender and falling apart. **If meat is not yet tender, return to oven for 30 minute intervals till it’s tender!**(Beth cooked in crockpot on low all day)

Remove from oven. With two forks, completely shred all meat, leaving no large chunks behind. Serve immediately, or keep warm over a simmer on the stove.

Homemade Shrimp Cocktail Sauce

2012-01-10T07:00:00.001-06:00

We were getting ready to start our fondue night on Christmas eve, when I discovered no shrimp sauce for the breaded shrimp. I found this recipe and it tastes just like store bought! Loved it and had everything in my fridge or pantry to make this!

Homemade Shrimp Cocktail Sauce

food.com

1/2 cup catsup

1/2 cup chili sauce

1/2 teaspoon horseradish (I used horseradish sauce)

3 -4 drops Tabasco sauce

Mix all ingredients together and serve!

Cranberry Caramelized Onion Cheese Spread

2012-01-09T07:00:00.000-06:00

I was on a cranberry kick this holiday season. I saw this recipe and it had everything I loved in it. I made this and took it to a party. It was very good.

Cranberry Caramelized Onion Cheese Spread T
Taste of Home Cooking School Cook Book
Posted by jd_az

1 package (8oz) cream cheese, soften
4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
1 cup (4oz) finely shredded cheddar cheese
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, sliced, quartered
1 teaspoon plus 1/4 cup sugar, divided
1 cup ocean spray fresh or frozen cranberries
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
assorted crackers

Combine cream cheese and blue cheese in a medium mixing bowl; beat until smooth and creamy. Add cheddar cheese; beat until well blended. Spread in shallow serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour to blend flavors.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook and stir for 2-4 minutes or until tender. Reduce heat to medium-low; stir in 1 tsp sugar. Cook for 10-12 minutes or until onion is soft and golden, stirring occasionally. Remove onion from skillet; set aside.
In the same skillet, combine cranberries, remaining sugar and water. Cook over medium heat about 5 minutes or until cranberries pop and mixture thicken, stirring occasionally. Stir in vinegar and onions. Cool slightly.

To serve, bring cheese spread to room temperature. Spoon cranberry mixture over cheese spread; sprinkle with walnuts. Serve with crackers. Yield: 24 servings.

Crockpot Peanut Clusters

2012-01-08T07:00:00.003-06:00

Every year at Christmas, I usually just melt chocolate and add nuts. I saw this recipe and since I LOVE heath bars, knew I wanted to try this. We did a candy mold making day and I used the left over melted chocolate to drizzle over the tops. We LOVED these. I followed the directions to a "T" and they turned out perfect. This makes a LOT!

Crockpot Peanut Clusters

LindaChicken

1-16 oz jar (salted) dry roasted peanuts

1-16 oz jar (unsalted) dry roasted peanuts
1 Bar (sweet) German Chocolate - broken into pieces
1-12 oz bag milk chocolate chips
1-1/2 packs white almond bark(microwave until soft and runny) I used 36 oz
1-12 oz bag butterscotch chips
1-12 oz bag Heath candy chips
1-Large Hershey candy bar (broken into pieces)

Use a large crock-pot and place items in pot in order they are listed. Cook on low heat for two (2) hours. DO NOT LIFT LID during cooking time. After two hours stir well and spoon by heaping teaspoons onto waxed paper on a cookie sheet. MAKES A LOT!!, so have at least three cookie sheets prepared. Cool completely. Store in tight containers.

Homemade Brown Sugar

2012-01-07T07:00:00.003-06:00

I have seen "recipes" floating around the internet for homemade brown sugar and thought it was neat. I HAD to use this recipe one day when I was totally out and committed to make a recipe with brown sugar! We made 4 cups worth and it tasted just like what you buy.

Homemade Brown Sugar

1 cup white sugar
1T molasses(more if you want dark brown sugar)
Mix well--I used a hand mixer and beat it for 2-3 minutes.

Soft Gingersnap Cookies

2012-01-06T07:00:00.001-06:00

I saw a few blogs saying that they HAD to make these cookies every year. They WERE very good. I love soft cookies and even Don, who likes crunchy cookies, liked these.

Soft Gingersnap Cookies

http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com

Yield: 3 dozen cookies

2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
Pinch of fresh nutmeg
3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup molasses
White sugar-to roll the cookie dough in

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and spices in a medium bowl. Whisk the ingredients together.
3. With a mixer, combine the butter and brown sugar until smooth and creamy. This will take a couple of minutes.
4. Add in the egg and vanilla extra. Mix until well combined.
5. Add in the molasses. Mix until the molasses is combined with the other ingredients.
6. With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture. Add in a little at a time until all of the flour is mixed in.
7. Form the dough into Tablespoon sized balls. Roll the dough in white sugar.
8. Place the cookie dough balls on a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat. Make sure they are a couple inches apart.
9. I pressed down on the cookies slightly to help them flatten out. If you like puffy cookies, don't press them down.
10. Bake for 8 minutes and NO longer. You want them to stay soft! Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for a minute or two, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Homemade Chocolate Granola

2012-01-05T07:00:00.001-06:00

I really liked this different granola. Don didn't care for it as a cereal, but Kathleen discovered it is great over ice cream and would be a great mix in for yogurt!

Homemade Chocolate Granola
http://www.lynnskitchenadventures.com

1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup oil
½ cup honey
½ cup cocoa
3 cups old fashioned oats
4 cups quick cooking oats (you can use all old fashioned oats, but we like the texture with both kinds)
1 cup chocolate chips
In a small sauce pan combine brown sugar, oil, and honey. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and whisk in cocoa.

Place oats in a large bowl and stir in sugar/cocoa mixture. Spread into 2 9×13 pans.(or one jelly roll pan)

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and stir in chocolate chips.

Turn off oven and return granola to oven. (Yes you turn the oven off and place granola back in it. This helps the granola to finish cooking without over cooking it.)

Leave in oven for 1-2 hours. Remove from oven and let cool. Store in sealed containers or jars.

Honey and Bacon Chicken Bites

2012-01-04T07:00:00.001-06:00

These were a hit as an appetizer for a Packer game. They were easy to put together and tasted great!

Honey and Bacon Chicken Bites

http://www.kayotic.nl

1 pound boneless chicken breasts
20 thin bacon slices
3 tbsp honey
2 tsp coarse mustard
fresh lemon juice

Cut the chicken breast in thin strips

Combine 3 tbsp honey with 2 tsp coarse mustard. Squeeze in some lemon juice about a tbsp or so. Wrap the bacon around the chicken strips.

Place chicken in a roasting tray or on a cookie sheet. Brush the chicken bites with half the marinade, Bake them in a preheated oven at 425F (225C) for 10 to 13 minutes, until the bacon is crispy. Flip them over and brush them with the remaining marinade.
Put them back in the oven for another 10 to 13 minutes, until the other side is crispy as well. Keep an eye on them

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

2012-01-03T07:00:00.001-06:00

We had some cauliflower we needed to use up and went looking through cookbooks. This was easy, but we thought lacked flavor so we added spices(see end of recipe) and it was much tastier. I think we could have added a bit more potato flakes to make it a bit thicker.

Creamy Cauliflower Soup
Veggie Meals by Rachael Ray

1 medium head cauliflower, cored and separated into small pieces
1 small onion, chopped
1 qt milk
2 c water
1T olive oil
1 T butter
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 c instant potato flakes
****
Place cauliflower, onion, milk, water, olive oil and butter in a deep pan over medium high heat. Season with salt and pepper. Cover, reduce heat to medium low and cook for 15 minutes or until tender.

Remove cover and mash cauliflower with a potato masher or hand blender. Stir in potato flakes to thicken. Adjust seasons. Serve with toasted bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.

**** We added 1/4 t nutmeg, 2 cloves garlic, minced, 1 t thyme and 1/2 c Parmesan cheese to this soup.

No Bake Cookies and Cream Bars

2012-01-02T07:00:00.002-06:00

These were quite tasty and very simple to make. I think they would be great sliced very thin and used as the chocolate base to S'mores!

No Bake Cookies and Cream Bars

Picky-palate.com

One 16 oz package of Oreo

5 cups Large Marshmallows

4 tablespoons butter

Place Oreos in food processor and pulse until ground. Melt marshmallows and butter in microwave until puffed(in a greased bowl)about 1 1/2- 2 minutes. Remove and pour in ground Oreo Cookies. Stir to combine then transfer to a foil lined 8×8 inch baking pan. Let set up for 10 minutes. Remove bars out of pan with edges of foil and cut into squares.

Makes 9 large bars or 12 regular size bars

I've linked this recipe at Sweet as Sugar.

Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli in Crock Pot

2012-01-01T07:00:00.001-06:00

This was a very good meal. Easy to put together and pretty much a meal in one!

Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli in Crock Pot
by Piece of Cake Recipes

4-6 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 pound chopped fresh broccoli
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of broccoli soup
1 cup milk
2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided

salt and pepper to taste

Layer chicken and rest of ingredients ( 1 1/2 cups cheese) in Crock Pot. On LOW heat, cook for 6-7 hours. Serve with white rice. Sprinkle the remaining shredded 1/2 cup of cheese on top of the dished up chicken.

Eggnog and Cranberry Cinnamon Rolls

2011-12-31T07:00:00.001-06:00

I LOVE eggnog and when I saw this recipe I really wanted to try it. It is not a heavy eggnog flavor and even non eggnog lovers liked this! :-) This will be on our holiday menu every year.

