Mom's old-fashioned potato salad

8 medium red potatoes

2 tsp white vinegar

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp celery seeds

2 scallions finely chopped

3 medium celery stalks, finely chopped

3 sliced pickles

3 hard cooked eggs, diced

1 1/2 C mayo

1 tsp yellow mustard

2 tsp milk to thin the mayo

1. Cook the potatoes

2. Peel and cut potatoes into 3/4 inch pieces. Add the vinegar, salt pepper, and celery seeds and toss to coat the potatoes. Stir in the scallions, celery , pickles and eggs.

3. In a bowl whisk together the mayo, mustard and the milk. Pour over salad and chill.

Gingered Carrots

2 T unsalted butter

1 tsp grated fresh ginger

2 T light brown sugar

1/2 C Chicken broth

1 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch rounds

1. Melt the butter in the pressure cooker over medium-high heat. Add the ginger and saute for 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the sugar and stock, stirring to combine. Stir in the carrots. Lock the lid in place and cook at high pressure for 4 minutes.

2. Quick release the pressure and remove the lid. Serve immediately.

Buttermilk Banana Bread

from melskitchencafe.com

*Makes 1 large loaf

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed bananas (I use about 3 average sized bananas)
4 tablespoons buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
Grease and flour 1 large loaf pan (9 1/4 X 5 1/4-inch) or whatever combination of pans you'd like (several commenters have said this recipe works great made into muffins or smaller loaf pans).
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs, bananas, buttermilk and vanilla until the batter is well mixed. Add in the flour, baking powder, salt and soda. Mix until well combined. Divide batter into greased and floured bread pans and bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Maria's notes: With this recipe I have finally convinced all of my children that they really do like banana bread! I use three of the 8 1/2 X 4 1/2 inch bread pans. The loaves are smaller, but that way they always get done in the middle. I bake them for 35-40 minutes. My children love a few chocolate chips sprinkled on top. This bread is a nice light color --very pretty. We love it.

Selfish Salad

Large package of lemon jello

2 cans of 7-up ( you will have leftovers)

large can crushed pineapple-drained and save juice!

2-3 bananas, sliced

1 bag small marshmallow

Topping:

1 egg

1/2 C sugar

saved pineapple juice

1 C whipping cream

Dissolve a large package of lemon jello in 1 C boiling water. Add 2 C of cold 7-up. Add drained crushed pineapple and sliced bananas. Put in 9x13 pan. Use enough of the marshmallow to cover. Chill.

In pan, beat one egg. Add the pineapple juice and the 1/2 C sugar. Put on the stove and stir and boil until thickens. Let cool.

Beat 1 cup whipping cream. Mix cooked, juice mixture with it. Spread on top of jello.

Pudding & Cream Frosting

This is from Cherise.

1 C whipping cream

1 (3 1/2 oz) package instant pudding mix, any flavor

1 c milk

In bowl, beat cream to stiff peaks. Set aside. In another bowl, beat pudding mix with milk on low speed for 1 minute. Let set 1 minute. Fold in whipped cream. Chill until ready to use.

Toasted Coconut Rice Pudding

1 1/2 C arborio or another short grain rice

1 1/2 C whole milk

1 C half and half

one 14 oz can coconut milk

1 C sugar

2 C toasted shredded coconut

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1. Coat the inside of the pressure cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Combine the rice, milk, half and half, coconut milk, sugar, 1 C of the toasted coconut, and the nutmeg in the pressure cooker, stirring to blend. Lock the lid in place and cook at low pressure for 15 minutes.

2. Quick release the pressure and remove the lid. Serve warm or cold with remaining toasted coconut.

Od-Fashioned Rice Pudding

1 1/2 C arborio or another short grain rice

2 C whole milk

2 C half and half

1 C sugar

1 T vanilla extract

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1. Coat the inside of the pressure cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Combine all the ingredients in the cooker, stirring to blend. Lock the lid in place and cook at low pressure for 15 minutes.

