Magic in the Middles

Wanted:
Someone as slightly messed up in the head as I am.

Seriously...year round I can watch Christmas movies and bake cookies.
Oddly enough, none of my (in-state) friends feel that same longing.

I do have one in FL who might as well share a mind with me. She is always game...but it's a slight bit of a hike for her.

The girl child rolls her eyes at me when she finds out I was listening to Christmas carols on Pandora. In August.
Or September.
Or any month other than December.

Did she really come from ME?

Funny enough though, there are no rolling of the eyes when the cookies come out of the oven. Hm.

Ingredients:

Dough:

1 ½ Cups all purpose flour

½ Cup unsweetened cocoa powder

½ Tsp baking soda

¼ Tsp salt

½ Cup sugar

½ Cup packed brown sugar

½ Cup unsalted butter (softened)

¼ Cup smooth peanut butter

1 Tsp vanilla extract

1 Large egg

Filling:

¾ Cup smooth peanut butter

¾ Cup powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375

2. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.

4. In another bowl, beat together sugars, butter, and peanut butter until light and fluffy

5. Add vanilla and egg, beating to combine

6. Stir in dry ingredients, blending well

7. Prepare filling: In a small bowl, stir together peanut butter and powdered sugar until smooth.

8. With floured hands, roll the filling into 1-inch balls

9. Break off 1 tbsp of dough. Make indentation in the center and press a peanut butter ball into the indent.

10. Bring dough up over filling, pressing it closed.

11. Roll the cookie in the palms of your hands to smooth it out.

12. Dip the top of each cookie in granulated sugar and place on baking sheets about 2 inches apart

13. Grease the bottom of a drinking glass and use it to flatten each cookie to about ½ inch thick

14. Bake for 7-9 minutes

Print

Dough

Filling

Adapted from: Recipe Girl

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Ginger Beef with Mushrooms

I cut a deal with the cat today.
Yup. We held a conversation and came to a middle ground.

My lower back has not been my friend as of late. Still not sure what I did, but things on the ground are my arch nemesis. No way can I bend down to get any of it.

I was in the hall closet looking for a new container of soap...and I stupidly hit his bag of treats. Yeah, it made the crinkle noise and he came running. It was like slow motion watching said bag-o-treats hit the ground.
Yeah, not going to happen.

In front of my fur baby, I kicked the bag back into the closet and shut the door.
He was looking at me with that wounded look "how can you neglect me so"?

So, I said,
If you can wait 45 minutes until the girl comes home, I will make sure she gives you treats.
Please?
Just a little longer.
It's a lifetime in kitty minutes, I know...but pretty, pretty, pretty please!?

He meowed that it was OK.
I about attacked the girl when she came in. Just told her he needed treats.
Now that I think about it, she didn't ask why...or why they were on the floor.

Oblivious...or maybe not wanting to embarrass her Mama!
Probably more like she is just used to crazy mom. Yeah, I can buy that.

Ingredients:

1 ½ lbs stew beef

24 Baby carrots

1 Red bell pepper, chopped

1 Green bell pepper, chopped

1 Onion, chopped

8 oz white mushrooms (sliced)

2 Tbsp grated fresh ginger

1 Cup beef broth

½ Cup hoisin sauce

¼ Cup quick cooking tapioca

White rice

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients (except rice) in slow cooker

2. Cook on low 8-9 hours

3. Serve over white rice

Print

And of course I forgot an ingredient...shocker!

Adapted from: Moms with Crock Pots

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Mushroom Lasagna

Hubby dearest considers himself an "easy to please" eater.
Yeah...not so much.

The girl and I have learned the importance of clever naming in order to trick entice him to eat.
When we saw this recipe on the Brown Eyed Baker site, we knew we were GOING to have this...but what to do with hubby. Hm.

We decided we would just call it lasagna.
Worst case scenario, we would use the words veggie lasagna.

