Teacakes

This is my mom's recipe. I use this in place of sugar cookies.

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8 cups flour
1 cup butter
1 cup shortening
3 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon- 1 teaspoon nutmeg (personal taste)
1 tablespoon vanilla

Combine flour, baking soda and nutmeg. Set aside. Cream together butter, shortening, and sugar. Add eggs and mix well. Alternately add flour and sour cream, then add vanilla. Mix well. Divide into 2 balls and cover with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for 1 hour. Roll out dough on a floured surface and cut out. Place in a 350 degree oven for 9-10 minutes.

Strawberry Bread

This is one of my holiday favorites. I don't know why I just do it for the holidays.

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3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. salt
2- 10 oz. pkgs. frozen strawberries
1 1/4 cup oil
4 eggs, well beaten
1 tsp. red food coloring

Reserve 1/2 cup strawberry juice for cream cheese spread. Mix all dry ingredients together. Make a hole in the center of the dry ingredients and pour strawberries, oil and eggs in. Mix by hand until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Add food coloring and mix. Pour into a large greased and floured loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes and then remove from pan and cool completely.

I usually use small loaf pans and they take about 45 minutes to cook

Cream Cheese Spread:

1- 8 oz cream cheese softened
1/2 cup reserved strawberry juice

Mix together, and place between slices of strawberry bread.

Vegetable Casserole

This is one of Aaron's favorite side dishes. We always tell people, that even though it doesn't look that appetizing, it's wonderful.

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1 can french-style green beans - drained
1 can shoepeg corn - drained
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup sour cream
1 can cream of celery soup
salt and pepper to taste

Topping:
1 sleeve Ritz crackers
1 stick butter, melted
1/2 cup slivered almonds

Mix all ingredients, except topping, and place in large baking dish. Refrigerate overnight for the flavors to blend.

Topping: Mix crushed Ritz crackers, butter and almonds and sprinkle on top of casserole. Bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Beef Stroganoff

This recipe was inspired by one I found on cdkitchen.com. I made a few adjustments to fit our taste.

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1 pound stew beef cut in chunks
1 packet Lipton onion soup mix
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup red wine
1 cup water
1/2 cup sour cream

Put all ingredients, except for sour cream, in crock pot. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. Add sour cream before serving. Serve over hot egg noodles.

Pork Taco Meat

I got this recipe from my mom. It makes a lot, and it is a good change to tacos.

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2 1/2 lb pork butt roast-trim off excess fat
2 cups salsa
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp dried oregano
2 tbsp cocoa powder
kosher salt

Mix all ingredients except for the roast. Put in crock pot and put the roast on top. Cook on High for 4-5 hours, or Low 7-8 hours. Turn it once or twice during cooking. When done, take out roast and shred meat. Then put the shredded meat back in the juice. Use in place of hamburger meat for tacos.

We have always used flour tortillas and had soft tacos, but I am sure it would be good in hard shells as well.

Mini Candy Bar Cheesecakes

I believe this is a Paula Dean recipe. It originally called for Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, but I have done it with a few different candies.

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1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
4 Tbls. sugar
1/2 stick butter-melted
12 bite size candy bars of your choice

2 cream cheese-softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs

Line 12 muffin tins with cupcake liners. Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter. Put a small layer in each liner and press down with your fingers, for the crust. Set aside.

Cream the cream cheese and sugar. Add flour and vanilla. Mix well. Add eggs and just mix until they are incorporated.

Put a small layer of cream cheese mixture on each crust. Place candy on top, and then fill the liners with the cream cheese mixture. Cook in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until middle is just set.

Note: I usually make mini cheesecakes, instead of the full size muffins. If you choose to make the mini ones, follow all the steps and just bake for 15 minutes. Makes at least 27.


To make gluten free: Use gluten free Graham Crackers, and gluten free all purpose flour. I made them gluten free the other day, and even though I could taste the difference, people who had never had them before raved over them.

Muffletta Dip

Aaron again...this was a BIG hit at the office the other day, so I volunteered to type it up for Cheryl.

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1 cup chopped green olives with pimientos

3/4 cup chopped cooked ham

3/4 cup chopped salami

3/4 cup chopped provolone cheese

1/2 cup chopped mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup chopped cauliflower

1/2 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives

1/2 cup finely chopped celery

1/4 cup finely chopped carrot

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

2 tbsp capers, drained

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp dried rosemary

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

2 tbsp olive oil

pita chips

In a large bowl, combine everything but the vinegar and oil.

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar and oil. Pour over olive mixture, tossing to coat. Serve with pita chips.

You can make it up the day before, just add the vinaigrette just before serving.

I have to give props where props are due: I think this is a Paula Deen recipe from one of her magazines.

Cheryl's Stir-Fry

Aaron here. Cheryl made some stir-fry tonight that was delicious, so I thought I would squeeze her for the recipe. Here we go.

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1 red bell pepper

1 green bell pepper

1 carrot

2 zucchini

4 thingies of cauliflower

2 tbsp EVOO

2 tsp minced garlic

2 tsp dried onion

2 tsp dried basil

salt

lemon pepper

DiGiorno Three Cheese (it has Parmesan, Romano and Asiago - of course, you could use freshly grated or whatever you had around)

Thinly slice all the vegetables...you know...like for a stir-fry. Heat the oil in a pan (or wok). Add the garlic and cook it for a couple of minutes. Add the onion and cook it for another minute.

Add all the vegetables. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add basil, and salt and lemon pepper to taste. I couldn't nail her down on how much salt and lemon pepper she used.

Continue cooking until the veggies are "crisp tender"...whatever that means...then take it off the heat, sprinkle some cheese on top and cover it with foil for a few minutes.

It was AWESOME.

Let me put it this way. There was also meat served as part of this meal...and it wasn't my favorite part of the meal. I know. You can't believe it, right? Believe. it.

Beef and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Horseradish Mayonnaise

We had these the other night for dinner...and they were awesome!

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1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

2 tsp prepared horseradish

8 slices sourdough bread

2 cups arugula

8 slices (or so) of beef brisket (or roast beef if brisket is not available)

8 slices provolone cheese

1/4 cup butter, softened, and divided

Preheat a non-stick skillet or griddle to medium-low heat.

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, mustard, and horseradish. Use this spread and make a sandwich with the bread, beef, arugula, and cheese. Make sure you put the spread on each piece of bread.

Spread the butter on one side of each sandwich and drop them in the skillet (butter side down, of course). Butter the remaining side. Cook the sandwiches 4 to 5 minutes per side or until they are golden brown. You know how a good grilled cheese sandwich should look. Eat them while they are hot!