2. Quick release the pressure and remove the lid. Transfer the pudding to a serving bowl. Serve warm or cold.

Alabama-style BBQ Sauce

2 T canola oil

1 large onion finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp celery salt

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp sweet paprika

1 tsp dry mustard

2 C ketchup

2 T apple cider vinegar

1/2 C firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 C maple syrup

2 T molasses

3 T worcestershire sauce

one 8 oz can tomato sauce

1 tsp liquid smoke

1/4 C beef broth

In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, celery salt, cayenne, paprika and dry mustard and saute for 2 to 3 minutes to soften the onion. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes, or until thickened. The sauce will keep in the refrigerator, covered for up to 1 week.

Pulled chicken for Barbecue

1 tsp garlic salt

2 T firmly packed light brown sugar

1 T sweet paprika

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

2 tsp celery seeds

1 tsp onion salt

8 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1 1/2 C chicken broth

1. In a small bowl, combine the garlic salt, sugar, paprika, cayenne, celery seeds, and onion salt. Rub the mixture into the chicken. Pour the stock into the pressure cooker and stack the chicken to fit. Lock the lid in place and cook at high pressure for 10 minutes.

2. Release the pressure naturally and remove the lid. Remove the chicken from the pot and transfer to a cutting board. Strain the stock; it's terrific to add to barbecue sauce for extra flavor. Pull the chicken apart into shreds or cut into 1/2 inch dice. If not using the stock right away, refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 6 months. Cool and refrigerate the chicken for up to 3 day or freeze up to 3 months.

Pulled chicken Sandwiches

3. In a Dutch oven, combine the cooked chicken with 1 recipe of ALABAMA-STYLE BBQ SAUCE and simmer over low heat for 1 hour. Serve the chicken on soft rolls with slaw or potato salad on the side.

Cooked Chicken in the Electric Pressure Cooker

1 1/2 C chicen broth

8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1. Combine the stock and chicken in the pressure cooker, stacking the chicken to fit. Lock the lid in place and cook at high pressure for 10 minutes.

2. Release the pressure naturally and remove the lid. Remove the chicken to a cutting board. Strain the broth and reserve for a later use (refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 6 months). If using the chicken for a salad, chop into 1/2 inch-dice. Or shread it for a Mexican dish. If not using right away cool and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months.

Traditional Beef Stew

2 T extra-virgin olive oil

2 lb. beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch pieces

2 tsp. salt, plau more if needed

1 tsp pepper

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 large onion, chopped

1 tsp thyme

3 C beef broth

4 medium red potatoes, quartered

4 medium carrots, cut into 2 inch pieces or 2 C baby carrots

2 C defrosted frozen corn

1 1/2 C frozen petite peas

2 T butter, softened

2 T flour

1. Heat the oil in the pressure cooker over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the meat evenly with salt and pepper, add to the pressure cooker a few pieces at a time, and brown on all sides, removing the meat to a plate when done, Add the garlic, onion and thyme and saute for 2 minutes, or until the onion begins to soften. Return the meat to the pot and add the stock. Pile the potatoes and carrots on top of the meat. Lock the lid in place and cook at high pressure for 15 minutes.

2. Release the pressure naturally and remove the lid, tilting the pot away from you to avoid the escaping steam. Skim off any excess fat from the sauce and add the corn and peas to the pot. Bring the stew to a boil. In a small dish, stir together the butter and flour to from a paste and add it to the pot. Return the stew to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Minnesota Wild Rice Soup

This is the soup I made when we had our sister's get together at my house.

1/4 C wild rice cooked (follow directions on the box)

1 large onion, finely chopped

5 chicken breasts cooked and cubed. ( I used 2 bottles of my canned chicken)

4 Knorr chicken boullion cubes

6 C water

2 C half and half

1 cube butter

1 C flour

In a large pot, melt butter, and add onion and grated carrots. Let this cook on low heat until the vegetables are tender. Add flour and stir until well mixed. Slowly stir in the water, a cup at a time until well blended. Add the boullion cubes, half and half, chicken and cooked wild rice. Let this simmer without boiling for 45 minutes.

Aunt Dana's Popcorn

This is the popcorn my Aunt Dana used to make for our Livingston Family Reunions. I rarely got more than a taste because the bowl would go so fast. She would also use food coloring to make it more fun for us kids. For example, I made it for Valentine's Day and made it red and then just last week I made it for St. Patrick's Day and made it green.

