Crockpot Pepper Steak Soup

2.5 lbs. sirloin tip steak, cut into strips (can also use flank or london broil)
1/4 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
2 T. oil
1 pkg onion soup mix
4 c. beef broth (2 cans)
1 T. tomato paste
1 T. worcestershire sauce or teriyaki sauce
1 T. A-1 sauce
1 green pepper, cut in strips
1/2 onion, sliced
1 t. cumin
2 c. uncooked egg noodles*, optional

Combine flour, salt, & pepper in a ziploc bag. Add steak strips. Seal bag and toss until coated. Brown in oil, about 6 minutes. Place in crockpot. Sprinkle with soup mix. Combine broth, paste, and sauce. Pour over beef. Add other seasonings. Cover and cook on low 8 hours. Add noodles. Cover and cook 30 more minutes. Serve with sour cream if desired.

*This recipe can also be served over rice or as a wrap. We had them as a wrap and they were delicious! Just place meat, cheese, lettuce, chopped tomato, salsa, sour cream, etc...inside a flour tortilla. Fold over one side, then the bottom, then the other side. Serve with chips and fresh fruit. Yum!

Blueberry Muffins

1 1/2 c. SR flour
3/4 c. sugar
1/3 c. oil
1 egg
1/3 c. milk (I had to add a little more for consistency)
1 c. blueberries (I used fresh, but frozen will work too)

Crumb Topping

2/3 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. SR flour
2 T. butter, cubed
1/4 t. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400. Thoroughly spray muffin tins. Combine flour and sugar. Add egg, milk, and oil. Mix well. Fold in blueberries, do not beat. Fill muffin tins to the top.(Be sure you spray around the tops too, they will overflow!) Make crumb topping and sprinkle on top of each muffin before baking. Bake 20-25 minutes until wooden pick comes out clean. (These muffins were huge! & delicious!)

Crumb Topping Directions:

Combine all ingredients with a fork. Sprinkle over tops of muffins before baking.

Brown Sugar Pound Cake with Whipped Cream

1 c. packed light brown sugar
1 c. butter (2 sticks)
4 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1 3/4 c. SR flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x5x3 loaf pan. In a large bowl, beat sugar & butter until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla. Add flour gradually to rest of ingredients. Pour batter into pan. Bake 1 hour or until wooden pick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes, then invert onto plate or tray. Cool completely. Garnish with whipped topping and fruit.

Whipped Topping

1 c. heavy cream
2 T. sugar
1/2 t. vanilla

Combine a;; ingredients in a chilled mixing bowl. Beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks appear. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours.

Crockpot Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Bread with Rum Glaze

2 2/3 c. Bisquick
1 1/2 c. mashed ripe bananas
3/4 c. sugar
1/3 c. butter, melted
1 t. rum flavoring
1 t. vanilla
3 eggs
1 t. ground cinnamon
3/4-1 c. milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 c. diced pecans

Glaze:
2 T. butter, melted
1 c. powdered sugar
1 T. rum flavoring (or 1/2 t. extract)
1-2 t. hot water, to reach consistency

Line a round crockpot. In a large bowl, combine: bananas, sugar, melted butter, rum flavoring, vanilla, and eggs until well blended. Stir in Bisquick, cinnamon, chocolate chips and 1/2 the chopped pecans, Pour into crockpot. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour 30 minutes-2 hours. (Mine took two hours) Bread is done when a wooden toothpick is placed in it and comes out clean. Turn off crockpot, uncover, & remove ceramic base to cooling rack. Let cool 15 minutes. Loosen bread from the edge and cool another hour. Meanwhile combine glaze ingredients until smooth and thick like syrup. Drizzle over top of cake if desired.and sprinkle remaining chopped pecans on top. Enjoy!

1st picture: after removing from crockpot. 2nd picture: after adding glaze.

Orange Sherbet Brownies

1 box orange cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 c. oil
Glaze: (optional)
1 c. powdered sugar
1-2 T. milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine cake mix, eggs, and oil until well combined Place in a sprayed 8x8 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Cool before adding glaze. Combine the powdered sugar and milk until smooth and spreadable. Spread over warm brownies. Cool before cutting. Enjoy!

