Recipes We Love

Making Your Own Beef Broth to Freeze or Can

2015-02-03T15:57:00.002-06:00

Making your own beef broth is much like making Chicken Stock. When making beef broth you are going to want a bit of meat in the pot to help make the broth flavorful, and I have been told that you want to actually cook the bones first for a good flavor, so that is what I do.
When making broth I usually cook a roast and some "soup bones" in my crock pot then once that was finished and we have enjoyed our roast, I Put the bones, and a little of the meat back into the crock pot. Then add some onions, garlic, celery, and carrots, a splash of vinegar and fill with water. Cook on high for another 3 hours, then once it has cooled Freeze or can.
We get our beef once a year and when I get it I ask for the bones and I make a LOT of broth from it . Since I am not cooking any meat first I roast the bones for a few minutes just until they start turning brown then I add them to the pot or slow cooker to make broth out of.

before and after roasting

Before you start the canning process you will want to drain the veggies and bones out then cool the broth down. Once it is cooled you can scoop off the fat on the top.
If I don't want to make broth right when I cook a roast or a bony piece of beef, I simply put the "leftovers" and and bones back in the freezer until I am able to make the broth.

While your jars heat up bring your broth to a boil in a large pot. Once everything is hot pour your broth into you hot jars, and place the lids and rings on the jars. Then process in the pressure canner at 10 pounds of pressure for 20 minutes for pints and 25 minutes for quarts.

Valentine Box

2015-02-01T19:40:00.000-06:00

Just a fun little Valentine box for school. Boys can be hard when it comes to this stuff, but this box was approved by my 7 year old.

I took the box and cut out the mouth, make sure it is big enough to get cards and candy in and out of the box. Then I wrapped the box with red paper, folding the paper into the mouth opening and taping to the inside of the box. Then we made teeth out of card stock and hot glued them to the inside of the mouth opening. and glued (super glue) the CDs on for eyes.

Then my son decorated with the blue circles which I cut out of vinyl on my Cricit but you could use paper or stickers. then he hot glued the wiggly eggs onto the center of the CDs. It took all of 20 minutes to make.

Cajun Turkey Breast….Easiest Turkey Dish EVER!!! and in the slow cooker too!

2015-01-27T16:26:00.002-06:00

This is the easiest dish to make and aways a hit. All you need is a turkey breast, Cajun seasoning, and butter. Really, That is all there is too it.

If you thaw your turkey breast out first it makes it easier to get this pretty seasoning crust on it but it is not necessary to thaw first. Simply coat the turkey breast in the Cajun seasoning place in your slow cooker with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter on top. That is all you do.

If thawed cook on high in about 3 hours and on low in about 6.

If frozen when placed in the slow cooker then it will take about 4 hours on high and up to 8 on low.

Once it is cooked, I check the internal temperature to make sure it is at least 180 degrees then let it cool for a few minutes before taking off the string that is normally wrapped around the breast then slice.

Burrito Casserole

2015-01-18T09:43:00.000-06:00

1 lb ground beef

Flour Tortilla shells - 4- 6

taco seasoning

salsa

jalapenos

sour cream

cheese

foil

-Preheat oven to 375 degrees

-Fix ground beef like you would taco meat. Add diced up jalapenos and 1 cup of salsa to meat once it's done. Mix together

- Line 9 x 13 pan with aluminum foil. I like to spray Pam on the foil so the tortillas won't stick. Then layer tortilla shells on the bottom. Usually takes 2 - 3 shells depending on size.

Pictures by Ann Kelly the small one is a Gluten free version.

-Spread sour cream on tortilla shells. I like to make a mix of sour cream and taco season just to spice it up a little.

- Layer ground beef and cheese on top of tortillas. Top with more tortillas,sour cream and repeat layer.

- cover with foil and bake for 15 min. After 15 min uncover and bake until cheese is melted ( about 5 - 10 minutes)

**You can pretty much throw whatever you want into this casserole if you like corn or beans, etc. I don't put anything extra in it.

