Sugar Cookie Easter/Spring Nests

2 1/2 c. SR flour
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. oil
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
1/4 t. almond extract
1 1/2 c. shredded coconut, optional
72 egg shaped candies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together butter, sugar, and oil on medium speed. Add egg, vanilla, and almond extract. Gradually add four. Mix on low speed until dough formed. Divide the dough into 24 paper lined muffin tin cups. Press dough evenly into cups. Top with 1 T. coconut. Spread to the edges of dough. It will shrink as it bakes. Bake for 11-13 minutes until coconut starts to brown. While still soft and warm, use wooden dowel or teaspoon to make indention in cooked dough for nests. Allow to cool completely. Add 3 egg candies per nest before serving. Cute idea for Easter or spring parties. Enjoy!

1st picture is after baking, before candy added. 2nd & 3rd pictures are after adding candies and decorative picks.

Roasting a Whole Chicken

chicken fryer, giblets and neck removed (reserve for gravy if desired)
dry rub & seasonings

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse chicken with cold water. Pat dry. Sprinkle chicken inside and out with seasonings. Place breast side up in shallow pan. Cook uncovered, 20 minutes per pound, until juices run clear and thermometer registers 180 degrees in thigh.

Crockpot Whole Chicken

4 t. salt
1 t. cayenne pepper
2 t. paprika
1 t. thyme
1-1 1/2 t. pepper, to taste
3 T. garlic, minced
2.5 lb.-5 lb chicken (I used a 5 lb chicken in a 6 qt crockpot) Be sure to remove giblets and neck!
4 cloves garlic
half a lemon or 1 small apple
2 medium carrots, sliced
3 ribs celery, optional
1 medium onion, 1/2 chopped
1 large potato, sliced

Combine 1st 6 ingredients to use as a rub, or use any rub you have on hand. Rub this mixture all over chicken. Stuff the cavity with apple or lemon, garlic cloves, and 1/2 onion. This will help keep the chicken moist, as well as add flavor. Place the sliced carrots, celery, chopped onion, and sliced potato in the bottom of the lined crockpot. Place seasoned chicken on top of vegetables, breast side up. No water is needed since the vegetables will make their own juices. If desired, you may add 1 c. water or chicken broth during the last hour. Cover and cook on low for 8 hrs, or high for 4 hrs. Remove chicken and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with the vegetables and a salad.

1st picture is before cooking, 2nd is after cooking

4 Ingredient Crockpot Cobbler

2 cans pie filling (cherry, peach, strawberry, blueberry, etc..)
1 vanilla cake mix + 2/3 c. additional mix*
8 oz. butter, sliced
1/3 c. chopped pecans, optional

Place liner in crockpot. Place pie filling in bottom. Top with dry cake mix, butter slices, and pecans. Cook on high 2-2 1/2 hrs, until done. Serve with whipped topping or vanilla ice cream. Yum!
* cake mixes used to be 18 oz. Now they are 15 oz. Adding another 2/3 c. white or yellow cake mix will make up the difference.

Cinnamon Baked Apples

2 T. brown sugar, I used splenda blend
3 t. sugar, I used splenda
3 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
1 t. vanilla
3 1/2 T. water
6 large apples, cores and sliced, I used fuji apples & left the peelings on (the vitamins and minerals are here)

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a pyrex dish.  Combine all ingredients, except apples and water. Layer 1/3 of apples in dish. Add 1/3 of the sugar mixture on top. Repeat 2 more times. Bake 30 minutes. Pour water over apples and continue baking 15 more minutes until tender.

Crockpot Peach-Glazed Ham

1 5-6 lb. fully cooked half ham or tenderloin (I used a spiral sliced ham)
18 oz. jar peach preserves
1 c. Reisling wine, or cooking sherry
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 T. dry mustard
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 t. thyme, or to taste

Score the outer layer of fat on the ham. Do not cut too deep into the meat. Combine all other ingredients. Place liner in crockpot. Place ham in bottom. Pour the glaze over the ham, using a brush if necessary to make sure the cut places on the ham are covered. *Place the lid on. Cook 4 hours on low. Remove from crockpot and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Brush glaze over ham before serving. Enjoy!

I served this with macaroni and cheese, cinnamon apples, and green beans.

