Cheddar Bacon Burgers

Now, this one I'm sure you all know how to make Cheese Burgers. My husband said I needed to put this on here because he loved the one's I made the other night so much he wanted me to share. I season my hamburger patties before I pan fry them. And I'll share my other secrets too... I could also do this on the grill I'm sure, but I haven't braved the cold and wet yet for the grill. One of these days I will conquer my fear of the grill, just not right now.

Ingredients:

8 hamburger patties

Worcestershire sauce

smokehouse maple seasoning

sea salt and pepper

1 lb bacon cut in half

1/2 lb cheese slices - depending on thickness and if you like two slices of cheese per burger.

Directions:

Place bacon on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in the oven 450F for 20-25 min for desired doneness. While bacon is cooking in the oven, on a platter lay out all hamburger patties - at room temperature. Then sprinkle the maple seasoning, salt and pepper on both sides of the burger patties. Heat a medium to large skillet on the stove. Place the burger patties in the skillet only those that fit, sprinkle/dash the Worcestershire sauce about 2-3 on each burger patty, once browned on one side, flip and repeat the Worcestershire

sprinkle/dash on the other side. When the bacon is done remove from oven and set aside. While the burger is cooking cover the pan with a lid. Once the burger is done on both sides. place cheese on top of the burger and cover pan with lid, until cheese is slightly melted down all sides of the burger.

remove and place on a hamburger bun with your favorite toppings. Layer the bacon on top of the cheese. Enjoy!

** Baking the bacon in the oven heats the bacon evenly limiting the curves of the bacon to create a nice flat piece of bacon for the burger. :)

Shepherds Pie

I love, love, love shepherds pie! It is such an easy thing to make, and so delicious. My mom used to make this when I was a kid. It was different every time, but still so familiar. For me, it depends on the cheese I have on hand, or decide if I want to make a white sauce or a red sauce... If I make it with a white sauce, I skip the green beans and substitute mixed veggies. If I use red sauce it's the green beans for the veggie. I've made this several ways, the olives are optional with the red sauce, as my family doesn't like olives, but I do, so when I'm feeling a little frisky I add the olives to shake it up a bit. I try not to tell them it is in there. Or I end up with none of them eating, and i have a 13X9 dish of shepherds pie to eat all by my self... is that bad?! I don't think so, I will eat it for lunch for a whole week. :)) Lucky me! :)

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef

1 jar/can spaghetti sauce or alfredo sauce

1-2 cans of green beans or mixed veggies

6-8 potatoes (made into mashed potatoes) or 2 bags of instant mashed potatoes

1-2 cups of shredded cheese, or 6-8 slices of cheese

1 can minced black olives (optional)

brown ground beef with minced onions or just seasoned with salt and pepper. Mix in the spaghetti sauce. Pour into a 13X9 pan adding the olives (optional)

then sprinkle the cans of drained green beans on top.

Next Layer the mashed potatoes on top of the green beans.

then sprinkle the shredded cheese on top.

Bake in the oven preheated to 350F for 30-35 min. Till heated through and bubbly. Remove, serve warm. Dig in! and yummy :)

Peach Cranberry Glazed Pork

I was looking on line for a peach cranberry glaze for my pork roast for dinner and I couldn't find one. I'm trying to use ingredients that I have around the house and so that is what I had. I had read cranberry glaze recipes and peach glaze recipes but I didn't have all of the items needed to make those. So, using the ingredients I had at my house, I created this glaze. I had my picky 7 yr. old try the glaze, he said it was good. Therefore, I went with it. :) gotta love the honesty of a 7 yr. old. :) This will give the pork a nice glaze and sweet tangy flavor.

Ingredients:

1 - 16oz jar jellied cranberry sauce

1- 18 oz jar peach jelly

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

4 dashes of ground ginger

2 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp yellow mustard

1 cup brown sugar

4 tsp Ranch dressing mix

2 tsp kosher salt

Mix till well blended.

Glaze on to pork roast - Bake according to pork Lbs.

When cooking the pork, I like to line the bottom of the baking dish with sliced onions, they become slightly caramelized with the glaze, which adds a great flavor to the dish.

When I was baking the pork, I started baking it covered for about 30-45 min. Then I removed the cover, and re-glazed the pork, left the lid off and cooked for another 40-50 min. then I reglazed the pork again. This time returning the lid on top of the dish. Again about every 30 min or so, I would glaze the pork until the internal temperature was between 150 and 160. Then I remove the pork from the oven and let it rest. While it rests, I added another coating of the glaze. While the pork continues to rest. I put the remainder of the glaze in a small sauce pan and thickened the glaze after it came to a rolling boil. I thickened the glaze with 1/4 cup water and 1 heaping tsp of cornstarch. I continued to let this stay at a rolling boil until desired thickness.

Once the glaze was thickened, the pork done resting, I removed the pork from the baking dish, removed the netting that helped keep the pork together during baking, cut the pork and then poured the thickened glaze and the onions on top of the cut pork.

Verdict... This was HEAVENLY! The pork with the glaze on it had such a nice flavor and aftertaste. It wasn't bitter in the least bit. It might have been too sweet for some, but for us, we liked it sweet. you could probably cut back on the brown sugar if you wanted for a less sweet taste. My kids ate a TON of this! I have a little left over, but I have more glaze than anything left over. I am tempted to save the glaze for another pork dish later on. But I'm not to sure if it would be good saved. I hope you enjoy this as much as we did. My husband had his eyes rolling back in his head, and my kids did even want a drink until they were finished eating this delicious pork dish. Enjoy!

