S'mores Cookies

This dreary Winter weather is making me yearn for Summer.  For me, Summer means bonfires, which in turn, means S'mores.  I don't have a very active sweet tooth so when I am craving something, all I need is a taste and I'm good.  While re-organizing the cupboards, I found a sleeve of graham crackers and knew I had to try to make cookies.

S'mores Cookies
1-1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 sticks butter
1-1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 bag milk chocolate chips
1/2 a bag of mini marshmallows
Cream the softened butter, sugar and brown sugar until smooth.  Add the vanilla and eggs and beat again until smooth.  Slowly add in the flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking soda and salt, mixing until combined.  Stir in the marshmallows and chocolate chips until thoroughly mixed in.  Use and ice cream scoop and place the dough on parchment paper about 9 per sheet.  These are fairly big cookies.  Cook at 350 for 12 minutes.

These cookies aren't pretty but they are so delicious and capture that lovely S'more flavor.

Crock Pot Week, Day 5: Chicken and Dumplings

I will be honest.  This week of Crock Potting was tough.  My husband was not too enthusiastic about it to begin with.  He was not looking forward to "soupy crap" all week.  My goal was to show him how diverse the Crock Pot could be.  I think I succeeded in that but to me, it seemed like a lot of work.  I am not a morning person, so getting up even earlier to put things together was a hassle.  On one of the days,  I did put things together the night before and that was much easier.  Once a week Crock Potting will be enough for us.    

Friday's dinner was supposed to be Chicken and Dumplings.  On Thursday night, I chopped all my chicken and vegetables so that I could just throw things in the crock on Friday morning.  It was very easy to put together and I set my timer and was out the door.

However, while at work, my evening plans changed.  I was invited out to dinner with some dear friends up north and I simply could not pass up the invite.  So I came home from work, put my dumplings in, set my timer and out the door I went.

I thought the recipe was ok.  It was kinda bland but it was comforting.  If you read this blog a lot, you know I am all about the comfort food.  Give the recipe a try but put your own spin on it.

Chicken and Dumplings

1 roast chicken deboned and chopped
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
3 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 bag of sliced carrots
8 stalks of celery, chopped
1 cup chopped onion
1 can of refrigerated biscuits
Mix the cream soups and the stock in the crock, then add in the vegetables and chicken.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours.  Turn the crock to high, cut each biscuit into 4 pieces and place them in the crock.  Let cook on high for 1 hour, then serve.

Crock Pot Week, Day 4: Dr.Pepper Roast

When I first read the recipe for this Dr.Pepper Roast, I wasn't so sure about it.  Cream of potato soup and Dr.Pepper did not sound like a good combination.  I was pleasantly surprised by the slight sweetness in the background of the savory sauce.  I really enjoyed this recipe and will be making it again soon.  I would add some Worcestershire sauce next time to add a little kick.  Click here for the original inspiration.

Dr.Pepper Roast

2 cans Cream of Potato soup

1 can Cream of Mushroom soup

1 packet of French Onion Soup mix

2 cups of Dr.Pepper (I used Dr.Dynamite because that is what we had.)

2-3 lb beef roast

Whisk together the soups, onion soup mix and Dr.Pepper in the crock.  Then put the roast in and cook on low for 6 hours.

Crock Pot Week, Day 3: Lasagna

One of my favorite foods is Lasagna.  How much better can a dish get?  Cheesy, meaty, creamy goodness on a plate.  My husband always gets on me for experimenting with our favorite meals.  "If the original is good, why mess with it?"  I didn't so much mess with my Lasagna as I did change it's mode of cooking.

Mom's Lasagna
2 lbs ground beef
1 jar of your favorite tomato sauce
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 blocks of cream cheese
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 a box of Lasagna noodles
Brown the ground beef an drain any excess grease.  Combine the ground beef with the jar of tomato sauce.  Spray the crock with non-stick spray and put a spoonful of the tomato sauce mixture in the bottom.  Then place a layer of noodles followed by the tomato sauce mixture, 1/2 the parmesan, 1 block of cream cheese and 1 cup of the mozzarella.  Follow with another layer of noodles, sauce, parmesan, cream cheese and the remaining mozzarella.  Set the Crock-Pot on low and cook for 6 hours.

While the flavors were what they always are, I would not recommend lasagna cooked this way.  The noodles got a bit mushy, the cheese was rubbery and the meat seemed to dry out.  It was also very difficult to serve from the crock.  I encourage you to try this recipe but instead, bake it in the oven at 350 for about an hour or until its all bubbly and delicious.

Crock Pot Week, Day 2: Mixed Berry Crumble

Mixed Berry Crumble
1 bag of frozen mixed berries
4 tablespoons sugar
1 cup oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 stick butter, melted
Put the bag of frozen berries in the crock with the 4 tablespoons of sugar and combine.  In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar, oats, cinnamon and melted butter.  Sprinkle the mixture on top of the berries and cook on high for 2 hours.  Serve with ice cream, whip cream or just alone.

Crock Pot Week, Day 1: Bacon Ranch Chicken

I decided to experiment with a week of Crock Pot cooking.  Day 1 was a throw together because we had a busy weekend and were unable to get to the grocery store.  Bacon Ranch Chicken was inspired by an Italian Chicken recipe I found.  We really enjoyed it and I hope you will too.

Bacon Ranch Chicken

1 can Cream of Chicken soup

1 cup Sour Cream

1 packet Ranch dressing mix

1/2 cup crumbled, cooked bacon

4 whole chicken breasts

1 lb of egg noodles, cooked to package directions

Mix the soup, sour cream, bacon and ranch mix in a bowl.  Place the 4 chicken breasts in the bottom of the crock and smear the mixture over the top.  Cook on low for 7 hours.  Shred the chicken and mix in the cooked noodles.

Comfort Food: Vegetable Soup

I love soup.  It is so comforting and with the weather we have been having, it warms you up from the inside.  A few years ago, I found a recipe for Vegetable Barley Soup and I just loved it.  It has such a unique flavor and I really think you will enjoy it.

Vegetable Barley Soup
adapted from Beaker's Vegetable Barley Soup

2 quarts vegetable broth
1 cup uncooked pearl barley
2 large carrots
2 stalks celery
1 can diced tomatoes with juice
1 can garbanzo beans, drained
1 onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Pour all ingredients into a large pot.  Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 90 minutes.  It will be quite thick.

Happy New Year

Welcome to 2013.  I hope this year will be a big one for my little blog.  I have always struggled with follow through on things.  My plan for this blog was one project a week but I am not going to beat myself up if I can't or don't keep up.  My only New Years resolution is to be happy in 2013.  Instead of whining and bitching about things, I am going to try to change them.  Instead of being defeated when my changes don't work out, I am going to try again.  Cheers to 2013 and beyond.