Shepard's Pie

My family loves Shepard's Pie, and we have served it many times through the years for a quick weeknight supper. 

I stopped using "cream of" soups and instead use beef bone broth with the ground beef to thicken it. So creamy and delicious, way better this way, and if you make your own beef bone broth, you control the ingredients.

Of course, you can also make your own condensed cream of mushroom soup, and that's equally delicious. If you opt to do that, omit the flour in the recipe below.

Recipe
Ingredients
1.5 lbs ground beef
Mashed potatoes (enough to cover casserole)
2 cups corn (canned, fresh or frozen)
2 cups beef bone broth (or homemade condensed cream of mushroom soup)
1/3-1/2 cup flour (if using soup, omit flour)
1 tbls. Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Method
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large skillet, brown ground beef, stir in flour and add bone broth,Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper to taste.

Cook and mash potatoes, stirring in one (1) cup shredded cheddar cheese.

Place ground beef mixture in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Top beef mixture with corn, then top corn layer with mashed potatoes, spreading mashed potatoes over entire top of casserole. Sprinkle top with 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.

Bake in oven 35-45 minutes or until bubbly.  Let sit 10-15 minutes before serving.

Yield: 6 servings

Enjoy,
Mary

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Smoked Sausage and Shrimp over Pasta

I really love Shrimp Creole, Cajun Shrimp and Sausage and other dishes, but the hubs does not, so this Smoked Sausage and Shrimp over Pasta was formulated with an "Italian" flair to satisfy both of us. It's a super-easy, quick weeknight meal, but fancy enough for company. You can use any pasta you like; bow tie, penne, angel hair, fettuccini, linguine, whatever suits your taste. Serve with some garlic bread and a side garden salad.


RECIPE

Ingredients
1- 12 oz package Smoked Sausage
8 ounces uncooked pasta (about 2 cups)
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces medium raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tsp. garlic, minced (I minced garlic in a jar)
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 small onion, diced
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
½ cup (2 ounces) shredded Parmesan cheese
2 tsp Italian seasoning
2 tsp Oregano
Salt to taste
options: Add chopped zucchini or yellow squash and sliced mushrooms

Method
Cut sausage into slices; set aside. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and keep warm tossed with a little olive oil to keep pasta from sticking. 

Heat oil in large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat; stir in smoked sausage and cook 3-4 minutes or until sausage is brown; toss in shrimp and cook until just pink; remove from skillet and set aside.

In the same skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add celery, onion and black pepper. Cook, stirring frequently until vegetables are sauteed', about 4 minutes.

Add cooked pasta, drained tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, oregano and sausage/shrimp mixture. Stir gently to combine over medium heat until hot; add salt to taste. Serve immediately.

Enjoy,
Mary

Apple Butter Cake

Ooooo laaaa laaaaaa!  Apple Butter Cake with homemade Apple Butter is so moist, tender and delicious! Chock full of apple butter, raisins and pecans, it makes a wonderful snack cake for after-school or anytime. 

Recipe

Ingredients
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cup apple butter (easy to make crockpot recipe)
1 1/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup shortening
1/3 cup milk
2 eggs
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup dark seedless raisins (or golden raisins or craisins)
1/2 cup pecans, chopped (could also use walnuts)

Method
Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Measure all ingredients into a large mixing bowl, except raisins and nuts.

With mixer at low speed, beat until well-mixed, scraping bowl with spatula. Beat at high speed for 3 minutes, occasionally scraping bowl. Stir in raisins and nuts. Pour batter into pan. 

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool cake in pan or on wire rack.

Note: Can also be baked in 2 loaf pans if preferred

Frosting
4 tbls. butter
4 tbls. cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbls milk
2 cups confectioner's sugar
Beat butter, cream cheese and vanilla until creamy. Slowly beat in 3 tbls milk until smooth and creamy. Add confectioner's sugar and beat on high speed until smooth. Spread frosting on cake.  Makes enough frosting for a 13 x 9-inch cake.  Double recipe if more frosting is desired.

Enjoy,
Mary

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Super-Cheesy Mac and Cheese

My family loves homemade baked macaroni and cheese. Although I have a recipe I've been using for years, recently while at our son's family over the Christmas holidays, we were served a "new to me" kind that was amazing!

Super cheesy, kid-friendly, fantastic baked macaroni and cheese. One of the best around, and so easy to make.

