Easy Crockpot Roast/Beef Dip

This is my favorite roast recipe. To make gravy, simply thicken the liquid when you're done. Or else, leave it unthickened and serve meat on a bun and use the sauce for dipping. My boys will eat as much of this in one sitting as I let them.

Crockpot Roast

1 can Beef consomme
1 can French onion soup (I often use one package of dry onion soup mix & add half a cup of water)
1 bottle/can Beer (cheaper, the better!)
A couple of cloves Garlic, minced
Pinch of fresh ground pepper
1 Beef roast, boneless - 3 to 5 lbs (I get whatever cut is cheapest)

Toss everything in the crockpot. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Clone of a Cinnabon

Shamelessly stolen from All Recipes. I'm a recovering Cinnabon addict (not by choice, but because they closed all their local locations.) I'm looking forward to trying these soon!

Clone of a Cinnabon

INGREDIENTS

* 1 cup warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
* 2 eggs, room temperature
* 1/3 cup margarine, melted
* 4 1/2 cups bread flour
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup white sugar
* 2 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

* 1 cup brown sugar, packed
* 2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
* 1/3 cup butter, softened

* 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
* 1/4 cup butter, softened
* 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/8 teaspoon salt


DIRECTIONS

1. Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select dough cycle; press Start.

2. After the dough has doubled in size turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, cover and let rest for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon.

3. Roll dough into a 16x21 inch rectangle. Spread dough with 1/3 cup butter and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Roll up dough and cut into 12 rolls. Place rolls in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

4. Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes. While rolls are baking, beat together cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving.

Strawberry Pancakes

I find that Rachael Ray recipes are often hit or miss, yet I still keep trying them out. I suppose it's because every now and then, I hit on one that's a true gem. Take her Strawberry Pancakes for example. This is a favorite lazy summer brunch or dinner at our house, especially when topped with whipped cream and served with a side of bacon.

Strawberry Pancakes


1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg

1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted, plus more for serving
2 cups sliced strawberries
Pure maple syrup, for serving



1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, milk and vanilla. Preheat a nonstick griddle over medium heat.

2. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry. Stir in the melted butter. The batter should be thick and smooth. Fold in the strawberries.

3. Spoon the batter onto the griddle 1/4 cup at a time. Cook the pancakes until set and thoroughly bubbly, about 3 minutes. Flip them with a spatula and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes more. Serve with butter and maple syrup.

Texas Caviar

This is a recipe that's versatile. Eat it as a salad, or serve as a dip with tortilla or pita chips. This is a great potluck addition. Tastes even better the next day.

Texas Caviar

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can yellow corn, drained and rinsed
1 can white corn, drained and rinsed
2 cans diced tomatoes and green chiles (such as Ro-Tel), drained
1 can blackeyed peas, drained and rinsed (I omit these as I despise them)
2 T. chopped cilantro, dried or fresh
1 small bunch green onions, chopped
1 small jar of salsa - your choice
Salt, garlic powder, chili powder to taste

Toss all ingredients in a large bowl. Chill and serve.

Turkey Chili

I am not a fan of ground turkey, so I was amazed at how much I love this recipe! I got it from All Recipes & with just a few small omissions, even the boys will eat it! It's even better the next day and makes the best topping for nachos - and I am not a fan of chili based nachos.

My omissions: habanero pepper, red pepper flakes, hot pepper sauce.


Turkey Chili

INGREDIENTS

* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 onion, chopped
* 5 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 small green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
* 1 habanero pepper, seeded and chopped
* 2 pounds lean ground turkey
* 2 tablespoons chili powder
* 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
* 1 tablespoon paprika
* 1 tablespoon ground cumin
* 2 teaspoons dried oregano
* 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1 (1 ounce) envelope instant hot chocolate mix
* 2 teaspoons seasoned salt
* 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
* 1 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring
* 2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chile peppers, drained
* 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
* 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
* 1/2 cup cheap beer
* 1/2 cup canned whole kernel corn
* 1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, green peppers and habanero pepper; cook and stir until the onion is transparent. Push these to one side of the pot, and crumble in the ground turkey. Cover, and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the meat is no longer pink. Stir everything together so the garlic doesn't burn.

2. Season with chili powder, red pepper flakes, paprika, cumin, oregano, pepper, hot cocoa mix and seasoned salt. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, diced tomatoes with green chilies, tomato sauce and kidney beans. Crack open a beer, and pour in about 1/3. Drink or discard the rest. Partially cover the pan, and simmer over medium heat for about 50 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Mix in the corn and hot pepper sauce, and simmer for about 10 more minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.

Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

Haven't tried this, but gets good reviews on All Recipes. I look forward to trying this at some point.


Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

INGREDIENTS

* 1 cup white sugar
* 1 cup butter, softened
* 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 egg yolk
* 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, butter, cream cheese, salt, almond and vanilla extracts, and egg yolk. Beat until smooth. Stir in flour until well blended. Chill the dough for 8 hours, or overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough 1/3 at a time to 1/8 inch thickness, refrigerating remaining dough until ready to use. Cut into desired shapes with lightly floured cookie cutters. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Leave cookies plain for frosting, or brush with slightly beaten egg white and sprinkle with candy sprinkles or colored sugar.

4. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until light and golden brown. Cool cookies completely before frosting.

Sugar Cookies

I haven't tried this cookie recipe yet, however seeing as it came from Cheri, I'm going to add it straight into my collection, instead of putting it in my Test Kitchen (aka untried recipes.)

Valentine Cookies (a.k.a.the good Sugar Cookie recipe)

1 cup butter or margerine, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract (I've never used any - don't have any!)
2 T milk
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder

Combine wet ingredients in a large bowl and blend well. Sift in dry ingredients, mix well. Form into 2-3 large balls and cover in plastic wrap and chill 2 hours or until firm. Heat oven
to 400 degrees F. Roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness and cut out shapes with cookie cutters. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets and bake 6-9 minutes until only the edges are lightly browned. Immediately remove from pan and place on cooling racks. Makes 5-6 dozen.

Icing:

4 c icing sugar
1/2 c softened butter or margerine
3-4 T milk
1-2 tsp cherry extract (again, I've never used it, I use vanilla)
Food coloring.

Combine all ingredients and beat until smooth.

Flapper Pie

When I first tried flapper pie, I thought it was beyond disgusting. Who wants to eat a flavorless piece of pie that's packed with fat and sugar? I can think of far better things to eat if I'm going to be dealing with an increasing waistline as a result. So, after some playing around, I found a way to turn something bland into something amazing! Here's my take on a cheap & easy dessert, with a twist.

Flapper Pie

1 3/4 cups Graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup Brown sugar (Demerara adds a wonderful flavor)
1/3 cup Butter, melted (margarine works in a pinch)

3 Egg yolks
1/2 cup White sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons Cornstarch
1 pinch Salt
2 cups Milk (I've used everything but skim & it's worked fine)
3 tablespoons Cognac

3 Egg whites
1/4 cup White sugar

Preheat oven to 425.

In a medium bowl, mix together graham crumbs, brown sugar & melted butter, until well blended. Press mixture into a 9 inch pie plate.

Using the top of a double boiler, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch & salt. Very slowly, whisk in milk & cognac into egg mixture. Continue to whisk until mixture reaches a boil, or sauce thickens.

Pour custard mixture into pie shell.

Using electric mixer, beat egg whites until very foamy. Gradually beat in white sugar. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue mixture over top of pie.

Bake in the oven until meringue is turning golden brown (6-10 minutes.)

Rogan Josh - Beef Curry

I found this recipe on someone else's blog. I already had found the recipe elsewhere, but like how she had laid it out and added her own comments (which you'll find below.) So, to see it for yourself, including photos, check out Once Upon A Feast.

I made it as she has it, except I let mine simmer all day. Delectable! However, it is a time suck, so make it on a day when you have the time to enjoy making it. It's definitely worth a try. And it's not spicy at all, but very flavorful.

Beef Rogan Josh

From Madhur Jaffrey’s Indian Cookery

Prep time: 45 minutes
Cooking time: 2- 2 ½ hours
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
2-3 lbs/1kg stewing beef ( I like chuck for flavor) cut in 1” cubes (you could also make this dish with lamb, just use a little less water and cook for 1 hour or so instead of 2)
Paste:
2” piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
8 cloves of garlic (not a mistake!), peeled
4 tbsp water

10 tbsp vegetable oil
10 whole cardamom pods
2 bay leaves
6 whole cloves
10 black peppercorns
1” piece of cinnamon stick
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
4 tsp red paprika mixed with some cayenne pepper to your taste
1 tsp salt
6 tbsp plain yoghurt
1 cup water
¼ - ½ tsp garam masala

Directions
1. In an electric blender, combine ginger, garlic and 4 tbsp water and blend until a very smooth paste is created.

2. In a large sauté pan or skillet, heat the oil and brown the meat on all sides. Do this in small batches so the meat sears. If you add too much meat at one time, it will be more like steaming it, which turns the meat grey and leaches out the juices. Don’t rush this stage! As the meat browns, remove it to a bowl and continue until all the meat is browned.

3. In the same oil, add cardamom, bay leaves, cloves, peppercorns and cinnamon stick. Stir once or twice and wait until the cloves swell and the bay leaves begin to color – just a few seconds. You’ll really know by the smell!

4. Add the onions, stir and cook for about 5 minutes or until they turn brown. Add the ginger –garlic paste and stir until the aroma makes you swoon – 20 – 30 seconds. Add the coriander, cumin, paprika, cayenne & salt. Stir for another 30 seconds. Add the seared meat and juices, stir and then begin to add the yoghurt one tbsp at a time, blending well before you add the next spoonful. Stir for 3-4 minutes.

