Crockpot on low, 10-12 hrs:
3 lb. roast
2 pkts. au jus mix
1 pkt onion soup mix
7-8 cups water
Shred beef and serve on buns and use juices from crock pot for dipping.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Hot Hammies
I stole this recipe from some blog I ran into!
Rhodes rolls, thawed
10-15 thin slices deli ham
10 slices swiss cheese
Roll out each roll into big as you can circle
Place slice ham and 1/2 slice or so swiss in center. Wrap dough around meat and cheese and seal all edges. Melt 1 cube butter. In a seperate bowl, mix 1/2 cup parmesan, 1/2 T dry parsely flakes, 1/2 tsp garlic powder. Dip each roll into butter then parmesan mixture. Place in greased baking pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise to double, about 1 hr. Bake according to roll's package, 350 for 20 mins?? Be careful to watch for burning.
Rhodes rolls, thawed
10-15 thin slices deli ham
10 slices swiss cheese
Roll out each roll into big as you can circle
Place slice ham and 1/2 slice or so swiss in center. Wrap dough around meat and cheese and seal all edges. Melt 1 cube butter. In a seperate bowl, mix 1/2 cup parmesan, 1/2 T dry parsely flakes, 1/2 tsp garlic powder. Dip each roll into butter then parmesan mixture. Place in greased baking pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise to double, about 1 hr. Bake according to roll's package, 350 for 20 mins?? Be careful to watch for burning.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
I finally found the perfect oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe! I was so excited once I baked them to find out that they were nice thick, soft, and chewy cookies--just the way we love them. In the past my oatmeal cookies have always gone flat, but not these babies! (Found at allrecipes with some adjustments).
1 c butter, softened
1 c brown sugar, packed
1/2 c white sugar
2 eggs
2 t vanilla extract
1 3/4 c flour
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
3 c quick oats (I'm sure you could use reg.)
1/2 c chopped pecans or walnuts
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
-Cream together butter and sugars until smooth. I like to do this for a few minutes until it gets light and fluffy.
-Beat in eggs one at a time.
-Add vanilla.
-Combine flour, baking soda, and salt into separate bowl. Gradually add to creamed mixture UNTIL JUST BLENDED.
-Stir in oats, nuts, and chocolate chips. If you don't think you like nuts in cookies, you will in these. It's a small amount and hardly noticable but adds great flavor.
-Drop by heaping spoonfuls ontol ungreased baking sheets. I use medium size cookie scoop heaping.
-Bake at 325 degrees for 12 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. I found 12 minutes to be perfect. Don't overbake. If your oven tends to cook fast check cookies at 10 minutes or so.
-Store in airtight container.
1 c butter, softened
1 c brown sugar, packed
1/2 c white sugar
2 eggs
2 t vanilla extract
1 3/4 c flour
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
3 c quick oats (I'm sure you could use reg.)
1/2 c chopped pecans or walnuts
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
-Cream together butter and sugars until smooth. I like to do this for a few minutes until it gets light and fluffy.
-Beat in eggs one at a time.
-Add vanilla.
-Combine flour, baking soda, and salt into separate bowl. Gradually add to creamed mixture UNTIL JUST BLENDED.
-Stir in oats, nuts, and chocolate chips. If you don't think you like nuts in cookies, you will in these. It's a small amount and hardly noticable but adds great flavor.
-Drop by heaping spoonfuls ontol ungreased baking sheets. I use medium size cookie scoop heaping.
-Bake at 325 degrees for 12 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. I found 12 minutes to be perfect. Don't overbake. If your oven tends to cook fast check cookies at 10 minutes or so.
-Store in airtight container.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Homemade Whole Grain Pancake Mix
I decided I wanted to make my own pancake mix. Since I have a wheat grinder, I thought I should be thinking of more ways to use it. I am also interested in fresher, more quality foods. These are just under 90% whole grain! This recipe is from the King Arthur Flour Company's website. It is SOOOO delicious! This stores in an airtight container at room temp for 2 weeks, or indefinately in the fridge or freezer. Everyone gave these a thumbs up tonight. This will be really fast to whip up before school!
