Peach Cobbler

For Christmas I received a new cookbook and so far I've tried three recipes.  This recipe is adapted from the Prairie Peach Cobbler recipe in Melissa Gilbert's My Prairie Cookbook.  I didn't have fresh peaches so I had to adapt the recipe for canned peaches.  The results were great and I can't wait to try it with fresh in-season peaches.

Peach Cobbler
Source: adapted from Melissa Gilbert

1/2 cup butter
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup self-rising flour
3/4 cup milk
1 large can of peach halves (I cut each into 4 pieces)
1 tbsp. cinnamon (I didn't measure, I just sprinkled some on)

Preheat the oven to 350*

Put the butter in a 9x13 pan. Place in oven and melt the butter.  Remove from oven and swirl all over the pan.

In a medium bowl mix together 1 cup of the sugar and the flour and the milk.  Stir well. (a few lumps is okay) Pour the butter over the top of the melted butter.

Put the peaches, 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup of the heavy syrup from the can in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.

Spoon the fruit on top of the batter and then slowly pour the liquid from the saucepan on top of that.  Be careful not to mix the fruit into the batter.  Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Bake for 35-45 minutes, until bubbling and the top is golden.  Serve warm with vanilla ice cream. (I recommend Blue Bunny Homemade Vanilla!)

Taco Soup

This yummy soup recipe is so good and so easy! My friend Deana shared the recipe with me.  I'm so glad she did.

Taco Soup

1 pound ground beef browned and drained of any grease

1 can black beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can kernel corn
1can rotel
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 envelope ranch dressing seasoning
 
Brown beef and drain then add taco seasoning and water, simmer until absorbed.

Add each can and DO NOT drain.

Add ranch dressing seasoning and stir to combine. 

If additional liquid is needed, add water to preference.

Serve with tortilla chips, shredded Mexican cheese, and sour cream.

BLT Pinwheels

Pinwheels are easy to make and are great for parties.  I made these for our Pre Trick or Treating party Friday.

BLT Pinwheels

1 block cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayo
20 slices of crispy bacon, crumbled
diced tomatoes
shredded lettuce
flour tortillas

Mix the cream cheese and mayo with the mixer.  Stir in the bacon.

Spread the cream cheese mixture on a tortilla, add lettuce and tomatoes.  Rolls up.  Slice into 1 inch pieces.

Corn Chile Dip

I found this idea on a blog but I can't recall which one.  I don't have a Trader Joe's store in our area so my cousin Arna who lives in California went to her store and mailed a few jars of this Corn and Chile Salsa to me.

Corn Chile Dip

1 block cream cheese softened
1/2 jar Corn Chile Salsa

Put block of softened cream cheese in  your mixer and beat it up.  Stir in corn chile salsa.  Serve with Frito chips or Tortilla Chips.

Lasagna

This lasagna recipe is easy and most importantly always good.  The recipe was given to Dan's mom by a family friend.

Lasagna

1 box lasagna noodles (I prefer the type that requires boiling)
2 pounds hamburger
1 onion, diced
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 or 2 cans sliced mushroom (optional)
2 cups bread crumbs (We use a bag of croutons and chop them up)
1 tbsp. parsley
1 tbsp. pepper
2 eggs, beaten
1 (24 oz.) container cottage cheese
1 (8 oz.) container of parmesan cheese
8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese (I usually add more than 8 oz, we love cheese)
1 jar spaghetti sauce

Cooke noodles according to directions on the box.

Brown the hamburger with the onion, mushrooms, and garlic salt. 

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix all the ingredients except the spaghetti sauce  and mozzarella cheese.  When the hamburger is done,  stir into this mixture.

Spray a large baking dish with cooking spray.  Add a layer of noodles, layer of hamburger mixture, repeat layers.  Add the jar of spaghetti sauce and cheese.

Bake at 350* for 35-45 minutes.

Pot Roast

Nothing says Sunday dinner like a delicious pot roast.  I have made roasts several different ways and have found the Pioneer Woman's recipe to be my personal favorite.  Her recipe is now the only recipe that I use when making a roast.

Pot Roast
Source: Pioneer Woman

2 tbsp. olive oil
4-5 pound chuck roast
2 whole onions - cut in 1/2
6-8 whole carrots -cut into 2 inch slices
salt to taste
pepper to taste
4 cups beef broth (sometimes I need more than 4 cups)
3 sprigs fresh thyme
3 springs fresh rosemary

Preheat oven to 275*

Peel and cut two onions in half and cut the carrots into 2 inch slices (I don't peel the carrots I just wash before cutting.)

Generously salt and pepper each side of the roast.  Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add 2-3 tbsp. of olive oil (or you can do a olive oil/butter combination.) When the oil is hot add in the onions browning them on one side then flipping to the other side.  Remove onion to a plate.  Throw in the carrots and toss them around until slightly browned, about 1-2 minutes. Remove carrots and put on plate with onions.  (may need to add a bit more olive oil at this point)  Put the meat into the Dutch oven and sear it for a minute on each side until brown all over.  Remove the roast to a plate.  With the burner on high, pour in 1 cup beef broth to deglaze the pan. (scrape the bottom with a whisk).  When finished with that, add the roast back into the pan and add enough beef broth to cover the meat halfway.  Add in the onion, carrots, thyme, and rosemary.  Cover with lid and roast in a 275* oven for 3 hours (for a 3 pound roast) or 4 hours for a 4-5 pound roast.


**My Dutch oven isn't large enough to add potatoes to a roast which is what my Mom always did.  So I just serve my roast with mashed potatoes.

Creamy Hash Brown Casserole

Here is another Paula Deen recipe that I discovered while in Minnesota.  It's a really good recipe that I've made several times. It's good for breakfast but I usually make this at Easter and serve with Ham.  Or it makes a good side to my pulled pork recipe. 

Creamy Hash Brown Casserole
Source: Paula Deen TV Show

1/4 cup butter
1 onion, chopped
1 (16 oz) container sour cream
1 (10.5 oz) can cream of celery soup
1 (8 oz) package shredded Cheddar and Monterey Jack Cheese blend
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 (30 oz) package frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 cups crushed potato chips

Preheat oven to 350*  Lightly butter a casserole dish.

In a small skillet, melt 1/4 cup butter over medium heat.  Add onion and cook 3-4 minutes or until soft. Pour mixture into a large bowl.  Add the sour cream, soup, cheese, garlic powder, hash browns, and salt and pepper.  Combine until well blended.  Pour mixture into prepared baking dish.  Top evenly with crushed potato chops and bake for 45 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Sweet Sausages

A few years ago Dan had to go to Mayo for some tests and I was able to go with him.  I was watching the Food Network in the hotel and saw the Paula Deen show.  She was making the most awesome recipes and I was looking them up as fast as I could before I forgot the recipe name.  When I got home I had Jennifer over and we tried this recipe.  It is ridiculously  easy and ridiculously good!

Sweet Sausages
Source: Paula Deen TV show

1 (16 oz) package smoked sausage
1 1/2 cups maple syrup

Cut sausage into 1 inch rounds.  Place in large skillet over medium heat and add the syrup.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low an simmer for 20 minutes.  Serve piping hot.

CROCK POT TIP:  You can also cook this in a crock-pot on low for 2 hours.