Saturday, November 29, 2008

Hot Sweet Onion Dip

  • 1 (4 ounce) package of cream cheese (softened)
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano (grated)
  • 1/2 cup sweet onion (chopped)
  • pepper to taste
  1. Mix everything and place it in a baking dish.
  2. Bake in a preheated 350F oven until the top is nice and browned, about 30-50 minutes.

Found On: Closet Cooking

Thursday, November 27, 2008

CrockPot Turkey Breast

  • 4 to 6 pound turkey breast (bone-in or out. your choice)
  • 2 cupswhite wine (you can use broth instead, if you'd like)
  • 1 stick of butter
  • 1 onion
  • salt and pepper
  1. I used a 6 quart crockpot and a 4 1/2 pound turkey breast. I easily could have fit in some legs or a larger breast piece.
  2. Unwrap the turkey breast and pat it dry with paper towels. If desired, cut off the skin with poultry shears, and discard. Salt and pepper the breast liberally. Plop it, breast-side down into the crockpot.
  3. Cut up an onion coarsely and push some pieces down next to the turkey and put a few in the rib cavity. Add the stick of butter. Pour the wine over the top.
  4. Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours, or on high for 4-6. Use a meat thermometer to test doneness--it should register at 170°.
  5. Remove from crockpot, and let sit for about 20 minutes before carving. The meat will be much more tender than if cooked in an oven.

Found On: A Year of CrockPotting

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Pizza Biscuits

  • 1 lb ground beef, browned
  • 1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
  • 1 can of layered refrigerator biscuits (I used Grands Biscuits, as recommended at Rocks in My Dryer)
  • Mozzarella Cheese, Shredded
  1. Brown ground beef and add in spaghetti sauce.
  2. Pull apart the Grands Biscuits (in the middle) so that you’ll have two biscuits. There will be a natural place for them to pull apart, so just look for it.
  3. Roll out each biscuit (you should now have 16, if you started with a Grands Biscuit tube that says there are eight rolls) until they are about six inches in diameter.
  4. Put each rolled out biscuit into a greased muffin tin. You’ll put it in so that it makes a cup, like a pastry shell (you will fill these in the next step).
  5. Fill each cup with a few spoonfuls of the meat/sauce mixture. (You may have sauce/meat still leftover — I certainly did. Just put it in the fridge to use later, or as happened in our house, our meat lovers asked for more of the meat and sauce.)
  6. Sprinkle cheese on top of each of the cups.
  7. Bake for 8 - 12 minutes at 350 degrees.
  8. Pop them out of the muffin tins when they are done and serve immediately.

Found On: Blissfully Domestic

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Cranberry Butter

  • 3/4 cup butter, softened (margarine is okay too)
  • 2 tbsp. brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp. honey
  • 1 cup chopped fresh cranberries
  • 2 tbsp. chopped walnuts, optional
  1. In a small mixing bowl, beat butter, brown sugar, and honey until fluffy, about 5 minutes.
  2. Add cranberries and walnuts if desired; beat 5 minutes longer or until butter turns nice and pink.
  3. Transfer to a sheet of plastic wrap; roll into a log.
  4. Refrigerate until chilled. Unwrap and slice or place on a butter dish. Yields 1 1/3 cup.

Found On: Fun Foods on a Budget!

Monday, November 24, 2008

Quick & Easy Lemon Pie

  • 2 cups cold milk
  • 2 pkgs (4-serving size each) JELL-O Lemon Flavor Instant Pudding and Pie Filling
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 Graham Cracker Pie Crust (6 oz)
  • 1 tub (8 oz) Cool Whip, thawed
  1. Pour milk into large bowl.
  2. Add dry pudding mixes and lemon juice. Beat with wire whisk for two minutes or until well blended. (The mixture will be thick.)
  3. Spread 1 and 1/2 cups of the pudding mixture onto the bottom of the crust, and then set it aside.
  4. Add half of the Cool Whip to the remaining pudding (still in the bowl), and stir gently until well blended. Spread this over the pudding layer in the crust.
  5. Top with the remaining Cool Whip that is still in the tub.
  6. Refrigerate for at least four hours or until set.

