Roast pork with gravy!

Brrr....Winter's arrived in Pittsburgh with a blast of cold air and our first snow. I'm not complaining because after ten + years living here it's been the mildest winter so far.

I stayed in for the day and now I'm on my way to see our youngest grandson play varsity basketball. Bragging right's. lol   He is a freshman and he is an awesome player and that's how he managed to secure this position.

Today I spent about an hour putting together our Christmas fun game. It's called the Saran Wrap game and I'm sure you've heard it.  Inexpensive goodies and handy items are usually stacked and layered with saran to make a ball. It's all explained on google so if you haven't heard about it yet check it out. This is our second year doing it and the grandchildren love it. You can make it adult friendly too by adding various handy and fun items. I'll show a photo of my finished product further down in the post. Note: it's supposed to be in a ball shape so bear with me. I do my best but sometimes it looks like a football than a basketball.

While I was playing with the items I decided we did have to eat so I had a small pork loin about 1+ lbs. and decided today would be a nice day for some comfort food . Here's the recipe below. It's very easy and just adjust the seasonings to your liking. Enjoy!

1 1/2 lb pork loin
Salt
Pepper
Onion powder
Olive or vegetable oil

Heat oven to 350 degrees

Season roast , place oil in cast iron pot on medium heat. Place roast in pot and sear each side until nicely browned.

Once browned add 1 cup water and cover.  Place in heated oven and cook until tender. Approximately 11/2 hours. Slice thin. Thicken drippings by adding some more water, pinch, salt and pepper and flour.

Hint ***I use Wondra Gold Metal sifted flour and follow directions for gravy on back of container.

Note:  Here's the Saran Wrap Ball that I finished.

Peanut Butter Cup Fudge

Truth be told I saw this recipe on Facebook and it really had me craving chocolate and peanut butter so yep I made it.

I'm a little down but not out today so having a bit of chocolate to boost my moral is a good thing.  Maybe not for the calories but some good chocolate does make me happy.

This recipe was easy...simple and only 3 ingredients were the original recipe.  I decided to mix up the morsels and do half milk chocolate and half semi sweet.  Quite honestly I was concerned it may be too sweet!  LOL  so if you want to do it their way use all milk chocolate morsels.  Also I used smaller peanut butter cups so I had a thicker layer of peanut butter so it may not look as good as theirs but mine was fine for us.

Their peanut butter cups were larger in size and with the larger ones the peanut butter layer is much thinner. You decide.  

1& 1/2 cup milk chocolate morsels
1 &1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate morsels
1 can sweetened condensed milk
40 + small peanut butter cups or 25 large peanut butter cups

Line a baking dish with aluminum foil( my pan was 8 1/2 x 11) Press down and push foil into sides.  Allow some foil to extend over ends.  Note  It will allow you to remove it easily.

In a microwave safe bowl place chocolate chips and can of condensed milk. Stir and then place in microwave. Cook on high in 30 second intervals carefully stirring as not to burn. If not completely melted microwave again for an additional 10 second or until all mixes together. Mine took 40 seconds and they blended perfectly while stirring briskly.

Place on top of foil,  peanut butter cups enough to fill the whole bottom of pan.  Top with melted chocolate and spread on top of peanut butter cups.  Allow to cool completely.  Then refrigerate at least 3 to 4 hours.  Remove from refrigerator and allow to set for 5 minutes.  Turn over, remove foil and cut into squares with large knife. Enjoy!  

4/23/16

Andes Creme de Menthe Cookie Bars

An older but a goodie. My recipes are timeless. Make some memories. Enjoy!


Andes mints are my youngest grandson's all time favorite candy I buy them especially for him so  I'm thinking he'll love these cookies that have Andes mint morsels in them.   I have always called him Andy so in honor of this sweetie who is excelling in baseball I thought I'd make some cookie bars.  The recipe on Andes bag said they were cookies so I wanted to make it a bit easier so I made them bar cookies. I am going to add a topping of melted chocolate morsels after the bars are thoroughly baked.  Actually I'm going to add the morsels to the bar while they are still hot and spread the melted morsels over the bar.

Iced

Plain

Spread morsels on while still hot.

Here's the cookie recipe.  I'll show a picture of my bars baked and iced.

 

Andes crème de Menthe Cookies

½ stick butter softened

¾ cup dark brown sugar

½ cup white sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 pkg.. (10 oz.) Andes Crème de Menthe baking chips

2-2/3 cups sifted flour

3/4 cup Hershey chocolate morsels

This recipe was for cookies but I decided to make them into bars.

Blend butter, sugars, baking soda, and baking powder, vanilla and eggs until mixed.  Stir in Andes chips and then flour.

Chill approx. 1 hour in refrigerator,.  Measure out approx. 1 oz. of dough.  Form ball and slightly flatten.  Raise oven rack one level above middle and bake on non stick baking pans.  Bake 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.  Cool on pan two minutes before removing.

Note:  For the bar recipe I greased a 13 x9 inch baking pan and with a piece of wax paper pressed down to flatten and placed the baking pan in refrigerator for about 50 minutes.  Take out of refrigerator and Bake approx. 25 minutes at 350 degrees. 

After it is baked and out of oven I immediately top with 3/4 cup Hershey Semi Sweet Chocolate morsels.  Wait about 3 minutes and spread over top.(the morsels will melt)  Let completely cool before cutting.  I refrigerated it for 10 minutes after I spread the morsels to set the icing.

Happy Baking and Cooking from my kitchen to yours,

7/3/12 original

Toasted Almond Macaroons

Another good recipe from People Magazine!

This recipe is very good and I love them refrigerated.  It seems to bring out the flavor.  I am a little partial to my last coconut macaroon recipe I shared. This is the third coconut macaroon cookie I have made.  I love Macaroons if you didn't guess!! :)

Enjoy!

  

3 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cup sliced almonds
1/8 tsp. salt
2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla or a 1/4 tsp. almond extract
2 large egg whites

Preheat oven to 350.  Spread coconut on baking sheet toast for approximately 4 minutes.  Let cool.  Put almonds on baking sheet and toast  several minutes. **Watch carefully so not to burn.


When almonds are cooled, pulse in food processor or chopper until coarsely ground.  Transfer to large mixing bowl and stir in coconut and salt.

Combine condensed milk, vanilla and egg whites, then gently blend into the coconut mixture.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Scoop out small rounds of dough, about 1 1/2 T each onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.  Bake 12 to 14 minutes until lightly  golden on tips and sides.

Happy Baking from my kitchen to yours,

 








4/11/13
12/3/13

Sparkle cut out Cookies

It's National Cookie Cutter Day!  Who would think they would make December 2nd a special cookie cutter day?  So being it is that Special Cookie Cutter lol  Day here are my Sparkle Cut out cookies to share.

My grandchildren love them!  A tender not too sweet cookie treat.

 This is a great fun recipe.  Make a memory!



1- 8 oz. package Cream Cheese softened
1- cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 cup flour
dash salt ( I use salted butter so I eliminate this)
colored sugar

Combine softened cream cheese, sugar, butter and vanilla. Mix with electric mixer until smooth.  Add flour and salt. Chill.  On a floured surface roll out dough to 1/8"thickness.  Cut out with assorted 3"inch cookie cutters.

Place on un greased cookie sheet. Decorate with colored sugar or candies.

Bake 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool and store in cool area.  This recipe makes approximately 2 1/2 dozen.

12/2/14 original