4 cups King Arthur white whole wheat flour
1 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
3 1/2 cups old-fashioned or rolled oats
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons baking powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 cup vegetable oil
To Make Mix
1.Grind the oats in a food processer until they are chopped fine, but not a powder. (I just use quick oats and don't bother grinding. One less step.)
2.Put the flour, oats, and all other dry ingredients into a mixer with a paddle. Mix on slow speed, and drizzle the vegetable oil into the bowl slowly while the mixer is running.
3.Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks at room temperature, or indefinitely in the refrigerator or freezer.
To Make Pancakes:
1.Whisk together 1 cup of mix, 1 cup of buttermilk (you can use soured milk, but buttermilk gives noticeably superior results; a combination of half plain yogurt and half milk also will do), and 1 large egg. Don't worry if it seems thin at first: the oats will soak up the milk, and the mix will thicken a bit as it stands. Let the batter stand for at least 20 minutes before cooking.
2.Heat a lightly greased griddle to 350°F (if you've got a griddle with a temperature setting; if not, medium-hot will do).
3.Drop the batter onto it in 1/4-cupfuls (a jumbo cookie scoop works well here) to make a 4" diameter pancake. If you have English muffin rings, use them; they make a perfectly round, evenly thick pancake. When the edges look dry and bubbles come to the surface without breaking (after about 2 minutes, if your griddle is the correct temperature), turn the pancake over to finish cooking on the second side, which will take about 2 minutes.
4.Serve pancakes immediately, or stack and hold in a warm oven.
Yield: a batch using one cup of the mix will make about eight 4" pancakes.
Note: If you don't have buttermilk in the house, try the yogurt and milk combination first; if you happen to have buttermilk powder, try this: In place of the buttermilk, add 1/4 cup buttermilk powder to 1 cup of dry mix, then stir in 1 cup water and 1 large egg. The results won't be as magnificent as using liquid buttermilk, but you'll still have very tasty pancakes.
Variation: Add 1 tablespoon orange juice to the dry mix along with the buttermilk. We've found that the acidity and sweetness of the orange juice helps mellow the tannic taste some people perceive in whole wheat flour; while the pancakes won't have any orange flavor, they may taste slightly milder to you, if you're not a fan of whole wheat flour (but still want to get more whole grains into your diet).
I didn't use their brand of flour. I ground my own WW flour and I only use unbleached anyway. I only had quick oats on hand, so I used those instead. I only had the mixture sit 10 minutes. It seemed fine. I also didn't have buttermilk, so I used the sour milk. Whenever I do this in a buttermilk recipe, it makes a thinner pancake. (we call the too thick ones 'sinkers'--they sink to the pit of your stomach and stay! My dad always made sinkers growing up!!) I don't mind the thinner, but it is different with the real stuff. I would say they are better with buttermilk , but still delicious no matter what is used. They also said you can freeze buttermilk in 1 cup portions to use at later times. I will definitely do this, because I don't often have a need for buttermilk otherwise. Also, these are fabulous with berries in them. And my kids loved jam on them. They were nervous to try the syrup I made. (see comments below!)
Here is a syrup recipe I found on Rumble in the kitchen blog. It doesn't taste like Mrs. Butterworth. Chris thought it tasted "boozy" with the rum. I liked it. Not sure what that says about me... I think you just need to use a little. Chris always dowses his pancakes, I am a minimalist! See what you think, and let me know!
Homemade "Mrs. Butterworth's" Syrup
Ingredients:
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup water
1 tsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp rum flavoring
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1.Put the brown sugar & salt into a medium saucepan. Place the cornstarch in a small bowl or cup and drizzle with about 2 tbs. of water. Stir or whisk with a fork until the cornstarch is dissolved, then add it to the saucepan along with the rest of the water.
2.Stir or whisk constantly over medium-high heat, until the mixture comes to a boil. Boil one minute, still stirring.
3.Remove the saucepan from the heat, and let the syrup cool completely. When it's cool, stir in the extracts.
4 cups King Arthur white whole wheat flour
1 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
3 1/2 cups old-fashioned or rolled oats
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons baking powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 cup vegetable oil
To Make Mix
1.Grind the oats in a food processer until they are chopped fine, but not a powder. (I just use quick oats and don't bother grinding. One less step.)
