Crockpot BBQ pork and all the fixin's

BBQ Pork

Boneless pork ribs or pork roast (as much or as little as you need)
1 bottle of your favorite bbq sauce
1 or 2 onion depending on the amount of meat you use

-Put the meat in the crockpot, pour in half the sauce, and add the sliced onion.
Cook according to crockpot instructions until done. Remove from liquid and place
on platter, cover with the other half of bbq sauce.

** When I cook, I often do not use a recipe and so these next few recipes don't really have measurements, its kind of "to your taste" so TASTE it! I am cooking for 2 and a toddler so keep that in mind as well.

Baked beans

1 can pork n' beans (or more :-)) *note the double chin!
2 slices bacon, diced
1/4 bell pepper, diced
1/4 onion, diced
dash or two of dry mustard
about 1 tsp. worchestershire sauce
1 tsp. ketchup
start with 1/2 tsp. brown sugar
dash of pepper

Saute the bacon, onion and pepper. When done add the beans. Now for the part that drives everyone crazy, just add a little of everything, don't go nuts with the sugar, you can't take it out! Simmer a few min, taste again, your done!

Coleslaw

1/2 head cabbage
1 carrot
1 small chunk of onion
chop together in the food processor until as fine as you like it

1/2 cup mayo
2 TBL milk
1 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp sugar
salt and pepper
mix together, taste, you may need to add more sugar or more vinegar...I added a little pickle juice to mine! ( I am preggers ya know!) Pour over the slaw and mix, refridge for atleast 3 hours before serving.

Potato Salad

4 med size potatoes
small chunk of onion, diced small
1/2 c. mayo
1 TBL yellow mustard
1 TBL pickle relish (sweet or dill, up to you)
salt and pepper to taste

Cook the potatoes, if I have time I boil them whole and then slip the skin off and dice them, if I don't have much time I microwave them in the skins and peel them. If I microwave them I want them a little firm so if you use the baked potato button and you have 4 potatoes tell it you have 3 and that should work well. Dice potatoes place in bowl. In another bowl mix together sauce ing. and taste. When its tangy enough, pour over potatoes, stir, cover, and chill. (if it seems like to much sauce thats ok, the potatoes are like sponges so you will be glad there was extra!)

Serve with your choice of bread or rolls and sweet tea!

Enjoy!

Rolls that even I can't mess up!

**I rolled out the dough, placed it on a sprayed cookie sheet and cut it with a pizza cutter. I then made a cream cheese filling topped some of them for cream cheese kolaches! I also did not refrigerate over night, I left them for about 4 or 5 hours. I dusted the counter with flour and dumped out the dough, don't kneed it, just work it enough so its not sticky, roll out and have fun!

SERVES 24 , 2 dozen 1 (1/4 ounce) package yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup milk
1/3 cup margarine
1/3 cup sugar
1 dash salt
2 eggs, beaten
4 1/2 cups flour
Dissolve yeast in warm water and add 1 tablespoon sugar and baking powder.

Allow to stand for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile scald milk. Add margarine, 1/3 cup sugar and salt. Cool a little and then add eggs. (I do this step in my 4 c glass measure in the microwave.).

Combine all with flour. (it will be sticky, thats ok) Cover and refrigerate overnight. (The dough will more than double in bulk, so make sure your container is big enough. If it looks like it might outgrow its bowl, you can always punch it down once or twice without any ill effects.).

Two hours before serving, divide dough into thirds and roll out into large circles about 9 inches in diameter on a floured surface. The dough will be sticky, but don't worry. It will quickly come together and handle really well with a few sprinklings of flour (not too much). Cut into 8 wedges and make crescent rolls by starting at the wide end and rolling up. Place on greased pans to rise, covered with clean towels. ****You can make them whatever you would like individual rolls, pull apart rolls, kolaches, cinnamon rolls...*****

Bake at 425 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Rub the hot rolls with a stick of butter when they come out of the oven. It makes them so beautiful.

Cream cheese filling:

1 pk cream cheese

1 egg yolk

1/3 c. sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

Combine, spoon onto rolls after they have risen.

So You Think You Hate Lentils Soup

Well, I heard about lentils being some kind of super food and thought I better try them.

I found this recipe and it was very easy and very good.

I have freezer bags full of soup in my freezer for a healthy and hearty meal anytime!

Seriously folks it's delish!

*This makes a TON so use your big pot!

