Free Day! YAY!

I have babysat for the past two days (8 hrs + each day) so I’m MORE than ready to have a FREE (nothing planned) day! We FINALLY were able to have my special needs group meeting last night after almost FIVE weeks off – the kids were VERY loud and hyped up; you could certainly tell they were glad to get back together.

Our weather has calmed down a bit – it’s chilly (high of 28 degrees F.) but no new snow or freezing rain so I’m happy.

===============

DISCLAIMER HERE: Just wanted to remind everyone that the recipes I post on my blog are NOT MINE – I try to list all of the various sites I find the recipes on, at the end of each recipe>

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Shoefly Cupcakes

4 C. flour

2 C. packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1 C. cold butter, cubed

2 tsp. baking soda

2 C. boiling water

1 C. molasses

–

Preheat oven 350 degrees F.

In large bowl combine flour, brown

sugar & salt. Cut in butter until

crumbly – set aside 1 C. for topping.

Add baking soda to remaining crumb

mixture; stir in water & molasses. Fill

muffin cups with paper liners & pour

2/3 rds batter into each. Sprinkle tops

with reserved crumb mixture. Bake

20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted

into center comes out clean. Cool 10

minutes before removing from pan to

wire racks to cool. Makes 2 dozen.

 

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)

—

Crockpot Italian Vegetarian Bean
Soup

1 lb. dry Great Northern beans
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 carrots, peeled/finely chopped
1 T. fennel seeds
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
salt/pepper, to taste
6 T. finely grated Parmesan cheese
(optional)
–
In a 3 qt. or larger crockpot combine
beans, celery, onion, carrots, fennel
seeds, oregano, garlic powder &
red pepper flakes. Add 5 C. cold water
to crockpot; cover & cook on High
5 hours, until beans are tender.

If Desired:

Drain to remove bean cooking liquid
which sometimes causes gas. Whether
you drain the beans or not, you’ll need
to add more liquid. Add enough water to
achieve desired soup thickness (it will
be between 2-4 C.) Stir in salt/pepper, to
taste. Ladle into bowls & top each
serving with 1 T. Parmesan cheese.
Serves about 4

(recipe: aroundmyfamilytable.com)
————————————-

Creamy Spinach & Artichoke Chicken
Skillet

1/4 C. flour
kosher salt/black pepper
4 (6 oz, ea) boneless skinless chicken
breasts
4 T. vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 oz. cream cheese, cut into chunks
1 C. Half & Half
1 (5 oz) pkg. baby spinach (about 4 C.)
1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, drained/
quartered
–
Cooked rice for 4
=
In a pie plate or shallow dish whisk flour,
1 T. salt & few grinds black pepper. Coat
both sides of chicken breasts in mixture –
shaking off any excess. In large, heavy-
bottomed skillet over medium-high heat,
heat 3 T. oil. Add chicken & cook, undisturbed,
until deeply golden brown, about 4 minutes.
DO NOT turn. Remove chicken to a plate. Add
remaining 1 T. oil; cook onion, stirring occasionally,
until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add
garlic & cook, stirring, about 30 seconds. Add
cream cheese & stir until melted. Pour in Half &
Half – using a wooden spoon, scrape up any bits
from bottom of skillet & season with salt/pepper.
Add chicken to skillet, seared side up. Reduce
heat to medium; cover & cook, turning about
halfway through cooking time, until an instant-
read thermometer inserted into thickest part
of chicken reads 165 degrees F. (12-14 minutes).
Transfer chicken to serving platter. Add spinach
to sauce in skillet & cook, covered, about 5
minutes until wilted. Stir in artichoke hearts &
cook until heated through, about 1 minute.
Season with salt/pepper & pour sauce over
chicken. Serve with cooked rice.
Serves 4

(recipe: foodnetwork.com)
——————————–

Skillet Fried Corn

8 ears fresh corn (OR) 1 (28 oz)
pkg. frozen corn
1 stick butter or margarine
2 T. bacon drippings
1 T. sugar
salt, to taste
–
Remove husks & silks from fresh
corn – wash & cut corn off cobs.
Scrape the cob to get out the juice.
Melt butter in a large skillet-add
fresh (or frozen) corn, bacon
drippings & sugar. Cook on medium-
high heat 15-20 minutes until corn
is done. Add salt, to taste.

NOTE: you can add cooked,crumbled
bacon to corn, too.

(recipe: thesouthernladycooks.com)
————————————-

Tex-Mex Meatballs
(add them to Hero rolls or eat
them over rice for a meal)

1 1/2 lb. ground beef
2 C. shredded Mexican cheese blend,
divided
1/2 C. panko bread crumbs
2 T. fresh chopped parsley, plus more
for garnish
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
1 large egg
1 tsp. ground cumin
kosher salt/black pepper, to taste
1 T. olive oil
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 (15 oz) can crushed tomatoes
2 T. chopped chipotle chiles in
adobo sauce
–
(Hero rolls or cooked rice to serve 4)
=
In medium bowl combine ground beef,
1 C. cheese, bread crumbs, parsley,
garlic, jalapeno, egg & cumin – season
with salt/pepper – mix until combined &
form into meatballs. In large skillet over
medium-high heat, heat oil. Add meatballs
in a single layer & sear 2 minute per side;
transfer to a plate. Add onion to skillet &
cook, stirring, 5 minutes, until soft. Stir in
crushed tomatoes & chipotle in adobo –
bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low
& return meatballs to skillet. Cover &
simmer about 10 minutes until meatballs
are cooked through. Top with remaining
1 C. cheese; cover & let melt – about 2
minutes. Garnish with parsley before
serving. Serves 4

(recipe: delish.com)
————————————

Chicken & Quinoa-stuffed Peppers

1 1/2 C. water
3/4 C. uncooked quinoa
1/2 tsp. ground thyme
2 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1 1/2 tsp. black pepper, divided
1 T. olive oil
2 (6 oz, ea) boneless, skinless
chicken breasts, chopped
2 T. minced garlic
2 C. spinach
1/2 C. cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/2 C. black olives, quartered
1/2 C. goat cheese
1/4 C. Parmesan cheese, grated
4 yellow bell peppers
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment
paper. In medium saucepan bring
water to boil; add quinoa, thyme,
1 1/2 tsp. salt & 3/4 tsp. pepper.
Cook quinoa, covered, over Low
heat about 15 minutes until water
is absorbed & quinoa is soft. Leave
covered & let sit 5 minutes. Remove
lid & fluff quinoa using a fork.
Add 1 T. oil to a saute pan over
medium heat & cook chopped chicken
10 minutes. Add garlic & cook 1 minute.
Stir in spinach, cherry tomatoes & olives
then add cooked quinoa. Stir in goad &
Parmesan cheeses – remove from heat
& set aside.
Cut each pepper in half vertically so
half the stem remains on each pepper
half. Scrape out seeds & stuff each
half with quinoa filling. Place peppers
on prepared baking sheet & bake
20 minutes.

(recipe: everydaydishes.com)
————————————-

Wild Rice Soup

1/3 C. uncooked wild rice
1 T. canola oil
1 quart water (4 C.)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 rib celery, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1/2 C. butter
1/2 C. flour
3 C. chicken broth
2 C. Half & Half cram
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
1 tsp. salt
–
In medium saucepan combine rice,
oil & water – bring to boil. Reduce
heat; cover & simmer 30 minutes.
In a Dutch oven, cook onion, celery
& carrot in butter until vegetables
are almost tender. Stir in flour until
blended; cook & stir 2 minutes. Slowly
stir in broth & undrained rice. Bring
to a boil; cook & stir 2 minutes until
slightly thickened. Reduce heat; stir
in Half & Half, rosemary & salt.
Simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes until
rice is tender. Serves 8 (about 2 qts)

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
—————————-

Crockpot Mexican Party Dip
(best prepared in 3 qt. crockpot)

1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 C. sour cream
1 C. Mexican-style shredded 4 cheese
(Kraft) divided
1 (15.5 oz) can black beans, drained/rinsed
1 (16 oz) jar thick & chunky salsa
2 green onions, sliced
1/4 C. chopped fresh cilantro
=
Tortilla chips, for dipping
=
Spray crockpot insides with nonstick
cooking spray.
In medium bowl mix cream cheese, sour
cream & 3/4 C. shredded cheese until
blended – spread on bottom of crockpot.
Top with beans & salsa. Cover & cook on
Low 3-4 hours. Top with onions, cilantro &
remaining cheese.

NOTE: Once dip is cooked, reduce heat to
Warm to keep dip warm & at a safe temp.
while serving.

Optional addition: add 1 T. finely chopped
fresh or jarred jalapeno peppers to cream
cheese mixture before spreading into
crockpot.

(recipe: kraftrecipes.com)
——————————-

Crescent Cherry Cheesecake
Cobbler

1 (8 oz) tub crescent rolls
12 oz. (1 1/2 blocks) cream
cheese, softened
3/4 C. sugar, divided
1 tsp. vanilla
1 (21 oz) can cherry pie filling
1/4 C. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter,
melted
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray 8 X 8″ baking dish with
nonstick spray. Unroll crescent
rolls & lay 4 in bottom of dish.
Cover bottom completely &
press to seal seams. In bowl
combine cream cheese &
1/2 C. sugar, using an elec.
mixer to blend until smooth.
Add in vanilla & mix well.
Spread mixture over rolls in
dish. Pour pie filling on top &
spread evenly. Top with
remaining dough, stretch it
out & seal seams as best
you can. Pour melted butter
on top & sprinkle 1/4 C. sugar
evenly over butter. Bake 35-45
minutes; top should be golden
brown.

(recipe: thecountrycook.net)

===================

Tomorrow I have the great fun of going out
to lunch with two friends; we all went to
high school together and ‘used to’ get together
for lunch about every 3-4 months (until one
of us got really sick – for over a year!). She’s
doing great now and we’re going OUT! YAY!
Sometimes you don’t realize just how nice
it is to spend time with friends and share
how your lives are going (good or bad).
We’re all very close in age, all go to the same
church and have known each other for a good
50+ years so it ought to be lots of fun and laughs.

Hope you are having a GREAT week!

Hugs;

Pammie

BRrrrrrrrrrrr! COLD!

About 2 1/2 hours ago we suddenly lost power – and it just now came back on. My husband checked on his phone – it was a HUGE area affected – glad we’re slowly getting warm again! (I wouldn’t even want to imagine what being homeless would be like in these temperatures.) Yesterday it was in the low 20’s with HUGE winds – our youngest grandson’s birthday party was yesterday afternoon & I couldn’t get the car door open from the strength of the wind! It took me shoving and my husband pulling to get my car door open! He had a good party – lots of clothes & toys so he was happy.

