Sloppy Joes

Sloppy Joes

What you will need...
3 lb of groung beef-cooked
1 cup of water
1 package of sloppy Joes seasoning mix
1 small onion-chopped
1 tsp of chili powder
1/2 cup of ketchup-you may need to add more
2 teaspoons of mustard
2 heaping tablespoons of brown sugar
(for the ketchup, mustard, and brown sugar I just continue to add until I think it tastes right. So, as far as the exact measurements go for these three items I may be off a little)

Brown and drain the beef, add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Turn stove down and let simmer for another 5 minutes.

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Bars

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Bars

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cream Together:

1/2 cup butter

2/3 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup brown sugar

2 egg whites

1 tsp vanilla

Add & mix together until its at a cookie dough consistency :

1/2 cup wheat flour

3/4 cup white flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2-3/4 tsp salt (depending if you salted butter or not)

1 1/2 cup steel cut oats (I use a mixture of oat, barley, rye, wheat, and kamut flakes)

Lightly grease (I use pam) a 9 x 9 pan or if you want thinner bars use a 9 x 12.

Press peanut butter dough into pan until smooth on top

Poor a thick layer of semi sweet chocolate chips over the dough

Bake for 15-17 minutes

Spread the melted chocolate chips out so they are smooth like frosting

Refrigerate then cut into bars and EAT UP! ENJOY!!

Homemade Apple Sause

Homemade Apple Sauce

What you will need...

10-12 medium apples-peeled, cored, and sliced - put into a pot with a very small amount of water (maybe a 1-give or take) on the bottom of the pot. You don't want the apples to burn but you don't want them to be soggy.

Cook on medium heat for 15-20 minutes or until the apples are able to be smashed.

Once the apples are ready, put them all into a blender with the water. There should not be a lot of water. You can always add water but not take it away once you have it blended.

You can determine how smooth or chunky you want your apple sauce. Start with adding a 1/2 cup of sugar (you may have to add more after you taste it) Add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the blender along 1/4 cup of brown sugar.

Blend to your consistency. You can either serve warm or chill and serve later cool.

Apple Crisp

APPLE CRISP

What you will need...

1 c of oats

1 c of packed brown sugar

½ c of flour

1 ts of cinnamon

½ c of butter

8-10 medium GRANNY smith apples, peeled & sliced

Combine oats, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon.  Cut in butter til mixture is like crumbs and set aside.

Put sliced apples in a 9x13 dish (spray with PAM).  Sprinkle lightly with sugar.  Cover with crumb mixture.  Bake at 250 for about 40-45 minutes.  Serve with ice cream.

Picture to come.

Recipe from Barb

Cheese Danish

CHEESE DANISH

What you will need...

2 packages of crescent rolls

2 eight ounce cream cheese

1 c sugar

1 egg separated

Lay 1 package of rolls into a 9x13 buttered pan.  Mix cream cheese, sugar & egg yolk and spread on top.  Roll out and lay 2^nd package of crescent rolls on top.  Beat egg white til stiff.  Spread over top crust.  Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Bake at 350 for ½ hour, allow to cool.

Picture to come.

Recipe from Barb

Beans

BEANS

What you will need...

6 small cans of pork & beans, slightly drained

½-1 lb of bacon chopped & fried – save 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings

4 hotdogs, cut up

1 lb of ground beef, browned & drained

½ bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce

½ c. packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons of mustard

1 t of worcesteshire (spelling?) sauce

Mix in crockpot all of the above, including the tablespoon of bacon drippings – cook all day on low.  Serve with French bread.

Picture to come.

Recipe from Barb

Chili

CHILI

What you will need...

2 lbs of ground beef, browned & drained

2 large cans of crushed tomatoes

2 cans of chili beans (I use 1 hot, 1 mild)

2 packs of your favorite chili seasoning (I use 1 hot 1 mild)

1 can of diced petite chili seasoned tomatoes

Mix all of the above into your crockpot.  Cook on low all day. Serve with sour cream & cheese!

Picture to come.

Recipe from Barb

Beef Pot Pie

BEEF POT PIE

What you will need...

1 three pound chuck roast, cubed

4-5 medium potatoes, peeled & cubed

½ bag of frozen peas & carrots

½ c chopped onion (Optional)

½ c mushrooms sliced (optional)

½ c of butter

2/3 c of flour

½ t salt

½ t sage

¼ t pepper

4 c. water

1 ½ c milk

2 tablespoons of beef bouillon granules

Brown cubed chuck roast in flour – set aside.  Cooked cubed potatoes and peas/carrots, drain and set aside.  Make a gravy:  melt butter, add onions and mushrooms if using til tender.  Stir in flour, salt, sage & pepper.  Add water, milk and beef bouillon all once.  Cook til bubbly and thick (this takes a few minutes).  Add cooked chuck roast, potatoes and peas/carrots.  Cook again til lightly bubbling.

