Burgundy Beef and Vegetable Stew

    A few weeks ago, I attempted a similar recipe in my slow cooker. I wasn't a fan. I did a few things different this time. For instance, instead of using the already cut up stew meat, I bought a whole roast and cubed it up myself. I also used a different kind of red wine this time. One that's made for cooking and not for drinking. Even though the Merlot that I used last time came in handy for drinking after I tasted my creation and wasn't impressed! But, most importantly, I didn't cook it in the slow cooker. It was so bad, I decided to cook it completely different! I must say, I was really impressed with the recipe this time around! It's reallyyyy good!

Burgundy Beef and Vegetable Stew

Ingredients:

- 1 and 1/2 pound beef eye round, cut into 1 inch pieces

- 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil

- 1 teaspoon of dried thyme leaves

- 1/2 teaspoon of salt

- 1/2 teaspoon of pepper

- 2 (14.5 ounce) cans of beef broth

- 1/2 cup of Burgundy wine

- 1/2 tablespoon of minced garlic

- 1 and 1/2 cup of baby carrots

- 1/2 of a medium sized onion, cut into chunks

- 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons of water (a slurry)

- 1 (8 ounce) package of fresh or frozen sugar snap peas 

    In a large pot with a lid, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add the beef and brown evenly, stirring occasionally. Pour off the drippings. Return to heat, season with the thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir in the broth, wine, and garlic. Cover, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for an hour. Add the carrots and onions, cover and cook for 30 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch mixture, stir and bring to a boil. Stir in the sugar snap peas and cook for a few more minutes, until snap peas are tender. 

Soft Serve Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream

    So, I kind of want to eat this for breakfast everyday. Earlier this week, I sliced up some bananas and put them in the freezer with every intention of making my ice cream creation that night. Needless to say, it got really cold this week! Record lows for Florida and we were in deep freeze for 11 hours on Thursday night! That doesn't happen all the time. So, three days later. I'm loving that the sun is shining and it's in the 70's today! Despite the weather, this is a great snack for the kids after school or even a healthy breakfast.  Or, in my case, to ease a slight hangover. But most importantly, it's freaking delicious!

Soft Serve Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream

Ingredients:

- 2 good sized bananas, sliced and frozen for several hours

- 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of creamy peanut butter

- 1 tablespoon of plain yogurt

- 1 tablespoon of milk

- 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

    It's pretty easy. Just put all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend the crap out of it. If it's too thin for your taste, stick it in the freezer for a bit. I topped mine with mini m&m's.

I may have been singing Gwen Stefani
while it was blending.

Garlic Parmesan Spaghetti Squash

    I remember my mom making spaghetti squash growing up. I was always a picky eater when it came to vegetables. So, I would hear the word squash and it was all over. Nope. Not having it. Now that I'm getting older, I've discovered that there are so many things that I've been missing out on. One of those things is definitely spaghetti squash! 

Garlic Parmesan Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients:

- 1 medium sized spaghetti squash

- olive oil

- salt and pepper

- 1/4 cup of water

- 4 tablespoons of butter

- 1/2 tablespoon of minced garlic

- 1/2 teaspoon of ground white pepper

- 1/2 teaspoon of basil

- 1/2 cup of shredded parmesan cheese

    Slice the squash in half and remove the seeds. Drizzle the inside with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place it in a microwave safe dish, sliced side down, with 1/4 cup of water in the bottom. Microwave, covered, on high for 15 minutes. In a medium sized pan, melt the butter and add the garlic, white pepper, and basil. When the squash has finished, take a fork and scoop out the spaghetti-like flesh of the squash and add to the butter mixture. Saute for a few minutes, add more butter if you think it needs it. Then, mix in the parmesan cheese and enjoy.

