Crockpot Steel Cut Oats

Jeff and I have never had steel cut oats so we wanted to see what all the hype was about. Tried this over the weekend and we enjoyed it. The kids didn't care for it, but we will make again. If you try this remember to spray with nonstick spray. I didn't and it was a good thing I got up early to check on it and stir otherwise I would have had a mess.

Crockpot Steel Cut Oats
1 cup steel cut oats
4 cups water
1/2 cup nonfat milk
1 tbsp i can't believe its not butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar

Mix in slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours.

Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese

This was yummy. I made sourdough bread from our favorite recipe and we had the sandwiches on the sourdough griled on the panini maker. This was a good change from the typical grilled cheese sandwich. I served with spanish rice and peas.

Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese
http://www.closetcooking.com/2011/04/jalapeno-popper-grilled-cheese-sandwich.html
Ingredients
2 jalapeno peppers, cut in half lengthwise and seeded
2 slices sour dough bread
1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup jack and cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon tortilla chips, crumbled
Directions
Place the peppers on a baking sheet with the cut side facing down.
Place the baking sheet on the top shelf in the oven and broil until the outer layer of the skin has blackened, about 8-14 minutes.
Place the peppers in a zip-lock bag or other sealable container, seal and let them cool until you can handle them, about 20 minutes.
Remove the skins from the peppers. The skins should easily "pinch" off.
Assemble sandwich and grill until golden brown and the cheese has melted, about 2-3 minutes per side.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Pancakes & Chocolate Chip Pancakes

After reading all of the yummy breakfast recipes I decided to do pancakes for dinner Saturday. Normally, my kids will not eat pancakes. Jeff and I have found a recipe for oatmeal pancakes that we love. So when I saw the pumpkin pancakes the receipe looked similar to the brown sugar pancake receipe we usually used, I knew I had to try it. I doubled the receipe so that we'd have enough to stick in the freezer. They were excellent!

Pumpkin Oatmeal Pancakes(adapted from Kristen's Oat Pancakes)
From: http://www.bakingintheburg.com/2011/09/pumpkin-oatmeal-pancakes.html
Makes about 9-12 small pancakes
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar (I did half brown and half white)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (I used half this amount)
3/4 cup oats
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Combine dry ingredients in one bowl and wet ingredients in a second bowl. Combine wet and dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Cook on medium heat until bubbles pop and the surface looks dry. Flip and cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with syrup and enjoy!

Since my kids really don't like pancakes I decided to do chocolate chip for them. They devoured these, so much so that I have none left to reheat for them. They are already asking for me to make again.

Chocolate Chip Pancakes
From: Allrecipes.com
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips
Directions:
In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Combine eggs, milk and oil; add to dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour the batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a lightly greased hot griddle. Turn when bubbles form on top; cook until second side is golden brown. Keep warm.

Sausage Sliders

Made these for dinner tonight and served them on pretzel rolls. We really enjoyed this alot. I made regular italian sausage links and then sliced them and layered on the pretzel rolls. Definetely will make again. Everything went together very well. I also did not use the mustard.

Sausage Sliders with Cran-Apple Slaw
From: Simple and Delicious
Ingredients
2/3 cup coleslaw mix or shredded cabbage
1/3 cup chopped apple
3 tablespoons dried cranberries
3 tablespoons chopped pecans, toasted
4 teaspoons mayonnaise
4 teaspoons barbecue sauce
SLIDERS:
1 pound bulk pork sausage
4 slices sharp cheddar cheese, halved
8 dinner rolls, halved and toasted
3 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
8 lettuce leaves
Directions
In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Chill until
serving.
Shape sausage into eight patties. In a large skillet, cook patties
over medium heat for 3-4 minutes on each side or until a meat
thermometer reads 160° and juices run clear, adding cheese
slices during the last 1-2 minutes of cooking time.
Spread rolls with mustard; top each with a sausage patty, lettuce and
2 tablespoons coleslaw mixture. Replace roll tops.