*If the lid won't fit on your crockpot, wrap the entire top of the crockpot with heavy duty aluminum foil and cook as directed. You can add the lid later (removing aluminum foil) after the ham cooks down, if desired. (every time you remove the lid/foil it increases the cooking time 20-30 minutes)

Converting Oven/Stove Cooking to Crockpot Tips

Almost any recipe you traditionally make in the oven or on the stovetop, can be made in a crockpot. Here are some tips for success:

Stove/Oven (350 degrees): 
15-30 minutes in oven = 4-6 hrs on low; 1 1/2-2 1/2 hrs on high in crockpot
35-45 minutes in oven = 6-8 hrs on low; 3-4 hrs on high in crockpot
50 min-3 hrs in oven = 8-10 hrs on low; 4-6 hrs on high in crockpot

*Reduce the amount of liquid a recipe calls for by about half. The crockpot will produce more liquid that won't get boiled away.
*If the recipe doesn't call for any liquid, you may need to add 1/2 c. of water or broth to produce enough steam for the crockpot to reach the right temperature. This isn't always the case. If you are cooking something that will produce moisture, like mushrooms, they will cook down and make their own moisture.
*I usually brown any ground meat, like ground chuck, sirloin, sausage, etc..before placing in the crockpot. I also rinse and drain it well. This will reduce the amount of fat too, But I usually don't cook chicken, pork, smoked sausage, etc..first before placing in the crockpot. I guess because they are more textured.
*Cut vegetables into the same size slices for consistent cooking.
*More delicate vegetables like: tomatoes, peas, etc..should be added near the end of the cooking time.
*In soups and stews containing dairy products like: milk, cheese, etc.. should be added in the last 30-60  minutes, to keep them from scorching.
*At the end of the cooking time, if there appears to be too much liquid, remove the lid and allow the water to cook out. (Turning the crockpot to high may make this go faster)
*If you want to thicken the sauce, add evaporated milk, half and half, sour cream, cheese, or cornstarch (mixed with a little water or some of the broth).
*whole herbs and spices may need to be reduced by half, as they are more flavorful in a crockpot, Ground spices may lose some of their flavor, so add them during the last hour of cooking.
*One hour on high is generally equal to 2 hrs on low. Most recipes can be adjusted using this formula. (4 hrs on high = 8 hrs on low, 3 hrs on high = 6 hrs on low, etc..)
*Use evaporated milk in a recipe cooking 8-10 hours, or wait til the last hour to add regular milk.
*Frozen foods may be cooked in the crockpot without defrosting.
*Vegetables do not need to be sauteed first before adding to crockpot. You may need to reduce the amount of stronger vegetables like: onions & garlic, since they will permeate other vegetables with their full flavor.
*Dry beans can be cooked on low overnight as an alternative to soaking. Cover with water and add 1 t. baking soda. Drain when done and combine with other ingredients. Be sure beans are softened before adding to any sugar or tomato mixture.
*For soups, add water only to cover the ingredients. If thinner soup is desired, more liquid can be added at the last hour of cooking.
*Most uncooked meat and vegetable combinations will require at least 6 hours on low, some 8 hrs. Plan accordingly, and know your crockpot's guidelines.
*If the lid won't fit on the crockpot due to size of the meat, wrap the entire top of the crockpot with heavy duty aluminum foil until meat has cooked down. Remove the foil and place the lid on, if desired, or just continue cooking with aluminum foil.
*Removing the lid during cooking times will increase the amount of time the food needs to cook by 20-30 minutes each time you open the lid. Removing the lid to stir is not necessary unless the recipe calls for it.

Enjoy your crockpot cooking! I do!!

Crockpot Pork Chops and Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

4 pork chops
salt and pepper, to taste
1-2 bags Dutch yellow potatoes, or 3 pounds red potatoes, sliced and divided
1 onion, sliced
1/4 c. flour, divided
16 oz. jar Prego alfredo with bacon or Ragu double cheddar sauce
3/4 c. milk

Place liner in crockpot. Place pork chops in bottom. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Layer 1/4 of the sliced potatoes over the chops. Top with onion slices. Sprinkle with 1 T. flour, and more salt and pepper if desired. Repeat the layers 3 more times. Mix the cheese sauce with the milk until smooth and pour over potatoes. Put the lid on the crockpot and cool on low for 6 hours, or until potatoes are cooked through. I like serving pork with cinnamon apples. Enjoy!