==========

Creme Caramel Squares

1 1/2 C. graham cracker crumbs
1/3 C. butter, melted
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/4 C. sugar
3 1/4 C. cold milk, divided
1 (8 oz) tub Cool Whip, thawed/
divided
1 (3.4 oz) pkg. vanilla instant pudding mix
1 (3.4 oz) pkg. butterscotch instant pudding mix
1/3 C. caramel ice cream topping
–
In a bowl mix graham crumbs & butter; press onto
bottom of 9 X 13″ baking dish – refrigerate while
preparing filling.
–
In large bowl using elec. mixer beat cream cheese,
sugar & 1/4 C. milk until blended. Gently stir in
1 C. Cool Whip – spread over crust.
Beat each flavor of pudding mix separately
with 1 1/2 C. remaining milk in separate bowl
using a whisk for 2 minutes. Pour pudding in
layers over cream cheese filling then top with
remaining Cool Whip – spread evenly then
refrigerate 4 hours. Drizzle top with caramel
topping just before serving. Serves 16

(recipe: kraftrecipes.com)
————————————

Crockpot Barley Sausage Soup

1 lb. ground Italian sausage
1 C. diced onion
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dried basil
1 C. diced celery
1 C. diced carrot
1/2 C. uncooked pearl barley
5 C. chicken broth
1 T. tomato paste
1 (14 oz) can petite diced tomatoes (or
fire-roasted tomatoes for more flavor)
1 bay leaf
salt/pepper, to taste
–
In a pan over medium-high heat brown
sausage & saute onion. Drain & add to
crockpot. Add garlic powder, basil, celery,
carrot, barley, broth, tomato paste, tomatoes &
bay leaf to crockpot. Cover & cook on Low
4-6 hours until barley is cooked through.
Discard bay leaf; taste & adjust salt/pepper
to taste. Serves 6

(recipe: 365daysofcrockpot.com)
————————-

Kielbasa/Peppers/Potato Hash

2 T. olive oil
1 T. unsalted butter
1 lb. potatoes, thinly sliced
into bite-sized pieces
salt/pepper, to taste
14 oz. turkey Kielbasa, cut
into 1/4″ rounds
1 onion, thinly sliced
1-2 bell peppers, chopped
–
In large skillet over medium-
high heat heat olive oil & butter-
add potatoes & season with salt/
pepper – cook until browned, 6-7
minutes. Flip potatoes over & cook
another 4-5 minutes until golden
brown. Remove from skillet using
a slotted spoon. (If skillet is looking
dry, add another T. olive oil). Add
kielbasa & cook 2-3 minutes on each
side until lightly browned. Add onions &
peppers, cook – stirring frequently, until
onions are soft & translucent & peppers
are tender. Season with salt/pepper. Stir
potatoes back into mixture & cook 1-2
minutes – check salt/pepper & serve.
Serves 4

(recipe: momontimeout.com)
————————–

Hot Parmesan/Green Chile
Pepper Dip

2 T. panko bread crumbs
1/4 C. shredded Parmesan cheese,
divided
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 C. mayonnaise
1 C. Mexican-style shredded Four
Cheese with a touch of Phil. (Kraft)
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chiles,
undrained
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Combine bread crumbs & 1 T.
Parmesan cheese in a bowl. Mix
remaining Parmesan with remaining
ingredients in shallow ovenproof
dish until blended. Top with crumb
mixture. Bake 15 minutes until top
is golden brown & dip is hot &
bubbling around edges. Serves 20

(recipe: kraftrecipes.com)
————————–

Eggs Benedict Casserole
(overnight recipe)

12 oz. Canadian bacon, chopped
6 English muffins, split & cut
into 1-inch pieces
8 large eggs
2 C. milk
1 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. paprika

Hollandaise Sauce:
4 large egg yolks
1/2 C. heavy whipping cream
2 T. lemon juice
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 C. butter, melted
–
Spray a 3 quart (OR) 9 X 13″
baking dish with nonstick
cooking spray. Place half of
Canadian bacon in pan; top
with English muffins &
remaining bacon. In large bowl
whisk eggs, milk & onion powder;
pour over top. Refrigerate,
covered, overnight
=
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Remove casserole from fridge while
oven heats. Sprinkle top with paprika.
Bake, covered, 35 minutes. Uncover,
bake 10-15 minutes longer or until
a knife inserted into center comes
out clean.

In top of a double boiler or metal
bowl over simmering water – whisk
egg yolks, cream, lemon juice &
mustard until blended; cook until
mixture is just thick enough to coat
a metal spoon & temperature reaches
160 degrees F., whisking constantly.
Reduce heat to very low. Very slowly
drizzle in warm melted butter,
whisking constantly. Serve immediately
with casserole
Serves 12 (1 2/3 C. sauce)

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
——————————-

Chilly-day Chicken Pot Pie

2 (9 inch, ea) pie crusts
1/4 C. margarine
1/4 C. flour
1/4 tsp. poultry seasoning
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 C. chicken broth
2/3 C. milk
2 C. cooked, cubed chicken
2 C. frozen mixed vegetables,
thawed
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Place one crust in an ungreased 9″
pie plate. In a saucepan melt
margarine over medium heat; stir
in flour, seasoning & pepper – cook
until mixture is smooth & bubbly.
Gradually add broth & milk; bring
to a boil. Reduce heat & simmer,
stirring constantly, until  mixture
thickens. Stir in chicken & veggies;
cook until heated through – pour
into pie crust in pan. Place second
crust over filling; crimp edges &
cut vents in top. Bake 20-30
minutes until golden. Serves 4

(recipe: gooseberrypatch.com)
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Buttermilk Cornbread

1 C. butter, melted
1 1/3 C. sugar
4 eggs
2 C. buttermilk*
1 tsp. baking soda
2 C. flour
2 C. cornmeal
1 tsp. salt
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray.
In large bowl add melted butter &
sugar – mix to combine. Add eggs &
beat until smooth & a bit frothy.
Dissolve the baking soda into the
buttermilk & allow to dissolve –
pour into bowl with eggs, etc. &
beat until combined. In a separate
bowl combine flour, cornmeal &
salt – add dry ingredients to wet &
stir to combine – make sure to not
over mix. Pour batter into prepared
pan & bake 25-30 minutes until a
toothpick inserted into center comes
out clean. Cool about 10 minutes then
cut into squares & serve.
Makes about 16 servings.

*If you don’t have buttermilk, you can
add 1 T. lemon juice or vinegar to a 3-
Cup measuring cup & pour milk into
cup to measure 2 Cups. Stir with a
fork & allow to set 5 minutes –
now you have buttermilk!

(recipe: jamiecooksitup.net)
———————————-

S’Mores Dump Cake

2 (4 oz ea) pkgs. semi-sweet chocolate,
chopped
2 C. milk, divided
1 C. sugar
3 eggs
4 C. miniature marshmallows, divided
1 C. dry chocolate cake mix (from a
2-layer size box)
1 1/2 C. graham cracker crumbs
1/2 C. butter, melted
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray. Microwave
chopped chocolate & 1 C. milk on
High 2 1/2 minutes; stir until chocolate
is completely melted & mixture is well
blended. Add sugar, eggs, & remaining
milk – mix well & pour into prepared
dish. Cover top with 3 C. marshmallows.
Sprinkle top with dry cake mix & graham
cracker crumbs – drizzle top with melted
butter. Bake 35-40 minutes until center
is almost set. Immediately top cake with
remaining marshmallows & cool
completely. Serves 16

(recipe: kraftrecipes.com)

=====================

All is well here – everyone is in good health (YAY!).
We’re supposed to be getting 2-4 inches of snow
Tuesday – Weds. . . . oh, joy. . . wonder if we’ll be
having my special needs group Weds. evening.
If not, that would make FIVE WEEKS we’ve missed!
We’ll see . . .

Hope you are nice & warm;

Hugs;

Pammie

and here we are at Thursday again!

Well, once again our ‘dear’ Michigan weather decided to surprise (or not) – yesterday the weather reported snow around 11 a.m. followed by freezing rain/drizzle/snow – crazy. I went to Library Knit 10-12 (nice, clear weather!); babysat 2 p.m. – around 4 (beginning to get a little drizzle). Lois decided to cancel the special needs group so I did all the calling for that (and was HAPPY to go home for the evening!). Dinner was Pierogies & sausages (family favorite) – not sure but I don’t think we really GOT the freezing rain thing! Today is nice & sunny AND CLEAR – roads/sidewalks, etc! YAY!

Today found my running around attempting to pick up birthday items for youngest grandson’s birthday party Sunday; went to Old Navy – now he has lots of t-shirts & shorts for summer (in a bigger size than he’s wearing now). Stopped in at Michael’s & picked up a pair of size 8 bamboo knitting needles for knitting bigger baby booties (I find it’s easier with the wood – yarn doesn’t slip as easily.

Speaking of booties: Tuesday was my knit group’s Yarn Swap and (once again) I scored with lots of baby sport-weight yarns. Ladies brought me more knit baby booties which means tomorrow I’m going to the Post Office to mail off FIFTY pairs of booties! WOW! I’m so happy my ladies are getting into this project – even crocheters are now asking for crochet patterns for booties!

===========

Easy Coconut Pie

1 (9 inch) graham cracker pie crust
1/4 C. toasted coconut

Filling:
2 (3.4 oz, ea) boxes instant vanilla
pudding mix
1 tsp. coconut extract
12 oz. cold evaporated milk –
straight from can – do not reconstitute
1 1/4 C. cold milk
1/2 C. shredded coconut
1 (8 oz) tub Cool Whip, thawed
–
In large bowl using elec. mixer beat
pudding mixes, extract & milks on
Low speed 2 minutes. Fold in Cool
Whip & 1/2 C. shredded coconut –
pour into pie crust & spread evenly.
Top with toasted coconut & chill
at least 3 hours. (You can freeze it
also- then it’s like ice cream)
Serves 8-12

(recipe: bakemidnite.com)
——————————–

Spinach Dip Crescent Bites
(appetizers)

2 T. butter
1 C. chopped green onion
(about 1 bunch white & green parts)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 C. chopped red bell pepper (1 large)
1 (10 oz) pkg. frozen chopped spinach,
thawed/well drained
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/3 C. mayonnaise
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1/2 C. chopped water chestnuts
1/2 C. shredded Parmesan cheese
2 tubes refrigerated crescent rolls
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Melt butter in a saute pan over medium
heat; add green onion, bell pepper &
garlic – saute 3-4 minutes. Add spinach
& cream cheese; stir & blend in cream
cheese until cheese is melted. Stir in
salt/pepper, paprika, crushed red pepper,
mayo, lemon juice, water chestnuts &
Parmesan. Remove from heat.
Unroll 1 tube crescent rolls & place on
a baking sheet. Using your fingers, gently
press seams to seal. Spread spinach
mixture evenly on rolls, leaving about
1/2 inch border along edges. Unroll
remaining tube of rolls & place on top
of spinach mixture. Press edges together
to seal – gently press seams together.
Bake 20-25 minutes until dough is golden
brown. Cut into small squares & serve
(NOTE: a pizza cutter works well for this).

(recipe: thekitchenismyplayground.com)
———————————

Crockpot Brown Sugar Meatloaf

3 lb. extra lean ground beef
1 1/4 C. Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 C. milk
4 large eggs
2 pkts. dry onion soup mix
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
–
Topping:
2 C. ketchup
1 C. brown sugar (light or dark)
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
–
Line crockpot with a crockpot liner or
spray insides with nonstick cooking spray.
Using your hands, in large bowl combine
ground beef, breadcrumbs, milk, eggs,
soup mix, salt/pepper & ginger. Place
mixture in bottom of crockpot & shape
into a loaf shape, keep it away from the
sides of the crockpot. Cover & cook on
Low 6-7 hours (until meat thermometer
inserted into center of loaf reads 160
degrees F.) About 1/2 hour before
end of cooking time  in small bowl
mix ketchup, brown sugar & Worc.
sauce – evenly spread over top of loaf;
finish cooking. Carefully remove loaf
from crockpot by either pulling the
liner with meatloaf inside or use
2 spatulas to lift loaf up & out of
crockpot. Place on a serving platter.
Serves 10

Freezer Instructions: Mix meatloaf
together & place in a 1 gallon ziplock
freezer bag (or foodsaver bag) – flatten
as much as possible inside bag. In 1 qt.
freezer bag mix topping ingredients. Seal
& freeze with meatloaf – Place smaller
bag inside bag with meatloaf & seal
larger bag closed by hand (or seal using
Foodsaver). Label bag with date prepared,
name of recipe, ingredients & cooking
instructions. Lay bag flat in freezer & allow
to freeze for several hours; then you can
stand the bag upright if needed. Contents
of meal must be allowed to thaw completely.
Remove from freezer, place in fridge until
completely thawed (about 24 hours). Remove
topping bag & set on a plate in fridge until
needed. Follow remaining directions in
recipe.

