Apple Crisp

Served warm with vanilla ice cream... best ever!

6 cups sliced, peeled cooking apples
3 tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup chopped nuts or flaked coconut
vanilla ice cream

    Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl combine apples and granulated sugar. Transfer to a 2-quart baking dish.
    For topping, in a medium bowl combine oats, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in buts. Sprinkle topping over apple mixture.
    Bake for 35-40 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla cream if desired.

Kansas City Steak Soup

Healthy and Yummy!

1.5 pounds ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup sliced celery (2 stalks)
2 cans beef broth (14-ounce each)
1 can diced tomatoes (28-ounce)
1 package frozen mixed vegetables (10-ounce)
2 tbsp steak sauce
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

    In a large pot cook beef, onion, and celery over medium heat until meat is brown and vegetables are tender. Drain, return to pot. Add 1 can of broth, tomatoes, frozen vegetables, steak sauce, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Bring to boiling, reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
    Whisk together the remaining can of broth and flour. Add to pot. Cook and stir until thickened. Cook for another 2 minutes.

Cheese Cupcakes with fruit topping

Got this recipe from Merada. If you are a cheese cake lover, you will absolutely love it! Look cute and taste amazing :)

1 small box Nabisco vanilla wafers
2 (8oz) packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
1 can pie filling / fruit topping (cherry, blueberry, strawberry or raspberry)
18 cupcake liners

    Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Beat eggs, sugar, cream cheese, vanilla and lemon juice. Place one wafer in the bottom of each cupcake liner. Pour in cream cheese mixture. Bake for 25 minutes. Cool. Spoon pie filling on top of each cupcake. Makes 18 cupcakes.

Cheeseburger Soup

Stole this recipe from Ginny's cooking blog. Loved it! Our new comfort/warmer food :)

1 lb ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped carrots
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 tsp basil (I used dried basil leaves)
1 tsp parsley (dried)
4 tbsp butter
3 cup chicken broth
4 cup peeled and diced potatoes
1/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1&1/2 cup milk
2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

    Brown ground beef in a large soup pot and then remove from the pot setting aside. In the same pot saute onion, carrots, celery with 1 tbsp butter until the vegetables are tender. Add the chicken broth, potatoes and beef, bring to boil. Simmer until the potatoes are tender.
    In a small saucepan melt the remaining 3 tbsp butter and add flour, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until thicken. Then slowly stir in milk. Simmer until thicken again. Add to the large soup pot. Simmer soup for another 5-7 minutes.
    Turn off heat and add shredded cheese, basil and parsley, stir until cheese melt.

Baked Potato Soup

I found this recipe from New Cookbook, and it made our dinner perfect! Our house smelled so good that night. One of the best chowders!

2 large pototoes (8 ounces each)
3 green onions, thinly sliced
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tsp snipped fresh dill, or 1/4 tsp dried dillweed
4 cups milk
1.25 cups shredded cheese (5 ounces)
4 slices bacon, crisp-cooked, drained and crumbled

    Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prick potatoes with a fork. Bake for 1 hour or until tender, cool. Cut each potato lengthwise. Scoop out white portion. Break up any large pieces of potato.
    In a large saucepan cook 3 tbsp of the green onions in butter, stir in flour, dill, and 1/4 tsp each salt and black pepper. Add milk. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add potato pieces and 1 cup of the cheese, stir until cheese melts.
    Top each serving with the remaining cheese and green onions, and the crumbled bacon.

Cottage-Fried Potatoes

3 tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 medium potatoes (1 pound), peeled, thinly sliced
1 small onion, sliced
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper

In a large skillet melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic, layer potatoes and onion in skillet. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Cook, covered, for 8 minutes, turning occasianlly. Uncover, cook for another 12 minutes until potatoes are tender and light brown.

"Creative Bistro Chef" Mashed Potatoes

Creative Bistro Chefs have elevated humble mashed potatoes to stylish, sough-after sides. I followed one of their "make-it-mine" mashed potato reciepes, and my own version of this classic comfort food was a success.

6 medium potatoes, peeled, cut into chunks
1/4 cup butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp seasoning blend
1 cup evaporated milk
crumbled crip-cooked bacon
shredded cheese
sliced green onion

In a large saucepan cook potatoes in lightly salted boiling water, covered, until tender; drain. Beat with an electri mixer on low speed. Add butter, salt, pepper and seasoning. Gradually beat in milk to make mashed potatoes fluffy. Blend in bacon, green onion and cheese.