Swiss Steak

This is a crock-pot classic. Freezes great and tastes even better re-heated.

1 round steak (approximately 1 1/2 pounds)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Salt and pepper

All-purpose flour, for dusting

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 (14-1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 medium onion, cut into chunks

1 medium bell pepper, cut into chunks

Cut steak into large bite-sized pieces. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. Dust meat with flour. In heavy skillet, brown both sides of meat in vegetable oil. Transfer to Crock Pot. Combine garlic, tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, and 1 tomato-can measure of water. Pour over steak and simmer over low heat -- at least 4 hours, but I usually cook it all day or overnight -- and adding water, if necessary to keep meat partially covered. Season, to taste, with additional salt and pepper. Serve over mashed potatoes, rice or egg noodles!

Note: to ensure tenderness, you can ask the butcher to run the round steak through a cuber.

Easy Green Chili Stew

1 12 oz jar salsa verde (I use La Victoria)

3 cups shredded chicken (1 small rotisserie chicken works great)

1 15 oz can canellini beans, drained

3 cups chicken broth

1 t ground cumin

Cook salsa 2 minutes over medium heat in saucepan. Add chicken, beans, broth and cumin. Bring to boil, then simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Garnish with sour cream and scallions.

Serve with corn chips or tortillas.

Fake-Out Chili's Salsa

Fake-Out Chili's Salsa

1 (14 1/2 oz.) can tomatoes and green chilies

1 (14 1/2 oz.) can whole canned tomatoes (plus the juice)

4 teaspoons jalapenos (canned, diced, not pickled)

1/4 cup yellow onion (diced)

1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon cilantro

juice from 1/2 lime

1. In food processor place jalapenos (optional) and onion and process for just a few seconds.

2. Add both cans of tomatoes, salt, sugar, cumin, cilantro and lime juice.

3. Process all ingredients until well blended but do not puree.

4. Place in covered container and chill.

5. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips!

Homeade Apple Jelly

I spent today making homemade Apple Jelly -- and then cleaning it up. What a mess. I'm sure next time will go better -- as I'll be able to keep my nose out of the Ball Canning Recipe Book and actually clean as I go.

I was inspired to start canning after eating some homemade canned peaches at a friend's house. Delicious. Like nothing I've ever tasted before. Soft, sweet and with so much flavor!

So I went and bought this complete canning kit from Ace Hardware. After doing some reading from the book, I discovered I picked the worst time of year to start canning! So today I bought some apples on sale at Sunflower Market. I figured I would probably mess up my first batch, so I'd better start with cheap fruit!


I used a basic Apple Jelly recipe from The Joy of Cooking. It called for 3 lbs. of green apples, sugar and water. So I boiled the apples, per the instructions -- and then used a jelly bag to strain all the juice into a bowl.Then, I boiled the juice and the sugar waiting for the elusive "jelling point". This was the most stressful part of the process. The ways to test for the "jelling point" are loosy-goosy. But I finally thought it was ready.

I'm still not sure my jars sealed after boiling them for 15 minutes. I should know by tomorrow morning.

I think I'll be having gluten-free toast for breakfast with some fresh Apple Jelly tomorrow!

Butter Chicken

I buy this delicious sauce at Cost Plus World Market -- it's really popular and sometimes sold out. So if/when I find it, I buy a couple of jars for the pantry. This is an easy dinner that is quick to prepare.
I saute bite-sized pieces of chicken in about a tablespoon of oil. Once it is mostly cooked through, I remove it from the pan and add a bit more oil. I then cook a few cloves of garlic, about 1/2 of a big onion and 1-2 heads of broccoli. At the very end I add the chicken back in, add the sauce and simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes. I serve it over jasmine rice. YUM!




Dinner is on the stove. And even better than that is the fact that I've mastered the art of "clean as you go"! My kitchen is cleaned up, the dishwasher is running and I'm going to enjoy a delightful dinner for one. I have leftover sparkling cider from Thanksgiving that I'm going to crack open. BIG NIGHT at my house!

