Chili Dip

Need a dip with some zip? This is it! Got the recipe from a fellow Quadder (4-wheeler) at a camping pot luck last fall. We all love chili, cheese, salsa, cream cheese and this has it all. It's super easy to make.



CHILI DIP!

2 tubs of cream cheese
2 cans of Stagg Chili (I use one regular and one Dynamite)
salsa
shredded cheese

Soften cream cheese, than spread onto bottom of 12" x 9" foil pan. Top with mixed cans of Stagg Chili. Cover chili with a thin layer of salsa, then shredded cheese.

Warm oven to 350F. Place pan of dip in oven, heat till cheese has sufficiently melted (may take 15 minutes).

Grap some Tostido Rounds or Scoopables and dig in!! Yummy!

Turkey Stew & Dumplings

This recipe actually calls for chicken, however I always do it with the left over turkey from the holidays. I use the same biscuit recipe as "Biscuits & Gravey", just make the biscuits a bit smaller.




TURKEY STEW & DUMPLINGS


2-3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut bite size
4 medium carrots, peeled and cut bite size
(smaller than potatoes)
1 large onion, peeled, cut up
boiling salted water

1 1/2 cups peas, fresh or frozen

2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 1/2 cups boiling water

10 oz. condensed cream of chicken soup
3 cups cooked chicken, cut up
1/4 tsp. thyme

tea biscuits

Cook potatoes, carrots and onion in boiling salted water until tender.
Add peas. Cook for about 3 minutes more. Drain.

Dissolve bouillon cubes in boiling water in large bowl.

Add soup to bouillon and stir. Add chicken, thyme and vegetables. Turn into 3 quart casserole. heat in 350F oven about 40 minutes until hot.


Make biscuits, drop by spoonfuls over hot stew. Turn oven to 425F. Cook for about 15-20 minutes more, until risen and browned. Leftovers may be frozen.

Double Decker Grilled Cheese Sandwich

YUMMY!! These are the boys ultimate favorite grilled cheese sandwiches. They take a bit more time to put together - but they are worth it. I assemble the sandwiches on plates before putting in the frying pan.

You will need:

3 slices of bread (per sandwich)

1 slice of cooked ham

1 slice of cooked chicken or turkey

2 slices of cheese

mayo

butter

Assemble on plate in order given below:

1 slice bread

1 slice cheese

1 slice ham

1 slice bread, spread with mayo up

1 slice chicken/turkey

1 slice cheese

1 slice bread buttered on the top

Flip onto preheated frying pan (med. heat) butter side down. Butter top piece of bread. Flip over when browned and bottom cheese has started to melt. Brown, remove from pan and place on plate. Cut in half and serve.

Biscuits and Gravey

Because today is Logan's Birthday I made biscuits and gravey for breakfast. I've seen a lot of recipes for the gravey but this is our favorite. The recipe is quite big - that way we can have it for breakfast two mornings.

BISCUITS & GRAVEY

3-4 lbs. farmer sausage

1/2 large onion chopped

3/4 tsp. sage

Fry onion, sausage and sage in large pot until the sausage is done.

Add 8 tbsp. flour, mix well and fry, stirring once in awhile, on med/high heat.

Add:

6 cups of milk (I use 1%)

1.5 tsp. poultry seasoning

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

2 tsp. worchestershire sauce

1/4 - 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes, depending how "hot" you want it.

Let this come to a boil over med/high heat, stirring often. If the gravey doesn't get thick enough, mix flour and liquid (from pot) in a bowl till well blended and add to pot.

BISCUITS:

In a food processor, place 2 1/4 cups flour, 4 tsp. baking powder and 1/2 cup hard margarine cut into 16 pieces. Mix.

Place in bowl and make well in center. Add 1 1/4 cups milk, mix till just blended. Place on a cutting board, flatten with hands, cut with round cutter.

Place on cookie sheet and bake at 400F for 12 minutes.Sometime I use 1/2 milk and 1/2 buttermilk just to add a different flavour to the biscuits.

Broccoli/Cauliflower Salad & Rolo Cheesecake

After having turkey and all the trimmings for lunch - we are having salads and sandwiches for supper along with a Rolo Cheesecake that I made for Logan's birthday, which is actually tomorrow. Here are the recipes for the salad and the cheesecake.