Ingredients & Instructions

4 quarts popped popcorn (old maids removed of course)
3 cups mini-marshmallows

Mix those together in a large bowl. {Note: Since we don't own a popcorn popcorn, I usually pop 3 or 4 bags of microwave popcorn, depending on how gooey I want the popcorn.}

1 c. butter (2 sticks)

1 1/3 c. sugar

1/2 c. lite corn syrup

Combine butter, sugar, and corn syrup in a pan on stove and bring to a boil. Boil 3 minutes and remove from heat. If you are adding any food coloring, now would be the time. Then pour mixture over the marshmallows and popcorn and stir until evenly coated. Enjoy!

Thai Beef Tacos with Lime-Cilantro Slaw

Thai Beef Tacos with Lime-Cilantro Slaw from www.dealstomeals.blogspot.com

Steak:
2 T sugar
3 t. ginger powder
1 t. sweet chili sauce
1/2 t freshly ground pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 c. lime juice
4 T. rice vinegar
1 T. Montreal Steak Seasoning
A few shakes of sesame oil
3 lbs. boneless steak, trimmed (top sirloin works great)

Cole Slaw:
1/2 c fresh lime juice
1/3-1/2 c. sugar (depending how sweet you like it)
4 T rice wine vinegar
2 1/2 t ginger powder (or fresh)
1 1/2 t sesame oil
1/2 t sweet chili sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 c. mayonnaise (I used fat free)
Salt & pepper
3 c. packaged angel hair slaw (or green cabbage--the cabbage you cut yourself holds up a little better to the sauce-but the package is nice on a busy night)
2 c. carrots, cut into matchsticks
1/4 c sliced green onions
1/2 c chopped fresh cilantro

Remaining Ingredients:
10-12 (6-inch) fat-free flour tortillas (the fresh tortillas from Costco are the best with this recipe--they are soft, warm and yummy!!)

1 - To prepare steak, combine first 6 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add steak to bag; seal and marinate in refrigerator 20 minutes.
2 - Prepare grill or broiler.
3 - Remove steak from bag; discard marinade. Place steak on grill rack or broiler pan coated with cooking spray; cook 5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across grain in to thin slices.
4 - To prepare slaw, combine juice and next 6 ingredients (through 2 garlic cloves) in a large bowl. Add slaw and next 3 ingredients (through cilantro); toss well to combine.
5 - Divide steak evenly among tortillas; spoon about 1/2 c slaw onto each tortilla. Fold in half; serve immediately.

Yield: 6-8

Glenns' Wheat Bread

Ingredients

2 T yeast dissolved in 1/2 c. lukewarm water

2 c. milk - warmed in microwave - not hot

1/4 c. shortening

1 egg

1 Tbsp. salt

1/3 c. molasses

1/2 c. brown sugar

4 c. wheat flour

approx. 3-4 c. white BREAD flour - to correct consistency

Directions

Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl and knead by hand or with electric mixer, adding white flour until dough bowls away from bowl and bowl comes clean. Knead in electric mixer about 10 minutes.

Place dough in greased bowl, turn over, and cover. Let rise approximately one hour or until doubled in size. Punch dough down and divide into three equal parts, shape into loaves, and place in greased bread pans. Cover and let rise until size doubles.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and then bake loaves for approximately 45 minutes.

Kierstin's Notes

1. To stretch your yeast, I never use the full amount of yeast. I use about 1 Tbsp of yeast and find this is plenty. It may just take the dough a little longer to rise.

2. To speed up dough rising, I preheat oven to lowest temperature setting (about 170 degrees), turn off the oven, and place dough in covered bowl in the oven.

3. If I don't have ground wheat flour ready, I throw in cooked cracked wheat cereal and use all white bread flour until dough reaches correct consistency (1 c. water and 1/3 c. cereal, cooked).

4. I have also substituted buttermilk for milk. It gives it a great flavor.

5. Always use a Bosch mixer for best results (ha, ha!).

Russian Punch

Bring to boil: 5 quarts water & 3 cups sugar
Add: 1 (16 oz) can frozen orange concentrate & 1 (6 oz) can frozen lemonade

Make a spice bag (cheesecloth or porous fabric tied with a string) containing 1 tsp whole cloves & 1 tsp cinnamon.

Place spice bag in the punch and bring it to boil. Then lower heat to a simmer and leave spice bag in while it simmers (or while in the refrigerator before heating) for best "seasoning" of the punch. Serve hot.