Found On: Blissfully Domestic

Sunday, November 23, 2008

CrockPot Mashed Potatoes with Cream Cheese & Sour Cream

  • 5 pounds of red potatoes
  • 1 block of cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 chicken bouillon cube
  • 1/2 cup of water, reserved from boiling the potatoes
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 T dried parsley
  1. Wash and peel the potatoes, leaving the skin on some if desired. Cut in quarters to quicken boiling time. Put the pieces into a large pot and cover completely with water.
  2. Bring the potatoes to a boil on the stove top. Boil rapidly for 10-20 minutes, or until potatoes are fork-tender.
  3. Scoop out 1/2 cup of the water from the pot. Add the bouillon cube to the water.
  4. Drain the potatoes, and return to pot. Open the cream cheese and put into the pot with the hot potatoes. Add sour cream. Pour in the water with the bouillon cube, also. Add the parsley and garlic powder.
  5. Mash with a potato masher.
  6. After smashing well, scoop the potatoes out of the pot and place into a 4 to 6 quart crockpot. Cook on high for 2 hours, or on low for 4.
  7. Can be kept on warm indefinitely.
  8. After two hours on high, my potatoes got a bit crusty on the top and edges. They were divine.

Found On: A Year of CrockPotting

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Hot Spinach & Artichoke Dip

  • 1/2 (10 ounce) package frozen spinach (thawed, drained and coarsely chopped)
  • 1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts (drained and coarsely chopped)
  • 4 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 clove garlic (grated)
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili sauce (optional)
  • 1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano (grated)
  • 1/4 cup mozzarella (grated)
  1. Mix everything and pour it into a baking dish.
  2. Bake in a preheated 350F oven until bubbling and golden brown on top, about 20-40 minutes.

Found On: Closet Cooking

Friday, November 21, 2008

Simple Sweet Cornbread

  • 2 cups plain yellow cornmeal
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • 1 egg
  • 1 1/4 cups milk
  • 3 TBSP vegetable oil or melted bacon fat
  • 1 tsp salt
  1. Preheat oven to 475.
  2. In a medium bowl stir together the cornmeal, sugar, salt, and baking powder
  3. Place your cake pan (9×9x2) or muffin tin (12) in the oven for three to five minutes.
  4. Add your liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until combined.
  5. Remove your pan from the oven, grease it with a light coating of your favorite cooking spray. (If you really want to get back to your roots, grease your pan with the 3 TBSP of bacon grease. Simply put the grease into the pan before it is heated in the oven. Watch it carefully because it will burn quickly. Take the pan out of the oven and tilt it to be sure it’s well coated. The pour the excess into your batter. Just remember it’s 3TBSP total, not in addition to the 3TBSP mentioned in the ingredient list.)
  6. Pour your batter in the hot baking pan and immediately place in the oven with the rack at the middle setting.
  7. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes, a toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean. Remove from the oven and place the cake pan on a rack to cool.

Found On: Home Ec 101

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Sour Cream Apple Pie

Crust:

  • 1 Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust (from the 15 oz box) soften as directed on box

Filling:

  • 1 1/4 C Sour Cream
  • 3/4 C granulated sugar
  • 1/4 C all purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 egg
  • 6 C Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored and sliced 1/4″ thick. ( I used 6 medium Granny Smith’s)

Topping:

  • 1/2 C all purpose flour
  • 1/2 C chopped walnuts
  • 1/4 C granulated sugar
  • 1/4 C packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • dash salt
  • 3 Tbsp cold butter

  1. Heat oven to 400 F.
  2. Place pie crust in a 9″ glass pie plate as directed on the box.
  3. In a large bowl, beat all filling ingredients (except apples) together with a wire whisk until well blended.
  4. Fold in apples and mix until well coated
  5. Pour into the crust lined pie plate
  6. Cover the edges of the pie crust with strips of foil to prevent burning.
  7. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 F and bake 30 more minutes.
  8. While the pie is baking, mix all topping ingredients (except butter). Cut in butter, you want the mixture to resemble coarse crumbs; refrigerate until ready to use.
  9. Sprinkle the topping over pie; bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown. During the last 5 minutes remove the foil strips to get the crust edges golden brown
  10. Cool completely on a cooling rack.