(recipe: crockpotladies.com)
————————————

Crockpot Chicken Alfredo Tortellini
Soup

1 C. diced onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 C. chicken broth
4 medium carrots, cut into 1/2″
pieces
4 ribs celery, cut into 1/2″ pieces
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
2 lb. boneless skinless chicken
breasts (frozen is OK)
1/2 C. flour
2 C. Half & Half
1 (19 oz) pkg. frozen cheese tortellini
1 1/2 C. grated/shredded Parmesan
cheese
5 large kale leaves, washed & coarsely
chopped (discard stems)
salt/pepper, to taste
–
Add onion, garlic, chicken broth, carrots,
celery, salt/pepper & chicken to crockpot.
Cover & cook on Low 6-8 hours (6 hours
for thawed chicken/8 hours for frozen).
Remove lid & use tongs to place chicken
on a cutting board – cut into pieces or
shred – add back to crockpot. Turn
heat to High – warm the Half & Half*.
Whisk flour, 1 T. at a time, into Half &
Half until smooth – pour into crockpot.
Stir & let soup thicken about 10 minutes.
Add in tortellini, Parmesan & kale.
Tortellini will cook in about 5-10 minutes.
Adjust salt/pepper to taste.
Serves 8-10

* Poster warms in a microwaveable
cup or bowl for 1 minute

(recipe: 365daysofcrockpot.com)
————————–

Nacho ‘Taters’ (appetizers)

4 russet potatoes, about 1 lb.
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 C. frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 C. enchilada sauce or taco sauce
1 C. Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained/
rinsed
3 green onions, chopped
3 jalapeno peppers (pickled or fresh),
sliced

Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with foil. Wash
potatoes well; dry. Coat each potato
in vegetable oil then prick skins a few
times with a fork. Place on prepared
baking sheet & bake 45 minutes to 1
hour until soft all the way through.
When potatoes are cooked, remove
from oven (leave OVEN on). Cut each
potato in half lengthwise down center
then once across – open potatoes &
mash insides slightly. Drizzle a few
tablespoons of enchilada sauce over each
potato then top with black beans, corn,
jalapenos & a handful of Cheddar cheese. Place
potatoes back in oven 3-5 minutes until
cheese melts. Remove from oven, drizzle
with more enchilada sauce & sprinkle
tops with sliced onions.
Serves 4

(recipe: budgetbytes.com)
——————————
Blackberry Cobbler

8 C. blackberries
3 T. sugar
3 T. flour
1/8 tsp. nutmeg (or 1/2 tsp. cinnamon)
4 T. butter, cut into small pieces
2 C. flour
3 T. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 C. shortening (like Crisco)
1/4 C. ice water
4 T. brown butter*
2 T. turbinado sugar (large, crystal
crunchy sugar – garnish)
=
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Spray or butter a 9 X 13″ baking dish.
In large bowl mix fruit & sugar, flour &
nutmeg. Gently mix to coat the fruit
& pour into prepared dish. Dot top with
butter pieces.
Using a food processor, mix flour, sugar,
salt & shortening. Add ice water & pulse
to crumb texture – sprinkle over fruit.

*Brown Butter:
Melt remaining 1/4 C. butter until it is a
nutty brown color. Drizzle over pastry
chunks (make sure you get all the little
brown ‘crumbs” out of the pan). Sprinkle
top with 2 T. crunchy sugar.
Bake 40 minutes until pastry is golden
brown & crispy & fruit is bubbling.

(recipe: 77kitchen.com)
=======================

Our gas prices have ‘danced around’ a bit lately:
one day they were up to $2.49/9 but happily
they’re back down to $2.39/9.

Not much else new around here; finished the
next issue of the special needs group’s newsletter
& will be mailing that out tomorrow along with
all the baby booties.

Hope you have a GREAT SUNNY Day!

Hugs;

Pammie

Relaxing on a Tuesday

Our weather has improved some (if you don’t look at the temperatures, that is) – it’s a bright, sunny CLEAR day out there! We had a BIG snowfall Sunday night  to Monday leaving our driveway almost impassable but then our neighbor’s new plow guy just happened to be out there plowing when middle son left to go to work. Plow guy asked if it was OK for him to plow directly around our semi-circle (instead of backing up numerous times) – son said “Sure!” so now our drive is really CLEAR of snow! YAY! Tonight is my knit group’s Yarn Swap and I’m thankful I didn’t have to babysit today; that said, I’ve been ‘lounging around’ by crocheting a border on a baby blanket for a friend who’s shower is in March. (It’s the last ‘multiple pinks’ blanket I knit – I have several blues & pinks baby blankets and once I found out she’s having a girl, decided that was the blanket to give her. Only one problem – it wasn’t very long so I decided to put a white crocheted border on it – and now a kind of scalloped fancy trim to boot. It looks really nice AND it’s bigger! Score! Still plan on knitting a hat & booties, perhaps a few head bands for her as well.

Just got my special needs group’s newsletter sent to the church for printing (YAY!) Tomorrow’s weather sounds really nasty: starting around 11 a.m.: snow/rain/freezing rain/then more rain before 4 pm, winds up to 24 mph. Not sure, yet, if we’re going to cancel my special needs group. I have Library Knit group 10-12 p.m., babysitting 2 – around 4, then special needs 7-8:15 p.m. so I’m taking my special needs group’s paperwork with me when I babysit JUST IN CASE I have to call everyone to cancel – ah, the FUN of a Michigan winter!

============

Blueberry Fluff

12 oz. fresh blueberries, divided

2 T. sugar

1 T. cornstarch

3 T. water

3 C. Cool Whip (1 tub, thawed)

3 C. mini marshmallows

1/2 C. sliced almonds

–

In small bowl mix cornstarch & water.

Add blueberries, sugar & cornstarch

mixture to a small saucepan over

medium heat. Cook about 20 minutes

until sugar dissolves & blueberries

soften. Smash berries using a potato

masher to create a sauce (leaving

some big pieces). Set aside to cool

to room temp. In large bowl stir

Cool Whip, marshmallows, almonds,

remaining 6 oz. blueberries & sauce –

mix until combined. Serve in

individual bowls or cups & top with

extra berries & almonds, if desired.

Serves 8

 

NOTE: This can be made up ahead

up to 6 hours of serving time. Store

in airtight container in fridge.

 

(recipe: realhousemoms.com)

 

---

Creamy Tuscan Tortellini Soup

5 mild Italian sausages, grilled/or
cooked – cool then slice
2-3 T. olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2-3 tsp. minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 T. Italian seasoning
2 (15 oz, ea) cans white beans,
UNdrained or rinsed
1 (15 oz) can fire-roasted diced
tomatoes with garlic
1 (32 oz) carton chicken stock
1 (20 oz) pkg. refrigerated cheese
tortellini
1/2 C. heavy cream (or milk)
5 oz. fresh spinach (optional)
–
grated Parmesan cheese – garnish
–
In large pot over medium heat-
heat oil; add onion & cook, stirring,
about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic &
cook 1 minute – season with salt/pepper
& Ital. seasoning. Stir in white beans,
diced tomatoes & chicken stock – bring
to gentle boil. Add tortellini & sliced
sausages. Reduce heat to medium-low;
simmer 18-20 minutes until tortellini is
cooked. Stir in heavy cream – cook 5
more minutes. Stir in spinach (if using)
& cook 2-3 minutes until spinach wilts.
Taste for seasonings, if necessary.
Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Serves 12

(recipe: thecountrycook.net)
——————————-

5 Ingredient Bacon-wrapped Cream
Cheese Chicken

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts cut
into 4 (4 oz ea) pieces (pound to about
1/4″ thick)
4 T. cream cheese
1/4 C. Pepper Jack cheese, shredded
2 T. chopped green onion
4-8 pieces bacon
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
In a bowl mix cream cheese, chopped
green onion & Pepper Jack cheese –
place 1/4th of this mixture in middle
of each piece of chicken. Starting at
long side, roll chicken up, keeping
chicken mixture in middle. Wrap 1-2
slices bacon around chicken & secure
with a toothpick (if needed). Place
pieces on a rimmed baking sheet &
bake 30 minutes. Place chicken under
broiler about 5 minutes to fully brown
& crisp bacon. Turn each breast over &
broil another 3 minutes on other side
to crisp up bottom side. Serve immediately.
Serves 4

(recipe: praycookblog.com)
——————————–
Baked Crab Rangoon

1/8 tsp. garlic salt
1/8 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 small green onion
4 oz. imitation crab
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
14 wonton wrappers
–
Preheat oven 425 degrees F.
In a bowl cut up the crab &
mix with garlic salt, Worc. sauce,
green onion & cream cheese.
Place wonton wrappers into
muffin cups & spoon mixture
into wrappers. Bake 8-10
minutes until golden brown.
Makes 14

(recipe: FB – Linda’s Kitchen)
———————————

Chicken Bombs (appetizers)
GRILL or OVEN methods

5 boneless skinless chicken breasts
(makes 10 bombs)
5 jalapeno peppers, sliced in half, seeded
20 slices bacon
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 C. Colby Jack cheese, shredded
1 C. Barbecue sauce
=
Preheat GRILL 350 degrees F.
(if using oven: preheat 375 degrees F.)

Slice chicken breasts in half (like a hamburger
bun); place between 2 sheets waxed paper &
lightly pound until 1/4″ thick – season with salt/
pepper. In a bowl mix both cheeses together &
spoon about 1 T. into each pepper half. Place
pepper (cheese sides down)on top of chicken
breasts & wrap up (as best you can). Wrap each
chicken breast completely with 2 slices bacon.
Start at one end & wrap half the breast; finish
second half with another slice of bacon.

Grill:
Place chicken on preheated grill over indirect
heat for 30 minutes until chicken is done. Turn
every 5 minutes & baste with BBQ sauce each
time you turn it.

Oven:
(SEE NOTE:)
Place chicken on a sprayed rimmed cookie sheet &
bake 30 minutes until chicken is done. Baste a few
times with BBQ sauce & finish under broiler to set
the BBQ sauce.
NOTE:  Poster suggests a 400 degrees F. oven and
NO BBQ sauce for first 20 minutes, turning once to
cook bacon. Reduce oven heat to 375, change pans
to loosen some of the bacon fat (if you don’t have
a broiler pan). Cover in BBQ sauce & finish baking.
Makes 10 ‘bombs’

(recipe: yummly.com)
————————

Oven Roasted Asparagus

1 bunch asparagus spears
3 T. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 T. fresh squeezed lemon juice,
(optional)
–
Preheat oven 425 degrees F.
Remove woody ends of asparagus.
Place spears on a rimmed baking
sheet & drizzle olive oil over top.
Sprinkle with garlic, salt/pepper &
mix, using your hands; arrange in
single layer. Bake 10-15 minutes
until just tender, depending on
thickness of stalks.
If desired, sprinkle with lemon juice
just before serving. Serves 4

(recipe: lovebakesgoodcakes.com)
——————————

Buttery Onion Soup

2 C. thinly sliced onions
1/2 C. butter, cubed
1/4 C. flour
2 C. chicken broth
2 C. milk
1/2 to 2 C. shredded mozzarella
cheese
salt/black pepper – to taste
–
croutons, optional
=
In large saucepan cook onions in
butter over Low heat until tender &
transparent, about 20 minutes.
Stir in flour. Gradually add broth &
milk; cook & stir over medium heat
until bubbly. Cook & stir 1 minute
longer; reduce heat to Low. Add
cheese & stir constantly until
melted (do not boil). Season
with salt/pepper. Serve with
croutons, if desired. Serves 6

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
—————————–

I’ve made these before – they’re YUMMY!

