It has been a busy week and I haven't cooked a meal all week. If I wasn't running here or there I was baking cookies to fill orders. So Crock Pot meals got put to the side for a week and now maybe two weeks. There will be more in the future, the near future. Just have to get through the next week.
My closest friend has a Bean Pot. I do too but don't use it much. (Sorry!) I plan to though. (hahahaha I hear you all laughing!) But the Bean Pot is much like a Crock Pot only for your oven.
Recently I have heard some complaints about new Crock Pots. They have upped the temperature that they cook at. From 180 to 200 degrees. That is a huge difference over the length of time we are talking about. So I thought about testing out the Bean Pot in the oven. Where I control the temperature. There are even new ranges out there with a "Crock Pot" oven setting. How cool is that???
I have some research to do. And experiments to do!!!! I will keep you posted!
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Peanut Butter Cookies
I adapted this recipe from one I found on the King Arthur Flour website. If you love peanut butter cookies this is the ultimate. (At least for me!)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Blend the above all together until smooth in the bowl of a stand mixer.
3 Cups Flour
2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt
Whisk together in a separate bowl then add to peanut butter mixture and blend.
At the very end mix in 1 Cup of finely chopped dry roasted peanuts. These are optional of course, but really do add to the overall flavor and texture of the cookie.
When panning these cookies, they do need to be flattened. They don't spread much. So flatten them any way you want. Traditionally they are flattened with a fork dipped in sugar to make a criss cross pattern. I of course choose to put my own twist on tradition. (I know, you never would have guessed that.)
The glass method works the best for me because it is the quickest. But even that I do different. I roll the dough balls in sugar and place them on the parchment lined baking sheets, then go along and smash them with a glass bottom. (Some day I will take pictures and add them)
The original recipe says to bake them for 10 minutes, reversing the pans half way through. Pish Posh! Mine bake on convection bake for 13 1/2 minutes and I never even look at them till the timer goes off.
13 1/2 minutes on 350 multi rack convection bake for 2 or 3 pans. If you do much baking at all I highly recommend getting a convection oven. Worth every penny!
Peanut Butter Cookies
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2 Cups (18 ounces) Creamy Peanut Butter (Chunky works too.)
1/2 Cup Water (or milk)
1/4 Cup Dark Corn Syrup
2 Eggs
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1 T Vanilla Extract
Blend the above all together until smooth in the bowl of a stand mixer.
3 Cups Flour
2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt
Whisk together in a separate bowl then add to peanut butter mixture and blend.
At the very end mix in 1 Cup of finely chopped dry roasted peanuts. These are optional of course, but really do add to the overall flavor and texture of the cookie.
When panning these cookies, they do need to be flattened. They don't spread much. So flatten them any way you want. Traditionally they are flattened with a fork dipped in sugar to make a criss cross pattern. I of course choose to put my own twist on tradition. (I know, you never would have guessed that.)
The glass method works the best for me because it is the quickest. But even that I do different. I roll the dough balls in sugar and place them on the parchment lined baking sheets, then go along and smash them with a glass bottom. (Some day I will take pictures and add them)
The original recipe says to bake them for 10 minutes, reversing the pans half way through. Pish Posh! Mine bake on convection bake for 13 1/2 minutes and I never even look at them till the timer goes off.
13 1/2 minutes on 350 multi rack convection bake for 2 or 3 pans. If you do much baking at all I highly recommend getting a convection oven. Worth every penny!
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Pomegranate Beef
Don't turn your nose up at me!
You might actually like this. Amazingly, Ron really liked it. Of course, I didn't tell him what was in it before he tasted it. He thought it was just stew beef in gravy. I wish I would have had taken a picture, or video, of him eating it and asking me what was in it.
He asked, "What's in this?"
I answered, "Why?"
Ron, "It's kind of fruity tasting."
Me, "That's because it has fruit juice in it."
Ron, "What kind of fruit?"
Me, "Pomegranate"
Ron, "WHAT??"
You had to be there, but it was funny. The thing is, he finished eating it. Said it was good. I was amazed!
But of course I had to give the recipe my own twist.
On a side note, I have friends who are teachers, my daughter-in-law is a wonderful teacher, there are teachers that I have the most fond memories of. But I often wonder just how well I followed directions. (See where I'm going here?) My favorite teachers were the ones who let me be flexible with the directions. Or gave very few or vague instructions. The ones who let me, or us as students, do our own version of an experiment, or avenue of research. I know that does not work well for all students and I am not advocating free reign for students. But for me I learned the most from working in my own direction. As with my recipe experiments, I make a lot of mistakes but learn from them as I go along. Most of the time I end up with some pretty good stuff. The original recipe is the teacher. I am still the student. And it's a lot of fun.
