White Cheddar and Garlic Mashed Potato

Potato is such a delicious and versatile ingredient. It has so much flavor on it's own, or can easily be manipulated to take on a veritable plethora of different flavors.

Hubby is your stereotypical meat and potato type of man. I don't mind this, as it makes him easy to please. 

Lately I have been beyond busy with other "things" and have been making just quick meals. Feeling guilty of not properly taking care of my family, I decided to do some faves with a twist. 

This night I made him simple steak tips, tomato/feta salad and these mashed potatoes I saw on Closet Cooking.

On hand, I did not seem to have a whole head of garlic. Shame on me! I did have minced, so I used a heaping tablespoon of that, it seemed to work just fine. Left a hint of the garlic flavor without overpowering the other ingredients.

I also like my potato a bit creamier, so I ended up adding another 1/4 cup of heavy cream.

We were really surprised at how much of the white cheddar flavor really did come through! They are subtle flavors, but enough that anyone you serve this to will be pleasantly surprised.

Ingredients:
1 Lb potato (peeled and cubed)
1 Head garlic (peeled)
2 Tbsp unsalted butter (room temp)
½ Cup sour cream
¼ Cup heavy cream
½ Cup white cheddar cheese (grated)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Boil potatoes and garlic until the potato is fork tender
2. Drain potato, return to pan, and mash
3. Mix in the butter, sour cream, heavy cream, and cheese
4. Season with salt and pepper

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Very simple ingredients. I usually have all of this on hand (or if not, I will now so I can make these anytime!)

Mashed, creamy goodness

Mini Cheesecakes

As long as I can remember, my aunt has been making these cheesecakes.
My version of the recipe is scribbled on the back of an envelope during a phone call to her.

With the popularity of Pinterest, I have seen my little cupcakes everywhere!

Auntie usually makes hers with cherry pie filling, but I have used strawberry and blueberry as well. All are delicious! I have a cousin who requests hers plain when they are made for an event. It's all personal preference.

 Ingredients:
12 oz box vanilla wafer
2 (8 oz each) blocks of cream cheese, softened
¾ Cup sugar
2 Eggs
1 Tsp vanilla

1 Can pie filling

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Line muffin tins with paper liners. Add one cookes to each cup.
3. In bowl, mix cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy
4. Fill each cup about to the top
5. Bake for 40 minutes
6. Cool cheesecakes, and top with a spoonful of pie filling

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Ingredients

I used cherry this time. Yum!

Malted Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies

If your day is ever glum, or no good, or just not up to par...the easiest way to fix it is to bake some cookies!

I had seen this recipe on the Pioneer Woman's site and had to make them. A slight twist on what we all know and love...sold!

Admittedly, I held on to this recipe for a long time before I made them since apparently no store in my area sells malted milk! I finally googled it and realized I had only been checking the baking section, it never occurred to me to check with the hot chocolate. Never did I find just regular Carnation malted milk, but Ovaltine malted milk seemed to work just fine.

Has anyone tried both and can tell me if they taste a difference?


Ingredients:
1 Cup unsalted butter, softened
¾ Cups brown sugar
¾ Cup sugar
2 Eggs
2 Tsp vanilla extract
2 Cups all purpose flour
1 ¼ Tsp baking soda
1 ¼ Tsp salt
⅓ Cup (rounded) malted milk powder
1 (12 oz) bag milk chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Cream butter, then add both sugars and cream until fluffy.
3. Add eggs and beat slightly, then add vanilla and beat until combined.
4. Add malted milk powder and beat until combined
5. Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt.
6. Add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating gently until just combined.
7. Add chocolate chips and stir gently.
8. Drop by teaspoonfulls and bake for 10-12 minutes.

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Buying Ovaltine made me feel 5 again!

Missing Ingredient: SALT

I should start my own collection of stock photos since I always seem to be forgetting something in the picture!

Every time hubby or the girl walks by, they eat one. Guess that means they pass the taste test!

This recipe was shared on: Let's Dish Recipes and Tumbleweed Contessa

Pistachio Cake

Poor, poor pistachio!
More often than not I hear "oh, no thanks...I don't like pistachio"
Seriously people?

Give it a fair try, what did pistachio ever do to you?