2.Put the flour, oats, and all other dry ingredients into a mixer with a paddle. Mix on slow speed, and drizzle the vegetable oil into the bowl slowly while the mixer is running.
3.Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks at room temperature, or indefinitely in the refrigerator or freezer.
To Make Pancakes:
1.Whisk together 1 cup of mix, 1 cup of buttermilk (you can use soured milk, but buttermilk gives noticeably superior results; a combination of half plain yogurt and half milk also will do), and 1 large egg. Don't worry if it seems thin at first: the oats will soak up the milk, and the mix will thicken a bit as it stands. Let the batter stand for at least 20 minutes before cooking.
2.Heat a lightly greased griddle to 350°F (if you've got a griddle with a temperature setting; if not, medium-hot will do).
3.Drop the batter onto it in 1/4-cupfuls (a jumbo cookie scoop works well here) to make a 4" diameter pancake. If you have English muffin rings, use them; they make a perfectly round, evenly thick pancake. When the edges look dry and bubbles come to the surface without breaking (after about 2 minutes, if your griddle is the correct temperature), turn the pancake over to finish cooking on the second side, which will take about 2 minutes.
4.Serve pancakes immediately, or stack and hold in a warm oven.
Yield: a batch using one cup of the mix will make about eight 4" pancakes.
Note: If you don't have buttermilk in the house, try the yogurt and milk combination first; if you happen to have buttermilk powder, try this: In place of the buttermilk, add 1/4 cup buttermilk powder to 1 cup of dry mix, then stir in 1 cup water and 1 large egg. The results won't be as magnificent as using liquid buttermilk, but you'll still have very tasty pancakes.
Variation: Add 1 tablespoon orange juice to the dry mix along with the buttermilk. We've found that the acidity and sweetness of the orange juice helps mellow the tannic taste some people perceive in whole wheat flour; while the pancakes won't have any orange flavor, they may taste slightly milder to you, if you're not a fan of whole wheat flour (but still want to get more whole grains into your diet).
I didn't use their brand of flour. I ground my own WW flour and I only use unbleached anyway. I only had quick oats on hand, so I used those instead. I only had the mixture sit 10 minutes. It seemed fine. I also didn't have buttermilk, so I used the sour milk. Whenever I do this in a buttermilk recipe, it makes a thinner pancake. (we call the too thick ones 'sinkers'--they sink to the pit of your stomach and stay! My dad always made sinkers growing up!!) I don't mind the thinner, but it is different with the real stuff. I would say they are better with buttermilk , but still delicious no matter what is used. They also said you can freeze buttermilk in 1 cup portions to use at later times. I will definitely do this, because I don't often have a need for buttermilk otherwise. Also, these are fabulous with berries in them. And my kids loved jam on them. They were nervous to try the syrup I made. (see comments below!)
Here is a syrup recipe I found on Rumble in the kitchen blog. It doesn't taste like Mrs. Butterworth. Chris thought it tasted "boozy" with the rum. I liked it. Not sure what that says about me... I think you just need to use a little. Chris always dowses his pancakes, I am a minimalist! See what you think, and let me know!
Homemade "Mrs. Butterworth's" Syrup
Ingredients:
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup water
1 tsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp rum flavoring
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1.Put the brown sugar & salt into a medium saucepan. Place the cornstarch in a small bowl or cup and drizzle with about 2 tbs. of water. Stir or whisk with a fork until the cornstarch is dissolved, then add it to the saucepan along with the rest of the water.
2.Stir or whisk constantly over medium-high heat, until the mixture comes to a boil. Boil one minute, still stirring.
3.Remove the saucepan from the heat, and let the syrup cool completely. When it's cool, stir in the extracts.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Winter Salsa
Don't you miss fresh salsa in the winter?? I surely do. I came up with this the other day. Most Mexican resturants don't use fresh tomatoes anyway. And who doesn't have them on hand all the time?!
