Veggie Beef Stew (slow cooker)

Tonight's dinner is a throw it in and forget it kind of day. I'm making some fresh bread to go with it. I was just going to make some beef stew, but realized I wanted more veggie content. Then it turned into more of a veggie stew with a few chunks of beef. I think this will be a good dinner full of vitamins. It should have a great beefy flavor. A nice and hearty dinner.

Ingredients:
1 fajita dry mix
1 cup beef gravy dry mix
1 can beef stock
1 cup diced onions
1 lb beef stew chunks
1 bag frozen mixed veggies
2 cups dried potato slices
4 -6 cups water
10 shakes of Worcestershire sauce
1 regular bag of carrots 8 or 9 regular, thick sliced
4 stalks of celery, large slices

Directions:
dump the fajita and beef gravy mix in the bottom of the slow cooker. Then add the beef stock and 4 cups water. Stir to dissolve the fajita and beef gravy mixture. Then add the potatoes, carrots, celery, and mixed veggies. Stirring to mix it all together. Then add the beef chunks and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to incorporate it all. Add more water to cover if not enough liquid to cover.

Set on low for 6 hours. High for 3-4.

Serve with warm rolls, and a salad.

Verdict:
My kids ate it all up and then even finished the broth. That's a win in my book. My husband said it was good too... I really liked it. Not bad for throwing things I had on hand in a slow cooker to eat for dinner. Yeah Me! I hope you enjoy it too :)

Five Cheese Baked Mac N Cheese

After the last baked mac n cheese, my husband has been craving baked mac n cheese. He used to never ask for it. But he has lately. So when I went grocery shopping with him I asked him if he wanted it on the menu this week. He said "Sure! What do you need?" So, needlessly to say, we picked cheeses we thought would be tasty in a baked mac n cheese. A small block of white sharp cheddar, and some gruyere. I already had at the house some Asiago, and Romano. It was originally going to be just the four cheeses. Then I decided at the last minute that it would be a nice touch to add some mozzarella cheese on top of the dish. So that is how we got the 5 cheese mac n cheese. This is a pretty typical (at least I think so) baked mac n cheese recipe.  I did not look at any recipe for this. I just kept thinking... what would taste good and then I just went with the flow. I know it's kind of dangerous to do that, but I like living on the edge. Can you tell?

This dish I think would have to be my favorite Baked Mac N Cheese I've ever had. And that's saying something. It is flavorful without being too salty or too bland. This is the perfect Baked Mac N Cheese.

Ingredients:
4 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar (white)
2 cups shredded gruyere
1 cup asiago shredded
1 cup romano shredded
1 Tbsp pesto
1/2 tsp white pepper
8-9 cups of milk
3 cups half n half
1 box elbow macaroni (I used quick cook)
1 cup diced onion
1 tsp garlic paste
4 Tbsp butter
4-5 heaping tsp flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup italian bread crumbs (to sprinkle on top)
1 cup mozzarella cheese (to sprinkle on top)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare 13X9 baking dish by spraying all sides and bottom generously with non stick cooking spray, or lining with foil sprayed with non stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl shred all cheeses and set aside.

In a large pot place water on to boil to prepare pasta according to package directions (cook to al dente).

In a medium sauce pan, place the onions, butter, and garlic paste. Cook until the onions are translucent, stirring occasionally to incorporate all ingredients. Then add the flour and stir until slightly golden color, the flour and butter will combine to make a think paste like consistency. Gradually whisk in the milk, and half n half. This will be a thin consistency until the milk heats enough to thicken the mixture. Add the pepper and pesto. Stir/whisk constantly until thicken. Add pasta to boiling pot of water (Do not add any salt to the water) and cook to al dente.

In a small bowl beat the eggs and gradually add some of the milk mixture to the eggs while consistently beating them together. This will temper the eggs so they won't cook separately in the sauce. Once they are tempered, pour the egg mixture into the rest of the milk mixture, stirring to incorporate. Then while still on the heat, add the cheese and stir until all the cheese is melted.

By now the noodles should have been completely cooked (leave slightly al dente) and drained. (DO NOT RINSE PASTA) Turn the heat off under the cheese sauce. Add cheese sauce to the pasta. Pour pasta/cheese sauce mixture into a prepared (Sprayed with non-stick cooking spray) 13X9 baking dish.

Place baking dish in a 350F oven for 25 minutes, then turn heat up to 425F. Sprinkle the pasta dish with the italian bread crumbs and mozzarella cheese. Bake an additional 5-10 minutes until sides are browned and cheese is bubbly.