I had this at a Relief Society meeting the other night and it was very good.

Mushroom Wild Rice

2 1/4 cups water
1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed beef consomme, undiluted
1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed French onion soup, undiluted
3 (4 ounce) cans mushroom stems and pieces, drained (I only use two and I chop them up nice and small so the kids don't know they are in there!)
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 cup uncooked brown rice
1 cup uncooked wild rice

In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients; stir well. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or until rice is tender.

by Loriann

Honey Oatmeal Bread

This is from my KitchenAid recipe book. I've made this bread several times, and we really like it. It is a nice change from wheat but still a little more substantial than plain white. See my NOTES at end of recipe.

1 1/2 C water
1/2 C honey
1/3 C butter or margarine
5 1/2-6 1/2 C flour
1 C quick cooking oats
2 tsp salt
2 packages active dry yeast (4 1/2 tsp)
2 eggs
1 egg white
1 T water
Oatmeal

Place water, honey and butter in small saucepan. Heat over low heat until mixture is very warm.

First place oats, then 5 cups flour, salt and yeast in mixer bowl. Mix. Gradually add warm mixture to flour mixture and mix about 1 minute. Add eggs and mix about 1 minute. Add remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, and mix about 2 minutes or until dough starts to clean sides of bowl. Knead about 2 minutes longer.

Place dough in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover. Let rise in warm place, free from draft, about 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.

Punch dough down and divide in half. Shape each half into a loaf. Place in two greased 8 1/2X4 1/2X2 1/2 inch baking pans. Cover. Let rise in warm place, free from draft, about 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.

Beat egg white and water together with a fork. Brush top of loaves with mixture. Sprinkle with oatmeal. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from pans immediately and cool on wire racks.

NOTES: I divided the dough into three pieces and used my bread pans that are slightly smaller than the above measurements. I don't brush the dough with egg whites and water. I just butter the top when I take them out of the oven. I baked the bread at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

(photo added by Vanessa)

Gingerbread with Cinnamon Whipped Cream

Maria's notes: I made this for the New Years Eve party 2011 at Braswells.

from melskitchencafe.com
*Serves 12

Gingerbread:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 cup molasses
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup very hot water

Cinnamon Whipped Cream:
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9X13-inch baking pan and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until well blended. Add the eggs and molasses and blend again. Sift the dry ingredients together in a mesh strainer directly into the molasses/butter/sugar mixture and mix. Add the hot water and beat until the batter is smooth. It will be fairly thin.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 32-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Don't overbake or the gingerbread will be dry.

Serve the gingerbread warm or cold with cinnamon whipped cream and sliced bananas, if desired.

For the cinnamon whipped cream:
In a medium bowl, begin beating the whipped cream. After it starts to just slightly thicken, add the sugar and cinnamon and beat until medium-stiff peaks form.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese

1 can (10 oz) chunk white chicken, drained ( I used 1 pint of bottled chicken)

1/2 C buffalo sauce

1/2 C ranch dressing

2 Cups shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese

Tortilla Chips

Spread cream cheese into an ungreased shallow 1-qt. baking dish. Layer with chicken, buffalo sauce and ranch dressing. Sprinkle with cheese.

Bake uncovered, at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve warm with tortilla chips.

Meatballs with Peppers and Pineapple

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/12/meatballs-with-peppers-and-pineapple/

Meatball Ingredients:
1 1/4 pound ground beef
1/2 onion, diced very finely
1 egg
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs (or regular breadcrumbs)
1 tsp Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper, or more to taste
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Canola oil, for frying

Sauce Ingredients:
2 green bell peppers, seeded and diced roughly
1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple chunks
2 cups beef stock or broth
2 Tbs soy sauce
1/2 cup sherry or white wine vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tbs cornstarch
Salt to taste
Crushed red pepper to taste
Extra beef stock, if needed

Preparation Instructions:

