CROCK POT RUMP ROAST

                                                                                




2 to 4 LB Rump Roast
1 Large Onion
1 TBS Garlic minced
8 Carrots Peeled & cut in to 2" Lengths or use Baby Carrots about 1 Cup
1 TBS Parsley
Pepper To Taste
1 TSP Onion Powder
1 TSP Salt
1 TBS Greek Seasonings
Dash or 2 of  Season All Seasoning Salt
1 Cup Red Wine divided in 1/2 or Beef Broth if you do not like wine!

Place meat in a metal pan or pot, I use my black iron skillet, place uncovered, fat side up & season with a sprinkling of salt in the pan. Sear meat in a 500 Degree oven for 25 minutes.

                                                                             
 Place all of   of the ingredients except 1/2 cup of the wine, in the crock pot . When meat is seared place it on top of the ingredients. Deglaze the pan you used to sear the meat by adding  1/2 cup of the wine to the pan & scrape the bottom to get every last crusty bit of goodness from the meat, it will make great gravy.Add it to the crock pot.  Put lid on the crock pot & cook on high 4 hours or on low for 8. Remove meat & vegetables & thicken the juices in the crock pot with 1 TBS Cornstarch mixed into 1/2 cup cold water, stirring while crock pot is on high. Sauce will thicken into a nice gravy! If you have leftovers use them to make my Rustic Beef Pie in the February 2013 archive! It is a very old PA Dutch meal that is a favorite here in Lancaster County Pennsylvania!

                                                                             

Cheesy, Potato & Broccoli Bake!

            Cheese, Mashed Potatoes & Broccoli all in one side dish, makes the the perfect go along to any meat!

6 Cups Mashed Potatoes ( I make a lot for one meal & save the rest for this or my mashed potato cakes that are on this blog) You could cheat & make Instant potatoes for this dish!
1/2 Stick Melted Butter
1 Onion Chopped
3 eggs beaten
2 Cups Thawed Frozen Chopped Broccoli
2 cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Salt To Taste
1 & 1/2 Cups bread Crumbs
1 TSP Parsley Flakes
1 TSP Paprika
Take the cold mashed potatoes & add the beaten eggs. Stir until well combined. Cook onion & butter in microwave for 3 minutes until onion is slightly softened. Let cool a bit. While it is cooling stir in the cheese to the potatoes & then the broccoli. Then stir in onion & butter. Spray a 9x13 baking dish or butter the pan  Spoon the mixture into the pan smoothing out the top. Sprinkle with the bread crumbs & then the parsley & the paprika. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes to an hour. DELICIOUS!

                                                                                                                                                

Marinated, Grilled Chuck Steak

    This steak is a cheaper cut of meat but marinated & grilled it tastes like a choice cut of beef. Tender, juicy & FULL of flavor it is the perfect steak for summer grilling!

2,  to 4, 2 "inch thick Chuck Steaks
1 & 1/2 Cups of Coca Cola
3 TBS Olive Oil
2 TSP Minced Garlic
1 TSP Sea Salt
Pepper if you choose to taste
1 TBS Seasonings of your choice that do not have salt ( I used a Greek Seasoning, Italian, Jamaican Jerk, or a Mrs. Dash type seasoning would work) 
2 TBS BBQ Sauce
1 TBS Soy Sauce.
1 TBS Minced Dried Onion
1 TBS Parsley Flakes
Place all ingredients in a large zip lock bag EXCEPT steaks. Shake well to combine. Now add steaks & shake well to get steaks covered with the marinade. Refrigerate over night or for at least 6 hours. Take steaks out of the frig one hour before grilling but leave them in the marinade. Heat grill to medium high. Remove steaks from marinade & wipe off any residue from the marinade. Lay on grill over the flames & grill about 12 minutes per side for well done, test with a meat thermometer for 165 degrees for well done 145 for rare. Plate up & dig in ! Discard the marinade! 
                                                                            

Black Raspberry Iced Tea

      AHHHH refreshing & fruity Iced Tea my favorite summer beverage! The following recipe would work with just about any fruit you would want to use so PLAY AROUND with this one for your favorite tea!

