Crockpot Beef Stroganoff

 Note:  It has been a while since I have uploaded recipes, but I am realizing I really need to get back at it because I try new recipes and then I lose them.  This stroganoff is in the crockpot right now.   It is what we will eat after church tomorrow.   I love having lunch ready when we get home.  

Crockpot Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients

1 pound cubed beef stew meat1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed golden mushroom soup
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup water
4 ounces cream cheese
Directions
In a slow cooker, combine the meat, soup, onion, Worcestershire sauce and water.  Cook on Low setting for 8 hours, or on High setting for about 5 hours. Stir in cream cheese just before serving. 

Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Note:  My husband's favorite soup is chicken tortilla.  Finding a way to make it in the crockpot is my favorite! 

Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients

• 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
• 2 cups of shredded chicken 
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans
• 1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers, drained
• 2 cans of cream of chicken soup 

Directions

Throw everything in the crockpot.  Cook it for 4-6 hours on low.   Easy breezy!   

Crockpot Potato Soup

Note:  The hint of cooler weather made me crave potato soup.  I made some for football last weekend and now I am hoping for more. 
Crockpot Potato Soup

Ingredients

1 30oz. bag of frozen diced hash browns

1 32 oz box of chicken broth

1 can of cream of chicken soup (10 oz)

1 pkg. cream cheese (8 oz, not fat free)

3 oz bacon bits 

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 

salt and pepper to taste 

Directions

Put the potatoes in the crockpot.  Add in the chicken broth, cream of chicken soup and half of the bacon bits.  Add a pinch of salt and pepper.  Cook on low for 7-8 hours or until potatoes are tender.  An hour before serving, cut the cream cheese into small cubes.  Place the cubes in the crock pot.  Mix a few times throughout the hour before serving.  

Once the cream cheese is completely mixed in, it's ready to serve. 

Serve plain or topped with cheddar cheese and bacon bits.   Yummy!

Cornbread

Note:  Cornbread is a southern staple.  My boys can almost make a meal off a pan of cornbread.   This recipe calls for one cup fresh cut corn which makes it extra delicious.  I am really going to miss the fresh garden vegetables of summer, but I am not going to miss heat.  I am SO ready for it to leave!

Cornbread

Ingredients
1/2 stick butter – melted
1 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 cup fresh cut corn or 1 cup of canned creamed corn
1 cup self rising corn meal
1/4 cup chopped sweet onion
1/4 cup chopped jalapeño peppers (optional)
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 more Tablespoons melted butter

Directions
Melt butter in a 8″ iron skillet.  In a medium bowl add the sour cream and eggs and mix well.  Add the corn, meal, and chopped onion, and melted butter. Add peppers and cheese if desired.   Stir until blended and pour into iron skillet.  Bake 425 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until top is golden brown.
Add a couple of Teaspoons of melted butter to the skillet before pouring the batter in for an extra measure of butter taste and crisp crust.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

My sweet husband is going to his high school class reunion this weekend.   He graduated from a very small class (about 20).  Hope they enjoy his favorite cookie. 

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups milk chocolate chips 

 

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter, sugar and brown sugar until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth. In a separate bowl, stir together baking soda, salt and flour. Add flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Fold in oatmeal and chocolate chips. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper.  Have I ever mentioned how much I LOVE parchment paper?  Love it!  Bake 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.

Chocolate Molten Lava Cake like Chili's

We have a couple of birthdays coming.  I am kind of hoping that someone will choose this as their birthday dessert.   About once every couple of months we will go to the restaurant and just order appetizers and then get this dessert.   So Yummy!

Chocolate Molten Lava Cake

Ingredients

1 Chocolate Cake Mix

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 bag chocolate chips

1 small box instant chocolate pudding

1 1/4 cup water

Directions

I admit that I invested in one of those cute mini-fluted mold pans.   You don't have to get one of those, but I did after finding one at Bed, Bath and Beyond and having their coupon.   Before that I used my white ramekins to bake these.   This recipe makes 12 cakes individual cakes.   If you don't have either just make it in a muffin tin and you will have slightly smaller cakes. 

Coat your pan really well with a non-stick cooking spray.    Mix together all ingredients, but stir in chocolate chips.  Pour batter into your greased pans.  Bake at 350 degrees until set, but not overcooked.   You want them to be moist and delicious! 

You can serve them at this point with hot fudge, vanilla ice cream, whipped cream and a cherry. 

OR

You can freeze the cakes until you need them!

Crawfish Cornbread

Note:  This cornbread is a meal all in one pan -- or at least it is to me.  Make up a nice salad and I am one happy girl! 

