Slow Cooker Home-Style Pork

Ingredients:

• 1.5-2lbs boneless pork roast, cut into pieces 
• 1 medium-sized onion, sliced
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 3 tbsp yellow or dijon mustard

Directions:

Place roast pieces in slow cooker.  Top with onion.

Pour water on and around roast and onions.

In a small bowl, blend together last three ingredients.  Spoon over meats and onions.

Throw a dash of salt and pepper on top.

Cover and cook on Low for 7-8 hours, until meat is tender.

Serving Suggestion: Serve alongside brown sugar baked beans and cornbread.

Adapted from Fix-it and Forget-it 5-Ingredient Favorites by Phyllis Pellman Good

Almond and Oat Blondie Squares

Recipe adapted from MarthaStewart.com

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• Everyday Baking Mix, spooned and leveled (1cup flour, 1/2 cup white sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt mixed in a small bowl)
• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick-cooking)
• small handful of sliced almonds

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush an 8-inch square baking pan with butter. Line bottom and two sides with a strip of parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on both sides. Butter paper, and set pan aside.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg, and beat until combined. With mixer on low, gradually add Baking Mix; mix just until combined. Mix in 3/4 cup oats. Pour batter into prepared pan.
3. Using an offset metal spatula or table knife, smooth batter evenly. Sprinkle with remaining oats mixed with almonds, pressing gently to adhere. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, 30 minutes. Let cool in pan 30 minutes.
4. Using overhang, transfer blondie (still on paper) to a wire rack to cool completely. Place on a cutting board (peel off paper); using a serrated knife, cut into 16 squares.

Oatmeal White Chocolate (Cookies and Cream) Cookies

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen & Cook's Illustrated

1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon table salt
14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) salted butter, slightly softened
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

6 ounces (or more) white chocolate (cookies and cream) bar, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and table salt in a medium bowl.

2. Beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Add egg and vanilla and beat until incorporated. Add flour mixture gradually and mix until just incorporated and smooth. Gradually add oats and white chocolate and mix with wooden spoon until well incorporated.

3. Divide dough into 24 equal portions, each about 2 tablespoons. Roll between palms into balls, then place on lined baking sheets about 2 1/2 inches apart. Using fingertips, gently press down each ball to about 3/4-inch thickness.

4. Sprinkle a flake or two of sea salt on each cookie

5. Bake until cookies are just set and light brown around edges, about 12 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack to cool.

Lime Squares with Zesty Graham Cracker Crust

Adapted and modified from Martha Stewart

Ingredients

• For the Crust

  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for pan
  • 1 2/3 cup graham-cracker crumbs
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon grated lime zest

• For the Filling

  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/2 cup fresh lime juice (I used hand squeezed fresh, but I think I'll go with bottled next time)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush an 8-inch square baking dish with melted butter. Line bottom with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides.
2. Mix graham-cracker crumbs, sugar, and zest. Blend in butter. Press mixture into bottom and 1 inch up sides of prepared pan. Bake until lightly browned, 10 minutes. Cool crust, 30 minutes.
3. To make the filling: In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and condensed milk. Add lime juice; whisk until smooth. Pour filling into cooled crust; carefully spread to edges.
4. Bake until set, 15 minutes. Cool in pan on rack; then chill at least 1 hour before serving. Using parchment paper overhang, lift out of pan, and transfer to a cutting board. With a serrated knife, cut into 16 squares, wiping knife with a damp kitchen towel between each cut.

I state that there is "1/2 cup of art" in my blog, so here's that little addition.

(Or now for future reference if you ever see a random artsy photo with no explanation)

 

Vanilla Prune Oatmeal Cookies

Adapted from allrecipes.com

• Handful of prunes
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• A few dashes of ground cinnamon
• 1.5 cups quick cooking oats

Directions

1. Firstly, dice up prunes and place in small bowl.  Top with 1 Tablespoon warm water and the vanilla.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together butter, white sugar, and brown sugar. Beat in egg. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a separate bowl; stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in soaked prunes.  Mix in oats. Shape dough into a log (resembling a "Pillsbury" type of refrigerated cookie dough" chill dough for at least one hour (although can be frozen too for many days)
3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Slice the dough log into 1/2 inch slices.  Space 12 per cookie sheet.
4. Bake for 8 minutes in preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Note: Do not overbake.  The soaking prune step and the 8 minute cook time are crucial to keeping them soft and chewy.