1 can (15 oz) stewed tomatoes--puree, diced, whatever you like (I put mine in the blender because I don't like chunks)
jalepeno pepper, to taste
annaheim pepper, to taste
onion, to taste
green onion, to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
salt
pepper
little bit of sugar, if desired
cilantro
2-3 tsp cider vinegar, to taste (I found the vinegar was key to making it yummy! I don't know if lime juice might do the same thing, you might play with that)
Put tomatoes, peppers, and some of plain onion in blender. Whirl til just blended, not pulverized. Put in bowl and add the rest of your ingredients. Chris is the salsa king and he LOVES this! Now we can have good salsa all year round!
1 can (15 oz) stewed tomatoes--puree, diced, whatever you like (I put mine in the blender because I don't like chunks)
jalepeno pepper, to taste
annaheim pepper, to taste
onion, to taste
green onion, to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
salt
pepper
little bit of sugar, if desired
cilantro
2-3 tsp cider vinegar, to taste (I found the vinegar was key to making it yummy! I don't know if lime juice might do the same thing, you might play with that)
Put tomatoes, peppers, and some of plain onion in blender. Whirl til just blended, not pulverized. Put in bowl and add the rest of your ingredients. Chris is the salsa king and he LOVES this! Now we can have good salsa all year round!
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Beef and Broccoli
My sister sent this yummy recipe to me. This is really good and quick and easy! My sister said she didn't have apple juice, so she substituted orange juice, and it was fine. Her hubby is diabetic, so she only used 1T sugar, and she said it was good that way. I put toasted sesame seeds in it for fun. Enjoy!!!
1 pound top round beef steak
¼ cup soy sauce
2 Tlbs sugar
¼ cup white grape juice or apple juice
2 Tlbs cornstarch
1 cup water
2 cups fresh broccoli florets, stems removed
4 Tlbs vegetable or olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons sesame oil
(toasted sesame seeds, optional)
Cut beef steak into 2-inch strips; set aside.(I cut mine into bite-sized pieces) Combine soy sauce, sugar, juice, cornstarch, and water in a small bowl; set aside. In a large skillet, stir-fry broccoli in 2 tlbs oil for about 5 minutes over medium heat. Do not overcook. Place broccoli in another dish. Pour remaining oil in the same skillet and heat on medium high. Add beef steak and cook until well browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, not more than one minute. Pour soy sauce mixture over meat and cook until slightly thickened. Stir in sesame oil. Remove from heat. Stir in broccoli. Serve over hot steamed rice. Makes 8 servings.
1 pound top round beef steak
¼ cup soy sauce
2 Tlbs sugar
¼ cup white grape juice or apple juice
2 Tlbs cornstarch
1 cup water
2 cups fresh broccoli florets, stems removed
4 Tlbs vegetable or olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons sesame oil
(toasted sesame seeds, optional)
Cut beef steak into 2-inch strips; set aside.(I cut mine into bite-sized pieces) Combine soy sauce, sugar, juice, cornstarch, and water in a small bowl; set aside. In a large skillet, stir-fry broccoli in 2 tlbs oil for about 5 minutes over medium heat. Do not overcook. Place broccoli in another dish. Pour remaining oil in the same skillet and heat on medium high. Add beef steak and cook until well browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, not more than one minute. Pour soy sauce mixture over meat and cook until slightly thickened. Stir in sesame oil. Remove from heat. Stir in broccoli. Serve over hot steamed rice. Makes 8 servings.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Refreshing Shrimp Salad
I've been craving Costco's shrimp salad and thought I'd try making my own. I love what I came up with, so refreshing and perfect for a light meal, and of course it's low-carb so that makes it even better. You can use low-fat mayo to cut on the fat also if you'd like. This would be lovely served for brunch/lunch in a hollowed out tomato and a sprig of parsley or fresh dill on top for garnish (if putting in a tomato you may want to cut up shrimp a little bit). Can also be served on a bed of green leaf lettuce.
2 pounds medium cooked shrimp
3 stalks celery, diced
3 green onions, minced
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 c mayonnaise
1 t kosher salt, or to taste
1/2 t fresh ground pepper
1/2-1 t dill weed (fresh or dry)
-Combine everything in a large bowl and chill for at least an hour for flavors to mix.
