New Years Party!

We are planning an all day, kid friendly new years eve. I have an English style menu planned and we are going to try to watch all 6 Harry Potter movies in one sitting. I searched the internet for recipe ideas, to round out a menu of Shepherd's pie and Yorkshire puddings. I found this recipe for butterbeer that we are trying. Let me know what you think.

Ingredients:1 pint real vanilla ice cream, (use a brand that includes vanilla seed specks for best flavor or make your own)1/4 cup real butter, at room temperature, 1/2 teaspoon butterscotch extract, (I couldn't find butterscotch extract so I used a small package of instant butterscotch pudding), 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, 1 quart apple cider, Apple slices for garnish, optional

Preparation:On medium speed, beat together vanilla ice cream, butter, butterscotch extract, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg until well-combined. Pour into a container and re-freeze.

When ready to serve, gently heat apple cider in a saucepan until steaming hot.

Place 1 scoop of ice cream in a thick soda glass or large mug. Top with steaming apple cider. Garnish with apple slices, if desired.

This looks like it would be good in a cup of hot coffee, too.

Barbecue Sandwiches

Because of the holidays and vacations in my house this week we are taking it pretty easy on the cooking. Today my husband is working in the shop with his brother installing the new toys they got for their trucks for Christmas. I wonder if boys every grow up!

I have put 1/2 a Boston butt roast in the crock pot with the remnants of the honey barbecue sauce left from last night's chicken. After 5 (or so) hours on high, I will set it out to cool, clean as much of the fat off it as I can and shred it for sandwiches tonight.

If I feel energetic I may make potato salad, but it can be served just as easily with chips or fries.

Enjoy your sandwich and your Tuesday!

Game Food!

I haven't been here lately. My husband has been on vacation, the kids are home from school for the Christmas holidays and my normal routine has been scattered to the winds. Tonight we are having a few of "the guys" over to watch a football game. I have made a bunch of appetizers to feed them.

The mini quiches (yes, real men eat quiche) are 5 eggs, 1/2 cup cream (or evaporated milk), 1/2 c shredded cheese and 2 ounces finely chopped ham. Mix well and pour into well greased and floured muffin or mini muffin pans. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes (till they start to brown and a knife in the center comes out clean. Let cool 15 minutes before removing.

Cocktail weenies wrapped in crescent roll dough are pretty self explanatory. Serve with dipping sauces like ketchup, barbecue sauce or honey mustard.

I am also serving chicken bites. I am starting with frozen chicken nuggets, prepared according to the package instructions. I have made a sauce with a couple tablespoons of honey, a tablespoon butter (melted) and a cup (or so) of your favorite barbecue sauce, combine in a pan over medium heat to a boil, then toss the chicken in the sauce. For the hot sauce, I have combined (in a pan over medium heat) a tablespoon of butter, a dash of garlic powder, cumin, paprika, and red and black pepper, a 1/2 c honey and a bottle of hot sauce and bring to a boil, toss with the chicken.

Enjoy the game!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas! Today we will celebrate Christmas with my in-laws. Because we are so many, we usually all make an appetizer or 2 and munch all night.

Today I am making party pizzas. Start with a loaf of rye cocktail bread, a pound of browned and drained sausage, a pound of Velveeta cheese, 1 t Worcestershire sauce and 1 T ketchup. Mix everything but the bread in a bowl and microwave for 1 minute, then stir. Continue heating and stirring every 30 seconds until the cheese is melted. Place a spoonful of sausage/cheese mixture on each slice of bread, bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes and serve.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday with those you love.

Christmas Break!

Just so you all know I haven't forgotten you, I have been so busy with homemade Christmas gifts that I have sworn off cooking until after Christmas. I just can't do everything. Merry Christmas, I will see you again Saturday.

Dishpan Cookies

These are a favorite in my family. I got the recipe from one of Dad's aunts who makes the dough, freezes it, then can have fresh cookies at a moment's notice. They are called Dishpan cookies because the entire recipe makes so much dough you have to have a huge bowl (or dishpan) to make these. I have cut the recipe in half because I don't want to stand in the kitchen baking cookies for DAYS.

2 c brown sugar
2 c white sugar
1 c oil or butter
4 eggs
2 t vanilla
4 c SR flour
1 c coconut
1 cup quick oats
1 c chopped pecans
1 bag chocolate chips

Cream together butter and sugars, add eggs and mix well. Add remaining ingredients, mixing well after each addition. Drop by spoonfuls on a greased cookie sheet, bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. YUM!

Spaghetti Bake

Last night I cooked an elaborate meal for friends and we celebrated Christmas. Tonight I am looking forward to an easy meal shared with my family.

I will start out with a box of pasta (spaghetti, even shells or macaroni works well for this), cooked according to package directions. Mix with marinara sauce, a tub of ricotta, browned and drained sausage, pepperoni slices, whatever you like on your pizza. Pour into a casserole dish, top with a little more sauce, and lots of mozzarella cheese.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Serve with garlic bread or rolls and a salad and you have a yummy pizza pasta you can eat with a fork.

Happy Christmas Week!

Heavenly Yeast Bread

This is a total favorite around here. I don't make it often because it is a little trouble (too much dough for the bread machine) but it does make a lot so I can freeze some for later. Make sure you have time for this, it takes a while to knead and rise. It can also be cut in half for fewer loaves

2 packages yeast
1 c warm water
1 c boiling water
1/3 c sugar
1/3 c shortening
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
2 1/2 c cold water
4 -4 1/2 pounds self rising flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water, set aside. In a large bowl, stir together boiling water, sugar, shortening until shortening melts. Add milk, cold water and yeast mixture (make sure the yeast goes in last). Stir in 4 cups flour and beat until smooth. Add enough additional flour to make a stiff dough. On a floured surface, knead until smooth, 8-10 minutes. Divide dough, placing 1/2 in each of 2 greased bowls. cover with a damp towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size. Punch dough down, knead lightly and shape into 5 loaves. Place in greased loaf pan, cover with a damp towel and let rise until double. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes.

If you want to freeze some of these, separate into 5 equal portions and wrap what you want to freeze. You can also freeze them in greased foil loaf pans. When you are ready for them, let them thaw, then rise till double and bake. Enjoy!

Chocolate Pie

My dear husband is going Christmas shopping with they guys tonight. I think the kids and I will have an easy supper (maybe something from the quesadilla maker) but today I am making a pie for the teachers luncheon at school. This is an easy, never-fail chocolate creme pie. I will list the recipe as given to me by my mother and I will list my changes at the end.

1 1/4 c sugar
3/4 c SF flour
3 T cocoa powder
3 eggs, separated
2 1/2 c milk
2 T butter
2 t vanilla
1/2 t cream of tartar
1/2 c sugar

Mix first 3 ingredients in a saucepan and set aside. In a bowl combine egg yolks and milk, mix well. Add to sugar mixture, mix well, add butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick (really thick, like wallpaper paste). Remove from heat and add vanilla, mix well. Pour into a pie crust (unbaked) and set aside. In a cold metal bowl, beat egg whites, cream of tartar and sugar on high until stiff peaks form. Spread over chocolate filling and bake at 325 for 25-28 minutes.

Now, I usually use chocolate chips (about a cup) or baker's chocolate squares (3) instead of cocoa. We like our chocolate really dark, so I use unsweetened or semi-sweet chocolate squares. If you use chocolate instead of cocoa you can omit the butter.

Enjoy the pie while it is warm.

Easy Party Sandwiches

My aunts, uncles and cousins gathered last weekend to celebrate Christmas. My mom brought this dish and the recipe has been repeatedly requested, so I thought I would share. One important thing, when it says butter, it means the real thing, margarine is just too watery for this. These are great on game day, or for a potluck, or just an easy supper.

Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
3 tablespoons poppy seeds
1 onion, grated
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons prepared Dijon-style mustard
2 (12 ounce) packages white party rolls (Kings Hawaiian rolls are really good for these, too)
1/2 pound sliced cooked ham
5 ounces sliced Swiss cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a pan, mix together butter, poppy seeds, onion, Worcestershire sauce and prepared Dijon-style mustard and bring to a boil, remove from heat. Slice rolls in half horizontally and set aside tops. Leave rolls connected in a sheet. Top with ham and Swiss cheese. Replace tops. Arrange rolls in a single layer in a medium baking dish. Pour butter mixture evenly over the tops. Bake in the preheated oven 10 to 12 minutes, until rolls are lightly browned and cheese is melted. Cut apart and serve.

Chicken and Dumplings

I didn't post anything yesterday because I just could get inspired. I just didn't care what we had for supper. Today, however, I am on top of things. I have a chicken in the crock pot, with a can of broth, pepper, garlic, rosemary, thyme and onion. After it cooks on high for 5-6 hours or low for 8-10 hours I will clean up the meat and set 1/2 of it aside for a casserole for tomorrow. The other half I will chop fine and use with my dumplings.