BROCCOLI/CAULIFLOWER SALAD

1 small head cauliflower

1 small broccoli

8 slices bacon

Optional:

1/2 c. raisens

onion

1 tin water chestnuts

Cut bacon into 1 inch pieces and fry till done. Add cut up cauliflower, broccoli, bacon, raisens, onion and water chestnuts to large bowl and stir.

Mix:

1 cup miracle whip (or salad dressing)

1/2 c. sugar

2 tsp. vinegar

Add to vegetables etc., and let sit over night. I didn't add onion or water chestnuts.

ROLO CHEESECAKE

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 tbsp. granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 300F. In small bowl, stir together above ingredients until well combined. Press into bottom and up sides of springform pan.

2 pkgs cream cheese, softened

1 tbsp. vanilla

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 tbsp. all purpose flour

3/4 cup evaporated milk

1/2 cup sour cream

16 Rolo candies, quartered

In a large bow., beat cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Beat in eggs and flour. Gradually beat in evaporated milk and sour cream. Stir in chopped Rolo candies; pour over crust.

Bake 25 minutes. Cover loosely with foil. Bake an additional 30-40 minutes until edge is set but center still jiggles slightly. Cool to room temperature on baking rack. Cover with chocolate icecream topping. Place in fridge till ready to serve.

Run a sharp knife around edge of pan: remove pan edges. I usually run very hot water over the knife before going around the edge of the pan. Cut, serve and enjoy!!

The recipe is actually a Turtles Cheesecake recipe. However Brad (hubby) has a slight alergy to nuts, so I substituted Rolo Candies for the Turtles.

Crock Pot Beef Stew & Corn Bread

My family enjoys this on a cold winter day. Goes well with fresh baked cornbread. I put it in the crockpot on low in the morning and don't worry about it till supper time.



BEEF STEW


2 pounds stew meat
2 medium onions, chopped
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 cans (10 1/2 oz each) condensed beef broth, undiluted
3/4 cup water
6 medium carrots, cut into 2 inch chunks
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
potatoes cut into bit sized chunks
1 large can Spicey Tomato Sauce
1/4 cup pot barley

Brown meat and onions in oil then add to crockpot with rest of ingredients. I used a small bag of baby carrots, cut in 1/2, and 1 tsp. minced garlic instead of the garlic powder.

This is the best corn bread ever!!!

BUTTERY CORN BREAD

2/3 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 2/3 cups milk
2 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1 coup cornmeal
4 1/2 tsps. baking powder
1 tsp. salt

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Combine the eggs and milk. Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with egg mixture. Pour into a greased 13" x 9" baking pan. Bake at 400F for 22-27 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cut into squares; serve warm.

Fluffy Waffles

This has to be the best waffle recipe ever. It's a little more work - but well worth it.

FLUFFY WAFFLES

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tbsp. sugar

2 tsps. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

3 eggs, separated

2 cups milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

In a bowl, combine the flour, cugar, baking powder and salt. Combine the egg yolks, milk and oil; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. In a small mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form; fold into batter. Bake ina preheated waffle iron according to manufacturer's directions.

Chocolate Roll

This is actually quite easy to make, and quite yummy!! Does give the hubby some head pain (it's the chocolate), but that just means there's more for the rest of us!!

CHOCOLATE ROLL

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 tbsp. buter or margarine

1 egg, beaten

1 cup icing sugar

2 1/2 cups small colored marshmallows

1/2 cup maraschino cherries, quartered

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Coconut for coating

Melt chips and butter in large heavy saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat.

Add beaten egg, icing sugar, marshmallows, well-drained and quartered cherries and walnuts. Stir to mix. Cool if very warm. Form mixture into a roll.

Sprinkle some coconut over countertop, in space big enough to move roll around to coat with coconut. After well coated, wrap in either wax paper or plastic. Chill well before attempting to slice. Slice thinly with clean sharp knife.

I melted the chips and butter in a glass bowl in the microwave. It's stored in the freezer and I take it out shortly before I want to cut it and then run very hot water over the knife before cutting.

Cooking/Baking help

Cooking/baking is one of my passions, to bad the dishes don't clean themselves. My family thinks I'm nuts when I get excited about a new cookbook or magazine, or when I find a new recipe site on the internet. Of course they don't have to cook or even try and think of what to make for 3 meals a day!! Some days when I just don't know what to make I'll ask whom ever is around for ideas. The answer I usually get is "Make whatever you want". When I suggest a flax bagel with peanut butter I just get "the Look". You know the one - it says "I don't think so!" But of course they can't come up with anything better - so I'm on my own again.