2 pounds medium cooked shrimp
3 stalks celery, diced
3 green onions, minced
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 c mayonnaise
1 t kosher salt, or to taste
1/2 t fresh ground pepper
1/2-1 t dill weed (fresh or dry)
-Combine everything in a large bowl and chill for at least an hour for flavors to mix.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Salsa Mac & Beef
This totally sounds like a WT kind of meal, but it's good!!
1 lb. ground beef
1 can Beef Consomme (Campbell's)
1 1/3 cups water
2 1/2 cups raw medium shell pasta
1 can Cheddar cheese soup
1 cup mild Pace salsa (or hotter if you want)
Cook beef in large skillet till browned, add consomme and water. Bring to boil and add pasta shells. Cook, stirring occasionally till pasta is tender, about 10-15 minutes (add more water if it evaporates). Add cheddar soup and salsa, heat through. I add a handful of Costco four cheese blend to the top!! Serves 4 adults-size portions.
1 lb. ground beef
1 can Beef Consomme (Campbell's)
1 1/3 cups water
2 1/2 cups raw medium shell pasta
1 can Cheddar cheese soup
1 cup mild Pace salsa (or hotter if you want)
Cook beef in large skillet till browned, add consomme and water. Bring to boil and add pasta shells. Cook, stirring occasionally till pasta is tender, about 10-15 minutes (add more water if it evaporates). Add cheddar soup and salsa, heat through. I add a handful of Costco four cheese blend to the top!! Serves 4 adults-size portions.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Buffalo Chicken Dip
Looking for a good appetizer recipe for an upcoming Christmas party? I've got the one for you. This dip is great served with crackers or celery sticks and other veggies. You can add more of the hot sauce if you like it more spicy.
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 c blue cheese OR ranch dressing (made from packet the best)
1/2 c any flavor Frank's Red Hot sauce
1/2 c crumbled blue cheese OR grated mozarella
2 c cooked chicken, diced (already cooked rotisserie works great)
-You can make this two ways. First, you can mix everything in your crockpot and heat on low until hot and bubbly.
-Second, you can mix everything well until smooth and spread in a 9-inch deep dish pie plate and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes until hot and bubbly.
-Either way you do it, give it a nice stir before serving and enjoy.
-Makes about 4 cups.
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 c blue cheese OR ranch dressing (made from packet the best)
1/2 c any flavor Frank's Red Hot sauce
1/2 c crumbled blue cheese OR grated mozarella
2 c cooked chicken, diced (already cooked rotisserie works great)
-You can make this two ways. First, you can mix everything in your crockpot and heat on low until hot and bubbly.
-Second, you can mix everything well until smooth and spread in a 9-inch deep dish pie plate and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes until hot and bubbly.
-Either way you do it, give it a nice stir before serving and enjoy.
-Makes about 4 cups.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu
10 chicken breast halves (the bag of individually frozen ones are good because they are thinner, just thaw)
10 slices deli ham
10 slices Swiss cheese or your favorite
1 BIG can cream chicken soup
16oz sour cream
cooked rice
Pound out your chicken breasts between sheets of plastic wrap, using a mallet or rolling pin. Place a slice of cheese and ham on top, covering chicken- use additional slices if needed to cover.
Roll up and place in 9x13 dish, using toothpick to secure if needed. When all are rolled up, Mix soup and sour cream and pour over top. Bake 1 hour and 20 minutes @ 350. Be careful of boiling over in oven- use cookie sheet underneath dish just in case. Serve over cooked rice.
10 slices deli ham
10 slices Swiss cheese or your favorite
1 BIG can cream chicken soup
16oz sour cream
cooked rice
Pound out your chicken breasts between sheets of plastic wrap, using a mallet or rolling pin. Place a slice of cheese and ham on top, covering chicken- use additional slices if needed to cover.
Roll up and place in 9x13 dish, using toothpick to secure if needed. When all are rolled up, Mix soup and sour cream and pour over top. Bake 1 hour and 20 minutes @ 350. Be careful of boiling over in oven- use cookie sheet underneath dish just in case. Serve over cooked rice.