Ann Kelly added a can of black beans and some frozen corn after a layer of cheese. Also added the Jalapenos to the sour cream instead of the beef .

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Boneless Pork Chops-- the easy way

2015-01-11T19:06:00.000-06:00

Boneless Pork Chops-- the easy way

This is SO simple and full of flavor, and tender. This is great for a fast dinner just throw it in the fridge in the morning and when you get home it can be on the table in 30 minutes without you standing over the stove. I served with some raw veggies and dip and Teeny Tiny Potatoes, that cook in the oven at the same time as the pork.

6 boneless pork chops (these are about 1/2 inch thick)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 Tablespoon yellow mustard
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 Tablespoons soy sauce (I use gluten free)
2-3 cloves of garlic, sliced
1 onion sliced thin

Throw everything in zip top bag and place in the the fridge for at least a couple hours, but all day is fine. Then at dinner time just toss everything from the bag into a baking dish, cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, and that is it.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps… a Family Favorite and you can sneak in lots of Veggis

2015-01-07T12:49:00.002-06:00

Now you know I don't measure anything so these are rough guess on amounts.

My husband does not love veggies, and I try to eat as many as possible so I put my veggies in the food processor so they are small and quick to chop.

I use onion, garlic, carrots, red cabbage, broccoli, and a bell pepper.

I also also hand chop some mushrooms, and water crestnuts. I cook these with just a little olive oil for about 4 mins.

cook all the veggies down

Add the chicken (also from food prossor) Mix and add sauce.

I boil my chicken, about a pound and a half I usually usally half white meat and half dark meat. This makes is mositer and cheaper. I take it off the bone and also put it in the food processor.

Then I add the chicken to the pan with the veggies. With the sauce below.I use about...

2 Teaspoons chili paste

juice of 2 lemons

3-4 TBS fish sauce

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup soy sauce.

Mix together and pour over the chicken and veggies. cook until everything is mixed well. Serve with lettuce leaves and I like a little rice in mine.

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Chocolate Popcorn… Always a hit and so each and cheap to make

2015-01-06T20:21:00.000-06:00

I got this from a friend of a friend. Just pot corn and melt some white almond bark and pour over the popcorn and stir. Today I also melted some chocolate almond bark to drizzle over just so it looks more CHOCOLATE:)

No Bake Cookies (Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies)

2015-01-02T20:19:00.000-06:00

* 1/2 cup butter
* 2 cups sugar
* 1/2 cup cocoa
* 1/2 cup milk
* 1/4 tsp salt (optional)
* 1 cup peanut butter
* 3 cups oats
* 1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix top five ingredients. Cook to rapid boil for three minutes. Remove from heat. Add vanilla, peanut butter and oats. I add the oats slowly to make sure they aren't getting to thick. Sometimes I use a little less and sometimes a little more. You should be able to tell if it is too thin/thick. (I have noticed if it is rainy out or really damp then sometimes the cookies don't set up and so I will add a little bit more oats...I know that sounds weird). Spoon on buttered plate/tray/cookie sheet to harden.

Weight Watchers Friendly Pineapple Upside Down Cake

2014-12-30T20:18:00.000-06:00

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1/4 cup brown sugar
about 7 canned pineapple slices (rings) in juice, reserve 1/4 cup juice
1 cup yellow cake mix
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 375˚F. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a 9-inch round, flameproof, aluminum pan over medium-low heat, we used a cast iron pan (make sure to cover entire pan bottom); sprinkle brown sugar over top. Place pineapple rings in a single layer in bottom of pan. Increase heat to medium-high and cook until pineapple caramelizes, flipping once, about 2 minutes per side; remove pan from heat. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter on stove top or in microwave. In a medium-size mixing bowl, beat egg with remaining melted butter.