RECIPE
Ingredients
2 cups macaroni, uncooked
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 stick (8 oz) butter
Lawry’s seasoned salt and pepper, to taste 
paprika (optional
2 cups Velveeta, cubed
2 cups sharp cheddar (can use less if you don’t like a sharp taste in your mac n cheese)
1 cup Colby cheese, shredded

Method
Preheat oven to 350
Cook macaroni until al' dente (cooked through but not mushy). Do not overcook. When pasta is done, drain, add butter and stir until butter is melted. Stir in Velvetta cheese and set aside.

Meanwhile, whisk eggs in a large bowl, add milk and remaining cheeses; stir to combine.

Spray a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray, and pour the macaroni mixture in. Pour cheese/milk/egg mixture over macaroni.  

Bake 15-20 minutes, remove from oven and stir well. Return to the oven and continue baking for another 10-15 minutes. Do not over-bake. It may be a bit jiggly when you take it out of the oven, but it will firm up as it cools, and should be bubbly around the edges. Let cool for about 5-10 minutes to fully set.

*Option - Add cooked and crumbled BACON and top with bread crumbs mixed with Parmesan Cheese ... serve in individual ramekins for a different twist!  Soooooo good!!!

 Enjoy,

Mary

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Pizza at Home

I love pizza, but my husband never did until he ate this pizza! Now he loves it and we enjoy it fairly often.

I love pizza, any kind of  pizza! Fully loaded, pepperoni, sausage, olives, cheese with more cheese, you name it, I like it.

My grandsons also love pizza, so I came up with this way to make great Pizza at Home. Each recipe yields enough dough for 3 personal pan pizzas (recipe is easily doubled) so everyone can mix up their own and top it the way they like it, or 1 large family-style pizza. Perfect for a small family, or for a kids party/sleepover.

RECIPE

Ingredients
2 tsp active dry yeast

1 cup warm water, 95 to 110 degrees (lukewarm, baby bottle warm)

1/2 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2-1/2 cups bread flour, approx.
(recipe can be easily doubled)

Method
In medium bowl, stir in yeast, water, sugar, salt, and oil. Mix in enough flour to make a dough that can be kneaded.

Turn dough out onto board and quickly knead for 3 minutes, adding more flour if dough is too sticky to knead.

Place dough in greased bowl and flip dough over in bowl so that dough top is also lightly greased. Cover and let rise into warm, draft-free place until doubled into size, or about 30-45 minutes.

Punch dough down and divide dough into 3 equal parts (the dough should be very stretchy and easy to work with).

To make a personal pizza, grease pizza pan or baking sheet with olive oil and sprinkle with cornmeal (I used a 6 1/2-inch round cast iron skillet).

Press one dough part into your greased pan, pressing down bottom and working up the side of the pan a bit with your fingers.

Put on sauce and desired toppings. Preheat oven to 500-550 degrees (as hot as your oven will go) for 30 minutes. Bake pizza on the bottom rack for about 15-20 minutes, or until pizza edges are lightly golden, and cheese is melted.

You can bake all 3 personal pizzas or place the other 2 dough parts in a plastic food storage bag and refrigerate or freeze for later use.

Or make 2 larger pizza's by simply dividing the dough in half.

Pizza Sauce

1 clove garlic, mashed and minced (or garlic powder or dried minced garlic)

1 teaspoon salt

1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste

1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce

1/2 tsp sugar

1/8 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp oregano

1 tablespoon olive oil

dash red pepper, optional

Pizza Sauce for Canning here

Method

Combine all ingredients. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.  Store any leftover sauce in the refrigerator, or freeze for use another time.

Option - don't use sauce at all, but brush pizza dough with olive oil and top with petite cut canned tomatoes or fresh tomatoes, fresh chopped basil and mozzarella cheese!

*Cook's Note -  If using a pizza stone, preheat the stone in the oven for at least 30 minutes (up to one hour) before placing your pizza on the stone on the bottom rack.

*Grandmother's Pizza - "Grandmother's" Pizza is the name given to a large sheet pizza, such as this one. In this case the pizza dough (entire dough recipe above) after it has risen, is stretched out (patted out) on a large baking sheet (17 x 11) that has been oiled with olive oil. 

Press dough out as far as you can (it won't fill the whole baking sheet just yet) and let it sit about 30 minutes, then press out more until dough fills entire baking sheet. 

