I've made these bars several times now, and they've gone over very well. They are very good. This particular recipe has made the rounds of many blogs, and there are a few different versions that you can check out. I'll post links to a few of them (and those blogs will link to other blogs with a similar recipe), but the one on top is the version I've made.
Cinnamon-Lover's Snickerdoodle Blondies from A Southern Grace
Snickersoodle Blondies from My Baking Addiction This version has a lot of vanilla and some nutmeg in it. I think I'm going to have to put this on my "must-try" list!
Snickerdoodle Blondies from Ann Strawberry This version has cream cheese in it.
Pumpkin Pie Snickerdoodle Bars from Megan's Cookin' This version has, as the title implies, pumpkin in it ... this is going to have to go onto my "must-try" list! I love pumpkin!
Anyways, I think you get the idea!
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Pepperoni Pan Pizza
Printable Recipe
This recipe comes from Cook's Country magazine. I am still on the lookout for that "perfect" homemade pizza recipe, but this one is pretty good. I've made it for my family several times and they all think it is pretty great. It makes a pretty thick crust, but if you prefer a thinner crust, just make more than two pizzas out it. Any extra dough can be rolled out like you would for pizza, only don't top it, just bake it. Cut it in squares and serve with pizza sauce. You can brush it with a little olive oil, and sprinkle it with Italian seasonings and Parmesan cheese before baking, if you would like.
Dough
2 tbsp olive oil
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp skim milk, warmed
2 tsp sugar
2 1/3 cup flour, plus extra for rolling out
1 pkg instant (rapid rise) yeast (1 pkg yeast is equal to 2 1/4 tsp)
1/2 tsp salt
Note: This sauce makes enough for four pizzas, so you will only need half of it. Any remaining sauce can be frozen for later use, for up to 2 months.
Sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
minced garlic
1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste
I add some Italian seasonings, to taste - otherwise I find it too bland
Adjust the oven rack to its lowest position and heat oven to 200°, then turn off. Lightly grease a large bowl with cooking spray, set aside. Coat two (9") round cake pans with 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil, each.
To make dough:
1. Mix the milk, sugar and olive oil in a glass measuring cup. In a bowl, combine the flour, yeast and salt. Slowly add the milk mixture and stir until combined. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead dough until it is shiny and smooth. Place in the greased bowl and cover bowl with the plastic wrap and place in the warm oven until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
Shape and top the dough:
2. Transfer the dough onto a floured counter and divide in half, lightly rolling each half into a ball. Working with one dough ball at a time, shape each ball of dough into a 9 1/2" round and press into the oiled cake pans. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm spot (not the oven, though) until puffy and slightly risen, about 20 minutes.
3. Remove plastic wrap from dough and ladle 2/3 cup of sauce on each round, leaving a 1/2" border around the edges. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups Mozzarella cheese and top with pepperoni, or any other desired toppings (Italian sausage and pineapple is one of our favorites). Bake 400°, about 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and browned. Remove from oven and let sit in pans for a few minutes before cutting into wedges.
To Make the Sauce:
Saute the garlic in the oil in a medium saucepan over low heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, increasing heat to medium and cook until slightly thickened, 10 - 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and if desired, Italian seasoning.
NOTES:
~ When I've made this, I've made into one large pizza, and baked on a pizza stone.
~ The original recipe calls for layering the pepperoni in a single layer on a glass plate, lined with paper towels. Cover with two more paper towels and microwave on high for 30 seconds. This is supposed to get rid of some of the grease that forms on top of the pizzas from the pepperoni, while baking. I've tried this, and have not found it to make that big of a difference, so I skip this step.
This recipe comes from Cook's Country magazine. I am still on the lookout for that "perfect" homemade pizza recipe, but this one is pretty good. I've made it for my family several times and they all think it is pretty great. It makes a pretty thick crust, but if you prefer a thinner crust, just make more than two pizzas out it. Any extra dough can be rolled out like you would for pizza, only don't top it, just bake it. Cut it in squares and serve with pizza sauce. You can brush it with a little olive oil, and sprinkle it with Italian seasonings and Parmesan cheese before baking, if you would like.