Pumpkin Donuts & Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

I was into fall baking yesterday. I brought out the doughnut hole maker again:) These did not disappoint. I rolled some in cinnamon sugar and did a vanilla glaze with sprinkes on some too.

Baked Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes
http://cravingchronicles.com/2010/10/11/baked-pumpkin-spice-donut-holes/
Makes 20-24 mini muffins
Ingredients
For Donuts
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoons ground cloves
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup canned plain pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 cup low-fat milk
For Coating
1 stick of unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
Directions
Preheat oven 350°F. Spray each cup in a 24-cup mini muffin tin with baking spray or butter generously.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and spices (through cloves). In a separate, large bowl whisk together oil, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin and milk until smooth. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined – do not over mix!
Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. (Using a 2-tablespoon scoop will ensure uniform size.) Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
While the muffins bake, melt butter in one bowl and combine granulated sugar and cinnamon in another bowl. Remove muffins from oven and cool for 2 minutes, or until just cool enough to handle. Dip each muffin in melted butter, then roll in cinnamon sugar to coat.

These were excellent. I did half of them with just the topping and no nuts and the other half with no topping and just the nuts to make it a bit healthier. I also cut the butter in the sweet potatoes filling way down. I only did 2 potatoes and used 1 tbsp of I can't believe its not butter. I did them in the microwave as stated but used the "baked potato" feature. I think I do prefer my potatoes baked in the oven but this was a quicker option. These were delish!

Makeover Struesel Topped Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
6 medium sweet potatoes
1/2 cup reduced-fat butter, melted
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup unsweetened apple juice
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
TOPPING:
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup reduced-fat butter, melted
Directions
Scrub and pierce sweet potatoes; place on a microwave-safe plate.
Microwave, uncovered, on high for 15-18 minutes or until tender,
turning once.
When cool enough to handle, cut each potato in half lengthwise. Scoop
out the pulp, leaving thin shells. In a large bowl, mash the pulp
with butter and eggs. Stir in juice and vanilla. Spoon into potato
shells.
Divide between two 13-in. x 9-in. baking dishes coated with cooking
spray. Combine the topping ingredients; spoon over top. Bake at
375° for 20-25 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160°.
Yield: 12 servings.

Brunswick Stew

Make this on Friday with some leftover meat from the freezer. I followed the recipe but adjusted to what I had on hand. I used from my freezer leftover pulled pork, BBQ beef, and a small amount of leftover brisket. I put it all in a pot and cooked it. It was delicious and made a ton!

“THE GEORGIAN” BRUNSWICK STEW
Source: Nealey Dozier
3 pounds cooked pulled pork
1 tablespoon butter1 onion
3 cups chicken stock
2 pounds (yukon gold) potatoes, diced
1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes with juices, chopped
1 (10 ounce) bag frozen corn
1 (10 ounce) bag frozen lima beans
1/4 cup brown sugar, or to taste
1/4 cup hot pepper vinegar (or apple cider vinegar), or to taste (I eliminated this)
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons Frank’s Hot Sauce, or to taste
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce (I did not use this)
1 – 2 teaspoons hickory flavored liquid smoke (I used a small amount of powdered smoke flavor)
Kosher salt, to taste
White sandwich bread, for serving (we made corn bread with it)
In a large stock pot, heat butter over medium high heat. Saute onions until soft, about 7 minutes. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and juices, corn, lima beans, brown sugar, vinegar, chili powder, hot sauce, worcestershire sauce, and liquid smoke. Add more chicken stock, if desired (this will depend on whether you like your stew thick or soupy). Season generously with salt and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes to an hour (or more). YIELD: 8 – 10 servings (12 cups)

Egg Rolls

I think I found my new obsession! Egg rolls. I finally bought some wonton wrappers and decided to try them. I used this recipe as a base but made many changes. I did not use the veggies as called for. I substituted about 2 cups of broccoli slaw (I halved the recipe). I used grilled marinated chicken that was marinated in soy sauce. I cooked the slaw for about three minutes. I made the sauce and then stirred in the slaw. The sauce got kind of funny and lumped together, almost too thick so I had to add more water. But, I'm not sure it did too much for the egg roll, I don't think I would make the sauce again. I baked them as directed and dipped them in Frank's Sweet Chili Sauce. They were fabulous.