Potato Chip Cookies

2 C. (4 sticks) butter, softened
1 C. sugar
3 1/4 C. flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 C. coarsely crushed potato
chips
–
Preheat oven 300 degrees F.
In large bowl cream butter & sugar.
Slowly add flour & vanilla until well
blended – stir in potato chips & mix
well. Drop by rounded teaspoons
2 inches apart on ungreased cookie
sheets. Using a fork, flatten each
cookie. Bake 20-22 minutes until
light golden around edges. Let
stand 5 minutes then remove to
a wire rack to cool completely.
Makes 48 (4 dozen)

NOTE: After cooling you can sprinkle
tops of cookies with powdered sugar
or drizzle with melted chocolate.

(recipe: mrfood.com)
=================

Hope you have a GREAT Day!

Hugs;

Pammie

Happy Friday!

Today it’s a nice, clear (NO SNOW) day with sun – YAY! Temps in the High 20’s – for the rest of this AND next week. I realized today that I’ve been feeling like I’ve been put on hold – that feeling where something will happen. You don’t know when or what, but something’s coming. For me, that feeling is brought about by all the CRAZY Michigan weather! Snow/rain/freezing rain/drizzle, back to clear – CRAZY!

I babysat Tuesday and had to (karate) chop my car hood because it was covered in about an inch of snow which was then covered by a layer of ice – great fun. . . not. Oh well, that’s all melted now – roads are clear; walking is a bit of a challenge: some of the sidewalks are covered by a thin layer of ice from all the rain/melting ice, etc. Just gotta remember to walk “Like a Penguin” – have you seen those posts/suggestions stating that if we walk like a penguin (kind of hunched forward with feet pointed outwards and take small steps) we’re less likely to fall – looks goofy, but it works!

============

Chocolate Cobbler

1 C. flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 C. sugar

2 T. plus 1/4 C. cocoa powder

1/2 C. milk

3 T. vegetable oil

1 C. packed brown sugar

1 3/4 C. hot water

–

Suggested ‘toppings’:

Ice cream and/or whipped cream

=

Preheat oven 350 degrees F.

In a bowl combine flour, salt, baking

powder, sugar & 2 T. cocoa. Stir in

milk & oil – pour into a 9-inch pie

dish, baking dish or round skillet.

Combine brown sugar & remaining

cocoa – sprinkle over batter. Pour

hot water over top (DO NOT STIR).

Bake 40-45 minutes. Let stand

20 minutes to set up. Top with

ice cream or whipped cream.

Serves 4

(recipe: howsweeteats.com)

---

Crockpot Beef Taco Soup

1 lb. ground beef, browned/drained
1 (14.5 oz) can stewed tomatoes
1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, drained/
rinsed
1 (.25 oz) pkt. taco seasoning mix
8 oz. tomato sauce
–
Garnish:
Shredded Cheese
Sour cream
–
Place all ingredients (except garnish)
in crockpot. Cover & cook on Low 6-8
hours. Serve with shredded cheese &
sour cream. Serves 4-6

(recipe: recipesthatcrock.com)
———————————

Greek Chicken Tacos

1 to 1 1/2 lb. chicken tenderloins or
breasts, cut into 4 strips each
1/4 C. olive oil
1 lemon
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 tsp. salt
6 (6″) flour tortillas
1 C. chopped fresh tomatoes
1/2 C. chopped fresh parsley
1/2 to 1 C. crumbled feta cheese
–
In a bowl mix olive oil, juice & zest
of 1 lemon, garlic & salt – stir.
Place chicken in a ziplock bag & pour
mixture over chicken. Seal bag &
shake to coat chicken – refrigerate
at least 30 minutes (or up to 12 hours).
–
In large nonstick skillet place 1 T. oil
over medium-high heat. Add chicken &
cook, turning at least once, until
browned on both sides (10-15 minutes).
In small bowl mix chopped parsley &
tomatoes. Remove chicken to a plate
when done. Fill flour tortillas with 2
tenderloins each & top with tomato
mixture & feta cheese. Serve immediately.
Makes about 6 tacos. Recipe can be
doubled. (reheat chicken if using as
leftovers)

(recipe: southernplate.com)
—————————-

Alfredo Shrimp Scamp Dump Dinner

4 T. butter, cut into 1/2″ cubes
1 (12 oz) pkg. rotini pasta
1 lb. frozen peeled/deveined
medium shrimp
2 C. chicken broth
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
zest of 1/2 lemon
2 tsp. kosher salt
black pepper, to taste
1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 C. loosely packed fresh parsley,
chopped
1/2 C. heavy cream, warmed
–
Preheat oven 425 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ baking dish with nonstick
cooking spray. Spread dry rotini in an
even layer in bottom of prepared dish.
Scatter shrimp over top & dot with butter.
Pour broth over top & sprinkle with red
pepper flakes, garlic, lemon zest, 2 tsp.
salt/black pepper, to taste. Cover with foil
& bake about 25 minutes until pasta is
al dente.
In small bowl toss Parm. with parsley –
when pasta is done, stir in warm cream &
top with cheese mixture. Serves 4

(recipe: foodnetwork.com)
————————————–

Baked Chicken in Crescent Rolls for 2

2 boneless chicken breasts
1 tube crescent rolls
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 C. milk
1 C. shredded Cheddar cheese,
divided
salt/pepper, to taste
–
Place chicken in a saucepan in
enough water to cover; add salt/
pepper to water & cook for 15
minutes (poach). Remove from
water; cool & cut into 4 pieces.

Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a 8 X 8″ casserole dish
with nonstick cooking spray.
Divide crescent rolls & roll up
chicken in 4 rolls (you will not use
4 of the rolls, so you will have 4 left
over to cook for your bread). Place
chicken in prepared dish seam-sides
down. In small saucepan heat soup,
milk & 1/2 C. cheese until cheese is
melted – pour over chicken bundles
& sprinkle the other 1/2 C. cheese
on top. Bake 20 minutes until rolls
are golden brown. Serves 2

(recipe: geniuskitchen.com)
————————————

Bubble Up Pizza

1 lb. Italian sausage
1 (15 oz) jar pizza sauce
1 (12 oz) tube refrigerated Pillsbury
Grands Jr. biscuits
2 C. mozzarella cheese, shredded
sliced pepperoni
–
additional toppings (if desired):
chopped onion, chopped green
pepper, sliced olives
=
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Spray a 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray. Brown &
crumble sausage – drain. Cut each
biscuit into eighths. In a bowl combine
pizza sauce with cut-up biscuits &
cooked sausage – stir to combine. Spread
mixture evenly in prepared dish. Top with
shredded cheese & sliced pepperoni.
Bake, uncovered, 25-30 minutes until
biscuits are cooked through.
Serves 9

(recipe: thecountrycook.net)
————————————–
Oven Denver Omelet

8 large eggs
1/2 C. Half & Half cream
1 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
1 C. finely chopped fully cooked ham
1/4 C. finely chopped green pepper
1/4 C. finely chopped onion
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Spray a 9 inch square baking pan
with nonstick cooking spray.
In large bowl whisk eggs & cream.
Stir in cheese, ham, gr. pepper & onion –
pour into prepared pan. Bake 25
minutes until golden brown.
Serves 6

NOTE: Green pepper is typical in a
Denver omelet but red, yellow &
orange peppers are also good & add
lots of color.

This is an American-style omelet-
puffed & golden brown. If you prefer
yours more tender & less brown, bake
at a lower temperature (325) until a
thermometer reads 160 degrees F. &
eggs are set.

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
————————————-

Crockpot Horseradish Cheese Spread

2 lb. box Velveeta cheese, cut into
cubes
1 C. mayonnaise
1 (4 oz) jar cream horseradish
2 (4 oz, ea) jars diced pimentos, drained
dash hot sauce
–
Crackers – for dipping
=
In 4 qt. or larger crockpot place Velveeta
cubes, mayo, horseradish, pimentos & hot
sauce – stir. Cover & cook on High about an
hour 45 minutes, stirring about every 30
minutes. (NOTE: you can also heat this
on the stovetop in a saucepan, stirring
often). Spoon sauce into serving containers
with lids & refrigerate at least 4 hours.
Serve with crackers. Serves 25

(recipe: themagicalslowcooker.com)
—————————

Creamy Custard Cake

4 eggs, separated
3/4 C. sugar
1 stick (1/2 C.) butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 C. flour
2 C. milk
———
Preheat oven 325 degrees F.
Spray 8 inch square baking dish
with nonstick spray. In medium
bowl beat egg whites until stiff
peaks form. In large bowl combine
egg yolks & sugar – beat until
smooth. Add butter & vanilla, mix
well. Beat in flour then slowly add
milk until well combined. Slowly
fold in egg whites; do not over
mix – pour into dish. Bake 45-50
minutes until set in center & golden
brown on top. Let cool then sprinkle
top with powdered sugar. Serves 9

(recipe: mrfood.com)

=====================

Tonight is my special needs group’s Valentines
Dance and I’m sure they’re all super excited;
due to the crazy weather, we haven’t had a
regular Weds. night group meeting for 3
weeks now – I’m sure I’m in for LOTS of super-
excited students!

I’m really proud of both of my knit groups –
they have been working on the baby booties
I mentioned in an earlier post. I was able to
mail out 25 sets about 1 1/2 weeks ago and
now we’re almost to that amount – again!
They are ALL wonderful, caring people who
really ‘step up’ when a need is presented;
it’s really nice to know they help when I
ask.

This coming Tuesday is a big PERK
for our group: we’re having our first
YARN SWAP of the year. At this event we bring
in any unwanted yarns/needles/hooks/books/
patterns and lay them out on a table. If there
are any yarns, etc. we see that we want, we
take them. When I organized the first one
years ago I was trying to figure out how to
‘regulate’ this: If I bring in one skein of yarn,
can I take one skein? One of my friends said:
“People are bringing in stuff they DON’T
want – they can take as much as they want –
we want to GET RID of it!” Smart idea! If
there’s any leftover yarns, etc. I will take them
to my Library Knit group – if, after that, there
are any leftover yarns, we donate them to
the local Children’s Village where they teach
young people to knit/crochet – so nothing
gets wasted! It’s a fun event – I’m excited
to see what people bring in! (Actually, I don’t
really ‘need’ any yarn but it’s always nice to
look! )

Hope you’re having a great day!

Hugs;

Pammie

Have I got the CROCKPOT Recipes!

