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Stuffed French Bread

This is what is for dinner at our house tonight!

recipe adapted from Life In The Lofthouse
1 loaf French bread
1 pound lean ground beef
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

salt and pepper, to taste
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 Tablespoon chopped parsley (optional)
Directions
1. Slice the French bread in half, lengthwise, so you’re left with two equal pieces. Scoop out the bread in the center of each piece, making two bread ‘boats’. Place the extra bread in a large bowl and tear it into very tiny pieces. Trust me, you want them tiny. Place both halves of  bread onto a large baking sheet and set it aside.
2. In a skillet over medium high heat, brown both the beef and the onion until fully cooked. Strain the grease and return to the skillet. Next, add in the celery and garlic. Cook until the celery is tender, about 2-3 minutes. Add in the soup, milk and Worcestershire sauce. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Add parsley.Cook another 5 minutes, or until the meat mix is heated through, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the meat to the bread in the bowl, stirring to combine. Pour mixture into the center of one half of the french bread and spread out evenly. Spread out evenly. Sprinkle the meat mixture with the cheddar cheese. Top with the other half of bread to make it a sandwich.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. When done cooking, let your bread sit for 5 minutes so everything ‘sets’, before slicing and serving. Then, eat up!

For a different variation of this:  If you like spicy brown mustard, you can spread some mustard on the bread before filling with meat mixture or you can add a couple tablespoons of mustard to the meat mixture before filling the bread.

 

Kay's Broccoli Slaw

Do you need a great side dish for a gathering or pot luck?  This one is always a winner.


2 bags (12 ounces) of pre-grated broccoli slaw
 (I get the kind that has broccoli, carrots, and red/purple cabbage mix)
1  4 ounce package of real bacon bits
3/4 cup golden raisins or dried cranberries
3/4 cup salted sunflower kernels
1 medium red onion, diced
1 apple, diced
1 1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. black pepper

In large bowl, mix broccoli slaw, bacon bits, apple, raisins/cranberries, sunflower kernels, and onion.  In small bowl, whisk together mayo, vinegar, sugar and pepper until smooth.  Pour over vegetables and toss. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour prior to serving.  It gets better overnight.  I have also added almond slices and pineapple tidbits (drained) to mine at different times. 

Praline Crusted Cheese Ball

Here is a recipe I found online and tweaked a bit.  Great for holiday parties. 




8 oz cream cheese, softened
1-2 green onions, finely diced
1 tsp Cajun seasoning
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup butter 
1/4 cup brown sugar 
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard 
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans 

Combine cream cheese, onions, garlic, 1 tsp Worcestershire and Cajun seasoning in a bowl. Mix well and shape into a 4-inch circle, about 1 inch thick. Refrigerate for one hour.

In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar, Worcestershire, mustard and pecans. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, until sugar is dissolved.

Remove cheese ball from refrigerate and place on serving platter. Pour pecan mixture over cheese ball. As praline mixture cools, press into cheese to complete cover

Cheese ball can be refrigerated until ready to serve. Remove cheese ball one hour before serving to come to room temperature. Serve with crackers.

Caramel Apple Cream Cheese Danish

This is wonderful with coffee for breakfast or just for enjoying throughout the day.



1 tube Pillsbury Crescent Creations (not crescent rolls--it is a whole pastry sheet)
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 can Lucky Leaf Caramel Apple Pie Filling

Icing: 
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream or evaporated milk/canned cream
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a baking sheet and roll crescent sheet on top.
In a small bowl mix cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and flour.  Spread on top of pastry.  
Spread apple pie filling on top of cream cheese.
Fold edges in and pinch to meet in middle.
Bake  20 minutes or until pastry is golden brown.

Let cool 10 minutes and then drizzle icing on top.  
Enjoy!

Baked Apples with Cranberries and Walnuts

Looking for an easy and delicious side dish for this holiday season?  Here is a great one.  I use cranberries, but you could substitute golden raisins or dried cherries if you prefer.