Baked Egg Rolls
Ingredients:
2 cups grated carrots
1 (14.5 ounce) can bean sprouts, drained
1/2 cup chopped water chestnuts
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups finely diced cooked chicken
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 pinch cayenne pepper
16 egg roll wrappers*
Directions:
1.
Coat a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray; add the first six ingredients. Cook and stir over medium heat until vegetable are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Add chicken; heat through.
2.
In a small bowl, combine cornstarch, water, soy sauce, oil, brown sugar and cayenne until smooth; stir into chicken mixture. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes; remove from the heat. Spoon 1/4 cup of chicken mixture on the bottom third of one egg roll wrapper; fold sides toward center and roll tightly. Place seam side down on a baking sheet coated with nonstick cooking spray. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling. Spray tops of egg rolls with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 425 degrees F for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Dinner Rolls and Ricotta Pancakes

I didn't have the best luck with recipes this weekend. These were ok, just not really what I wanted. I prefer a roll with a little bit more rise, and these were a little too dense for my liking. Perhaps it is all the flour and I added too much.

Perfectly Easy Dinner Rolls Michelle (MMmom)
1 cup warm water (105F to 115F)
2 packages active dry yeast
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
4–4 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
additional melted butter (optional)
Makes 2 dozen rolls
Combine the warm water and yeast in a large bowl. Let the mixture stand until yeast is foamy, about 5 minutes. Stir in butter, sugar, eggs and salt. Beat in flour, 1 cup at a time, until dough is too stiff to mix (some flour may not be needed). Cover and refrigerate 2 hours or up to 4 days. Grease a 13x9-inch baking pan. Turn the chilled dough out onto a lightly floured board. Divide dough into 24 equal-size pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth round ball; place balls in even rows in the prepared pan. Cover and let dough balls rise until doubled in volume, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375F. Bake until rolls are golden brown, 15–20 minutes. Brush warm rolls with melted butter, if desired. Break rolls apart to serve. * I like to add garlic powder to the butter, then brush on rolls* dough can be frozen

These were also just ok. Mine really were not fluffy but more flat. It could be because I didn't whip the eggs enough but with a sick kid, I just didn't want to make too much noise:( I'm not really a big ricotta fan anyways, but they reminded me more of a crepe. But, if you are looking for a low carb pancakes recipe, these will do!

Fluffy Ricotta Pancakes
makes 8 (My recipe made about 24 pancakes, so I think this is eight servings)
1 cup ricotta cheese
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 tablespoons sugarpinch salt
3/4 cup milk
3 eggs, divided
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Set ricotta in a fine mesh strainer about 30 minutes before you start cooking, to drain off excess liquid. We used fresh ricotta from Whole Foods that was pretty dry. If you are using a commercial brand that's runny, you may want to drain it longer. Whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Combine ricotta, milk, egg yolks, and vanilla in a separate bowl. Beat the egg whites in an electric mixer until stiff. Add the dry ingredients to the ricotta and milk mixture, stirring gently until just combined. Whisk in a small amount of the egg whites to lighten the batter, then fold in the remaining whites.
Heat a griddle over medium-high heat, and brush the surface with butter. Use a ladle or measuring scoop (we used a 1/3 cup measure) to pour batter onto the griddle. Cook pancakes for about 3 or 4 minutes, then flip, cooking until both sides are golden brown.
Spread lemon curd between pancakes and dust with powdered sugar. Or serve with syrup or fruit.

Creamy Seafood Pasta and Turtle Rolls

Not that the two really go together, but we enjoyed both. I made this pasta with a few changes. I eliminated the shrimp and replaced the mushrooms with broccoli and cauliflower. I also used the Campbells Heathy New England Clam Chowder. It was very good and I think we prefer this to the version with the cream of mushroom soup. I also did not puree together, I just mixed with a whisk to keep the potato chunks from the soup.