*Rachel’s tweaks: I would add an additional 1/2 C of chopped walnuts to the topping because walnuts rock and the combination of the walnuts, crispy topping, creamy sour cream apples is just too delicious for words. When the pie is fully cooked, switch the setting to broiler and leave the pie in for a few more minutes. This will caramelize the sugars and give you an amazingly awesome tonguegasmically delicious crust that you will fall in love with.

Found On: Blissfully Domestic

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Iced Lemon Poundcake

Cake:

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 5 eggs
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon lemon extract

Glaze:

  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1/3 cup lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9x13 pan.
  2. Beat butter in a large bowl at medium speed of an electric hand-held mixer; gradually add oil, beating until well blended. Gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix just until blended after each addition. Stir in lemon extract.
  3. Pour batter into a prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
  4. Lemon Glaze: Combine glaze ingredients, stirring until sugar dissolves. Spoon glaze over top, a little at a time.
  5. Let lemon pound cake cool completely.

Found On: Simple, but Delicious

Friday, November 7, 2008

CrockPot Applesauce

This makes enough for 4 people. If you would like to freeze or can, use more apples.

  • 4 large apples, skinned ,cored, and cut in quarters
  • juice from 1 lemon
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 T brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  1. I used a 4 quart crockpot for the applesauce.
  2. Skin, core, and cut your apples into quarters. Plop the pieces into your crockpot.
  3. Add the juice from the lemon, and the water. Pour in the vanilla, and add the cinnamon and brown sugar.
  4. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours. When the apples are super tender, mash with a potato masher or large fork. My apples were very tender after 6 hours, and I used a fork.

Found On: A Year of CrockPotting

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Buffalo Chicken Dip

  • 1/2 cup shredded cooked chicken (you can use 1 can of chicken)
  • 1 Pkg of Cream Cheese
  • 1/2 C Ranch Dressing (can sub homemade, or in a pinch could use mayo thinned w/ a little milk to dressing consistency)
  • 1/4 to 1/2 C Hot Sauce (I usually use a scant 1/2 cup)
  • 1/2 C Shredded Cheddar Cheese (or more. . . )
  1. Soften Cream Cheese to room temperature.
  2. Preheat oven to 350
  3. Mix Cream Cheese, Hot Sauce and Ranch Dressing.
  4. Spread into a greased/sprayed pan
  5. Layer chicken on top of cream cheese mixture.
  6. Sprinkle with shredded cheese.
  7. Bake for 30 minutes**.
  8. Serve with something pretty firm for dipping-tortillas, "frito" style scoops, crackers, celery sticks. The dip is thick and will break your typical potato chip.

**Note: Some people prefer to cook about 15 min, then put the shredded cheese on and finish the last 15 minutes. It's up to you.

Found On: Frugal Upstate

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

CrockPot Cheeseburger Soup

  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 T dried onion (I have used real onion, but prefer the dried because it completely disappears)
  • 1/2 lb lean ground beef, browned and drained on the stove top
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 1 cup milk (I used soy. If you are using cow's, stick to 2% or lower)
  • 12 oz Velveeta, cubed
  • 2 potatoes, cut in 1-inch cubes
  • 2 small garlic cloves, minced
  • Tabasco sauce, optional
  • crumbled bacon, optional
  1. Brown the meat on the stove top, and drain fat. Set aside to cool a bit.
  2. In a 4 quart or larger crockpot, add the chicken broth and milk. Stir in the onion flakes and minced garlic. Cut up the bell pepper and potatoes (I didn't peel them), and add. Cut up the Velveeta and add. Stir in the browned meat.
  3. Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours, or until everything is good and melty.
  4. Garnish with Tabasco sauce and crumbled bacon if desired.