1 cup Fresh or Frozen Black Raspberries
9 Lipton Tea Bags
4 Cups Water
Bring all of the above to a boil, turn off heat & let steep at least 2 to 4 hours. Strain into a large pitcher that you have placed 1 & 1/2 Cups of Sugar ( more or less to your taste preference) 
Press some of the berry pulp through the sieve into your pitcher. Stir well. Now add 14 cups of cold water & stir well. Chill & serve over ice!                                                                           

Red, White & Blue Spangled Cake

                  This BEAUTY is perfect for any occasion! I used Red, White & Blue for The 4th of July & it fits right in with the Festivities! Change up the colors for ANY event & watch your guest ooh & ah over the decorative swirl inside!

      This cake is vanilla, strawberry, raspberry, & white chocolate flavored. SO different & easy to do !
THE CAKE BATTER:
2 Cups Flour
1 Cup Plain Yogurt
6 Egg Whites
1 TSP Vanilla
1 & 3/4 Cup Sugar
4 TSP Baking Powder
1 TSP Salt
1 & 1/2 Sticks Butter
Imitation Strawberry Favoring
Imitation Raspberry Flavoring
Red & Blue Dye

OR for easy decorating just dot the top alternating Blueberries & Strawberries, & or Red Raspberries!

Beat yogurt, egg whites & vanilla with a fork until egg whites are broken up & everything is combined. In a separate deep bowl add all the dry ingredients & whisk together. Beat in softened butter until you get fine crumbs. add 1/2 of the yogurt mixture & beat well. now add remaining yogurt mixture & beat until everything is blended well & smooth. Remove 2/3 cup for the red batter & 2/3 cup for the blue batter. Divide the remaining batter between 2 sprayed & floured 9 inch cake rounds. Into the batter to be red add 1 TSP of Imitation Strawberry Flavoring & enough red dye to make it a nice red color.  Into the blue batter add 1 TSP Raspberry Imitation Flavoring & enough blue dye to get a nice blue color. Divide the two colors between the two pans making sure the blobs do not touch each other. Take a knife & swirl each individual color through the white making sure the blue & red do NOT touch or you will get a funky purple color! 

                                                                                                                                     Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 to 35 minutes CHECKING at the 25 minutes for it to be baked. Cake should SPRING BACK nicely when touched. Mine took a good 36 minutes but I do have a slow oven. Once baked remove from oven & let cool 10 minutes & then invert pans & dump out cake onto wax or parchment paper. Let cool & frost with the following White Chocolate Vanilla, Raspberry & Strawberry Frosting.
FROSTING:
2 Nestles White Chocolate Baking bars
1/2 Stick of Softened Butter
1 Cup Shortening
2 LB Confectioners Sugar
3 Dashes of Salt
About 5 TBS Milk ( give or take)
2 TSP Vanilla
Imitation Strawberry Flavoring
Imitation Raspberry Favoring
Red & Blue Dye

MELT 1 of the White Chocolate Bars in the microwave at 40% power for 40 seconds, stir & do that again. It should now be melted. Into the melted chocolate add the butter & beat together. Add 2 TBS milk & beat ( it will be watery). Now add about 2 cups of the sugar & the salt & beat again. Add shortening & beat. Add the remaining sugar a cup or 2 at a time using more milk if needed but keep the frosting stiff. Continue until you incorporate all of the sugar. Remove about 2/3 cup of frosting EACH for the red & the blue. In one bowl add the red with the strawberry flavoring about 4 drops of the flavoring & enough of the red to get the color you desire.  In the bowl for the blue do the same with the raspberry flavoring & the blue dye. Frost the cake with the white frosting. Use the red frosting to make red stars & the blue to make blue dots. Leave an empty circle of white frosting in the center of the top of the cake , using the other White Chocolate Bar use your potato peeler & run it down the sides of the bar to get chocolate curls. Pile them in the center of the cake.
IF YOU WANT FAST & EASY JUST USE A WHITE BOX CAKE ( I did NOT tell you that ssshhh) Add the colors & flavors like I described above. USING CANNED FROSTING use the colors & flavors as I described but remember SHHHH it is  a secret. THE ABOVE CAKE & FROSTING IS MY OWN RECIPE & MADE FROM SCRATCH USING THE ABOVE INGREDIENTS & TECHNIQUES! But FAST & EASY IS NICE SOMETIMES TOO! Now for very fast instead of frosting stars just dot the top & sides with alternated Blueberries & Strawberries, & or Red Raspberries!                                        

Roast Chicken with Stuffing!