Add cake mix and reserved pineapple juice; combine well. Pour batter over pineapple; bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes. Allow cake to cool for about 15 to 20 minutes; when still warm, loosen sides with a knife and invert cake onto a serving plate. Slice into 10 pieces and serve.

****4 WeightWatcher Points Plus per slice****

Once you have allowed the cake to cool for a few minutes carefully dump it upside down where you can see the yummy pineapple goodness.

We also did a few in a muffin pan like this but perfered the the whole cake.

Home Made Blackened Seasoning… Gluten Free too

2014-12-26T20:16:00.000-06:00

On Christmas we wanted to make some Blackened Fish and we were out of blackening season so My husband made his own. He found several online and this is what he came up with. The pictures are a double recipe.

1 Heaping TBS paprika
2 TBS salt
1 heaping TBS garlic powder
1 heaping TBS onion powder
1 1/4 TBS cayenne pepper
2 TBS black pepper
1/2 TBS oregano

Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan

2014-12-23T20:14:00.000-06:00

I really like this dish because it is NOT your typical slow cooker recipe. and the bread actually does stick and the chicken is very tender. We always Have this with a salad or steamed broccoli

below is missing the chicken

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 beaten egg (Amber used water since my kids are allergic to eggs)
3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (omit if dairy free!),
1 tsp Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 26 oz. can favorite marinara sauce
1/2 pound spaghetti noodles

Place olive oil in the base of the slow cooker.
In small bowl, whisk the egg. In another small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese Italian seasonings and salt and pepper.

Dip each chicken breast into the egg (I used water), then coat with the bread crumbs mixture. Then place into the bottom of the slow cooker. Top with handful of shredded mozzarella cheese. Pour marinara sauce over the top.

Cook in the slow cooker on low for 6-7 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours.

Just before dinner, prepare your favorite pasta according to package instructions. I choose whole wheat spaghetti noodles.

Serve Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan over Pasta

Party Chicken

2014-12-13T07:46:00.000-06:00

Party Chicken
Submitted by Ann Kelly

My son said this was Party chicken because the little carrots.

Cut up some chicken in bite size pieces (I used about 8 Tenders) and brown with some olive oil, pepper, and garlic salt. Once it is starting to turn brown (almost done but not all the way) add broccoli (I useded two stocks of broccoli cut in bite size pieces) and carrots (I used 3 or 4 large carrots juliene cut)

cut up some chicken and brown with some olive oil, pepper, and garlic salt. Once it is starting to turn brown (almost done but not all the way) add broccoli and carrots

And a little Soy Sauce just enough to turn juice light brown ( I use gluten free) and juice of half a lemon.

Cook about 3-4 mins. serve over rice.

This Post is also linked up to;

House of the Hepworths

Challah Bread

2014-12-09T09:00:00.000-06:00

Challah Bread -- this is so YUMMY I froze one loaf for later.
Submitted by Ann Kelly

I LOVE this bread and it is impressive for company or to take somewhere.

1/2 cup plus 2/3 cup warm water

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

5 large eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons salt

7 cups flour

1 large egg yolk

1 tablespoon water

Combine 1/2 cup of warm water, the yeast, and 1 tablespoon of sugar in a small bowl and stir to dissolve the yeast. Let it set in a warm spot until foamy.

Using a mixer or an electric egg beater, beat the 5 eggs until foamy. Add the dissolved yeast, oil, salt, and remaining 1 cup of sugar and beat until the mixture is pale yellow and slightly thickened, about 4 minutes.

Add 2/3 cup of warm water and beat to blend. Next add 1/2 cup of flour at a time, stirring well each time, until the dough no longer sticks to the bowl. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth (about 5 to 7 minutes), adding a tablespoon of flour at a time if it's too sticky.

Put the dough in a lightly oiled large bowl, turning it once to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and top with a clean towel. Let the dough rise in a warm, spot until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch down the dough, cover the bowl as before, and let the dough rise 30 minutes more.