Combine ground beef, diced onion, egg, salt, pepper, breadcrumbs, and crushed red pepper. Mix with hands until combined. Roll meat mixture into small balls and place on a cookie sheet. Freeze on the pan for 15 minutes to firm.
Mix together beef stock, soy sauce, sherry (or vinegar), sugar, and cornstarch.
Heat canola oil over medium-high heat. Roll meatballs in flour, then fry in two batches until nice and brown, about two minutes per batch. Remove meatballs and set aside on a separate plate.
Pour off oil from pan and return pan to medium high heat. When pan is hot, throw in the chopped green peppers and cook for one minute. Add pineapple to pan and cook for one minute, stirring gently. Pour in stock/soy sauce mixture, then add meatballs. Stir gently to combine and allow to cook and bubble for a few minutes, or until sauce is thickened. Add salt and crushed red peppers to taste. (Hint: this dish is yummy if it’s a little spicy.)
Serve over cooked brown or white rice.
*We used apple cider vinegar
*We took out meatballs and sauce for Miriam before adding crushed red pepper. We like spicy food.

Double Chocolate Muffins

printed from melskitchencafe.com

*Note: This recipe makes more than 24 muffins. Because I only have two regular-sized muffins pans and was impatient, I made the rest of the batter into 16 mini muffins. You could easily make all regular-sized muffins if you want. Also, I had some all-natural plum juice in the refrigerator and subbed that in for the water. The taste was unnoticeable but was a little boost in fruit and fiber. I think the water would work just as well, but if you have plum juice just sitting around, throw it in!

*Makes 24 regular sized muffins and 16 mini-muffins

Maria's note: I made about 29 regular sized muffins. We all really liked these muffins--not too sweet--definitely more on the dark chocolate side of chocolate.

INGREDIENTS:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cups sugar
3/4 cup baking cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 cup light or regular sour cream
1/2 cup water or plum juice
1/2 cup lowfat milk
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, chocolate chips and salt. Toss to combine. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, water (or juice), milk, oil and vanilla. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and stir in the wet mixture, stirring just until moistened (a few dry streaks and lumps are fine).

Line muffins cups with paper liners and fill the cups 1/2 to 2/3 full. Bake for 16-18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove the muffins to a wire rack to let cool completely.

Gingersnap Cookies

2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 c. shortening
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. molasses
1 egg
Additional sugar for rolling

Mix flour, baking soda, salt, ginger and cinnamon in medium bowl.

Beat shortening and sugar in mixer.  Add molasses and egg.  Gradually beat in flour mixture until dough forms.

Shape dough into 1 inch balls and roll in additional sugar.

Place balls on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350.

10 minutes for soft gingersnaps.
12 minutes for crunchy gingersnaps.

Key Lime Pie

1 gram cracker pie crust

4 egg yolks 

1 can condensed milk

1 tsp cream of tarter

3/4 c. key lime juice

Beat ingredients together until smooth.  Pour into pie crust.  Bake at 350 for 20 min.  Cool completely and freeze at least two hours.  Top with whip cream.  

If pie completely freezes (like over night) let it thaw in the fridge about 2 hours before serving.  You want it cold but not frozen.

Cheeseburger Soup (Kierstin's variation)

I love this soup. I think this soup is why I married Jason. The first time Jason took me to Idaho, this soup was sitting on the stove when we arrived late at night. Jason's mom offered us some and Jason said, "No thanks." I jumped in, the starving college student, and said, "I'd like some!" It is probably my favorite soup. However, I do not buy processed cheese. It just sounds disgusting and unhealthy. So when I got the recipe I made a slight change to accommodate the regular block cheddar cheese that I keep on hand. Here is my variation for others out there who might be opposed to "processed cheese."

Ingredients

½ lb ground beef

3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup diced celery
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried parsley
4 Tbsp butter (always use the real thing!), divided
3 cups chicken broth
4 cups diced peeled potatoes (1-3/4 lb)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp salt
8 oz (about 2 c.) grated cheddar cheese
1-1/2 cups milk
1/4 to 1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 cup sour cream

Instructions

In a 3 qt. saucepan, brown beef; drain and set aside. In the same saucepan, saute onion, carrots, celery, basil and parsley in 1 Tbsp butter until vegetables are tender, about 5 min. Add broth, potatoes and beef; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 min or until potatoes are tender.

***Meanwhile, I make a cheese sauce in a small skillet by melting remaining butter. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper. Slowly added milk stirring constantly until thickened and bubbly. Over low heat stir in grated cheese until melted.****

Add cheese sauce to soup, stirring until combined. Remove from heat and blend in sour cream.

