Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

I found this recipe on Jack and Jills kitchen and had to try it! It took me a while to do it, but it was a complete success! Todd loves Beef Stroganoff and I hate to make it! It seems to be a lot of standing at the stove, so when Jill posted this recipe and said how good it was at her house I had to try it!

Even better was when I got mushrooms from Bountiful Basket this last week and had a recipe ready to use them! This was a simple recipe with great flavor and best of all I used my crock pot! I next time will use the low fat cream cheese, not to say it wasn't great with the real deal, but I kept thinking about that whole thing of cream cheese in there!

All I can say is I got a big thumbs up from the hubby and that makes it a keeper for me!

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

• 2 lbs cubed stew meat, cut into smaller pieces
• 2 (10.75 oz) cans cream of mushroom soup
• 1 chopped onion (I cheated and used dry chopped onions)
• 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 packet lipton onion soup mix

Spray your crock pot with non-stick spray and add all the above ingredients. Combine together and cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 5 hours. (mine seemed to be done about 1 1/2 hours early cooked on low, keep an eye on it in the end)

Just before serving add:

• 8 oz cream cheese (regular or low fat works)
• 1/2 to 1 cup sour cream
• fresh mushrooms - sauted in butter before adding

Serve over wide egg noodles or rice! We did the noodles and really like it that way! The beef came out shredded and I really really liked it that way! YUMMY!

Homemade Cinnamon Bread

I made this cinnamon bread the other day and it was yummy!! It was simpler than cinnamon rolls and helped overcome a craving for the real thing! Next time I may try even making a little glaze to pour over the top of the bread!

If you have a favorite bread recipe, you could skip the bread making part and just see how the cinnamon and sugar part is done and still have super yummy bread (and great breakfast, snack etc. bread at home! It wont last long!)

Homemade Cinnamon Bread

(http://www.thepioneerwoman.com/)

• 1 cup milk
• 6 tblsp butter
• 2 1/2 tsp yeast
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cups sugar (I might add just a little more next time!)
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/3 cups sugar
• 2 tbsp cinnamon
• egg and milk mixed together for brushing
• softened butter

Melt 6 tbsp butter with milk. Heat until very warm, but don't boil. Allow to cool until still warm to the touch, but not too hot! (very important because you don't want to kill the yeast!) Sprinkle the yeast over the top, stir gently and allow to sit for 10 minutes.

Combine the flour and salt.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix sugar and eggs with your paddle atachment until combined. Pour in milk/butter/yeast mixture and stir to combine. Add half the flour and beat on medium speed until combined. Add the other half and beat until combined.

Switch your mixer attachment to the dough hook and mix for about 10 minutes on medium speed. If dough is overly sticky, add a little flour at a time and beat again for 5 minutes.

Place bread in a warm bowl that has been greased. Turn the dough around in it so it is all greased up. Cover with plastic wrap (and spray wrap or my mom always covered with a clean kitchen towel!) and let rise in a warm spot for 2 hours at least!

Turn dough onto a work surface and roll into a rectangle no wider than the loaf pan you are using! (I made 2 loaves with my dough, I think my pans are not as big!) Now do your cinnamon roll thing, smear melted butter on bread and then add cinnamon and sugar, lots of cinnamon and sugar!

Next roll the dough up and make sure to pinch your seams together! Make sure you grease your loaf pans really well. My bread leaked a little and it was hard to get the loaf out! Place dough seam side down into pan and then cover and let rise for 2 hours!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix a little egg with milk and when done rising, brush this mixture on the bread! This makes a great golden brown crust! Bake for 40 minutes on a middle/lower rack in the oven (my bread took about 30 minutes, so keep an eye on it!) Remove from pan and allow bread to cool!

Eat this yummy bread warm out of the oven, as yummy toast or even make french toast with it!

Waffles of Insane Greatness

I couldn't resist trying this recipe, especially since it is Breakfast Wednesday at our house tonight! I found this on Real Mom Kitchen and they did turn out really great! You don't have to beat your egg whites (which saves a step from my other recipe) but you do have to make sure and have time to wait 30 minutes (the batter has to rest!)

So try some waffles for breakfast or have your own breakfast dinner!

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Waffles of Insane Greatness

(www.realmomkitchen.com)

(She doubled the recipe and said she would triple next time for her family of 5)

• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 cup whole milk (I only have 1%, which seemed to work fine)
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/3 cup oil
• 1 large egg, slightly beaten
• 3/4 tsp vanilla

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. Whisk together to blend.

