Capturing December: Day 22

{ Christmas Tradition }

Something I always try to do each Christmas time, is to make chocolate fudge!  Yum!  My grandmother used to always make it, and since it is chocolate, how can I resist to carry on that tradition?!  =)

I follow the Original Fantasy Fudge recipe...with the exception that I use a bag of mini marshmallows instead of the marshmallow creme and I don't put in the walnuts.

Capturing December: Day 11

{ A Recipe }

It's that time of year again!  The cold, dark, wintry nights just beg for some slow cooked comfort food!    And chili is one of the best!  Of course, we don't mind eating it year 'round even when it's hot!  And I've even heard recently, that many people eat it for Christmas because it's no-fuss and enables you to spend more time with family!  We also like to make it for Sunday dinner.  This slow cooker recipe is perfect for putting it in the crockpot on low, leaving for church, and then coming home to an instant yummy lunch!  But for whatever the occasion, I hope you find it delicious!

• Crystal's Chili

• 
  

  1 lb. ground beef (the more lean, the better)

  1 cup diced onion

  3 cups water

  3 beef bouillon cubes

  * Boil the above ingredients together until the meat is cooked through. Transfer to a crockpot, then add:
  
  1 can (15 oz.) pinto beans (optional)
  1 can (8 oz.) of your favorite salsa
  24 oz. of tomato sauce
  2 tsp. worcestershire sauce
  1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
  
  Next add these spices:
  (which could also be made up into packets to always keep on hand)
  
  3 Tbsp. brown sugar

  3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

  2 tsp. cornstarch

  1 tsp. garlic powder

  1 tsp. cinnamon

  1/2 tsp. ground cumin

  1/2 tsp. salt

  1/2 tsp. ground pepper

  1/4 tsp. ground cloves

  
  

  * Mix all ingredients well in the crockpot. Cook on low for 4-6 hrs. Top with shredded cheese and/or sour cream along with some oyster crackers. A side of garlic toast made from french bread goes great with this dish too! Enjoy!

  
  

  

Honey Wheat Bread

When I make homemade bread, I typically gravitate towards white bread. I like the taste and look of the loaf better. Sometimes though, I like to experiment with different types of bread/ingredients. Such is the case with this loaf. I had seen a recipe online that looked like it might be good, so I experimented with different measurements/ingredients until I found something I actually liked. I hope you will enjoy it too!

Honey Wheat Bread

(Mixed on the dough/pasta setting of my

bread machine, then shaped and baked in the oven.)

1/3 cup of warm water

3/4 cup of milk

2 Tbsp. of honey

2 Tbsp. of melted shortening

1-1/2 cups of all purpose flour

1 cup of whole wheat flour

1 tsp. salt

1-1/2 tsp. of yeast

Place all the ingredients in your bread machine as recommended by the manufacturer. Press start, and let it do it's thing! During the kneading process, I typically add about 4 Tbsp. of all purpose flour to get the proper texture.

Once the dough cycle is complete (approximately 1-1/2 hrs. for my machine), I place the dough on a lightly floured surface, knead it a few times, and then shape it. I place it in a well greased bread loaf pan, sprinkle some rolled oats on top, then allow it to rise for 30-40 mins. Then I bake it in a pre-heated 350* oven for 30 minutes. Pull it out of the oven, remove the loaf from the pan, brush some melted butter on the top, then allow it to cool. After that, slice it, butter it, then EAT it! Yum!

Celebrate!

Yesterday, we were able to spend some time relaxing together. We also checked out the large indoor market here, drove out to the border of Guatemala, then later on, I put up the Christmas tree while Mom and Dad wrapped gifts.

All of those things that happened yesterday, brings us to today! We started the morning by eating a delicious french toast casserole, then we read the Christmas story and opened up Christmas gifts that Mom and Dad had brought with them. The boys were all excited, of course!

Parker was enjoying himself by piling his gifts on top of each other!

Later on this afternoon, my Dad and I put up some cabinets! I finally have a place to put my dishes and glasses, etc... Yay! Now, I just need to get them (the cabinets!) painted some time soon! My plans are to paint them an antique black that will match my desk.

And........today is also my 30th birthday! It was so nice to be able to celebrate it with my Mom and Dad and Pap! And we all really enjoyed Dad's chocolate/peanut butter cake!

A New "Tasty" Tradition

There are some simple pleasures of living in Mexico...and 'tacos al pastor' is one of them! In fact, it has become our new Wednesday night tradition.

We eat on a entirely different meal schedule here. I'm not even sure it's entirely Mexican time, but it's just how our meals have evolved while living here. We eat breakfast between 8-10 am, lunch between 1-3 pm, and supper usually between 7-9 pm. So with this schedule, Wed. night church kind of comes in the middle of our supper time. But, we found a great solution! Enter, 'tacos al pastor!'