*Other flavor cake mixes can be made using all the same ingredients and prepared the same way. Yummy!

First picture: right out of the oven. Second picture after being cut. I didn't add any glaze to these brownies.

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

1 1/4 lb ground chicken

1/4 c. Panko bread crumbs

1 large egg

2 scallions, chopped, optional

1/3 c. finely minced celery

1/3 c. finely minced carrot

1 clove crushed garlic

salt and pepper, to taste

1/3 c. Buffalo Hot sauce

1/4 c. bleu cheese dressing (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly spray a non-stick baking sheet. In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, panko crumbs, egg, scallions, celery, carrot and garlic; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Roll the mixture (1/8 cup each) into 26 round meatballs. Place meatballs onto baking sheet and bake until cooked through and golden, about 16 to 18 minutes. Place the meatballs in a bowl, add the buffalo sauce and gently toss to combine. Serve immediately, drizzled with bleu cheese dressing, if desired.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake

10 graham crackers

7 T. melted butter
24 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 ½ c. powdered sugar, divided
1 t. vanilla extract
1 ½ c. chocolate chips, melted
2 c. peanut butter, melted

Place graham crackers into a plastic bag and crush them into fine crumbs with a rolling pin/hammer. Pour the graham cracker crumbs into a bowl and combine with melted butter. Press the graham cracker crumbs in an even layer into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Refrigerate. (Or you can use a store bought extra large crust if desired) In a large bowl, mix together softened cream cheese, 1 ½ c. powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and mix until the color is even. Pour the mixture over the graham cracker crust in the springform pan. Using a spatula or spoon, smooth the top. Refrigerate. In a large bowl, mix together melted peanut butter and 1 c. powdered sugar. Pour mixture over cheesecake in springform pan. Use a knife or spatula to spread evenly and smooth the top. Refrigerate for 2–4 hours. Enjoy!

My Grandmother's Fried Corn

6-8 ears of fresh sweet corn (she liked silver queen)

1 T. bacon drippings

2 T. butter

1/2 c. milk

1 T. cornstarch or flour

1 t. salt

1/4 t. black pepper

Shuck and silk your corn.  Make sure to remove all of the silks and then with a sharp knife cut the corn off into a bowl.  Once the kernels are all cut off, take your knife and scrape down the cob to remove all the milk that is left in it. In a skillet heat together the bacon drippings and the butter. Add the corn and let it cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes. Mix the cornstarch and the cold milk until smooth. Pour into the corn and bring it up to a bubble. Stir and cook just until it thickens. Add the salt and pepper, stir again, and serve. Yummy!

Breakfast Egg Cups

5 eggs
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

spinach, chopped
tomatoes, diced
onion, diced fine
bell pepper, diced
broccoli, cut into small florets 
Parmesan cheese
cheddar cheese

ham, diced

mushrooms, sliced

steak strips, cooked

salsa, medium

6 cup muffin tin

In a measuring cup, beat the eggs until smooth. Set aside. In a sprayed muffin tin, place your desired combination of fillings into each muffin cup. Season each cup with salt and pepper. Pour the beaten eggs into each muffin cup until the liquid almost reaches the top. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes, until set. Enjoy!

*you can use muffin papers if desired for easier clean up.

Baking Cookies in Muffin Tins

Your favorite cookie recipe or cookie mix, prepared as directed

Spray or line regular size muffin tins with baking papers. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place 1 T. of dough in tins and bake as recipe calls for. Because the cookies are a little thicker, you may need to bake 1-2 minutes longer. You can also add mini or chopped candy like Reese's peanut butter cups, York peppermint patties, caramels, etc..to the cookie batter, then top with another T. of dough before baking for an added surprise. Mini muffin tins may also be used for making cookies. This recipe works well with drop cookies too.

*Baking cookies in muffin tins makes them softer and more uniform in size. They don't spread out and run together.

Enjoy!