Dough
2 tbsp olive oil
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp skim milk, warmed
2 tsp sugar
2 1/3 cup flour, plus extra for rolling out
1 pkg instant (rapid rise) yeast (1 pkg yeast is equal to 2 1/4 tsp)
1/2 tsp salt
Note: This sauce makes enough for four pizzas, so you will only need half of it. Any remaining sauce can be frozen for later use, for up to 2 months.
Sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
minced garlic
1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste
I add some Italian seasonings, to taste - otherwise I find it too bland
Adjust the oven rack to its lowest position and heat oven to 200°, then turn off. Lightly grease a large bowl with cooking spray, set aside. Coat two (9") round cake pans with 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil, each.
To make dough:
1. Mix the milk, sugar and olive oil in a glass measuring cup. In a bowl, combine the flour, yeast and salt. Slowly add the milk mixture and stir until combined. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead dough until it is shiny and smooth. Place in the greased bowl and cover bowl with the plastic wrap and place in the warm oven until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
Shape and top the dough:
2. Transfer the dough onto a floured counter and divide in half, lightly rolling each half into a ball. Working with one dough ball at a time, shape each ball of dough into a 9 1/2" round and press into the oiled cake pans. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm spot (not the oven, though) until puffy and slightly risen, about 20 minutes.
3. Remove plastic wrap from dough and ladle 2/3 cup of sauce on each round, leaving a 1/2" border around the edges. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups Mozzarella cheese and top with pepperoni, or any other desired toppings (Italian sausage and pineapple is one of our favorites). Bake 400°, about 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and browned. Remove from oven and let sit in pans for a few minutes before cutting into wedges.
To Make the Sauce:
Saute the garlic in the oil in a medium saucepan over low heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, increasing heat to medium and cook until slightly thickened, 10 - 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and if desired, Italian seasoning.
NOTES:
~ When I've made this, I've made into one large pizza, and baked on a pizza stone.
~ The original recipe calls for layering the pepperoni in a single layer on a glass plate, lined with paper towels. Cover with two more paper towels and microwave on high for 30 seconds. This is supposed to get rid of some of the grease that forms on top of the pizzas from the pepperoni, while baking. I've tried this, and have not found it to make that big of a difference, so I skip this step.
Hot Italian Roast Beef Sandwiches
Printable Recipe
This recipe is from a Taste of Home magazine. The sandwiches are very good, but I do make quite a few adjustments. I'll post the original recipe, but see my notes at the end for the changes I make.
1 tbsp butter
1 (5-pound) boneless sirloin tip beef roast - maybe try a chuck roast
1 (28-oz) can tomatoes with juice, cut up
1/3 cup water
1 tbsp ground thyme
1 - 3 tsp dried red pepper flakes
1 tsp salt
Semi Hard Rolls
In a dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Brown the roast on all sides. Add the remaining ingredients, cover and simmer until the roast is tender, about 3 1/2 - 4 hours. Check on the water during cooking, and add additional water if necessary to keep the roast simmering in broth. When roast is tender, remove the meat and reserve the broth. Let the roast stand for 20 minutes before thinly slicing. When ready to serve, reheat the sliced meat in the broth and serve on the rolls.
NOTES:
~ If using a smaller roast, use a 14 1/2-oz can of tomatoes.
~ Make sure the burner is not turned up too high and that the broth is just simmering, not boiling.
~ I found the broth to be pretty bland, so I added the following: 1 can of Beef Broth, and extra 3/4 cup water, more red pepper flakes, dried oregano leaves and salt and pepper to taste, and a bay leaf.
~ Be sure to add the salt in the beginning of cooking. 1 tbsp of ground thyme is not too much, you need that amount.
~ Don't use too much liquid when using a sirloin tip roast, because then it "poaches" in the liquid, giving it sort of a weird texture. You want to "braise" the meat, meaning to cook it in just a little bit of liquid. That is why you want to make sure your burner is turned down low enough.
