A snack

I had a craving for blue cheese. So I toasted sour dough bread, threw on some slices of blue cheese and drizzled honey over the top. It hit the spot.

Amazing Cheesy Bread

1 cup Grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup finely shredded Cheddar/Jack cheese mix

Mayo to make a paste

Chives to taste

Garlic powder to taste

Spread on Sourdough bread and broil. So easy!

Sweet and Sour Cranberry Pot Roast

Sweet and Sour Cranberry Pot Roast

Ingredients

One 16-oz can tomato sauce
One 16-oz can whole cranberry sauce
1/4 cup dry red wine or water (I used water)
3 shallots, chopped
2 ribs of celery, chopped
3 tbsp. cider vinegar
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. prepared horseradish
1 tsp. dry mustard
One 3-4 pound boneless chuck roast, trimmed of as much fat as possible and patted dry

To cook:

1. Stir together all ingredients (except meat) in your crock pot. Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes.
2. Put meat in crock pot and spoon some of the sauce over your meat. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.
3. Transfer meat to cutting board and slice. Put on platter surrounded by yummy vegetables.
4. If you would like, cook the extra sauce on high for a few minutes, uncovered, and then serve on side.

My tidbits:
I forgot to turn down by crock pot from high to low. My meat cooked much faster and by the time it was ready for dinner it ended up being shredded beef. My guests didn't seem to mind too much. Also, I had noticed that I forgot to turn it down after it had already cooked for about 3 hours. Since I had planned on cooking it for 8 hours I just turned my setting to warm. The recipe says that a 3-4 pound roast will serve about 6-8. My 3 pound roast probably would have serve 4-6 depending on serving size and the number of sides you prepare. :) I would definitely make this recipe again. It was super easy and very tasty. It would probably also taste great served over rice.

My Mom's Lemon Cupcakes

My Mom's Lemon Cupcakes

1 Yello Cake Mix

4 eggs

3/4 c. water

1 (3 oz.) package of Lemon Jello

3/4 c. vegetable oil

Mix all ingredients together.  Follow directions on cake mix box for oven temperature and bake time.  I threw out my box accidentally.  I set my oven for 350 degrees and baked my cupcakes for about 18 minutes.

Frosting (make while cupcakes are baking)

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

2 tbs. melted butter

juice from 2 lemons to thin frosting down

Mix butter and sugar together first.  Add lemon juice a little at a time to thin down mixture.  It should have a nice pouring consistency and be on the tart side.  Make sure your frosting is nice and smooth or you will end up with powdered sugar lumps on top of your cupcakes.  Just look at my picture above.  It doesn't taste bad but might look a little prettier without the white lumps.  :)

When cupcakes are removed from the oven and still hot, take a fork and poke holes into cupcakes.  You will pour the frosting into these holes.  I poked and poured at the same time so I could use the fork to hold open my holes a bit.  If you have icing left over, feel free to pour directly on top.  

Panera's Cream Cheese Potato Soup

Panera's Cream Cheese Potato Soup

Ingredients

4 c. chicken broth

4 c. potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/4 c. onion, minced

1/2 tsp. seasoning salt

1/4 tsp. white pepper

1/4 tsp. ground red pepper

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, cut into chunks

Directions

Combine broth, potatoes, onion, and spices.  Boil on medium heat until potatoes are tender.  Smash a few of the potatoes to release their starch for thickening.  Reduce to low heat.  Add cream cheese.  Heat, stirring frequently, until cheese melts.

Thank you Kathi for this yummy recipe!!!

My tidbits:

I don't think I smashed enough potatoes because my soup didn't thicken up.  To solve this, I could up more potato cubes in the microwave, added some of the soup juice, and then mashed the potatoes.  I added that mixture into my soup and it thicken up nicely.  Be sure to give the cream cheese time to melt.  Don't worry if it looks chunky.  Just keep stirring and make sure you have the heat up just right.  We served it with bread and bacon bits.  You could also top it with cheese, chives, or just about anything you like.  

I fed three adults and had enough leftover to feed four adults again the next day.  That's what I love about soups-the gift that keeps on giving.  I'm going to try freezing my leftovers.

Beef Stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff (taken from Food.com Rachel Ray)

I adjusted some of the ingredients...check back at food.com for the original

1 1/2 pounds of beef tenderloin fillet (I used 2 pounds)

Salt and pepper

3 tbs. butter, divided

2 tbs. all-purpose flour

2 cups of beef consomme, available on soup aisle

2 tsps. Dijon style mustard (I might have used 2 tbs.)

1/4 c. sour cream

1 tbs. extra virgin olive oil

1/2 small onion, sliced 

1/2 cup of sliced mushrooms (my addition)

1/3 cup coarsely chopped cornichons (sweet gherkins-I left this off)

1 pound extra wide noodles, cooked to package directions

chopped parsley leaves, garnish (I left this off)

Slice meat into 1/2"-thick by 2" long very thin strips and season with salt and pepper.  Set in freezer.  

Heat a skillet over medium heat.  Melt 2 tbs. butter and cook with flour 1 minutes.  Whisk in consommme.  Thicken 1 minute. Stir in mustard and sour cream, thicken 2 to 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and season sauce with salt and peper.

Heat a second skillet over high heat.  Add 1 tbs. oil and 1 tbs. butter, then add the meat  and onion.  cook over high heat until brown on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes total.  Then add the chopped cornichons and stir to combine.

Arrange meat on a bed of egg noodles and top  with stroganoff sauce and parsley.  

My tidbits:

I was running out of space on my stove top so I poured my sauce into a separate container and cook my meat, onions, and mushrooms in the pan I used for the sauce.  For serving purposes, I combined the sauce and meat mixture into one bowl.  Be sure to drain the meat before combining with stroganoff sauce.  And yes, I added mushrooms because I love mushrooms and I think every stroganoff I have ever had has had mushrooms.  My sauce didn't thicken up to well so I added a little cornstarch.  Just remember that it is always easy to add but not so easy to take out.  Cliff and the missionaries loved it.  I had enough left over for Cliff to take to work for lunch.  It was rather easy to make also.

Fresh Lemonade

Fresh Lemonade

taken from Food.com - Barefoot Contessa

1 cup Fresh Lemon Juice

1/2 cup to 3/4 cup sugar to taste (I use 1 cup of sugar)

1 cup of crushed ice

4 cups of water

Put all ingredients in blender and blend.  Yummy!  A bit on the tart side so serving on ice will probably water it down a bit if you don't like to pucker.