Crawfish Cornbread

Ingredients
2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon Creole or Cajun seasoning
6 eggs
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 yellow onion, finely diced
8 ounces cheddar cheese, grated
1 (12-ounce) bag frozen corn, thawed
2 pounds crawfish tail meat, finely chopped
1 (4-ounce) can diced jalapenos

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.

Stir the cornmeal, baking powder, salt and creole seasoning together in a very large bowl. Stir in the eggs and oil and mix thoroughly. Add the onion, cheese, corn, crawfish and jalapenos and stir until everything is completely mixed together and evenly distributed.

Spread the cornbread into the prepared pan, smoothing out the surface. Bake for 45 – 50 minutes until golden and firm and a tester comes out clean. Let rest for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving warm.

Oatmeal Cake with Coconut Pecan Frosting

Note:  Baking this cake is very safe for me.  I have no desire to eat it because I do not like coconut.  However, it makes my husband oh so happy!!

Oatmeal Cake with Coconut Pecan Frosting

Ingredients:
1/2 C quick cooking oatmeal
3/4 C boiling water
1/2 C sugar
1/2 C brown sugar
2/3 C flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 egg
1/4 C of shortening

Directions:
Mix the oatmeal with the boiling water, stir and cover. Mix the remaining ingredients then stir in the oatmeal mixture. Grease and flour a 9×9 pan. Pour batter into pan and bake at 350 for 23-25 minutes.

Coconut Pecan Frosting:
3 TBS melted butter
1/3 C brown sugar
1/2 C sweetened shredded coconut
1/2 C chopped nuts
2 TBS milk
1/2 tsp vanilla

Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Carefully spread frosting over the top of the cake. Broil until coconut is just brown. Watch very closely – it doesn’t take long. Cool, slice and serve.

South African Lekker Pudding

We love making foods from other countries at Christmas.  One of our favorites is this one from Africa.   We discovered it after doing a Christmas Around the World project a few years ago.    It seemed the obvious pick since Hannah and Uncle Larry did their missions work there and one of our close friends grew up in South Africa. Our friend introduced us to Lekker Pudding. Lekker Pudding is a traditional Christmas treat in South Africa. It is very yummy and very rich. Lekker in Afrikaan simply means "good" and oh my is it!

South African Lekker Pudding

Ingredients

3/4 cup of self-rising flour
1 egg
1 Tbsp apricot jam
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp softened butter
a pinch of salt
a pinch of ground nutmeg
1 tsp grated orange zest
FOR THE SYRUP:
1/2 cup boiling water
1/2 cup cream
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp grated orange zest

Directions

Dissolve the baking soda in the milk. Mix all the other ingredients together well, then add the milk and mix well until smooth. Pour into a baking dish and bake for 30-40 minutes at 350 or until a skewer comes out clean.
Place all the ingredients for the syrup in a small saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat. Serve pudding warm with generous amounts of syrup.

Copycat Lipton Onion Soup Mix

Note:  I use Lipton Onion Soup mix for a lot of recipes.  Now that I have a quick and easy recipe I will never wonder if I have any of those packets anymore! 

Copycat Lipton Onion Soup Mix
Ingredients
3/4 c. Dried minced onion
1/3 c. beef bouillon granules
4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp crushed celery seed
1/4 tsp sugar

Directions
Combine all ingredients.  Seal in a ziploc or vacuum seal jar. Approximate 5 Tbs of mix equals one envelope (1 1/4 oz).

To make onion dip:

5 Tbs. Prepared Mix
1 pint Sour Cream

Blend well, refrigerate for at least an hour.

Starbucks Lemon Loaf

Note:  Have you ever eaten Starbucks Lemon Loaf?   It is delicious.  Like lemonade goodness in a cake.   I was so excited when someone shared this recipe with me.   Now I can make their cake for less than what it cost to get a slice at Starbucks.   Yes!

STARBUCKS LEMON LOAF

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup(s) flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 cup(s) sugar
2 TBS butter; Softened.
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp lemon extract
1/3 cup(s) lemon juice
1/2 cup(s) oil

Lemon Icing Ingredients:
1 cup powdered sugar; Plus 1 Tablespoon.
2 TBS whole milk
1/2 tsp lemon extract

Instructions:
Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl.  Use a mixer to blend together the eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla, lemon extract and lemon juice in a medium bowl.   Pour wet ingredient into the dry ingredients and blend until smooth.  Add oil and mix well.  Pour batter into a well greased 9x5-inch loaf pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until a toothpick stuck into center of the cake comes out clean.
Make the lemon icing by combining all the icing ingredients in a small bowl with an electric mixer on low speed.  When the loaf is cool, remove it from pan and frost the top with the icing.  Let the icing set up before slicing.