4 Granny Smith Green Apples
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
4 tablespoons butter
Preheat oven to 400°F. Slice off top of apples and scoop out cores, leaving a well in the center. In a bowl mix brown sugar, cinnamon, cranberries and walnut until blended. Stuff each apple with 1/4 of the brown sugar mixture. Place apples in a deep baking dish, topping each with 1 tablespoon of butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Fill bottom of pan with 3/4 cup water and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until apples are tender.

Butter Pecan Cookies

Here is an easy recipe that I found on about.com.  It is perfect for a cookie exchange.  Enjoy!


1-3/4 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 cups whole pecan halves
1 cup butter (no substitutes)
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 cups milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl, combine flour and 1 cup brown sugar and mix with fingers. Stir in 1/2 cup melted butter until the mixture looks like cornmeal. Pat evenly into a 13" x 9" baking pan.
Sprinkle pecans over crust. In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup butter and 3/4 cup brown sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils for 1 minute, combines, and looks syrupy. Drizzle evenly over the pecans. Bake bars 17-22 minutes until bubbly over entire surface. Remove from oven.
Sprinkle immediately with milk chocolate chips and cover with foil to trap heat. Let the chocolate melt for a few minutes, then remove foil and swirl a knife through some of the chips to marble. Don't try to spread the chips over the whole pan. Let cool and cut into squares.

Kay's Hearty Italian Beef Tips and Pasta

I needed a crock pot dinner with some beef tips and this is the results. With fall approaching, it is one of  those comfort meals and there is enough for two nights. 

2-3 pounds of beef tips or stew meat
1 large onion diced
1 jar of Ragu spaghetti sauce
1 can Italian stewed diced tomatoes
1 small can of mushrooms
2 T Worchesire Sauce
1 bay leaf
2 tsp. black pepper
1 T  garlic powder
3 T  parsley flakes
1 16 oz box Penne Pasta or elbow macaroni

Spray crock pot.  Add ingredients but pasta; cover with lid and cook on low for 4-6 hours.  Stir in pasta, cook for 45 minutes.  Enjoy!

Taco Stuffed Shells

I found this recipe on Pinterest, tweeked a little,  and it is delicious.


 
1 lb ground beef
1 small yellow onion, diced 
1 (1 1/4 ounce) package taco seasoning (can use low-sodium)
1 (4 ounce) package cream cheese
14 -16 large pasta shells
1 cup salsa                 
1 cup taco sauce or enchilada sauce 
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup Monterey jack cheese, shredded
3 green onions, chopped
1 cup sour cream
1 small can sliced black olives (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°.
 In a frying pan cook ground beef with onions,  add taco seasoning and prepare according to package directions. Add cream cheese, cover and simmer until cheese is melted. Blend well. Set aside and cool completely.
 While the ground beef is cooking, cook the pasta shells according to directions; drain. Set shells out individually on baking sheet so that they don’t stick together.
 Pour salsa on bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Stuff each shell with the meat mixture placing shells in dish open side up. Cover shells with taco sauce. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
 After 30 minutes, add shredded cheeses and bake for 10-15 more minutes, with the foil removed. Top with green onions and black olives and serve with sour cream and/or more salsa.

Crockpot Pork Chops

Here is a recipe that I found a long time ago on a soup can.  It is tasty.

4 pork steaks
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup of low sodium chicken or beef broth
1 package brown gravy mix
1 package of ranch dressing mix. 
1 large yellow onion
pepper
garlic powder (not salt)

Spray the crock pot. Season the pork steaks with some pepper and garlic powder. Put pork chops in crock pot. Mix soup, broth, gravy mix, and ranch mix in a bowl. Pour on top of pork steaks. Slice  onion into rings and put on top. Cook 4-6 hours on high or 8 hours on low. Makes lots of gravy that is great on mashed potatoes or rice.