Eggnog and Cranberry Cinnamon Rolls

http://www.thedutchbakersdaughter.com

1 cup eggnog
1/4 cup butter
1 (.25 ounce) package instant yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 egg, room temperature, slightly beaten
3 1/4 to 3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup chopped fresh cranberries

Heat the eggnog and 1/4 cup butter in a small saucepan until butter is melted. Remove from heat. Let cool until temperature is about 110 degrees F (like bathwater warm).

In a large mixing bowl, combine eggnog mixture with yeast, egg, and 2 cups of the flour and the salt; beat well. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has just pulled together, turn it onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes. (Alternately, just use the dough hook on your mixer and let the mixer knead the dough for about five minutes)

Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with a clean damp towel. Allow dough to rise until double, about 1 hour. In the mean time, in a small bowl, mix together the softened butter, brown sugar and cinnamon.

Roll out the dough into a 12X9 inch rectangle (I like to do this on my Silpat). Spread the dough with the cinnamon/sugar mixture. Sprinkle with chopped cranberries. Roll up the dough from the long side and pinch seam to seal. Cut into 12 equal sized pieces and place into a greased 9X13 inch pan. Cover and let rise until doubled.

Bake rolls at 375 ° for 25 to 30 minutes or until browned. Remove from oven and frost with Eggnog Cream Cheese Frosting while warm.

4 oz cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons eggnog
2 cups powdered sugar

Beat the cream cheese and the butter in a medium bowl. Add the nutmeg, vanilla, and eggnog, blending until smooth. Slowly add the powdered sugar and beat to desired consistency.

Cranberry Bliss Bars

2011-12-30T07:00:00.000-06:00

This is a copycat recipe for Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars. My friend Janet gave me a piece from Starbucks to taste and I KNEW I had to make them. This recipe is wonderful. Don and I LOVED these bars. I now know I need to make them for a party, not just for us. They kept calling my name until I put them in the freezer! :-)

Cranberry Bliss Bars
Recipegirl.com

BLONDIE LAYER:

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) salted butter, cubed
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
/2 cup dried cranberries
6 ounces white baking chocolate, coarsely chopped

FROSTING:

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
6 ounces white baking chocolate, melted
1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13x9-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.

Prepare the blondie layer: In a medium bowl, melt butter for one minute in the microwave; stir in brown sugar. Scrape the butter & sugar into a large bowl and let cool to room temperature. Use an electric mixer to beat in the eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; gradually add the dry mixture to the butter mixture. Stir in the cranberries and chopped chocolate (the batter will be thick).

Spread the blondie batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 18-21 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean (do not overbake). Cool completely on a wire rack.

Prepare the frosting: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar until well-blended. Gradually add half of the melted white chocolate; beat until blended. Frost brownies. Sprinkle with cranberries. Drizzle with remaining melted white chocolate. Cut into bars- square or triangle-shaped. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

*If you'd like to add an orange flavor to these bars, add 1 tablespoon grated orange zest to the frosting(Beth added about 1 tsp)

Cherry Coke and Jalapeno Meatballs

2011-12-29T07:00:00.000-06:00

I saw this recipe and knew we needed to try this. We liked these, but they were a bit dry. I think we needed to double or triple the sauce. I kept the meatballs warm in a crockpot for a football party. Next time, we WILL add more sauce to them.

Cherry Coke and Jalapeño Meatballs
http://www.kayotic.nl

Meatballs:

1 pound ground beef
1 large egg
1/2 cup breadcrumbs

Seasoning:

1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp sweet paprika powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried parsley
pinch of cayenne

Glaze:

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup cherry coke
3 jalapeños

Preheat your oven to 400F° (200C°).

Mix up all the spices listed under seasoning.

Add an egg and the breadcrumbs and dig in. Mix it all up.

Make medium-sized meatballs using an ice scoop.
Give them 15 minutes in a preheated oven at 400F°.

Time to make the glaze. Use a skillet or saucepan with a thick bottom and mix the sugar and jalapeños.

Pour 1/2 a cup of cherry coke in with the sugar.

Bring it to a boil and then cook for 7 to 10 minutes over medium heat.

Flip those meatballs after 15 minutes, and give them an extra 10 minutes.

As soon as it stops bubbling fiercely after you’ve stirred, it’ll be the perfect consistency. It took 8 minutes straight for me.
After the last 10 minutes you brush the meatballs with the glaze. Pop them back into the oven for another 5 minutes.

Cranberry Streusel Cake

2011-12-28T07:00:00.001-06:00

I made this recipe to take to Sunday School for treats a few weeks ago. Everyone asked if it was a cheesecake since it kind of had that texture to it. It was very good.

Cranberry Streusel Cake
http://authenticsuburbangourmet.blogspot.com

2 ½ C. Flour
2 t. baking powder
1 stick salted butter, softened
1 C. sugar
3 large eggs
½ t. Vanilla extract
¼ t. almond extract
1 ½ cups sour cream
2 cups fresh cranberries
3 T. sugar

Topping

½ C. Brown sugar
1 ½ Flour
1 1/2 stick salted butter, softened

Preheat oven to 350.

In a medium bowl mix together flour and baking powder. Butter a 9 inch spring form pan. Cream butter and sugar until light. Add the eggs, one at a time, stir well. Add vanilla, almond extract, sour cream and the flour mixture. Beat until combined.

Fold the cranberries into the batter and spoon the batter into the spring form pan. For the topping, in a small bowl work together sugar, flour and butter until crumbly.

Sprinkle crumbles on top of cake. Bake until golden brown, about 50 to 60 minutes. Test with a knife to ensure it is cooked thoroughly. Dust with confectioner's sugar before serving.

Crockpot Turkey Broth

2011-12-27T07:00:00.001-06:00

I cooked the bones from our 20# Thanksgiving turkey. I was able to freeze 20 cups of broth in 2 cup freezer bags. I had enough left over to make a big pot of soup, too! I let the bones cook all night long.

Crockpot Turkey Broth
http://www.food.com

3 -4 lbs chicken bones ( raw or cooked, boiling fowl or chicken or carcasses)
onions, chopped or quartered leave the skin on it gives nice color to the stock
celery, chopped
carrots, chopped
10 black peppercorns, approx
1 garlic clove ( to taste)
1 bay leaves
parsley
boiling water

Preheat the crock-pot on high. Try breaking up the bones as small as possible, place with all the other ingredients in the crock-pot. Cover with as much boiling water your crock-pot can take, I can add approx 6 cups of water.

Switch to LOW and cook for 12 or up to 24 hours. Strain, cool, skim of the fat, use the stock or freeze. If there is any meat on the bones, remove it and use for the soup or other dishes.

30 Minute Rolls

2011-12-26T07:00:00.002-06:00

We have made these rolls three times now. They are super easy to make and taste great. They really ARE done in 30 minutes. Try them and you will really like them.

30 Minute Rolls

Recipe from Real Mom Kitchen

1 C plus 2 Tbsp warm water

1/3 C oil

2 Tbsp yeast
1/4 C sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
3 1/2 C flour

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

In your mixer bowl combine the water, oil, yeast and sugar and allow it to rest for 15 minutes. Using your dough hook, mix in the salt, egg and flour. Knead with hook until well incorporated and dough is soft and smooth. (Just a few minutes)

Form dough into 12 balls and then place in a greased 9 x 13 pan and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees or until golden brown.

Merry Christmas and Shrimp Ceviche

2011-12-25T07:00:00.001-06:00

From our family to yours, we pray you have a Merry Christmas. We have a tradition of having fondue on Christmas Eve. My parents and one sister, Karen were able to be with us in Texas this year for Christmas. We ate our fill and enjoyed ourselves.

My friend, Karen Womble had me put this recipe together for a housewarming party. She eats this all the time at Mexican restaurants. I had never had it before, but OH MY GOODNESS! This is wonderful. I didn't want to share! If you have kids that are not seafood lovers, leave the little shrimp out! This makes a wonderful appetizer.

Shrimp Ceviche

6 medium avocados
6 tomatoes
1/4- 1/2 c onion
1/2 tsp garlic
1 tub of salsa
3 jars of cocktail sauce
small shrimp
large shrimp

Chop avocados, tomatoes, onion and garlic. Put in a bowl and add salsa, cocktail sauce. Stir in small shrimp--about 1 cup. Mix well and pour into serving dish. "Hang" large shrimp to make a pretty presentation.

Homemade Essential Oil Air Fresheners

2011-12-24T07:00:00.000-06:00

Kathleen found this 'recipe' on Pinterest(our new addiction)She wanted an air freshener for her closet where the cat litter pan is. We had enough ingredients in the house to make half a batch of this. Next time we will add more of the oil to make a stronger scent. A fun 'recipe' to make!

Homemade Essential Oil Air Fresheners
http://tastykitchen.com

1 ounce, weight Unsweetened, Unflavored Gelatin (equivalent To 4 Envelopes Of Knox Powdered Gelatin)
2 cups Cold Water, Divided
1 Tablespoon Salt
20 drops To 30 Drops Essential Oil(Kathleen used cinnamon oil)
OPTIONAL:
Food Coloring To Tint The Air Fresheners

Bring one cup of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatin over the boiling water and whisk until smooth and all the gelatin is dissolved. Add the salt and the second cup of cold water and whisk. Set aside.