Butterhorn Rolls

Note:  These are special occasion rolls.   They are not difficult to make as much as they take a long time to rise.   However, don't let that scare you away from giving them a try because they are delicious!

Butterhorn Rolls

Ingredients
1/2 cup warm water

2 Tbsp Instant yeast

2 Tbsp sugar

2 cups milk

6 beaten eggs

1 cup sugar

6 Tbsp melted butter

2 tsp salt

8-11 cups flour

Directions

Dissolve yeast and sugar in water and let stand for a few minutes until foamy. Meanwhile, scald milk in the microwave (usually 1 or 2 minutes) and then cool to lukewarm. Add the milk, eggs, sugar, butter and salt to the yeast mixture and stir. Add flour, one cup at a time and mix well until the dough is cleaned from the sides of the bowl, and soft and pliable. Place in a lightly greased bowl and cover. Let rise in a warm place for 5 hours.

After the first rise, divide dough into five pieces. Roll each piece into a large circle, 1/4" thick. Cut circle into 12 or 16 wedges. Roll up from the widest end to the tip, creating a butterhorn shape. Place on greased baking sheets and brush tops generously with melted butter. Let rise for 3 hours. Bake @ 350 degrees for 13-14 minutes. Brush tops again with melted butter immediately after removing from the oven.

Triple Chocolate Cake

Note:  Too much craziness.   Too much stress.   This calls for chocolate... LOTS of chocolate!

Triple Chocolate Cake

Ingredients
1 pkg Devil’s Food cake mix
1 pkg instant chocolate pudding
1 cup chocolate chips
4 eggs
1/4 cup oil
1 1/2 cup water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350º.  Grease a bundt pan thoroughly.  Combine all ingredients with a mixer.

The batter will be slightly lumpy, but that is OK.  Pour batter into greased bundt pan and bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes.  Remove from pan immediately and allow to cool on a rack.  Dust with powdered sugar.

Store in an airtight container for up to 7 days in the refrigerator.

Breakfast Cream Cheese Danish

Note:  One day while shopping at Kroger there was a cream cheese danish on sale.   To my surprise, Little Guy asked if I would buy it for him.   He absolutely loves cream cheese danish apparently. That meant I needed to find a quick and easy recipe so I could make one for him.   This one has worked well.

Breakfast Cheese Danish

Ingredients:
2 cans ready to use refrigerated crescent rolls
2 (8-ounce each) packages cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg white

Glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
Preheat oven to 350* degrees and grease a 13X9-inch baking pan. Lay a pack of crescent rolls in the pan and pinch the openings together. Beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and egg together until smooth. Spread the mixture over the crescent rolls evenly and then lay the second pack of crescent rolls on top of the cheese mixture and brush with egg white. Bake for 35-45 minutes until the top is golden brown. Top with glaze after cooling for 20 minutes.

Caramel Cake

Note:  There is something so southern about a caramel cake.   Once you have tasted a really good caramel cake you kind of become a caramel cake snob.   I won't tell you my caramel cake is the best you will ever have, but there is rarely any left so I will say it is highly acceptable. 

Caramel Cake

Ingredients
1 cup whole milk
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
2 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups sifted cake flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons, softened
3/4 cup heavy cream

Icing
3 cups sugar
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter three 8-inch cake pans; line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter the parchment and flour the pans, tapping out the excess.  In a bowl, mix 1/4 cup of the milk with the egg whites and vanilla extract. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle, mix the flour with the sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the butter and the remaining 3/4 cup of milk. Beat at low speed until blended, then beat at medium speed until smooth, 1 minute. Beat in the egg white mixture in 3 batches.  In another bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the cream until soft peaks form. Stir one-third of the whipped cream into the batter, then fold in the rest. Divide the batter between the pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean. Let the cakes cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Unmold the cakes and peel off the parchment. Invert the cakes and let cool completely.

In a saucepan, stir 2 1/2 cups of the sugar with the corn syrup and milk. Cook over moderate heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Keep warm.  Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar in a deep, heavy saucepan. Cook the sugar over moderate heat, swirling occasionally, until an amber caramel forms. Carefully pour the warm milk mixture over the caramel. Cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until the caramel dissolves. Stop stirring and cook until the caramel registers 235° on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat. Stir in the butter, vanilla and 1/4 cup of the heavy cream. Strain the caramel into the bowl of a standing mixer. Let cool for 15 minutes.  Beat the caramel at medium speed, gradually adding the remaining 1/4 cup of cream, until creamy, about 15 minutes. Set 1 cake layer on a plate. Pour enough icing over the layer to cover the top. Top with a second cake layer and cover it with icing. Add the final cake layer and pour the rest of the icing over the top of the cake, letting it run down the sides. Working quickly, use an offset spatula to spread the icing gently around the cake. Let the cake stand for 2 hours to set the icing before serving.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins

Note:   I am working on a batch of these to be breakfast muffins for next week while the floor installers are here.   If I am honest with myself I will go ahead and double the recipe because I know these will be gone before the week even starts!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups oats (old fashioned or quick oats)
2 and 2/3 cups flour
2/3 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup butter
6 ounces chocolate chips

Directions:
Combine the oats, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, milk, and oil.
Stir the egg mixture into the flour mixture until moistened. Mix the chocolate chips in.
Fix greased or paper-lined muffin cups 2/3 full with the batter. Bake at 400 degrees for 16-18 minutes, or until tops are light golden.
Makes approximately 18 muffins.

French Toast Bake

Note:  With our house in chaos, cooking has been quite the challenge.   Quick and easy one dish meals have been VERY appealing to me.   This is going into the refrigerator for our breakfast in the morning.   We are going to need a big breakfast before we completely empty out the house so our new wood floors can be installed next week. 

FRENCH TOAST BAKE

Ingredients
1/2 cup melted butter (1 stick)
1 cup brown sugar
1 loaf Texas toast
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Powdered sugar for sprinkling

Directions
Melt butter in microwave & add brown sugar....stir till mixed. Pour butter/sugar mix into bottom of 9 x 13 pan....spread around.  Beat eggs, milk, & vanilla.  Lay single layer of Texas Toast in pan. Spoon 1/2 of egg mixture on bread layer.  Add 2nd layer of Texas Toast. Spoon on remaining egg mixture.  Cover & chill in fridge overnight.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes (covered for the first 30 minutes).  Sprinkle with powdered sugar.  Serve with warm syrup!

7 up/Sprite/Ginger Ale Biscuits

Note:  We have been so busy this summer that family suppers have been more rare than common.   This past week I asked the boys what meals they had been craving.   Big Guy said he really wanted roast, mashed potatoes, homemade biscuits and veggies.    Last night I had everything almost ready and realized I hadn't made biscuits.   I didn't want to disappoint him but didn't want to hold up supper so I whipped up these 7 up biscuits which turned out to be ginger ale biscuits since I didn't have 7 up.   They aren't technically homemade, but they were as close as I could get in the time crunch I had.

7 up/Sprite/Ginger Ale Biscuits

Ingredients
4 cups Bisquick
1 cup sour cream
1 cup 7-up/Sprite/Ginger Ale (basically any kind of lemon-lime drink)
1/2 cup melted butter

Directions
Melt your butter in the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking pan.   Fold sour cream into Bisquick and then add 7 up.  Just mix, but don't over mix.    Dump onto a floured surface.   Roll out to a 1 inch thickness.   Cut out and place in the butter pan.   Bake in a 425 degree oven until golden brown. 

Homemade Coffee Creamer

Note: I like making my own coffee creamer rather than buying it.   It tastes better to me and I don't have to use very much of it.   Make the base recipe and then add whatever flavors you want to it.

Base Recipe

Ingredients
14oz sweetened condensed milk
1 3/4 cup half & half (whole milk, almond milk, whatever you prefer)
 
Directions
Pour ingredients into a jar with a tight lid and shake until well  mixed.   

Flavor Add Ins...

French Vanilla Creamer
2 teaspoons vanilla extract OR vanilla coffee syrup

Chocolate
2-3 tablespoons chocolate syrup

Vanilla Caramel
2 tablespoons caramel ice cream topping
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Samoa (like the Girl Scout Cookies)
2 teaspoons coconut extract
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
2 tablespoons caramel ice cream topping

Peppermint Patty
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
1 teaspoon peppermint extract

Turtle Cheesecake Ball

Note:   Our Aunt Raylene posted this recipe and now I am trying to figure out what party I am going to throw just so I can make it!   Doesn't it sound divine??

TURTLE CHEESECAKE BALL

Ingredients
8 oz softened cream cheese
1/4 cup butter (room temperature)
1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
1-1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup mini semisweet choc chips
1/2 pk dry vanilla pudding mix
1/2 cup caramel topping plus little more for drizzling
.
Directions
1.Cream soften cream cheese & butter.
2.Add caramel topping and beat well.
3.Cream in brown sugar & icing sugar.
4.Add vanilla & dry pudding mix.
5.Fold in choc chips & pecans.
6.Pat into a ball and refrigerate for one hour.
7.Place ball on serving platter, drizzle with caramel topping and serve with chocolate wafers, chocolate graham fingers, Nilla wafers or sliced apples.