For the dumplings I will mix flour, a dash of sugar, butter, milk and an egg to get a sticky dough. Drop into the boiling broth you cooked the chicken in a cover. Simmer for 20 minutes, add the chicken and enjoy supper. Happy Tuesday!

Potato Soup

This is a cold, rainy Sunday and I am thinking a big pot of potato chowder would be fabulous for supper tonight.

I will begin by sauteing 6 slices of bacon, finely chopped, until crisp. Set the bacon aside to drain. Saute a 1/4 cup chopped onion in the same pan until soft, drain. In a large pot, boil 2 pounds of peeled, cubed potatoes and 2-3 chopped carrots till tender in 3 cans of chicken broth. Add a can of sweet corn, a cup chopped ham, the sauteed onion, a 1/2 t celery seed (I like broccoli in mine, but no one else here does so I will leave that out). Bring to a boil. Add a can of cream of chicken soup, reduce heat to a bare simmer and add a packaged of shredded Velveeta cheese and a healthy spoonful of sour cream. Stir over very low heat, until the cheese melts and the chowder is creamy.

Serve with fresh hot bread and enjoy your Sunday.

Gnocchi

After many years of watching entirely too many cooking shows, and wondering what on earth gnocchi even were, I finally managed to teach myself to make them. They are actually quite easy and my kids love them.

Tonight I am starting with some left-over mashed potatoes from earlier in the week. I will add an egg, some seasoned salt, a little shredded cheese and enough flour to make a workable dough. Working with small amounts, knead, then roll into a "snake". Cut into 1 inch peices and roll into balls. Refridgerate. When you are ready to cook them, bring a pan of broth ( or water and bullion) to a boil, drop the gnocchi in a few at a time, and remove when they float.

These can be served with a variety of sauce, but we like them plain, as a side dish. Be creative. Happy Friday.

Winter! (That Means Cold!)

As I write this, it is 19 degrees outside. That is just entirely too cold. My dog won't even go outside. I planned for this.

I have a crock pot full of white beans, that will be bean soup by suppertime. I used dried beans that I soaked overnight (but you can use canned beans, just rinse them well). To the beans I added a clove of garlic, a slice of onion, a package of pre-cubed ham, a couple carrots, shredded, a couple potatoes, cubed, a can of chicken broth and a couple cups of water. I also added a dash of liquid smoke because we like that smoky flavor. If you use canned beans, you only need to cook this until the veggies are tender. I have mine in the crock pot on low for 8-10 hours.

Mix up a package of cornbread muffin mix and you have a warm, yummy home-cooked meal for a cold, miserable night.

Happy Thursday!

Pork Chops

The weather is nasty and windy today, so I am planning a meal for supper that I can make entirely on the stove top if I need to, because my lights keep flickering and if the power goes out I can't use my oven.

I have a package of center cut pork loin chops, seasoned with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic and rosemary. Sear these in a hot skillet on both sides, then reduce the heat and cover. A little water or broth will help keep these tender and moist. While they cook I will prepare according to the package a box of pork flavored stuffing mix. Round out the meal with mashed potatoes and green beans and supper is ready.

These chops could also be baked or grilled, seasoned just like this. I might bake them on top of the prepared stuffing if I can.

Hopefully the wind will stop blowing and the lights will stay on. Happy Wednesday.

Pasta!

Before I sent my babies out the door this morning, my baby girl said "Mom, can we have sketti, tonight?" How could I deny a request like that? So tonight we are having spaghetti. (Supper is so much easier if someone else plans it)

I am starting with a couple jars of spaghetti sauce, a pound of ground beef (browned and drained), a little extra garlic, oregano, basil and a dash of red wine. I like to let it all simmer for an hour or two, but don't worry about it if you don't have time. When I serve it, my kids like a slice of Velveeta cheese on top of the pasta, under the sauce. It will melt and make the sauce very creamy. Sprinkle a little mozzarrella and some parm on top.

I am planning to make a side salad and a loaf of garlic bread to go with it. YUM!

Happy Monday Everyone!

Game Food (again)

This is another cold Sunday. My husband is working today and will be getting home late. I want to have something warming to feed him when he gets here. I have some split chicken breasts that I have boned, and cut into strips (like chicken tenders) soaking in buttermilk spiked with crushed red pepper and a dash or 2 of hot sauce. I will dredge it in a mixture of flour, salt,pepper, red pepper, paprika and chili powder, then into egg, then cornmeal, then bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes. I will serve these with fries, and some sausage won tons. ( I just received the recipe for these and they look really good.)

1 package ranch dressing mix
2 pounds hot sausage, browned and drained
8 ounces sour cream
2 package shredded cheese
1 package won ton wraps

Put won tons in a mini muffin pan (use a shot glass to form won tons) bake 5 minutes at 350, let cool. Mix sausage, sour cream, dressing mix and cheese. Fill won tons and cook 5 more minutes. Place a layer in a crock pot, cover with wax paper, and repeat till you have all won tons in crock pot. Set crock pot to keep won tons warm and moist.

Crazy Day

Today is a crazy busy day. My 10 year old has a Robotics competition so I have to run with him today. Usually I would plan ahead and out something in my crock pot, but I think I will take the easy (lazy) way out today. Before I head home later, I will pick up a pizza, yummy! Happy Saturday!

Roast Beef Sandwiches

I don't know where my mind has been, unless the approaching holiday is making me crazy. You would think after 6 months of doing this every day, it would be habit, but I almost forgot today. I guess that is OK, I did just start supper right now.

I melted a little butter in a heavy skillet, added a slice of onion and a handful of chopped celery. When the veggies get tender, I will brown a chuck roast on both sided, then add a can of beef broth and cover. Simmer on low for several hours. When the roast is tender, shred it, add a little barbecue sauce and serve on a bun, with pickles and onions.

Add baked potatoes and cole slaw and you have supper. Easy as pie.

Normally I would cook the beef in the crock pot, but my husband's work had a potluck today and I sent baked beans to work in my crock pot. I think they owe me something for making my supper harder to fix, don't you?

Lazy, Rainy Day

It is cold and dreary outside, so today I am focusing on non-cooking projects I have been working on, Christmas ornaments, picture frames, etc. That means supper is going to be a quick, low-mess affair tonight.

I am making sandwiches. I will start with Kings Hawaiian bread, sliced, some of them will have honey mustard, turkey, ham, bacon, lettuce, tomatoes and cheese, others will be identical except I will use pesto instead of the honey mustard. Assemble the sandwiches, then grill them in a hot skillet or a press. Serve with a salad and fries or baked potatoes and you have a quick easy meal.

Happy Rainy Day!

Chili, again . . .

Last night, we had chili. Tonight, leftover chili. We love chili dogs. They are so easy, grill a package of hot dogs, reheat the chili, top the dogs with chili, pickle relish, cheese, chopped onions, mustard, what ever. Fries or baked potato, and you have a yummy satisfying supper with almost no work. Happy Chili Day

Baby It's Cold Outside!

Did anyone miss me this weekend? I just couldn't seem to get motivated to do much. We cleaned house and set up the tree and other than a little homemade eggnog, I didn't make anything interesting. Today, however, I am honoring my dear husband, who is working outside in this drizzly cold rain, 40 feet off the ground today. When he gets home I will have a crockpot full of warm spicy chili. I am even trying to be healthy today, using ground turkey instead of beef.

Brown and drain a pound of ground turkey, Add that to the crockpot with 4 -5 cans of chili beans (and their juice) a large can of tomato juice (or a couple cans of tomato sauce and some water), about 1/2 a beer, and the spice mix from a package of Carroll Shelby's Chili mix. Mix everything well, set your crockpot on low and let it cook all day. When you get home from work, or about 30-45 minutes before you are ready to eat, add a double handful of pasta (I am using shells today), stir well and turn up to high to cook the pasta.

Serve this with crackers or corn bread, a little cheese sprinkled on top, a warm, cozy meal to go with a great football game, with enough leftovers for chili dogs tomorrow. It also freezes well for another night. Happy Monday.

Roast, Carrots and Potatoes

Today we are cleaning in preparation for putting up the tree tonight. To make that a little easier, I have put supper in my favorite appliance. Have I mentioned that I love my crockpot?

Today I have put a beef roast, a couple pounds each carrots and potatoes in the crock pot with a can of beef broth, season salt, black peppercorns, a little thyme, oregano, a couple cloves of garlic and some slices of onion. Set it on high and come back in 6 or 8 hours. Supper is ready.

Now we can clean and decorate (or shop) without worrying about what is for supper. Happy Black Friday everyone.

Happy Thanksgiving!

It seems strange to me, but I have been posting this blog for nearly six months now. Of course, I am not doing much cooking today. We will celebrate with lunch at my Granny's and supper at my in-laws. I am making apple and pumpkin pies to take with us.

For your culinary pleasure, though, I am sharing my Sweet Potato Casserole recipe. It is often requested here for dessert.

