August 26

207. Fluffy Peanut Butter frosting

This was so good. It tasted like a buckeye candy.

*1/2 cup butter, softened
*1 cup creamy peanut butter
*3 TBSP milk
*2 cups powdered sugar

Place peanut butter and butter in a bowl and mix
Gradually mix in sugar and incorporate milk
Beat for 3 minutes for it get fluffy.

208. Chocolate Cake

This was not my cup of tea because I am not a fan of chocolate but my family really liked it. Its really rich. Its goes well with the frosting.

*2 cups sugar
*1 3/4 flour
*3/4 cup cocoa powder
*1 1/2 tsp baking soda
*1 1/2 tsp baking powder
*1 tsp salt
*2 eggs
*1 cup milk
*1/2 cup vegetable oil
*2 tsp vanilla
*1 cup boiling water

Preheat over to 350
Grease cake pans
Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder and soda and salt in a large borl
Add eggs, milk and vanilla; beat on medium for 2 minutes
Stir in boiling water, it will be think
Pour batter in pans
Bake for 30-35 minutes

209. Breaded Pork chops

We had this the other night and it was really good. Dave really liked the sauce, but he would eat anything that had cream cheese in it! ANYTHING. When Eli was a baby he called to tell me that Eli would not eat dinner. I asked what he gave our 11 month old child and he said, "a hunk of cream cheese and some crackers." Really?

*1 egg
*3/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
*4 bone in pork chops
*1 container of chive and onion cream cheese (I used normal cream cheese and added chives)
*3 TBSP chicken broth
*2 TBSP milk

In a shallow bowl, beat the egg
Place the bread crumbs in another shallow bowl
Dip the chops into egg and then coat in crumbs
Bake uncovered at 350 for 25 minutes
In a small saucepan, combine the cream cheese, broth and milk
Stir for 5 minutes over medium heat or until smooth

210. Roasted Pork with onions and citrus

This was our Cuban night last night and man was this pork good. We all really enjoyed it. The kids ate without any fight.

*3 TBSP olive oil
*1 large white onion, diced
*1 head garlic chopped
*1 1/4 cup orange juice
*1/3 cup lime juice
*salt and pepper
*1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves
*1 boneless pork shoulder (3-4 lbs)

Preheat oven to 450
In a large skillet heat oil over medium high
Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft, about 4 minutes
Add orange and lime juices and bring to a boil
Season with salt and pepper, stir in oregano, remove from heat
Pat pork and season with salt and pepper
Pour onion mixture over pork
Place in the bottom heavy oven proof pot.....dutch oven!!!
Roast uncovered for 30 minutes
Remove pot from oven and reduce oven to 350
Ladle onion mixture over pork
Cook for another hour and a half until temp is 155.
Ladle with mixture every 30 minutes

211. Cuban beans and rice

*2 TBSP olive oil
*1/4 onion diced
*1/4 bell pepper diced
*2 cloves garlic minced
*salt and pepper
*1/2 tsp cumin
*1 TBSP oregano
*t cup long grain rice
*1 can red kidney beans or black beans
*2 cups chicken broth

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium high heat
Add onion, bell pepper, garlic and cook until soft about 4 minutes
Season with salt and pepper
Add cumin, oregano and rice
Stir and cook for 1 minute
Add beans and broth, stir, season with salt and pepper
Bring to boil, then cover
Reduce to a medium simmer and cook for 20 minutes

aug 21

206. Cranberry Pot Roast

Now I am going to admit that I love that canned cranberry sauce. It is my favorite part of thanksgiving and I just love it. My husband likes it as well. Elise liked it....Eli, not so much
The roast was good. I would cook it less time than they call for

*3 cups beef broth
*1 cup water
*2 cans cranberry sauce

*1 (4 lb) beef chuck roast
*salt and pepper
*3 TBSP flour
*2 TBSP Veg oil
*1 sweet onion, chopped

Bring beef broth and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat
Stir in cranberry sauce until dissolved
Pour sauce into a slow cooker and set to high
Meanwhile season beef with salt and peeper and sprinkle with flour
Heat veg oil in skillet and cook beef until brown on all sides
Transfer Roast to cooker along with chopped onion
Cook on high for 4 hours.

again

205. Lasagna Corn Carne

This was really good. Eli, Dave and I loved it. The same could not be said that same for Elise. So she will not get a brownie for dessert