Pour into 9x13 dish.  Make crust:

CRUST:

What you will need...

2 C of bisquick

2 eggs

1 c milk

Slightly beat eggs, add bisquick and milk.  Pour this on your crust, you might not use ALL Of it but will use most of it.

Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

Picture to come.

Recipe from Barb

Potato Chip Chicken Fingers

POTATO CHIP CHICKEN FINGERS

What you will need...

4-6 skinless boneless chicken breasts.

1 bag of any flavor potato chips, finely crushed

1-2 beaten eggs

1 cup of milk

Thaw and slice chicken into strips.  Mix egg & milk.  Roll in egg, then into crushed potato chips.  Place on cookie sheet spayed with PAM.  Bake at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes, turning about ½ way through.

Serve with honey mustard dip (see recipe below), barbecue sauce, ranch etc.

HONEY MUSTARD SAUCE

Mix together:  1 ½ cups of mayo, 2-3 tablespoons of honey and 2-3 tablespoons of mustard.  ENJOY!

Picture to come.

Recipe from Barb

Beef Enchiladas

BEEF ENCHILADAS

What you will need....

2 lbs of ground beef, cooked & drained

5 cans of enchilada sauce

16 or so flour tortillas (I use the smaller ones – I think they are 4 inch)

Shredded cheddar cheese

Sides such as lettuce, tomato, salsa, peppercinis, olives sour cream etc.

Mix ground beef with 1 can of the enchilada sauce. Spoon a few tablespoons of meat mix into a tortilla and roll up. Then place all tortillas into a 9x13 dish sprayed with PAM. (sometimes I have to use 2 dishes) – cover with remaining enchilada sauce.

Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.  Bake at 375 degrees for ½ hr.  Serve with sides. 

(I also heat up refried beans with this)

Picture to come.

Recipe from Barb

Taco Casserole

TACO CASSEROLE

What you will need...

1 package of crescent rolls

2 lbs of ground beef

1 jar of taco sauce

1 pack of taco seasoning

1 cup of shredded mozzeralla cheese

1 cup of shredded cheddar

Taco chips crushed

Sides such as : sour cream, Lettuce, tomato, salsa, sliced peppercinis, olives, etc.

Spray 9x13 dish with PAM. Roll out crescent rolls as your crust.  Brown ground beef and drain.  Add taco sauce and pack of taco seasoning.  Spread evenly over crescent roll crust.  Top with mozzarella cheese and shredded cheddar.  Then with crushed taco chips.  Bake at 400 degrees for ½ hr.

Cut  and serve with sides.

Picture to come.

Recipe from Barb

Pepperoni Bread

Pepperoni Bread

What you will need....

2 loaves of frozen bread dough

2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese

1 bag of sliced pepperoni

Italian seasonings

Parmesan cheese

1 egg beaten

Shortening

Pizza sauce

Cover frozen bread dough lightly with shortening.  Put on wax paper covered cookie sheet and allow to thaw for 3-4 hrs.  Roll out dough 10x12.  Brush lightly with egg.  Sprinkle seasonings.  Then layer pepperoni (I use probably about 24-30 slices).  Cover with about 1 cup of the cheese.  Roll up pinch seams and ends.  Brush with egg & sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Do the other loaf – place both loaves on cookie sheet sprayed with PAM – bake at 375 for about ½ hr or until golden brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes then slice.Serve with pizza sauce to dip.

Picture to come.

Recipe from Barb

Puppy Chow

Puppy Chow

What you will need....

1 Box of Rice Chex

1 stick of butter or margarine

¾ C of peanut butter

1 bag (12 oz) of semi sweet choc chips

3 cups  of powdered sugar

Melt butter, peanut butter and chocolate chips.  In a large bowl, mix cereal and chocolate/peanut butter mix until cereal is well covered.  Let cool for a few minutes, then add powdered sugar and gently stir with a large spoon until cereal is well coated with powdered sugar (add more powdered sugar if need be).

Picture to come at a later date!
Recipe give by Barb

Jalapeno Chicken Breasts

Jalapeno Chicken Breasts

What you will need...

6 boneless chicken breast
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cut chicken broth
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/3 cup sliced pickled jalapeno chili pepper, drained
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened, and cut into cubes
2 slices regular bacon or turkey bacon, crisp-cooked, drained, and crumbled

Directions...

1. Sprinkle chicken with chili powder and salt. Arrange chicken in a slow cooker. Pour broth and lemon juice around chicken. Top with drained jalapeno pepper.
2. Cover and cook on low-heat for 5 to 6  hours or high-heat for 2 and a half to 3 hours.
3. Transfer chicken and jalapeno pepper to a serving platter, reserving cooking liquid. Cover chicken and keep warm.
4. If using low-heat setting, turn to high-heat setting. For sauce, in a small bowl, combine cornstarch and the water; stir into cooking liquid. Add cream cheese, whisking until combined.  Cover and cook about 15 minutes more or until thickened. Serve chicken with sauce. If desired, sprinkle with bacon.

