Shrimp Dip

This recipe is so easy and so delicious, you won't believe it.

Ingredients:

1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

4 Tbs milk or cream

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp onion juice

dash Worcestershire sauce

1 can tiny shrimp, drained and chopped

Mix well.

Chill. Eat.

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Triple Chocolate Brownies

My sister, Carol, found this brownie recipe online at Our Best Bites. I haven't made the brownies from scratch (this one was from Lehi Roller Mills; LOVED IT!), but I've done the frosting and glaze with raspberry, mint, and vanilla. Today, I decided to try it with dark chocolate butter cream frosting. So, here's my version of Death By Chocolate. Oh yeah, baby.

Ingredients:

1 fudge brownie mix, prepared

Frosting:

6 Tbs real butter

1 C powdered sugar

4 Tbs dark chocolate cocoa powder

2-3 Tbs milk

Glaze:

1 C chocolate chips

6 Tbs real butter

Prepare the brownies according the directions on the box. Cool completely and then put in the fridge to chill while you make the frosting.

To make the frosting, combine the sugar and cocoa together.

In a separate bowl, cream the butter. Add the sugar and cocoa to the butter. Add 2 Tbs of milk and blend. If it's too thick, add the last Tbs of milk. Beat until very creamy.

Spread evenly over brownies and put back in the fridge to chill some more while you make the glaze.

To make the glaze, put the chocolate chips and butter in a microwave-safe dish (I use a 2-C glass measuring cup). Heat in microwave on high in 30-second intervals until smooth, stirring after each 30 seconds.

Set aside for a few minutes to cool, stirring occasionally.

Quickly spread over brownies and frosting. Do it quickly, or you'll end up with a big, gooey mess.

Chill until glaze is firm. Remove from fridge a little before serving. Cut into squares and serve.

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Breakfast Hash

My husband makes the best breakfast hash ever. We like it even more than the Mountain Man Breakfast that Boy Scout camp outs are so famous for. It's also fun to make together.

Ingredients:

3 potatoes, grated

4 eggs

3 sausage patties, diced

1/2 medium onion, chopped

1-2 Tbs butter

1-1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

salt and pepper to taste

1 C grated cheese

Grate the potatoes, chop the onions, and dice the sausage.

Saute onions in butter until translucent.

Add sausage and potatoes.

Cook for about five minutes, stirring frequently. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.

Add eggs.

Mix and cook thoroughly. Grate cheese and add to pan. Mix in or let melt on top, whichever you prefer.

Serve hot.

 

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Roasted Chicken with Potatoes and Carrots

I've been experimenting with different herbs and spices, and I'm now ready to declare my favorite method of roasting chicken in a covered roaster.

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken

6 potatoes, cut

6 carrots, cut

6-8 cloves of garlic

3-4 Tbl crushed rosemary

1-2 Tbl fresh thyme

1/4 C lemon juice

salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375F.

Remove the giblets and neck from inside the chicken and rinse the chicken inside and out with cold water. Pat dry with paper towel.

Mince or crush 3 cloves of garlic. In a small bowl, combine minced garlic, thyme, 2 Tbl rosemary, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Pour mixture into the chicken cavity. I didn't have string to truss up the chicken, but you can do that if you want. Put chicken breast side down in your roasting pan. This makes the chicken breast amazingly moist and tender.

Peel the remaining garlic gloves and cut them in half (if large enough). Carefully cut slits in the loose parts of the skin, and put the remaining garlic under the skin.

Cover the chicken with the potatoes and carrots. Sprinkle with remaining rosemary and more salt and pepper (if desired).

Cover and bake for 1-1/2 hours. Allow to stand for 10 minutes before carving. There should be enough juice to make a very tasty gravy.

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Blueberry Sour Cream Pie

I found this recipe on Jamie Cooks It Up. It was an experiment for a church ladies' social, and it went over so well, I was barely able to save a piece to bring home to my husband (who really deserved it, because he helped make it).

Ingredients:

1 pre-baked 9" pie crust

Filling:

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 C powdered sugar

3/4 C sour cream

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 pint whipping cream, whipped

dash salt

Topping:

3/4 C sugar

1/4 C cornstarch

10 Tbl water

2 Tbl fresh lemon juice

3 C fresh or frozen blueberries

dash salt

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 Tbl butter

In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and mix well. Add the sour cream, whipped cream, and dash of salt. Mix until well combined, and set the mixture aside.

In a medium sized saucepan mix the cornstarch and sugar together.

Add the water and lemon juice and stir until smooth.

Bring to a slow boil on medium heat, stirring constantly. Stir in the blueberries.

Note: If you are using frozen blueberries, heat them in the microwave for a couple minutes so they aren't ice cold when you add them to the saucepan.

Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. It should thicken up after a couple of minutes. You want it to be the consistency of canned pie filling.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the dash salt, vanilla and butter. Set it aside to cool.

Pour the cream filling into the pie crust. When the blueberry topping is cooled to room temperature spread it over the filling. Chill for at least 2 hours.

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Pumpkin Bread

Because we have so much pumpkin, I thought I'd try making pumpkin bread. It was very easy and tasty. It's especially easy if you have a standing mixer.

Ingredients:

1-1/2 C sugar

1 tsp soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp cinnamon

3/4 tsp salt

1-2/3 C flour

1/2 C oil

1/2 C water

1 C pumpkin

2 eggs

1 C semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Mix all ingredients well.

Pour into greased loaf pan or pans.

Bake:

• Large loaf pan: 1-1/2 hours
• Small loaf pans: 30-35 minutes

Check with toothpick. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove and finish cooling on rack.

Great with butter or frosted with cream cheese frosting.

One Crazy Girl's Note: Although the chocolate chips taste great in the bread, they all sank to the bottom during cooking. Next time, I will try chopping them up a bit before putting them in the batter. Or using mini chips instead of regular sized ones.

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Homemade Chili

Homemade chili is a staple in my family for Halloween. Last year, I went to my mom's to make it with her. This year, she wasn't planning on making some, so we decided to make it ourselves. This is a good, hearty, basic chili with a couple of extra fun things thrown in, just for kicks.

Ingredients:

3 C dry beans (about 1 lb.)

2 lb. ground beef

4 medium onions, chopped

2 green peppers, chopped

2 large red tomatoes, chopped

2 large green tomatoes, chopped

1 Qt tomatoes or 1 46 oz can tomato juice

1 can corn, drained

1-1/2 C catsup

1-2 Tbs chili powder

1 Tbs salt

pepper to taste

shredded cheese

sour cream

Pick over and soak the beans overnight.

Cook beans for about 3 hours. Drain.

Saute beef, onions, and peppers until meat is browned and onions are translucent.

Drain grease. Add to drained beans with rest of ingredients.

Simmer 1 hour. The amount of chili powder you add is really to taste, but allow enough time for it to blend and cook into the chili to avoid a powdery taste. I usually taste it 1/2 hour into the simmer to see if it needs more chili powder.

Top with sour cream and shredded cheese just before serving, if desired.

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