~ I think that you could easily use a chuck roast in place of the sirloin tip roast, and shredding the meat at the end. This can be done either on top of the stove, or in the oven. If you do it on top of the stove, depending on how big the roast is, you would only cook it for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, or til tender. You can also do it in a covered roasting pan in the oven at 325 degrees for 3 1/2 - 4 hours, or til tender.
~ I found that when using a sirloin tip roast, it was a little difficult to slice thinly, so perhaps this could be made early in the day of when you plan to serve it, so that you can chill the meat first, before slicing it. Then just reheat everything just before serving.
This recipe is from a Taste of Home magazine. The sandwiches are very good, but I do make quite a few adjustments. I'll post the original recipe, but see my notes at the end for the changes I make.
1 tbsp butter
1 (5-pound) boneless sirloin tip beef roast - maybe try a chuck roast
1 (28-oz) can tomatoes with juice, cut up
1/3 cup water
1 tbsp ground thyme
1 - 3 tsp dried red pepper flakes
1 tsp salt
Semi Hard Rolls
In a dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Brown the roast on all sides. Add the remaining ingredients, cover and simmer until the roast is tender, about 3 1/2 - 4 hours. Check on the water during cooking, and add additional water if necessary to keep the roast simmering in broth. When roast is tender, remove the meat and reserve the broth. Let the roast stand for 20 minutes before thinly slicing. When ready to serve, reheat the sliced meat in the broth and serve on the rolls.
NOTES:
~ If using a smaller roast, use a 14 1/2-oz can of tomatoes.
~ Make sure the burner is not turned up too high and that the broth is just simmering, not boiling.
~ I found the broth to be pretty bland, so I added the following: 1 can of Beef Broth, and extra 3/4 cup water, more red pepper flakes, dried oregano leaves and salt and pepper to taste, and a bay leaf.
~ Be sure to add the salt in the beginning of cooking. 1 tbsp of ground thyme is not too much, you need that amount.
~ Don't use too much liquid when using a sirloin tip roast, because then it "poaches" in the liquid, giving it sort of a weird texture. You want to "braise" the meat, meaning to cook it in just a little bit of liquid. That is why you want to make sure your burner is turned down low enough.
~ I think that you could easily use a chuck roast in place of the sirloin tip roast, and shredding the meat at the end. This can be done either on top of the stove, or in the oven. If you do it on top of the stove, depending on how big the roast is, you would only cook it for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, or til tender. You can also do it in a covered roasting pan in the oven at 325 degrees for 3 1/2 - 4 hours, or til tender.
~ I found that when using a sirloin tip roast, it was a little difficult to slice thinly, so perhaps this could be made early in the day of when you plan to serve it, so that you can chill the meat first, before slicing it. Then just reheat everything just before serving.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Royal Hot Chocolate
Printable Recipe
This is very good. It's rich, so you might want to add additional boiling water.
2 (1-oz) squares unsweetened chocolate
1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk
4 cups boiling water
1 tsp vanilla
speck of salt
Garnish of whipped cream and cinnamon or nutmeg
Over very low heat, melt the chocolate. Whisk in the sweetened condensed milk. Gradually add the boiling water, stirring until well blended. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and salt. Garnish with whipped cream and cinnamon or nutmeg. Serve immediately.
This is very good. It's rich, so you might want to add additional boiling water.
2 (1-oz) squares unsweetened chocolate
1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk
4 cups boiling water
1 tsp vanilla
speck of salt
Garnish of whipped cream and cinnamon or nutmeg
Over very low heat, melt the chocolate. Whisk in the sweetened condensed milk. Gradually add the boiling water, stirring until well blended. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and salt. Garnish with whipped cream and cinnamon or nutmeg. Serve immediately.
Company Potatoes
Printable Recipe
1 (32-oz) pkg frozen hash brown potatoes
2 cups cheddar cheese
1/4 cup melted butter
2 cups whipping cream
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Layer ingredients in a greased 9 x 13" pan in the order given. Bake 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.
1 (32-oz) pkg frozen hash brown potatoes
2 cups cheddar cheese
1/4 cup melted butter
2 cups whipping cream
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Layer ingredients in a greased 9 x 13" pan in the order given. Bake 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.