In another mixing bowl, beat together the milk, buttermilk, oil, egg and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients and whisk until just incorporated and few lumps remain. Set aside to rest for 30 minutes.

Preheat waffle iron. Fill waffle wells and cook according to your normal waffle iron instructions!

Peach Cobbler

I didn't get a picture yet (because my camera has not been returned!) but I made this last night and it was truly scrumptious!!

It had good flavor and was very easy. Next time I am planning on adding more peaches! This is a great way to use some of the peaches you have!! (IF you got some from your Bountiful Baskets last week!)

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Peach Cobbler

(from www.tasty-kitchen.com)

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1 1/2 cup sugar, plus 2 tbsp.
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 tsp almond extract, divided
• 2 lbs peaches, peeled and sliced - about 4 cups (I will try 5+ cups next time)

• Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Put butter in a 9 x 13 pan baking pan; set in oven to melt.
• Meanwhile, whisk flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar, baking powder, and salt in small bowl. Whisk in milk and 1/2 tsp almond extract until smooth.
• Toss peaches with remaining 2 tbsp sugar and 1/2 tsp almond extract.
• When butter is melted, remove pan from oven. Pour batter into pan; arrange fruit over batter. Bake until batter turns golden brown, 45-50 minutes. Serve warm or at room temp.!

Ranger Cookies

I can't believe this cookie isn't on here yet! Todd is going hunting and made a special request for this cookie! I thought sure, everyone loves it. Then someone asked me if it was on the blog, and I thought sure I have made these lots!

Well I guess I haven't made them enough because the recipe wasn't on the blog!

So here it is and it is a great recipe and one of our favorites!

Ranger Cookies

(my sis in CA who got it from a lady in her ward!)

Cream together:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup butter (may use 1/2 butter and 1/2 shortening)
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla

Add:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt

Mix together well with cream mixture.

Add:

• 1 cup chocolate chips (I used 1/2 chocolate and 1/2 butterscotch)
• 1 cup coconut
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup cornflakes (I didn't have any so I used rice krispies and they still turned out great!)
• Chopped walnuts (optional)

Bake on Greased (which I forgot to do and they didn't stick on my cookie pans) cookie sheet at 350 for 10-12 minutes. (I used my small cookie scoop and mine were done in about 9 minutes)

ENJOY!!!

Dehydrated Apples

This last Saturday I bought a case of apples from Bountiful Baskets. Our family has loved the apples! They have been sooooo good! I have been really impressed with the fruits/vegies I have gotten from them!

With all the apples (which we love to just eat too!) I have started my dehydrator again! I have come to love this thing again! We have had it for over 10 years and have used it more in the last few weeks than ever! They are super yummy!

So when you are canning, you might think about dehydrating too!

The dehydrator at work on my island! It may stay there for a while!

Dried Apples

• Peel and Core apples. Slice them uniform about 1/4-1/2 inch thick (I have a mandolin which is awesome for cutting uniformly). You can pretreat the apples, but I didn't and they didn't brown.
• With the thickness I had, it took my apples about 4 hours to dry. Start them in the morning and then go about your day and you will find a yummy treat!

Roasted Red Potatoes with Cheese

This is the second roasted red potatoe recipe I have tried! I found them both about the same time and my family loved both kinds. I think it just depends on if you are in the mood for cheesy potatoes or not, or maybe if you have breadcrumbs or not!

Try them both and let me know! Both are simple and great to be able to just stick in the oven and not have to worry!

Roasted Red Potatoes

(from www.jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com)

• 8 medium sized red potatoes (about 10 cups chopped)
• 1/4 cup olive oil (I am going to try less next time)
• 1 pkg Onion Soup mix
• salt and pepper
• 1 cup cheddar cheese

Chop up the potatoes and try to make them about the same size so they cook evenly.

Pour potatoes into a 9 x 13 pan (she didn't mention to spray, but I did). Add the oil and onion soup mix. Stir it around to incorporate.

Bake at 425 for 35 minutes. Give them a few stirs during baking to prevent it sticking to the bottom. I stirred them about half way and then again. They do tend to start to stick if you don't stir.

Sprinkle the cheese on the top of the potatoes when done. Turn your oven to Broil and let the cheese get melted and bubbly! This should take less than 5 minutes. Don't forget to watch and make sure they don't burn!