Add the desired amount of essential oil and food coloring, if using, to the jar(s). Quickly pour the hot liquid gelatin over the essential oil and food coloring. Stir until evenly colored.

Allow to cool, uncovered on a heat-proof surface. When it reaches room temperature, place wherever you want a lovely scent.

Cranberry Sausage Balls

2011-12-23T07:00:00.001-06:00

These were a quick appetizer to put together. Everyone liked them. The sweet cranberries and the crunch of the pecans made for a great taste!

Cranberry sausage balls

1 pkg. Pork Sausage Roll
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped dried cranberries
1 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup all-purpose baking mix
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 375. Mix ingredients just until blended.

2. Shape into 36 (1-inch) balls; place in single layer in 2 lightly greased baking pans.

3. Bake 10-12 minutes or until done Beth had to cook them for 25 minutes

You can heat them in the micro before serving, or they are good at room temperature

Homemade Gravy

2011-12-22T07:00:00.001-06:00

I have never made gravy ahead of time. I saw this recipe and thought we would try it. We doubled the recipe and then pureed it with a hand blender so we had a thinner gravy. We all liked it. It made a great thickener for turkey noodle soup the week after Thanksgiving!

Homemade Gravy
www.browneyedbaker.com
Yield: 3 cups

½ cup unsalted butter
1½ cups finely chopped yellow onion
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups turkey or chicken stock, heated
1 tablespoon Cognac or brandy (optional)
1 tablespoon heavy cream

1. In a large (10- to 12-inch) saute pan, cook the butter and onions on medium-low heat for 12 to 15 minutes, until the onions are lightly browned. (Don’t rush this step; it makes all the difference when the onions are well cooked.)

2. Sprinkle the flour into the pan, whisk in, then add the salt and pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock and Cognac, and cook uncovered for 4 to 5 minutes, until thickened. Add the cream and serve. (Alternatively, you can cool the gravy and transfer it to a freezer-safe container or bag. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, and warm up over low heat before serving. Add a splash or two of chicken or turkey stock to thin out, if needed.)

Frozen Cranberry Banana Salads

2011-12-21T07:00:00.000-06:00

My cousin Kim gave me this recipe and I KNEW I had to make this. It was a great accompaniment to Thanksgiving, and the morning after and the afternoon after.....really! These are THAT good. I think I got 32 of these out of this batch. I tasted as I mixed this up and didn't need the sugar.

Frozen Cranberry Banana Salads

Kim Anderson

1 lg can (20 oz) well drained crushed pineapple
1 pint sour cream
1- 9 ounce cool whip
4 mashed bananas
1/2 cup sugar (Beth didn't use)
1 cup nuts (optional)
2 cans WHOLE cranberry sauce (mash with potato masher)

Mix all ingredients well and spoon into cupcake papers placed in a muffin pan. Freeze. When frozen, remove from muffin pan, leaving them in their papers until time to serve and place in Ziploc bags. Keep frozen.

Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes

2011-12-20T07:00:00.003-06:00

I combined 2 different recipes I found on website I frequent--on the cooking forum. These made THE best mashed potatoes and I will definitely make these again. It was so nice to have dishes made ahead for Thanksgiving--especially when the Packers were playing! :-)

Make ahead Mashed Potatoes
Ths.gardenweb.com

5 lbs. potatoes
6 oz. cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp onion salt (don't omit)
pepper
1.5 sticks butter
2 tsp chives
2 heads of roasted garlic

Peel, cook and drain the potatoes. Mash and add all ingredients. Place in casserole dish and dot with butter. Cover & bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
You can make this a couple of days ahead and keep in the refrigerator. When ready, you can put this in the crockpot(Beth did this)

**** If completely cold, 5 lbs will take 3 hours to reheat in the crockpot and can then sit on warm for a couple more hours. I stir them close to the 3 hour mark to make sure they are heated through.

Crockpot Stuffing

2011-12-19T07:00:00.001-06:00

My friend Verda, from Green Bay, WI, gave me this recipe a few years ago. Last year I totally FORGOT to make stuffing. I wish I wouldn't have waited so long to try this. It was WONDERFUL. Jenna requested that I make it again before next Thanksgiving. I used Turkey Stuffing Bread that I made in the bread maker to make the bread for this stuffing. It was so very good.

Crockpot Stuffing

Verda Vaness

1 cup melted butter
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 tsp. sage
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
12-13 cups unseasoned bread cubes
3 1/2 - 4 cups chicken broth
2 well beaten eggs
1# pork sausage (with sage), cooked and crumbled

Mix butter, celery, onions, and spices. Mix this with the remaining ingredients adding enough broth until the bread cubes are moist. Lightly pack into crockpot and cover. Cook on high for 45 min., then switch to low and cook for about 6 hours.

Perfect Turkey in an Electric Roaster

2011-12-18T07:00:00.001-06:00

This is year 2 to make our turkey this way. Last year I only had one oven, so really NEEDED to make the turkey in the roaster. We LOVED how moist it was, so even though I now have a double oven, I decided to do my 20.5# turkey this way again. It was quite moist and tender.

Perfect Turkey in an Electric Roaster Oven

By Squirrel Gone Wild on November 25, 2008

1 whole turkey, thawed up to 20 lbs

1/4 cup olive oil or 1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon seasoning salt

Take the insert pan out of the roaster and pre-heat the roaster to its highest setting

Prep the turkey by rinsing and patting dry. Sprinkle salt in the cavities Place the bird in the roasting pan on top of the wire rack that comes with your roaster. Make sure the handles are up, not tucked below.

Rub the entire bird with olive oil or butter. Doctor up your bird with whatever special seasonings you wish. I always use poultry seasoning.

Finish with a good sprinkle of seasoning salt and black pepper. The olive oil and seasoning salt will help the skin brown nicely Put the insert pan with the bird into the roaster oven and cover. I never add water or other liquid to the pan, but some people do.

Roast at highest setting for 30 minutes. The oil, seasoning salt and the searing time will make the skin beautifully browned and perfect!

After 30 minutes, turn the oven temperature down to 325.

The bird will self-baste if you do not lift the lid, so you don't have to baste it every 20 minutes like you do in your conventional oven. DO NOT LIFT LID during cooking time! Lifting the lid will increase cooking time because roaster ovens lose their heat unlike regular ovens

Check your Bird - Figure your total cooking time from the time you first put the bird in the roaster. FINAL TEMPERATURE FOR SAFETY AND DONENESS IS: 180 DEGREES IN THIGH AND 165 DEGREES IN BREAST AND STUFFING. Juices should be clear, not pink.

Your turkey will almost certainly be done at the earliest of the suggested times on the chart. Lift lid only slightly and quickly to check the pop-up thermometer or use your meat thermometer. If necessary, check after another 30 minutes, but I doubt you'll have to do that. If the pop-up thermometer isn't popped, double check with your regular meat thermometer because those little plastic things stick sometimes. I say check after 30 minutes because it's really OK to let the bird roast a little extra - you won't dry it out using my method if you let it go for 1/2 hour.

Figure your total cooking time from the time you first put the bird in the roaster. Check your bird at the EARLIEST of these times:.

8 to 12 pounds 2¾ to 3 hours.

12 to 14 pounds 3 to 3¾ hours.
14 to 18 pounds 3¾ to 4¼ hours.
18 to 20 pounds 4¼ to 4½ hours.

When done, remove the bird from the roaster, tent with foil, and let rest for 20 minutes. This allows the juices to really seep into the meat, so they say.

Baked Parmesan Garlic Chicken Wings

2011-12-17T07:00:00.001-06:00

We made these for a football party we had. They were very good and a bit different from the regular hot wings. I made the blue cheese dressing, but next time would do without it. We used 4.5 # of wings so we tripled this recipe.

Baked Parmesan Garlic Chicken Wings

http://steamykitchen.com

1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt (1/2 tsp table salt)
2 1/2 pounds chicken wings
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (or melted butter)
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt (like Lawry's)
1 cup blue cheese dressing
1-2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (or to taste)

1. Preheat oven to 425F. In a small bowl, mix together the oregano, rosemary, cumin and salt. Lay the chicken wings on a baking sheet and season the chicken wings with this mixture.

2. Bake the chicken wings for 20-25 minutes. While the chicken is baking, mix together the oil, fresh basil, garlic, parmesan cheese and seasoning salt.

3. In a separate bowl, mix together the blue cheese dressing with the mustard (this is your dipping sauce)
4. When the chicken is cooked through, toss the wings with the garlic/cheese/olive oil (or butter) sauce. Serve with the blue cheese/mustard dressing.

Cheesy Skillet Scalloped Corn

2011-12-16T07:00:00.001-06:00

This was a delicious side dish. We liked it even better as leftovers. We served this for a Thanksgiving side. Loved the tang that the Swiss cheese gave to the dish.

Cheesy Skillet Scalloped Corn
www.afarmgirlsdabbles.com

for the crumb topping:
4 T. butter
2/3 c. crushed buttery round crackers, such as Ritz

for the Swiss cheese sauce:
2 T. butter
2 T. all-purpose flour
1-3/4 c. half and half
1 c. shredded Swiss cheese
1 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. Frank’s Red Hot Original hot sauce, optional
salt and pepper, to taste

for the corn:
1 15-oz. can whole kernel corn, drained
2 11-oz. cans corn with red and green bell peppers, drained
1 11-oz. can white shoepeg corn, drained
2 scallions, thinly sliced

For the crumb topping, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add butter to melt, then add the crushed crackers. Cook and stir about 3 minutes, or until light brown. Remove crumbs to a plate to cool.