Manwich Slow Cooker Chicken

Adapted from thesouthernladycooks.com

2 to 4 chicken breasts (can use frozen, fresh or any other pieces of chicken in this recipe)

1 (15.5 ounce) can Manwich Original Sloppy Joe Sauce

1/4 cup salsa

3 to 4 tablespoons honey, optional

1 small onion, chopped

1 small bell pepper (any color), chopped

 

Place chicken breasts in bottom of the crockpot.  Mix remaining ingredients and pour over the chicken.  Cook on high for 4 to 5 hours or low for 7 hours. Best if served with rice.

 

Note:   Can sprinkle with parmesan cheese before serving.

Candy Crack

Adapted from candy.about.com

I call this Candy Crack because for one it is super addicting and two, it's made from crackers.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 sleeves of saltine crackers
• 1 stick (4 oz) butter
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 cups chocolate chips
• Chopped Nuts (optional)

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil and spraying the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Arrange the crackers in a single layer on the baking sheet so that there are no empty spaces in between them. Crush any remaining crackers into small crumbs and fill in any empty spaces.
3. Place the butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir while the butter melts, and bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Once boiling (set timer and let it boil for 3 minutes), carefully pour the sugar-butter mixture over the crackers on the baking sheet in an even layer, trying to cover most of the crackers. If you miss some spots, don’t worry as the toffee will spread in the oven.
4. Bake the toffee crackers at 350 degrees for five minutes, until the toffee is bubbling all over. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool for one minute.
5. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top of the hot toffee, and allow them to sit for one minute to soften and melt. Once softened, use an offset spatula or knife to spread the melted chocolate over the entire surface of the toffee in an even layer. While the chocolate is still sticky, sprinkle the top with the nuts if desired
6. Refrigerate the pan to set the toffee and chocolate for about 30 minutes to an hour. Once set, break into small uneven pieces by hand, and enjoy! Store uneaten saltine toffee in an airtight container for up to a week.

Slutty Brownies

Adapted from Stumbleupon.com (The Londoner)

1 Box/pouch of chocolate chip cookie mix,

1 Box of brownie mix,
Eggs, butter/oil. (Ingredients to make the two above.)

Oreos (double stuffed ones are even better if you can find them)

& your favorite ice-cream (optional, but Vanilla is highly encouraged)

Preheat oven to 350.
Line a spring form or say 9X9 pan with parchment paper.
Make cookie dough according to package directions. Press dough into bottom of pan.
Layer whole Oreos in 1 layer on top of cookie dough. (see first picture)
Make brownie batter according to box directions. Pour batter onto Oreo layer, spread even.
Place in oven on middle rack.
Not sure how long for. Original recipe said 30 minutes, but mine was still raw.
I put it back in the oven for at least another 15-18 minutes. (Roughly 47 minutes total)
I may have even raised the temp to 375 for the last 10 minutes.
Could have been due to the choice of pan.
It's done when you use a toothpick and press through the brownie layer and it's mostly dry. A little moisture is fine.
Let rest a little bit, but lift parchment up, place on a cutting board and cut while warm.

Cranberry-Nut Biscotti

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup to a little over 1 cup chopped nuts (I used some walnuts and peanuts together since that's all I happened to have on hand) Pecans or pistachios would have been great.
  
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup dried cranberries

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Finely chop nuts.
2. In a bowl, combine baking powder, flour, sugar, and salt (lightly fluff around a mix with hands). In another bowl, beat eggs, yolks, and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients to the bowl of wet ingredients; mix on medium low until sticky dough is formed. Stir in nuts and cranberries by hand.
3. Turn dough out onto well-floured board; sprinkle with flour, and knead slightly. Shape into a 12 by 3 inch log. (Or at least that's what I did....may have been better if I made it into two logs) Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Reduce oven to 275 or 300 degrees.
4. On cutting board, cut logs on diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Return pieces cut side down to baking sheet. Bake until lightly toasted, about 20 minutes. Turn over. Bake until slightly dry, about 20 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Store in airtight container.

Original, unaltered recipe is by Martha Stewart. Makes about 20-24 biscotti.

Pillsbury Crescent Chicken Pot Pie

INGREDIENTS

1/2 large onion, small diced

2 carrots peeled and small diced

1 handful of broccoli florets cut supper small

1 handful of frozen corn kernels

1 can chicken broth

2 large chicken breasts
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of celery soup
1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

1 pinch ground sage, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, 1 tsp dried parsley, 1 capful Franks Buffalo Wing sauce

DIRECTIONS

Saute onions, carrots in half of the can on chicken broth, cook for about 5 minutes.