Homemade Whipped Cream

4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/3 c. confectioners sugar
1 1/2 t. vanilla
1 c. heavy whipping cream


Beat cream cheese with sugar and vanilla until soft and creamy. Beat the whipping cream until soft peaks form. You'll want them to collapse, not stand up. Add the cream cheese mixture a little at a time. Beat until stiff peaks form. Store covered in refrigerator until ready to use.

Hard "Boiled" Eggs in the Oven

12 eggs

Place eggs in muffin tin. No water needed. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. As soon as you take them out of the oven, place them in a bowl of ice water. Peel the eggs and prepare as desired. Perfect every time!

Better Buttercream Icing

2 sticks butter, room temperature
1 t. flavor extract, if desired (orange, coconut, banana, strawberry, vanilla, etc..)
1 lb. confectioners sugar
1-2 T. milk**
food coloring, optional

Beat butter on high until light & fluffy. Add desired flavor, if using. Add confectioners sugar. Add milk until desired consistency reached. Beat everything together on high. Add food coloring if desired.

*may add cocoa powder for chocolate buttercream icing if desired
**may use coconut milk instead

Cinnamon Honey Butter

1 stick butter, softened
1 1/4 T. honey
1 1/4 t. cinnamon

Combine honey & cinnamon until blended. Beat butter, then add cinnamon mixture. Add more honey or cinnamon if needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate in air tight container. Serve at room temperature.

Crockpot Smoked Sausage & Sauerkraut Medley

2 14.5 oz. cans sauerkraut, undrained
1 bag baby Dutch yellow potatoes, cut in chunks
1 c. water
1 pkg. smoked sausage or kielbasa, sliced or cut in chunks
1 t. caraway seeds, optional
1 bay leaf
1/4 t. pepper

Place sauerkraut in lined crockpot. Add potatoes, spices and water. Place sausage on top. Cook 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low, until potatoes are done. Enjoy!

Best Graham Cracker Crust

2 c. Graham cracker crumbs (boxed or crushed crackers)
1/3 c. butter, melted
1/4 c. sugar
1 t. salt

Combine all ingredients and spread in bottom of dish or pan. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Chill for one hour before filling. Does not need to be baked for lemon ice box pie.

For 9x13 dish:

3-3 3/4 c. graham cracker crumbs

3 T. brown sugar

1/2 c. butter, melted

Combine and press into bottom of dish. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Cool before filling. Does not need to be baked for lemon ice box pie.

Meringue

For 2 standard pies:

4 egg whites, at room temperature
8 T. sugar
1 t.vanilla
cream of tartar, optional*
cornstarch, optional**

Beat the egg whites on high until they start to foam. *Add cream of tartar, if desired (my mother never used it). When the mixture starts to thicken, add sugar, one spoonful at a time. Continue to beat until stiff. Add vanilla. **Add cornstarch if it is a rainy or humid day. It will absorb the moisture. Place on pies. Place pies in an oven preheated to 350 degrees and lightly brown.(mom always put the pies in the oven and then turned it off, but my pies don't brown that way.)

***If you only need meringue for 1 pie, only use 2 egg whites and 4 T. sugar (a good rule of thumb is to use 2 T sugar for every egg white)

Kathy's Meatloaf

3 lbs. lean ground beef
6 oz. crushed cheese crackers**
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
12 oz. jar chili sauce***
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1 c. oats

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients. Place in sprayed 9x13 dish/pan. Bake 1- 1 1/2 hours until done. If using a smaller dish, the meatloaf will be thicker and will need to cook longer. I served with mashed potatoes and green beans. (When I was a child, my mom made meatloaf using oats and condensed vegetable soup. She didn't add anything to the soup and she didn't drain off any liquid. She said it was a way to get us to eat vegetables.)

*Meatloaf won't crack if rubbed with cold water before baking.
**Can use only oats if you don't have cheese crackers. I didn't increase the amount of oats.
***Can substitute BBQ sauce if you don't have chili sauce.