Blueberry Muffins
Printable Recipe
These are very, very good! This makes about 16 muffins. If using frozen blueberries, do not thaw them out, first. Before adding to the batter, sprinkle them with a little sugar or flour first, to prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the muffins during baking.
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking pwd
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
sugar for sprinkling on top
In a large bowl, combine the butter, sugar, eggs, milk, flour, baking pwd and salt. Carefully fold the blueberries into the batter. Line muffin tins with paper muffin liners and fill to the top with batter. Sprinkle each muffin with a tsp of sugar. Bake 375 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes.
These are very, very good! This makes about 16 muffins. If using frozen blueberries, do not thaw them out, first. Before adding to the batter, sprinkle them with a little sugar or flour first, to prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the muffins during baking.
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking pwd
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
sugar for sprinkling on top
In a large bowl, combine the butter, sugar, eggs, milk, flour, baking pwd and salt. Carefully fold the blueberries into the batter. Line muffin tins with paper muffin liners and fill to the top with batter. Sprinkle each muffin with a tsp of sugar. Bake 375 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes.
Spicy Applesauce Bread
Printable Recipe
I've increased the spices in this bread, and now it is nice and spicy. Makes one loaf.
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
3 tbsp milk
1 1/4 cups applesauce
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking pwd
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp ground cloves
Topping (optional)
3/4 cup chpd pecans
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Mix together the sugar and oil. Beat in the eggs, milk and applesauce. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, soda, baking pwd, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves. Stir into the creamed mixture and mix well. If desired, stir in 1/2 cup of the pecans. Spread in a well-greased loaf pan. Combine the pecans, brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the batter. Bake 350 degrees for one hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
I've increased the spices in this bread, and now it is nice and spicy. Makes one loaf.
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
3 tbsp milk
1 1/4 cups applesauce
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking pwd
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp ground cloves
Topping (optional)
3/4 cup chpd pecans
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Mix together the sugar and oil. Beat in the eggs, milk and applesauce. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, soda, baking pwd, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves. Stir into the creamed mixture and mix well. If desired, stir in 1/2 cup of the pecans. Spread in a well-greased loaf pan. Combine the pecans, brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the batter. Bake 350 degrees for one hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Oven Fried Chicken
Printable Recipe
This chicken is very good!
one family-pack chicken, cut up
1 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp celery salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, paprika, celery salt and pepper. Coat the chicken pieces in seasoned flour and brown in a heavy skillet in a little oil. Plcae browned chicken in a greased
9 x 13" pan.
2 tbsp butter, melted
2 tbsp milk or chicken broth
Combine the butter and milk and pour over the chicken in the pan. Bake 350 degrees for 30 - 40 minutes, or until chicken is done. Turn once halfway through cooking time to crisp evenly. Spoon juices over chicken a few times during baking. If desired, add additional broth or milk to the pan, during baking.
This chicken is very good!
one family-pack chicken, cut up
1 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp celery salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, paprika, celery salt and pepper. Coat the chicken pieces in seasoned flour and brown in a heavy skillet in a little oil. Plcae browned chicken in a greased
9 x 13" pan.
2 tbsp butter, melted
2 tbsp milk or chicken broth
Combine the butter and milk and pour over the chicken in the pan. Bake 350 degrees for 30 - 40 minutes, or until chicken is done. Turn once halfway through cooking time to crisp evenly. Spoon juices over chicken a few times during baking. If desired, add additional broth or milk to the pan, during baking.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Cinnamon Candied Popcorn
Printable Recipe
I found this recipe at Taste of Home and I often make it at Christmas time to give away as gifts. It is easy to make, and is very good. Just be sure that there are no unpopped kernals in the popcorn, or you could break a tooth biting into it! It actually stays somewhat soft, but you still want to be careful.
8 quarts popped popcorn
1 cup butter
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 (9-oz) pkg red hot cinnamon candies*
Place popcorn in a large bowl, making sure there are no unpopped kernals in there. Set aside.