            Crisp on the outside, moist & flavorful inside, bursting with stuffing! Old Time Sunday Dinner that is sure to please!

1, 5 to 7 LB Chicken, this one was 7 LB.
Salt to taste
Paprika
Sage
Parsley
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
STUFFING Recipe follows:

 1/2 Loaf of plain white bread cut into cubes to make 8 Cups. Precut bread cubes are fine I just like to do it myself!
1 Large Onion Chopped
3 Ribs of Celery Chopped
 4 Eggs
1/2 Cup Milk
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 TSP Parsley
1 TSP Ground Sage
1 TSP Savory ( if you can find it) if not just use poultry seasoning & leave out the sage
1 TSP Onion Powder
1 TSP Minced Garlic
 1/2 Stick of Butter ( may use margarine but why when there is butter)

Saute vegetables in the butter, I do this in a deep glass bowl & cooking covered in the microwave for 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the bread cubes & seasonings to the butter veggie mix.. Beat eggs with the milk & add all at once to the bread mixture. Now stuff into your chicken! IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO STUFF THE BIRD just butter a casserole dish & place stuffing mixture in the dish. Bake along with the chicken for the last hour of baking time!



Wash Chicken,  Place in a deep roasting pan that has a lid, stuff with the stuffing. Sprinkle with all of the seasonings using about 1/2 TSP of each one. I do not truss up my chicken I just wrap foil around the stuffing cavity & leg ends.  Roast in a 350 degree oven uncovered for 1 hour. Baste chicken & cover with the lid or seal with a foil tent. Roast 1 more hour, uncover & baste again, cover & roast 1/2  hour uncovering & basting then let uncovered for the final hour. Save juices from the pan when chicken is done & deglaze the pan & use all the liquid to make gravy!  This is MOIST , JUICY CHICKEN with delightful stuffing! 
                                                                                                                                   

The Ultimate Blueberry Muffin

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                    BLUEBERRIES, FRESH, PLUMP, & JUICY BERRIES MAKE THESE MUFFINS INCREDIBLE! Best thing besides AMAZING MUFFINS is you do NOT use your mixer so clean-up is a SNAP! Get blueberries while they are in season & make a dozen of THE BEST MUFFINS you could ever wish to eat!

1 Pint Blueberries
1 Cup Sugar
2 & 1/2 Cups Flour
1 TBS Baking Powder ( YES 1 TABLESPOON)
1 TSP Salt
1 TSP Cinnamon
2 Beaten Eggs
1/4 Vegetable Oil
1 Cup Vanilla Yogurt
1 TSP Vanilla
Stir all the dry ingredients together, dump in all the wet EXCEPT berries, stirring just to combine the wet & dry.   

          Now dump in the berries that you washed & destemmed. Fold them in GENTLY!

      SPRAY your muffin tin with baking spray OR USE muffin papers but I ALWAYS use the spray, I HATE peeling off paper from my muffins. Now mix up the following crumb topping to spoon over the batter.
                                                              
1 Cup Flour
2/3 Cup Sugar
2 TBS Brown Sugar
1 TSP Cinnamon
Dash of Salt
1 HEAPING TBS Shortening
Stir all the dry together then cut in the shortening to make crumbs. Spoon GENEROUS amounts of crumbs on top of each muffin & then GENTLY pat down to get crumbs to stick. DO NOT BE ALARMED lots of the crumb topping will fall off when you dump these out THAT IS OK you want just enough for crunch & not an over abundance of crumb to take away from the star of the show, the blueberries!

  Bake 400 degree oven for 20 or so minutes CHECK WITH a toothpick , when muffins are brown & toothpick comes out clean ( blueberry goo is OK not wet batter though) remove from the oven & let cool 6 minutes before dumping out of the pan. 

                                                                                                                                            YOU WILL HAVE 1 DOZEN of THE BEST MUFFINS ! Serve piping hot with butter or eat them cold the taste in these muffins is WOW!

                                                                                                                                               BREAKFAST, LUNCH, SNACK or for DINNER these Blueberry Muffins are a WINNER!