Grease 2 medium baking sheets. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide it in half. Divide each half into 3 equal pieces and roll them into 9-inch ropes. For each loaf, braid together 3 ropes, working on a prepared baking sheet. (To shape a loaf of challah bread, arrange 3 dough ropes side by side. Then start in the center and braid out toward each end. Finally, gently pinch together the ends of the loaf to seal them.) Cover each loaf with a towel and let the dough rise until almost doubled, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400°. Whisk together the egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of water and lightly brush the mixture on the loaf tops. Bake the bread for 10 minutes, then lower the oven to 350° and bake until the loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom, about 35 minutes. Makes 2 loaves

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Special thanks to our fellow bloggers who linked up this recipe:

Chic On a Shoestring Decorating

Layered Christmas Jello

2014-12-05T20:23:00.000-06:00

Looking for a dish to add color to your Christmas table? This is a fun thing to try and my 7 year old enjoyed helping me make them. They are not hard but you will need a couple days to get all the layers in. In these pictures I have the red, green then white, but if I were to make them again I would put a very thin layer of white between each layer of red and green

Makes 25 servings

2 large boxed of red jello

2 large boxes of green jello

2 packages of clear gelatin (more if putting between each layer of color jello)

water as package states for red and green jello

2 cups of milk per clear gelatin pack

1/2 cup sugar per clear gelatin pack

1/2 cup cold water per clear gelatin pack

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla per clear gelatin pack

Making the white jello:

Add milk and sugar to a pan and bring almost to a boil. In another bowl dissolve the gelatin in the 1/2 cup of cold water and add the vanilla. then mix the milk and gelatin and cool for about 30 minutes before adding to the the cups.

Each layer is going to need 2-4 hours to set in the fridge so plan your time. Make the first batch of colored jello an place a layer in your clear serving cups. I put my cups in baking dishes so I could move them in and out of the refrigerator easily and without spilling. Then place these in the fridge until set well. Then make the next batch I mixed the color jello with ice water to cool it down faster so I could slowly pour the next layer in the cups. When you make the white jello you will need to let it chill for 30 minutes or so in the fridge before adding to the cups. Repeat until your cups are full.

Gifts Idea --- Reindeer Footprints #2

2014-12-02T07:30:00.000-06:00

Yesterday Amber shared THESE reindeer ideas, and we also made a reindeer craft at our house yesterday. I saw this idea last year and just never got around to making it. If you google "footprint reindeer" you will find a few examples, which I looked through to decide how we wanted to do the antlers and eyes etc.

So this was a really easy craft and took maybe 10 minutes to make. While this would make a good gift for Grandparents I made this one for us to keep. I love the memories Christmas decorations hold when you pull them out of the boxes each year and I am sure this item will be displayed on my shelf for years and years to come. It would be fun to get a really long canvas and do one "rreindeer " each year and watch it grow. Or on a large canvas make a grandparent print with each grandchild's print.

All you need is a canvas, paint (I used a washable tempera paint) and paint pens.

I had my son write his name and date first (he actually wrote with a pencil then traced in a sharpie marker). Then paint the bottom of a foot (I practice on a regular piece of paper first) then make a print on the canvas, holding still then pressing hard. Once the paint is dried add the antlers, eyes, and nose. After we did 2 red noses we thought we should have only done 1 "Rudolph" but oh well.

We also read the books listed below.

This Post is linked up with Salt Tree

Christmas Popcorn

2014-11-27T13:00:00.000-06:00

We LOVE popcorn at our house and Chocolate Popcorn is a favorite so this makes it a little more festive and my son thinks it is great fun.

Almond bark

popped popcorn

holiday colored sprinkles

Over the popcorn pour melted almond bark, I put my in the microwave for about 45 seconds. If you are using microwave popcorn you will want 1 1/2 - 2 pieces of almond bark melted per bag of popcorn. Then once the popcorn is coated well add the sprinkles.

