Cheesy Corn and Peppers

Cheesy Corn and Peppers

2 lbs frozen corn kernels

2 T butter, cubed

1 large green bell pepper, finely chopped

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp black pepper

3 ounces cream cheese, cubed

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Coat slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.

Add all ingredients except cream cheese and Cheddar cheese.

Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 hours. Add cheeses, stir to blend.

Cover and cook 15 minutes more or until cheeses melt.

Makes 8 servings.

I might tweak this by adding more cream cheese to make it creamier and adding Cotija cheese for a great Mexican flavor.

Brie Mushroom Soup

Brie Mushroom Soup

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• ¹/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
• ¹/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cans (14-ounces each) ready-to-use chicken broth
• ¹/2 pound cremini mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
• ¹/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 8 ounces Brie cheese, cut into 1/2-inch chunks

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, combine the melted butter and the flour; blend until smooth then set aside.
   
2. In a soup pot, combine the chicken broth, cremini and shiitake mushrooms, onion, and black pepper; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender.
   
3. Add the butter mixture, stirring until the soup is thickened. Slowly stir in the heavy cream, mixing well (see Tip). Add the cheese, stirring constantly, until melted. Serve immediately.

Outback Steakhouse Tangy Tomato Dressing

Outback Steakhouse Tangy Tomato Dressing

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon ketchup

1/3 cup water

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup white vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon coarse black pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/8 teaspoon onion powder

pinch thyme

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, whisking often, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Cover the dressing until cool, then pop it in the refrigerator to chill out.

Makes 1 cup

By Todd Wilbur

Zucchini Relish

Any Zucchini left from your summer crop? This relish tastes a LOT like hot dog relish and is also wonderful on sandwiches

Mall Pretzels

Mall Pretzels

INGREDIENTS:

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1 1/8 teaspoons salt 1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F /45 degrees C) 3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup bread flour 2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C) 2 tablespoons baking soda 2 tablespoons butter, melted 2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt

DIRECTIONS:

1.	In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast, brown sugar and salt in 1 1/2 cups warm water. Stir in flour, and knead dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover, and let rise for one hour.
2.	Combine 2 cups warm water and baking soda in an 8 inch square pan. Line 6 baking sheets with parchment paper.
3.	After dough has risen, cut into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a 3 foot rope, pencil thin or thinner. Twist into a pretzel shape, and dip into the baking soda solution. Place onto parchment covered baking sheets, and let rise 15 to 20 minutes.
4.	Preheat an oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
5.	Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with coarse salt, garlic salt or cinnamon sugar.

Wisconsin Bratwurst

Wisconsin Bratwurst

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds fresh bratwurst sausages 2 onions, thinly sliced 1 cup butter

6 (12 fluid ounce) cans or bottles beer 1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper 10 hoagie rolls

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Prick bratwurst with fork to prevent them from exploding as they cook. Place in a large stock pot with the onions, butter, and beer. Place pot over medium heat, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
2.	Preheat grill for medium-high heat.
3.	Lightly oil grate. Cook bratwurst on preheated grill for 10 to 14 minutes, turning occasionally to brown evenly. Serve hot off the grill with onions on hoagie rolls

Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms

Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil 1 onion, chopped 24 mushrooms, stems removed and chopped salt and ground black pepper to taste 1 (12 ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened 2 tablespoons sour cream 1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt, or to taste

Directions:

1.	Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare a baking sheet with cooking spray.
2.	Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook the onions and mushroom stems in the hot oil until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl; add the artichoke hearts, cream cheese, sour cream, Italian cheese blend, and Parmesan cheese. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Stir the mixture until ingredients are evenly distributed. Stuff the mushroom caps with the mixture. Arrange the stuffed mushrooms on the prepared baking sheet.
3.	Bake in the preheated oven until the filling begins to bubble, about 20 minutes.

Maple Pecan Pork

Maple Pecan Pork

Serves: 3

Cooking Time: 50 min

Ingredients

• ¹/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• ¹/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• ³/4 teaspoon salt
• ¹/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 (2- to 2-pound) boneless center-cut single pork loin
• ¹/2 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
   
2. In a small bowl, combine the maple syrup, lemon juice, salt, and pepper; mix well. Rub 2 tablespoons of the mixture over the entire pork loin. Press the pecans into the pork, coating all sides. Place the pork in a baking dish that has been coated with cooking spray.
   
3. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove the pork from the oven and pour the remaining syrup mixture over it. Bake for 10 to 15 more minutes, or until the juices run clear.
   
4. Cut the pork into 1/2-inch slices and serve with the pan drippings.

Perfect Ribeye Steak With Garlic Herb Slather

Perfect Ribeye Steak With Garlic Herb Slather

Ingredients

· 2 bulbs garlic, ends cut to expose cloves plus 2 large cloves, finely chopped

· EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for drizzling

· Kosher salt and pepper

· 1/3 cup dry sherry

· 4 tablespoons butter, softened

· 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

· 1 tablespoon thyme, finely chopped

· Yields: 2 servings

· Preparation

· Preheat oven to 425°F. Drizzle garlic bulbs with oil and season with salt and pepper. Wrap tightly in foil and roast to tender, 45 minutes. Add cast-iron pan to oven to preheat.

· Squeeze cloves from bulbs garlic into the bowl of a food processor. Add sherry, butter, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper. Pulse process into a paste and reserve.