Blueberry Croissant Bake

    Today was a really icky rainy Florida morning. Don't get me wrong, it was in the 60's and it's mid-February so, I'm not complaining too much. But, I decided to make breakfast before embarking on my double shift at the Olive Garden. I love this recipe. French style croissants, creamy custard-like filling, and blueberries make the perfect breakfast, or dessert even! It kind of reminds me of the baked french toast that I made for Christmas, but better. My mom snuck a piece before I rushed out the door and when I got to work, I shared with a couple of co-workers. It definitely brightened our otherwise dreary, rainy day. 

 

Blueberry Croissant Bake

Ingredients:

- 4 or 5 medium sized french style croissants, cubed (5-5 1/2 cups) found in the bakery section of your supermarket

- 1 and 1/2 cups of fresh or frozen blueberries

- 1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese, softened

- 2 eggs

- 3/4 cup of sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

- 1 cup of milk

- confectioners sugar for dusting

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x9 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Evenly distribute the croissant pieces in the baking dish and spread the blueberries on top. In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese, eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Gradually add in the milk and then pour mixture over the croissants and blueberries. Let sit for about 15 minutes and then bake for about 35- 40 minutes. Bake until golden brown and the center has set. Dust with confectioners sugar. I served it warm out of the oven, I'm sure it is great served chilled as well. 

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookie Bars

    You can't go wrong where peanut butter and chocolate are concerned! Here's a quick and easy idea for a semi-homemade dessert!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookie Bars

Ingredients:

- 1 (18 ounce) package of refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough

- 3 cups of confectioners sugar

- 1 cup of peanut butter

- 2 tablespoons of butter, softened

- 1/4 cup of water

- 1 cup of milk chocolate chips

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Press cookie dough into the bottom of a 9 inch square baking pan. Bake for 16-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool for 15 minutes. In a medium bowl, combine the confectioners sugar, peanut butter, butter, and water. Mix well, until creamy. Spoon the peanut butter mixture and smooth evenly on top of the baked cookie crust. Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second intervals, until completely melted. Pour melted chocolate on top of the peanut butter layer. Refrigerate for an hour and cut into bars.  

Chocolate Covered Cherries

Perfect sweet treats!

Make ahead for Valentine's Day!

Chocolate Covered Cherries

Ingredients:

- 1 tablespoon of butter, softened

- 1 tablespoon of light corn syrup

- 2/3 cup of confectioners sugar

- about 20 maraschino cherries, with stems

- 1 (8 ounce) package of chocolate candy melts (or chocolate of your choice)

    Drain the cherries and place them on a paper towel and let dry for several hours. In a bowl, mix together the butter and corn syrup. Sift in the confectioners sugar. Cover each cherry with about 1/2 teaspoon of sugar mixture by molding it like clay. Let sit in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. Melt the chocolate melts according to package. Carefully dip each covered cherry in chocolate and place on a wax papered surface. If it's cool outside, let them sit out to stiffen. Or, put them in the fridge to set. They are best if they've been made at least a week ahead of time. Store them in an air tight container until you're ready to eat. 

This is what the sugar mixture should look like.

Butterfinger Candy

    It's Valentine's week already! Butterfinger candy bars are soooooo good. I bet you didn't know that you could make a similar treat at home in your microwave. Usually candy corn is obviously orange so this would be a cute idea for Halloween too. I can see myself cutting out little pumpkins already. But, it's Valentine's and I found pink and red candy corn, score! Get creative and have fun with them!

Butterfinger Candy

Ingredients:

- 1 pound of candy corn

- 2 cups of creamy peanut butter

- 2 (8 ounce) packages of candy melts, whatever colors you'd like

- sprinkles

    Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with tin foil, I like to spray it lightly with non-stick spray as well. Pour the candy corn into a medium sized microwave safe bowl. Heat on high for 1 minute. Remove and stir. Microwave on high in 30 second intervals until they are completely melted and smooth. Stir in the peanut butter. You can place back in the microwave if it starts to get too hard while stirring. This may take some muscles and patience. Once the mixture is combined, pour into prepared dish and flatten with a spatula or clean hands. Let cool in the refrigerator for an hour. Cut into desired shapes. Melt candy melts according to the directions and decorate!

Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie

    While visiting my family in Massachusetts last summer, my Aunt Denise and I went blueberry picking. There's really nothing like fresh picked blueberries! Coming back home that summer was a little bitter sweet but the blueberries that I brought home with me definitely weren't. This recipe is one of the many that I made that summer and probably my favorite!

Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie

Ingredients:

- 1 refrigerated prepared pie crust, or your favorite pie crust recipe

- milk 

- sugar for dusting

 Filling:

- 3/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons of sugar

- 2 tablespoons of cornstarch

- 1/8 teaspoon of salt

- 1 tablespoon of lemon juice

- 3 cups of fresh blueberries

- 2 tablespoons of butter

 Cheese layer:

- 1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese

- 2 tablespoons of sugar

- 1/4 cup of sour cream

- 1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest

    Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Press half of pie crust into a 9 inch pie pan, perforate and bake until golden brown, and cool completely. Roll the remaining dough and cut out flowers, brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake the flowers until golden brown, set aside and let cool completely. For the blueberry filing, combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add the lemon juice and 1 1/2 cups of the blueberries. Cook and stir on medium heat, until mixture comes to a boil. Simmer, stirring often, until mixture thickens. Remove from heat, stir in butter and fold in the remaining 1 and 1/2 cups of blueberries. Save a few berries for decorating. For the cheese layer, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Spread the cheese filling into the bottom of the prepared pie crust. Spoon the blueberry filling on top of the cheese layer. Decorate the top of the pie with the flower cut-outs and any remaining blueberries. 

Bridget's Macaroni and Cheese

    When I think of comfort food, macaroni and cheese is the first thing that comes to mind. However, I'm not very fond of the dry mixes that come in boxes. And don't even get me started on the fake sauce that's supposed to pass as cheese! I won't even eat the sauce that comes in a packet. This is my own little twist on my mom's classic. I love this stuff. Macaroni and cheese should always have a crispy crouton- like topping. Then, add ham to it too! What?!?!

Bridget's Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:

- 3 tablespoons of butter

- 3 tablespoons of flour

- 1 and 1/2 cups milk

- 4 ounces of cream cheese, cubed 

- 1 and 1/2 cup of sharp cheddar cheese

- 1/4 cup of shredded parmesan cheese

- 1/2 teaspoon of salt

- 1/2 teaspoon of ground white pepper

- 1 (16 ounce) box of pasta, I use cavatappi

- 1 (1 pound) ham steak, fully cooked, diced

- 2 cups of cubed bread, I used french hoagie rolls

- 1/4 cup of seasoned bread crumbs

    Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook pasta according to package directions. In a sauce pan, melt the butter and whisk in the flour to form a roux. Next, stir in the milk until the roux has completely dissolved. Then, do the same with the cream cheese. Add in 1 cup of the cheddar cheese and the parmesan. Then, stir in the salt and pepper. Toss the pasta, sauce, and ham together. Pour half of the mixture into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese on top and pour the rest of the pasta mixture on top of cheese. Top with cubed bread and bread crumbs. Bake for about 10- 15 minutes, until the top is golden brown. 

My favorite!!!

Dried Mangoes

    Mangoes are so delicious! Sometimes the dried mangoes you buy at the store may not be as healthy as you'd think. They contain preservatives! You'll need a dehydrator for this recipe and if you haven't invested in one yet, you should. I made this perfect snack over night and I bet they'll all be gone by the end of the day.

Dried Mangoes

Ingredients:

- 1 and 1/2 tablespoon of honey

- 1/4 cup of lemon juice

- 5 ripe mangoes

    Wisk together the honey and lemon juice. Slice the mangoes into slices, dip the slices into the honey and lemon mixture and place on the dehydrator racks. Set the dehydrator to 135 degees and let them dry for 9- 11 hours. start checking them at around 8 hours.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

    Another Super Bowl Sunday recipe! I think that it is safe to say that this is the best pulled pork that I have ever made. It has a spice to it! I could eat it all day and even without barbecue sauce! Starts with a dry rub and cooks all day, low and slow. So good!!!

