crockpot italian beef

Some friends came to visit last week from Mississippi and I was shocked when they told me they didn't know what Italian Beef was.  They don't know what they're missing!!

 

This is a go-to recipe at our house.  It's easy and delicious! And I get to use my crockpot...and I love my crockpot. 

 

italian beef:

not pictured: hoagie buns

ingredients:

chuck roast

zesty italian seasoning packet

pepperoncinis (juice)

beer (whatever you have in your fridge)

hoagie buns

-Put the chuck roast, beer, and Italian seasoning in the crockpot.  You don't even have to mix it up.

-Add a little bit of pepperoncini juice (about 1/4 cup).  I like to put a few pepperoncinis in there too.

-Set on low for 8 hours.  

-I shred it just before I serve it... 

 

 

Serve on a hoagie bun...

You can add some pepper jack if you want, but we like ours plain.  That good!

 

 

Enjoy!!

merry christmas

Rudolph Cheeseball
2-8 oz cream cheese
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
1 packet ranch
2 green onions (whole thing)
Roll in chopped pecans
Rosemary- for the antlers
Cranberry-nose
Craisins- eyes

crock-pot tacos

I feel like I've abandoned my blog.  I miss it! I've been using my crock-pot A LOT lately and I wanted to share this recipe.  I'm all about easy, and this recipe is EASY. You will not be disappointed.  Clay loved.

 

Crock-Pot Tacos

 

 

the meat:

1 package of chuck roast (I think mine was around 2 pounds)

1 can of green chiles

1 onion (diced)

1 packet of taco seasoning

1 tbsp vinegar

 

Put it all in the crockpot and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours.  Shred the beef after it is cooked.

 

 

the topping:

1 16 oz can sour cream

1 packet spicy ranch

(mix together)

 

 

Take a tortilla and spread the topping around.

 

 

Put the meat on.

 

 

The cheese is optional!  This is even good without it. 

 

YUM!!

naan

I love making pizza in the oven using naan.  You can find naan at almost any grocery store.  I like to get the naan at Target.

 

bbq chicken naan pizza

1 package naan

sweet baby ray's bbq sauce

red onion

bacon

chicken

pineapple

mozzarella

 

Take the naan out and put it on a cookie sheet.

Preheat oven to 350F.

 

 

Spread some sweet baby ray's bbq on it.

Put some red onions on the top.

Cover your pizza with toppings (cheese, bacon, pineapple, chicken).

For my chicken, I put some frozen breasts in the oven and cook them.  I chop them up and mix them in some bbq sauce.

Put the pizza in the oven for around 10-15 minutes or until the pizza is hot.

 

 

YUM!

This is such an easy weeknight meal.  Great to make for family dinners too!

 

 



nan's zucchini bread

I thought this would be the perfect time to share my Mom's zucchini bread recipe.  I feel like we have had tons of zucchini lately, and I needed to use it.  Her zucchini bread is, by far, my favorite.  I still love the banana bread too.  They are both my Nana's recipes. 

Nan's Zucchini Bread

3 eggs (beat slightly)

1 cup oil

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour (can be sifted, but I didn't)

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

3 tsp vanilla

2 cups zucchini grated (2 medium-sized zucchinis)

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 cup nuts chopped (pecans or walnuts)

preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.

mix eggs, oil, sugar, and vanilla. 

add dry ingredients.

(flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder)

add the chopped pecans.

add grated zucchini last.

grease and flour pan.

bake for 1 hour.

I grate my zucchini with a cheese grater.  It will be soggy!

ready for the oven

perfect!

We were going out of town for the weekend, so I decided to freeze half of it.



Now go use those zucchinis and make some bread!



beating the heat

It has been so hot lately and I have not wanted to be in the kitchen.  I was looking for a dessert to make that was easy the other night and I remembered a recipe my Mom used to make when we were growing up.  It's easy, cool, and delicious.

The Blizzard Pie

cappuccino heath blizzard pie

oreo pie crust

cool whip (I used lite)

2 medium blizzards from DQ (I used cappuccino heath blizzard)

Pour blizzards in the oreo pie crust and spread evenly.  Spread the cool whip on the blizzard.  Refrigerate over night.  Sometimes I can't wait that long, but it will set up perfectly if you refrigerate it for 8+ hours. 

How easy is that?

Mix and match with other DQ blizzards and graham cracker crust!  You can't go wrong with this dessert.

the fourth

We had a really good 4th of July!  We went down to Golconda, IL to our river house on the Ohio.  We did some boating, skiing, and (definitely) eating. 