Now for the original recipe with my alterations.
1 tablespoon olive oil (spray with cooking spray)
1 yellow onion, sliced (or chopped fine, however you like it)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence (Pepper Blend)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 pounds beef roast (I used a stew beef, less work in the end)
4 garlic cloves (whole is fine, or you can chop them)
1 (14-ounce) can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes (we don't like chunks so I put them in the blender to make a thick juice)
1 cup unsweetened pomegranate juice (Pom is the brand around here)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup (I used honey. Use any liquid sweetener you like)
1/2 cup golden raisins (I used raisins one time and dried cranberries another. Both were good))
The Directions:
Use at least a 6-quart slow cooker. Swirl the olive oil into the bottom of the stoneware. (Or spray with cooking spray) Add the onion. Rub the spices (or sprinkle on top) on all sides of meat and add to the stoneware with the garlic, the whole can of tomatoes, pomegranate juice, vinegar, and syrup. Sprinkle the raisins on top. Cook all day on low. Any where from 6 to 10 hours.
The juice is pretty thin for a gravy. So you can fish the meat out and add a flour and water slurry to thicken it. If you don't mind getting a couple of other things dirty that is. I put the juice in a sauce pan and added 1/4 cup of flour to about 1/2 cup of water. Stir to make a slurry and stirred it into the juice on medium heat. When thickened add the meat back in to keep warm.
This can be served over mashed potatoes or noodles. It's great over either one.
I hope you enjoy this. We sure did.
I wonder how cherry juice would taste? hmmm Just might have to try that next time.
You might actually like this. Amazingly, Ron really liked it. Of course, I didn't tell him what was in it before he tasted it. He thought it was just stew beef in gravy. I wish I would have had taken a picture, or video, of him eating it and asking me what was in it.
He asked, "What's in this?"
I answered, "Why?"
Ron, "It's kind of fruity tasting."
Me, "That's because it has fruit juice in it."
Ron, "What kind of fruit?"
Me, "Pomegranate"
Ron, "WHAT??"
You had to be there, but it was funny. The thing is, he finished eating it. Said it was good. I was amazed!
But of course I had to give the recipe my own twist.
On a side note, I have friends who are teachers, my daughter-in-law is a wonderful teacher, there are teachers that I have the most fond memories of. But I often wonder just how well I followed directions. (See where I'm going here?) My favorite teachers were the ones who let me be flexible with the directions. Or gave very few or vague instructions. The ones who let me, or us as students, do our own version of an experiment, or avenue of research. I know that does not work well for all students and I am not advocating free reign for students. But for me I learned the most from working in my own direction. As with my recipe experiments, I make a lot of mistakes but learn from them as I go along. Most of the time I end up with some pretty good stuff. The original recipe is the teacher. I am still the student. And it's a lot of fun.
Now for the original recipe with my alterations.
1 tablespoon olive oil (spray with cooking spray)
1 yellow onion, sliced (or chopped fine, however you like it)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence (Pepper Blend)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 pounds beef roast (I used a stew beef, less work in the end)
4 garlic cloves (whole is fine, or you can chop them)
1 (14-ounce) can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes (we don't like chunks so I put them in the blender to make a thick juice)
1 cup unsweetened pomegranate juice (Pom is the brand around here)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup (I used honey. Use any liquid sweetener you like)
1/2 cup golden raisins (I used raisins one time and dried cranberries another. Both were good))
The Directions:
Use at least a 6-quart slow cooker. Swirl the olive oil into the bottom of the stoneware. (Or spray with cooking spray) Add the onion. Rub the spices (or sprinkle on top) on all sides of meat and add to the stoneware with the garlic, the whole can of tomatoes, pomegranate juice, vinegar, and syrup. Sprinkle the raisins on top. Cook all day on low. Any where from 6 to 10 hours.
The juice is pretty thin for a gravy. So you can fish the meat out and add a flour and water slurry to thicken it. If you don't mind getting a couple of other things dirty that is. I put the juice in a sauce pan and added 1/4 cup of flour to about 1/2 cup of water. Stir to make a slurry and stirred it into the juice on medium heat. When thickened add the meat back in to keep warm.
This can be served over mashed potatoes or noodles. It's great over either one.
I hope you enjoy this. We sure did.
I wonder how cherry juice would taste? hmmm Just might have to try that next time.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Sugar Cookie Request
I'm only going to post this recipe. No back ground. No info.
This recipe was requested from me because I got it from someone else who got it from someone else..... so take it for what it is.