Serve hot/warm.

Verdict:

my leftovers :) lunch tomorrow

My favorite dish! My husband agrees that this is the best baked mac n cheese. He had two helpings, I had two helpings, even two of my kids had seconds. I have enough for a little leftover but not much. It will feed a ton. This is good as a dish for a potluck, dinner by its self or served as a side dish. If you use this mixture of cheeses this will be a small slice of heaven.

Fruit Salad

Today I had a baby blessing to attend, and then a pot luck meal afterwards. I was asked to bring a fruit salad. I for some reason am a little intimidated by fruit salad. I worry about allergies, and putting the right combination of fruit together, so that everyone will like it. I am a people pleaser... or at least I try to be. I don't recall ever putting together my very own fruit salad, unless it was from the store and or a frozen fruit mixture thing. This today was done all by myself. I cut all the fruit that needed cutting or at least picked it all up from my local grocery store fresh the day before. I had my husband come with me to help me pick out yummy fruit. That was also one way that I could make sure he liked what was in it. Sometimes I do have ulterior motives for why I do things the way I do. With that being said. This was fairly easy to put together, I don't think I will ever use a store prepared one again. It was so fresh and delicious. I would have eaten the whole thing but I decided I would be patient incase there were any leftovers I could bring some home. I was glad I didn't eat it all there, I still had about half of the salad left and brought some home. Now mind you, this makes a TON of fruit salad. It might be good for freezing half of it for when you have several gatherings to go to, or just a HUGE neighborhood get together or family reunion to attend. Even a church pot luck this would be great, because it makes so much.

Ingredients:

2 clam shells black berries
2 clam shells blue berries
2 clam shells strawberries
1 cantaloupe
1/2 a seedless watermelon
7 nectarines
1 big bag of red or green grapes

Directions:

rinse all the black berries and blue berries, place in large bowl, then rinse and drain the strawberries cutting the green stems off and slicing, then adding to the bowl. Cut the cantaloupe and add to the big bowl, then cut the nectarines up and add to the bowl. Cut half of the watermelon up and add to the bowl. Rinse and remove stems from the grapes and add whole or cut to the salad. Toss with two spoons gently, but allow fruit to mix completely. Serve chilled or right away.

Verdict:
This makes a great summer snack for the kids, or even for a pot luck. The fruit was in season and so flavorful. I highly recommend using any fruit that is in season. It cuts the cost down and the flavors will be so tasty. After I was on my way to the pot luck, i realized that kiwi's would have been a yummy addition to this recipe as well. There is no added sugar or flavorings.

Homemade Wheat Bread

My husband is a bread fanatic... if you haven't figured that out by now. My other bread recipes that are not from scratch, kneaded by hand and all that, he does eat but doesn't LOVE it! This bread recipe is pretty much the same as the one he LOVES except I substituted about 6 cups of whole wheat flour for part of the unbleached flour. I am really trying to add whole grains where ever possible. Here's hoping he loves it just as much. If not, I'll be making more tomorrow.

Ingredients:

6 cups hot water
2 Tbsp yeast
1/2 cup LDS church dry milk or 1 cup regular dry milk
1 cup sugar
6-8 cups of unbleached flour - plus extra for kneading
2 Tbsp salt
3/4 cup oil
6 cups whole wheat flour

Directions:

Mix the first 4 ingredients together with a wire whisk. Then add 6 cups of unbleached flour and whisk until a paper mache' consistency. Then whip for another 100 strokes. Let set for approx. 1 hour

then add the salt and oil, stir with a fat plastic spatula (I got mine at IKEA). Then add the 6 cups of whole wheat flour. mixing as best you can, then turn onto a floured surface (use unbleached flour). Then start kneading the rest of the flour in to it. Once it isn't too sticky, then let set for 5 minutes.

Place dough into a large metal bowl (also from IKEA) let rise til double in size three times. Each time punching it down and turning it over. Then form into loaves, pizza dough, or rolls.  Let rise until double in size.

Bake 350F for 26 minutes for bread and 18 minutes for rolls. Pizza dough is 10 minutes to pre-bake, then another 10 minutes with toppings at 450F.