Creamy Seafood Pasta (from Betty Crocker)
16 oz uncooked linguine
1 can (18.5 oz) Progresso® Traditional New England clam chowder
1 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (2 oz)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 lb uncooked peeled deveined large shrimp, tails peeled
1 package (8 oz) sliced fresh mushrooms (3 cups)
4 medium green onions, chopped (1/4 cup)
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste, if desired
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (2 oz), if desired

In 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven, cook linguine as directed on package. Drain well; return to Dutch oven and cover to keep warm.
Meanwhile, in blender, place clam chowder, milk, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and the garlic; blend on medium speed until mixture is smooth. Set aside.
In 12-inch nonstick skillet or wok, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add shrimp, mushrooms and onions; cook about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until shrimp turn pink.
Stir in pepper flakes and soup mixture; cook until thoroughly heated. Stir in parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Pour over cooked linguine in Dutch oven; toss gently to coat. Top individual servings with Parmesan cheese.
Makes 8 servings (1 1/4 cups each)

I've made this bread several times before, but I decided I wanted to see if it would turn into rolls. They were excellent! I did the dough in the bread machine on the dough cycle, took the dough out, and divided into 12 portions. I stuck a rolo in the center of each (eliminated the carmels) and rolled into balls. I put in the pan and let rise for about 1 hour. Then I baked them at 375 for approx 14 minutes. I would make them again. I did make a few changes I will note below.

Turtle Bread
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon water
10 caramels I eliminated this
2 2/3 cups Gold Medal® Better for Bread™ flour
2 tablespoons dry milk
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons bread machine or quick active dry yeast I used 2 1/4 tsp of yeast
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans I used heath toffee bits instad of nuts

Measure carefully, placing all ingredients except chocolate chips and pecans in bread machine pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Add chocolate chips and pecans at the Raisin/Nut signal or 5 minutes before the last kneading cycle ends.
Select Sweet or Basic/White cycle. Use Medium or Light crust color. Remove baked bread from pan, and cool on wire rack.
Makes 1 loaf (1 1/2 lb), 12 slices

Pumpkin Knot Rolls & Buffalo Chicken Wing Soup

I made these in my bread machine this weekend and they were good. I used up the rest of the pumpkin from the pumpkin bagels. Most reviews said that they did not taste like pumpkin, and I agree. They were very soft and everyone enjoyed them.

Pumpkin Knot Rolls
2 packages (1.4 ounces each) active dry yeast
1 cup warm milk (110° to 115°)
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
3 eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
5-1/2 to 6 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cold water
Sesame or poppy seeds, optional
Directions
In a bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Add the butter, sugar, pumpkin, 2 eggs, salt and 3 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Shape each portion into 12 balls. Roll each ball into a 10-in. rope; tie into a knot and tuck ends under. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
In a small bowl, beat water and remaining egg. Brush over rolls. Sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds if desired. Bake at 350° for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks. Yield: 2 dozen.

This recipe is modified from the recipe shown on A year of Slow Cooking. I've made it many times and find I don't like it as well in the crockpot. It tastes so much better made on the stove. I've also adapted my ingredients and it really is quick and easy.

Buffalo Chicken Wing Soup

1 chicken breast
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrots
3 small russet potatoes
1/4 cup I can't believe its not butter light
1/4 cup flour
2 cups fat free milk
1 chicken boulion cube
4 oz 2% Milk Velveeta
1/2 cup hot wing sauce

Cook 1 chicken breast in slowcooker w/ one cup of water. After chicken breast has cooked, remove and shred. Remove 3/4 cup of the broth and add one boulion cube. Stir until disolved.

Boil potatoes cut into small pieces until soft. Drain.

Meanwhile saute celery and carrots in I can't believe its not butter. Stir in flour. Cook a few minutes. then add broth, milk, and wing sauce. Heat until boiling/thick. Stir in velveeta and cook until melted. Stir in chicken and potatoes. Enjoy!