In a saucepan, combine the butter, corn syrup and candies. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour over the popcorn and mix until as thoroughly coated as you can get it. Spread into 2 greased jelly roll pans and bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven and spread popcorn out onto waxed paper to cool. Break apart and store in airtight containers or plastic bags.
*In case you don't know what these are, click on the link above. You should be able to find them in the candy aisle at the grocery store. If you can't find them there, check the baking aisle.
I found this recipe at Taste of Home and I often make it at Christmas time to give away as gifts. It is easy to make, and is very good. Just be sure that there are no unpopped kernals in the popcorn, or you could break a tooth biting into it! It actually stays somewhat soft, but you still want to be careful.
8 quarts popped popcorn
1 cup butter
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 (9-oz) pkg red hot cinnamon candies*
Place popcorn in a large bowl, making sure there are no unpopped kernals in there. Set aside.
In a saucepan, combine the butter, corn syrup and candies. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour over the popcorn and mix until as thoroughly coated as you can get it. Spread into 2 greased jelly roll pans and bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven and spread popcorn out onto waxed paper to cool. Break apart and store in airtight containers or plastic bags.
*In case you don't know what these are, click on the link above. You should be able to find them in the candy aisle at the grocery store. If you can't find them there, check the baking aisle.
Spicy Chicken Chow Mein
Printable Recipe
This can be made either in the crock pot or the stove top. It is very good. I will give the original recipe, and mark the changes I make in parentheses. I will give the stove top directions at the end. Be sure to read my notes at the end, too.
For the Crock Pot
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 3
4 carrots, thinly sliced (sometimes I use the prepackaged shredded carrots and add just a minute or so before serving - just long enough to heat through)
4 green onions, thinly sliced (sometimes I use regular onions, chpd)
3 stalks celery, thinly sliced
I add one chpd green bell pepper, though surprisingly, the original recipe didn't call for it
1 cup Swanson's low sodium chicken broth (I use 4 cups, which is 2 cans of the broth)
1 tbsp sugar (I use 2 tbsp)
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 (16-oz) can bean sprouts, drained
1 (8-oz) can water chestnuts, drained
1/4 cup cornstarch (I use between 5-6 tbsp)
1/4 cup water (I use between 5-6 tbsp)
In a large skillet, heat oil and brown the chicken pieces, in small batches, until meat is white. Place the chicken in a greased crock pot and add the remaining ingredients, except for the cornstarch and water. Stir to combine, cover, and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water and cook until thickened, about 15-30 minutes. If using shredded, instead of chpd carrots, add them about 10-15 minutes before the end of cooking time. Serve chow mein over rice and chow mein noodles.
NOTES: You don't have to add this if you don't want to... I just like this spicier than the original recipe. At the end of cooking time, and before adding the cornstarch/water, I add an additional:
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp soy sauce
Then after it has thickened, I find the cornstarch/water mixture dilutes the flavors somewhat, so to kick it up and to have those flavors stand out all the more, I will add, to taste, additional:
sugar
ground ginger
soy sauce
red pepper flakes
I don't add a whole lot of it, I just lightly sprinkle it in, but it is totally up to you and your own tastes, whether you want to add all of the additional seasonings & sauces.
For the Stove Top
Brown the chicken as noted above, and drain the oil. Add the broth, onion, carrots (if using chpd carrots - otherwise, if using the shredded carrots, add them a few minutes before the end of cooking time), soy sauce, sugar, ginger, red pepper flakes, bean sprouts, and water chestnuts. Bring to a boil and turn down heat. Cover and simmer for about 10-12 minutes. Add the green pepper and celery and cook for another 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender-crisp. Thicken with the cornstarch/water mixture and bring to a boil again. See my notes at the end of the recipe and follow, if you feel it needs more flavor.
This can be made either in the crock pot or the stove top. It is very good. I will give the original recipe, and mark the changes I make in parentheses. I will give the stove top directions at the end. Be sure to read my notes at the end, too.