Add broccoli and corn for another 5 minutes. Sprinkle in black pepper, parsley and sage. Allow to cool.

Grill 2 large chicken breasts (whole), place on cutting board to cool for at least 10 minutes. Cut into medium cubes.

In large bowl, mix vegetables, chicken, soups, wing sauce and other half a can of chicken broth. Pour into sprayed 11×7-inch glass baking dish. Place dish on small baking sheet.

Unroll dough press perforations to seal. Place rectangles over chicken mixture; pinch center edges to seal. Press outside edges of dough to edges of baking dish.

Bake at 350°F 25 to 30 minutes or until top is golden brown.

I think the sage and wing sauce give it another undertone of flavor. mmmmmm.

Adapted and changed from onemomsworld.com

"Loaded" Baked Potato Dip

adapted and revamped from allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
2 (16 ounce) containers sour cream
1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch dip seasoning.
1 pkg (about 3 ounce) Oscar Meyer fully cooked Bacon, minced
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 bunch green onions, finely chopped

Directions:
Reserve a handful separately of each of the green onions, bacon and cheddar cheese.

In a medium size mixing bowl, combine sour cream and ranch packet, and the remaining bacon, Cheddar cheese and green onions; stir well and transfer to serving dish. Top in the following layers the handfuls of cheddar, bacon then green onions.

Refrigerate (covered with plastic wrap) for about, oh say, 6-7 hours before serving.
Serve along with "Ruffles" or "Wavy" style potato chips for the full baked potato effect.

Grandma Vita Cookie Recipe

6 large eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

2 sticks melted butter (slightly cooled)

pinch of salt

2 tsp vanilla

2 tsp anise extract

5 tsp baking powder

4 1/2 cups flour

In a large bowl, place melted butter and sugar and mix well. add eggs all at once

and mix well, add baking powder and mix very well till it looks thick and light yellow.

add vanilla and anise extract and mix well. add flour one cup at a time.

when it gets too hard to mix by spoon, mix with your hands and form a ball of dough

make cookies into small golf balls and place on ungreased cookie sheets (with or without parchment paper) about l " apart...
bake at 350 degrees for at least 15-18 minutes (light golden and watch carefully)
Cool on wire rack. Makes around 60 or so.

frost cookies with confectioners icing and decorative candy sprinkles

frosting recipe:

mix confectioners sugar, milk and drop of anise extract until thick and spreadable.

Typically an Italian holiday cookie. I get numerous requests for these. Never seem to be able to make enough!

Oreo Truffle Balls

Ingredients:

1 (16 ounce) package Oreo cookies, crushed

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, very softened

12 oz. bag of Semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4 bar of paraffin wax

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, add cream cheese (microwave for 20 seconds if necessary)

Open each Oreo, with a butter knife, scrape out white filling and add to cream cheese.

Finely crush all now empty Oreo halves by hand and add to bowl.

With a wooden spoon mix together.

Store mixture in fridge for 1-3 days.

Roll into quarter sized balls. Melt chocolate and wax in a double boiler.

Dip in the same process as the recipe below (Buckwild Balls)

Sprinkle with "jitchaleans" before hardened.

(The sprinkles in the picture, but that's what my Grandma used to call them )

"Buckwild" Balls

The actual name of these at Buckeye Peanut Butter Balls, but....while first adding these to my family's holiday traditions, my sister and I were at the moment obsessed with VH1's reality stars Real and Chance and New York. Another character on the shows was named "Buckwild," a fabulously trashy broad who was a ball to mock. Hence, Buckwild Balls.....

1 stick of margarine/butter (softened)

1 lb (box) confectionery sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups of creamy peanut butter

12 oz ( 1 1/2 cups) semi-sweet choc. chips

1/4 bar paraffin wax

Mix together sugar, margarine, vanilla and peanut butter with an electric mixer.

the mixture may be a bit crumbly, but as you roll it together, it will become smooth.
You may choose to mix it by hand when the electric mixer starts to slow down a lot.

Roll into small balls and place on parchment paper (cookie sheet).
I roughly yield about 77 of them.

Refrigerate for 2 hours (but up to 24 hours is alright too).

Melt chocolate chips and wax in a double boiler, it will take a while on low heat,

mix occasionally with a rubber spatula.