· Bring meat to room temperature, 30 minutes to 1 hour. Pat meat dry and rub with a drizzle of oil. Season aggressively with salt and pepper. Remove hot cast-iron skillet from oven and place over medium-high heat. Add steak to hot pan and brown 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to oven and cook 6 minutes more for medium-rare, turning once. Remove meat and let rest before carving.

· Slather steak with garlic sherry butter,

Everything-but-the-Kitchen-Sink Cookies

Makes 1 1/2 dozen

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg, plus 1 egg white

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp kosher salt

1 cup of your favorite sweet add-ins (I like peanut butter chips, sweetened coconut flakes and dark chocolate chips)

1 1/2 cups of your favorite salty snacks (I use fritos, potato chips and pretzels)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside. Cream the butter and both sugars on medium speed for a few minutes, until they look light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and eggs and continue to beat on low speed until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

In the meantime, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in two batches, beating slowly after each addition, until fully incorporated.

Pour your sweet mix-ins into the bowl. Break up the salty snacks into smaller cookie-friendly pieces and dump those in as well. Use a spatula to stir them together. It should look like a ton of mix-ins. That's good.

Portion 2 heaping tablespoons of dough at a time into imperfect balls and place them at least 2 inches apart on the lined baking sheets. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are golden brown, about 16 to 18 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Variation: Here's a list of tasty mix-ins you can stir into the cookie dough. Mix and match your favorite snacks!

Honey-roasted nuts

Whole espresso beans

Sprinkles

White chocolate chips

Tortilla chips

Cheese puffs

Toffee bits

Maple candies

Yogurt raisins

Asian snack mix

Wasabi peas

Chocolate shavings

Breakfast cereal

Cool Ranch Doritos

Granola

Salted corn nuts

Chocolate-covered peanuts

SESAME CRACKERS

SESAME CRACKERS

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds, ground

6 oz. grated cheese (1 1/2 cups)

2 tbsp. vital wheat gluten

¼ cup oat flour

2 tbsp. wheat bran

1 tsp baking powder

4 oz. softened butter (1 stick)

1 egg

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder
1/8 t salt

Preparation:

Mix all ingredients together in a kitchen machine, pulsing until you get a stiff dough. Form dough into a sausage, wrap in plastic wrap and chill until firm. Cut thin slices off the sausage and lay on a baking sheet. Bake at 375 F, about 15 minutes, until golden brown and crunchy.

Let them cool on a rack and store in an airtight container in a cool place.

Crock Pot Caramel Apple Butter

Peel and cut up 3 lbs of apples.

Puree the apples using a blender or food processor

Add the apples to the crock pot with 2 cups of sugar. Cook until butter consistency. (3-4 hours)

Stir in 1/4 tsp ginger, 1/2 tsp cloves, 1 tsp cinnamon and 20 caramels.

Heat to 156 degrees, and then spoon into jars.

Chocolate Éclair Cake

Chocolate Éclair Cake

Serves: 12

Ingredients

· 1 (14.4-ounce) box honey graham crackers (see Tip)

· 2 (4-serving) packages French vanillainstant pudding mix

· 3 cups milk

· 1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

· 1 (16-ounce) container ready-to-spread chocolate frosting

Instructions

1. Line bottom of an ungreased 9- x 13-inch baking dish with one-third of the graham crackers.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together pudding mix and milk; add whipped topping, stirring until mixture thickens.

3. Spread half the pudding mixture over graham crackers in baking dish. Repeat layers with one-third of graham crackers and remaining pudding mixture. Top with remaining graham crackers. Spread with chocolate frosting. Cover and chill 8 hours.

Tip

One box of graham crackers contains 3 individually wrapped packages of crackers. Use one package for each layer of this decadent dessert

Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken

Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken

Ingredients:

1 (16 ounce) jar salsa 1 (1.25 ounce) package dry taco seasoning mix 1 lime, juiced

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 3 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Directions:

1.

Place the salsa, taco seasoning, lime juice, and cilantro into a slow cooker, and stir to combine. Add the chicken breasts, and stir to coat with the salsa mixture. Cover the cooker, set to High, and cook until the chicken is very tender, about 4 hours. If desired, set cooker to Low and cook 6 to 8 hours. Shred chicken with 2 forks to serve.

Swedish Meatballs - Just like IKEA!

Almost-Famous Swedish Meatballs

Prep Time: 15 min

Inactive Prep Time:--

Cook Time: 35 min

Level: Easy

Serves: 45 meatballs

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

· 1 cup breadcrumbs

· 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

· 1/3 cup minced white onion

· 2 cloves garlic, minced

· 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

· Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper

· 1/2 cup milk

· 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

· 3/4 pound lean ground beef

· 1/2 pound lean ground pork

· 1 large egg plus 1 egg white, beaten

· Vegetable oil, for brushing

For the gravy:

· 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

· 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

· 1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth

· 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

· 1/4 cup heavy cream

· Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

· 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)

· Lingonberry jam, for serving (optional)

Directions

Make the meatballs: Put the breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, allspice, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon white pepper and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the milk and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a simmer. Pour the milk mixture over the breadcrumbs and stir to make a thick paste; let cool. Add the beef, pork, egg and egg white to the bowl and mix until combined.

Brush a baking sheet with vegetable oil. Roll the meat into 1-inch balls and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake the meatballs until cooked through, about 20 minutes.

Make the gravy: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking, until smooth. Whisk in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a simmer. Add the cream and meatballs. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the gravy thickens, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Transfer to a serving dish; sprinkle with the parsley and serve with lingonberry jam, if desired.

Recipe courtesy Food Network Magazine