Frankly, it's a fave of mine. Pudding, ice cream, shelled nuts, I will eat them all.

This cake was super easy due to the inclusion of a boxed cake mix. I love desserts that come together really quickly and look/taste like you slaved.


Ingredients:
1 Box white cake mix
1 Package (4oz) pistachio instant pudding mix
½ Cups orange juice
½ Cup water
½ Cup vegetable oil
4 Eggs
¾ Cups chocolate syrup

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Grease and flour bundt pan
3. Mix all ingredients but chocolate syrup and beat for two minutes on medium-high
4. Pour ¾ of the batter into the bundt pan
5. Add chocolate syrup to the remaining batter and mix well.
6. Pour chocolate batter on top of the pistachio batter
7. Bake for 1 hour

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Please ignore the fact that apparently someone attacked my OJ before I got to making this cake

Very moist, and a crowd pleaser!

Original recipe adapted from here

Quick Carne Asada

As a working family, with a daughter who has boat-loads of homework, we are always looking for quick weeknight meals.

This meat was cooked so quickly, that it is perfect for any night of the week. You cam serve it as a main dish, or as a side.

I had some tortillas left over so decided to make steak tacos out of it.

Learn from me....soft corn tortillas do not make for awesome tacos. The taste is yum, but they broke apart all over the place. Daughter and hubby went back for seconds...and a fork and knife! They just piled everything on and ate it as is. Whatever works!

Ingredients:
1 Lb flank steak
Red, green, or yellow peppers
1 Onion
1 Tbsp oil
¼ Tsp salt
¼ Tsp pepper

Directions:
1. Slice steak into ½ inch strips, cutting against the grain
2. Slice peppers and onions
3. Heat oil in frying pan and begin to cook meat
4. Season with salt and pepper
5. Add in peppers and onions and cover for 5 minutes
6. Stir occasionally
7. Cook until juices have reduced and meat is cooked through

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Basic ingredients. I did add a bit of garlic powder while it was cooking

Hubby making his taco #1.

Yes, I ambushed him in the kitchen. Thankfully he is a patient man.

Recipe adapted from here

This recipe was shared at: Call me PMC

The Bread

I did question if this qualifies as a recipe. It only has two ingredients for Pete's sake!
"In Ree we trust!"
(I do enjoy the Pioneer Woman, she is just so relate-able!)

I made this to go along with some soup.
Oh...my....word...

This is the best bread I have ever had.
Hubby keeps eating the leftovers.
He even melted cheese on some of it.

While at the grocery store this weekend, he convinced me that we need it again...now!
So, as I type this, my butter is sitting out to soften.

Warning: This is not for dieters.

Ingredients:
1 Loaf French bread, split lengthwise
2 Sticks salted butter, softened

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Spread one stick of softened butter onto each half of the bread
3. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes
4. Put broiler on high and bake for 3-5 minutes, watching the whole time
5. Bread is done when butter has started to brown and blacken

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Simple simple simple

Oh so sweet...and tastes like so much more than bread and butter!

Cheddar Ale Spread

We were having friends over just for a quick visit, like a drop in on their way to an anniversary dinner.

My mother raised me to always have something. I cannot have people come over, or go somewhere without food in hand!

Knowing they were going out to eat shortly after leaving our house, I didn't want anything too heavy. Something they could just nibble at and still leave room for dinner.

This recipe had been floating around my mountain sized pile of "to make" recipes for quite some time, and this was the time to use it.

So easy, and made with foods I already had on hand, it was made in no time flat!
I served this with pretzels and celery...both were the perfect taste match.

Ingredients:
8 oz cream cheese (softened)
2 Tsp dijon mustard
2 ½ Cups shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp heavy cream
¼ Tsp salt
¼ Cup beer (anything but a light beer)
2 Tbsp fresh or 2 Tsp dried parsley

Directions:
1. Combine everything except the beer. Process in food processor for 30 seconds.
2. Add the beer and continue processing until very smooth.
3. Pulse in the parsley until just dispersed.
4. Serve immediately. Or take out of the refrigerator an hour before serving.

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Ingredients: And yes, it is very important not to use a "light" beer, it will mess with the deep flavor

You know you want to reach over and dig right in!