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Archive for the ‘Cooking’ Category

Did you know that Pinterest can be addictive?  Yes, I am joking, kind of, since I don’t spend a ton of time on there.  If I ever do starting browsing, I can be there for hours if I would let myself.  This recipe is a Pinterest “find” from My Sweet Mission and it was a huge success.

To me, Sundays are perfect for slow cooker main dishes and this made a great addition to my repertoire.  I highly recommend it.

Slow Cooker Southern Steaks

2 lbs. top round steaks, cut into 3 or 4 inch pieces

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

2 tbsp. olive oil

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. onion powder

3 cups beef broth

1/4 cup all purpose flour

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Sprinkle the steaks with salt and pepper.  Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add the olive oil.  Add half of the steak pieces to the hot skillet and brown on each side.  Place the first batch in your slow cooker and brown the last batch.  Place those in the slow cooker after they are browned.

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Pour 2 cups of the beef broth into the hot pan.  Reduce heat to medium.  In a separate bowl, combine the remaining 1 cup of broth, flour, garlic powder, and onion powder.  Whisk until the flour is dissolved.

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Add the flour mixture slowly to the hot pan.  Stir constantly until the broth thickens into a gravy.  Pour this over the steaks in the slow cooker.  Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 to 8 hours.  Steaks are done when fork tender.

Slow Cooker Southern Steaks

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Eat At Home Cooks is one of my favorite all time food blogs.  It doesn’t hurt that she hails from my home state of Kentucky and her recipes are tasty and use normal ingredients that most of us will have on hand. 

Her Apple BBQ pork chop recipe is all that and more.  These beauties can be grilled, baked or made in the slow cooker like I did.  You can change out the type of sauce you use to suit your taste as well.  These made a great Sunday dinner.

Apple BBQ Pork Chops 2

6 bone in pork chops

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

salt & pepper to taste

1 cup BBQ sauce (I used honey BBQ.)

1/2 cup apple jelly

2 or 3 drops of liquid smoke (Optional, but it does add great flavor.)

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Heat a large skillet over medium heat and pour in about 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.  Season the chops with salt and pepper and brown them on each side in the heated skillet.

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Put the apple jelly in a small bowl and warm in the microwave for 30 seconds.  Stir the BBQ and liquid smoke into the warmed jelly to complete the sauce.

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Layer the chops with the sauce in a slow cooker.  Cook on low for 5 to 6 hours.  That’s all there is to it.

Apple BBQ Pork Chops 1

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This is the third “bubble up” recipe from Plain Chicken that I have tried and I think this may be my favorite!  I did use my favorite Salsa Sloppy Joe recipe instead of the original, but I am sure their Joe is great, too. 

This is a quick, easy, and (most importantly) tasty dinner idea.  All you need is a big tossed salad on the side and supper is served.

Sloppy Joe Bubble Up

1 recipe Salsa Sloppy Joe meat

1 can (12 oz.) Pilsbury Jr. Grands biscuits

1 cup shredded cheese of your choice (I used Fiesta mix.)

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Prepare the sloppy Joe mixture according to the recipe.  Allow to cool for a few minutes. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray.

Cut biscuits into quarters and place in medium bowl. Toss biscuits with meat mixture.  Pour biscuit mixture into pan and top with cheese
 
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until biscuits are done.

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I will never claim to be a fan of shredded coconut.  There is just something about the texture that doesn’t appeal to me, but I am willing to make a huge exception for this cake.  This recipe was passed on to me by a former co-worker who just raved about it.  She and I have similar taste in food (which means we LOVE it) so I had to make it.

Wow, was this ever tasty!  I had to divide it up and share the love so I wouldn’t eat the whole thing.  In face, I wish I had big ol’ piece of it right now.

German Chocolate Upside Down Cake 1

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup shredded coconut

1 box German chocolate cake mix with ingredients needed for your mix

1 8oz cream cheese, softened

2 sticks of butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

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Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray a 13×9 inch baking dish with non-stick spray.  I like to toast the pecans in the preheating oven to bring out the oil and flavor of the nuts.

Prepare the cake batter according to package directions.  Spread the pecans and shredded coconut in the bottom of the prepared pan then pour the cake batter over that.

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Beat the butter, cream cheese and powdered sugar together until smooth.  Dollop the butter mixture over the cake batter, covering as much of the cake top as possible.

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Bake for 50 minutes and devour!

German Chocolate Upside Down Cake 2

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I love finding new ways to make an old favorite.  This recipe remakes pizza, which is a huge favorite in my house, using flaky crescent roll dough.  They are great plain, but even better dipped in a little pizza sauce on the side.  I found these at Two In The Kitchen so head on over there to see their version.

These Crescent Pizza Triangles are perfect as a party food, but they also make a great lunch as well.  Versatility is the name of the game here since you can adapt the recipe to use your favorite pizza toppings.  I hope you give these a try.

Crescent Pizza Triangles

2 cans crescent rolls

1/4 cup pizza sauce plus more for dipping

1/2 lb. ground beef

1/2 lb. Italian sausage

1/4 cup chopped sweet pepper

1/4 cup finely chopped onions

8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese

1 egg, beaten

2 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese (I use the green can.)

1 tsp. dried oregano

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In a large skillet over medium high heat, cook the beef, sausage, onion and pepper until the meat is cooked through and the veggies are soft.  Allow the mixture to cool for 15-20 minutes. (That is what is in the zip top bag in the photo. I had precooked that and had it in my freezer.)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick spray.  Press out one of the tubes of crescent rolls to approximately 10×15 inches.  Pinch the perforations together to seal.