Peppermint Bark
I have a feeling this is going to become a Christmas family tradition in our home. The trick good bark is good chocolate--don't get the cheap, waxy stuff. I went to Kitchen Kneads and bought several pounds of their Guittard Old Dutch, and some of their good white chocolate (I can't remember the brand). I have heard that Bob's Candycanes are the best, not Spangler, but I found that out after I had already bought several boxes of Spangler. You can make this anyway you want--I added more milk chocolate (about 1/4 lb. more) than what the recipe called for. You can use dark chocolate, or any combination you want. Some people use all white. It's totally up to you!1 lb (16 oz) chocolate (I like milk)
12 oz white chocolate
1/4-3/4 t peppermint extract (I only used 1/4 and it was perfect-not too strong)
Seven 6-inch candy canes (maybe more)
-Line bottom of jelly roll size baking sheet with foil.
-Bring water to a boil in the bottom of a double boiler (I don't have one so I just used a pot and a stainless steel bowl over the top of it. Make sure it's a good fit so not a lot of steam gets out on the chocolate, and the water in the pot should not touch the bottom of your bowl).
-Once boiling, remove from heat. Put in milk chocolate and constantly stir until all melted.
-Pour into your lined baking sheet and spread so thickness is just under a quarter of an inch. I jiggle the pan back and forth on a flat surface to get the chocolate nice and even and flat.
-Let chocolate sit a little then put in fridge (or outside in the cold garage or porch) and let set-up for 20 minutes.
-While first layer is chilling, crush candy canes. A hammer works great--careful for a rolling pin, they will put dents in it. Freezer bags are a little stronger and will hopefully end up with less holes in them. I like the candy canes nice and fine with slight chunks here and there.
-Take pan out of fridge and let it warm slightly at room temp for a couple minutes before adding the white layer. This will help the white layer to adhere better so that when you break up the bark the layers won't separate.
-Repeat the double boiling process for the white chocolate. Don't use soap when rinsing your bowl from the milk chocolate, just rinse with hot water and melt the white.
-I added the peppermint extract to the white layer, but you can do it any way you want. Mix it in well then spread white carefully on top of milk chocolate. Careful, it will start melting the chocolate underneath it, so be careful when spreading or else you'll get a swirl effect going on.
-Jiggle pan again to even out. Immediately sprinkle candy canes on top. I completely covered the bark very generously until no white chocolate was really showing.
-Let set in fridge or cold for 20 minutes. Then stab and break apart with a knife. It will split nicely when it's really cold, but if you want more uniform pieces let it warm up a little and you can just cut with a knife how you want it.
-Makes just under 2 lbs of candy.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Slow Cooked Baked Potato Soup
I can't believe I haven't put this recipe on here yet! It's one of those unforgettable recipes. It's from "A Year of Slow Cooking" blog. It's a keeper, trust me. I'm making it today for tonight's dinner. It's sinfully delicious. Can't wait.
5 lbs potatoes, peeled and diced in 1 to 2-inch chunks
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper
2 quarts chicken broth
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, to add at the end (I use one pkg.)
crumbled bacon, green onion, chives, or cheddar cheese as garnish (optional but you'll definitely want them)
-Use a 6 quart or larger slow cooker. Peel and dice the potatoes, and put them into the stoneware. Add onion and garlic. Sprinkle in the seasonings, and pour in the broth. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4. The potatoes should be fork-tender. You can use a potato masher to mash the potatoes in the soup, or a hand-held immersible blender. I suppose you can also leave the potatoes in chunks, if you really wanted, but I wanted a smooth soup.
-After smashing the potatoes, crumble in both packages of cream cheese, and put the lid back on. Cook on high for about 30 minutes, or until the cream cheese is completely dissolved. Stir a few times during the 30 minutes.
-Garnish with crumbled bacon, green onion or chives, and cheddar cheese if desired.
5 lbs potatoes, peeled and diced in 1 to 2-inch chunks
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper
2 quarts chicken broth
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, to add at the end (I use one pkg.)
crumbled bacon, green onion, chives, or cheddar cheese as garnish (optional but you'll definitely want them)
-Use a 6 quart or larger slow cooker. Peel and dice the potatoes, and put them into the stoneware. Add onion and garlic. Sprinkle in the seasonings, and pour in the broth. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4. The potatoes should be fork-tender. You can use a potato masher to mash the potatoes in the soup, or a hand-held immersible blender. I suppose you can also leave the potatoes in chunks, if you really wanted, but I wanted a smooth soup.