In the same skillet, prepare the Swiss cheese sauce. Turn the heat down to low, then melt the 2 tablespoons butter. Whisk in the flour until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the half and half. Turn heat back up to medium and whisk fairly constantly until mixture is thickened and bubbly hot. Add shredded cheese, onion powder, optional Frank’s hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Stir until cheese is melted throughout.

Add all the corn to the Swiss cheese yum, stirring to combine. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring a few times, to warm thoroughly. Stir half of the crumb topping into the cheesy corn and then transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle the remaining half of the crumb topping on top of the corn, followed by the sliced scallions.

Beef and Broccoli

2011-12-15T07:00:00.000-06:00

This was SOOOOO yummy! We doubled the meat and sauce(not the broccoli) and still would have liked more sauce. We all gave it 2 thumbs up. Love a great crockpot recipe!

Beef and Broccoli
Tracy Chandler Altman

1 lb. beef cubed
1/2 C. beef broth
1/4 C. soy sauce
1 T. minced onion
1 T. brown sugar
2 large garlic cloves, minced
8 oz mushrooms(Beth didn't use)
16 oz. broccoli thawed
2 T. Water
1 T. cornstarch

Combine broth and soy sauce in crockpot. Add onion, brown sugar, and garlic. Stir in beef. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours (4-6 high) 1 hour before serving combine water and cornstarch and blend well. Stir cornstarch mix in crockpot, add broccoli and mushrooms cook on low for additional 30-60 minutes until broccoli is crisp-tender. Serve with rice.

Spicy Pulled Pork

2011-12-14T07:00:00.001-06:00

This was an easy to put together recipe that feeds a crowd! It is low carb, too! It is a different slant on BBQ pulled pork.

Spicy Pulled Pork

Low carb

1 medium onion, chopped
28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
14 oz. can stewed tomatoes
1 chipotle pepper, chopped fine
1 tbsp tomato chili sauce
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
sweetener equivalent to 1 tbsp
3 1/2 lbs whole pork shoulder

Combine all ingredients except pork in crock pock. Add pork and turn to coat. Cook on high 6 hours or low 8 hours.
Remove pork and use two forks to shred. Return to pot and coat with sauce before serving. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Pesto Dinner Rolls

2011-12-13T07:00:00.001-06:00

Two things intrigued me about this recipe....pesto and they are baked in a cast iron skillet. We love pesto here and make it frequently. These are dense rolls--we made 8. Maybe making 12 rolls would make them a bit lighter. I think they would be great turkey sandwich rolls!

Pesto Dinner Rolls

Mennonitegirlscancook.ca

3 - 3 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 Tablespoon instant yeast
1 cup warm water
1 Tablespoon oil
4 Tablespoons pesto

Mix 3 cups of flour with salt, sugar and yeast in a mixing bowl.

Add oil and warm water to dry ingredients and mix.

Stir in pesto. (Use store bought pesto...or make your own.)

Continue to add flour as necessary to make a soft dough.

Knead until smooth and elastic.

Allow to rise until doubled in bulk...about an hour.

Divide dough into eight portions.

Form eight rolls and position in a well-oiled cast iron pan. (Or make12 smaller rolls.)

Cover with a clean towel and allow them to rise in a warm place for at least an hour...until doubled in size.

Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes.

Cajun Seasoned Chicken

2011-12-12T07:00:00.000-06:00

This was easy to throw together and tasted great. I was out of bell peppers, and had some dried veggies that I threw in. We liked it!

Cajun Seasoned Chicken

Crockin' girls on facebook

3 slices bacon -- chopped
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
14 1/2 ounces diced tomatoes -- undrained
1 1/3 cups long-grain white rice -- uncooked
1 1/3 cups water

Cook bacon in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until crisp.

Add bell pepper, onion and celery; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until
crisp-tender.

With slotted spoon, spoon bacon and vegetables into a 3 1/2 or 4 quart slow cooker.

Sprinkle chicken thighs with 1 teaspoon of the Cajun seasoning.Place in small skillet.
Cook chicken 4 to 5 minutes or until browned on both sides, turning once.

Arrange chicken and any remaining drippings over vegetables in slow cooker.

Pour tomatoes over chicken. Stir in remaining teaspoon Cajun seasoning.
Cover; cook on low setting for 8 to 9 hours.

About 30 minutes before serving time, cook rice in water as directed on
package.

Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake Bars

2011-12-11T07:00:00.001-06:00

Jenna was able to come home for Thanksgiving a whole FIVE days early and surprised her sister by walking in the door at dinner time. I made these for dessert that night and since Jenna loves raspberries, I used raspberry jam. These were excellent!

Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake Bars

twotinykitchens.com

For the base:

1 1/4 cups graham crumbs

1/4 cup melted butter
2 Tablespoons sugar

For the filling:

16 ounces (2 packets) cream cheese, room temperature

2 eggs
about 2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp flour
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
1/3 cup strawberry jam(Beth used raspberry jam)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

For the base:

Grease the bottom of an 8 by 8-inch baking pan with butter. Then place parchment paper over the top, pressing down at the corners. Mix the sugar, crumbs and butter together. Press into the lined baking pan and gently pat down with the base of a glass. Set it aside

For the filling:

Beat cream cheese, sugar, flour and lemon juice in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating on low speed after each addition, just until blended. Pour over crust.
Warm strawberry jam slightly in the microwave or on stove top. Gently drop jam by small spoonfuls over top of batter. Cut through batter several times with knife for marble effect.

Bake 40 min. or until the center only slightly jiggles. Cool. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. Once set, remove from pan using the parchment lining and slice into 10 rectangular bars. Or 16 smaller square bars.

JUST LIKE STUFFED BAKED POTATOES

2011-12-10T07:00:00.001-06:00

I have been trying to eat low carb lately. I found this recipe on a bulletin board on line and the girls and I LOVED it! It did taste like mashed potatoes. We baked it in the oven. Next time I will mash the cauilflower with a potato masher.

JUST LIKE STUFFED BAKED POTATOES

16 ounce package frozen cauliflower
8 ounce cream cheese, softened
8 ounce cheddar cheese, shredded
4 green onions, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 pieces bacon, chopped and fried until crisp
Paprika, optional

Cook the cauliflower until soft, about 8-10 minutes; drain very well and break up the florets a bit with a spoon. Put in a greased 8 x 8" baking pan or a 2-quart casserole. Mix in the cream cheese, cheddar, green onion, salt, pepper and bacon. Dust the top with paprika, if desired. Bake at 350º for 20-40 minutes, until browned and bubbly. Or, microwave, loosely covered, for about 40 minutes on 50% power, turning the dish after 20 minutes.

Makes 6 servings
Can be frozen

Bread Machine Turkey Stuffing Bread

2011-12-09T07:00:00.000-06:00

I made 3 loaves of this bread in the bread maker and then froze it to use for stuffing on Thanksgiving. I got 13 cups of cubes from 1.5 loaves. It made THE best stuffing. I will make this again for sure!

Bread Machine Turkey Stuffing Bread
John(Wolverine) on Taste of Home bb

2/3 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups bread flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried sage, crushed
1/2 tablespoon poultry seasoning
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon active dry yeast

Add ingredients to the bread pan in the order they are listed. Select setting to Basic or Rapid .
Note: This makes a very dense bread. Fresh herbs can be used in this bread. Try using fresh sage, rosemary, minced onion, or garlic.

To make stuffing: I just slice the loaf into slices, tear them into bite sized pieces and let them sit on a cookie sheet on the counter over night to dry out some. ***Beth cut and cubed 13 cups(1.5 loaves) and let the cubes sit on the counter over night....Next time give them 2 nights. Made excellent crockpot stuffing!

Chicken and Bacon 3000 Poppers

2011-12-08T07:00:00.001-06:00

Austin, TX just recently got a Penzey's spice store. Cindy and Mark Halle were here and we went. They told me about this recipe and I bought the 3000 spice. This is a great appetizer! From the picture, you can see I did not use the toothpicks. When serving for a party, I would have toothpicks available, but a spoon worked just fine! :-)

Chicken and Bacon 3000 Poppers

Penzeys

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 lb. sliced bacon
2 TB. BBQ 3000 (From Penzeys Spice store)
1/2 Cup firmly packed brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a flat roasting rack with non-stick cooking spray, place on a foil-covered roasting or broiling pan and set aside. Cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes. Cut each bacon slice into thirds. It is easiest to do this before you separate the bacon into slices. Wrap a piece of bacon around each chicken cube and secure with a wooden toothpick. Combine the BBQ 3000 with the brown sugar. Drop each meat skewer into the mixture and toss gently with your fingers until completely coated. Arrange the poppers on the rack and bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes, until the bacon is crisp and the topping browned.

Ultimate Cajun Burgers

2011-12-07T07:00:00.001-06:00

I made these to go on the onion rolls from yesterday. We all liked these burgers.