3 c sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed
1/2 c butter
1 t vanilla
1/2 c sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 c milk

Mix all ingredients well and pour into a 9 x 13 casserole dish

1/3 c melted butter
1 c brown sugar
1/2 c flour
1 c chopped pecans
Mix all well and spread over sweet potato mixture. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. The topping is my kids favorite and I usually double that part of the recipe. Happy Turkey Day!

Holiday!

The kids are out of school today, my sister and Mom are off work, the best thing we could do today is good off together.

Tomorrow (Thanksgiving Day) will be a busy, crazy day so today we are just going to enjoy each other. My husband is off work tomorrow so I don't have to worry about what he is taking in his lunch, I think the best think I could do for supper tonight is pizza. I have a gift card to a local pizza place, while I am in town, I will pick up a pizza and breadsticks, then reheat them at suppertime tonight.

Maybe we will even pick up a movie and a a movie night. . . Happy Day Off!

Barbecue Chicken

Tonight is another lazy night (NOT!) I am busy baking pies for Thanksgiving, for my contribution to the meals wherever we are going.

For supper, I am reheating a barbecue chicken I bought over the weekend from a group of kids fundraising at church. That makes supper easy. However, I am making pumpkin and apple pies for thanksgiving and Pilgrim hat cookies for the kids.

The cookies are really easy and very cute. Start with a package of fudge stripe cookies, a can of icing and a bag of miniature peanut butter cups. Turn the cookies chocolate side up, put a dab of icing on the top of the peanut butter cup, invert the cup onto the cookie and TA-DA a pilgrim hat. I made these for the kids' classes for today. Enjoy.

Breakfast Scraps

The first time I ever made this, my kids said it looked like table scraps on a plate. It is the ultimate combination of one-dish meals and breakfast.

I start with a package of smoked sausage, cut into bite sized pieces. Brown these in a heavy skillet, and set aside. In the same skillet, fry a package of frozen hash browns, then add the sausage. Sometimes I scramble eggs to mix with them, other times I place a fried egg on top of each serving. I also caramelize mushrooms and onions to go on top of mine, but the kids don't eat such things. On top of everything, I sprinkle cheese.

Serve these with biscuits and you have supper, or breakfast, or . . . whatever it is, it is yummy.

Taco Night!

Tonight it will be just me and my son. I figure the best way to start a Mother/Son night is his favorite meal, so we are doing tacos. It doesn't get much easier that a boxed taco dinner kit and a can of refried beans. I even have a tomato ripening on my windowsill. (I saved all the green ones from the garden before the frost and am storing them in the dark so they ripen slowly) After supper we will make ice cream sundaes and watch movies. Happy Friday!

Chicken Cordon Bleu (sort of)

Strangely enough, my kids love this recipe. It is easy, cooks in the crock pot and everybody eats it. What more could you possibly want in a recipe? It can be baked in the oven if you forget to put it in the crock pot or decide on it at the last minute. The nice thing about the oven is you can uncover it the last 15 or 20 minutes to crisp the stuffing. It gets a little soggy in the crock pot. Enjoy.

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup milk
4 ounces sliced ham
4 ounces sliced Swiss cheese
1 (8 ounce) package herbed dry bread stuffing mix
1/4 cup butter, melted

Mix together the cream of chicken soup and milk in a small bowl. Pour enough of the soup into a slow cooker to cover the bottom. Layer chicken breasts over the sauce. Cover with slices of ham and then Swiss cheese. Pour the remaining soup over the layers, stirring a little to distribute between layers. Sprinkle the stuffing on top, and drizzle butter over stuffing. Cover, and cook on Low for 4 to 6 hours, or 2 to 3 hours on High, or bake, covered at 350 for 45 minutes, uncovering for the last 15 minutes.

Breakfast...

Supper tonight is meatloaf sandwiches made from the extra large meatloaf I made last night. That is so easy that I thought I would share a breakfast recipe that my kids love. I make these on the weekends and reheat them for a quick breakfast through the week. We call them Breakfast Bars

2 tubes crescent rolls, 9 eggs, beaten, 1 8 ounce package shredded cheese, 1 pound sausage, brown, crumbles and drained. Preheat the oven to 350, spread one tube of rolls, all in one piece in a 9 x 13 pan, sealing seams. sprinkle with sausage and cheese. Pour eggs over top and top with remaining rolls, also with the seams sealed. Bake at 350 til golden brown and set. cut into squares like brownies and serve. These microwave well. I also like to freeze them individually, then the kids can have them whenever. Enjoy.

Meatloaf

I know, it is not cool to like meatloaf and most kids will swear they hate it, but we like meatloaf, and I mean all of us; the kids will fight over who gets the last piece. I like it because I can make a double batch easily and have enough left for meatloaf sandwiches tomorrow night. This recipe makes one loaf, but can be doubled easily. Make 2 and freeze one for another night.

1 pound ground beef
1 egg, beaten
1 T flour
1 slice bread, crumbled
enough milk to soak bread
1 slice onion, chopped or 1/2 t onion powder
1 t chili powder
1/2 c ketchup
1/4 t garlic powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 t black pepper
1/4 c brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Mix first 7 ingredients and form into a loaf. Mix remaining ingredients and spread over the top. Bake, tightly covered with foil for 50-60 minutes, uncover and bake another 15 minutes. Serve with mashed potatoes and peas for a traditional meatloaf dinner. Just like mom made.

Apple Pie

Early in the fall I made apple butter and apple sauce from some yummy golden Delicious apples I got at a local orchard. I froze the applesauce into tubes using a Seal-a-meal and have been sending it in my kids lunches. They have eaten it so well that today I am making more applesauce. Because I have all these apples I will make a special treat for the family tonight, (because after all this mess they will be eating leftovers for supper) homemade apple pie.

I always start with a frozen, store bought pie shell, fill with peeled, cored, chopped apples. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1 t cinnamon. In a bowl, mix 1 cup oats, 1 stick melted butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 t cinnamon, until well blended, spread on top of apples in pie shell. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. (set the pie on a cookie sheet because it usually runs over) Serve with ice cream. YUMMY!

Tailgating on the Couch

It is an overcast Sunday. Perfect for 2 of my favorite things, cooking and football. Because there is a game on this evening that interests me, I am aiming for a tailgate style spread on the coffee table. I love to cook on Sunday afternoons with a game on the TV in the kitchen. It makes the kids happy, too, because that frees up the living room TV for them.

Make sure you have paper plates and plastic forks, a roll of paper towels and an appetite. I am making Cheesy Sausage Dip, Hot Artichoke Dip, sausage balls, pigs in a blanket, buffalo bites and fries. The dips will be available all afternoon with the games, the sausage balls and pigs in a blanket, later afternoon, and the buffalo bites and fries, game time. Because I have covered most of these recipes before, I am only adding the artichoke dip here today. It is very similar to the artichoke dips available at many popular restaurants. Enjoy the game.

1 c chopped artichoke hearts (canned or frozen and thawed)
1/2 c frozen spinach, thawed
8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 c grated Parmesan
1/2 c mozzarella
1/2 t crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 t salt
1/8 t garlic powder
dash black pepper

Boil the veggies till tender, drain well. Heat the cream cheese in the microwave on high for 45 seconds to 1 minute, just until hot. Add the veggies and mix well. Stir in the remaining ingredients and serve hot with chips, crackers, or crisp veggies like carrot or celery sticks.

If you want to make this is advance, pour into an oven safe dish and reheat in the oven before serving.

Hoppin' John

I usually don't mind to cook on the weekends and very seldom use my crock pot on a Saturday, but today is going to be a doosy! First of all, it is opening day of deer season so my wonderful husband will be bringing a number of guys home with him this evening looking for something warm to eat. Also, it is my son's first meet for his school Lego Robotics Team, so I don't have time to stay home and cook all day. Out comes the crock pot!

Into the crock pot I dumped a bag of frozen black eyed peas, 1/2 bag of rice (not instant), 2 cans of chicken broth, the same amount of water and a chicken bullion cube, 2 bay leaves, 1 large clove of garlic, minced, 1-2 T onion powder, about 1 t chili powder and crushed red pepper, a couple sprigs of fresh thyme (about 1-2 t) and a pound of sausage, browned and drained. Turn your crock pot on low and go have fun, supper will be ready when you are.

Happy Saturday everyone.

Stew!

Last night we had a huge pot roast, with carrots and potatoes. It was delish! Tonight I will chop up all the leftovers, add the juice it cooked it and a jar of beef gravy and call it beef stew. If I add a batch of homemade biscuits, we will have a warm, soothing, supper with almost no work. YAY for leftovers.

Old Fashioned Pot Roast

Today is Thursday, which is a busier that usual day for me because I spend part of it in a classroom full of 6 year olds, helping them learn their spelling words. Tonight I am making a pot roast, loaded with carrots and potatoes and any other veggies I can think of that might roast well in the oven. I am not using my crock pot because I forgot to thaw my roast and it is hard to brown a frozen rump roast.