*1 lb ground beef, I used turkey
*1 jar salsa
*1 can kidney beans, drained
*1 can cream corn
*1 large onion, chopped
*1 medium bell pepper, chopped
*1 celery rib, chopped
*3 cloves minced garlic
*1 TBSP basil
*1 tsp salt
*1 tsp chili powder
*12 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
*2 cups mozzarella cheese
*1/2 cup parmesan cheese

In a large skillet, cook the beef until no longer pink
After draining add the salsa, beans, vegetables, garlic and seasoning
Bring a a boil
Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes
Spread 1/4 meat and cover with 4 noodles
Repeat once and then add half the cheese
Layer remaining noodles and sauce and top with cheese
Cover and cook for 30 minutes
Uncover and cook for 15 minutes

August 20

204. Bombshell Brownies

One of our dogs had a c section....yes you read that right. I wanted to thank my vet and the staff for taking care of our babies so I made these brownies. I got feedback that they were really good. 

*1 cup butter, melted

*3 cups white sugar

*1 TBSP vanilla 

*4 eggs

*1 1/2 cup flour

*1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp salt

*1 cup choc. chips

Preheat oven to 350

Combine butter, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl

Beat in eggs one at a time

Sift together flour, cocoa powder and salt

Gradually stir in flour mixture and beat until mixed

Blend in chocolate chips

Spread into baking pan (9x13)

Bake for 35-40 minutes until the toothpick comes out clean

august 18

203. Garlic Herb pork

This is so good and simple. I have found that sometimes that is the best way to go!

*3 lb pork Tenderloin
*1/4 cup olive oil
*3 cloves chopped garlic
*1/2 tsp thyme
*1/2 TBSP rosemary
*salt and pepper

Cut the pork down the middle, leaving the halves attached
Rub pork with oil
Insert garlic into fatty pat of pork
Press thyme and rosemary into slit
Sprinkle with salt and pepper
Grill until cooked through, turn every 15 minutes

August 16

201. BBQ Cheeseburger & rice

This sounded odd to me but the kids liked it. So I cant really complain. Plus it was easy and fast to make

*1lb ground beef
*1/2 cup chopped onion
*1 3/4 cup water
*1 cup BBQ sauce
*2 cups Instant white rice, uncooked
*1 cup cheddar cheese

Brown beef with onion, drain
Add water and BBQ and heat until boiling
Add rice and cook over low heat until rice is tender
Stir in cheese

202. Panna Cotta

What is it you ask? Its not something you see very often. Its an Italian cooked cream. Dave and I love it so much!
To celebrate after we got engaged Dave took me to the best place to eat. For dessert we had panna Cotta. Its a real Italian dessert and we love it. We later went to Italy on our honeymoon and ate it there. So I wanted to try to make it.
Its so good.

*1 packet gelatin
*3 TBSP water
*3 cups heavy cream
*1 cup milk
*1 cup sugar
*2 tsp vanilla

Apply thin coating over oil in ramekins
Into a small water add water and stir in gelatin
Set aside until softened
In a medium saucepan add cream, milk, sugar and vanilla
Stir while bringing to a simmer, do not let boil
Remove heat and stir in gelatin.
Stir for one minute
All mixture to cool for 20 minutes
Pour into ramekins and chill at least 6 hours
Remove and serve with seasonal fruit.

august 15

199. Pizza casserole

None of us loved this so I am not going to bother blogging it. It was average at best.

200. Steak with Hoisin Mustard sauce

this was the best sauce. It was so good! Dave and I loved it. Eli and elise are still at the table trying to eat the rest of dinner. They be there until breakfast tomorrow.

*1 tsp minced garlic
*1 tsp pepper
*2 TBSP green onions chopped
*3 Boneless sirloin steaks
*1 tsp olive oil
*3 TBSP chopped onion
*2 minced garlic cloves
*1/2 cup beef broth
*1/4 cup hoisin sauce
*2 tsp spicy Dijon mustard
*1 tsp tomato paste
*2 tsp red wine vinegar

Mix together garlic, salt, pepper and green onions
Rub the steaks with mixture and chill for 30 minutes
Place on grill
In a sauce pan, over medium high heat, add olive oil
Add garlic and onion, cook 1 minute
Add remaining ingredients, stir and simmer for 6 minutes
Serve steak with sauce.