All I heard while cooking was "OMG something smells soooooo good".
Score!
Yeah, my win was short lived. The girl and I happily ate away while hubby picked the mushrooms out. Every. Last. One.
:::sigh:::

Ingredients:

2 Lbs portobello mushroom caps (gills removed and sliced)

¼ Cup olive oil

Salt and Pepper

1 Cup water

½ oz dried porcini mushrooms (rinsed)

2 Lbs red onion (chopped fine)

8 oz white mushrooms (minced)

4 Garlic cloves (minced)

½ Cup dry vermouth

3 Tbsp unsalted butter

3 Tbsp all purpose flour

3 ½ Cup whole milk

¼ Tsp ground nutmeg

¼ Cup plus 2 Tbsp minced basil

¼ Cup minced parsley

12 Lasagna noodles (cooked)

8 oz fontina cheese (shredded)

1 ½ oz Parmesan cheese (grated)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 425

2. Toss portobello mushrooms with 2 tbsp olive oil, ½ tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper

3. Roast portobello mushrooms in the oven about 30 minutes.

4. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside

5. Microwave the porcini mushrooms in the water for 1 minute or until steaming. Let sit for 5 minutes.

6. Drain mushrooms thru a sieve, reserving the mushroom water. Coarsely chop mushrooms.

7. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a 12 inch skillet until shimmering

8. Add onions, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, and cook. Stir occasionally until softened.

9. Transfer the onions to the bowl with the portobello

10. Heat the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in the empty skillet until shimmering. Add minced white mushrooms and cook until browned and moisture has evaporated.

11. Stir in the porcini mushrooms, 3 garlic cloves, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper

12. Reduce heat to medium and cook until the garlic is fragrant (about 30 seconds)

13. Stir in the vermouth, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is evaporated

14. Stir in the butter and allow to melt. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute.

15. Slowly stir in reserved porcini liquid

16. Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly

17. Stir in nutmeg and bring the sauce to a simmer

18. Cook until the sauce has thickened

19. Take off heat and stir in ¼ cup basil and 2 tbsp of parsley

20. Toss together fontina and Parmesan cheeses

21. Spread one cup of mushroom sauce over bottom of prepared 9 x 13 dish

22. Layer noodles, spread more mushroom sauce and some cheese. Repeat until all noodles are used.

23. Cover dish with aluminum foil (spray the side that contacts with lasagna) and bake 20 minutes

24. Combine remaining 1 clove garlic, 2 tbsp basil and 2 tbsp parsley in a small bowl

25. Remove foil, increase oven temperature to 500 and continue to bake until the cheese becomes spotty brown, about 6-8 minutes

26. Sprinkle lasagna with the garlic herb mixture

27. Let stand 15 minutes before serving

Print

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Meatball Stew

We were heading to a family party one afternoon, and I threw this together in the crock pot for when we got home.
Well, the best laid plans...you know.

We ended up staying much later than expected, and eating way more than expected. Nobody wanted to eat when we got home.
In the fridge this went for another time.

My mother in law was coming over the next day to do some shopping. I threw this back in the crock pot thinking it would make for a super easy lunch.

What I wasn't thinking about was her major sodium issues. If she has just a smidge too much salt, she blows up like a puffer fish. It's not pretty.
When I know she is coming over, I plan accordingly.
Well, this was a last minute thing.

I am pleased to announce that since this soup calls for water and no broth, she was fine!
The rest of us sprinkled a bit of parmesan because we felt it needed some extra saltiness, but that's all good.

Ingredients:

Meatballs:

2 Lb ground beef

1 Envelope onion soup mix

1 Cup Italian bread crumbs

2 Eggs

Stew:

Browned meatballs

10 Cups water

1 Can tomato soup

4 Carrots (chopped)

3 Potatoes (chopped)

2-3 Handfuls of fresh green beans (chopped)

1 Large onion (chopped)

1-2 Tsp pepper

1-2 Tsp salt

2 Tsp onion powder

2 Tsp Garlic powder

Directions:

1. Mix all meatball ingredients.

2. Roll into “golf ball” sized balls and fry in a skillet until cooked

3. Mix all ingredients in a crock pot

4. Cook on low for 7-9 hours

Print

Adapted from: Slow Cooker  Adventures

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Lemon Roasted Chicken Poupon

We had a bunch of friends coming over the other day and hubby wanted chicken wings. I have had this recipe cut out of a magazine, taped onto an index card, for about 15 years!
It was time to try it out.
It was originally made for a roasted chicken, but I feel the need to be different.