Since it's close to Christmas and I'm sure many of you are doing your Christmas baking I thought I'd check out some cooking/baking blogs for ideas. Christmas baking at my house is pretty basic - no nuts (hubby has a slight allergy) and not to much chocolate (gives hubby migraines). So what do you make at Christmas that doesn't have nuts or chocolate! Let me tell you it isn't easy! So I make some snack mixes and cheeseball, cream cookies, rice krispie cake with caramel, New York Cheese cake (for Logan's birthday on the 26th) and hopefully a few things I'll find on some of the blogs I'll look at.

Lucky for me no one goes to the freezer to get sweets when they're hungry so stuff lasts fairly long. Of course the fridge is a different matter. It's apparently free game. Don't you hate pulling out a container of left overs from the fridge only to find out that it is empty because someone was hungry? Sometimes I think that we'll have leftovers for supper - start pulling out containers at 5:45pm only to realize that what I thought would feed 4 now only feeds 2.5! ARG!!! Good thing I'm happy with a flax bagel and peanut butter.

Back to cooking blogs - I have found quite a few really good ones with lots of pictures. Some would be really good for novice cooks/bakers (not me, but fun to look at). They have great pics and descriptions on how to do the recipe. What they all have in common is lots of recipes! WOOHOO!! Maybe I'll find a new recipe to try for supper. Here are some that I look at quite often. There are more cooking links on the right to some awesome blogs!! HAPPY COOKING/BAKING!! (don't lick too many spoons!)

A Year of Crockpot Cooking
Mennonite Girls Can Cook
Sunday Baker
The Homesteading Housewife
Furry Kitchen
Tried and True Cookbook

Banana Chip Muffins

At our house the muffins are always the JUMBO variety. There is really no point in making "normal" size muffins, than Luke & Logan just have to eat more of them. This is one of their favorites, infact I know this recipe by heart already.

BANANA CHIP MUFFINS

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 egg

1/4 cup cooking oil

1/4 cup milk

1 cup mashed bananas (3 medium)

Measure first five dry ingredients into large bowl. Mix thoroughly6 and make a well in center.

Beat egg until frothy. Mix in oi, milk and bananas. Pour into well. Stir only to moisten. Bater will be lumpy. Fill greased muffin tins 3/4 full. Bake in 400F oven for 20-25 minutes.

This recipe makes 12 "normal" size muffins or 6 Jumbo muffins.

Lemon Bars

Borrowed this recipe from Cara on Bovine Bubbles and Hogwash. I just LOVE lemon - and this is amazing!!

LEMON BARS

For the Crust:

1/2 cup plus 3 tbsp. cold butter, cut into 1" pieces

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

3 tbsp. cornstarch

1/2 tsp. salt

For the Topping:

2 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

3 tbsp. all-purpose flour

1/2 cup + 2 tbsp. + 3/4 tsp. squeezed lemon juice

1/4 cup + t tbsp. milk

1/4 tsp. coarse salt

Preheat oven to 350F with a rack in the center of oven. Butter a 9 x 13 inch baking pan.

To make crust: In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, confectioners' sugar, cornstarch and salt; process to combine. Add buter to processor and process until mixture is pale yellow and resembles a coarse mea., about 10 seconds. If you don't have a food processor, whisk together flour, confectioners' sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a large bowl. Add butter and work into flour mixture using a pastry blender or your fingers.

Pour crust mixture into prepared baking dish, pressing down with your fingers to creat a 1/4" thick layer along the bottom and 1/2" up the sides, pressing firmly at the edges to seal. Transfer pan to freezer and freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to oven and bake, rotating pan once during baking, until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the topping: In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, and flour; stir in lemon juice, (I used RealLemon), milk, and salt until well combined.

Remove baking pan from oven. Stir topping and pour into warm crust. Return pan to oven and continue baking until topping is just set but not browned, about 20 minutes.

Transfer baking pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Cut into 20 squares. Serve immediately or wrap each bar tightly with plastic wrap and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Almond Puff Pastry

I found this recipe on Jeanine's Blog - The Baking Beauties. Made it yesterday, and it's wonderful!

ALMOND PUFF PASTRY

Cookie Base:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup flour
2 tbsp. water
Make dough and divide in half. Pat each piece into 12 x 3 inch strip on cookie sheet.