Put a toothpick into the center of a ball. Using the toothpick, pick up the balls,

one at a time, and dip into the melted chocolate, then place back on the parchment paper. (I use a method of one toothpick in the ball, and one to help assist dropping it back onto the paper and repeat.)

When you have dipped all of the buckwild balls, go back and using a spoon, drop some of the chocolate onto the hole to fill it.

Refrigerate the balls to harden the chocolate!
I store mine is super clean sushi containers, but they don't last long.

Homemade Biscuits

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
1/3 cup butter, diced into small cubes
1 cup milk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Cut in the butter by hand until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Gradually stir in milk until dough pulls away from the side of the bowl.
Turn out onto a floured surface. Pat or roll dough out to 1 inch thick. Cut biscuits with a wine glass dipped in flour. Repeat until all dough is used. Brush off the excess flour, and place biscuits onto an ungreased baking sheet with parchment paper.
Bake for 13 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges begin to brown.

Makes 6-8 biscuits depending on the size of your wine glass. Must serve with butter.

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

Let me apologize in advance for no photo of this recipe, but these were inhaled and there was no time for that! :)

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
1/3 cup Frank's Red Hot sauce
1 pound ground chicken, I used Perdue
1 large egg
1/2 celery stalk, minced
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Yields: 40 3/4-inch meatballs

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Drizzle the vegetable oil into a 9 x 13- inch baking dish and use your hand to evenly coat the entire surface. Set aside.

Combine the butter and hot sauce in a small saucepan, and cook over low heat, whisking until the butter is melted and fully incorporated. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool for 10 minutes.

Combine the ground chicken, hot sauce mixture, egg, celery, bread crumbs, and salt in a large mixing bowl and mix by hand until thoroughly incorporated.

Roll the mixture into round, 3/4-inch balls, making sure to pack the meat firmly, make 40. Place the balls in the prepared baking dish, being careful to line them up snugly and in even rows vertically and horizontally to form a grid (8 by 5). The meatballs should be touching one another.

Roast for 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are firm and cooked through.

Allow the meatballs to cool for 5 minutes in the baking dish before serving.

I dipped mine in three cheese ranch dressing that I mixed crumbled blue cheese in.

Larry dipped his in a mix of regular ranch and hot sauce.

(Reciped adapted from Rachael Ray and The Meatball Shop)

Eggnog cheesecake

(Adapted from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

Crust:

• 1 1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 4 tablespoons melted butter
• pinch of nutmeg
• pinch of cinnamon sugar
  

Filling:

• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup eggnog
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons rum
• 1 half cupful of vanilla extract
  
• 1 large pinch ground nutmeg

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon sugar and butter. Press into the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool.
4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
5. In a food processor or with hand mixer combine cream cheese, sugar, flour and eggnog; process until smooth. Blend in eggs, rum, vanilla and nutmeg. Pour mixture into slightly cooled crust.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
7. Reduce heat to 250 and bake for 45 minutes, or until center of cake is barely firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and immediately loosen cake from rim. Let cake cool completely before removing the rim.

Cheesy Chicken & Rice Bake

Ingredients:
1 small onion. diced, sauteed and cooled
3 boneless chicken breasts, cooked, cooled and shredded
1 small can of green chiles, drained and diced
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 packet of Uncle Bens 90 second Jasmine rice, cooked to pkg directions
1 bag of frozen veggies (carrots, broccoli, cauliflower mix), slightly defrosted
1/2 tsp of black pepper
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided into 1/2
4-6 slices of white American cheese, diced

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Coat a 11x7 glass pan with a light coat of non-stick cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and and spread into pan.
Top with other 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until edges are bubbly.

This recipe was influenced by other "chicken and rice casserole" recipes, but this one is totally an original me. We also added a little hot sauce as we ate it. Larry and I were able to polish off the whole pan for dinner, granted that's all we ate. So I'd say this serves 2, but you could probably stretch it to 3 if put with a salad on the side.

Apple Crisp

Ingredients

• 10 cups all-purpose apples, peeled, cored and sliced
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup water

• 1 cup quick-cooking or old fashioned oats
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place the sliced apples in a 9x13 inch pan. Mix the white sugar, 1 tablespoon flour and ground cinnamon together, and sprinkle over apples. Pour water evenly over all.
3. Combine the oats, 1 cup flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and melted butter together. Crumble evenly over the apple mixture.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes.

Best served warm or reheated. Must also have vanilla ice cream on the side, just saying.