Fresh Veggie Soup

2014-11-23T06:23:00.000-06:00

Submitted by Ann Kelly

all pictures do NOT include the ground beef.

1/2- 1 pound of browned hamburger (sometimes we don't even add the burger, I prefer 1/2 pound but my hubby prefers 1 pound)
1/2 - 1 cup frozen corn
1/2- 1 cup frozen peas
4 large carrots, peeled and sliced
2-3 stocks of celery sliced
2-3 small potatoes large diced
1/2 shredded red cabbage
2 cups beef broth
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
2 TBS Worcestershire sauce
2 cans diced tomatoes
salt, pepper, garlic powder, to taste

put all in a large and cook for about 30 mins just till they veggies are tender but not mushy

Egg and Cheese English Muffins (freezer breakfast)

2014-11-20T19:31:00.000-06:00

Egg and Cheese English Muffins

english muffins
large eggs
cheese

I used the english muffin recipe from that is listed on our blog HERE. It made 11 muffins so I put eleven eggs in muffin pan. I cooked those on 350 for about 15-20 minutes.

I sliced each of the muffins and put shredded cheese on it. Next time I would probably try cheese slices to see if that is easier. Once the egg was done cooking I put it on top and then the top part of the english muffin.

Once they cooled some I wrapped each in plastic wrap and then put all of them in a freezer bag. When you want one take them out and put on a pan and cook in a 350 oven for about 20-25 minutes. I will put them in the oven and then go shower and usually by the time I am ready to eat they are done.

Thanks to our fellow bloggers for linking this post up at : Yummy Inspirations Polly want a crafter Creating really awesome free things Create with Joy Sew Many Ways Flamingo Toes Petite Hermine Nifty Thrifty Things

Sausage and Pepper Hash

2014-11-16T20:38:00.000-06:00

My Husband's favorite meal is Hamburger Hash so sometimes when I leftover sausage I make this version instead.

1 lb sausage browned (I like spicy sausage)

1 large onion chopped

2 bell peppers (or banana peppers)

4 cloves diced garlic

2 steams of celery diced

6-8 large potatoes diced

2 cups frozen corn

olive oil

Salt, Pepper, Garlic salt to taste

Cheese of choice I usually mix mozzarella and Parmesan

Once sausage is browned and drained mix the onion, peppers, garlic, and celery to a hot pan (I used the same as the sausage) I add some salt and pepper as well for about 5 minutes till they become a bit soft. Then add the potatoes, corn, sausage, and a drizzle of olive oil just to coat. Then bake at 350 degrees for about 35-45 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Then top with some cheese until melted.

Oven French Fries

2014-11-13T13:15:00.000-06:00

Oven French Fries

Submitted by Amber

Potatoes
Olive Oil
Garlic Powder
Chili Powder
Salt
Pepper
Onion Powder

Slice potatoes long ways.

Put a little olive oil on them. Sprinkle with desired amount of seasonings listed. I put these in a plastic container with lid so I could add the olive oil and spices and then shake them up.

Place on cookie sheet and cook at 400 for 30-40 minutes. I turned mine halfway through.

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Thanksgiving Planner

2014-11-10T19:26:00.001-06:00

Beginning of October

Set time and Date (if not on thanksgiving day)
Decide if it is going to be all prepared by you or if you are asking everyone to bring a dish. If I am just having a couple of couples I just cook it all but this year I am planning on about 50 so everyone will be bringing a dish)
order or make Thanksgiving invitations

End of October

Beginning of November .

Mid November

Week Before

Final grocery lists made
Polish any sliver or wash china that have not been used for a while.
I have over night guests so I change all the bed lines and make sure bath linens are ready to go.

Sunday

Clean Guest rooms and I shut the doors to make sure the dogs or kids don't mess it up.
clean out both refrigerators
start saving ice

Monday

Grocery Shopping, if you are using fresh fruit or making a green salad you may have to wait till later in the week

Tuesday

move any furniture that needs to be moved (that way things are moved BEFORE you start cleaning)
chop and prep ANYTHING you can do ahead of time and I mean EVERYTHING you can.