-After smashing the potatoes, crumble in both packages of cream cheese, and put the lid back on. Cook on high for about 30 minutes, or until the cream cheese is completely dissolved. Stir a few times during the 30 minutes.
-Garnish with crumbled bacon, green onion or chives, and cheddar cheese if desired.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins
This is my very favorite muffin recipe. I discovered it last year I think and love making it as much as possible! These are so moist and delicious-a must when it's autumn! This also makes great bread, just put in greased loaf pans and add time-20 or so more minutes, depending on loaf pan size (until toothpick comes out clean).2 1/2 c flour
2 c sugar
1 T pumpkin pie spice
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 c canned pumpkin puree
1/2 oil
2 c peeled, chopped apple (any sweet variety)
Streusel topping:
2 T flour
1/4 c sugar
1/2 t cinnamon
4 t butter
-Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease 24 muffin cups or use paper liners.
-In large bowl sift together dry ingredients.
-In another bowl mix wet ingredients well. Add to dry ingredients until just mixed and moistened.
-Fold in apples. Spoon batter into cups.
-In a small bowl mix streusel ingredients (I like to use my hand) until nice and crumbly. Sprinkle on top of each muffin.
-Bake for 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Pigs in a Blanket
Doesn't this sound cozy with the cold weather here? Well, this is the world's easiest meal, and one the whole family loves.
Hot Dogs--your favorite brand (I only buy Oscar Meyer or Falls Brand beef franks)
Rhoades Rolls (same number as hot dogs) regular is fine, but Texas rolls are a little bigger and easier to roll around dogs.
Thaw rolls and let them raise a little. Let your hot dogs come to room temp, or microwave them for about 30 seconds. This aides in rising time. Wrap the hot dog in the roll. Roll out or just shape around. Seal the seam. Place seam side down on greased cookie sheet. Let them rise til about double. Bake 350 til rolls are golden (12-15 min usually). Serve with lots of ketchup! These are sooo good. They are always a hit!
Hot Dogs--your favorite brand (I only buy Oscar Meyer or Falls Brand beef franks)
Rhoades Rolls (same number as hot dogs) regular is fine, but Texas rolls are a little bigger and easier to roll around dogs.
Thaw rolls and let them raise a little. Let your hot dogs come to room temp, or microwave them for about 30 seconds. This aides in rising time. Wrap the hot dog in the roll. Roll out or just shape around. Seal the seam. Place seam side down on greased cookie sheet. Let them rise til about double. Bake 350 til rolls are golden (12-15 min usually). Serve with lots of ketchup! These are sooo good. They are always a hit!
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Autumn Snack Mix from Sunday Baker
I am in love with this stuff! It's dangerous for me to have around because it is so hard to stop eating it and it's not exactly low-carb! I just love Sunday Baker, which is where I got this. It's nice to try a new snack mix. I made this one day as an after school snack for the kids and they loved it. You can add or subtract any candy you want. The good thing about this recipe is that it makes a lot (2 ice cream buckets) so it's great to give as a gift to your neighbors or friends. Yum!
1 box Peanut Butter Ritz Bits
1 bag mini-pretzels
1 large jar roasted peanuts (the more the better!)
1 bag regular m&m's
1 bag candy corn
1/2 c light corn syrup
1/2 c butter
2 T vanilla extract
1 t baking soda
1 c sugar
-In a very large sprayed roasting pan, or any pan with sides, mix pretzels, crackers, and peanuts.
-In a medium saucepan mix together sugar, butter, and corn syrup. Over medium heat bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 3 minutes or so (Sunday Baker said to boil 5 minutes, but I found that was too long and it hardened too fast so it wasn't gooey enough to evenly coat everything).
-Remove mixture from heat and add baking soda and vanilla. Mix well.
-Pour mixture over the pretzel mix and stir to coat everything.
-Pour into roasting pan and bake at 250 for 30 minutes, stirring after 15 minutes.
-When done, immediately pour onto wax paper. Let cool a few minutes then start breaking apart the big chunks. Let cool completely.
-When all cool, mix in candy corn and m&m's. Store in an airtight container for several days!
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