Spread a layer of pizza sauce, then the meat mixture, then the cheese.

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Press out the remaining dough on top and seal the edges by pressing them together.  Brush the crust with the beaten egg.  Sprinkle the parmesan and oregano over the crust.  Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the top is lightly browned. 

Cool for a few minutes then slice into triangles and enjoy!  Don’t forget to use a little extra pizza sauce for dipping.

Crescent Pizza Triangles

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Another week has flown right by and it is time for another menu post. This week’s list is full of old favorites that are quick and easy.  We are supposed to have some beautiful weather finally so I am hoping to get outside and enjoy it as much as possible.  Of course, raging spring allergies might put a little damper on my plans, but I will suffer through it with medication if I have to.

C & I spent Saturday afternoon mowing, trimming and weeding our yard and his parent’s yard and they look so nice and clean.  Our little garden is really starting to grown and I even picked a few ripe strawberries this week. They were so tasty!  See:
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Have a great week!

Salsa sloppy Joes with oven baked fries

Grilled pork chops with butter roasted potatoes (didn’t get made last week)

Sausage bake with salad

Taco ring with fresh fruit

Pizza night

Dr. Pepper pulled pork with oven fries

Please join me at I’m An Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday.

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One of my co-workers had a birthday back in February when it was absolutely frigid.  We usually get ice cream cakes for office birthdays, but the weather just would not allow it.  Knowing we all loved cheesecake, I volunteered to make one for her birthday and I knew just the one I wanted to try. 

The sweet tartness of the berries along with the sweet tart of the cream cheese really put this cake over the top flavor wise.  We loved it!! I found the recipe at recipetips.com

Strawberry Swirled Cheesecake

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup butter, melted

2 pkgs. frozen strawberries, 10 oz. each (I still had frozen homegrown berries.)

1 tbsp. cornstarch

24 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

1/4 cup lemon juice

3 eggs, room temperature

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Combine the graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar. Press this mixture in the bottom of a spring form pan and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

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Blend the strawberries and cornstarch together until smooth.  Pour this into a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Boil and stir for 2 minutes.  Allow the sauce to cool.

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Beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy with an electric mixer.  Gradually beat in the sweetened condensed milk.  Add the lemon juice and mix well.  Add eggs and beat on low until just combined.

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Pour half of the cream cheese mixture over the cooled crust and drop half of the strawberry sauce over the cream cheese.

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Carefully spoon remaining cream cheese mixture over the top of the strawberries and drop the remaining strawberry sauce on top of the second layer of cream cheese.  Use a knife to swirl the strawberry sauce through the cream cheese to make a pretty design on top.

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Bake at 300 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until center is almost set.  Cool for 10 minutes then run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cake.  Cool for an additional hour then refrigerate over night.

Remove the side of the pan.  Slice and eat up!  This cake keeps well in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days.

Strawberry Swirled Cheesecake

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Welcome to another edition of Menu Plan Monday hosted by I’m An Organizing Junkie where I, and other food loving bloggers, share what we plan to eat this week.  There are so many talented people linking up there and I hope you take the time to visit a few and see what goodies they are cooking. 

After a warm start to the week, it is supposed to be cool and rainy later so I am going to sneak in a few cool weather comfort foods before summer hits with a vengeance. The rain we had over the weekend was just what my little garden needed to spring into life.  I am hoping to start harvesting a few things in the next week or two.  There are tons of green strawberries out there and the lettuces and carrots are sprouting like crazy.  I can’t wait!! 

Have a great week, everyone, and I hope God blesses your socks off!

Bubble up pizza with fresh fruit

Italian burgers (new-didn’t get made last week) with oven fries

Chunky vegetable soup with cornbread

Taco ring with tossed salad

Grilled pork chops with oven fries

Basic meatloaf with butter roasted potatoes

Pizza night

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My family loves pulled pork and I love finding new and easy ways to fix it.  This version is from the site Spend With Pennies and it is really good.  The Dr. Pepper soda really adds a great little flavor boost to go with the sauce.  The fact that it is made in the slow cooker makes it even better.

Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork BBQ

1 pork roast

Salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste

1/2 cup diced onion

1 bottle BBQ sauce (I used Honey BBQ.)

12 oz. Dr. Pepper

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Place the diced onion in the bottom of a slow cooker.  Season the roast with salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Place the roast in the slow cooker and pour the Dr. Pepper over the meat.  Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours until the meat is extremely tender.

Remove the roast and shred it with two forks. 

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Place the shredded meat back in the slow cooker with all of the juice and pour in the BBQ sauce.  Let it cook on high for another hour.  Serve with rolls and the sides of your choice.

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Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork

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Wow, the weeks are rolling by so fast, but we are also getting so much accomplished outside.  Our little garden is planted and growing well and I even have my flower pots filled with all kinds of blooming pretties.  Hopefully, there will be a few more odds and ends accomplished this week, like mulching and trimming.  I just love this time of year even if I am worn completely out. It is a good kind of tired.

This week’s menu contains a couple of new recipes that I hope to have time to try and the rest of the week is good old favorites.  I hope the weather is as nice where you are as it is supposed to be here.  Get out and enjoy!

Enchilada beef dip with chips and salad

Grilled hot dogs with chips

Sausage bake with salad

Italian burgers (new) with oven baked fries

Honey orange pork tenderloin (new) with assorted sides

Pizza night

Please join me over at I’m An Organizing Junkie for so many other awesome menu plans.

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