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas Recipe:

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas Recipe:

Ingredients:

Marinade:

6 tablespoons honey

5 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Enchiladas:

1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded (I usually boil 4 chicken breasts and shred them)

8-10 flour tortillas

1 pound Monterrey jack cheese, shredded

16 ounces green enchilada sauce

1 cup heavy cream

Directions:

Whisk the first four ingredients and toss with shredded chicken in a Zip-loc bag.  Let it marinate in the fridge for at least a 1/2 hour, but preferably a half day or so.  Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9X13 baking pan.  Fill the tortillas with chicken, saving marinade, and shredded cheese, saving about 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top of enchiladas.  Put rolled tortillas in 9x13 pan as you go.  Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the cream and leftover marinade (if there is any).  Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top.

Chicken with Mustard Cream Sauce

Chicken with Mustard Cream Sauce
Ingredients
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dried tarragon or oregano

Directions
Add olive oil to a large skillet and preheat over medium-high heat.  Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper.  Add chicken to skillet and saute until cooked through, about 10-12 minutes, turning once.  Transfer to a plate and keep warm.  Pour chicken broth into hot skillet.  Whisk in the cream, mustard and tarragon or oregano.  Cook and stir for about 2 minutes.  Pour sauce over chicken and serve.

Let's Dish
I found this recipe in a newly purchased cookbook, Everyday Food: Great Food Fast (from the kitchen's of Martha Stewart Living).  It's my new favorite cookbook.  I love it so much I subscribed to Everyday Food magazine.  This chicken is a perfect example of the kind of recipes that are featured in the Everyday Food cookbooks and magazine.  Quick, simple and delicious.  I almost always have the ingredients on hand for this recipe, which is great for the nights I haven't really planned anything for dinner and don't want to spend a lot of time figuring out what to cook.  It's not a bad idea to double the sauce, as that gives you plenty for the chicken, plus some left to spoon over a side of rice.

Leftover Night!

Tonight was LEFTOVER NIGHT!!!

What you need...
Roast Beef from previous nights
Gravy from previous nights
Stuffing mixture from stuffed green peppers from previous nights
2 tsp. salsa
3 celery sticks
Peanut butter
Salt and pepper
Slices of bread
Butter

I heated the stuffing mixture from the stuffed green peppers, add 2 tsp. of salsa, and put that into a wrap. I then place the wrap on the Panini Press

Here is what tonights first sandwich looks like...add a few sticks of celery and peanut butter and.....

I also cut all the roast beef up, added the gravy, salt, and pepper. Put all the ingredients in a frying pan to warm up.  I then toasted a piece of bread and spread butter before adding the warm/hot gravy and roast beef for a roast beef sandwich and celery with peanut butter for....

Cheeseburger Macaroni!

Cheeseburger Macaroni!

What you will need...

1 lb hamburger meat

1 pkg taco seasoning

2 can Rotel-tomato and green chilies

2 cups of water

2 cups elbow macaroni

Brown and drain hamburger meat. Stir in taco seasoning, Rotel, water and macaroni. Heat to boiling and cover pan. Simmer for 12-14 minutes or until macaroni is tender.

Meanwhile, make the cheese sauce.

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp flour

3/4 cup milk

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking for 5 minutes until fragrant and light brown in color. Whisk in the milk and bring to a boil. Whisk until smooth and thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the shredded cheddar cheese until melted. Add the salt and pepper to the cheese sauce. Pour the cheese sauce over the hamburger mixture. Stir gently to combine.

You can also just use 1 lb. Velveeta. Cut it up and add to the hamburger, taco seasoning, Rotel and macaroni mixture after the 12-14 minutes of simmering.

Serves 4.

I will serve this with garlic butter bread!!! YUMMM!!

Lemon Pepper Chicken Strips

Lemon Pepper Chicken Strips

This is a very easy meal!!

What you need...
*4 chicken breasts
*1 bottle of Lemon Pepper marinade

Your chicken breasts need to be thawed out, cut into strips, and put into the marinade mix and placed in the refrigerator for a half hour.

Once you take the chicken strips out of the refrigerator place them on a cooking sheet. Make sure the cooking sheet is sprayed with cooking spray. Bake these strips at 375 degrees for 12 minutes, flip the strips and bake for another 12 minutes. You can serve with dipping sauce and salad for a WONDERFUL, light meal!

Stuffed Green Peppers!!

Stuffed Green Peppers!!


What you will need...

Meat mixture...

*1/2 lb. of whatever meat you pick
*1/2 of a medium onion, diced
*1 tbsp red chile powder
*1 tbsp minced garlic ***I love using garlic and it is soooo good for you and your body!!

