Magic Bars

Yummy!!

1 sleeve graham crackers- crushed

1 stick butter melted

1 can condenced milk

1 bag chocolate chips (you can use whatever you want, white, milk, dark, or a mix of all)

1 small bag coconut

pecans (or your fave nut or both!)

You don't have to stop with those ing. You can add flavored chips, caramel, chopped up candy bars... you get to play Willy Wonka! :-)

Line a 9X13 pan with foil, SPRAY with cooking spray. Heat oven to 350. Before you open the sleeve of crackers hit them a few times with a large spoon just so they are crushed up, but not fine. Empty crumbs into the bottom of pan. Pour butter over crumbs. Drizzle half the can of milk over the crust. Next sprinkle chocolate chips, then coconut, then nuts. drizzle the rest of the milk over the top and bake until coconut starts to brown. cool and cut into SMALL bars. The hubby tried to eat 3 but was defeated by the second one! They are so yummy with a tall glass of milk!!

Texas Sheet Cake

This is the best non-fussy chocolate cake ever!

I always ask mom to make this cake any time the cake is for me!

Make sure the glaze is hot when you pour it on the hot cake!

I think it is better the next day!

Thick, moist, chocolate goodness!!

Bring to boil:
1 cup butter
1 cup water
5 Tblsp. cocoa
Add to flour mixture consisting of:
1 1/2 cup of flour
2 cups sugar
now add 1 tsp. soda to 1/2 cup milk and add to mixture.

Add 1 tsp. vanilla
Now add 2 slighly beaten eggs and bake at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.
Don't over cook.

Heat to boiling:
1 stick butter
6 Tblsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
3 Tblsp. cocoa
add:
1 lb. confectioners sugar
1 cup chopped nuts
and pour over hot cake.

Shepherds Pie

This was the best Shepherds Pie I have made so far, and I have made a few. I followed the directions all the changes I made I added to the sides.

Ingredients
For the potatoes:
1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes
1/4 cup half-and-half
2 ounces unsalted butter
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 egg yolk
For the meat filling:
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 carrots, peeled and diced small

(I think I would steam or boil these in advance so they lose the crunch...

it is not needed in this recipe)

(I used frozed pea and carrot mix, I would use the fresh next time

so they can get tender with the onion.)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds ground lamb (used ground beef)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons tomato paste (used a small can of tomato sauce)
1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons freshly chopped rosemary leaves (I didn't use, the hubby hates this herb)
1 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme leaves (used some ground thyme)
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup fresh or frozen English peas

Top with grated cheddar cheese in last 10 min of baking.

Directions
Peel the potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch dice. Place in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Set over high heat, cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, uncover, decrease the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until tender and easily crushed with tongs, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Place the half-and-half and butter into a microwave-safe container and heat in the microwave until warmed through, about 35 seconds. Drain the potatoes in a colander and then return to the saucepan. Mash the potatoes and then add the half and half, butter, salt and pepper and continue to mash until smooth. Stir in the yolk until well combined.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the filling. Place the canola oil into a 12-inch saute pan and set over medium high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the onion and carrots and saute just until they begin to take on color, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and stir to combine. Add the lamb, salt and pepper and cook until browned and cooked through, approximately 3 minutes. Sprinkle the meat with the flour and toss to coat, continuing to cook for another minute. Add the tomato paste, chicken broth, Worcestershire, rosemary, thyme, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer slowly 10 to 12 minutes or until the sauce is thickened slightly.

Add the corn and peas to the lamb mixture and spread evenly into an 11 by 7-inch glass baking dish. Top with the mashed potatoes, starting around the edges to create a seal to prevent the mixture from bubbling up and smooth with a rubber spatula. Place on a parchment lined half sheet pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 25 minutes or just until the potatoes begin to brown. Remove to a cooling rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Indian Tacos!

Ok, if you already know about these, shame on you for not telling me about them!

I made them for the first time and am in LOVE!!

I also think that the bread would be awesome dusted with cinnamon and sugar for dessert.

So fry all that dough!

2 cups All Purpose Flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup Buttermilk
2 cans Pinto Beans (The only beans I had were red kidney beans and they worked great)
1 can Ranch Style Beans
1 lb. hamburger meat
1 packet Taco Seasoning

Lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese to garnish
You can also use sour cream and salsa if you like.

Brown ground beef and cook according to package of seasoning mix. Add the beans and heat.

Mix flour, baking powder and salt together. Stir in buttermilk until dough forms.