When I get home (and this could be easily all dumped in the crock pot before you leave for work) I will season the roast with pepper and season salt, maybe a little crushed red pepper, then brown the roast in hot oil in my large cast iron pan (with a tight fitting lid). Make sure you brown it well on all sides, this provides a lot of flavor. Into the hot pan add a slice or 2 of onion, a 1/2 cup or so chopped celery, a clove or 2 of garlic, sliced or crushed, a couple pounds of potatoes and carrots, peeled and quartered, and a little water or beef broth. You can also add any other veggies you like roasted, I may add turnips and Brussels sprouts, but I am the only person in this house who will eat such a thing, so I may put those in a separate pan.

Put all this in a 300 degree oven for 3 hours or so, depending on the size of the roast (or 8-10 in your crock pot) and you will have a comforting, home cooked, meal at suppertime. The leftovers will make a yummy beef stew tomorrow night.

Pizza Cups

My 10 year old isn't feeling well today, and just like me, when he has a cold he craves something a little spicy. I remember when I was a kid mom made cups by pressing a biscuit into a muffin cup and filled it with sloppy joe filling and baked them. We loved them.

I am trying the same concept tonight, but I am filling the cups with pizza toppings. I am starting with a couple tubes of refrigerator biscuits. Spray your muffin pan with cooking spray, press the biscuits into the muffin pan, and up the sides. Fill with your favorite pizza toppings, a spoonful of spaghetti sauce and top with cheese. Bake according to the directions on the biscuits.

Supper is quick, easy and the kids will love it.

Meatballs!

Today I am in a baking mood. I guess the time of year is getting to me, I cooked pumpkin and made pies over the weekend and today I am making a pumpkin roll (with cream cheese filling). These always make me think of my grandmother because she almost always has on in the freezer, ready to serve after a few minutes in the microwave.

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2/3 cup canned pumpkin (I use real pumpkin because we don't like canned)
  
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 3/4 cup self rising flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
  
• 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs on high for 5 minutes. Gradually beat in white sugar until thick and lemon-colored. Add pumpkin and lemon juice.
3. In another bowl combine flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg; fold into the pumpkin mixture.
4. Grease a 15x10x1 inch baking pan; line with waxed paper. Grease and flour the paper. Spread batter into pan; sprinkle with walnuts.
5. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 15 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched.
6. Immediately turn out onto a linen towel dusted with confectioners' sugar. Peel off paper and roll cake up in the towel, starting with the short end. Cool.
7. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, 1 cup confectioners' sugar, butter, and vanilla until fluffy.
8. Carefully unroll the cake. Spread filling over cake to within 1 inch of edges. Roll up again. Cover and chill until serving. Dust with additional confectioners' sugar, if desired.

These freeze really well if you wrap them up tight and but them in a freezer bag.

Crock Pot Pork Chops

It looks like it will be a crazy day today. I have errands to run all over town, not to mention things that need to be done here. Before I leave I will put 2 cups of rice, 2 cups of water, a can of cream of mushroom soup and a package of pork chops in the crock pot. When I get home all I have to do is make a green veggie or a salad and supper will be done.

Don't you just love your crock pot?

Pupmkin Pie!

Today I decided to finally cook the pumpkin that grew next to the back porch all summer. We tripped over it, mowed around it and finally we are going to eat it. If you are interested in processing a pumpkin to make pies, bread, whatever, you need to have several hours, a sharp knife and a big pan. Wash the pumpkin first. Cut the pumpkin in half and scrape out the seeds. Some people like these roasted, but I don't so I throw them away. Then cut the pumpkin into sections that will fit into your pan and add water. You don't have to cover it with water, just a couple inches in the pan. Cook till tender, then peel and mash. Now it is ready for pie (or you can bag it and freeze it)

Pumpkin Pie
1 pie crust
1 cup pumpkin
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 T butter
1/4 t cinnamon
1/4 t allspice
2 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 400, mix pumpkin and milk, add eggs and melted butter. Mix sugar and spices together well, then add to pumpkin mixture. Pour into pie crust. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes, then 350 for 45 minutes. YUMMY!

Pizza Party!

Did anyone out there miss me yesterday? I don't know what happened. I guess I just got busy and forgot about this. At any rate, we had hot browns for supper last night, made with the leftover turkey from the night before.

To night my 6 year old is sleeping over somewhere and my 10 year old is having company. We will be having 10 year old boy food, PIZZA!! I bought 2 take and bake pizzas at the grocery, I will make a salad for me, but everyone else will be quite happy with the junk food. I am happy because it is easy and mess free. Happy Friday!

Turkey Anyone?

I guess the cool weather is getting to me because I have been craving turkey. Thanksgiving is almost here, but I am cooking a turkey breast in the crock pot today. It is super easy and provides enough meat for the next several suppers.

You will need one turkey breast, a can of chicken broth, a little onion, celery, pepper, sage, rosemary and a crock pot. Drop everything into the crock pot, set to low and leave all day. You will have the most moist, tender turkey you have ever had. The meat is perfect for sandwiches, salads, hot browns, anything. Enjoy.

Bratwurst Stew

We love bratwurst in our house, but the weather doesn't always cooperate when I want to grill, so I searched for recipes that would give me other options for this favorite. This recipe is yummy with fresh bread or rolls and because it is a crock pot recipes, not as much work as it tastes like.

4 medium potatoes, cubed, 4 medium carrots, coarsely chopped, 1/4 cup chopped onion, 1/4 cup chopped green pepper, 2 pounds fresh bratwurst links, cut into 1-inch slices, 1/2 cup chicken broth, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1 cup fat free evaporated milk, 4 ounces reduced fat cream cheese, cut into small cubes, 1/2 cup shredded cheddar, 3 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 tablespoon cold water.

In a slow cooker, combine the potatoes; carrots, onion and green pepper. Top with bratwurst slices. Combine the broth, salt, basil and pepper; pour over top. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours or until vegetables are tender and sausage is no longer pink. Stir in milk and cheeses. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into stew. Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes or until gravy is thickened.

Are You Tired of Game Food Yet?

It is Monday again, and time for another Football Night in My House! I will be making the standard game fare, buffalo wings, corn dog bites and loaded fries. So for those who are tired of reading about that, I am going to include a couple dip recipes that are popular in my house.

Cheesy Sausage Dip
1 pound velveeta cheese, cubed, 4 ounces cream cheese, cubed, 1 pound sausage, browned and drained, and one can of ro-tel tomatoes (juice and all). Combine in a heat-proof bowl ( I use aluminum, but Pyrex would work, too), and set the bowl over a pan of simmering water. heat, stirring frequently till melted and well mixed, serve with corn chips.

White Bean Dip
2-3 T butter, 2 cloves minced garlic, 2 t minced rosemary, combine in a skillet and cook for about 5 minutes, add 2 cans of white beans (navy, great northern), heat through and mash, then and 1/2 cup shredded cheese, mix well and serve with chips.

Enjoy the Game!

Lasagna

It is Sunday again, time for something cheesy, a little spicy, and soothing to go with the football games. (yes, I know I need to get a life, but I don't have time, it is football season)

I will start by browning a pound of ground beef and 1/2 pound of Italian sausage or chorizo. Drain well and add 2 jars of spaghetti sauce. Cook a box of lasagna noodles, then layer the noodles, sauce, and a mixture of ricotta, mozzarella, 1 egg, and 1 T of Italian seasonings in a large casserole dish. Bake covered at 350 for 35-40 minutes.

Usually this is enough for 2 meals and I freeze half for another night. Serve with a tossed green salad and garlic bread. YUM! Happy Sunday.

Happy Halloween

Tonight we are walking the neighborhood with the kiddies, trick or treating. As usual we will go with several other couples and their kids.

When we get home, we will build a fire in the fire pit, grill burgers and brats (yes, Laurie, they are Johnsonville) and make smores. For the burgers and brats, I will set up a toppings bar complete with pickles, onions, tomatoes (I picked the very last one from my garden today), sauerkraut, caramelized onions and peppers, mustard, ketchup, and anything else you can imagine to top a burger or a brat with.

After supper, we will sit around the fire in the backyard and enjoy the night and the company. Happy Halloween!

Omlets!

Tonight is girls night. My son is sleeping over at my mom's and my husband is going out with his brother. With just me and a six year old girl, I can expect several hours of Disney movies, nail polish and Barbie. Because I know this, I am fixing an easy supper I know she will love.

I will start by browning a couple of frozen hash brown patties (these usually have toaster instructions on the package). She likes mushrooms and onions, so I will caramelize some of those is a little butter, and finely chop some ham and bacon. Scramble an egg in a dish, pour into a well greased hot skillet, and fill with all the above, plus shredded cheese. When the egg is solid, fold it over the fillings, let the cheese melt and serve. Add biscuits and honey (or sorghum) and you have a quick, easy meal, with little clean up. YUM! Happy Girls Night In.

