Crockpot beef and pork cubes with sweet potatoes

Here's another crockpot meal for you.  I'm thinking crockpot meals are the way to go now that I have settled in for fall and feel like taking it easy.  They take the "what am I going to make for dinner tonight"? out of your day.  You do have to plan ahead but I think that 's a good thing.

Today's meal I took a little from a friends'recipe suggestion and added some ingredients I had in my refrigerator. 

 This is the kind of meal you can add in lot's or a little amount of vegetables (I used sliced peppers because I had them and they give the sauce a nice flavor.  Quite honestly I think sliced carrots or corn might be a nice addition as well.

Here's my recipe:

1 1/2 lbs. beef and pork cubes
1 whole onion cut in 4
salt and pepper to taste
1 large sweet potato peeled and cut in cubes
1or 2 garlic clove minced
1 small can tomato paste
1 small can beef broth
green, red or yellow peppers sliced large
1 cup mushrooms sliced(optional)
bay leaf(optional) 

Optional:  Note:  If you want your broth to be a little thicker in a small bowl place 2 T cornstarch and 2 T water.  Stir well until combined and add to crockpot to thicken your sauce about 5 minutes before serving.


Saute beef and pork cubes in small amount of olive oil until slightly browned.  Add onion and cook until browned slightly. Add garlic and cook a minute or two. 

In a separate bowl whisk together tomato paste and broth until blended.

 Add all to crockpot including thickly sliced peppers, sweet potato and bay leaf. Set crockpot to high for two hours and then to low for 3 hours or on low for approximately 5 to 6 hours.Remove bayleaf.  Add cornstarch mixture and stir until combined and slightly thickened. Serve immediately.  Fresh bread or a side salad adds a nice touch.

P.S. the sweet potatoes add a nice touch to this meal.

Chocolate Maraschino cherry cookies

Here's a new cookie recipe that I've been holding back trying.  I like to try a few new ones before the holidays so I get a chance to taste test.

I feel the same way about chocolate and cherries as I do with chocolate and bananas.  You usually can't go wrong with these ingredients.  Whether it's a cake or bread, as in banana adding some chocolate morsels steps up the recipe to another level.  So let's see how this works.

I decided to put a few in a baggie with powdered sugar to see how they taste.  I like them both ways.  If you decide to add some powdered sugar make sure the cookies are completely cooled or the powdered sugar will soak in the cookie.

Chocolate Chip Maraschino Cherry Cookies

3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp corn starch
1/4 tsp salt(I eliminated the salt and used salted butter).
1 cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate morsels.
10 ounce jar maraschino cherries drained 

Drain maraschino cherries well. Dice, blot with paper towel until mostly dry; set aside.

In large bowl, cream butter with sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, scraping sides of bowl after each addition. Add vanilla, mix well.

In medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, corn starch, and salt. Whisk together.  Add dry ingredients to butter mixture, mix on low speed, just until combined.  With a large spoon Add chocolate and maraschino cherries, mixing until evenly distributed.

Cover dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (or at least two hours).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Using large cookie dough scoop (2 tablespoons), drop dough onto baking sheets, several inches apart.  Bake for 12 minutes, just until edges are starting to turn golden. Cool for 2-3 minutes on baking sheet, then transfer to cooling rack.
The cookies are delicious and soft and not overly sweet.  A good holiday cookie pick.

Blueberry cream pie

Need a easy,quick and yummy dessert?

Try this recipe .

1 pint blueberries rinsed and patted dry

1 small vanilla instant pudding

11/2 cups milk

1 container cool whip

1 regular size graham cracker pie shell

Whisk pudding with milk allowing to thicken slightly.  Add 1/2 container cool whip. Whisk until blended.

Pour into pie shell.  Top with blueberries.

Add the rest of the container of cool whip to top.

Garnish with extra blueberries

Refrigerate at least 4 hours.

Add sliced strawberries for extra flavor and color.

Enjoy!

Happy Baking from my kitchen to yours,

7/1/16

Cold tortellini and summer veggies salad

Hi everyone:

I had no intention of cooking today but I was hungry and although I usually do cook on Sunday today I didn't feel like any big meal.  Cold salad came to my mind and I did have refrigerated tortellini so I put together this wonderful summer salad.  Hubby and I had it for lunch.

1 lb. refrigerated cheese tortellini

1 carrot (half grated and half cut in slices)

1 stalk celery

3 green onions sliced

1 small zucchini cut in thick slices and cut in half or quarters

1 can chick peas rinsed (garbanzo beans) (optional)

several black olives (optional)

Your favorite Asian dressing or whatever you like

Cook tortellini for about 2 to 3 minutes.  Drain and rinse with cold water.  Set aside

Dice and grate carrot, chop celery and onion, wash and cut zucchini.  If you have other raw vegetables you can add them as well.

Toss with your favorite dressing and refrigerate at least an hour.  Serve on a bed of lettuce or gently tear a few pieces of lettuce and add to the bottom of salad before serving. Enjoy!

Since it's summer why not add a few chunky wedges of tomato too....Yummy!

Note:  I added the chick peas and olives to the salad I had left.  Tomorrow's lunch..................:)

From my kitchen to yours,

8/7/16

Crockpot sweet and spicy chicken

Summer is going so quickly.  Well that's how I feel anyway.  We took several road trips that were short drives that made no overnights necessary other than my monthly visit to mom. I considered it a really fun and relaxing time.

 A few movies, shopping excursions and dinner with friends too made it perfect.  It was really a hot one and I'm not one to complain so let's leave it at that.  My flowers were perfect!

I'm feeling the lazy days for sure.  I've been doing this blog for over five years and I'm getting a little frustrated with the amount of people who seem interested enough to visit my page.

I put loads of effort trying to please most everyone.  I do realize it's impossible to please all of the people all of the time lol but I sure try.

This week I started cleaning up my freezer and refrigerator and making meals with what I have.  Sometimes it's a real challenge to come up with something that is easy, delicious and that both hubby and I enjoy.

 I think you'll like this one.  We did. Only 4 ingredients makes it even better.  No salt, pepper or spices other than a little soy sauce and optional sesame seeds were needed because the sauce was plenty flavorful.   I used pineapple habanero sauce because I was feeling sweet and slightly spicy but not overly spicy so that's why I added the chicken broth to cool it down a bit. 

A perfect meal for those who enjoy crockpot eating.

2+ lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into large pieces

2 cups pineapple habanero sauce

1 can chicken broth 

1 tsp. Soy sauce 

Sesame seeds (optional)

 IN a medium bowl place sauce, broth and soy sauce. Stir to blend

Cut chicken in large pieces. Place in crockpot . Pour sauce over chicken and Cook on low 5 to 6 hours. Serve over rice.

Note: to thicken sauce mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with a few tablespoons of sauce and stir or whisk well so all lumps are blended.  Add to remainder of sauce and chicken in the crockpot.




From my kitchen to yours,

8/11/16
9/30/16