I also have a small group of friends who enjoy my sending them crockpot recipes I find on various sites – I realized today that I now have a HUGE amount of recipes, so decided to just do a CROCKPOT post today. Here ya go:

==================

Crockpot Pecan Pie Cake

1 C. chopped pecans
1 C. brown sugar, packed
1/2 C. flour
2 eggs
1/2 C. butter, melted
(optional: powdered sugar)
=
In a bowl mix pecans, brown sugar &
flour. In another large bowl beat eggs
until they start to foam a bit. Mix in
butter, pecan mixture, stirring until
just moistened. Spray insides of
6 qt. crockpot with nonstick cooking
spray & spoon in batter. Cover & cook
on High 1 1/2 – 2 hours. Cut & serve
with (optional) powdered sugar dusted
on each serving.  Serves 6

(recipe: recipesthatcrock.com)
———————————–

Crockpot Swiss Cheese Meatloaf

1 lb. ground beef
1 egg
1/4 onion, chopped
1/4 to 1/2 C. bread crumbs
1/4 C. ketchup (additional for
topping)
2 slices Swiss Cheese
–
Line crockpot insides with foil & spray
with nonstick cooking spray (or use
crockpot liners). In bowl mix all
ingredients (except cheese) until
well combined. Form mixture into
a loaf & place in crockpot – spread
1/4 C. ketchup on top. Cover & cook
on High 4-5 hours (or Low 7-8 hours)
until cooked through. Place cheese
slices on top for last 1/2 hour of cooking
time to melt. Let meatloaf rest 5-8
minutes after removing from crockpot
& before slicing. Serves 4

(recipe: ourtableforseven.com)
————————–
Crockpot Southwest Breakfast
Casserole

1 (8.3 oz) pkg. smoky links
4 C. frozen Tater Tots, thawed
1 (16 oz) jar salsa
2 C. shredded Colby Jack & Monterrey
Jack cheese, divided
6 eggs, beaten
salt/pepper, to taste
–
Spray insides of crockpot with
nonstick cooking spray.
Slice smoky links in half & brown
on both sides in a skillet; cut into
bite-sized pieces. Place thawed
tater tots in crockpot then place
sausage pieces, salsa & half of
cheese on top. Pour eggs over all
then sprinkle with salt/pepper; top
with rest of cheese. Cover & cook
on High 2 1/2 hours. Serves 6-8

(recipe: recipesthatcrock.com)
———————————-
Crockpot (Crazy Easy) Chicken Curry

2 lb. 2 oz. skinless boneless chicken breast,
diced
1 large onion, peeled/quartered
3 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 large green pepper, seeded/quartered
1 (5 oz) can tomato puree
2 C. coconut cream*
2 tsp. salt – more for seasoning, if desired
3 T. curry powder
2 T. corn starch
2 T. cold water
–
Cooked rice to serve 6
=
Optional: chopped coriander & fresh
red chili – for serving
=
Place diced chicken in crockpot & season
well with salt. Place onion, garlic cloves,
green pepper, tomato puree, coconut
cream/milk & salt in food processor
& puree until very smooth – pour over
chicken (don’t stir). Cover & cook on
Low 5 hours. Mix cornstarch in cold
water & stir into crockpot mixture-
mix gently so as to not break up
chicken. Cook 1 more hour.
Serve over cooked rice.
Sprinkle over some chopped coriander
& chili, if desired.
Serves 6

*Coconut cream/milk:
Poster said if you can’t find coconut cream,
you can substitute coconut milk BUT only use
1 1/4-1 1/2 C.

(recipe: kitchenmason.com)
————————————
Crockpot Cherry Crisp
done in a 3qt crockpot

1 (21 oz) can cherry pie filling
2/3 C. packed brown sugar
1/2 C. old-fashioned oats, (uncooked)
1/2 C. flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 C. butter, softened
–
Spray insides of crockpot with
nonstick cooking spray. Pour pie
filling into bottom of crockpot –
spread evenly. In a bowl
mix brown sugar, oats, flour & vanilla;
cut in butter using 2 forks or a pastry
cutter. Sprinkle mixture over pie
filling in crockpot. Cover crockpot
opening with a few paper towels
then place lid on. Cook on Low
4 hours (it should be warmed through
& bubbling). Serves 4

(recipe: recipesthatcrock.com)
—————————
Crockpot Taco Dip

1 (15 oz) can chili with beans
1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes with
green chilies, drained
1 C. sour cream
1 (7 oz) pkg. shredded sharp
Cheddar cheese
1 small can sliced olives
2 green onions, diced
===============
1/2 C. (Sargento) Shredded 4-
cheese Mexican cheese blend
–
extra sliced olives and/or chopped
green onions for garnish, if desired
=
Place all ingredients (except 4-cheese
Mexican blend) into crockpot – stir.
Cover & cook on High 1-2 hours until
dip is hot & cheese is melted. Stir then
top with shredded 4-cheese blend. Add
more olives/green onions, if desired.
Makes 10 servings

(recipe: 365daysofcrockpot.com)
——————————-

Crockpot Italian Vegetarian Bean
Soup

1 lb. dry Great Northern beans
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 carrots, peeled/finely chopped
1 T. fennel seeds
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
salt/pepper, to taste
6 T. finely grated Parmesan cheese
(optional)
–
In a 3 qt. or larger crockpot combine
beans, celery, onion, carrots, fennel
seeds, oregano, garlic powder &
red pepper flakes. Add 5 C. cold water
to crockpot; cover & cook on High
5 hours, until beans are tender.

If Desired:

Drain to remove bean cooking liquid
which sometimes causes gas. Whether
you drain the beans or not, you’ll need
to add more liquid. Add enough water to
achieve desired soup thickness (it will
be between 2-4 C.) Stir in salt/pepper, to
taste. Ladle into bowls & top each
serving with 1 T. Parmesan cheese.
Serves about 4

(recipe: aroundmyfamilytable.com)
===================

Well, once again, our weather is here to AMAZE –
went to choir practice last night at 4:45 (totally
clear, no snow on ground). I had been watching
the weather reports & knew we were due for
freezing rain/drizzle. Got out of choir practice
at almost 6 p.m., took one look outside & decided
to skip evening church & go home. It was a pretty
SLOW drive (30-35 mph at the most) – roads were
slippery, especially at the lights. Wipers on the
whole time, defroster going full blast – was SO
grateful to get home safely! It continued for
awhile last night but roads are clear today –
reports are we’re supposed to get more of the
same tonight AND add to that: blowing snow
(about an inch accumulation/new sleet less
than an inch possible) Add to all that: Winds
up to 24 mph . . . LOTS OF FUN IN STORE!

Hope you all stay SAFE/WARM & DRY!
Enjoy your day!

Hugs;

Pammie

Friday

Hello! The weather here in Michigan continues to baffle us – yesterday it was foggy, dreary, rainy which melted any snow on the ground. Last night we had high winds – today it’s lightly snowing, temp 17 degrees F. with a wind chill of -1 degree F.   go figure! I spent yesterday babysitting my grandson – turned out to be a good day (meaning he didn’t ‘challenge’ me – smart child!). Got 2 pairs of baby booties knit and some work done on the current baby blanket (nothing special, variegated yarn – another blanket for Crisis Pregnancy Center’s Mobile unit.)

=============

(the site is still doing the teeny/tiny print so I’m typing each recipe which makes for double spaced lines – sorry)

Grandma’s Honey Muffins

2 C. flour

1/2  C. sugar

3 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 large egg, room temp

1 C. 2% milk

1/4 C. butter, melted

1/4 C. honey

–

Preheat oven 400 degrees F.

Line 12 muffin cup tins with paper

liners or spray with nonstick cooking

spray. In large bowl combine flour,

sugar, baking powder & salt. In another

small bowl combine egg, milk, butter &

honey-stir into dry ingredients just until

moistened. Fill muffin cups 3/4ths full.

Bake 15-18 minutes until a toothpick

inserted into center comes out clean.

Cool 5 minutes before removing

from pan to a wire rack. Serve warm.

Makes 12

 

Freezer Option:

Freeze cooled muffins in freezer

containers. To use: thaw to room

temp or, if desired, microwave each

muffin on High until heated through,

20-30 seconds.

 

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)

---

(YAY – site is working again!)

Crockpot Lemonade Chicken

6 whole boneless skinless
chicken breasts
6 oz. frozen lemonade concentrate,
thawed
1 T. apple cider vinegar
3 T. brown sugar
1/4 C. ketchup
=
Cooked rice or noodles to
serve 6-8
=
Place chicken in bottom of crockpot.
In medium bowl combine remaining
ingredients & pour over chicken.
Cover & cook on Low 6-8 hours (or
High 3-4 hours) until chicken is
cooked through. Serve over cooked
rice or noodles.
Serves 6-8

(recipe: crockpotladies.com)
——————————–
Easy Sausage Quiche

1 (16 oz) pkg. pork sausage
4 green onions, sliced
1 C. (4 oz) shredded Cheddar cheese
4 eggs
2 C. Half & Half (or milk)
1 C. Bisquick baking mix
–
Suggested toppings:
sour cream
chopped tomatoes
chopped fresh parsley
=
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Place sausage in a lightly greased
2 qt. round casserole dish*; top
with onions & cheese. In a bowl
beat eggs, Half & Half & Bisquick
using a wire whisk until well blended –
pour over cheese. Bake 45-50
minutes until a knife inserted into
center comes out clean. Cool 5
minutes; cut into wedges.
Add toppings & serve. serves 4-6

NOTE: *you can substitute a 9 X 13″
baking dish for the 2 qt. round dish.
Bake 20-25 minutes.

(recipe: www.jimmydean.com)

---

Ground Beef Stuffed Pepper Skillet

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 C. diced green bell pepper
1/2 C. diced red bell pepper
1 (14.5 oz) can fire-roasted diced
tomatoes
3/4 C. uncooked long grain white
rice
2 C. beef broth
2 T. tomato paste
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 C. shredded Colby-Jack
cheese
1 T. fresh parsley – garnish
–
In large skillet over medium heat
brown ground beef, onion & garlic
until meat is fully cooked, crumbled
& no longer pink. Drain. Place skillet
back on heat & add bell peppers, diced
tomatoes, rice, beef broth, tomato
paste, Ital. seasoning, salt/pepper –
stir to combine & bring to boil.
Reduce heat to simmer – cover &
cook 18 minutes until rice is cooked
through. Fluff rice with a fork & top
with shredded cheese. Cover, &
let cheese melt over Low heat.
Garnish with parsley. Serves 4-6

(recipe: iwashyoudry.com)
————————————

Farmhouse Pork Chop & Stuffing
Casserole
(read ingredients first)

2-3 lb. 3/4″ pork chops
1 loaf bread, cubed/dried 12-24 hours
1 C. butter
1/2 C. chopped celery
1/4 C. chopped parsley
1 medium onion, chopped
1 egg, beaten
1/4 C. milk
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 (soup can worth) milk
salt/pepper to taste
–
Preheat oven 325 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ baking dish with nonstick
cooking spray. Place a single layer of
2-3 lb. pork chops to dish. In large
skillet cook celery, onions & parsley
in butter; add bouillon cubes. Stir in
bread cubes. Add egg & 1/4 C. milk;
mix & spread over pork chops in dish.
In separate bowl mix both cans soup &
soup-can milk – pour evenly over top
of mixture. Bake 1 hour.
Pork chops should be a minimum of
145 degrees F. in center using a meat
thermometer when done cooking.
The soup & stuffing mixture should be
set when casserole is done cooking.

(recipe: plowingthroughlife.com)

---

Spicy Potato Soup

1 lb. ground beef
4 C. cubed/peeled potatoes
(1/2 inch cube)
1 small onion, chopped
3 (8 oz, ea) cans tomato sauce
4 C. water
2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 to 1 tsp. hot pepper sauce
–
In Dutch oven brown ground beef
over medium heat until no longer
pink; drain. Add potatoes, onion &
tomato sauce – stir in water, salt/
pepper & hot pepper sauce & bring
to a boil. Reduce heat & simmer 1 hour
until potatoes are tender & soup has
thickened. Serves 8 (2 qts)

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
———————————

 Crockpot Mexican Casserole

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt/pepper, to taste
1 tsp. taco seasoning
1 C. uncooked quinoa
2 (10 oz, ea) cans red enchilada sauce
(mild or medium)
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained/rinsed
2 (15 oz, ea) cans fire-roasted diced
tomatoes, undrained
1 C. corn kernels, frozen or canned
1 red bell pepper, cored/seeded/diced
1 green bell pepper, cored/seeded/diced
2 T. chili powder
1 T. ground cumin
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 C. Cheddar-Jack cheese, shredded

Optional Toppings:
Cilantro
chopped tomatoes
chopped green onions
chopped black olives
chopped avocado
–
Heat large skillet over medium-high heat;
add ground beef, onion & garlic. Season
generously with salt/pepper & taco
seasoning -cook until beef is browned &
no longer pink & onions are translucent.
Spray a 3-4 qt. crockpot with nonstick
cooking spray; add skillet contents to
crockpot & all other ingredients except
cheese & toppings. Stir well. Cover &
cook on Low 5-6 hours (or High 3-4 hours).
When quinoa is soft & liquid has been
absorbed, stir well & top with cheese.
Cover & cook an additional 10-15 minutes
until cheese melts. Top with optional
toppings, if desired. Serves 8 generously

(recipe: jamiecooksitup.net)
———————————-

Easy Stuffed Mushrooms for 2

20 oz. white whole mushrooms
1/3 C. whipped cream cheese
1 T. Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
2 T. (frozen, chopped/thawed/pressed
dry) spinach
1 T. panko breadcrumbs
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Lightly spray a baking sheet with
nonstick cooking spray.
Remove mushroom stems (reserve for
another use). Brush off any dirt from caps
using a damp paper towel. In a small bowl
mix cream cheese, Parm. cheese, salt &
spinach. Fill openings of mushroom caps
with mixture. Lightly sprinkle Panko bread-
crumbs on top & place caps on sheet. Bake
15 minutes (juices will begin to pool at bottom
of mushrooms & top will begin to lightly brown.)
Remove from oven & serve hot.
Serves 2  (serving size will vary based on size
of mushrooms – you can double or triple the
quanities for more servings.) Cream cheese
mixture can be made ahead.