Smoky White Chili!

The weatherman is calling for a rainy, nasty few days. I am thinking something warm and comforting would be the best thing I could fix for supper. I have a pit barbecued chicken in the freezer that will make a wonderful base for my white chili. Drop the chicken in a pan of water and bring to a boil. When the chicken has thawed and softened, pick the meat off the bones and shred it. Reserve the water, it has a fabulous smoky flavor.

I was thinking about this last night, so my great northern beans have soaked, but if this is a last minute idea, use canned beans or follow the quick soak directions on the bag. Into the crock pot go the beans, the chicken, the water you thawed the chicken in, a minced garlic clove, some onion powder, a can of chopped green chilis, a teaspoon of chili powder, 2 carrots, peeled and shredded and 2 potatoes, peeled and cubed. Turn the crock pot on low. When you get home from work you will have a yummy bowl of White Bean Chicken Chili waiting for you. We like a little cheese and a dollop of sour cream on ours. Enjoy!

Chicken Enchiladas

As the weather turns cooler, my family begins to crave spicy foods. BUT I have a few picky eaters in my house. In my almost constant searches for different recipes to please them all, I came across this one for chicken enchiladas that looked really yummy. After a few alterations to make it easier to make I am sharing it with you. Let me know if you like it.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast meat - cut into chunks
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 1/4 cups sour cream
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies, drained
• 1 (1.25 ounce) package mild taco seasoning mix
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 5 (12 inch) flour tortillas
• 3 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
• 1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce

Directions

1. Place the chicken, chopped green chilies, taco seasoning, lime juice, onion powder, and garlic powder in a crock pot large pot and add a small amount of water. Set the Crock pot to low and let cook all day. When the chicken is falling apart tender, shred. Set the shredded chicken aside. Meanwhile, combine the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and chili powder in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, then turn off the heat and cover to keep warm.
2. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Stir 1 cup of the soup mixture into the skillet with the chicken mixture. Spread the remaining soup mixture on the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.
3. *Fill each tortilla with chicken mixture. Sprinkle Cheddar cheese over the chicken filling before folding the tortillas, reserving half of the shredded cheese for topping the enchiladas. Fold tortillas over the filling and place seam-side down in the prepared pan.
4. Pour enchilada sauce evenly over the enchiladas. Cover with the remaining 1 1/2 cups of Cheddar cheese. Bake in the preheated oven until filling is heated through and the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 25 minutes.
5. Serve with salsa, pico de gallo, guacamole, whatever toppings you like and a side of rice or refried beans or both. Enjoy.

* If it is easier (this is what I do) layer the tortillas, chicken, cheese and soup mixture like lasagna, top it all with enchilada sauce and cheese and cut and serve like a casserole. This is much less messy that rolling the individual enchiladas.

Barbecue Pork Sandwiches

A few weeks ago my in-laws had a cookout. We cooked chickens, ribs and Boston butts on a wood fire all day. It was fantastic then, it will make for an easy supper now.

I froze the pork from the Boston butt in 1 1/2 pound packages. Today I will thaw a package, then let it simmer for a bit in my favorite bottled barbecue sauce, shred or chop it, and serve it on buns with pickles and onions. Potato salad and a green vegetable make this an easy meal.

If you don't have the pre-cooked meat in the freezer, you can get a similar taste by cooking a pork roast in the crock pot with about 1/2 bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce, 1/2 c brown sugar, a dash of red pepper and 4-5 drops of liquid smoke. However you make it, it will make fabulous sandwiches for supper time.

ChiliDogs!

Yesterday I made a big pot of chili to ward off the chill of a lovely fall day. Tonight we will have one of my husbands favorites, chili dogs. Super easy, grill the hot dogs, and have on hand to top them, chili, cheese, relish, kraut, chopped onions, bacon bits, chopped tomatoes, ketchup and mustard. You most definitely need a fork for this meal.

As a side for this nutritious meal, I usually serve "loaded" french fries. I start with a bag of seasoned frozen fries and bake them according to the package directions. When they are done, brush them with your favorite bottled barbecue sauce, sprinkle with bacon bits and shredded cheese. ( a little finely chopped ham is good, too.) Return the fries to the oven to melt the cheese, then top with sour cream and chives and serve. As always, I use fat free or reduced fat where ever I can, sour cream, shredded cheese, even the chopped ham can all be lower fat. When you love to eat like we do, you have to learn to cut the fat corners when you can.

Happy Monday everyone, enjoy the game.

Chili!

It is a beautiful day, the game is on, the kids are being good and my supper is cooking unsupervised in the kitchen as I type this.

I opened 4-5 cans of chili beans, browned a pound of ground beef, added a quart of tomato juice and dumped it all in the crock pot. I added seasonings from a box of Carroll Shelby's Original Texas Chili Kit and walked away. This evening when we are ready to eat, I will make Mexican corn bread to go with the chili.

2 c self rising cornmeal, 1/2 c sugar, 1 egg, 2 T oil, milk (enough to make a batter) 1 c corn, 2 T finely chopped jalapeno, 1/2 pound browned, crumbled, drained sausage. Preheat the oven (and a large, oiled, cast iron skillet) to 425, pour in 1/2 the batter, sprinkle on a cup of shredded cheese, then the rest of the batter, bake till quite brown, 25 minutes or so. Just the perfect fall night meal. Happy Sunday.

Party Time

Tonight we are going to a Halloween party, so I don't have to fix supper. I did make a cheese ball to take with us to the party. It is really easy, and the kids scraped the bowl with crackers to make sure we didn't waste any.

8 oz. boxes cream cheese - softened, low-fat okay, 1 tbls. seasoned salt, 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce, 3 ounces thin sliced ham - minced, low-fat okay, 6 green onions (I don't use these because we don't like them) - trimmed, minced
-Combine all ingredients in medium bowl.
-Form into ball.
-Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight.

I also roll mine in chopped ham just to make it prettier, chopped pecans or walnuts are good for this, too.

Pork Chops!

Good Morning, I am sorry to everyone who looks for these comments daily, I took the kids out for the day and we left so early I didn't have time. Just for the information, we had spaghetti and garlic bread for supper last night.

Tonight I am grilling pork chops. I will sprinkle them with pepper, chili powder, brown sugar, thyme and rosemary and let them sit in the fridge till time to grill. Treat some chopped mushrooms and onions with the same seasonings and caramelize to serve on top of the pork. A baked potato and salad make this meal look like a lot of work, but it isn't.

We like our baked potatoes loaded here so I will fry a couple strips of bacon, and top the potatoes with butter, sour cream, shredded cheese and bacon bits. YUM!

I have also put the kids to work baking a roll of peanut butter cookie dough. They get to help and it isn't much mess. Happy Friday.

A Fabulous Fall Day

It is a fantastic, beautiful fall day. The kids are out of school, it is warm and sunny and I think we will cook and play outside tonight. Brats and hot dogs are always fun.

To go with them I will steam potatoes is the microwave, season them with ranch dressing mix and finish cooking them in a pan on the grill. The last of the summers tomatoes will be yummy tossed in cornmeal and fried. They don't have time to ripen anyway. And of course, those of you who know me also know I have lots of okra in the freezer. I will pull some of that out to toss on the grill, too. Just drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper well and grill till very brown.

I might even make a pea salad (I don't know anyone who eats it but me and my parents). Layer chopped lettuce in a bowl, top with a can of drained and rinsed peas, the cover with mayo and sprinkle with bacon bits and Parmesan cheese. It is a very cool summery dish. This may be the last summery night to play outside and I intend to enjoy it. I hope you do the same.

I Love My Crockpot!

Fall break is a busy time for me. The kids are home and want to run and play and eat lunch out and, and , and . . . . So I need an easy way to make a good meal for supper. Enter the Crockpot. Today I have filled it up with a pork roast, carrots and potatoes and a package of pot roast seasoning mix. When I get home I will have a yummy warm meal and no mess.

If you have never tried using slow cooker liners, you need to try them! It drops right in your crock pot like an oven bag and when you get done, you just lift it out and throw it away. Rinse the crock pot and put it away. NO MESS!!!

Remember, If you have a large roast, fill the crock pot up and you can make stew with the leftovers tomorrow night. Happy Fall Break!

Game Time

It is Monday again, time for another great game with great game food. Because it is fall break, the kids are home today. I am going to take advantage of the extra hands for my supper prep tonight. I have a loaf of Italian bread I will slice thin and put each child in charge of one type of sandwich.

I have lots of lunch meat: ham, turkey, salami, pepperoni, corned beef, bacon, along with cheese: Monterrey jack, Swiss, cheddar, and toppings: mayo, horseradish, ranch, honey mustard, sauerkraut, lettuce and tomato. If I slice the bread and let each child build one type of sandwich, I will have a plate piled high with small club sandwiches, Reuben sandwiches, and Italian sandwiches, enough to feed a crowd of game watchers. There will probably be only the 4 of us and maybe 2-3 others.