1 Tbl. butter

2 onion diced

2 clove garlic crushed

4 strips of bacon ( I didn't sautee my bacon)

1 bag lentils sorted and rinsed

10 c. water or broth (if you use water add bullion of your choice, I used chicken)

~Sautee onion and garlic in butter until tender. Add lentils and water, bring to a boil while you chop the veggies.

If the soup gets too thick as you are cooking, just add more water or broth.

4 carrots chopped

5 celery ribs chopped

1 box frozen spinach, you can use fresh

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can tomato sauce

(you can add any veggie you like, the recipe called for leeks, greenbeans, mushrooms and bell peppers. I didn't have those and really I think they would have been a strange addition.)

~Add the veggies as you get them chopped.

Season to taste with

*Parsley

*Oregano

*Basil

*Pepper

Sorry, I know it annoys some people (Laura) but I don't really measure my herbs. I know which ones I like more or less and I add accordingly. If you don't get carried away you can always add more!

*****Use salt lightly as the bacon and the bullion are both salty and as it cooks down the salt will concentrate. You may want to save the salt for the end after you taste it.*******

Simmer and stir until the lentils are done and the veggies are tender.

Freezes very well.

Serve with crusty bread and your choice of beverage!

Try it, you really will like it!

Enjoy!!

Pralinutta Shortbread Sandwich Cookies

I just bought my first jar of Pralinutta (YUM!) and to keep from eating it straight out of the jar I came up with this yummy combo! I have a container of them in the freezer ready for Christmas parties!

Shortbread Cookies:
2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup powdered (confectioners or icing) sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract


Shortbreads: In a separate bowl whisk the flour with the salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream the butter until smooth (about 1 minute). Add the sugar and beat until smooth (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract. Gently stir in the flour mixture just until incorporated. Flatten the dough into a disk shape, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill the dough for at least an hour.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill until firm about an hour. roll into log and slice into 1/4inch slices about the size of a quarter. Bake about 5-7 min until very lightly brown. cool and spread a small amount of Pralinutta and top with another cookie. Then hide from yourself because you will want to eat them all!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees with the rack in the middle of the oven. Spray two baking sheets. They don't spread very much so you can load the baking sheet up!

Shortbread with keep in an airtight container for about a week or frozen for several months.

Butterfinger Cookies!

These turned out really yummy!

I did forget to take a picture before I put them in the freezer so I am sorry about that!

48 cookies
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 egg
1/2 c. peanut butter
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 bite size (or like 1 1/2 full size) butterfinger candy bars, chopped
Preheat oven to 350°F degrees.
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars.
Add egg; beat well.
Blend in peanut butter and vanilla.
Combine flour, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture and mix well.
Stir in candy bars.
Shape into 1 1/2-inch balls and place on a baking sheet.
Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes, or until cookies just start to turn brown.
Do not over bake!

(the candy bar will get really hard if you do!)
Let sit on cookie sheet for a few minutes, before transfering to a wire rack.
Cool completely.

Enjoy!!

~You are going to start seeing a lot of cookie recipes as I am trying to build a supply in the freezer for Christmas!

Recipe was found here, http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/print?id=24573 but changes were made.

Sopapilla Cheesecake

My Aunt Martha made this recipe at our last family gathering and it was so yummy I wanted to share it with you!

you will need:

2 rolls of crescent rolls (don't get the extra flaky ones)

2 pkgs. cream cheese

cinnamon

1 1/2 cup sugar

1 stick of butter

lay out one roll of crescents in your casserole dish

press down seams

in a bowl mix up cream cheese (room temp), 1 cup sugar and a tsp. of vanilla.

Beat well with mixer.

Spread cream cheese mixture over the crescent layer.

Then top with other roll of crescents.

melt a stick of butter, a little cinnamon and 1/2 cup of sugar.

drizzle on the top.

bake at 350 for about 30 min....

Once cooled cut into small squares and place on serving platter! YUM!

The Best Banana Bread!

I love this banana bread recipe.

It's so easy and I have never had one turn out less than fabulous!

It is very moist and wonderful.

The recipe does not call for nuts but can add them if you like.

Walnuts are a yummy addition.

It can be made by hand or mixer.

I mix the baking soda and flour together before adding it to the banana mixture.

I hope you love this recipe as much as we do!

Banana Bread

Ingredients
3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup sugar (can easily reduce to 3/4 cup)
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

No need for a mixer for this recipe. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla.

Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. (I cool about 15 min in the pan and then I turn it out onto a platter.)

Remove from pan and slice to serve.

(We like it warm with lots of butter!)

Recipe found at : http://elise.com/recipes/archives/001465banana_bread.php