(recipe: yummly.com)
———————————

Cranberry/Pecan/Oatmeal Cookies

1 C. butter (2 sticks) softened

1 C. brown sugar, firmly packed

1/2 C. sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 C. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

3 C. uncooked oats

1 C. fresh cranberries, chopped

into small pieces

1 C. pecans, chopped

1 C. white chocolate chips

–

Preheat oven 350 degrees F.

In large bowl beat butter & sugars

until creamy. Mix in egg & vanilla –

beat until well combined. In another

bowl whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon

& salt – add flour mixture to large bowl

& mix well. Stir in oatmeal then gently

stir in cranberries, pecans & choc. chips.

Drop by rounded teaspoon onto

ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10-12

minutes until cookies start to brown

around edges. Remove to wire rack

to cool Makes 4 dozen.

(recipe: greatgrubdelicioustreats.com)

===============

Hope you are having a good day; not much
planned for the day – sometimes it’s nice to
just have a relaxing/casual day where you
can just do what you want without obligations.
I’m thinking dinner will be Pierogies & Sausage –
easy, quick & a family favorite.

Lately I’ve been reading ‘out of my norm’ –
checked out 2 books that are both fact –
one is a kind of history of the Smithsonian
Institute:
“Dinosaurs in the Attic” : an excursion into
The American Museum of Natural History
====
and the other is
The Lost City of the Monkey God”
a book about a trek to Honduras in search
of a much talked about site: the
Lost City of the Monkey God.

Both books are written by one of my
favorite (fiction) writers: Douglas J. Preston
I kind of have to admit that both books are
rather ‘dry’, hence I find myself reading them
both – a little from one, then switch to the
other for awhile. I like reading factual books
as well as good fiction so we’ll see where
these go (and will I actually FINISH either
of them!???)

Stay warm (if you’re in a cold climate);

Hugs;

Pammie

Tuesday

Our weather has been SOooooo strange this winter – it’s so nice to have ‘warmer’ weather these past 2 days (it’s now 33 degrees F. but overcast). I know 33 sounds cold but it’s much better than last week’s BELOW ZERO temps! Tonight’s forecast is for sleet & freezing rain (oh joy – tonight is Knit/Crochet night at Panera!). Tomorrow’s not much better: more freezing rain with some ice accumulation – high 34 degrees F. – tomorrow is my special needs group meeting – we’ll see if THAT happens! If it doesn’t, that will make THREE weeks in a row we’ve had to cancel due to bad weather. Oh well . . . such is life, right?

Right now I’m awaiting a call from oldest son (HOPEFULLY) telling me my babysitting day is changed to Thursday. I’m supposed to sit today at 2 but son said he HAS to work late, which would make me not be able to go to my Knit/Crochet night at Panera. He’s checking with other grandparents to see if they’ll switch. Sure hope so: once he called I had great visions of all the things I can get done today: bank, library, grocery store, drug store, pick up mail – REALLY hope they can change because the oncoming weather sure doesn’t sound like I’ll be able to accomplish any of said trips if they can’t . . . and so we wait.

(Looks like my blog site is doing the TEENY-TINY print again with the recipes – UGH!) That means I have to type each recipe onto the site instead of ‘copy & paste’. So strange – after I hand-type in a few recipes, it will TAKE the copy & paste again – weird! (but I’m happy at least I don’t have to type ALL the recipes over again!)

OH-just got the ‘word’ I’m free today! YAY! Babysit 10:30 a.m. Thurs.

============

Shortbread

1 C. butter, softened

1/2 C. sugar

1/2 C. powdered sugar

2 C. flour

1/2 C. cornstarch

1/2 tsp. salt

–

In large bowl cream butter & sugars

until light & fluffy. Combine flour,

cornstarch & salt – gradually add to

creamed mixture & mix well. Roll

dough into a 15 X 2 X 1″ rectangle;

chill.

–

Preheat oven 325 degrees F.

Cut dough into 1/4″ slices, place

them 2 inches apart on a ungreased

baking sheet. Prick tops with a fork

& bake 10-12 minutes until set.

Remove to wire racks to cool.

Makes 5 dozen

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)

---

Chicken Dumpling Soup

6 boneless chicken thighs

2 (10 3/4 oz, ea) cans cream of celery soup

2 (15 oz., ea) cans mixed vegetables,

drained

salt/pepper, to taste

1 (12 oz) tube refrigerated biscuits, torn

–

Place chicken in a large soup pot over high heat.

Add enough water to cover; bring to a boil over

High heat – reduce heat to medium & simmer

15-20 minutes until chicken juices run clear. Drain,

reserving 3 C. broth in pot. Remove chicken &

cool; shred chicken & return to pot. Stir in soup,

veggies, salt/pepper. Add biscuit pieces. Simmer

over medium heat 7-8 minutes until ‘dumplings’

are done. Serves 6

(recipe: gooseberrypatch.com)

---

Cabbage Rolls
(alternative to making rolls)

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small head cabbage, chopped
2 1/2 C. water
2/3 C. uncooked long grain rice
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1/2 tsp. salt
–
grated Parmesan cheese, topping
–
In nonstick Dutch oven cook beef &
garlic over medium heat until meat is
no longer pink; drain. Stir in next 8
ingredients & bring to boil. Reduce heat;
cover & simmer until rice is tender; 25-30
minutes. Stir in tomatoes & salt; heat
through. If desired, sprinkle with cheese
when serving. Serves 4

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
————————–

Tiny Taco Bites (appetizers)

8 corn tortillas
8 oz cooked pork shoulder (or any
other leftover cooked meat)
1 1/2 T. taco seasoning mix
6 T. salsa
1 lettuce leaf, shredded
1 T. finely shredded cheese of your
choice
–
NEEDED:
1 (24 cup) mini muffin tin
a Mason jar or something with
same sized opening to use as
a cutting guide for tortillas
=
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Using mason jar as a guide, cut 3
mini-tortillas from each large tortilla,
making a total of 24 mini tortillas.*
In a bowl mix meat & taco seasoning.
Microwave mini tortillas 15 seconds –
this makes them pliable. Place one
mini tortilla & 1 tsp. meat in each
mini muffin tin. (Meat will act as a
weight & help keep the shape of
the bites.) Work quickly – once
tortillas cool they become more
difficult to bend. Bake 12 minutes
until tortillas are golden brown. Allow
to cool 3 minutes – tortillas will
continue to get crispy as they sit.
Remove from muffin tin & top each
with salsa, shredded lettuce & cheese.
Makes 24  (6 bites per person)

*Poster said she was able to stack
& cut through 3 large tortillas at once.

(recipe: yummly.com)
——————————-

Parslied Potatoes

1 1/2 lb. small new red potatoes
1 T. vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small clove garlic, crushed
1 C. chicken broth
1 C. chopped fresh parsley, divided
1/2 tsp. black pepper
–
Peel a strip of skin from around middle
of potato; place in a bowl of cold water –
repeat with rest of potatoes.
Heat large skillet over medium-high heat;
add oil. Saute onion & garlic 5 minutes until
tender. Add broth & 3/4 C. parsley; mix well &
bring to boil. Drain potatoes & place in a single
layer in skillet. Return to boil & reduce heat.
Cover & simmer 10 minutes until potatoes are
tender. Remove potatoes using a slotted spoon
to a serving bowl. Add pepper to skillet – stir.
Pour sauce over potatoes & sprinkle top with
remaining parsley. Serves 6

Note: Avoid overcrowding & use a skillet large
enough to ensure the potatoes will remain
in one even layer for fastest cooking
————————

Crockpot Southwest Breakfast
Casserole

1 (8.3 oz) pkg. smoky links
4 C. frozen Tater Tots, thawed
1 (16 oz) jar salsa
2 C. shredded Colby Jack & Monterrey
Jack cheese, divided
6 eggs, beaten
salt/pepper, to taste
–
Spray insides of crockpot with
nonstick cooking spray.
Slice smoky links in half & brown
on both sides in a skillet; cut into
bite-sized pieces. Place thawed
tater tots in crockpot then place
sausage pieces, salsa & half of
cheese on top. Pour eggs over all
then sprinkle with salt/pepper; top
with rest of cheese. Cover & cook
on High 2 1/2 hours. Serves 6-8

(recipe: recipesthatcrock.com)
———————————-

Reuben Bake

2 (8 oz, ea) tubes refrigerated
crescent rolls
1 lb. sliced Swiss cheese
1 1/4 lb. sliced deli corned beef
1 (14 oz) can sauerkraut -drained/
rinsed thoroughly
2/4 C. Thousand Island salad
dressing
1 lightly beaten egg white
3 tsp. caraway seeds
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick spray. Unroll one tube
crescent rolls into 1 rectangle,
sealing seams by pressing. Place
in prepared dish & bake 8-10
minutes. In bowl, mix sauerkraut
& salad dressing. Spread half of
cheese over baked crust & add a
layer of corned beef. Add a layer
of sauerkraut mixture & top with
other half of cheese. Unroll
second tube of crescent dough
onto a floured surface & roll
into a 9 X 13″ rectangle – place
over top of contents of dish.
Brush top with beaten egg
white & sprinkle top with
some caraway seeds.
Bake 12-16 minutes.

(recipe: 77easyrecipes.com)
——————————-

One-Skillet Lasagna

3/4 lb. ground beef
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
with basil, oregano & garlic,
undrained
2 (14 oz, ea) jars spaghetti sauce
2/3 C. cream of onion soup,
undiluted
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/4 C. cottage cheese
3/4 tsp. Italian seasoning
9 no-cook lasagna noodles
1/2 C. shredded Colby-Monterey
Jack cheese
1/2 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
–
In large skillet cook beef & garlic over
medium heat until meat is no longer
pink; drain. Stir in tomatoes & spaghetti
sauce – heat through & transfer to large
bowl. In small bowl combine soup, eggs,
cottage cheese & Ital. seasoning. Return
1 C. meat sauce to skillet – spread evenly.
Layer with 1 C. cottage cheese mixture,
1 1/2 C. meat sauce & half of noodles,
breaking noodles to fit. Repeat layers &
top with remaining meat sauce. Bring to
a boil – reduce heat. Cover & simmer 15-17
minutes until noodles are tender. Remove
from heat; sprinkle with cheeses – cover &

let stand 2 minutes until melted. Serves 6

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)

---

Minny’s Chocolate Pie

1 9″ deep-dish frozen pie crust
1 1/2 C. sugar
3 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
4 T. unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs, beaten
3/4 C. evaporated milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
–
fresh whipping cream – for serving
=
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Place pie crust in 9″ pie plate, crimp
edges & prick crust on bottom lightly
with a fork. Line crust with foil or
parchment paper & fill with pie
weights or dry beans. Bake 15 minutes
until set. Remove foil & weights – bake
5 minutes more, just until crust is dry
but not browned.
In large bowl whisk sugar with cocoa,
butter, eggs, evap. milk, vanilla & salt
until smooth – pour into pie shell &
bake 45 minutes until filling is set
around edges but a little jiggly in center.
Cover edges of crust with foil strips halfway
through baking – transfer pie to a rack &
let cool completely before cutting into
wedges. Serve with whipped cream.
Refrigerate any leftovers. Serves 8

NOTE: Can be made a day ahead; refrigerate
overnight.