Sugar Cookies
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
1 Cup Shortening
3 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla
1/4 tsp Almond
**** Cream all of the above together until very well blended.
4 1/ Cups Flour, Sifted
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Soda
**** Blend dry ingredients together in a separate bowl. Add to shortening mixture in thirds.
Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate overnight. Allow to warm slightly before rolling out. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 - 9 minutes. Do not over bake.
Frosting
2 Cups Crisco
1/2 Cup Butter
1 cup Cold Water (may not need it all)
2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Vanilla
1 tsp Butter Flavor
1 tsp Almond
2 Pounds Powdered Sugar
Cream shortening and butter together. Blend in 1/2 of powdered sugar with salt and flavorings. Add in 1/2 cup of water and blend. Add remaining powdered sugar. Add water as needed for consistency.
This recipe was requested from me because I got it from someone else who got it from someone else..... so take it for what it is.
Sugar Cookies
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
1 Cup Shortening
3 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla
1/4 tsp Almond
**** Cream all of the above together until very well blended.
4 1/ Cups Flour, Sifted
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Soda
**** Blend dry ingredients together in a separate bowl. Add to shortening mixture in thirds.
Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate overnight. Allow to warm slightly before rolling out. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 - 9 minutes. Do not over bake.
Frosting
2 Cups Crisco
1/2 Cup Butter
1 cup Cold Water (may not need it all)
2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Vanilla
1 tsp Butter Flavor
1 tsp Almond
2 Pounds Powdered Sugar
Cream shortening and butter together. Blend in 1/2 of powdered sugar with salt and flavorings. Add in 1/2 cup of water and blend. Add remaining powdered sugar. Add water as needed for consistency.
Pasta E Fagioli Soup
This was better than I thought it was gonna be. (Is that a good opening line or not?)
Searching out slow cooker recipes that make a meal that both of us will eat isn't easy. Ron wants meat and potatoes. I want flavor and vegetables (besides just tomatoes) and healthy. We just can't have it all, all at the same time. And that's ok. Life is about compomise, right? We just have to find the right compromise.
This soup doesn't have any potatoes in it but has plenty of meat. You can cut back on the meat if you want to. And it has lots of beans. (Musical Fruit) Some veggies and some fairly good flavor. I made this recipe as written. Guess what though? I have a few modifications I will make the next time.
Maybe my taste buds are worn out, but things don't seem to have as much flavor any more. I need to add some extra flavorings to things that I cook. The Oregano in this is nice but it needs some Garlic and maybe some Pepper Blend. There is plenty of salt from the canned goods. I will let you know what I throw in it next time.
This makes a lot. You need an extra large slow cooker for this one. If you don't have a 6 qt cooker you can try omitting a can of broth or a can of the tomatoes. The pasta will soak up most of the liquid if you omit a can of broth and the soup will be a whole lot thicker, or with less liquid anyway.
It's a good recipe and I hope you will try it.
2 lbs ground beef
1 onion, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
2 (28 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained (Use the kind that has some seasonings already in it)
1 (16 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained (I did not drain the beans)
1 (16 ounce) can Great Northern beans, drained (again, didn't drain)
3 (10 ounce) cans beef stock
1 Tablespoon oregano
2 teaspoons pepper
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (optional)
1 (20 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
8 ounces pasta
Brown beef in a skillet with onions and celery.
Drain fat from beef and add to crock pot with everything except pasta.
Cook on low 7-8 hours or high 4-5 hours.
During last hour, add pasta.
Serve with some garlic cheese bread! mmmmm
Searching out slow cooker recipes that make a meal that both of us will eat isn't easy. Ron wants meat and potatoes. I want flavor and vegetables (besides just tomatoes) and healthy. We just can't have it all, all at the same time. And that's ok. Life is about compomise, right? We just have to find the right compromise.
This soup doesn't have any potatoes in it but has plenty of meat. You can cut back on the meat if you want to. And it has lots of beans. (Musical Fruit) Some veggies and some fairly good flavor. I made this recipe as written. Guess what though? I have a few modifications I will make the next time.
Maybe my taste buds are worn out, but things don't seem to have as much flavor any more. I need to add some extra flavorings to things that I cook. The Oregano in this is nice but it needs some Garlic and maybe some Pepper Blend. There is plenty of salt from the canned goods. I will let you know what I throw in it next time.
This makes a lot. You need an extra large slow cooker for this one. If you don't have a 6 qt cooker you can try omitting a can of broth or a can of the tomatoes. The pasta will soak up most of the liquid if you omit a can of broth and the soup will be a whole lot thicker, or with less liquid anyway.