- Yum! Just add some onion, cilantro, pineapple bits, and salsa. -

After dropping people off from church, we just swing by our favorite taco stand, order some 'tacos al pastor' to go and then head home. For less than $10, our whole family can eat some of the best food ever created...and the best part, I don't have to prepare a thing for it!

I have tried making them once myself, with okay results. I will definitely keep trying different recipes until I find one that works for me. Obviously, most of us don't own a spit/rotisserie to give the authentic taste, but below I listed two different sites that give some background on the dish itself, and then includes a recipe if you would like to try this deliciousness at home!

Link 1 for 'tacos al pastor' recipe

Link 2 for 'tacos al pastor' recipe

Let me know if you try them, and if you can find the dried chiles in your local stores. Oh, and I would definitely recommend the longer marinating time.

Strawberry Summer Cake

I was looking at a food blog the other week, when I came across the recipe and photos of this:

I was instantly in love! We do love us some strawberry pie around here, but this just seemed like a nice change of pace for the strawberry and it looked delicious too.

It works very well as a brunch dish instead of a dessert. In fact, it kind of tastes like a muffin in a cake form. Yummy! And I think next time I make this, I'll add some extra strawberries and squish them down in the batter!

So, what are you waiting for? Go check out this recipe here and then browse through the rest of this lady's recipes. Her food photography is pretty stunning as well, and will make you lick your lips in anticipation of sampling some of the food!

Print a Recipe

Check out the new "Print Recipe" button in each of my recipe posts! It's a little orange box that looks like this:

Upon downloading the recipe PDF, you'll be able to print a little 3x5 retro recipe card that I made that looks like this:

I hope you will enjoy this new feature! (I know I do! Now I don't have to bring up the blog, find the recipe, and keep checking my screen while making one of these recipes...I have them all printed and in my recipe box.) ;-)

Tortilla Twirls

Here is a yummy appetizer recipe! I made this for the people down here and they really liked it.

TORTILLA TWIRLS

1 pck. (8 oz.) cream cheese

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

4 slices deli ham or turkey, chopped

4 sliced cooked bacon, crumbled

2 Tbsp. salsa

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

4 flour tortilla shells (10 inch)

Instructions:

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients. Spread a 1/2 cup mixture over each tortilla; roll up tightly. wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hrs. or until firm.

Unwrap and cut into 1 inch slices. Serve chilled or place 1 inch apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 400* for 5-7 minutes or until heated through.

yields: 40 appetizers (including ends)

We have tried these both ways and like them either way. You could also try using pepper jack cheese instead of the cheddar to kick up the flavor a notch!

A Time To Celebrate

Yesterday was Michael's birthday!
We had a special day together as a family.

We started our day off with a breakfast/brunch of homemade sticky buns, fresh pineapple, and a creamsicle slushie. Yum!I used this recipe here for the sticky buns (minus the orange zest and chopped pecans) and then I added an icing glaze for on top. Below is my recipe for the Creamsicle Slushie.

Creamsicle Slushie
2 cups Orange Juice
1 cup Lemon-Lime Soda
2 snack packs Vanilla Pudding
15 Ice Cubes

Pulse in a blender. Serve.
(Fills approx. 4 drinking glasses)

For supper, we treated ourselves to Pizza Hut pizza, some PA Middlesworth Barbeque chips, Mexican Coke, and I made a chocolate cake with peanut butter icing. Aaahhh...such bliss!

Since it was a special day, my camera came out from hiding, and we snapped some other pictures besides birthday celebrations.

Barbeque Meat Loaf

Are you looking for something else to add to your menu this week? Why not try this?! I know...there are a million recipes for meat loaf! So, that means...it won't hurt to try one more!

BARBEQUE MEAT LOAF
1 lb. ground beef (uncooked)
2 slices bread (torn into pieces)
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 egg
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. dry ranch seasoning
1/3 cup ketchup

Sauce:
1/2 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp. vinegar
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. ground mustard
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

Combine all meat loaf ingredients together. Shape into a loaf. Place in greased baking dish. Mix all sauce ingredients together. Spoon over meat loaf (it will run over the sides). Bake uncovered in 350* oven for 1 hour.

yields: 4 servings

Enjoy!

Cheesy Sausage Stromboli

Okay...for two of the people who commented...here's a recipe for you to try out. And I was going to make a comment about my sister-in-law not commenting, but since she finally commented... ;)

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

CHEESY SAUSAGE STROMBOLI
(This was originally taken from a Taste of Home magazine, but of course, I changed and added a few things to suit my own taste.)

Ingredients:

1 lb. pork sausage
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. oregano
1 egg
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 lb. sliced provolone cheese
Pepperoni
1 pck. pizza crust mix
Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top

Directions:
1. Brown sausage until no longer pink; drain and let cool.
2. Mix pizza crust mix according to package directions.
3. Add seasonings, egg, and shredded cheese to sausage mixture.
4. Roll out pizza dough to form a rectangle.
5. Place a layer of sliced cheese onto middle of pizza crust. Then add pepperoni and half of the sausage mixture. Repeat another layer. (see picture below)

6. Fold dough over the filling. Start with the ends first, then fold the long sides last. (see picture below)

7. Carefully flip the stromboli over and place on a greased baking sheet.
8. Cut diagonal slits on the top of the stromboli.
9. Brush tops with butter or egg if desired, then sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top.
10. Bake at 375* for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
11. Serve with pizza sauce for dipping...and ENJOY!!!!

yields: 4 servings

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Here's a perfect soup, for a cold, wintry day! Seriously, you've got to try it - it's the best!!

BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP

1 Tbsp. butter
3/4 cup chopped onion
3 cups water
3 chicken bouillon cubes
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
Pepper (as much as you like)
1 bag (10-12 oz.) of frozen broccoli, chopped
*once again, I use a bag of mixed veggies sometimes: broccoli, cauliflower, and carrot
3 cups milk
12 oz. velveeta cheese
Cornstarch, for thickening optional

Directions:
1. Fry onions in butter.
2. Add water, bouillon cubes, broccoli, garlic salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Boil 4-7 minutes.
3. Add milk and cornstarch, then add the cheese. Cook until melted and desired consistency.

yields: 4 servings

ENJOY!

Crock Pot Applesauce

Is anybody into crock pots? How about using apples in the fall? If you answered "yes" to any of the above questions...you need to try this easy recipe out!

CROCK POT APPLESAUCE

10 large cooking apples, cored and cut into chunks
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon (optional ~ and it will make your applesauce a dark burgundy/purple color after it's cooked :))

Put all the ingredients into a crock pot. It should fill it to about 3/4 full. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours, or on high 3-4 hours. When finished cooking, use a potato masher to take out some lumps, or leave it "chunky"...your preference.

yields: approximately 3 cups

Delicious! The kids really enjoyed it, too! I did mine overnight and we actually ate some as part of our breakfast, but it's also good to put on during the day if you have to work, etc... And, I didn't get any pictures because we gobbled it up so fast!!

Also, check out this link if you're really big into doing stuff in your crock pot. You'll be amazed at some of the stuff this lady has done!!

Cheesy Chicken-n-Veggie Ring

Watch out folks! I've been in the recipe mood recently!! Here's one that we enjoy around our house.

CHEESY CHICKEN-N-VEGGIE RING

yields: 4 (smaller) servings

1 can refrigerated Crescent Rolls (6 large rolls)
-----
2 cups cooked and shredded chicken
1 cup chopped vegetables (I like the broccoli, cauliflower, & carrots mix)
1/4 cup ranch dip or dressing
1/4 tsp. pepper (sometimes I use a garlic-pepper blend)
3/4 cup favorite shredded cheese

Mix filling ingredients together.


Step-by-step instructions:

1] Grease round baking sheet.

2] Place 4 of the crescent rolls so that the tips point north, south, east, and west, and leaves a round hole in the center. (see picture below)


3] Cut remaining 2 triangles in half. Place the smaller triangles in between the larger ones.

4] Make a small lip around the center circle. (see picture below)


5] Fill the ring with mixture. (see picture below)


6] Fold the larger triangles into the center, tuck under the lip. (you may need to cut some of the tip off the rolls so there is not too much excess in the center)

7] Fold the smaller triangles into the center, tuck under the lip. (you may need to cut some of the tip off the rolls so there is not too much excess in the center)

8] Push the outer sections of triangles to meet together at the bottom, so nothing leaks out.


9] Bake at 350* for 30 minutes. (or a little longer if the center is not cooked through yet)

ENJOY!!

Watch future posts for more recipes from Crystal's Kitchen!!

The Scent of Fall

Fall is probably my favorite time of year!

This picture of my sister and I was taken in the fall...October 2004, I think. Thanks to Doris Hoffman from our home church who took the picture...it will always be one of my favorites!

I don't have many fall decorations...but I do have the above fall swag that I'm using for a centerpiece on our table, along with a yummy apple scented candle!

Another favorite thing about fall is...APPLES!

My mom and sister shared with me this different apple dumpling recipe, so I'll pass it on to you.

APPLE DUMPLINGS

2 apples
2 cans crescent rolls
2 sticks butter
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
cinnamon
1 small can Mountain Dew

Directions: Peel and core apples. Cut apples into 8 slices each. Roll each apple slice in a crescent roll. Place in a 9x13 buttered pan. Melt butter, then add sugar and barely stir. Add vanilla, stir, and pour over apples. Pour Mountain Dew around the edges of the pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve with ice cream, and spoon some of the sweet sauces from the pan over the top.

Personally, I'd like to try it a couple of different ways. I don't think it needs quite so much butter or sugar...and I'd like to try it with brown sugar instead of white...? I also used 1 can of crescent rolls and cut them in half. We don't have refrigerated crescent rolls down here, so the ones I bring in from the states, I try to use sparingly!!

They were good though (especially with the homemade vanilla ice cream!!). Leave me a comment if you try them, how you did it, and what you think!