Ultimate Cajun Burgers

http://cajundelights.blogspot.com

2 lbs. lean ground beef

1 tbs. Tabasco sauce

1 tbs. liquid smoke
1 tbs. prepared horseradish(Beth used horsey sauce)
2 tbs.'s minced garlic
1/2 cup green onions, chopped fine(Beth used chopped onions)
1 or 2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped(Beth used pickled jalapenos)
1 tbs. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp.'s salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
6 large burger buns
3 tbs.'s butter, melted

Place meat and all other ingredients in large bowl and mix gently, but thoroughly. Shape meat mixture into 6 patties and cover with foil and chill for one or more hours. Preheat gas grill on medium- high heat or charcoal grill on medium- high and cook for 7 to 10 minutes on each side, for medium. Baste buns with melted butter and grill to the side for 5 minutes to toast. Garnish with lettuce, tomato, onions, and pickles and enjoy!

Onion Sandwich Rolls

2011-12-06T07:00:00.000-06:00

These rolls made great hamburger buns. The only problem was that they were HUGE. Quarter pound hamburgers looked very tiny on these buns. We loved the flavor, so next time I will make 12 buns instead of 8. There WILL be a next time! :-)

Onion Sandwich Rolls
www.mrshappyhomemaker.com

3/4 cup lukewarm milk
5 tablespoons lukewarm water
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 large onions, diced, sauteed - and divided
1/4 cup oats
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 (.25 ounce) envelope active dry yeast
1 egg white
1 tablespoon water

Place the milk, water, butter, salt, sugar, onion powder, diced sauteed onion, oats, flour and yeast into the pan of a bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select the Dough cycle, and press Start.

When the cycle has completed, remove the dough from the machine & cut into 8 equal pieces, and form into balls or oblong hoagies. Place on a baking sheet, and cover loosely with a towel. Set in a draft-free place to rise until doubled in size, about 60 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (175 degrees C). Whisk together the egg white and water in a cup. Brush over the tops of the risen rolls, and sprinkle with remaining sliced sauteed onion.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. Cool completely, then slice in half horizontally before using.

Pumpkin Coffee Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze

2011-12-05T07:00:00.000-06:00

Thanks to my cousin Kim Anderson for this recipe. I made it for breakfast on a Sunday and it got 2 thumbs up. I purposely bought more pumpkin so I can make this many more times before next fall!

Pumpkin Coffee Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze

Tastykitchen.com

⅓ cups Water
1 can Pureed Pumpkin (15 Oz)
2 whole Eggs
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 box Yellow Cake Mix (18 Ounce Box)
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 cup Brown Sugar, Divided
½ cups Flour
⅓ cups Walnuts, Chopped Plus extra for IN the cake batter
4 Tablespoons Butter, Melted
¼ cups Granulated Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
¼ c heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 350F.

In a large bowl mix together the water, pumpkin, eggs, 1 Tablespoon of vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice until well combined. (Cousin Kim’s suggestion….add walnuts here, too)Add the cake mix and baking soda and mix until just combined.

Grease a 9×13 pan with butter and pour batter into pan.

In a small bowl mix together 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 1/2 cup flour, walnuts, and melted butter. Use fingers to sprinkle over the top of the cake. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

For the glaze, combine the other 1/2 cup brown sugar, granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and heavy cream in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir until all sugar is dissolved.

When cake is finished baking, poke holes in the top with a toothpick. Pour glaze over the cake, making sure to cover all surfaces. Serve cake warm or at room temperature.

Grilled Pork Loin with Bacon

2011-12-04T07:00:00.000-06:00

This was a most excellent way to cook pork tenderloin. I had a two pack--each a bit over 1 pound. I put the bacon, garlic and rosemary between the two tenderloins and then tied them together. We all loved this recipe. It was very tender and moist.

Grilled Pork Loin With Bacon
By Sharlene~W

4 slices bacon
2 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
3 lbs boneless pork loin

Chop bacon. Mince garlic.

Crush rosemary and combine with bacon and garlic.

Cut pork loin lengthwise almost all the way through middle, leaving 1/4 inch uncut meat along one side.

Open and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Spread the bacon mixture over the cut surface of meat; close and tie.

Sprinkle outside of pork loin with salt and pepper.

Prepare coals for indirect heat with drip pan in center.

Sear meat at edge of grill directly over coals.

Move to center, over drip pan.

Cover the grill.

Cook meat until cooked through (160°F) (45-60 minutes).

Let stand 5 minutes before slicing.

Watch temperature and be sure not to overcook.

Cream Cheese Lemon Bars

2011-12-03T07:00:00.002-06:00

I think these are my new favorite lemon bars. I LOVED them as did everyone else that had them. I think the crust made with the lemon cake mix really added to the recipe. I will be making these again at Christmas since my dad loves lemon desserts!

Cream Cheese Lemon Bar

1 box lemon cake mix
1/3 c butter, softened
1 egg
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 lemon rind grated
2 T lemon juice or 1/2 fresh lemon squeezed
2 eggs
1 t vanilla

In a mixing bowl, blend dry cake mix, butter and 1 egg. Press into a 9 x 13 ungreased pan.

Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Gradually blend in the powdered sugar. Stir in lemon peel and lemon juice until smooth. Reserve 1/2 c of this mixture and refrigerate it for later use.

Beat the remaining 2 eggs, add the vanilla and then beat this mixture into the remaining cream chesse mixture until well blended. Spread over the cake mixture.

Bake at 350 until set---about 25-30 minutes. Cool completely. Spread the reserved cream cheese mixture onto the bars. Refigerate until firm. Cut into squares and serve.

Mac and Cheese Corn Casserole

2011-12-02T07:00:00.000-06:00

Mark and Cindy brought me a cute 2 qt crockpot when they were moving down here. It was the perfect size to try out this recipe. This was super easy to put together and we all like it. Makes a great side dish for any meal.

Mac and Cheese Corn Casserole
Molly Vickers Gallick

1 can of Cream Corn
1 can of regular Corn(do NOT drain)
1/2 loaf of Velveeta--Beth used 4 oz
1 stick of butter
1/2 box Macaroni noodles(uncooked)

Cut the Velveeta into cubes and slice the butter, then mix all ingredients together in the crock pot. Cut on low for 3-4 hours.

Delightful Lunch and Fall Apart Brisket and Gravy

2011-12-01T07:00:00.002-06:00

Yesterday I was privileged to meet up with a fellow blogger for lunch! What a treat to get to sit and visit in person. This was the 2nd time I have visited 'live' with Linda. Stop in and check out her blog. She reviews mainly Christian Fiction books and has met MANY of my favorite authors! You will get many book recommendations from her blog. http://mochawithlinda.blogspot.com/ Happy reading!

This was very good and very easy to make. The gravy was good, but we liked it just as well without it. Will make this again.

Fall Apart Brisket and Gravy

Merry Dunsmore

4lb Brisket
2 med onion (sliced thin)
1 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp Catchup
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar(Beth used balsamic since she didn't have this)
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/3 c water
2 Tbsp flour

Slice onion thinly place in bottom of crock cover onion with water put brisket (fat side up) on top of onion bed. Rub garlic on brisket (fatty side).

In separate bowl mix catchup, vinegar & brown sugar together mix well. Pour over brisket evenly. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook on low covered for 8 -10 hours.

Gravy
Remove Brisket put on plate and wrap tight in foil. Turn crock on high add 2 Tbsp flour and whisk until thickened (add more water if needed). Salt and pepper to taste.

Cream Cheese, Caramelized Onion and Bacon Quiche

2011-11-30T07:00:00.000-06:00

This was absolutely delicious! I made this for company for breakfast and we all loved this. I will cube the cream cheese much smaller next time--like 1 x 1 inch cubes.

Cream Cheese, Caramelized Onion and Bacon Quiche

picky-palate.com

1 refrigerated 9-inch pie crust
1/2 pound bacon
1 large sliced white onion
8 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 ounces softened Philadelphia Cream Cheese
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray a 9-inch pie plate with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and cook bacon, stirring until browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate and discard drippings. Add onions and cook, stirring until onions are golden and caramelized, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat.

3. Unroll pie crust and lay inside and up edges of prepared pie plate. With fork, poke holes in bottom and partially bake crust for 10 minutes, then remove from oven.

4. Add eggs, milk, salt and pepper to a large bowl, whisking to combine. Layer cooked onions over bottom of partially baked crust and top with bacon pieces and cream cheese pieces. Pour eggs over bacon and top with cheese and parsley. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until eggs are set and edges are browned. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes before cutting into wedges.

Makes 8 servings

Left Over Candy Cake

2011-11-29T07:00:00.000-06:00

I don't remember where I found this recipe, but it is a KEEPER. I used left over Snickers and Kitkat candy bars to make the 2 cups needed. This was such a moist cake with the egg whites folded in. I will not be waiting for 'left over candy' to make this again. Everyone loved this.

Left Over Candy Cake
Cake:
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups finely chopped chocolate candies such as Snickers, Almond Joy or Reese's peanut butter cups
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups whole milk, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Icing:
4 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped(I used chocolate chips)
1/2 cup heavy cream

1. Make cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 10-cup nonstick Bundt pan. Sift 3 cups flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. In a separate bowl, toss candies with remaining 1/2 cup flour

2. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and sugar until light, 3 minutes. Add yolks one at a time. Beat in vanilla. Beat in 1/3 of flour mixture, followed by 1/2 of milk. Repeat, ending with flour mixture. Do not over mix.

3. In a clean, dry bowl using dry beaters, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form. Stir candies and 1/3 of egg whites into batter. Fold in remaining whites. Spoon batter into Bundt pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then unmold cake.