It's a good recipe and I hope you will try it.
2 lbs ground beef
1 onion, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
2 (28 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained (Use the kind that has some seasonings already in it)
1 (16 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained (I did not drain the beans)
1 (16 ounce) can Great Northern beans, drained (again, didn't drain)
3 (10 ounce) cans beef stock
1 Tablespoon oregano
2 teaspoons pepper
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (optional)
1 (20 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
8 ounces pasta
Brown beef in a skillet with onions and celery.
Drain fat from beef and add to crock pot with everything except pasta.
Cook on low 7-8 hours or high 4-5 hours.
During last hour, add pasta.
Serve with some garlic cheese bread! mmmmm
Friday, October 7, 2011
Calico Beans, My Way
How would you describe Calico Beans to someone who didn't know what they are? Everyone makes them just a little bit differently, but basically they are all the same. Hamburger and Beans in a sauce. And they are good!
Most recipes for this (and probably the original) uses Lima Beans or Butter Beans. We don't care for them, so we don't use them. But if that is what you like, by all means use them. That's the beauty of this recipe. It's only a guide. As long as you use ingredients that are similar in consistency you are good to go.
2 lb. Ground beef
1 can Great Northern Beans
1 lb. Bacon, Cooked and Chopped into bite size pieces
1 cup Ketchup
2 cans Pork and Beans
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 can Chili Beans
1 tsp Old Hickory Smoke Salt
1 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 tsp Pepper Blend
Brown the ground beef and chopped onion and drain.
Add all ingredients to crock pot and cook on low heat for at least 4 hours.
I put the ingredients in the crock of the slow cooker on a Sunday night and stuck it in the refrigerator. Then I had Ron set it in the base when he went home for lunch the next afternoon and turn it on low. It cooked for about 5 hours. It was fantastic.
Now I know not everyone has Old Hickory Smoke Salt in their cupboard. You don't have to use it. Just use salt. Or don't use salt. Which ever you prefer.
I also use a Pepper Blend. The local grocery store should have some version of it if you would like to try it. It is just a blend of Black Pepper and dried Red and Green Peppers. We like it. It just adds an extra layer of flavor to what ever you put it in.
Try this and let me know what you think. Let me know what you sub in your own Calico Beans. Or send me your recipe to try if it is different than mine. You know me, never met a food experiment I didn't like!
Most recipes for this (and probably the original) uses Lima Beans or Butter Beans. We don't care for them, so we don't use them. But if that is what you like, by all means use them. That's the beauty of this recipe. It's only a guide. As long as you use ingredients that are similar in consistency you are good to go.
2 lb. Ground beef
1 can Great Northern Beans
1 lb. Bacon, Cooked and Chopped into bite size pieces
1 cup Ketchup
2 cans Pork and Beans
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 can Chili Beans
1 tsp Old Hickory Smoke Salt
1 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 tsp Pepper Blend
Brown the ground beef and chopped onion and drain.
Add all ingredients to crock pot and cook on low heat for at least 4 hours.
I put the ingredients in the crock of the slow cooker on a Sunday night and stuck it in the refrigerator. Then I had Ron set it in the base when he went home for lunch the next afternoon and turn it on low. It cooked for about 5 hours. It was fantastic.
Now I know not everyone has Old Hickory Smoke Salt in their cupboard. You don't have to use it. Just use salt. Or don't use salt. Which ever you prefer.
I also use a Pepper Blend. The local grocery store should have some version of it if you would like to try it. It is just a blend of Black Pepper and dried Red and Green Peppers. We like it. It just adds an extra layer of flavor to what ever you put it in.
Try this and let me know what you think. Let me know what you sub in your own Calico Beans. Or send me your recipe to try if it is different than mine. You know me, never met a food experiment I didn't like!
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Slow Cooker Meals
I have a friend who has been in and out of the hospital lately. She is home with a brand new baby and a lot of complications. For her and the baby. She also has a husband and a 3 year old.
What can I do to help?
Cook!
My schedule has been hectic. So getting something done for her family has been pretty sporadic. I thought, "Why not do some slow cooker meals?" They are quick and easy. Dump stuff in in the morning or at noon and supper is ready!
I prefer to cook from scratch as you may have figured out by now. Crock Pots don't mind a can of this, a box of that or a bag of something else. They do well with that kind of thing. And most of it does come out pretty well. For me though it tastes kind of like a can or box or bag. But even I will sacrifice some taste for time savings. (Don't tell any one that I said that though. It will ruin my reputation!)