I will round the meal out with fries and onion rings from the freezer (why work harder than you have to?). Enjoy the game!

Venison Stew

Today my wonderful husband is in the woods, searching for meat to feed his family (he tells himself) It reminded me that last years deer is still in the freezer. Because deer is mostly a tough, lean meat, it works really well in the slow cooker. This recipe is similar to and Italian beef stew. I hope you enjoy it.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 pounds venison stew meat
• 2 pounds carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 pounds potatoes, peeled and chopped
  
• salt and pepper to taste
• dried oregano to taste
• dried basil to taste
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 1/2 cup water
  DIRECTIONS
  1. Place the celery, onion, garlic, vegetables and parsley in the bottom of a slow cooker. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Brown the venison well in two batches, and add to the slow cooker.
  2. Season to taste with salt, pepper, oregano, and basil. Pour in the tomato sauce, red wine, and water. Cook on Low for 7 to 10 hours.

Serve with cornbread or biscuits and enjoy!

Nacho Night!

It is another rainy dreary day. Tonight we are going to have nachos, the favorite meal of my 10 year old. Ground beef, seasoned for tacos, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, guacamole, ranch dressing and salsa, all pile on corn chips. Super easy, perfect with a movie and a houseful of kids. Happy Weekend everyone!

French Onion Soup

Today I have put a beef roast in the crock pot with carrots, potatoes, a little onion, garlic, a beef bullion cube and a couple dashes of Italian seasoning and black pepper. Supper is done and easy. What I am really craving now that the weather has turned cold and the fall/winter illnesses are starting to make their rounds will take a while to make and no one else in the house will eat it. French onion soup. I will make a huge pot of it and freeze it in individual sizes so I can eat it all winter when I want it. I like the flavor of the onions, but mostly I like the broth, bread and cheese, so I use about 1/4 the onions my recipe calls for.

4 onions, 3 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 3 (10.5 ounce) cans beef broth (or 1 carton) 1 1/4 cups water, 1/4 teaspoon (or 1/2 t fresh) dried thyme 1 cup wine (my recipe calls for white but I use the same red that I drink), 1 French baguette, cut into 1/2 inch slices 8 ounces shredded mozzarella (or Monterrey jack or Gruyere) cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large pot over medium heat, saute the onions in the butter or margarine until caramelized ( this can take a while. you want them to be a nice, even dark brown). Stir in the flour, ground black pepper to form a pasty mixture.
2. Now add the beef broth, water, and thyme and simmer for 10 minutes, Then add the wine and simmer for 10 more minutes.
3. Preheat oven to broil.
4. Fill individual oven safe bowls 3/4 full with the soup. Place a slice of bread on top of the soup and cover with the cheese. Place bowls in the oven.
5. Broil in the oven until the cheese is melted and bubbly

This can be divided into individual portions and frozen for later use. For me it is the perfect rainy afternoon treat. Happy Thursday everyone.

Chicken and Dumplings

It is a cold rainy day and my darling husband is home sick. So far I am the only one in the family who has avoided this. When we are sick, although the more traditional chicken noodle soup is nice, we crave chicken and dumplings. It is the ultimate comfort food in out house.

I have a family size package of split chicken breasts in a big pot with onion, celery, carrots, garlic, thyme, rosemary and a carton of chicken broth. When the chicken is very tender I will set it out to cool so I can clean it up and chop it fine. Strain the broth and set aside to cool. Skim the fat off after it rises, or chill and pick it off.

For the dumplings, mix 2 cups of flour, 3 T butter and enough milk to make a thick batter. Simmer the broth, drop the dumplings in by spoonfuls, reduce heat, cover and DO NOT OPEN THE POT for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, add your chopped chicken to the pot and let heat up. Serve. YUM.

Calzones!

The kids have been calling "pizza, pizza, pizza" for several days. Don't get me wrong, I like pizza as much as the next guy, but my favorite part is always the crust. And the cheese. So tonight, because I will be home all day with nothing to do (besides housework, laundry, babysitting two extra kids) I am going to drag out my bread machine and make calzones.

I will start with the same crust recipe I use for pizza, 1 1/3 c warm water, 1 package yeast, 3 1/2-4 cups self rising flour, 2 T olive oil, 1 T sugar (or honey) and 2 T herbs (Italian seasoning will do, or an oregano, basil, thyme mix).

Pour the water into the bread machine, add the flour, sugar and herbs, drizzle the oil, and then the yeast. Set the machine to dough and let it do the hard work. This makes enough dough for 2 12 inch pizzas or 6-8 calzones.

While the dough is working, prepare your fillings. My kids like mozzarella cheese, pepperoni and pineapple, Jeff likes cheese and lots of meat, I like all the veggies (and the cheese, too, of course). Sometimes I also make mine spinach and ricotta.

Divide the dough into 6 or 8 pieces, and , working on a floured surface, roll into circles, fill one side with your favorite topping, fold over and seal. Brush with garlic butter. Bake at 400 until brown, about 25 minutes. Serve with marinara on the side for dipping. Enjoy.

Burger Monday!

Today I need to grill. I have been the lucky recipient of the end of my father-in-law's garden. I have a grocery bag full of squash and peppers and a head of cabbage. FANTASTIC!!!

I will grill burgers and dogs (because Jeff thinks you must have meat at every meal). The squash I will marinate in Italian dressing and grill and the cabbage I will quarter, sprinkle with sugar, wrap each section separately in foil and grill. I can't wait. I wish I could have a garden all year long. I miss the veggies already! Happy Monday!

Vegetable Soup!

It is the first really cool, fall Sunday. I am planning a big pot of yummy, steamy vegetable soup. Every night I put my leftovers in the freezer, planning for vegetable soup. When a gallon freezer bag is full, it is time. Today, it looks like I have some grilled chicken, a bit of roast beef, some pork and a wide variety of veggies. For the soup base I use a can of beef broth and a quart of tomato juice. Simmer everything together for an hour or so and serve with a pan of cornbread. YUMMY. Happy Sunday, everyone.

One Last Hurrah!

To day my in-laws are having a cookout. It is the last big outdoor gathering of the year, the next time we all get together will be for Thanksgiving. Today we are pit-cooking chickens, Boston butts and ribs. We will play cornhole and horseshoes, and spend time with friends we may not see until spring. My contribution to this little party is the ribs. Slow cooked, wood smoked, yummy, messy ribs.

I rubbed 10 pounds of ribs with a mixture of 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, a teaspoon each ground red pepper, black pepper, thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, allspice, chili powder, 4 tablespoons season salt and 2 tablespoons paprika. Place the ribs in a big aluminum pan (then you can throw the mess away) and seal tightly with foil. Bake low and slow, 275 for HOURS. I don't know how long mine cooked, but I cooked them until the meat pulled away from the bone and they felt tender when I stuck them with a knife.

I refrigerated them till today, when we will put them on a pit loaded with chickens and Boston butts. Dip with what ever you re putting on the rest of the meat, or your favorite barbecue sauce.

Just to finish making you drool, we are having baked beans, homemade potato chips and coleslaw to round out this nutritious meal. Happy Saturday Everyone.

A Rainy Lazy Friday

The weather is positively nasty today, rainy, windy and just generally gross. I think the best thing in the world to have for supper is something that requires very little thought. Breakfast!

Scrambled eggs, bacon, smoky links, biscuits, fried potatoes, gravy (if I can get Jeff to make it). The kids are happy because I have biscuits for the apple butter I made, Jeff is happy with the meat and potatoes, I am happy because it is quick and easy. Happy Friday!

Barbecue Pork Ribs

Today I am making boneless pork ribs. I have never really understood how they can be ribs if they are boneless? That just doesn't make sense. At any rate, these work well in the crock pot, just finished on the grill for a little extra flavor.


Start with a package of ribs, salt and pepper well and place in the crock pot. Add a 1/2 cup or so of red wine, 2 T lemon juice, 1/4 cup broth, 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar, 2 or 3 T soy, 2 or 3 T Worcestershire, 3 T honey and a dash of liquid smoke. Let the ribs cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 8-10. Remove them from the crock pot and let them cool a bit. Strain out the juice from the crock pot and simmer it to reduce it down a bit and use it to glaze the ribs as they grill.

I will serve this with potato salad and something green and have a yummy, easy meal. Happy Thursday everyone!

Taco Soup

I still have a sick child today so I am busier than usual. I am going to make taco soup in the crock pot so I can put supper together while the sickly child takes a nap and forget about it.

A pound of ground beef, browned and drained, a can each of pinto beans, black beans, and whole kernel corn, a package of taco seasoning mix, a quart (or a large can) of tomato juice and a can or 2 of beef broth, all dumped into the crock pot, mixed well and cooked on low all day will give you a yummy, spicy supper. If you like yours thicker, like chili, use a can a refried beans in place of (or in addition to the pinto beans)

Jeff eats his plain, but I like mine with cheese, sour cream, guacamole and corn chips, almost like super duper nachos. Enjoy!