We all brought appetizers and I decided I would bring pico de gallo and Mississippi Sin Dip.  I found the Mississippi Sin Dip recipe on Plain Chicken last December.  I made it for Taylor's Christmas Party and it was SO GOOD (shout out to Sophia Grace and Rosie). 

I love, love, love Plain Chicken and I find myself going there when I just don't know what to make for dinner.

Mississippi Sin Dip



16oz sour cream
8oz cream cheese, softened

2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 cup chopped ham

1 green onion, chopped

1/4 tsp hot sauce

1 tsp worcestershire sauce

salt

pepper

fritos (for dipping)

french loaf (optional)

Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl.  Put ingredients in a greased cassserole dish.  Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees F.

It was almost gone before I could get a picture!

plain chicken's mississippi sin dip

Plain Chicken bakes her dip in a french loaf.  I think it's good either way!  Serve with Fritos!   

american flag cake

Last year, I made this American Flag Tart recipe for the 4th of July.  It is absolutely delicious (and easy).  It was gone in record time.  Yes, I know, it's missing a few stripes and stars...it just wouldn't fit.

American Flag Cookie Tart

Ingredients:

1 package refrigerated sugar cookie dough

8 oz package cream cheese

2 tbsp butter (softened)

2-3 tbsp milk

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tbsp lemon juice

blueberries and strawberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a cookie sheet and then press the cookie dough into a rectangular shape that is about 1/8" thick. Press your thumbs into the edges to create a scalloped border. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges begin to brown. Remove from oven and cool completely.

While the crust is cooling, mix the cream cheese, butter, 2 Tbsp. milk, powdered sugar, and lemon juice in a medium bowl; beat until fluffy. Add more milk if necessary until spreading consistency is reached. Spread over the cooled cookie, leaving the scalloped border exposed.

Arrange the fruit in an American flag design. Blueberries will form the blue field in the upper left hand corner, and use the strawberries for the horizontal stripes. Cut into squares to serve. 

Just downloaded this song by Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen (call me maybe) to play on the boat (and add to my 5k playlist)...

goat cheese grapes

I'm always looking for fun (bite-sized) appetizers, and this is one of my favorites.  I found this recipe online a few months ago and made it for a party.  It was a hit, and I think it's perfect for this hot summer weather.

goat cheese grapes

1 package of red grapes (seedless)

1 pound of goat cheese

handful of walnuts or roasted pistachios(chopped)

wash and dry your grapes.  mold goat cheese around each grape.  chop your walnuts and roll your grapes in the walnuts.  chill in the fridge.

-you may also use pistachios.  roast pistachios in a pan for around 5 minutes, let cool, and chop. 

how easy??  they're so good.

mom mom's brownies

This brownie recipe is my grandma's.  These are homemade deliciousness.  If I tell Clay I'm making brownies, he always asks if it's the good kind.  Well, I'm sharing the "good" brownie recipe aka "not box" brownies. 

We were invited to a crawfish party over the weekend, and I was asked to bring brownies.  I knew these would be a hit (and they were).  I came home with an empty pan!  

pardon the fine china...

 

mom mom's homemade brownies

1 cup of regular flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 cup of sugar

3/4 tsp. of salt

2 whole eggs (beaten)

2/3 cup of oil (canola oil)

2-squares of semi-sweet chocolate(melt in the microwave with a little water to help it.)

1-tsp. vanilla

Icing:

powdered sugar (16 oz)

hershey's cocoa (around 3-4 tbsp) taste and adjust

tablespoon of butter

whipping cream just enough to make it spreadable (don’t whip the cream)

1/2 cup of nuts (chopped pecans) 

Add however much of the cocoa you want...depending on how dark you want it.  I don’t make it dark, it will taste bitter.

-pre heat oven to 350 degrees F.

-combine brownie ingredients in mixer

-put in square brownie pan that has been slightly oiled

-bake at 350 and check in 20 minutes

-combine icing ingredients in mixer

-let brownies completely cool before you ice them

This picture seems a little overwhelming!  The first time I made this, I felt like I called Mom Mom a million times asking questions about the ingredients.  A picture like this would have helped.  This recipe is super easy and yum. 

**I doubled this recipe for the party and put it in a 9x13 cake pan.  If you are doubling the recipe the baking time will be around 30 minutes.

twice-baked potatoes

Here's another pioneer woman recipe!  Love her!  This is so good.  I even cut the recipe in half and still had enough to feed 8 people. 

twice-baked potatoes

ingredients:

4 baking potatoes, scrubbed clean

canola oil

4 slices thick-cut bacon, fried

1 stick butter

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon Lawry's

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 green onion (optional)

1. preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. with a paper towel, rub the outside of the potatoes with canola oil.