Top with sauce, cheese and your favorite toppings and bake in 450 oven approx. 20 minutes. 

Remove from baking sheet onto cutting board and enjoy!

Also seen on Meal Plan Monday

Enjoy,

Mary

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Italian Cream Cake

I love, love, love this cake! It makes an awesome presentation as a 3-layer delight, but it's just as tasty as a 13 x 9 sheet cake. No matter how you bake it, it's a hit every time I serve it.

Used to be I made this cake all the time, and we couldn't keep it in the house.  Now, with just my husband and myself at home, it's easier to make as a sheet cake, then he can easily bring some to work to share with the staff.

RECIPE
Ingredients
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup oil
5 eggs, separated
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup buttermilk (make your own by adding 1 tbsp. lemon juice or vinegar to the milk)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup flaked coconut
1 tsp vanilla extract

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cream sugar, shortening and oil. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir baking soda into buttermilk; add alternately with flour to batter. Mix until well beaten. Fold in coconut.

Beat egg whites and fold into mixture; add vanilla.

Pour into 3 greased and floured 9-inch pans or one 13 x 9-inch pan.

Bake layers in 350 oven 25 minutes; bake sheet cake 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Cool cake layers before frosting.

Frosting
One 8-oz package cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
One 1-pound box confectioners sugar
1-1/2 cups chopped pecans
1 tsp. vanilla extract
May need to add 1 Tbsp milk for desired consistency

Cream cheese and butter; gradually beat in sugar. Add pecans and flavorings.  This makes a lot of frosting. Cut recipe in 1/2 for sheet cake.

Enjoy,
Mary

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Creamy Chicken & Broccoli over Baked Potatoes

One of the first posts I ever made was this Creamy Chicken and Broccoli over Baked Potatoes. So good any time of year, and a super-easy and quick weeknight meal. Prebake the potatoes to make this meal even faster.

RECIPE

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1½ boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into ½-inch pieces
½ cup chopped green onion
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 - 14.5 oz. can chicken broth (or make your own)
1 large head fresh broccoli, cut into small florets
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, Parmesan, or any cheese you like
4 baking potatoes, baked and split open

Method
In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add chicken and green onions; cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Add flour, salt, and pepper; cook stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add broth; cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until thickened. Add broccoli and cheese last, stirring until cheese melts.

Serve over baked potatoes.

Yield:  4 full servings or 8 half servings

Enjoy,
Mary

Cheddar Broccoli Cheese Chowder

Changing up my Cheddar Broccoli Cheese Soup into a Cheddar Broccoli Cheese Chowder!  I love my cheddar broccoli cheese soup, but this chowder has more substance, is richer, smoother, and so delicious, plus it's completely meatless for those of you looking for a satisfying, meatless meal.  PS - my husband loves this and he is a total carnivore.

RECIPE
Ingredients
2 stalks celery, sliced
4 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 onion, chopped
1/2 stick of butter
1/3-1/2 cup flour
2 cups vegetable stock
2 cups 1/2 and 1/2 cream
Black pepper to taste
4 large slices processed cheese food (I use Velveeta)
1 1/2 cups peeled and diced potatoes (fresh or frozen)
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 small to medium heads fresh broccoli, cut into florets

Method
Melt butter in large sauce pan over med-high heat, saute' celery and onion approx. 3-5 minutes or until vegetables are getting soft.

Add flour and stir until vegetables are covered with flour.  Reduce heat to med-low and slowly add vegetable stock and 1/2 and 1/2, stirring constantly to prevent lumps (can use whisk), until well blended.

Stir in black pepper to taste.

Stir in Velveeta cheese and continue stirring until melted and blended in.

Add carrots and cover partially with lid; simmer 10 minutes or until carrots are cooked through.  Add potatoes and shredded cheddar cheese; simmer covered 10 minutes.

Add broccoli and continue to cook until broccoli is just al dente'.  If chowder is too thick, add more 1/2 and 1/2 or a bit more vegtetable stock, until desired consistency.

Enjoy,
Mary

Old Fashioned Blueberry Muffins

Nothing better than fresh blueberries right from the farm. I buy them by the gallon, and freeze them to enjoy throughout the year.

They make many lovely goodies, from these muffins, to pancakes, blueberry turnovers, blueberry cobbler, blueberry pie filling and more.