Wednesday

Clean the house other than sweeping and mopping
make pies
Put together any dishes that will hold up well

THANKSGIVING

Sweep & Mop
Put turkey in the oven
finishing touches on all the dishes
clean kitchen
sit down for 30 minutes and relax then get yourself ready
ENJOY!

I also like to provide take home containers since everyone brings a dish this allows everyone to take a little home for later and it is ALWAYS A BIG HIT! I can't find the location of the site I found these ready to print off or I would share it with you, but These are super cute too!

Birthday Lunch Fun

2014-11-05T07:53:00.001-06:00

This year for my son's birthday I wrapped his lunch items before packing them. So when he got to school and opened his lunch box he found presents to open. They presents were just his lunch but it was a fun way to make him feel special on birthday. I wrapped an applesauce pouch, some pretzels, a cookie and some raisins. He also had spaghetti in the Thermos.

Prosciutto & Parmesan Loaded Baked Potato with Micro Greens… SO EADY AND DELISH!

2014-11-03T09:22:00.001-06:00

This is a great meal or side dish and is FULL of flavor. Simply take a baked potato sprinkle a little Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper. Next layer on sprouts of your choice these are broccoli micro greens (which are PACKED with nutrients) chopped prosciutto, and diced jalapeno peppers.

Baked potato (I prefer Yukon gold)

shredded Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper

sprouts or micro greens of your choice

prosciutto chopped ( I liked the thin sliced then chop a piece to use as topping)

Jalapenos, fresh or canned.

Freezer Cooking Under $50 and it all can be made Gluten Free

2014-10-27T19:29:00.000-05:00

This is from a cooking night several months ago, I have not been able to get them planned lately and I am really missing them. It seems my son keeps having ball practice or games on Friday nights and that time works best for the ladies that comes since some work full time as well.
This Night in about 2 -1/2 hours and under $50 dollars we made several meals and dishes to stock our freezer.

Freezer Pizzas (meat cooked and have dough rising before evening, make and frozen whole) this was also a repeat from month 1 but since we had sausage, cheese, and hamburger already it made for a cheap extra meal, we each made 2 large (or more smaller ones)
Twice Baked Potatoes -- potatoes baked before evening, once put together and cooled place in freezer bags.

Dirty Rice (rice and beans cooked prior to cooking night)
House Seasoning in the pint jars in the picture above and also had some in zipper bags
Chicken Poppy seed Casserole (everyone took home 2 small casseroles so some would use both for one meal and some would use as two depending on the size of their family). Chicken was cooked like This the day before then over night I did broth like This and we used some of the broth for the soup and divided the rest and sent home with everyone. (we used plain potato chips to make this dish Gluten free and my casseroles we used GF cream soup.)
Favorite Broccoli two of these were dumped into to plastic bags for each lady (use gluten free soy sauce to make gluten free)
Chicken tortilla Soup… I lost the recipe before posting but very very similar to This and the chicken was cooked before as described with the casserole.

Wonderful Spaghetti Squash Dish with Extra veggies.

2014-10-19T19:44:00.000-05:00

A friend made a dish similar to this and was telling me about it and since we have an abundance of spaghetti squash from the garden I thought I would give it a try and LOVED it.

Spaghetti squash
chopped fresh spinach
diced fresh tomatoes
red paper flakes
olive oils
shredded Parmesan cheese
salt, pepper, garlic

Cut the squash in half and bake like This until when you press on the the skin it begins to give. I cooked mine at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. Then spoon it into a baking dish, drizzle with olive oil and add salt, pepper, garlic, and red pepper flakes to your family's liking. Next add a layer of chopped spinach, then tomatoes, and top with a little Parmesan cheese. Put the whole thing back in the oven for until the cheese begins to melt and the spinach begins to wilt.