Tuesday Tip of the Day!

You just cracked an egg into a bowl and bits of shell have broken off and fallen into your egg. How do you "fish" them out? The easiest way to remove those bits of shell from the egg is to use the eggshell itself.

The bits will be attracted to the shell and can be easily removed.

Easy peasy!!!

Slow Cooker Cheddar Bratwurst Soup

Slow Cooker Cheddar Bratwurst Soup

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped onion

2 cloves minced garlic

4 cups cubed potatoes

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp dry ground mustard

1/4 tsp black pepper

10 oz shredded cheddar cheese

1 TBS butter

1 16-19 oz pkg. uncooked Bratwurst

4 cups chicken broth

1 12 oz bottle ale (optional)

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup cornstarch

Directions:

In your slow cooker, add onions, garlic, potatoes, carrots and seasonings. Top with cheese. 

Pour in chicken broth and optional bottle of ale. Cover and begin cooking on high.

Meanwhile, melt butter in skillet on medium high heat. Sear bratwurst on each side. Drain and slice into 1/2 inch slices. Return to skillet to sear on cut sides. Drain. Add to slow cooker. Cover and continue cooking 4 hours on high or reduce temperature to low and cook for 8 hours.

Thirty minutes before serving, remove 1/2 cup of liquid. In medium bowl, combine cooking liquid and cornstarch. Stir until well combined. Add heavy cream. Stir well. Return to slow cooker. Stir. Replace cover to continue cooking until thickened.

Serve hot.

Serving Suggestions: Serve with crusty bread, pretzels, shredded cheddar cheese.

Store remainder covered in refrigerator for several days.

Tuesday Tip of the Day!

Seasoned Breadcrumbs can be higher in sodium along with a whole host of other ingredients that may be undesirable. Making breadcrumbs is actually quite simple. You can usually purchase day old bread at your local grocer for a whole lot less than if you purchase it fresh and allow it to sit for a day or so. If you normally bake your own bread, better yet - bake two!

Simply take a pound of day old bread, cut into cubes and process in a food processor to make coarse crumbs. Spread the crumbs on a baking sheet (or two) and dry in a 300 degree oven for approx. 10-15 min. Stir halfway through. Cool completely.

Return crumbs to your food processor, add your favorite seasonings using up to 4 TBS dried herbs and 1 tsp garlic. (Herbs can be oregano, thyme, basil or parsley.)

Make sure your crumbs are completely dry and cool. Store in an airtight container. Now, wasn't that simple? And not only that - you saved yourself quite a bit of money too!!! We all love that, don't we?!?

Roast Beef Sandwiches

 

Alisha's Roast Beef Sandwiches

Ingredients:

1 lg onion sliced in rings

1 clove garlic minced

1 Tbsp butter

1 14 oz can beef broth

1/2 tsp thyme

1/4 tsp pepper

12 oz thinly sliced roast beef

4 rolls

Sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

Slice onions into rings.

Sauté onions and garlic in butter. 

Stir in broth, thyme and pepper. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Add beef and return to boil, reduce heat, simmer 5 minutes.

Brush rolls with melted butter and broil until toasted.

Add roast beef and cheese. Return to broiler until cheese melts.

Serving suggestions: Small individual bowls of Au Jus and a favorite potato side dish.

Tuesday Tip of the Day!

To prevent boiling over when cooking starchy foods like potatoes or pasta, just place a wooden cooking spoon across the top of the pot. The bubbles will only come up to the spoon and not boil over!!!

Cheeseburger Soup

Cheeseburger Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground meat (or as much as you like)
• 3/4 C. chopped onion
• 3/4 C. sliced carrots
• 3/4 C. diced celery
• 4 C. diced potatoes (I use red-skinned potatoes & leave the skin on)
• 3 C. chicken broth
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. dried parsley
• 3 T. butter or margarine
• 1/4 C. flour
• 1-1/2 C. milk (I use fat-free)
• 8 oz. Velveeta, cubed (I use 2%)

Directions:

In a Dutch kettle, brown beef and vegetables until meat is brown and veggies are soft, about 10 minutes. Add broth, potatoes, basil and parsley. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until potatoes are very tender, about 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small sauce pan melt the butter. Add flour, cook and stir 3-5 minutes, until bubbly. Add slowly stirring constantly to blend. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir about 2 minutes, until thickened (normally it thickens much sooner than 2 minutes). Remove from heat and add cheese and milk. Stir until cheese melts. Yummy with salad and crusty bread. Enjoy!!!

Turkey Chili

Turkey Chili

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 tsp olive oil
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cups water or chicken broth
• 1 - 28 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 - 16 oz can white or red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 TBS minced garlic
• 2 TBS chili powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Optional: Cheddar cheese, sour cream, parsley, scallions, French or Italian bread.

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Place turkey in the pot, cook until evenly browned. Stir in onion and cook until transparent.

Add the rest of your ingredients into the pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Top with Cheddar Cheese, Sour Cream, fresh Parsley, or even chopped Scallions. Serve with crusty French or Italian bread.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Roll

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Roll

Ingredients:

     Cake:

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3/4 cup flour

     Filling:

• 1 - 8 oz. package cream cheese (softened)
• 4 TBS butter (softened)
• 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla

     Also Needed:

• Waxed Paper
• Aluminum Foil
• Clean linen towel (not terry cloth)
• Additional Sifted Powdered Sugar
• 10 x 15 Jelly Roll Pan

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees.
2. Grease 10 x 15 Jelly Roll Pan. Line with waxed paper (allow to overhang slightly). Grease and lightly flour the waxed paper. 

    3. In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar. Beat in remaining cake ingredients.

    4. Pour batter onto the waxed paper lined jelly roll pan and bake at 350 degrees for approx. 15 minutes.   

        (Caution: Cake cooks fast so watch carefully to avoid burning the edges.)

    5. While cake is baking, lay linen towel down on clean work surface. Sprinkle powdered sugar heavily over the kitchen towel using a sifter or sieve.

    6. Turn hot cake onto the prepared towel and carefully remove waxed paper. If desired, trim off burnt or crusty edges.

    7. Sift more powdered sugar over the hot cake and quickly roll up with towel inside.

    8. Allow to cool for about 30 minutes.

    9. Meanwhile, prepare filling by beating together all ingredients until smooth and creamy.

   10. When cake has cooled completely, unroll cake and spread with the filling mixture.

   11. Roll up cake with the filling on the inside.

   12. Wrap in waxed paper and then foil Refrigerate or freeze.

   13. To serve, slice cake about 1/3 inch thick and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Note: Cake cuts best when still slightly frozen.