Found On: A Year of CrockPotting

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Tomato Basil Quiche

  • 2 medium or 1 large tomato, sliced 1/4 inch thick (I used 1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise)
  • 2 cups shredded sharp white Cheddar (or you may use Gruyere) (I used sharp Cheddar)
    1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell
  • 1 small onion, thinly sliced
  • Leaves from 3 small stems fresh basil, torn if large
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 2/3 cups light cream (I used whole milk)
  • 6 tablespoons aged port or sherry (may be omitted, but reduce baking time by 5 minutes) (I omitted)
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  1. Preheat oven to 425F. Place tomatoes on a paper towel to absorb excess moisture.
  2. In a small bowl, toss the cheese with the garlic. Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups of the cheese mixture evenly on the bottom of the pie shell. Arrange the onion on top of the cheese. Arrange the tomato in a single layer on top of the onion. Distribute the basil on top of the tomato and in the crevices between the rounds. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese mixture on top.
  3. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs thoroughly. Add the cream, port, and pepper and beat well. Slowly pour the egg mixture into the pie shell.
  4. Bake for 20 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 350F and bake for 35 minutes longer, or until the quiche is lightly browned on top.
  5. Let the quiche cool on a wire rack for a few minutes before serving.

Found On: Sweet Savory Southern

Monday, November 3, 2008

Turtle Bars

Preheat oven to 350

  • 1 German Chocolate Cake mix
  • 3/4 cup butter softened
  • 2/3 cup evaporated milk

Mix together and spread half of the batter in a greased 9x12 pan. Bake for 12-15 min

  • 1 bag caramels
  • 1/3 cup evaporated milk

Melt in microwave for 20 second intervals, stirring often until creamy. Pour caramel mixture over the baked layer and sprinkle on top:

  • 1 cup milk chocolate chips
  • 1 cup of chopped pecans

Drop the rest of the batter on top and return to the oven for 20 minutes. Cool and have a HUGE icy cold glass of milk to wash it down.

Found On: 24 Hour Menu

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Autumn Sausage Casserole

  • 1 pound sausage (I used chicken with artichoke and garlic)
  • 1 large, or 2 small apples, chopped (no need to peel)
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped carrots
  • 3 cups already cooked long-grain rice
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1 T dried parsley flakes
  • 1 T brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp allspice
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/3 cup chicken broth or water
  1. The amount of ingredients fit nicely in a 4 quart crockpot. I'd say this comfortably feeds a family of 4-5 with a bit of leftovers. If you have a large family or teenagers, add more rice and sausage. It's a pretty easy recipe to adapt to your needs.
  2. If you are going to use uncooked pork sausage, I'd recommend browning on the stove top, and draining before adding to the crockpot.
  3. Otherwise, dump all the ingredients into the crock, and stir well.
  4. Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours, or on high for 3-4. You're really only heating through, and allowing the vegetables to soften.This will not stick together like a gloppy casserole; it has the consistency of fried rice. Use bowls to serve rather than plates.

Found On: A Year of CrockPotting

Saturday, November 1, 2008

PW's Creamy Herbed Potatoes

  • 4 to 5 russet potatoes
  • 1 stick (1/4 pound) butter
  • 1 medium onion, finely diced
  • 8 ounces cream cheese
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup whole milk (half & half works, too)
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped chives
  • 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped sage
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Slice potatoes very thinly.
  3. Add butter to a large skillet over medium low heat, When melted, add diced onion. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Add cream cheese to the pan and stir to melt.
  5. Pour in cream and milk, stirring to combine.
  6. Season with plenty of salt and pepper, then add chopped herbs.
  7. Place potatoes in a buttered baking dish. Pour contents of skillet over the top.
  8. Top with Parmesan cheese and bake for 45 minutes, or until bubbly.
  9. Allow potatoes to sit 15 minutes before serving.

Found On: Pioneer Woman