So I went searching for some slow cooker recipes. Thankfully there are hundreds, no thousands, of them out there. I have a cook book called "Make It Fast, Cook It Slow" by Stephanie O'Dea. (She has a blog too) It is a great book with lots of different kinds of recipes. Main dishes, but also how to melt down the kids crayons and make new ones. With a whole lot in between. So check it out.
Anyway, what I found was interesting. (that's the best word I could come up with!) I knew that I had to try the recipes before I could share them with anyone else. I mean, what if they were awful? How could I live with myself. Off I went to dig out some of my many slow cookers that were stored in my nice new cupboard. (Love my new kitchen!) Here is the first one we tried.
Slow Cooker Lasagna
1 lb Hamburger, browned (I used 2)
1 jar Pasta Sauce (I used 26 oz Spaghetti Sauce)
1 8 oz can Tomato Sauce
1 16 oz jar Alfredo Sauce
1/2 9 oz box of No-Boil Lasagna Noodles
12 oz pkg Shredded Mozzarella Cheese (3 cups)
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
In a bowl mix the cooked hamburger with the pasta sauce and tomato sauce. Spray the crock with cooking spray. Put a small amount of the meat mixture in the bottom of the crock. Just enough to cover the bottom. Then layer about 1/3 of the noodles. (you will need to break them up) Next put about 1/3 of the remaining meat mixture. About 1/3 of the Alfredo sauce then 1/3 of the Mozzarella Cheese. Continue to layer until its all gone. Ending with Mozzarella Cheese on the top and sprinkle with the Parmesan Cheese.
Cover and cook on Low for about 4 hours.
Ours ended up cooking for 5 hours and it was a little too long. There was some burned cheese around the bottom. I ate it but Ron didn't.
We liked it! What I liked most was it was READY when I got home. I made some garlic bread I had ready in the freezer. We ate and cleaned up and still had most of an evening to enjoy.
For my friend I think I will brown up the hamburger and refrigerate it. Put the rest of the ingredients in a bag with the instructions and add the meat and cheese at the last minute. I'll drop it all off for her to put together. Hope they like it!
What can I do to help?
Cook!
My schedule has been hectic. So getting something done for her family has been pretty sporadic. I thought, "Why not do some slow cooker meals?" They are quick and easy. Dump stuff in in the morning or at noon and supper is ready!
I prefer to cook from scratch as you may have figured out by now. Crock Pots don't mind a can of this, a box of that or a bag of something else. They do well with that kind of thing. And most of it does come out pretty well. For me though it tastes kind of like a can or box or bag. But even I will sacrifice some taste for time savings. (Don't tell any one that I said that though. It will ruin my reputation!)
So I went searching for some slow cooker recipes. Thankfully there are hundreds, no thousands, of them out there. I have a cook book called "Make It Fast, Cook It Slow" by Stephanie O'Dea. (She has a blog too) It is a great book with lots of different kinds of recipes. Main dishes, but also how to melt down the kids crayons and make new ones. With a whole lot in between. So check it out.
Anyway, what I found was interesting. (that's the best word I could come up with!) I knew that I had to try the recipes before I could share them with anyone else. I mean, what if they were awful? How could I live with myself. Off I went to dig out some of my many slow cookers that were stored in my nice new cupboard. (Love my new kitchen!) Here is the first one we tried.
Slow Cooker Lasagna
1 lb Hamburger, browned (I used 2)
1 jar Pasta Sauce (I used 26 oz Spaghetti Sauce)
1 8 oz can Tomato Sauce
1 16 oz jar Alfredo Sauce
1/2 9 oz box of No-Boil Lasagna Noodles
12 oz pkg Shredded Mozzarella Cheese (3 cups)
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
In a bowl mix the cooked hamburger with the pasta sauce and tomato sauce. Spray the crock with cooking spray. Put a small amount of the meat mixture in the bottom of the crock. Just enough to cover the bottom. Then layer about 1/3 of the noodles. (you will need to break them up) Next put about 1/3 of the remaining meat mixture. About 1/3 of the Alfredo sauce then 1/3 of the Mozzarella Cheese. Continue to layer until its all gone. Ending with Mozzarella Cheese on the top and sprinkle with the Parmesan Cheese.
Cover and cook on Low for about 4 hours.
Ours ended up cooking for 5 hours and it was a little too long. There was some burned cheese around the bottom. I ate it but Ron didn't.
We liked it! What I liked most was it was READY when I got home. I made some garlic bread I had ready in the freezer. We ate and cleaned up and still had most of an evening to enjoy.
For my friend I think I will brown up the hamburger and refrigerate it. Put the rest of the ingredients in a bag with the instructions and add the meat and cheese at the last minute. I'll drop it all off for her to put together. Hope they like it!
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