For the Crock Pot
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 3
4 carrots, thinly sliced (sometimes I use the prepackaged shredded carrots and add just a minute or so before serving - just long enough to heat through)
4 green onions, thinly sliced (sometimes I use regular onions, chpd)
3 stalks celery, thinly sliced
I add one chpd green bell pepper, though surprisingly, the original recipe didn't call for it
1 cup Swanson's low sodium chicken broth (I use 4 cups, which is 2 cans of the broth)
1 tbsp sugar (I use 2 tbsp)
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 (16-oz) can bean sprouts, drained
1 (8-oz) can water chestnuts, drained
1/4 cup cornstarch (I use between 5-6 tbsp)
1/4 cup water (I use between 5-6 tbsp)
In a large skillet, heat oil and brown the chicken pieces, in small batches, until meat is white. Place the chicken in a greased crock pot and add the remaining ingredients, except for the cornstarch and water. Stir to combine, cover, and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water and cook until thickened, about 15-30 minutes. If using shredded, instead of chpd carrots, add them about 10-15 minutes before the end of cooking time. Serve chow mein over rice and chow mein noodles.
NOTES: You don't have to add this if you don't want to... I just like this spicier than the original recipe. At the end of cooking time, and before adding the cornstarch/water, I add an additional:
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp soy sauce
Then after it has thickened, I find the cornstarch/water mixture dilutes the flavors somewhat, so to kick it up and to have those flavors stand out all the more, I will add, to taste, additional:
sugar
ground ginger
soy sauce
red pepper flakes
I don't add a whole lot of it, I just lightly sprinkle it in, but it is totally up to you and your own tastes, whether you want to add all of the additional seasonings & sauces.
For the Stove Top
Brown the chicken as noted above, and drain the oil. Add the broth, onion, carrots (if using chpd carrots - otherwise, if using the shredded carrots, add them a few minutes before the end of cooking time), soy sauce, sugar, ginger, red pepper flakes, bean sprouts, and water chestnuts. Bring to a boil and turn down heat. Cover and simmer for about 10-12 minutes. Add the green pepper and celery and cook for another 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender-crisp. Thicken with the cornstarch/water mixture and bring to a boil again. See my notes at the end of the recipe and follow, if you feel it needs more flavor.
Herb-Rubbed Sirloin Tip Roast
Printable Recipe
I found this on AllRecipes.com. It is very good. The larger the roast, the longer it will need to bake, so plan accordingly. I'm going to guess you bake a roast like this at 350 degrees for 20 minutes per pound.
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp paprika
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp garlic pwd
1/2 tsp onion pwd
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (red pepper)
1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
2 tbsp olive oil
1 (3 pound) sirloin tip roast
Let roast sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or long enough to take the chill off. In a small bowl, combine all of the seasonings with the olive oil. Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes. Place the roast on a sheet of waxed paper and rub in the mixture on all sides. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil, or place the roast on a meat rack. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour, or until a meat thermometer registers 145 degrees. Let sit for 15 minutes before slicing.
I found this on AllRecipes.com. It is very good. The larger the roast, the longer it will need to bake, so plan accordingly. I'm going to guess you bake a roast like this at 350 degrees for 20 minutes per pound.
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp paprika
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp garlic pwd
1/2 tsp onion pwd
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (red pepper)
1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
2 tbsp olive oil
1 (3 pound) sirloin tip roast
Let roast sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or long enough to take the chill off. In a small bowl, combine all of the seasonings with the olive oil. Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes. Place the roast on a sheet of waxed paper and rub in the mixture on all sides. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil, or place the roast on a meat rack. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour, or until a meat thermometer registers 145 degrees. Let sit for 15 minutes before slicing.
Fruit Dip
Printable Recipe
Very Good!
1(8-oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1(7-oz) jar marshmallow creme
Mix together with an electric mixer, beating until well combined. Serve with any fruit that you want. It is excellent with apples, bananas, grapes and strawberries.
Very Good!
1(8-oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1(7-oz) jar marshmallow creme
Mix together with an electric mixer, beating until well combined. Serve with any fruit that you want. It is excellent with apples, bananas, grapes and strawberries.
Apple Dip
Printable Recipe
Very good!
1 (8-oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
Mix together with an electric mixer until well combined. Serve with apples.
Very good!