Turn out on floured surface and kneed a few times. Using a ball of dough roughly 2 to 3" in diameter, pat out to form a flat round of dough. Continue till all dough is used, roughly 4 to 6 fry breads.

Fill skillet with 1 to 2" of oil and fry till golden brown, turn over and repeat. Drain on paper towel or paper sack.

Top with meat, beans and all the yummy toppings!

*Recipe found at http://www.accordingtorachel.com/2010/05/indian-tacos.html

Super Easy Pizza Crust

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
2/3 cup milk
Directions
1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a rimmed pizza pan or baking sheet.
2.In a large bowl, stir together flour, salt, oregano and black pepper. Mix in eggs and milk; stir well. Pour batter into prepared pan and tilt until evenly coated.
3.Bake in preheated oven for 8-10 min until crust is set.(will depend on how thick your crust is)
4.Remove crust from oven. Drizzle on pizza sauce, toppings and sprinkle on cheese. Bake until cheese is melted, about 10 minutes.

Biscuits

Ingredients
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the board
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder (use one without aluminum)
1 teaspoon kosher salt or salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, very cold
3/4 cup buttermilk (approx) I used almost 3/4c milk and about 1 tsp vinegar
Directions
1Preheat your oven to 450°F.
2Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl, or in the bowl of a food processor.
3Cut the butter into chunks and cut into the flour until it resembles course meal.
4If using a food processor, just pulse a few times until this consistency is achieved.
5Add the buttermilk and mix JUST until combined.
6If it appears on the dry side, add a bit more buttermilk.
7Turn the dough out onto a floured board.
8Gently, gently PAT (do NOT roll with a rolling pin) the dough out until it's about 1/2" thick.
9Use a round cutter to cut into rounds.
10You can gently knead the scraps together and make a few more, but they will not be anywhere near as good as the first ones.
11Place the biscuits on a cookie sheet- if you like soft sides, put them touching each other.
12If you like"crusty" sides, put them about 1 inch apart- these will not rise as high as the biscuits put close together.
13Bake for about 10-12 minutes- the biscuits will be a beautiful light golden brown on top and bottom.
14Do not overbake.
15Note: The key to real biscuits is not in the ingredients, but in the handling of the dough.
16The dough must be handled as little as possible or you will have tough biscuits.
17I have found that a food processor produces superior biscuits, because the ingredients stay colder and there's less chance of overmixing.
18You also must pat the dough out with your hands, lightly.
19Rolling with a rolling pin is a guaranteed way to overstimulate the gluten, resulting in a tougher biscuit.
20Note 2: You can make these biscuits, cut them, put them on cookie sheets and freeze them for up to a month.
21When you want fresh biscuits, simply place them frozen on the cookie sheet and bake at 450°F for about 20 minutes.

Recipe Found Here

Yummy, Indian Food!

Last night I made a wonderful dinner. My first attempt at making Indian food and it was fabulous. This is something I am going to make again and again and I am going to try more and more recipes! Here is the first one, in I hope, a long list of Indian recipes!

Chole (chickpea curry) Don't be scared of the chickpeas, it is wonderful!

Vegeterian, but would be yummy with the addition of chicken!

Serves 2-3

1 can chickpeas (I used Bushes brand)
1 TBSP oil
2 cloves garlic minced
1 onion, cut in half and then sliced
1/2 small can tomato sauce
1 potato, peeled and cut into quarters and thinly chopped
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp chilli powder
1/8 tsp turmeric powder*
2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp curry powder
dash of ground black pepper
1 1/2 -2 cup water
chopped fresh cilantro

(I did not salt this recipe, you can add at the table it you like, if you add while cooking I am afraid you will over salt because it will reduce down.)

Heat oil. Add onion and garlic. Saute until soft. Add tomato sauce and potato. Add dry spices.
Drain and rinse chickpeas, add to pan. Mix well. Add water to make gravy, simmer and cook covered for about 10 min, or until potatoes are soft. Mash some of the peas and potatoes (like an 1/8th) mix well, this will thicken the sauce. Serve over white rice (I like basmati) and top with cilantro.

We fould indian bread at HEB, tandori bread (I think) it was near the deli. I put it under the broiler to warm on both sides and then served with butter and we scooped up the yumminess with the bread!

Serve with veggie of your choice. (We had sauteed sweet peas)

*Spices- the spices are kind of $$$ but they will go a long way. If you have a HEB with bulk foods and spices I got the turmeric, garam masala and curry powder for dirt cheap in small bags!