Whatcha Got Cookin'

Hey Friends!

My friend Rachel from my OC days has put together a recipe sharing blog called "Whatcha Got Cookin' ". It's much like Kitchen Karma. I added a link to this blog so you can check it out for even more recipe ideas. Enjoy!

Cream Cheese Crescent Rolls

This is the easy version of what I made for Bunco...

canned refrigerated crescent roll dough
cream cheese
powdered sugar
milk

Unroll and separate cresent rolls. Put about 1 tsp. of cream cheese in the middle of the wide end of the crescent roll. Roll up crescent roll as usual. Bake as directed on crescent roll can. Combine powdered sugar and milk to make icing. Start with about 3/4 cup powdered sugar and add enough milk to make the icing thin enough to drizzle. If you add too much milk, just add more powdered sugar. Drizzle icing over baked crescent rolls.

Tip: Whipped cream cheese is easier to spread and has less fat per tsp. than regular cream cheese.

Mom's Homemade Barbecue Sauce

1 C ketchup
1 C brown sugar
1/2 C red wine vinegar
2 T lemon juice
2 Large plum baby food
1 Medium chopped onion
1 T mustard

Combine and simmer.

Mom's Fantasy Fudge

3 C sugar
3/4 C margarine
5 1/3 fl. oz. can evap. milk (-2/3C)
1 12oz. pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 7 oz. jar Kraft Marshmallow Cream
1 C chopped nuts
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine sugar, margarine and milk in heavy 3 qt. saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring contstantly. Continue boiling for 5 minutes while stirring (set a timer).

Remove from heat. Stir in chocolate chips until melted. Add marshmallow cream, nuts and vanilla. Beat until well blended. Pour into greased 9x13 pan. Cool at room temp.

Cut into squares; makes 3 lbs.

Mom's Easy Sausage Balls

8 oz. extra sharp cheese (cracker barrel brand)
1 lb. sausage (breakfast sausage works best)
2 C Bisquick

Combine well. Drop and shape on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 til brown (approx. 12 min.). Can be frozen and then baked.

Mom's Yeast Rolls

2 C flour
1 C warm water
1 pkg yeast
1 tsp salt
2T oil
3T sugar

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Mix in all ingredients. Roll out on floured board. Knead. Cut with cookie/biscuit cutter and place on cookie sheet. Rise 1-2 hours (I let them rise while we're at church on Sunday mornings).

Bake at 425 for 10 minutes.

Rising Hints: put sheet of biscuits into cool oven (or cover with a towel) so that they rise better.

Fiesta Soup

I'm sure this is similar to alot of people's taco soup recipes, but since Briana's making me post, here it is:

1 pound cooked ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
15 ounce can diced tomatoes
12 ounce can Rotel tomotoes
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 envelope Ranch dressing
1 cup water
15 ounce can pinto beans
15 ounce can kidney beans
15 ounce can corn
Tortilla chips & cheese, avocado & sour cream if desired for toppings

-Rinse benas and corn. Combine with other ingredients. Simmer until onions are cooked. Pour soup into bowls and top with tortilla chips and cheese. You can also put avocado or sour cream on top if you like that!

Shout out for Taco Soup!

Hey Kim, where's the recipe? Plus, anyone else who has good ones. I am looking for more soup recipes. :) Thanks ladies!

Beef Enchiladas

This is Grant's Favorite!

1 lb. ground beef
1 16 oz package shredded cheddar cheese
Taco seasoning
12 corn tortillas
1-2 cans Mild Old El Paso Enchilada sauce


Brown ground beef. Season beef according to the directions on the taco seasoning. Warm tortillas in a covered dish in the microwave for about 90 seconds. Pour and spread half of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 16" x 9" pan. For each enchilada: lay both sides of tortilla in sauce, put about 2 Tbsp. on tortilla, sprinkle lightly with cheese, roll up. Repeat this process until all tortillas are used. Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 until cheese melts (about 5-10 minutes).

Tip: White corn tortillas are easier to roll that yellow corn tortillas.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

This afternoon I mentioned that I wished we had something sweet to eat. I woke up from a nap to the sounds and smells of baking in the kitchen. My sweet husband was making me cookies!

Here's what he made me. They are Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies. They are really rich and so good.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1. Combine four, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
2. Melt 1 cup of chocolate chips over low heat. Cream butter and sugar. Add melted chocolate chips and vanilla; beat in eggs; add flour mixture and remaining chocolate chips.
3. Wrap in plasti can freeze until firm (about 20 minutes)
4. Make small balls (1 inch); roll in confectionares' sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees F . Cool on wire wrack.

I think the best part about these cookies is that I didn't have to clean up!

Blackstrap Pork Chops

This is one of Jason's favorites and the only pork chop recipe I make. Quick and easy.

2-4 Pork Chops (depending on how many you're serving)
Olive oil (or oil of choice)
Salt and pepper

Sauce
1/3 cup molasses
3 tblspns A-1 sauce (or similar)
1/4 tspn allspice
1/4 tspn crushed red pepper flakes

Combine the sauce ingredients together. Heat 1 tbspn of oil in skillet. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper on both sides and add to skillet. Brown on each side 4 minutes. Add sauce and cook another 2 minutes on each side or until pork chops are done.

Mama Grasham's Meatloaf

1 lb. ground beef
2 slices bread, soaked in water, crumbled
5 tblsp. Heinz ketchup
1 egg
1 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tblsp. marjoram
2 tsp. worcestershire sauce
1 onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper

Mix all ingredients listed together and form mixture into a loaf. Place loaf in baking dish and cover top with additional Heinz Ketchup and 1 tsp. oregano. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Cucumber Salad with Sour Cream

1 large cucumber
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 tblsp. vinegar
1 tblsp. chives, chopped
3/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. white pepper

Peel and slice cucumber and put into a bowl. Mix together sour cream, vinegar, chives, salt, and white pepper and pour over cucumber slices. Toss lightly to coat evenly. Chill in refrigerator.
Makes 4-6 servings.

* I add chopped yellow onions or green onions (just depends on what I have in my fridge) instead of the chives!