1 (8-oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
Mix together with an electric mixer until well combined. Serve with apples.
Vegetable Beef Soup
Printable Recipe
This soup is wonderful! When my son tried it for the first time, he declared it to be "extraordinary"! You can easily double the ingredients, and stretch the soup to go farther. It can be made vegetarian by using vegetable broth in place of the beef broth, and of course, omitting the meat. It can be made in the crock pot, or on top of the stove. I will include instructions at the end for making it in the crock pot. This soup really hits the spot on those cold winter nights. This is very good served with a nice, crusty bread.
Note: I recently made this and doubled the batch. Of course, I added a 2nd can of tomato sauce, but it made it too tomatoey, in my opinion, there wasn't enough of a beefy flavor to the soup. I didn't have any more Swanson Beef Broth, so I kept adding beef bouillon granules, until it tasted beefy enough to me. Bouillon has so much sodium in it, I wish I hadn't added that 2nd can of tomato sauce. So, if you're going to double the batch, wait until the very end to add that 2nd can, to see if you really want it or not, or maybe don't add the entire can.
For the Meat
1 1/2 pounds beef stew meat, sprinkled generously with paprika (I use a chuck roast that I trim of fat, and cut into small chunks)
a little vegetable oil, for browning the meat
2-4 cups water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1-2 tsp beef bouillon granules, optional
For the Soup
2 (14-oz) cans Swanson Beef Broth (I use the sodium-reduced broth)
1 1/2 additional cups water
3-4 potatoes, cut into chunks (you can leave the skins on if you'd like)
3/4 cup onion, chpd
3/4 cup peeled carrots, cut into small chunks
1 small green bell pepper, membrane and seeds removed, and cut into fourths (not totally necessary, and you will remove this at the end, but it lends a real nice flavor to the broth if you include it)
2 cans (14 1/2 - oz each) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (8-oz) tomato sauce
dried thyme leaves, to taste (these seasonings, I don't measure - I just sprinkle them in until it tastes right, but if I had to guess on the amounts, it is probably 1 tsp or so, for each)
dried oregano leaves, to taste
dried basil leaves, to taste
additional salt and pepper, if needed
At the end, I also add the following (I don't exactly measure the amounts, but just dump them in):
3/4 cup frozen green beans
3/4 cup frozen peas
3/4 cup frozen corn
For the Stove-Top
Trim the meat of fat, and cut into even sized chunks. Sprinkle generously with paprika. Brown in batches, in a hot skillet in a little oil. Don't brown all of the meat all at once, or it will just steam it, and you won't get a nicely browned crust. Once all the meat is browned, place in a large skillet with a cover and add about 2-4 cups of water, about 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. You can add about 1 -2 tsp beef bouillon granules, if desired. Bring to a boil and then simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, or until tender.
After the meat is tender, I set it aside in the broth and add it all back to the soup at the very end. (I do this because otherwise, if you continue to cook the meat along with the vegetables, it will dry out and get tough, as the vegetables cook. So just put it all in a separate saucepan and cover the pan). In another large soup pot, combine the beef broth, the additional water, potatoes, onion, carrots, green bell pepper, tomatoes, tomato sauce, thyme leaves, oregano leaves and basil leaves. Bring to a boil, and cook for about 20 minutes. Add the frozen vegetables, and cook for another 20 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender. Remove the green pepper and add the meat with its broth. Cook a few more minutes, until the meat is heated through.
For the Crock Pot
Add all of the ingredients (except for the frozen vegetables), in a 6-quart crock pot, reducing the amount of water to just 1 1/2 cups. You do not need to brown the meat first, but you certainly can if you wish to. Cover and cook on LOW for 8-9 hours, or on HIGH for 4-5 hours. About 30 minutes before the end of cooking time, cook all of the frozen vegetables on top of the stove, according to package directions, until tender, then add them to the crock pot. The original recipe calls for adding the frozen vegetables at the very beginning, but every time I've made this in the crock pot, they never seem to cook all the way through, and get tender enough. You might even find that the same thing happens to the carrots, so you might want to precook those too, and just add at the very end. You will find that you really do need a large crock pot, as this makes a lot of soup.