Stuffed Peppers...

*2 green bell peppers *HINT: there are some that have 3 "points" on the bottom and some that have 4. Get the ones with 4. They will "sit down" clatter and won't be rolling around.)

Mixture inside the Peppers...
*Meat from above
*1  cups of rice-you can pick any flavor you want
*1/2 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
*1/2 cup of salsa
*The green pepper entras from the tops, chopped
*3 tbsp tomato paste


There is a ground beef mixtures, however, since I just made a very big roast and I kept all the steps (roast, gravy, and noodles) separate I plan to use the roast cut up into very small pieces. You can use roast, venison, or beef for this next mixture.

Cook the meat if it is already not cooked. If it is already cooked like mine, heat up and add remaining ingredient. Drain fat if necessary.

Take the bell peppers and cut the tops off, just below the stem indentation. Take seeds out of the bottom and discard. *You can save the top parts around the stem and cut it off for salads and other dishes later.

Rinse peppers thoroughly and place in a small microwavable baking dish or plate, open side up. Microwave on high for about 4 minutes, or until slightly steamed. This takes the place of having to parboil (partially cook) them in a big pot of water.

While the peppers are in the microwave, mix all the remaining ingredients except for the cheese.

Remove peppers from microwave and stuff with your mixture for the peppers filling. Top with cheese and bake in the oven at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

**I had some leftover meat mixture which will be a GREAT lunch in the next few days!

I made corn on the cob along with these stuffed green peppers!! Delicious! :)

Beef Tips and Noodles!!

Beef Tips and Noodles!!


What you need...

Roast...
*Roast-whatever size you would like. I used a 3-4 lb. roast
*Seasonings. I used Italian Seasoning, Basil, Thyme, Oregano Parsley, Salt, Pepper, Worcestershire      Sauce, a packet of Onion Soup Mix, garlic and onions.


Noodles...
*Package of egg noodles

Gravy...
*1/2 cup butter
*1/2 cup flour
*1 clove garlic-chopped
*1/4 cup ketchup
*1 tsp Dijon mustard
*1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
*1 quart (4 cups) broth from liquid after you take your meat out
*salt and pepper to taste

Put the roast in a crock pot in the morning and let cook on low all day (depending on your crock pot and the size of your roast you may want to turn the meat on high when you get home from work). There needs to be enough water to cover the roast. At this point you can really add whatever seasonings you would like. I put in some Italian Seasoning, Basil, Thyme, Oregano Parsley, Salt, Pepper, Worcestershire Sauce, and a packet of Onion Soup Mix. I also add things like garlic and onions.

Before you are ready to eat put your egg noodles in a pot of boiling water and cook as directed on the package.

Once the roast is cooked, remove meat and shred from the bone. Throw away the fat and bones. **KEEP 4 CUPS OF THE LIQUID YOU JUST REMOVED THE MEAT FROM

In a saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter butter over medium-low heat. Add the 1/2 cup of flour and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes, until the mixture is golden-brown Add the clove of cut up garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Whisk in a cup of the liquid you kept from the meat, and then add the rest of the liquid along with 1/4 cup of ketchup 1  tsp of Dijon mustard and 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce.

Bring to a simmer, whisking, and then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste, and season with salt and pepper.

With the meat I made seasoned potatoes.
What you will need...

*3 red potatoes
*Parsley
*Vegetable oil
*Onion
*Butter
*Italian Seasoning

Cut the red potatoes up. If you like your potatoes crispier cut them into smaller cubes if you like them softer cut them into larger cubes.
Add any seasonings you would like. I put small slices of butter and chopped up onions right on the potatoes. I then add the following into a bowl, mix, and pour on the potatoes-vegetable oil, parsley and italian seasoning. Put into the oven at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

I also made corn on the cob which is another summer favorite!!

Once all steps are complete you are ready to layer or mix all ingredients together and EAT!!!

Scale
1-not the greatest meal
2-could be good but need work
3-not bad maybe change a few things
4-good meal
5 great, great meal!

What to cook??

What to cook tonight? That seems to be the questions I am ALWAYS asking myself as I prepare for supper. When I finally come up with a thought on what to have, it's always a guessing game on whether or not I have all the ingredients in the house. There is nothing worse than having to make a run to the grocery store in the middle of cooking. So, my thought process is to blog about what I plan on cooking each night. This not only helps a million others out there on what to have for supper but it keeps me very organized.

I'm not going to lie, my husband and I enjoy going out to eat where we can just take the time and relax and talking about the day.  However, we all know that going out to eat comes with a price tag. So...let the journey begin with What's Cookin' Good Look'????

Throughout this blog I will add dips, desserts, and any other concoction I create!! I love making dips and baking-so be ready!