Slow cooker Smothered Pork Chops - Quick

This morning on our menu we have smothered pork chops. I had bought at reduced price, a package of bone-in pork chops, and stuck them in the freezer for a later date. I thawed them in the fridge, and went to find my Campbells french onion soup. I was only able to find one can, I then checked my food storage where I found a Progresso French Onion Soup. It is much larger than the french onion soup by Campbell's, but I used it anyways.The first thing I did was cut out the bones. This is an easy step, but not needed if you don't want to. I do it because my husband doesn't like to cut around the bone when he is trying to eat. It is definitely cheaper to buy bone-in and then remove the bones when you get home either before you freeze or after. Here is how quick this came together after removing the bones.

Ingredients:

2 lbs bone-in pork chops (approx 8 pork chops)

1 can Campbell's French Onion Soup

1 can Progresso French Onion Soup

1 can Cream of chicken, mushroom or what ever soup (I used a can of Cream of Chicken with Herbs)

1-2 tbsp olive oil

sea salt and pepper for taste

In the 6 quart crock pot, I added the soups and mixed well.

Next I removed the bones from the pork chops and seasoned with sea salt and pepper.

Then I heated the olive oil in a small skillet and lightly browned/seared, the pork chops.

Once they were browned on both sides, I placed them in the crock pot with the soup mixture. and set on low for 8 hours.

My family loves this recipe. They are so tasty and quick and easy. It happens really quick because over high heat in the hot oil, they brown quickly, and then your done. You can serve this with noodles, rice, potatoes, or what ever starch you want. You could even top with cheese and brown in the oven to add further flavor and yumminess.

Split Pea Soup

The first time I tried to make split pea soup, it was gritty and yucky... so I'm trying it again... can you say, hard headed... yeah that's me. This time I thought, how about I try it in the crock pot to see if I can make it in there. That way it cooks a long time, it's gotta work... right.... Well, here's hoping.

I have it going in the crock pot. I put it in around noon today. If figured, 6 hours on high... it's gotta cook. Right?! Here is what I did, and I'll let you know how it turned out when it's done. :)

Ingredients:

8 cups chicken broth (mine is homemade)

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup diced onion

1 bag of dried split peas - sorted and rinsed

2-3 cups diced ham for garnish

I added the chicken broth to the crock pot. Next, I added the celery, carrots and onion. Finally, I added the split peas. They are all cooking in one harmonious pot of yumminess. I have ham to add to it once it's blended, creamy and smooth. I am letting it cook at least 5-6 hours on high. Then I will remove, add about 1/2 cup of half and half. and blend well. Served with diced ham and french onion straws.

Grandma Lancaster's Poprikash

This one is for you Laney :)

Poprikash
by Pauline Lancaster

3-5 lbs. chicken skinned
2 lrg onions finely chopped

Put chicken in large pot and boil with one tbsp salt.

Debone Chicken. Throw away the bones.

In another pan braise or boil onions until soft and change color.

Add 2-3 tbsp paprika to onions, after chicken is cooked, remove from pan, add onions and more water to pan (that the chicken was in). Add the chicken back in. Then bring to rolling boil. Add dumplings by spoonful of dough into the boiling soup water.

Dumplings,
4 eggs
1 tbsp salt
1 1/2 cups water or more
add flour to make stiff dough

plop dough in boiling water by 1/2 tbsp til dumplings are done (floating at top).

paprika and salt to taste. Then enjoy :)

Verdict:

My grandmother used to make this for us on cold days. It really warms the soul. I have fond memories of her making this in her kitchen. The smells, the sounds, and the family time spent. I had a special request from a dear family member to add this to my blog. I hope you enjoy this as much as we do. It's a simple dumpling and chicken recipe. Not too complicated. My kids favorite part are the dumplings. They are my favorite part too... but they are so flavorful and yummy in this it's hard to resist :) Even fun for making on as a halloween dish... My kids said they look like little floating brains :) what fun kids are! ;)

Eggs in a Nest

This morning, I was craving eggs and buttered toast, but also maple syrup... Doesn't that just sound delicious? I thought so this morning. So, I of course put my own spin on it... It was SOOO good... I had to share, and not only that but my middle son Braeden, reminded me to take a picture,.. he thought it was YUMMY! He said "Hey, mom, Take a picture.. this is homemade and yummy... even the bread... " I of course made this for him before I made mine, and his was all gone... So, I made myself this and Oh boy.... yummy!

Ingredients (makes two)

2 slices of bread (preferably homemade)

2 eggs

butter

salt and pepper to taste

toaster

skillet

Directions:

Place thick slices of bread in the toaster, in a skillet melt at least 2 tbsp butter. Once the toast is toasted in the toaster, place in melted butter in skillet. Turn over quickly to butter both sides with melted butter. Then cut a criss cross pattern on the inside of the bread between crusts, then crack one egg onto each piece of toast. and cook one side till brown, then flip and cook till browned. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Then remove and drizzle maple syrup on top... if you don't like runny eggs, cook longer over lower heat.. to cook till done to likeness. I however, LOVE runny eggs.

Verdict...

Heaven for breakfast... sweet, salty, eggy, buttery, toasty, mapley... what could be better, Not much. It's late and I'm getting hungry for some for a late night snack... mmmmm yummy