Chicken Noodle Soup

I have a sick child home today and a school play tonight so I have my hands full. Most people think of chicken noodle soup when they are sick and my kids are no different.

I have a couple chicken breasts in the freezer, so I am going to simmer them in broth with thyme, rosemary, garlic and onions until they are tender. Pick the meat off the bone and chop it up fine. Strain the broth you cooked the chicken in and add 2-3 carrots, chopped 2-3 potatoes, chopped, a handful each frozen peas and corn and simmer with the chicken till all the veggies are done. A can of cream of chicken soup makes a really creamy addition to this. Add a couple handfuls of noodles, and you have homemade chicken noodle soup.

It makes you feel better, and is gentle on an upset tummy (it freeze well for the next time someone feels bad, too. Yummy.

Monday Night, Again. . .

Monday has rolled around again and it is time for another Monday night football game with my husband and his buddies. Of course I will make my old stand by, buffalo chicken bites, (that is why everyone wants to watch the game at my house) I have also made a couple types of dip, cheesy sausage and spinach-artichoke and I think I will make corn dog bites and fries.

The dips are easy, I made those for yesterday's afternoon games and tonight we will enjoy the leftovers. For the sausage dip, brown and crumble a pound of sausage, melt 8 ounces of Velveeta cheese and 8 ounces of cream cheese, stir in a can of chopped tomatoes with peppers, and the sausage and stir. I add a little milk to mine to keep it the right consistency as it cools.

The artichoke dip is a can of artichoke hearts, chopped, 8 ounces chopped spinach, thawed with all the extra water squeezed out, 4 ounces each cream cheese and shredded mozzarella cheese, a dash of red pepper, a dash of garlic powder, all melted and blended together. Serve both dips with corn chips, bagel crisps or crackers.

The corn dog bites are a Jiffy corn muffin mix and cut up hot dogs, mixed together and dropped into a hot skillet in heaping spoonfuls. Easy! Enjoy the game.

Bonus Post (breakfast)

If you are like me, you want to feed your kids something better for breakfast than sugary cereal, but just don't have time. Today I made breakfast bars for the kids that reheat well and will feed them both breakfast all week. They are easy to make and the kids love them.


You need 2 cans crescent rolls, 1 pound sausage, browned and crumbled, 1 package shredded cheese, 9 eggs, 1 T mustard. Unroll one can of crescent rolls, leaving it whole and press into the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Top with the sausage and cheese. Beat the eggs and mustard together and pour over the cheese. Top with the remaining crescent roll dough. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, until golden brown on top. Let cool completely, cut into bars and eat or refrigerate. These reheat quickly in the microwave for an easy breakfast or snack.

Gametime Gumbo

As the weather starts to cool, we start to crave spicy, warm soup and stew. Usually I make chili or vegetable soup, but tonight I am making gumbo for a change.

I am using chicken and stock I made yesterday, by browning onions, peppers and celery in olive oil, adding 6-8 chicken thighs, letting the chicken brown, adding water and broth to make 6-8 cups and 3 chicken bullion cubes. Let this all simmer till the chicken is very tender, remove chicken, strain broth and let all cool. Clean up and chop the chicken meat, and refrigerate all overnight. The next day you can skim the fat from the broth when you are ready to use it.

Heat a little oil in a big pan and brown sliced or chopped smoked sausage in it. Remove the sausage and drain. In the same pan, heat about a cup of oil, adding an equal amount of flour a little at a time. Cook on low heat till just a little lighter than chocolate syrup, about 25 minutes. (This is a roux and is used to thicken the gumbo) Most recipes will call for onions, bell peppers and celery at this point, but I used those to cook the chicken because no one in my house will eat them. I usually add some chopped carrots, potatoes, peas to make this a little more of a stew than traditional gumbo, cook till the veggies are just starting to soften, stir in the sausage, and a tablespoon of Cajun seasoning. Add about 6 cups of chicken stock, stirring until well blended. Add the chopped chicken, bring to a boil and simmer till everything is done.

Serve over rice, with a side of cornbread. Yummy at game time on a chilly night.

Salmon Patties

I used to work for a man who talked about making salmon "croquettes" and I didn't know what he was talking about. When I finally figured it out, I realized that I really am a little more "country" that most. I never understood the need to give things fancy names, so I just call these salmon patties and serve then with mac and cheese and peas.

I start with 2 cans of salmon, cleaned up and picked through to remove the bones. Add an egg, a dash of hot sauce, 1 T horseradish, 1 T Worcestershire, salt and pepper and 3/4 to 1 c bread crumbs (my kids like these with crushed cheez-it crackers) Let this mix sit in the fridge for a while for the flavors to blend. Form into patties and cook (I have used a hot skillet and I have baked them in the oven) till well browned on both sided. If you use the oven, preheat to 350 and turn every 10 minutes or so. I serve these with ketchup or mustard, but they are also good with cheese sauce. Happy Saturday every one!

Spaghetti Sleepover!

My giggly six year old is having a friend sleep over tonight. Both girls have requested spaghetti, but since we just had spaghetti recently I am going to do something a little different.

Cook your pasta according to package directions, I like to use the whole wheat pasta to sneak a little "healthy" to the kids. In a large bowl, mix the pasta, a container of ricotta cheese, a package of mozzarella cheese, a jar of spaghetti sauce and a package of frozen meatballs. Pour into a casserole dish and top with a little more mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 (covered) for 35-40 minutes, uncover and bake till the cheese on top browns. Serve with garlic bread and a salad. Easy and the kids will love it. Happy Friday everyone!

Swiss Steak, Sort of?

Today I am craving Swiss steak, which is one of my favorites, but Jeff just doesn't like it at all, so I am going to make a few alterations to see if I can get him to eat it.

I will start with a round steak (any fairly tough cut of beef works well), cut into serving size pieces. Dredge in flour seasoned with onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder and paprika, and brown in a hot skillet. While the beef is browning, pour enough rice in the crock pot for your family, add 1/2 tomato juice and 1/2 beef broth to make up the liquid to cook the rice. When the meat is nice and brown, layer it over the rice in the crock pot. Add a little of the flour used to dredge the beef to the skillet, scraping the browned bits of flour up in the pan. pour in enough broth to make a thin gravy, and stir till smooth. Pour over the contents of the crock pot, cover and simmer on low all day. Usually this recipe calls for lots of onions and tomato sauce (no beef broth) so I am trying to tone it down a little for the picky eater.

Serve this with mashed potatoes (Jeff doesn't like the rice in this dish at all), and a green veggie. Happy Thursday Everyone!

SOUP!

When the nights start turning cool, like they have this week, I start thinking about big pots of soup for supper. You will soon see recipes for vegetable soup, bean soup, potato soup, whatever sounds good today. But today, I think White Chili sounds best.

Dry beans or canned work well, but I will be using canned today because I didn't think to soak beans last night. Drain and rinse the beans, add a couple cans of chicken broth, a small can of chopped green chiles, and a large can of chicken is easiest, but a rotisserie chicken or (my personal favorite) a pit barbecued chicken, cleaned up and chopped are tastiest. Add garlic powder, onion powder and chili powder and let simmer. If you like it really spicy, a couple drops of hot sauce or a chopped jalapeno can add that. You can cook this up quickly using canned beans, but the longer it simmers the better it will be.

I like to make Mexican corn bread to go with this. Preheat the oven to 425, add oil to the pan you are cooking this in and let in heat in the oven. Mix 2 cups self rising cornmeal, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 egg, 2 T oil, 1/2 cup sour cream and enough milk to make a pourable batter, add 1 can creamed corn and a finely chopped jalapeno pepper. Pour 1/2 the batter into a hot pan (I use a cast iron skillet), sprinkle 3/4 -1 cup shredded cheese on the batter and pour the rest of the batter over the cheese. Bake about 30 minutes, until quite brown on top.

Sprinkle a little cheese over the soup when you serve it. Enjoy!

Crispy Pork Bits

Tonight my baby sister is coming out to supper (maybe). She is sort of a picky eater so I am making something with lots of veggies.

I have a family sized package of boneless pork ribs. I will cut them into small bite sized pieces, and toss them with a little olive oil and blackening spice (Cajun seasoning, oregano, thyme, pepper), pour into a pan and broil, stirring every few minutes until done and crisp. Remove meat from pan and keep warm. Pour a can of beef broth into the pan and scrape up all the brown crispy goodness. Let the broth reduce down. (A little red wine is good in the broth, too.) In a separate pan, saute mushrooms and onions seasoned with the same blackening spice till quite brown, serve pork, mushrooms and onions over rice with the pan sauce. I will serve all this with green beans, squash casserole, grilled okra and (leftover) mac and cheese. Yummy!

Happy Tuesday everyone.