The BEST Hot Fudge

This is the Livingston family (my mom's side) hot fudge recipe and I bet you can't find a better and easier hot fudge recipe any where! I've even had the hot fudge at Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco and I think this recipe is better. Now my mom and uncle can't agree on how my Nana makes it, so I will give you both variations and they're both good and very similar. And coincidentally, Our Best Bites hot fudge is very similar to our family's recipe, too, so I am including it.

My Mom's Ingredients

2 squares Baker's Brand unsweetened chocolate

1/4 c. (or half a stick) of REAL butter

14 oz can sweetened condensed milk (Eagle Brand recommended)

My Uncle's Ingredients

2 squares Baker's Brand semi-sweet chocolate

1/2 c. (or whole stick) of REAL butter

14 oz can sweetened condensed milk (Eagle Brand recommended)

(clearly more sugar and fat)

Instructions

Melt chocolate and butter in microwave (about 30 seconds). The butter will melt quicker, so you'll need to stir the chocolate squares until they dissolve. You can also do this on the stove top if you prefer. Then stir in the sweetened condensed milk until combined and microwave until hot (about another 30 seconds). Ladle generously over your best vanilla ice-cream!

Our Best Bites

Hot Fudge Sauce

Ingredients:
3oz semi-sweet chocolate* (3 squares of baking chocolate, or about 1/2 C chocolate chips

1/4 C butter (that’s a half of a stick folks. Admit it, at least one of you didn’t know that)

1 Can Sweetened Condensed Milk

*I wouldn’t use milk chocolate for this, it’s way too sweet, however both dark and bittersweet are awesome

Instructions:
1. If you’re using baking squares, chop them up into small pieces so they melt easier. I chop the butter up into small chunks too.
2. Okay, it’s not rocket science. Put it in a pan on medium heat and melt it all together till it’s smooth, creamy, and just looking at it gives you happy thoughts.

3. If you have leftovers (but let’s be honest, you’ll have to quadruple the recipe to have leftovers) then put it in an airtight container in the fridge. It will harden into a soft, gooey fudge like consistency. Then keep a spoon handy on the counter and dip it in every time you pass by. This serves the same purpose as the always-open bags of chocolate chips that Kate and I both have in our pantries. Don’t deny it Kate.

Jambalaya

I got this recipe from Our Best Bites
It is a really easy version of Jambalaya
It is also great the next day

Ingredients:

2 1/2 c. white rice

5 c. water

2-3 Tbsp. butter

1 green pepper, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 bunch green onions, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

A lot of garlic (probably 5-6 cloves), minced

1/2 lb. high-quality smoked sausage(approximately; you can actually use a little less if you buy, say, a 14-oz. package of sausage)

1/2 lb. ham (you can also substitute leftover chicken, shrimp, or other shellfish; however, you’ll also need to compensate for the smokey flavor and the salt from the ham, so be prepared with liquid smoke and salt to taste. And you’ll want it to have a distinct smokey flavor.)

1 8-oz. can tomato sauce

Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning (you could use another Cajun or Creole seasoning, but this brand is widely accessible and cheap) to taste

Directions:

1. Combine rice and water in a medium-large saucepan and cover with lid. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low and cook 20 minutes or until rice is cooked. Remove from heat and allow to stand an additional five minutes. (I just make some rice in my rice cooker)
2. While rice is cooking, finely chop sausage and ham (in your food processor if you have one) and set aside. Melt butter over medium heat in a very large skillet. When butter is hot and bubbly, add onion, green onions, green pepper, and celery and cook until tender. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute. Add chopped meat and cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes. Add tomato sauce and then add cooked rice. Now start seasoning with the Cajun seasoning. It’s hot, I won’t lie, so if you find that it’s getting spicy enough for your taste but it’s still not salty enough, leave the Cajun seasoning alone and just finish seasoning it with Kosher salt. Cook for about 10 more minutes, stirring frequently. Combine with cooked rice and serve.

*I added the stuff in italics because she forgot to put it in her instructions, but added it later in her comment section.

Kansas City Sue's Chicken {Slow Cooker}

from melskitchencafe.com

*Note: The chicken cooks up with quite a lot of juicy sauce. I prefer lightly draining the sauce and serving it on the side so that it isn't so "soupy" as we are dishing it up over our rice. Serve it as you please!