Topping:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup water
Heat to a rolling boil. Remove from heat and add 1 cup flour and 1 tsp. almond extract. Stir until bloended & forms a ball (as fro cream puff). Then add 3 beaten eggs, one at a time. Divide in half & spread each part on cookie base. Bake at 350 degrees F for about one hour. Cool slightly and ice.

Icing
3/4 cup icing sugar
1 tbsp. melted butter
1/2 - 1 tsp almond extract
1/2 - 1 tbsp. warm water
Mix: pour on like glaze and top with slivered almonds.

Banana Chocolate Cake

BANANA CHOCOLATE CAKE

3/4 cup buter or margarine, softened

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 1/4 cups mashed banana

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup cocoa

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

3/4 cup Sour milk (see Note)

Preheat oven to 350F. Cream butter with suagr and 1 egg together very well. Beat in second egg. Mix in banana and vanilla.

Mix flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in small bowl.

Add flour mixture to butter mixture in 3 parts alternately with sour milk in 2 parts, beginning and ending with flour. Spread in 2 greased round 8 or 9 inch layer pans. Bake in oven until an inserted wooden pick comes out clean, about 40 minutes.

Note: to make sour milk, add milk to 1 tbsp. vinegar in measuring cup. Stir.

I made the cake in a 9 x 13 inch pan, but it is full to the top!

Double Brownies

Another Friesen favorite. The recipe calls for icing, but quite often I don't bother putting it on.

DOUBLE BROWNIES

2 eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/8 tsp. salt

1/4 cup cocoa

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Chocolate Layer: Beat 2 eggs until foamy. Add granulated sugar, flour, nuts and salt. Melt cocoa and butter together in saucepan over low heat. Add to egg mixture and blend well. Spread in greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Set aside.

Butterscotch Layer: in clean bowl cream butter with brown sugar. Add 2 eggs and vanilla. Beat until well mixed. Add remaining ingredients. Stir. Spoon over chocolate layer in small blobs. Spread as best you can. Bake in 350F oven for 30 minutes until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool and frost.

ICING:

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

3 tbsp. milk

1 1/2 cups icing sugar

Bring butter, brown sugar and milk to boil in saucepan. Simmer for 2 minutes. Cool Stir in icing sugar, adding more sugar or milk if necessary to make consistency for easy spreading. Spread over cooled squares.

Jam Jam Cookies

I make these every Christmas. Everyone loves them with a big glass of milk.

JAM JAMS:

2 eggs

1 cup brown sugar

6 tbsps. syrup

2 cup shortening

2 tsps. soda

1 tsp lemon or vanilla

Flour to roll thin

Mix all ingredients. Add enough flour to roll thin. Then cut and bake at 350F for 12 - 15 minutes. While warm, put together with favorite jam.

Corn Chowder and Cheese ball

Instead of posting recipes on my crafting blog I've decided to start a recipe blog. I love cooking/baking (just need someone to do the clean-up). If you have a recipe you really like don't be shy - let me know what it is - I'll try it and post it here.

Today I made Corn Chowder for lunch.

CORN CHOWDER

1 pkg. bacon cut into 1 inch pieces

1 small onion

Fry together until onion is soft and bacon is done.

Add to following in large pot:

2 tins cream of mushroom soup

2 tins creamed corn

3 medium potatoes peeled and cut into small chunks

pepper to taste

6 cups milk

Cook on med-high heat stirring often (it does stick on very easily) until potatos are done.

Really good with grilled cheese sandwich.

I also made an Almond Puff Pastry with a recipe I found on Jeanine's Blog The Baking Beauties, and a recipe for Lemon Bars that I found on Cara's Blog Bovine Bubbles and Hogwash.

Plus some cheese ball, a recipe that I've made for years.

CHEESE BALL

1/4 lb. grated cheddar cheese

2 hard boiled eggs, chopped

1/2 - 3/4 c. crushed crackers

2-3 chopped green onions

2-3 chopped pickles

chopped green pepper

chopped celery (1 stalk)

Mix all ingredients. Add enough mayonnaise to hold mixture together. (takes quite a bit as the cracker crumbs absorb moisture). Line a bowl with saran wrap and fill with mixture. Refrigerate. When ready to use, unmold the mixture onto a platter and arrange an assortment of crackers around the cheese ball.