5. Add 1 cup water and mix well. Bring to a boil, scraping all the browned spices off the bottom of the pan.

6. Cover. Lower heat to low and simmer for at least two hours or until the meat is tender. Stir every 15 minutes or so during the process. You could bake this at 350°F/180°C instead. I like to do this the day before I want to serve it because I love how much more tender the meat gets.

7. Once the meat, is tender, take the lid off and turn up the heat to boil away some of the liquid and thicken the sauce. It intensifies the flavor. This was quite mild (good for me, since I’m a delicate flower) so you might want to add some garam masala before serving.

Bruschetta Chicken Bake

This is a recipe from Kraft Foods. It's an easy one for when you don't have a lot of time, or are feeling uninspired.

1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken
1/2 cup water
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 tsp. dried basil leaves
1 cup Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese

PREHEAT oven to 400°F. Place tomatoes in medium bowl. Add stuffing mix, water and garlic; stir just until stuffing mix is moistened. Set aside.

PLACE chicken in 13x9-inch baking dish; sprinkle with the basil and cheese. Top with stuffing mixture.

BAKE 30 min. or until chicken is cooked through.

Butter Tarts

This is a recipe of my own. It started off from getting it from a relative, then I slowly made changes. This is super easy, because I cheat! They still taste fantastic, so my guilt over taking the easy way, doesn't exist at all.

Butter Tarts

1 cup Brown sugar
1/3 cup Butter, melted (can use margarine in a pinch)
1 large Egg, beaten
2 tablesppons Milk
1/2 cup Raisins, currants or pecans
1 teaspoon Vanilla

12 frozen tart shells

Preheat oven to 450.

Mix all ingredients, except raisins (& tart shells, duh!) in a mixer, until light & fluffy. Slowly mix in raisins.

Place frozen tart shells on a cookie sheet.

Fill tart shells 2/3 full with mixture. May need to stir by hand occasionally to keep raisins from sinking to the bottom. (Or, if you want, you can cheat and simply add the raisins directly to each tart shell.)

Bake for 8 minutes at 450. Lower oven to 350 & continue to bake for 15-20 minutes.

Best to make these a day ahead of when you want to serve them.

Kitchen Sink Cookies

Another cookie recipe that I love. And from Martha Stewart of all people. *gasp* While, I have made a lot of substitutions of my own over time, here is the original. My changes are all personal (no walnuts!) and I simply add extra of whatever ingredient I feel like having more of. It's a great, versatile recipe.

Martha's Kitchen Sink Cookies

Makes about 4 dozen

Even though the ingredient list may seem about as long as a grocery shopping list, they’re simple to make. In fact, these cookies are so basic you can mix everything by hand; this helps to avoid overbeating, which may toughen the dough.

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup sweetened flake coconut
1 cup raisins
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°. Line baking sheets with Silpat baking mats or parchment paper.

In a large bowl with a wooden spoon, beat butter, sugar and brown sugar together until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well blended. Stir in vanilla.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Gradually stir into butter mixture until well blended. Add oats, chips, coconut, raisins, and walnuts, and stir until well blended.

Drop batter by heaping tablespoons or with a 1 ounce ice-cream scoop onto silpat about 2 inches apart. Press tops down with the bottom of a glass to flatten cookies evenly. Bake until golden, about 16 to 18 minutes. Cool on pan for 2 minutes. Remove from pan, and finish cooling completely on wire rack.

Gingersnaps

It's not often that I find a recipe that I'm 100% happy with, but this is one of those rare gems. This sweet lady, Marjorie Johnson used to appear regularly on The Wayne Brady Show. She made these delicious looking SOFT! gingersnap cookies. While I suppose they are not technically gingersnaps, being soft & all, they are simply divine (& best of all, easy to make.)

Gingersnaps

3/4 cup shortening
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 large egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup sugar (for dipping)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cream shortening, brown sugar, molasses and egg in large bowl. In a separate bowl sift flour, baking soda, salt and spices. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, blending until mixed. Dough can be chilled for easy handling.

Shape the dough into balls the size of whole walnuts. Roll balls in sugar, place on baking sheet. Bake 8-9 minutes at 375 degrees. Cool on sheet one minute before transferring to rack.

Makes 3-4 dozen.

Welcome to my humble kitchen!

I love to cook & bake. Finding the time to do so is the true challenge. Organizing my recipes is yet another thing I'm not very good at. I've made some incredible things, only to go back a few months later an unable to find the recipe. Frustration!

So, here's the start of my collection. Some are my own. Most are ones that have evolved from recipes I've found elsewhere. Others are completely stolen. *blush* I will do my best to give credit where it is due.

Enjoy!