4. Make icing: Place chocolate in a bowl. Warm cream in a pan over medium heat until just boiling. Pour over chocolate, let stand for 1 minute, then whisk until smooth. Let cool slightly. Pour icing over cake, allowing excess to drip over sides.

Smoky Tomato Soup

2011-11-28T07:00:00.001-06:00

Kathleen made this soup a week or so ago. We just used diced tomatoes since that was what we had on hand. Also, we used bacon grease(didn't fry up bacon)that we had in the fridge. We all liked this soup.

Smoky Tomato Soup
Rachel Ray--Big Orange Book

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), plus additional
4 slices smoked bacon, chopped (or just use bacon grease)
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 stalks of celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 quart chicken stock, divided
1 tablespoon fresh marjoram, finely chopped, or 1/4 teaspoon dry oregano
1 28-ounce can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes (or just diced tomatoes)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)

Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat with 2 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Add the chopped bacon and cook until crisp, stirring every now and then, about 2-3 minutes. Remove the crispy bacon from the pot.

To the soup pot, add the garlic, onion, celery, carrots and some salt and pepper. Cook, stirring every now and then for 4-5 minutes, until they start to get tender.

Remove the tender veggies from the pot to a food processor or blender, throw in a big splash of the chicken stock and the marjoram, and puree until smooth.

Return the veggies to the pot, place back over medium-high heat and add the remaining chicken stock, fire-roasted tomatoes, sugar, red pepper flakes and heavy cream, if you are using it. Bring up to a bubble and simmer.
Serve with bacon on top.

Slow Cooker Rosemary-Garlic Beef Roast

2011-11-27T07:00:00.000-06:00

I made this on a Sunday morning before church. I cooked it on high for 4.5 hours and it was fork tender and shredded easily! We liked this roast. The rosemary added something different to this and I will make it again for sure.

Slow Cooker Rosemary-Garlic Beef Roast

Pillsbury.com

1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
5- to 6-lb beef boneless sirloin tip roast(Beth used 4# chuck roast)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
½ teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
1 medium onion, sliced
1 cup beef flavored broth
3 tablespoons chili sauce
1/3 cup all-purpose flour

In small bowl, mix oil and Worcestershire sauce; brush over beef roast. Rub roast evenly with garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper. In 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, add onion. Pour 1/4 cup of the broth over onion. Place beef roast on onion. Refrigerate remaining broth.

Cover and cook on Low heat setting 8 to 9 hours.(Beth cooked on high from 8 am -12:30pm)

Remove beef from cooker; cover to keep warm. In small bowl, mix remaining 3/4 cup broth, the chili sauce and flour; stir into hot mixture in cooker. Increase heat setting to High. Cook uncovered 5 to 10 minutes or until thickened. Serve gravy with beef.

Baked Cajun Fries

2011-11-26T07:00:00.000-06:00

These were quick to put together when you don't know what potatoes to make for dinner. The seasoning we used was spicy, so next time we will go a bit easier on that. They were very good.

Baked Cajun Fries
http://cajundelights.blogspot.com/

4 large white potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch strips
2 tbs.'s olive oil
1 tbs. Cajun seasoning(We used Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning--it was in the spice cabinet)
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried parsley
Salt to taste

In large bowl, toss the potatoes in the olive oil to coat. Combine the spices and toss with the potatoes until evenly covered. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray and arrange potatoes in a single layer. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Fab!

All Time Favorite Pie

2011-11-25T07:00:00.001-06:00

I found this recipe on the Taste of Home site. I made it with apples--of course! The heavy cream added something to this pie. I will make this again since it was very easy to make--and will try it will peaches, too!

All Time Favorite Pie

Plum Crazy—Alta from Taste of Home BB

1 unbaked pie shell

In a small bowl mix 1/4c. flour, 1/4c. brown sugar and spread into the bottom of the pie shell. Over this put either sliced peaches or apples. Make it quite full.

Mix 3/4c. brown sugar, 1/2c. flour 1/4c. butter and mix to a crumble mixture. If using apples add 1 tsp, cinnamon. Spread over the fruit then pour 1/2c. heavy cream over and bake until golden brown. (350 for 45 minutes)Make sure it is nice and brown so the topping gets crisp.

Happy Thanksgiving and Soy Sauce Ribs

2011-11-24T07:00:00.003-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving to you all! May your day be filled with good food and good fellowship with people you love. We are family-less this Thanksgiving and are having friends who are family-less over! Our day will start out with appetizers while watching the Green Bay Packers play! Go Packers! Hopefully after celebrating a win, we will feast on Turkey, Homemade Bread and Sausage Stuffing, Green Bean Dairy Supreme, Homemade Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Sweet Potato Casserole Homemade Crescent Rolls, Cranberry Orange Relish, Banana Cranberry Fluff and Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes and for Dessert: Pecan Pie Bars, Coconut Cream Pie,and Pumpkin Pie!
There are a few new recipes in the menu that you will soon see!

Now, for the recipe of the day....I made 2 crockpots full of ribs for Don's moms birthday dinner---one with a rub and BBQ sauce and the other this recipe. I love both kinds of ribs, but this one was a low carb recipe that tasted great!

Soy sauce ribs
low carb

2 lbs country pork ribs (cut into 3-4 pcs each)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1-2 garlic cloves crushed
1/4 inch piece fresh ginger chopped
1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

Place ribs in crockpot, dump everything else in.
3-4 hours on high, 5-6 on low and the meat just fall off the bone. For the rest of my family I serve this with rice and veggies I can eat too.
Also yummy for chicken as well.

Hint: Buy a small piece of fresh ginger in the oriental produce section. Keep it wrapped well in the freezer and peel the brown skin off a little at a time, as you use it. I also use the peeler to peel off little pieces and use it just like that.

Chili with no beans for crockpot

2011-11-23T07:00:00.000-06:00

Don was working from home and it was one of the first cooler days here in TX. I put this together for lunch. We all LOVED this. It uses my beloved crockpot, so I loved this recipe! :-)

Chili with no beans for crockpot

http://crockadoodledo.blogspot.com

1 lb of ground beef
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
1.5 cans of minced green chilies
2 big cans (24 ounce) crushed tomato
1/2 big can of tomato sauce
1 package of McCormick's taco seasoning **** or make your own

1 package shredded cheddar
1 package oyster crackers
1 container sour cream

Ground beef and sprinkle 1/2 taco seasoning on while cooking. Drain fat. Add beef, celery, tomato products, onion, chilies and rest of seasoning to crock. Cook on low for four hours.

Serve with sour cream, cheese and crackers

Crunchy Topped Muffins

2011-11-22T07:00:00.001-06:00

I have had this recipe for all my married life---almost 25 years! I made a double batch of these and froze some. An easy recipe to put together and everyone likes it.

Crunchy Topped Muffins

1 1/2 c flour
1/2 c sugar
2 T baking powder
1/2 T salt
1 T cinnamon
1/4 c butter
1 egg, beaten
1/2 c milk
1 c chopped apples

Crunch Topping
1/3 c brown sugar
1/2 T cinnamon
1/3 c chopped nuts

Sift dry ingredients together. Add rest of ingredients and mix until just blended. Fill greased muffin pans 2/3 full. Sprinkle with Crunch Topping. Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes.

Baked Apples

2011-11-21T07:00:00.000-06:00

Yes, another apple recipe. Kathleen made these one day and really liked them. They were easy to put together.

Baked Apples
Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

4 large McIntosh or Empire apples, cored

1 tablespoon lemon juice

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup instant oatmeal mix or rolled oats

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, a healthy grating

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

2 ounces, 1/8 cup, golden raisins, chopped

1/4 cup chopped walnuts or walnut pieces or pecans

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Sprinkle cored apples with lemon juice. Mix next 7 ingredients and over-stuff apples. Bake 20 minutes in a small oven safe dish. Transfer apples to small bowls with a spoon and top with ice cream and whipped cream.

Crock Pot Beef and Peppers

2011-11-20T07:00:00.002-06:00

This was a great recipe to put together quickly. The round steak gets very tender in this recipe. It is also a low carb recipe. We liked this.

Crock Pot Beef And Peppers

3 to 4 lb Round steak lean
2 Green peppers sliced thin
1/2 cup onions minced
2 cup Beef broth
3 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp Ground ginger
1 Garlic clove -- minced
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Cut the steak into serving size pieces. If desired you can brown the meat in a little hot oil before adding to crock pot. Place the thinly sliced pepper rings in bottom of crock pot, reserving a few to place on top of meat if desired. Arrange the meat on pepper, careful to not stack one piece directly on top of another.(Beth had to overlap the meat) Mix all other ingredients and pour over meat and peppers.

Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for about 4 hours.

Cinnamon Apple Bundt Cake

2011-11-19T07:00:00.001-06:00

Another apple recipe --my folks sent 4 HUGE boxes of apples down with some friends 3 weeks ago. I have been canning and dehydrating and pulling out all my apple recipes to make! This recipe comes from my newest Amish cookbook. I made this for our final Friday morning Bible study. We all liked it. It is a moist cake and doesn't need frosting(although a caramel drizzle would be nice, too)

Cinnamon Apple Bundt Cake
Home Cooked Favorites Cookbook

1/2 c finely chopped pecans or walnuts
1 18 oz pkg. yellow cake mix
1/3 c vegetable oil
1 3.75 pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix
1 c water
4 eggs
2 c fresh pared apples, diced.