A Different Kind of Game Food

It is Monday night again, time for game food and football. I will be making my standard fare, buffalo chicken, but the kids don't really like it so I have found a yummy looking pizza "pie" recipe I am trying out for them, along with a spicy mac and cheese that everyone can agree on.

1 unbaked 9-inch frozen pie shell, 1 pkg. shredded pizza type cheese, divided, 1/2 - 3/4 cup of pizza toppings, chopped (pepperoni, sausage, bacon, whatever you like on your pizza), 1 can (12 fl. oz.) evaporated milk (I use reduced fat or fat free), 3 large eggs, beaten, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning and 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder.

Preheat oven to 350º F, sprinkle 1 cup cheese and half of pizza toppings onto bottom of pie shell.
Whisk evaporated milk, eggs, flour, basil and garlic powder in medium bowl until blended. Pour mixture into pie shell. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Decorate top with remaining pizza toppings. Place quiche (don't call this a quiche when talking to your kids, they won't eat it) on baking sheet. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.

2 cups dry elbow macaroni, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 1 cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese, divided, 1 cup shredded Velveeta cheese, 1 can (12 fl. oz.) evaporated milk (fat free or reduced fat), 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1/2 to 1 cup broken tortilla chips (your choice of color)

Preheat oven to 350º F. Lightly grease 2 1/2- quart casserole dish, cook macaroni in large saucepan according to package directions; drain. Return to saucepan. Add cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup Pepper Jack cheese, Velveeta, evaporated milk and black pepper to macaroni; stir until combined. Pour into prepared casserole dish. Combine remaining 1/2 cup Pepper Jack cheese and tortilla chips in small bowl. Sprinkle over top. Cover tightly with foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Uncover; bake for an additional 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Pizza and mac and cheese, 2 total kid pleasers, and buffalo wings and football, what else could you want on a Monday night?

For anyone interested, I am attempting to compile these recipes into a book. I will keep you posted.

Serious Cooking!

Today is my wedding anniversary and I love to spend time in the kitchen preparing a special supper for the special man in my life. The fact that today is Sunday and I like to cook and watch football on Sunday is just icing on the cake.

The first thing I will make is dessert, so it can cool and be ready to eat when we are. I have a box mix of raspberry bars that have a recipe for raspberry cheese cake on the box. I will make these, in muffin cups for individual servings. These look much harder than they really are.

For supper I am making pork chops and loaded baked potatoes. I will also make a salad, or a green veggie, but the chops and the potatoes are the main part of the meal. I will start by making a sauce for the chops.

1 c brown sugar, 1/2 c teriyaki sauce, 1T soy, 1/2 c pineapple juice and 1/4 c bourbon, a dash each garlic powder, onion powder and cayenne pepper. Mix well in a small saucepan and simmer till thick. (this takes a while so I usually double the recipe because it keeps well). Before grilling, season the chops with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, a little garlic and onion powder. While cooking, baste with sauce. Serve with a dish of sauce on the side. This sauce is also good on steak, shrimp, just about anything.

The potatoes are easy, bake them, scrape out the potato, mash with butter, sour cream, shredded cheese, bacon bits, finely chopped ham, whatever you like on your potato and stuff back into the skin. Sprinkle with paprika and chives and bake till they start to brown on top.

This meal looks really impressive on a plate, but isn't as labor intensive as it first seems. Happy Sunday everyone and Happy 12th Anniversary, Jeff.

Date Night!

Last night was Fall Festival (which was a huge success), so I was a school all night and didn't cook.
Tonight I have a date with my husband because our anniversary is this weekend so I am not cooking, but be prepared for tomorrow, I will bee cooking a big special meal for our anniversary. Happy Saturday!

Everybody Loves Pie

Tonight is the Fall Festival at school so I won't be cooking, I'll be working booths for screaming giggling children and grabbing a bite where I can. However, just because I'm not cooking doesn't mean you can't! I thought you might like my recipe for Jeff's favorite pie, a chocolate, pecan conglomeration that he could eat in one sitting.

Of Course, every pie begins with a crust, GO BUY ONE! I can not make a pie crust (well, I can, but it is so tough you can't cut it), so if you can, I would like to know how.

1 pie crust
3 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
2/3 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup corn syrup (light or dark will work)
5 T melted butter
1/4 cup bourbon, optional
2/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 1/4 cup pecan pieces

Preheat the oven to 350. In a large bowl whisk together eggs, egg yolks and sugar. Add corn syrup, butter and bourbon. Sprinkle 1/2 the chips over the bottom of the crust, then add pie filling, then 1/2 the pecans, the rest of the chips, then the rest of the pecans. (or mix the chips and nuts into the filling and dump it all in at once) Bake for 55 minutes, turn off the oven and let it set for another 15-20 minutes. Let cool at least 2 hours, serve with ice cream.

Fantastic.

Turkey Day

Today, the smell of fall is in the air, I have apples cooking on the stove and turkey planned for supper.

My kids love the white meat turkey roasts fro Jennie-O. They are super easy and even come with gravy. I will make dressing to go with it and supper is done.

Cook the turkey according to package directions. I will make homemade cornbread dressing, but prepackaged works almost as well.

We like cornbread dressing so I save and freeze leftover cornbread whenever we have it. You will need 6-8 cups of crumbled cornbread for this recipe. Start by melting about 1/2 stick of butter in a large skillet, add chopped onion ( I only use a little, about 1/4 but the actual recipe calls for 2 cups), about a cup chopped celery, a clove of garlic, a cup chopped apples, and cook till tender. Remove from heat and add 1 T parsley, 1 - 1/12 t sage, 1/2 t each salt and pepper. Mix into the cornbread, then add about a cup of chicken broth and 2 beaten eggs. Mix well, spread in a pan and bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes. YUMMY!

Mom Needs a Night Off.

My house is a mess, my laundry needs to be done and I have a 1/2 bushel of apples begging to be canned. I have too much to do today to worry about supper. I asked the kids what they wanted for supper tonight and I got just the answer I wanted "Brats". We like the smoked bratwurst with cheese inside and I just happened to have some in the freezer. YAY MOM! Simmer them in a little beer, onion, garlic, pepperoncini peppers and black pepper, then onto the grill. Let the beer mixture reduce till thick and serve over the brats with mustard. French fries make a good side (chips work in a pinch), and Mom gets an easy night. Have a great day everyone!

Honey Mustard Pork Chops

Today I am making one of Jeff's favorite meals. Pork chops marinated in honey mustard. I am also cooking the last of the green beans from my garden and potatoes of some sort, maybe mashed.

For the chops, I have some boneless loin chops. Spread both sides with honey mustard (store bought is fine) lay out on a plate and refrigerate till you are ready to cook them. Then, bread them with whatever brand you prefer, shake 'n' bake, ovenfry, whatever you like best and bake according to the package.

For dessert I am making apple turnovers. I will use canned biscuits rolled out flat for the dough, fill them with apple pie filling (or cooked apples), fold over and seal. Bake or pan fry till brown and serve with ice cream or cool whip. YUMMY!! Have a great day.

I Love Mondays!

This time of year, Sundays and Mondays are my favorite. There is nothing like game food and football. Tonight I am making my standard buffalo chicken tenders, but I am making ham and cheese rolls and mini quiche to go with them. Both are really easy and use pre-made pastry.

For the ham and cheese rolls, thaw puff pastry dough, layer with thinly sliced ham and shredded cheddar cheese, roll up and slice into pinwheels. Bake according to the directions on the puff pastry. The mini quiches start as mini fillo shells, sprinkle chopped ham and shredded cheese into each, then fill with beaten egg and bake at 350 for about 10 minutes, till the egg is done. Both are easy to make, finger foods that go great at a living room tailgate party. Enjoy the game!

Spaghetti Sunday

The kids planned supper tonight and they made my life easy. Spaghetti! I will start with a jar of sauce from the grocery and dress it up with some of my homemade sauce, some fresh herbs, ground beef and sausage and a little red wine. We like lots of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, and garlic bread. It makes a quick easy meal on a day Mom has a headache. Happy Sunday everyone.

Just Steak!

There is nothing in the world like a great big peice of tender juicy steak. So tonight that is what I am cooking, with all the fixings.

I have a very large sirloin steak, that I will marinate in 2T Worcestershire sauce, 2T soy sauce, 4 t chili powder, 1 t garlic powder, 1 1/2 t meat tenderizer, 2 t paprika, 2 t pepper, 1 t cayenne, 1 t onion powder, 1 t Italian seasoning, 2 c water. Mix all ingredients, add to steaks in a zipper bag and marinate for 12-24 hours. Grill to the appropriate doneness.

I like to set aside a little marinade (before I put the steaks in it) and marinate some mushrooms and onions to serve with the steak.

Because my darling husband prefers fried potatoes to almost anything, I will fry a pan of red potatoes, seasoned with some of the same dry seasoning that went into the steak marinade. Add a tossed green salad and some fresh hot bread and you have a meal better than anything you could get at a restaurant.