Winter Recipes

Here are some wonderful new recipes I have tried this winter.
Enjoy!

Pepper Steak


1 pound sirloin tips, cut in serving-size pieces ( or you can use left over steak)
flour, oil
1/4 cup chopped onion or minced onion
garlic powder or 1 clove of garlic
2-3 c. water
2-3 cubes of beef bullion
1 can (14.5 ounces) stewed tomatoes
2 large green bell pepper, sliced in rings
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Cooked Rice


I used small frying steak for this. I filled a small bowl with flour and seasoned with salt and pepper then dipped each steak into the flour. Then I put the steak into a frying pan with heated oil in it. I browned the steak. ( I put them on a plate till I had each on browned nicely, but not too well-done) Then I put in 2 c. of water, 2 bullion cubes, garlic,onion, salt and pepper, stirring till bullion is dissolved. Then I added the steak and cooked till the meat was tender. ( about 20 min). Then I added the green peppers and stewed tomatoes. Bring the liquid to a boil, thicken with the corn starch and water.


* I did add more water and bullion but we really liked the gravy. It was so yummy!


Crock Pot Beef Stew
( this is my good friend Amy's recipe!)

2-3 pounds of stew meat ( or you can use left over roast, I used round steak)
1 c. celery
7-9 potatoes
3 c. carrots
1 Tbsp. sugar
1Tbsp. Salt
1 can of tomato soup
1 can of water (* from the soup can)
3 Tbsp. tapioca

Put in the crock pot, sprinkle the tapioca on top and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Note: I put this in the oven at 350 degrees for a couple of hours. It was really good and the leftovers were just as tasty.


Lasagna Soup
( this came from The Urban Homemaker's Websitehttp://www.urbanhomemaker.com/productcart/pc/home.asp)


1 lb sausage
2 c. chopped onions
1 c. diced carrots
2 Tbsp. minced garlic ( I used granulated garlic)
4 c. chicken broth
1 c. stewed tomatoes ( I have used diced tomatoes)
1 can tomato sauce
1 c. bow tie pasta
2 c. spinach, chopped
1 c. mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese
Opt. fresh basil OR ... add 1-2 tsp. Italian seasoning


Brown sausage. Add onions, garlic and carrots to the pan and saute 3 min. Add broth, tomatoes and tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Drop in pasta and simmer until cooked, about 10 min. Stir in spinach and cook until wilted. Place 1/4 c. mozz. cheese into serving bowls and pour soup on top. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and basil.

Note: I do not usually add the spinach and I double the tomatoes and sauce and add more chicken broth because I like a thinner broth. When I make this I usually start with a large pot and then each time I serve it again I add more sauce or tomatoes to it, sometimes more pasta.


Chicken Tortilla Soup

1-2 lbs. shredded or diced chicken, cooked
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can enchilada sauce
2 c. water
1 -2 c. chicken broth

1 c. corn

1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp cilantro
1 can black beans
1 c. cooked rice
1 bay leaf

Cook till soup is heated through.

Top with Tortilla strips.

Tortilla Strips:
6 corn tortillas cut into strips.
Put into a zip lock back and add 2 T. oil. Shake till coated and then place on a cookie sheet. Bake at 400 for 10-15 min.


I have been making my chili with a home-made chili seasoning I found on Nourishing Heart Home's blog. (http://nourishinghome.blogspot.com/)


Chili

Tomato Juice
Tomato sauce
chili beans
kidney beans
seasoned hamburger
onions, green peppers and tomatoes

Chili seasoning mix

Chili Seasoning
1 Tb. flour
2 TB minced onion
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp seasoned salt
1/2 tsp. dried red pepper, crushed
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cumin


Put it all in a big pot and heat till ready to serve. I usually have grilled cheese sandwiches. However, my mom used to make a big pot of chili and along with the chili a hamburger for each person eating ( more if they were hungry). She would put a bun on a plate, top it with a hamburger and a slice of cheese and then ladle some chili on the top of it. It was delicious!



Ham Balls

1 1/2 lb. ground ham
1 1/2 lb. ground port
1 c. milk
1 c. bread crumbs( I often use oatmeal)
2 eggs
salt and pepper to taste


Make your balls and then bake at 350 for about 20-30 min. Pull out of the oven and top with the sauce and bake another 30 min.

Sauce:
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. pineapple juice
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 Tbsp. corn starch
mustard
cloves

Put ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a boil. Pour over the meatballs.


Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes

Cook enough mashed potatoes for your family, or make a large pan so that you can have leftovers. DO NOT add any liquid or butter to the potatoes when you mash them

Melt cheddar cheese ( 1-2 cups), 1 c. of sour cream, 1/2-1 stick of butter.
Add some minced onion to the potatoes, the cheddar/sour cream mixture and salt and pepper.

Put in a casserole dish and bake for 30-45 min.


Crock pot Lasagna

Ok this was one of my favorite attempts at something new this winter.

I used my original Lasagna recipe and put it in my crock pot, added about 1/2 c. water to it to keep it from burning and it was delicious.

No cook Lasagna noodles
1 container of ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
2-4 c. mozzarella cheese
2 cans of pasta sauce
browned hamburger

Mix together the ricotta cheese, eggs and Parmesan cheese.


Put 1/2 c. sauce in the bottom of the crock pot.
Layer the noodles, cheese mixture, hamburger, sauce and mozzarella cheese till you fill the crock pot. Add 1/2 - 1 c. water. Cook on low till done. ( about 6-8 hours)


Mrs Telfer's Mint Brownies

2 c. flour
1 3/4 c. sugar
2 tsp baking soda

2 large eggs
1/2 c. buttermilk( I used 3/4)

1 c. butter
1/4 c. cocoa
1 c. water ( can also use coffee)

Topping:
3/4 c. butter, softened
2-3 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. mint extract

1/2 c. butter
10 oz semisweet chocolate ( I used 1 c. of chocolate chips)


Preheat oven to 375 and grease an 11 x 17 in jelly roll pan.

Melt butter, whisk in coca and water, set aside to cool.
Put flour, sugar and baking soda in a bowl. Add the chocolate and the the eggs and buttermilk.

Bake for 12-15 min till done.


Topping:
Blend butter, sugar and extract in mixer till well blended. Spread over cooled brownies

Melt butter and chocolate together, let cook till room temp and spread over mint filling.