Topping:
3 T plus 1 t sugar
1 t cinnamon

Grease thoroughly a 10 inch bundt pan. Sprinkle with nuts. Set aside. Combine cake mix, oil, pudding mix, water and eggs. Beat well.

Pour 1/3 of batter into pan, sprinkle with 2 T of topping and 1 cup of apples. Top with 1/3 more batter, rest of topping and the rest of the apples. Top with remaining batter.

Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes or until cake tests done. Cook 25 minutes on a rack and invert and remove from pan.

Dr Pepper Sauced Boneless Wings

2011-11-18T07:00:00.001-06:00

We have a restaurant called Pluckers here in the Austin area that have Dr Pepper wings. The girls ALWAYS order the boneless tenders with this sauce on them. I found this recipe and thought I would adapt it to our liking. I did NOT fry these. See my notes. Everyone loved them. Next time we MAY add BBQ sauce to them, but Don really liked them the way they were made. Perfect football game food!

Dr Pepper Sauced Boneless Wings
meninaprons.net

boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into nugget sized pieces**Beth used Wings
3/4 cup flour
1/2 Tsp salt
1/2 Tsp. pepper
1/4 Tsp. garlic powder
1 can Dr. pepper
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 Tsp. Tabasco sauce
2 TBSP butter
Oil for frying

Combine the flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Toss the chicken in the flour mixture, coating completely. Put the coated chicken in the fridge for at least 1 hour. This will help the coating adhere to the chicken during frying.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring the can of Dr. Pepper to a boil, reduce heat and simmer briskly until reduced to about 1/8th the amount. Add the brown sugar, ketchup, Tabasco and butter and simmer until a nice thick sauce. Set aside.

***Beth's changes Put wings in the oven at 350 for 1/2 hour. Add sauce and cook for 1 hour more. Easy and tastes great!!

Heat the oil to 350 degrees. Remove the chicken from the fridge and fry in the oil until golden brown and the chicken is cooked through. when all chicken is cooked, toss in the sauce until completely coated.
Serve and enjoy.

A reviewer added ½ bottle BBQ sauce

Lotion for Very Chapped Hands and Feet

2011-11-17T07:00:00.001-06:00

I found this 'recipe' on a forum years ago. All the supplies can be bought very cheaply--even at the Dollar Tree. I save the containers and put the 'new' lotion back in them. This recipe is wonderful for your hands and especially your feet. You will see noticeable difference in just 2-3 days.

Lotion for Very Chapped Hands and Feet

16 oz Vaseline
16 oz Vitamin E lotion
16 oz baby lotion

Mix all with electric mixer. Slather on your feet at night and put socks on. Your feet will be smoother in the morning.

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

2011-11-16T07:00:00.003-06:00

I made pizza for my family and company one night. I was planning to just eat the topping until I came across this recipe. It REALLY is good. I enjoyed it and even Mark, who does NOT like cauliflower said he didn't think it tasted like cauliflower. I doubled the cauliflower in the recipe and left everything else the same. I used Alfredo as my 'sauce' and added chicken, bell pepper and red onion. YUMMY!

Cauliflower Pizza Crust
http://blog.yourlighterside.com

1 cup cooked, cauliflower
1 egg
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 tsp fennel
1 tsp oregano
2 tsp parsley
Pizza or Alfredo sauce
Toppings (make sure meats are cooked)
Mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray.
In a medium bowl, combine cauliflower(mashed), egg and mozzarella. Press evenly on the pan. Sprinkle evenly with fennel, oregano and parsley.
Bake at 450 degrees for 12-15 minutes (15-20 minutes if you double the recipe).
Remove the pan from the oven. To the crust, add sauce, then toppings and cheese.
Place under a broiler at high heat just until cheese is melted

*****Made 10/19/11….doubled the cauliflower. Baked the crust and then baked the ‘pizza’ for 10-15 minutes. Topped with Alfredo, buffalo chicken, red onions and green peppers. YUM

Chocolate Mousse

2011-11-15T07:00:00.002-06:00

This was my Birthday Cake this year. Doing low carb foods makes eating cake non existent! I like this, but next time will cut down on the cocoa.

Chocolate Mousse

3-4 tablespoons heavy cream,

one tbsp cocoa powder,(Make this 1 tsp next time)
one packet trivia or splenda. (Beth used Sweet and Low)

Whip until super fluffy. Add crushed pecans.

Crockpot Apple Cake

2011-11-14T07:00:00.000-06:00

I had been wanting to try making dessert in the crockpot for a long time. This recipe did NOT disappoint. Everyone like it. My cake was done in about 1.5 hours. We had company and everyone enjoyed it.

Crockpot Apple Cake

Makelifedelicious.com

1 C flour (1/2 C wheat, 1/2 C white)Beth used all white
3/4 C brown sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

3 large apples, chopped

2 eggs, beaten
2 tsp. vanilla

Directions
In a medium bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Peel and slice your apples (I diced mine fairly small), and then coat with the flour mixture. Mix the eggs and vanilla in a small bowl. Pour the egg mixture over the floured apples. Pour/spoon into a greased crockpot. Yes, the batter is thick. Cover, and cook on high for ~2 hours. Cake is done when a toothpick comes out clean. Slice and serve warm.

Bleu Cheese Dressing

2011-11-13T07:00:00.000-06:00

This is my new favorite salad dressing. I make this every 4 to 5 days. It is a perfect recipe for a low carb diet. I LOVE this and everyone that likes Bleu Cheese likes this. It couldn't be any easier to make.

Bleu Cheese Dressing

Low Carb
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk (or 1/4 cup heavy cream and 1/4 cup water)

1 cup real mayonnaise
4 ounces Bleu cheese, crumbled
1/8 teaspoon onion powder

Stir together sour cream, milk (cream and water), mayonnaise, and onion powder with a wire whisk until smooth. Fold in crumbled bleu cheese.

Cover and refrigerate for a couple hours (if possible) before serving. Will keep in the fridge for 10 days.

Addictive Granola

2011-11-12T07:00:00.001-06:00

This granola tastes great! I am always looking for just a little different recipe for granola since Don likes it for a quick breakfast. This is a keeper.

Addictive Granola

plan B Mom on Rachelray.com

4 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups whole almonds
3/4 cup sweetened coconut flakes
1 cup chopped walnuts
2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
4 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup dried sweetened cranberries

Makes approximately 6-8 cups granola

Pre-heat the oven to 300°F.

Mix the first seven ingredients in large bowl. Melt the butter with the honey and salt in a heavy small saucepan over low heat. Pour the butter over the granola mixture and toss well.

Spread out the granola on two baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake for 40-45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Make sure to not overcook it – the granola should be light brown and will still feel soft – it will harden as it cools. Add the cranberries and mix.

Store airtight at room temperature for up to two weeks or freeze for up to three months.

Quiche Lorraine

2011-11-11T07:00:00.000-06:00

We have now made this twice and love it. It is easy to put together and tastes great. Great also, since it is low carb AND tastes great! I found the recipe while out searching for low carb recipes.

Quiche Lorraine
Tina MacDonald

Low carb
Serves six

½ pound of bacon, crisply fried and crumbled
1 cup shredded natural Swiss cheese
1/3 cup minced red onion
4 eggs
2 cups whipping cream
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. equivalent of sweetener
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

Heat oven to 425. Sprinkle bacon, cheese and onion in the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan. Beat eggs lightly and beat in remaining ingredients. Pour cream mixture into pie pan. Bake in oven for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees and bake 30 minutes or longer or until a knife inserted 1 inch from the edge comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting. Serve in wedges.

This makes a soft-textured quiche. If a firmer texture is desired, cook an additional 10 minutes.

Blueberry Cream Cheese Bundt Cake

2011-11-10T07:00:00.000-06:00

I took this cake with the pumpkin cake from yesterday to church for treats. Don LOVED this cake as did many others. It is very easy to put together. Thanks to my cousin Kim for the recipe.

Blueberry Cream Cheese Bundt Cake

1-8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 package white cake mix (mine was vanilla)
1- 3 oz. package instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/4 cups fresh or frozen, thawed blueberries
powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly spray a 9 inch bundt pan with cooking spray.
Combine the cream cheese and oil in a medium bowl and beat with a mixer until smooth and creamy. Add the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs and vanilla. Beat at medium speed until blended. Fold in the berries. (Dough will be thick and sticky). Pour into the prepared pan.

Bake for 60 -65 minutes until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake on a wire rack for 20 minutes.

Remove from pan and cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar

Pumpkin Pound Cake with Buttermilk Glaze

2011-11-09T07:00:00.001-06:00

I took this cake to church for our Sunday School class. It was very well liked, so it WILL be made again! For the buttermilk in the cake and glaze, I used the old lemon juice and regular milk trick.(1 T lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk--adjust for less milk--you DO use math in cooking!)

Pumpkin Pound Cake with Buttermilk Glaze

Cake:

Cooking spray
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin(drained
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour (about 13 1/2 ounces)
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup fat-free buttermilk

Glaze:

1/3 cup fat-free buttermilk

1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare the cake, lightly coat a 10-inch tube pan with cooking spray; dust with 1 tablespoon flour. Spread pumpkin over 2 layers of paper towels; cover with 2 additional layers of paper towels. Let stand about 10 minutes. Scrape drained pumpkin into a bowl.