(recipe: mommyskitchen.net)
=========================

Hope your day is going well and your
weather is what you’d hoped for (in
Michigan we know better than to HOPE
for good weather – it IS what it IS!)

Hugs;

Pammie

PS: Gas prices are up again: $2.19/9 AMENDMENT:

just got home from my errands, gas is at $2.29/9!!!

a jump of 20 cents a gallon in less than a week! UGH!

SUPER BOWL RECIPES!

I’m not a football fan so until last night I didn’t realize THE GAME was THIS Sunday! Been saving up appetizer recipes for you – so here ya go!

============

Fudge Puddles
Small, filled cookie cups
(regular & quick version)

Crust:

1/2 C. butter, softened
1/2 C. creamy peanut butter
1/2 C. sugar
1/2 C. packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 C. flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
=
Fudge Filling:
1 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 C. butterscotch chips*
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla
(optional: chopped nuts or sprinkles)
=
Crust:
In large bowl combine butter, peanut
butter & both sugars; beat in egg &
vanilla.
In separate bowl mix flour, baking soda &
salt. Gradually add flour mixture to creamy
mixture. Chill at least 1 hour (or if you’re
really pressed for time – put in freezer 15
minutes.)
=
Preheat oven 325 degrees F.
Spray mini muffin pan cups with nonstick
baking spray.
Remove dough from fridge & form into
1″ balls (poster uses a small melon scoop).
Place 1 ball in each mini muffin cup & bake
15 minutes until very lightly browned. Remove
from oven & make a dent in each ball – let cool
in pan at least 5 minutes then move to a cooling
rack.
Fudge Filling:
In a microwaveable bowl (or saucepan) combine
all filling ingredients (except nuts/sprinkles).
Microwave 1 minute – stir well (if there are any
unmelted chips, microwave in 15-second incre-
ments until all smooth).  IMMEDIATELY start
filling ball ‘dents’ as filling will start to harden-
stir well & fill all dents then sprinkle with nuts/
sprinkles (if desired) Let balls set for 1 hour.
===============
(Quicker Version):
Poster used Betty Crocker Peanut Butter Cookie
mix (1 pouch)instead of making dough. Follow
same idea: fill balls & bake. PREPARE FILLING &
follow same directions.

*If you don’t like butterscotch, use milk chocolate
chips

(recipe; mommyskitchen.net)
—————————————

Bite-sized Pepperoni Pizza Bites

2 pkgs. store-bought pizza dough,
prepared
1 jar pizza sauce
2 T. grated Parmesan cheese
1 t. olive oil (or) melted butter
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
Mozzarella cheese (or string
cheese) cut into pieces
pizza toppings of your choice:
pepperoni slices, cooked hamburger
or sausage, ham, veggies, pineapple,
sliced olives,etc.
=
marinara or pizza sauce, for dipping
=
Preheat oven to specific temp. on
pizza dough pkg (usually 400 degrees F.)
=
Lightly spray a pie pan or similar
sized dish with nonstick cooking spray.
=
Unroll dough onto a lightly floured
surface – pat or roll dough to about
12″ X 8″ – cut this into 24 squares.
Place cheese & your desired toppings
in center of each square, making
sure you have enough room to
enclose the toppings in the dough.
When all squares are topped, carefully
lift up each square & wrap dough around
toppings. Pinch to make sure each ball
is sealed shut then place on prepared
pan, seam sides down. Brush tops of
balls with olive oil (or melted butter)
then sprinkle tops with garlic powder
& Italian seasoning – top with Parmesan
cheese. Bake 15-20 minutes until
golden brown on top. Serve warm
with warmed marinara or pizza
sauce on the side for dipping.
Makes 24

(recipe: mommyskitchen.net)
———————————-

Wholly Guacamole!

6 avocados (soft, but not mushy)
2-4 cloves garlic, minced (depends
on how much you like garlic)
1 lime, cut in half
1 medium tomato, diced
1/2 medium onion, diced
salt
chopped cilantro (optional)
1 diced jalapeno pepper (optional)
(OR) 1 diced serrano pepper (optional)
=
crackers or chips, for dipping
=
Cut avocados in half, remove pit – spoon
avocado into a bowl. Add minced garlic &
squeeze juice from HALF lime into bowl –
mash ingredients together using back of
a large spoon or potato masher (NOTE:
some people like avocado chunky, some
smoother). Fold in diced tomato & onion;
add a few pinches salt & juice from
remaining lime half. Add cilantro &
peppers, if using. Cover bowl & refrigerate
30-45 minutes. Uncover & taste; add
salt, as needed. Serves 4-6

(recipe: geniuskitchen.com)
———————————-
Oven Potato-slice Nachos

2 large russet potatoes
seasoning salt/black pepper
2 (8 oz, ea) jars taco sauce
5 green onions, finely chopped
chopped green chili
2 C. shredded Mexican-blend
cheese (or Cheddar)
sliced black or green olives
–
Turn on oven broiler & place
oven rack 4 inches from broiler.
Slice potatoes into 1/4″ thick
slices; arrange in single layer on
large GREASED baking sheet(s).
Sprinkle both sides with salt/pepper.
Broil potatoes until golden brown;
turn over slices & broil other sides
until brown & fork-tender. Remove
from oven & top with taco sauce,
green onions, chilies, shredded
cheese & sliced olives. Place under
broiler until cheese melts.
Serves 2-4

(recipe: geniuskitchen.com)
———————————
Easy Cheesy Puff Balls

1 (8 oz) pkg. sliced pepperoni
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 (10 1/8 oz) pkgs. Pillsbury
refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Remove rolls from packages &
separate into individual triangles.
Flatten each triangle & slice so that
it becomes 3 small triangles. Dice
or chop pepperoni into tiny, tiny
pieces. In a small bowl mix pepperoni
& cream cheese; mix very well so that
all of pepperoni pieces are mixed into
cream cheese. Using a small spoon,
place small spoonfuls of cream mixture
& place in centers of triangles. Pinch
up all sides of triangles around filling.
Repeat & place on cookie sheet. Bake
about 11 minutes – the amount of
time stated on crescent roll pkg.
Allow to cool a few minutes before
serving. Makes 48

(recipe: geniuskitchen.com)
———————————–
Antipasto Squares
(appetizers)

2 (8 oz, ea) tubes crescent dough
1/2 lb. deli ham
1/4 lb. pepperoni, sliced
1/2 lb. sliced Provolone cheese
1/4 lb. sliced mozzarella cheese
1 C. (16 oz) jar sliced pepperonicini
2 T. olive oil
1/4 C. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. dried oregano
=
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ baking dish with nonstick
cooking spray. Unroll one tube of
dough onto cookie sheet & spread out;
pinch seams together. Layer ham,
pepperoni, both cheeses & pepperoncini
on top in even layer. Unroll remaining dough
& place on top – pinch seams to seal. Brush
oil all over top of dough then sprinkle with
Parmesan & oregano. Bake about 35 minutes
until dough is golden & cooked through. (IF
dough is browning too quickly, cover with foil.)
Let cool at least 15 minutes before slicing
into squares. Serves 6

(recipe: delish.com)
———————————-
French Dip Sliders

5 T. butter, divided
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 sprigs plus 1/4 tsp. fresh thyme
kosher salt/black pepper
12 slider buns, halved
1 lb. thinly sliced deli roast beef
12 slices Provolone cheese
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 T. minced garlic
1 1/2 C. (low sodium) beef broth
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
In large skillet over medium-high
heat melt 2 T. butter. Add onion &
thyme sprigs – season with salt/pepper.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized,
about 15 minutes. Discard thyme sprigs.
Place bottom halves of buns on a large
baking sheet & top with roast beef,
cheese, caramelized onions & bun tops.
Melt 2 T. butter & brush on top of buns.
Sprinkle tops with garlic powder, salt &
parsley – bake until cheese is melty
& sliders are warmed through, about
10-15 minutes.

Prepare Au Jus:

Add remaining 1 T. butter to same skillet
& melt over medium heat. Add garlic &
cook 1 minute then add beef broth,
Worc. sauce & thyme – season with
salt/pepper – simmer until slightly
reduced, about 10 minutes. Serve
sliders with Au Jus for dipping.
Makes 12

(recipe: delish.com)
—————————————-
Philly Cheesesteak Nachos

2 T. vegetable oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 large bell peppers/seeded,
thinly sliced
kosher salt/black pepper
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 lb. sirloin steak, thinly sliced
2 C. shredded Provolone cheese
1 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 large bag tortilla chips
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Line a large baking sheet with foil. Heat
1 T. oil in large skillet over medium heat;
add onion & peppers – season with salt/
pepper. Cook, stirring often, until onions
& peppers are tender, about 5 minutes.
Push peppers & onions to side of pan &
add 1 T. oil to other side. Add steak in a
single layer & season with salt/pepper.
Cook until steak is seared on one side;
season with salt/pepper & Ital. seasoning
then mix steak together with onions &
peppers. On prepared baking sheet add
about half the chips in a layer. Top with
half of mozz & half Provolone cheeses,
half steak & peppers. Repeat to make
another layer with remaining
ingredients. Bake about 15 minutes
until cheese has melted. Serve
immediately.  Serves 6

(recipe: delish.com)
——————————–

Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Nachos

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
garlic salt, to taste
salt/pepper, to taste
1 (12 oz) bottle Buffalo Wing sauce
1/2 C. ranch salad dressing
1/2 lb. Velveeta cheese, cubed
1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes w/green
chilies
1 (12 oz) pkg. tortilla chips
=
Place chicken in crockpot; sprinkle top
with garlic salt, salt/pepper. Pour in
enough Buffalo Wing sauce to cover
chicken. Cover & cook on Low about
4 hours, until chicken is very tender.
Shred chicken using 2 forks & drain
off any excess liquid. Stir in Ranch
dressing.
In a saucepan, combine Velveeta
with tomatoes/green chilies – cook &
stir until cheese melts.
On a large serving plate layer tortilla
chips. Spoon cheese sauce over chips &
top with shredded chicken. Serves 6-8

(recipe: gooseberrypatch.com)
———————————–
Bacon Cheeseburger Dip

1 lb. lean ground beef; cooked &
drained – season well with salt/pepper
1 (8 oz) brick Velveeta cheese, cubed
2 T. ketchup
2 T. mustard
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
6 slices bacon, cooked/diced
2 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
shredded lettuce
pickle slices
–
Dippers:  tortilla or corn chips
=
In large skillet season beef well
with salt/pepper & cook – drain.
In medium saucepan melt Velveeta
over medium heat until melted.
Stir in cooked beef, ketchup, mustard,
Worc. sauce – mix until combined.
Pour mixture into a 9 X 13″ baking dish &
top with diced bacon, shredded cheese,
lettuce & pickle slices. Serve with dippers.
Serves 8

(recipe: familyfreshmeals.com)
————————————-

Ranch Sausage Cups

1 pkt. dry (Hidden Valley) Ranch dressing
mix (prepare accordg. to pkg. directions)
1 (10 oz) pkg. breakfast sausage, browned/
drained
1 (8 oz) pkg. Mexican 4-cheese blend cheese
1/2 C. green or red bell pepper, chopped
(optional)
1 (12 oz) pkg. won ton wrappers* cut into
fours
=
In a bowl mix prepared ranch dressing
to cooked sausage; mix in cheese (&
bell peppers, if using). Refrigerate
30 minutes.
=
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Lightly spray standard muffin tins with
nonstick cooking spray. Place one
wonton wrapper in each muffin tin &
bake 5-7 minutes until lightly golden
brown. (Watch them carefully so they
don’t get too brown!)
Remove from oven & let cool slightly.
Add 2 T. sausage mixture to each cup &
return to oven 5-7 minutes until cheese
melts & mixture is heated through.
Cool slightly before serving.
Makes approx. 48 cups

*these are usually found in the
refrigerated vegetable section in
grocery stores

(recipe: mommyskitchen.net)
——————————–

Thin Mint Poke Cake

1 (15.25 oz) box chocolate cake
mix, prepared accordg. to pkg.
directions for a 9 X 13″ baking
dish
1 (14 oz) can sweetened
condensed milk
1 (11.75 oz) jar hot fudge sauce

Frosting:

1/2 C. butter, softened
2 T. milk
2 C. powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
green food coloring
1 pkg. Andes mints, coarsely chopped
–
Prepare cake accordg. to pkg. directions
for a 9 X 13″ baking dish – let cake cool
completely. Using a fork or spoon handle,
poke holes over top of entire cake. Pour
sweetened condensed milk over cake, letting
it soak into the holes. Heat up hot fudge
in microwave then drizzle & spread over top
of cake.