Ooey Gooey Cake

The name of this cake may seem quite in appropriate... but it so is. This cake is so delicious! It is heaven in cake form. At least in my opinion. If you like chocolate, caramel, and more chocolate... then this is your kind of cake. This is a very rich cake. So a glass of milk is totally needed. And if your on a "diet" you will have to make believe that your no longer on a "diet", because your going to die and go to heaven, and forget about what ever it was you were trying to avoid... It's all here! This cake is what I'm going to eat for breakfast, I made it last night and because it's so rich I only can eat one piece a day. However, my children can eat it non stop... so I have to put limits on this cake. I think if I had made a jello cake instead I could eat the whole thing in one night, but this takes time to savor and enjoy! You'll see what I mean when I tell you how to make it. Oh, and it's so easy it's a semi-from scratch. I made it at home but with items that can be purchased from the store. Be fore warned.. this may cause sever drooling, chocolate fit attacks, and a sweet tooth...

Ingredients:
1 chocolate cake mix (including ingredients to make cake mix)
1-2 cans of sweetened condensed milk
chocolate syrup
caramel sauce
whipped cream
1 bamboo skewer

Directions:
Make the chocolate cake mix according to package directions in a 13X9 pan. After you pull it out of the oven HOT. (That is key) poke holes in the cake mix with the bamboo skewer (all along the top of the cake). Next, pore sweetened condensed milk on top of the Hot cake, then pore caramel and chocolate sauce on top of the sweetened condensed milk.

Either place in the refrigerator or set out on the counter top to allow the cake to cool and soak up the deliciousness. Before serving. Either spread non-dairy whipped topping, or Whipped Cream (I recommend) on top, then drizzle more chocolate sauce and caramel sauce on top.

Serve with a large glass of milk.

Verdict!
HEAVEN in a pan! That is if your a chocolate fan! if not, try my jello cake if you prefer a fruity flavor or non-chocolate and lower calorie cake.

Jello Cake

This dish is a deliciously sweet EASY cake. I know how easy can it be? you may be asking yourself. But it really is. I like this dish on a hot summer day. It's cold and delicious. It's sweet and light. It is also fruitie (is that really a word, for me it is) without adding any fruit to it. I also like to make jello cakes to go along with some holidays like St. Patricks day, or Easter. Even the 4th of July!  This cake will make you want to add jello to almost every cake you make. At least for me it does. I don't make this very often because I tend to forget about it sometimes, or I don't want to wear it out too much.

Ingredients:
1 cake mix (preferably white, yellow, butter or french vanilla)
1 box jello mix (plus hot water to help dissolve, and cold water - per package instructions)
whipped cream/non-dairy whipped topping
1 bamboo skewer

Directions:
Make cake mix per box instructions in a 13X9. Make jello per package instructions in a medium bowl - set aside (do not refrigerate yet). After cake is removed from the oven-HOT- poke holes all over the top of the cake with the bamboo skewer. Next - Pour the whole bowl of dissolved jello on top of the HOT cake. (Yes, I said pour the whole thing). Then place the pan in the refrigerator for 4-5 hours to let the jello set, and the cake cool. After jello has congealed, and cake is cooled. Spread the whipped cream or non-dairy whipped topping on top. And dig in!

Verdict!
So delicious, and tasty. I have used strawberry jello, lime jello, and even mixed jello flavors (I don't use all of it then. But it tastes delicious. These are light, yet flavorful cakes without adding too much to the waist line. Always a winner in my book.

Dr. Pepper Oriental Shredded Beef (Slow cooker)

Tonights dinner will be Dr. Pepper Oriental Beef. You may be asking your self "What in the HECK?" Yeah, I know I'm strange and sometimes the names sound strange. But this has the potential to be very tasty. I hope you read through the ingredients and think they go well together. I know I think they do.
Part of tonights dinner's inspiration came from the Pioneer Woman's Dr.Pepper Spicy pork. I had a 2-3 lb beef roast in the freezer. Which unless it's pulled would not be enough for my family for dinner. I didn't want to do the regular BBq beef with just adding store bought BBq sauce. So I thought about what made the Pioneer woman's pork so tasty. It was a little heat, and sweet. I had some chili sauce, the beef roast, and Dr. pepper... I keep thinking I'm inspired but this might just be the beginning of the end with my brain. I'll let you know tonight after dinner :)

Ingredients
2-3 lb beef roast
2 cans Dr. Pepper
2 Tbsp chili sauce
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
3 Tbsp Soy sauce
3 dashes of ground ginger

Directions:

Add all ingredients to a slow cooker, turn on high 4-5 hours, low 7-8. cook until fork tender, shred and serve over rice with mixed veggies, or on a hamburger bun.  Enjoy!