After I made them, I had my official taste tester...hubby...try one.
He said it wasn't quite enough flavor, so I made a second batch of sauce.

The girl child was brave enough to try the second basted batch and promptly went for seconds. (all in the name of science don't ya know)

Ingredients:

½ Cup Dijon mustard

4 Tbsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp olive oil

5 Lbs chicken wings

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Mix ¼ cup mustard, 2 tbsp lemon juice, and olive oil in a small bowl

2. Preheat oven to 425

3. Season chicken with salt and pepper

4. Brush chicken with mustard mixture

5. Place chicken on baking rack over cookie sheet. Bake for 30 minutes each side.

6. Mix ¼ cup mustard and 2 tbsp lemon juice

7. Brush mustard mixture over cooked chicken

Print

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip

It can't just be me, I know there is a whole legion of people out there who have sat there and managed to consume a roll of unbaked cookie dough.

Yeah, I can see your cheeks blushing from here.

Then they came out with that whole "don't eat raw dough" bull hockey.
:::sigh:::

Where is that happy medium? Between being afraid of dying of some egg born illness...and being able to drown one's sorrows in a tube-o-deliciousness?

Here is that middle ground.
Enjoy.
Eat until you feel sick.
Share with your girlfriends.
Be the hero. The wind beneath their wings.

Ingredients:

½  Cup butter

⅓ Cup brown sugar

8 oz cream cheese (softened)

½ Cup powdered sugar

1 Tsp vanilla extract

¾ Cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

1. In small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat

2. Whisk in the brown sugar until dissolved

3. Stir in vanilla and set aside to cool

4. In bowl, cream the cream cheese and powdered sugar

5. Add in brown sugar and butter mixture, mix until combined

6. Stir in the mini chocolate chips

7. Serve with vanilla wafers or graham crackers

Print

Adapted from: What Megans Making

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Three Cheese and Beer Quick Bread

Cheese?
Beer?
Bread?
SOLD!

Hubby plays "old man volleyball". Every week, pre-game, all the men folk gather round the picnic table to eat and drink and talk manly things.
This has been going on for 20+ years, and as cute as I think it is...it means I need to make an extra something during the week for him to bring.

As we are a small family, two loaves are a bit much. Normally I would freeze some, but I recently did a bunch of freezer cooking...and had no room to spare.

Lightbulb flashes!

I cut up an entire loaf and sent it to volleyball with my grown man-child.
From what I understand, it was a HIT!

There was none left when he came home.
So very glad I kept some for us!

Ingredients:

6 ½ Cups all purpose flour

2 Tbsp baking powder

1 Tsp salt

2 Tsp dry mustard

1 Tbsp dried Italian herbs

1 ½ Cups sour cream

2 Cups beer (room temperature)

½ Cup tomato juice

1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce

2 Eggs (beaten)

6 oz Shredded gruyere cheese

1 Cup parmesan cheese

6 oz Shredded white cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Grease two loaf pans

3. In large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, dried mustard, and Italian herbs

4. Remove ½ cup gruyere and ¼ cup parmesan, set aside

5. Add remaining cheeses to flour mixture. Mix with fingers so all cheese is coated.

6. In a separate bowl, whisk together the beer, sour cream, tomato juice, eggs, and worcestershire

7. Add liquid mixture to dry ingredients. Stir until just mixed.

8. Divide batter between the two pans.

9. Sprinkle top of each loaf with reserved cheese

10. Bake for 50-55 minutes

Print

Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

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