Maria's note: This is a really good, mild chicken dish. We had leftovers, so I just shredded the chicken and reheated it with the juice on the stove top and it was still great.

*Serves 6-ish

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 onion, diced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
In a large skillet, heat the butter/olive oil. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and cook them for 1-2 minutes on each side, until nicely browned but not cooked all the way through. Remove the chicken to the slow cooker. In a large bowl, combine all the other ingredients. Whisk well. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Cover the crockpot and cook on low for 6 hours. Serve with rice or noodles.

Peanut Butter Texas Sheet Cake

printed from melskitchencafe.com

Maria's note: I loved this! The cake is so moist. A couple of people thought the frosting was too much, but not me! It was dangerous to have this around the house.

*Serves 10-12

INGREDIENTS:
Cake:
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sour cream, light or regular
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup butter
1 cup water

Frosting
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cups creamy peanut butter
6 tablespoons milk
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. For the cake, in a medium bowl combine the sugar and flour. In a largeM bowl mix eggs, baking soda, and sour cream well. Set aside. In a small saucepan combine peanut butter, butter, and water. Bring to a boil. Stir the boiled peanut butter mixture into the flour mixture. Add to the sour cream mixture. Mix well. Pour into a lightly greased 15×10 inch sheet/jellyroll pan.

Bake 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

For the frosting, while the cake is baking, combine the butter, peanut butter, and milk in a saucepan. Bring to a boil stirring constantly. Add the powdered sugar and mix well. Stir in the vanilla. The frosting will be thick. Mix well. Pour and spread over cake while both are still warm.
Let the cake and frosting cool completely. Cut into pieces and serve.

Smothered Pork Chops {Slow Cooker}

printed from melskitchencafe.com

*Note: I like to serve these smothered pork chops over rice or mashed potatoes. Also, if the gravy in the last step doesn't thicken well, mix another tablespoon of cornstarch to 2 tablespoons cold water and add it to the hot liquid. Let it come to a boil to ensure it thickens properly. Finally, I have doubled the pork in this recipe and kept all the other ingredients the same and there was plenty of gravy to smother the doubled pork.
*Serves 6


Maria's note: We loved these. My gravy turned out a little too thin, but that can be remedied with the cornstarch. I recommend serving the bacon on the side so that the bacon doesn't go limp in the gravy.

5 slices bacon, chopped
6 bone-in pork loin chops, about 3/4-inch thick
Salt and Pepper
2 yellow onions, peeled, halved and sliced into 1/2-inch thick half moons
1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold water
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

In a large skillet over medium heat, fry bacon until lightly browned, about 5-6 minutes. Transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper towels, leaving the drippings in the pan. If you have more than 2 tablespoons drippings, drain the excess. If you don't have quite that much, supplement with canola oil. When the bacon is cool, transfer to a small bag or tupperware and refrigerate until later.
Heat the skillet with the drippings over medium or medium-high heat until rippling and hot. Meanwhile, pat pork chops dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook pork chops until they are golden brown on each side, about 2 minutes per side, cooking them in batches in the skillet if your skillet isn't big enough to hold all six at a time in a single layer. When golden on each side, transfer the chops to the slow cooker and repeat with remaining pork.

Pour off all but 1 teaspoon of fat from the skillet; add onions, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup water to empty skillet. Using a wooden spoon, scrape browned bits from bottom of the pan and cook over medium-high heat until onions are soft, about 4-6 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour onion mixture over chops in the slow cooker. Add broth, soy sauce and remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar to skillet, bring to a boil and add bay leaves. Pour mixture over onions in slow cooker.

Cover slow cooker and cook on low until pork is tender, about 8 hours (or cook on high for 4 hours).

When ready to serve, carefully transfer chops to serving platter with a large spoon and tent with foil. Discard bay leaves and pour liquid through a mesh strainer into a saucepan, reserving the solids. Transfer solids to a food processor or blender with 1 cup liquid and blend until smooth. Stir the blended mixture back into remaining liquid in the saucepan. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and remaining 2 tablespoons water together in a small bowl and stir into sauce. Cook over medium heat until thickened and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Stir in vinegar, season with salt and pepper, pour over chops and sprinkle with reserved bacon and parsley. Serve.