This soup is wonderful! When my son tried it for the first time, he declared it to be "extraordinary"! You can easily double the ingredients, and stretch the soup to go farther. It can be made vegetarian by using vegetable broth in place of the beef broth, and of course, omitting the meat. It can be made in the crock pot, or on top of the stove. I will include instructions at the end for making it in the crock pot. This soup really hits the spot on those cold winter nights. This is very good served with a nice, crusty bread.
Note: I recently made this and doubled the batch. Of course, I added a 2nd can of tomato sauce, but it made it too tomatoey, in my opinion, there wasn't enough of a beefy flavor to the soup. I didn't have any more Swanson Beef Broth, so I kept adding beef bouillon granules, until it tasted beefy enough to me. Bouillon has so much sodium in it, I wish I hadn't added that 2nd can of tomato sauce. So, if you're going to double the batch, wait until the very end to add that 2nd can, to see if you really want it or not, or maybe don't add the entire can.
For the Meat
1 1/2 pounds beef stew meat, sprinkled generously with paprika (I use a chuck roast that I trim of fat, and cut into small chunks)
a little vegetable oil, for browning the meat
2-4 cups water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1-2 tsp beef bouillon granules, optional
For the Soup
2 (14-oz) cans Swanson Beef Broth (I use the sodium-reduced broth)
1 1/2 additional cups water
3-4 potatoes, cut into chunks (you can leave the skins on if you'd like)
3/4 cup onion, chpd
3/4 cup peeled carrots, cut into small chunks
1 small green bell pepper, membrane and seeds removed, and cut into fourths (not totally necessary, and you will remove this at the end, but it lends a real nice flavor to the broth if you include it)
2 cans (14 1/2 - oz each) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (8-oz) tomato sauce
dried thyme leaves, to taste (these seasonings, I don't measure - I just sprinkle them in until it tastes right, but if I had to guess on the amounts, it is probably 1 tsp or so, for each)
dried oregano leaves, to taste
dried basil leaves, to taste
additional salt and pepper, if needed
At the end, I also add the following (I don't exactly measure the amounts, but just dump them in):
3/4 cup frozen green beans
3/4 cup frozen peas
3/4 cup frozen corn
For the Stove-Top
Trim the meat of fat, and cut into even sized chunks. Sprinkle generously with paprika. Brown in batches, in a hot skillet in a little oil. Don't brown all of the meat all at once, or it will just steam it, and you won't get a nicely browned crust. Once all the meat is browned, place in a large skillet with a cover and add about 2-4 cups of water, about 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. You can add about 1 -2 tsp beef bouillon granules, if desired. Bring to a boil and then simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, or until tender.
After the meat is tender, I set it aside in the broth and add it all back to the soup at the very end. (I do this because otherwise, if you continue to cook the meat along with the vegetables, it will dry out and get tough, as the vegetables cook. So just put it all in a separate saucepan and cover the pan). In another large soup pot, combine the beef broth, the additional water, potatoes, onion, carrots, green bell pepper, tomatoes, tomato sauce, thyme leaves, oregano leaves and basil leaves. Bring to a boil, and cook for about 20 minutes. Add the frozen vegetables, and cook for another 20 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender. Remove the green pepper and add the meat with its broth. Cook a few more minutes, until the meat is heated through.
For the Crock Pot
Add all of the ingredients (except for the frozen vegetables), in a 6-quart crock pot, reducing the amount of water to just 1 1/2 cups. You do not need to brown the meat first, but you certainly can if you wish to. Cover and cook on LOW for 8-9 hours, or on HIGH for 4-5 hours. About 30 minutes before the end of cooking time, cook all of the frozen vegetables on top of the stove, according to package directions, until tender, then add them to the crock pot. The original recipe calls for adding the frozen vegetables at the very beginning, but every time I've made this in the crock pot, they never seem to cook all the way through, and get tender enough. You might even find that the same thing happens to the carrots, so you might want to precook those too, and just add at the very end. You will find that you really do need a large crock pot, as this makes a lot of soup.