RECIPE
Ingredients
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup oil
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cups sugar + extra to dust on top
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (I use fresh I froze myself)

Method
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease muffins tins (12 cup or 8 cup size), or spray with baking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, beat egg; stir in milk and oil. Mix in remaining ingredients, except blueberries just until flour is moistened and everything is well incorporated. Batter will be lumpy. Add blueberries and carefully stir until combined.

Fill muffins cups 2/3 full and sprinkle tops with sugar. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from pan and let cool or serve warm with butter.

Enjoy,

Mary

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Breakfast Sausage Patties

Updated February 2021

A few years ago, I made my first homemade sausage patties. They're easy to do and taste great! Do not use meat that is very lean, or they'll be dry ... you need some of the fat with it to make them nice, plump and juicy. Mix and change up the spices any way you want to make it your own. 

RECIPE
Ingredients
2 pounds ground pork
1 tbsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tbsp. table salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. dried sage
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Method
Spread the pork out in a large bowl and sprinkle with maple syrup, garlic, salt, pepper, sage, thyme, and cayenne.

Using your hands, gently fold the flavorings evenly into the pork, then portion and shape into sixteen 2-ounce patties (about 1/4 cup each). I use a round biscuit cutter placing each portion of pork into the cutter, and pressing the meat down to fit the cutter using my fingers. This helps keep the patties an even size and thickness.

Liberally spay a fry pan with cooking spray, or use 2 tbls. oil and heat until bubbling.

Add the patties and cook until well browned on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. 

Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. 

Patties can be shaped, wrapped and frozen for use another time.

Yield: 16 two-ounce patties

Original recipe adapted from Cook's Country.

Enjoy,
Mary

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Sweet & Sour Sauce Pork Tenderloin with a side of Mushroom Chop Suey

I just love the simplicity of this recipe!  It's very quick to put together, and even easier to cook.  That's what it's all about some nights ... simple, quick and easy!

Ingredients
1 small pork tenderloin
Sweet and Sour Sauce
8 Tbls kethcup
6 Tbls vinegar
5 Tbls sugar
2 Tbls cornstarch
3 Tbls oil
1 1/3 cups Water
1 small can diced pineapple
Diced bell pepper (optional)

Mix the Sweet and Sour Sauce together in a small sauce pan  and heat over med-high heat until bubbly and thickened. Reduce heat and let simmer.

Method
Bake the pork tenderloin, with some Sweet and Sour Sauce ladled over top, approx. one hour in a 350 oven.  Serve pork over white rice with some additional Sweet and Sour Sauce ladled over top.  Add Mushroom Chop Suey as a side ... delicious!

Mushroom Chop Suey compliments of The Black Peppercorn

 

 

Fried Hot Wings

Wings fried and coated in hot sauce

Updated January 2021

Nothing could be greater than Fried Hot Wings for game day! I've been trying for years to make these right; use a coating, no coating, deep-fried, not deep-fried, baked, etc. Tonight I finally got it right. These wings were perfectly tender, yet crispy and finger licking good. Pssssssst really they're great anytime.

Drumettes all ready to eat

First you have to find the right coating mix. In this instance I used self-rising flour and spices, soak them in hot sauce, dip in mix and fry. After frying toss with more hot sauce and bake a few minutes. They were perfect!


RECIPE
Ingredients
1 package fresh or frozen chicken wings, tips removed and drumettes cut from wing
1 cup self-rising flour (make your own with AP flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt)
1-2 tsp garlic powder
1-2 tsp course-ground black pepper
Texas Pete Buffalo Wing Sauce

Method
Place all wing pieces in a large zip-top bag and soak in hot sauce.

Add self-rising flour, garlic powder and course-ground black pepper to another gallon zip-top bag.

Add soaked wings to flour mixture and shake to coat.

Allow to dry on a cooling rack with paper towels underneath, for at least one hour at room temperature.

Place wings, 6-8 at a time, in a deep fryer with the oil at 375-400 degrees. Alternately, you can use a Dutch oven or large, deep pan filled with 3-inches of oil.

Fry until wings are cooked through; drain on rack with paper towels underneath.

Place cooked wings in baking pan and toss to coat with Texas Pete Buffalo Wing Sauce.

Heat in oven at 400 degrees a few minutes, or until hot.

Serve immediately with celery sticks and blue cheese or ranch dressing.

Enjoy,
Mary

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