Honey Ginger Stir Fry

Update -- you would not BELIEVE how good this is. I added some broccoli and 1/2 of an onion.

I can't wait to try this recipe -- just saw it on Martha Stewart this morning. It sounds delish! I should've asked Santa for a Wok! :)

Serves 4

• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, sliced into 1/4-inch strips
• 1/4 cup minced peeled fresh ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 red, orange, or yellow bell peppers (ribs and seeds removed), thinly sliced
• Cooked rice, for serving
• Fresh cilantro leaves, for serving

Directions

1. In a small bowl, stir together honey, vinegar, and soy sauce. Heat a large skillet or wok over high until hot. Add 1 tablespoon oil and swirl to coat skillet. Add chicken and stir until opaque but not cooked through, about 3 minutes; transfer to a plate.
2. Add 1 tablespoon oil, ginger, and garlic to skillet and stir until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add peppers and stir 2 minutes. Add soy mixture and bring to a boil. Return chicken to skillet and toss until sauce thickens and chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes. Serve over rice, topped with cilantro.

Honey Crunch

This is easy and good -- great for giving as gifts in cute holiday bags.

4 cups Crispix Cereal

4 cups Quaker Corn Bran Cereal (the only place in CO I could find this is Super Target)

1 stick butter

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1/3 cup honey

1/2 cup peanuts

Bring butter, sugar and honey to a boil, then simmer for 8 minutes. Pour over cereal/peanut mix. Stir until evenly coated.

Spread on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Continue to stir while it's cooling to break up clumps.

Honey Banana Punch

This punch is perfect for party. It is so delicious I actually ruined my dinner a few nights ago -- because I drank four glasses! Freeze the mixture in four 1-quart containers -- and then pull them out one at a time and mix with a liter of sprite. Yum!

2 cups frozen OJ concentrate

5 ripe bananas, chunked

1 40 oz. can of pineapple juice

3 cups water

3/4 cup honey

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup powdered lemonade mix

4 liters of Sprite

In blender, blend OJ and bananas until smooth. Pour mixture into a large bowl. Add pineapple juice, water, honey, sugar and lemonade. Stir until lemonade has completely dissolved. Pour into 1 quart containers and freeze until slushy. Mix 1 quart with 1 liter of sprite and serve.

Kate's Chippers

These are a delicious "knock-off" version of Paradise Bakery's Chippers. They are delicious!

1 1/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup butter flavored Crisco

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 T milk

2 t vanilla

1 3/4 cups flour

1 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

3 cups quick oats

1 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup Health Bits of Toffee

1/2 cup coconut

1 cup crushed corn flakes

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Cream brown sugar, white sugar and crisco. Then, add eggs, milk and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt.

Slowly add dry ingredients to wet.

Add oats, chocolate chips, toffee chips, coconut and corn flakes. Mix all together.

Use small ice cream scoop to place on greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 9 minutes.

Spectacular Homemade Caramels

Oh lordy, do I have a recipe for you! My friend Suanne and I spent a few hours making these for gifts. Time well spent. You have to set aside nearly an hour to stir -- and then cutting and wrapping them is also a chore. But in the end you have special, handmade, delicious caramels.

3 cups sugar

1 stick butter + 1 T

1/2 stick margarine

2 1/4 cup light Karo syrup

1/4 t salt

3 cups "light cream" or half-n-half (reserve 1 1/2 cup to add once boiling)

Boil all ingredients (EXCEPT 1 1/2 cup of half-n-half) at medium heat -- stirring slowly but constantly. Once boiling, add the reserved 1 1/2 cup of half-n-half. Boil until temperature reaches 230 degrees. Immediately remove from heat and add 1 teaspoon of vanilla -- then pour into a generously greased (PAM works great) jelly roll pan. Cool completely. Turn candy out onto a cutting board and cut into small squares. Wrap in waxed paper. Enjoy!