Place 3/4 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed 3 minutes or until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in pumpkin and vanilla. Lightly spoon 3 cups flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through salt) in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture and 3/4 cup buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove from pan, and cool completely on wire rack.

To prepare glaze, combine 1/3 cup buttermilk and remaining ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until thick, stirring constantly; remove from heat. Drizzle cake with glaze.

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie and Oreo Fudge Brownie Bar

2011-11-08T07:00:00.002-06:00

Kathleen had this at a Bible study party and after she told me about it, I knew I would NEED to make it! It is very easy. Use this chocolate chip recipe or your favorite one, put oreos on top and use a box brownie mix, or your favorite, like I did. We did omit the hot fudge sauce, but when I served it, I drizzled chocolate syrup over top. A BIG hit!

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie n’ Oreo Fudge Brownie Bar

Kevinandandamanda.com and Julie Anderson

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups (12 ounces) milk chocolate chips
1 pkg Double Stuffed Oreos
1 Family Size (9×13) Brownie mix
1/4 cup hot fudge topping(if using fudge brownie, can omit)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream the butter and both sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3-5 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well to thoroughly combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt, then slowly incorporate into the mixer until the flour is just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Spread the cookie dough in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish that’s been lined with wax paper and sprayed with cooking spray. Top with a layer of Oreos. Mix together brownie mix, adding an optional 1/4 cup of hot fudge topping to the mix. Pour the brownie batter over the cookie dough and Oreos. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45-55 minutes.

To halve this recipe for an 8×8 brownie mix, just half the chocolate chip cookie dough ingredients. Enjoy!

Creamy Cheddar Soup

2011-11-07T07:00:00.001-06:00

Here is another recipe that Kathleen found and made. I am so glad my girls like to cook and try new recipes. This really IS creamy. It was well liked at our house!

Creamy Cheddar Soup

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

1 small onion, diced
2 large pimentos, diced(we just used a small jar of diced)
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups cream
3/4 cup grated sharp Cheddar
1/2 cup green onions
Salt and black pepper
Dash cayenne pepper, optional

In a saucepan, saute onion and pimentos in butter for 5 to 7 minutes. Blend in flour. Add stock and cream. Cook until thick. Add cheese and stir until melted. Add 1/4 cup green onions, salt and pepper, to taste, and cayenne if desired. Garnish with remaining green onions.

Slow Cooker Steak Fajitas

2011-11-06T07:00:00.000-06:00

I doubled this recipe, used all green bell pepper and a red onion. This turned out wonderful. I even ate it with eggs the next morning, kind of a Mexican omelet! I used skirt steak since I had that one hand.

Slow Cooker Steak Fajitas

1 Beef Flank steak about one pound
1 medium onion cut into strips.
1/2 cup salsa and some for garnish.
2 tablespoons of fresh cilantro
2 fresh squeezed limes or 2 lbs of lime juice
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1 small red bell pepper cut into strips
1 small green bell pepper cut in strips

Flour tortillas warmed

Cut flank steak lengthwise in half, the crosswise into thin strips, place meat in crockpot. Add all the rest of the ingredients except the bell Peppers. Cook on low for 5 hrs.

Add bell peppers: cover and cook for another hour

Serve with tortillas and salsa on top if desired.

Add toppings like sour cream, cheese, Green Goddess salad dressing and whatever else you like on your fajitas !!

Texas Flour Tortillas

2011-11-05T07:00:00.001-05:00

I needed to make tortillas one night(had just been to the grocery store and didn't know I was out!) and saw this recipe that used MILK in it. They turned out great--only downfall is that the recipe only makes 8! It can easily be doubled. Most of my tortillas were not exactly round, but that didn't stop us from eating them!

Texas Flour Tortillas

http://homesicktexan.blogspot.com

Two cups of all-purpose flour (can make them whole wheat by substituting one cup of whole-wheat flour for white flour)
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons of vegetable oil
3/4 cups of warm milk

Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and oil. Slowly add the warm milk. Stir until a loose, sticky ball is formed.

Knead for two minutes on a floured surface. Dough should be firm and soft. Place dough in a bowl and cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap for 20 minutes.

After the dough has rested, break off eight sections, roll them into balls in your hands, place on a plate (make sure they aren’t touching) and then cover balls with damp cloth or plastic wrap for 10 minutes. (It’s very important to let the dough rest, otherwise it will be like elastic and won’t roll out to a proper thickness and shape.)

After dough has rested, one at a time place a dough ball on a floured surface, pat it out into a four-inch circle, and then roll with a rolling pin from the center until it’s thin and about eight inches in diameter. (If you roll out pie crusts you’ll have no problem with this.) Don’t over work the dough, or it’ll be stiff. Keep rolled-out tortillas covered until ready to cook.

In a dry iron skillet or comal heated on high, cook the tortilla about thirty seconds on each side. It should start to puff a bit when it’s done. Keep cooked tortillas covered wrapped in a napkin until ready to eat.

Can be reheated in a dry iron skillet, over your gas-burner flame or in the oven wrapped in foil.
While you probably won’t have any leftovers, you can store in the fridge tightly wrapped in foil or plastic for a day or so.
Makes eight tortillas.

Crockpot Macaroni and Cheese

2011-11-04T07:00:00.000-05:00

I wanted to try Mac and Cheese in the crockpot but did not want to have to cook the noodles first. This was a great recipe to make. I did make some changes(see recipe)and I think next time I would add more milk--maybe 2 cups more. When the noodles were cooked, this was DONE. I added more milk when I reheated the leftovers on the cooktop and it was still good.

Crockpot Macaroni and Cheese

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com

1/2 pound uncooked macaroni (Beth used a 16 oz bag)
4 cups of milk (Beth used about 1/2 c more)
2 eggs
4 cups shredded cheese (I used all cheddar)
1/2 t kosher salt (Beth used a bit more)
1/2 t black pepper
1 tsp dried mustard

Spray crock well with cooking spray. In a mixing bowl, whip eggs and milk together. Stir in spices.

Add cheese and noodles, and stir well to combine. Pour the mixture into the crockpot.

It will be very liquidy.

Cover and cook on low for 2-5 hours, or on high for 1-3. The cooking time will vary depending on what size crockpot you are using, and how quickly it heats and cooks. ****Beth stirred this every 1/2 hour and it was done in about 2.5 hours

Apple Pie Filling Apple Bread

2011-11-03T07:00:00.001-05:00

I doubled this recipe because I didn't know what to do with half of a can of pie filling! I used a qt of my home canned pie filling and used cinnamon applesauce(my home canned) I added about 1/4 c more flour, too. This is a very moist bread and the batter will seem too moist. It won't be. It was wonderful!

Apple Pie Filling Apple Bread
Janet Pruett

1 1/4 cups packaged baking mix(Bisquick or Pioneer mix)
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoons apple or pumpkin pie spice
2 large eggs, beaten
½ of a can of 21 oz can apple pie filling
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar (divided)
1/3 cup cooking oil
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a loaf pan with flour-added baking spray. In a large bowl combine baking mix, flour, and spice. In another large bowl combine eggs, apple pie filling, apple sauce, 1/4 cup of the brown sugar, and oil. Add to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened. Pour into pan. Top with remaining brown sugar and nuts (if using). Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack. Wrap and store overnight for easier slicing. Makes 1 loaf

Window Cleaner "Recipe"

2011-11-02T07:00:00.000-05:00

I found this 'recipe' on a cleaning forum back in 2001. It was said that a professional window cleaner was seen buying 20 boxes of corn starch and was asked about it. I LOVE this 'recipe'. Once you try it, you will never use Windex again! I like to use micro fiber rags because they seem to leave less lint. If I am doing all my windows and mirrors, I change the rags a few times. Try it!

Window Cleaner "Recipe"

1/3-1/2 c cornstarch mixed into a gallon of warm water. Stir well. Swish a rag in the mixture and wring out. Wipe on windows, leaving it a bit wet and use a dry towel to buff.

Works like a charm. No streaks.

Note:
I just put a few Tablespoons of cornstarch in a qt. spray bottle and fill 1/2 full with water. You can't store this solution for any length of time because it will start to smell. Just mix a small amount to use up each time you want to clean windows, mirrors, etc.

Honey and Spice Glazed Pork Chops

2011-11-01T07:00:00.000-05:00

Don REALLY liked these. They were moist and the sauce was great! As you can see, I used my crockpot after browning the chops. See bold print at the bottom of the recipe, although I did NOT freeze them first! :-)

Honey and Spice Glazed Pork Chops
MyRecipes

Cooking spray
4 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat.

Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper; cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned.

While pork is cooking, combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl; set aside.

Reduce heat to medium-low; add honey mixture to the pork. Cook 10 minutes or until done, turning pork once.

Remove pork from the skillet and allow the sauce to boil until thickened and slightly reduced for a glaze, 3-5 minutes. Spoon glaze over the pork before serving.

* To make ahead/freezer meal - Brown the pork as directed above and once browned, remove and allow to cool. Place cooled pork chops into a freezer storage bag. Add the remaining ingredients to the bag, seal and freeze. When reader to prepare, remove from the freezer and defrost, Transfer the contents into a crockpot, cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 3-5 hours. Should you decide to cook this in a crockpot, you will want to spoon the sauce from the crockpot into a skillet to reduce and thicken.