Frosting:

Beat all frosting ingredients together until
smooth then spread over cake. Sprinkle
top with chopped Andes mints & refrigerate
at least 1 hour before serving. Serves 12

(recipe: sixsistersstuff.com)

===================

Enjoy your day!

Hugs;

Pammie

Beginning to WARM UP! (Kinda)

Yesterday found me babysitting from 10:15 a.m – after 7 p.m. When I left my house it was -14 degrees F.! My poor car really struggled to get going in those temps. (Quick sidenote: Our new Governor of Michigan sent out texts to all cell phones asking that people drop their house heat to 68 degrees F. until Friday – I guess there was a fire at one of the gas plants which caused a loss of gas and, if people didn’t comply, there might be BROWN OUTS – scary stuff!). My son & his girlfriend complied – so that meant GRANDMA & GRANDSONS FROZE!!! I had on lots of layers but my ears, nose, fingers & toes were cold ALL DAY! We later learned that the gas drop was lifted – let me tell you BOY was I glad to get home last night! (My husband decided that the ‘text thing’ was all a bunch of malarkey so OUR house was warm.) Oh well – we survived!

Today was the first day this week I was actually able to GET OUT and do errands – YAY! Wednesday the news was telling people to stay inside because the temperatures were so cold AND the wind chills were really bad. (I wasn’t happy – didn’t go to Library Knit group OR special needs group). Tried to go to the library today but they were closed (probably due to temperatures – I didn’t get out of my car to read sign on the door – parking lot was totally empty).

Was happy to get ‘needed stuff’ at 2 drug stores, mailed 25 pairs of baby booties to the project I mentioned and grocery shopped. Dinner will be left over pork roast, carrots & potatoes which I threw in the crockpot yesterday before leaving to babysit. SO HAPPY I have a crockpot – it really helps sometimes!

LOTS of great soup & appetizer recipes coming in (for Super Bowl, I’m guessing). Some of the soup recipes I’m featuring today are for smaller amounts of people – found them on a nice site & thought NOT ALL of you feed 6-8 people, so maybe this was a good idea! ENJOY!

============

 Turtle Cheesecake Dip

30 (unwrapped) caramels
2 1/4 C. Cool Whip, thawed,
divided
2 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
2 (8 oz, ea) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1/2 C. chopped pecans, toasted
–
Suggested dippers:
graham crackers
vanilla cookies
shortbread cookies
pretzels
=
In medium microwaveable bowl:
microwave caramels & 1/2 C. Cool Whip
on High 1 min 40 seconds, stirring after
1 minute. Stir until caramels are completely
melted & sauce is well blended. Cool
10 minutes. In small microwaveable bowl
microwave chocolate & 3/4 C. Cool Whip
1 minute, stirring after 30 seconds. Stir
until chocolate is completely y melted &
sauce is well blended. In another medium
bowl beat cream cheese using elec. mixer
until creamy. Add 2/3 C. caramel sauce –
beat until blended. Gently stir in remaining
1 C. Cool Whip. Spread cream cheese mixture
onto a serving plate. Drizzle top with chocolate
sauce & remaining caramel sauce. Sprinkle
top with nuts. Refrigerate 1 hour.
Makes 24 (2 T. each) servings.

(recipe: Kraftrecipes.com)
—————————————

Classic 30-Minute Chili

1 T. olive oil
1 lb. lean ground beef
3/4 C. chopped yellow onion
2 large cloves garlic, minced
3 T. chili powder
4 T. diced green chilies (from a can)
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
1 C. fire-roasted diced or crushed tomatoes
30 oz. beans, drained (poster uses 1 can ea:
kidney & pinto, drained/rinsed)
=
Toppings:

corn chips
sour cream
shredded cheese
chopped green onions
cilantro
chopped jalapenos
–
In large pot over medium heat add 1 T.
olive oil & beef; saute, breaking up meat
into small pieces until it’s browned &
almost cooked through; drain. Add onions
& garlic – cook 5 minutes until onions have
softened. Add chili powder, green chilies,
tomato sauce, diced tomatoes & beans –
stir & bring to a simmer. Add 1-2 C. water
(depending on how thin you want it).
Simmer 10-15 minutes, partially covered.
Taste & add salt/pepper or more chili
powder, according to your taste preferences.
Serve hot with desired toppings.
Serves 4

(recipe: realhousemoms.com)
—————————————
Chicken & Corn Soup

2 C. (one 16 oz. can) chicken stock
1 C. finely chopped celery
1/2 C. chopped onion
2 cans cream-style corn
1 (12 oz) can evaporated skim milk
1 1/2 T. flour
1 C. cooked chicken (or 1 can cooked
chicken, drained)
1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
salt/pepper, to taste
–
In large stock pot combine stock, onion &
celery – bring to boil. Lower heat, cover &
simmer 15 minutes until vegetables are
tender. Stir in remaining ingredients &
season with salt/pepper; mix well. Simmer
10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serves 6 (1 C. each)

(recipe: aroundmyfamilytable.com)
——————————–
Broccoli Cheese Soup

4 T. butter
1/2 onion, roughly chopped
2 1/2 T. flour
2 C. whole milk
1 C. chicken/vegetable stock
1 large head broccoli, roughly
chopped
1 1/2 C. grated cheese
(additional milk & cheese may
be needed)
=
In large pot over medium heat melt
butter. Add onions & cook about
4 minutes. Stir in flour & cook 1-2
minutes. Pour in milk & broth; add
broccoli & season with a dash of salt/
pepper. Cover & reduce heat to Low.
Simmer on Low until broccoli is tender,
20-30 minutes. Puree soup in a blender,
in batches (or) use an immersion blender,
(or) use a potato masher. Stir in cheese &
allow to melt. Taste & adjust seasonings
if needed. Thin with additional milk to
desired consistency.  Makes 4-5 bowls.

NOTE: To make it a little heartier:
stir in some cooked, diced ham or
cooked, chopped chicken or turkey.
Serve with extra cheese & crackers

(recipe: aroundmyfamilytable.com)
————————————
15 Minute White Chicken Chili

3 C. pre-cooked/shredded chicken
1 (32 oz) can chicken stock
2 (15 oz) cans white beans, drained
2 tsp. cumin
1 (16 oz) jar salsa (your choice of
how hot)
8 oz. shredded Pepper-Jack cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced
black pepper, to taste
1/2 C. tortilla chips (pieces)
–
Optional Toppings:
sour cream
grated/shredded cheese
chopped green onions
corn
sliced avocado
lime
–
Place first 8 ingredients in a large pot;
bring to boil over High heat. Reduce heat
to medium & simmer 10 minutes. Add
chips & let thicken to desired consistency.
Serve with optional toppings.

(recipe: aroundmyfamilytable.com)
———————————

Baked Nachos (using crockpot)

1 lb. ground beef or turkey
1 can black beans, drained/rinsed
1 pkt. taco seasoning mix
1 green pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 jar of your favorite salsa (16 oz)
–
tortilla chips
=
Toppings:
shredded Cheddar cheese
sliced olives
peeled/diced avocado
salsa
sour cream
cilantro
guacamole
=
Brown meat, black beans & onion in
a skillet. Combine meat mixture & rest
of ingredients in a crockpot. Cover &
cook on Low 2-3 hours.
–
Turn oven broiler on
=
If you’re making this for a group:
use a baking sheet covered in parchment
paper – spray paper with a little nonstick
cooking spray. Place tortilla chips on sheet.
Using a slotted spoon, spoon meat mixture
over chips & add your choice of toppings.
Broil in oven until cheese is melted & bubbly.
Remove from oven & let stand 1 minute then
drizzle sour cream on top & guacamole, if
using.

(recipe: thesouthernladycooks.com)
————————————–
Jalapeno Popper Egg Cups

12 strips bacon
8 large eggs
4 oz. shredded Cheddar cheese
3 oz. cream cheese
4 medium jalapeno peppers: 3 chopped,
/seeded & 1 seeded/ sliced into rings)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
salt/pepper, to taste
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
In skillet par-cook bacon until semi crisp.
(save bacon grease in pan) In a bowl using
elec mixer, mix eggs, cream cheese, chopped
jalapeno, leftover bacon grease, garlic & onion
powders, salt/pepper. Spray wells of 12 muffin
cups with nonstick cooking spray then wrap bacon
slices inside each muffin tin (1 slice per cup)
Pour egg mixture into cups making sure you only
fill half-way to 2/3rds full (they will rise up a lot).
Sprinkle Cheddar cheese on top of each cup then
top with a jalapeno slice. Bake 20-25 minutes.
Once baked, remove from oven & let cool.
Makes 12

(recipe: yummly.com)
———————————–

Banana Pudding Fluff

1 (3.4 oz) box INSTANT vanilla or
banana pudding mix
1 C. milk
1 (8 oz) tub Cool Whip, thawed
3 C. mini marshmallows
3 C. Vanilla Wafers, broken into
pieces
3 medium bananas, sliced
1 mashed banana
–
In large bowl whisk dry pudding
mix & milk – let stand 3 minutes
to set. Stir in Cool Whip, then
marshmallows, cookies, sliced &
mashed bananas.

(recipe: facebook)

=====================

Since I mentioned in my last post that I’d
finished several knitting projects, thought
I’d add the photos: first one is a LOOM-
KNIT hat for my son’s friend. (It’s done
in black & a dark maroon – but the color
looks more magenta in the photo).
Second photo is the ‘shades of pinks’
baby blanket I knit to use up some
smaller bits of pink variegated yarns.

I think it’s funny how strange our weather
has been this past week (due to the Polar
Vortex, I’m told) from below zero with
SUPER COLD wind chills to a High of
49 degrees F. this coming Monday AND
rain! WEIRD!  Guess I can’t complain
too much – at least it isn’t TONS of SNOW!
The roads & our driveway are completely
clear-YAY!  (right now the National
Weather Service says my area is 12 degrees F.
with no wind chill so that’s OK – it didn’t seem
to stop many people from driving/shopping
when I was out earlier.

Stay warm, try to relax a little, maybe eat/drink
something you like (like a treat for you!) –
Have a GREAT DAY!!!

Hugs;

Pammie