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Ingredients:

  Dry rub for the pork:

- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of cayenne pepper

- 2 tablespoons of chili powder

- 1 tablespoon of ground black pepper

- 1 tablespoon of ground white pepper

- 2 tablespoons of ground cumin

- 2 tablespoons of paprika

- 2 tablespoons of brown sugar

- 1 tablespoon of dried oregano

- 1 tablespoon of sugar

- 2 tablespoons of salt

    Combine all rub ingredients in a small bowl

- 1 (8 pound) bone-in pork shoulder

- 1/2 teaspoon of liquid smoke

- 1/4 cup of water

- 2 cups of barbecue sauce

    Pat the meat dry with a paper towel. I like to cut off as much of the fat on the outside of the shoulder as possible. Massage the spice rub all over the meat, using it all. Wrap the rubbed meat tightly in a double layer of plastic wrap. Let sit in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, I let mine sit over night. Combine water and liquid smoke in the slow cooker. Unwrap the meat and place in the slow cooker. Set the slow cooker to low and cook for 8-10 hours. When finished, remove from the slow cooker, shred the meat from the bone and discard the fat. Toss the meat in your favorite barbecue sauce and enjoy!

Chunky Sausage Queso Dip

Perfect for game day and so easy! This stuff packs a punch and is so addicting!

Chunky Sausage Queso Dip

Ingredients:

- 1 (2 pound) block of Velveeta, cubed

- 1 pound of ground sausage, spicy would be good too

- 2 (10 ounce) cans of Rotel

- 1 (7 ounce) can of chopped, roasted green chiles

    Brown the sausage in a skillet and crumble. Combine all ingredients in your slow cooker. Cook on high for 1 hour and then set it to low. Enjoy with tortilla chips or crackers.

Perfect Royal Icing

    The most perfect cookie icing. If you're making a gingerbread house, this would be the perfect glue to hold your house together. It's easy to make and can be tinted with food coloring to make the perfect decoration for your favorite cookies. 

Perfect Royal Icing

Ingredients:

- 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of meringue powder

- 3 tablespoons of warm (not hot) water

- 1/2 tablespoon of light corn syrup

- 2 cups of confectioners sugar

- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract (or almond extract)

    In a medium sized bowl, combine the meringue powder and water. Beat the mixture until it becomes frothy, about a minute. Add in the confectioners sugar, corn syrup, and extract. Beat on a medium-high speed, until mixture becomes light and fluffy. It will be at a thick consistency stage. A little bit of water will go a long way, but you can add water to make it thinner if you's like. 

Football Cocoa Cookies

    How about those Patriots!?! This year's Super Bowl didn't disappoint! My family is from Massachusetts, enough said. I took the day off and spent the afternoon day drinking and cooking. Is there a better way to spend Super Bowl Sunday? Doubt it. I love these little football cookies. They're wicked chocolaty and pretty cute to look at too.

Football Cocoa Cookies

Ingredients:

- 1 cup of butter, softened

- 1 and 1/2 cups of sugar

- 2 eggs

- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

- 2/3 cups of cocoa powder

- 3 cups of all purpose flour 

- 1 teaspoon of baking powder

- 1 teaspoon of salt

     Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together the butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and cocoa powder. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the chocolate mixture. Knead the dough into a soft ball. Dust your work surface and dough with flour. Roll out dough to desired thickness, I like to keep them kind of think so they stay chewy. Use a cookie cutter to cut cookie shapes and place them on a greased baking sheet. They will not spread very much. Bake for about 10 minutes. Let them cool for a few minutes before removing them from the baking sheet.

Check out the Royal Icing Recipe