3. place the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes. (after they are cooked, turn the oven to 300 degrees F)

4. dice the fried bacon into bits

5. throw the butter, sour cream, bacon, milk, lawry's, and pepper into a large bowl.

6. while the potatoes are still hot, hold each potato in a towel and cut in half lengthwise.

7. with a large spoon, scrape out the insides into the bowl with the other ingredients. repeat until all the potatoes have been scraped.  reserve the potato shells on a large baking sheet.

8. use a potato masher to mix ingredients together.

9. stir in 1/2 cup of grated cheese.

10. slice the green onions (optional).  add them to the bowl.  if you plan on freezing some potatoes leave this step out.  stir, taste, and adjust seasonings.

11. fill each potato half with potato mixture and return to baking sheet.

12. top with remaining 1/2 cup grated cheese

13. bake for 10 to 15 minutes at 350 degrees F until the cheese is melted and potatoes are hot.

I baked my potatoes and bacon at the same time.  I put a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet for the bacon and baked it for 10 minutes on 400F.

 

My potatoes are definitely not pretty! 

I didn't add the green onion to the potato mixture because I planned on freezing some.  Green onions do not freeze well.  I just added a few green onions to the top of the potatoes I cooked.

 

If you plan on freezing the potatoes...just don't add the green onion. Wrap in tin foil and stick in your freezer.

 

I made this meal for Clay's birthday in April!

 

Enjoy.

For a full play-by-play of the recipe go here.

scothcheroos

This is definitely an "oldie but goodie" recipe.  My whole family loves scotcheroos.  I've talked about them before, but I thought they needed their own post.  Actually, Clay thought they needed their own post.  He loves them (so do I).  They are addicting.  I make them for all special occasions.

Place corn syrup and sugar into 3-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until sugar dissolves and mixture begins to boil. Remove from heat.

Stir in peanut butter. Mix well. Make sure you have everything measured out because the next few steps go fast.

Add KELLOGG'S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated.

Press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Set aside.

Melt chocolate and butterscotch chips together in a microwave safe bowl. 

Spread evenly over cereal mixture.

Cut into 2 x 1-inch bars when cool.

Scotcheroos

Ingredients:

1 cup light corn syrup

1 cup sugar

1 cup peanut butter

6 cups Kellogg's® Rice Krispies® cereal

1 package(6 oz., 1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate morsels

1 cup butterscotch chips

Directions:

1. Place corn syrup and sugar into 3-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until sugar dissolves and mixture begins to boil. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter. Mix well. Add KELLOGG'S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated. Press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Melt chocolate and butterscotch chips together in 1-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. You can also melt it in the microwave.  Microwave and stir every 30 seconds until melted. Spread evenly over cereal mixture. Let stand until firm. Cut into 2 x 1-inch bars when cool.

Note: Before measuring the corn syrup, coat your measuring cup with cooking spray--the syrup will pour easily out of the cup.

cheese ravioli lasagna

Cheese Ravioli Lasagna

This recipe is, hands down, my favorite.  It is easy to make, freezes beautifully, and tastes delicious.  A neighbor gave me this recipe a few years ago, and it's a family favorite.  Clay likes it better than Pioneer Woman's lasagna (which takes hours to make).  This recipe probably takes 15 minutes to make and 30 minutes to bake. 

Cheese Ravioli Lasagna

1 24 oz jar of spaghetti sauce (I like Classico "Spicy Tomato & Basil")

16 oz ground beef (I use ground turkey)

Cheese Ravioli

Italian Blend Cheese

Garlic

Onion

Salt/Pepper

Brown your ground beef (or turkey) with chopped up garlic and onion. 

Add your sauce to the meat and stir.

In a 13 x 9 pan, pour half the sauce on the bottom.

Cover with frozen cheese ravioli or tortellini.

Add the rest of the sauce on top of ravioli.

Cover with Italian Blend Cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees F until bubbly and hot (30 minutes).

ENJOY!

This recipe can easily be doubled.  You can make a double layer of cheese ravioli and sauce.  I like to serve with garlic bread and a salad!

If you're going to freeze this, don't bake it.  Just cover it with tin foil and put it in the freezer.  The day you want to serve, get it out of the freezer and just let it sit out all day.  It will be ready to bake at dinner time!