HOME MADE with LOVE

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil 2 Tablespoons Flour 2 Pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes 6 Medium Carrots, peeled and sliced 6 Russet Potatoes, peeled and cubed 1/2 large White Onion, peeled and chopped 2 cups water 1 cup Merlot 1/2 cup Brown Sugar 1/2 cup Soy Sauce 1 can of Tomato Soup 1 Tbls. Cornstarch Salt and Pepper to taste 1 cup frozen peas (to be added the last 15 minutes of cook time) 1.  Heat oil in skillet over medium heat.  Meanwhile place beef pieces in to Ziploc bag with flour and coat WELL.  Sear beef on all sides and transfer to Crock Pot. 1.  Add remaining ingredients to the Crock Pot.  Stir WELL to combine.  Cover and cook on LOW for 10-12 hours or High for 4-6 hours.  I prefer the 10 hours.

 Chocolate Chip Cookie Surprise Cake 1 package Betty Crocker Yellow cake mix 1 cup whole or 2 % milk ½ cup butter, melted 3 eggs 1 pouch Betty Crocker Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix ½ Cup butter, melted 1 egg 1 tub Betty Crocker Milk Chocolate ready to spread frosting 1 tub Betty Crocker Vanilla ready to spread frosting Heat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease 9x13x2 inch pan, with shortening and lightly flour. 1. Beat cake mix, milk, melted butter and 3 eggs in large bowl with mixer on low speed for 30 seconds and then on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour into pan. 2. Make cookie mix as directed on package, using melted butter and 1 egg. Drop dough by teaspoonful’s evenly over batter in pan. 3. Bake 50-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Run knife around side of pan to loosen cake. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Spread frostings (after whipping them for a minute on high) over top of cake. Store loosely covered at room temperature. Se...

It is that time of year again!!  PUMPKINS everywhere!!  With all those pumpkins comes seeds. . .what do to with all those seeds?  Well we roast them.  I have done the same kind of roasting for years now, but on Sunday my friend came with seeds and hers had a Carmel color to them.  So I asked her for her recipe.  Now I am going to leave my recipe and her recipe and you can choose.  No matter what kind of pumpkin seeds there are they all have one thing in common. . . YUMMY!! My recipe: Raw Pumpkin Seeds (as many as you have) Water Salt Sea Salt Garlic Powder Onion Powder Popcorn salt Olive oil Get all the gunky stuff off the seeds.  Then soak the seeds in salt water for about an hour.  Drain them in a colander and spread on sprayed jelly roll sheets.  Sprinkle with Olive oil, Popcorn Salt, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder and put in a 300 degree oven for 1 hour.  Stirring in 20 minute increments. My Friends Recipe: Ingredien...

I found this recipe on the bag of my favorite tortilla chips, " Mission Tortilla Strips ".  I used the recipe, but "doctored" it up to my liking!!  Enjoy! Southwest Taco Dip 1 can (16 oz) refried beans (I used the black refried beans with lime juice) 3 medium avocados 2 tbsp lemon juice 1/4 tsp pepper 1 1/4 cups sour cream 1 package taco seasoning mix 1 small onion, chopped 3 tomatoes, chopped ( I used about 12 grape tomatoes) 1 can Black Olives sliced about 1 cup 16 oz grated cheddar cheese a sprinkle of Black pepper a sprinkle of Cayenne pepper a sprinkle of paprika Two bags of Tortilla chips the preferred chip is Mission Tortilla Strips Spread refried beans on a large plate.  mash avocados in separate bowl.  Add lemon  juice and pepper.  Mix well and then spread over refried beans.  Combine sour cream and taco seasoning mix.  Spread over refried bean mixture.  Top with tomatoes, onions, cheese then olives.  Sprinkle t...

I love to give my kids sliced apples and peanut butter, but I have started to add about a tablespoon of pancake syrup to 2 tablespoons of peanut butter and I mix it really well.  It tastes like candy and it is so yummy on apples and celery!!

I have cherry tomatoes growing out my ears.  I am the only one who eats them. I needed to find something to do with these tomatoes.  Well I found a recipe and then of course "doctored" it up a bit to fit my liking.  BLT Dip: 8 oz cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup Ranch Salad Dressing 10 cherry tomatoes cut in fours 3 ounce package of Bacon bits (I used the Oscar Meyer kind) 1/2 cup of chopped Celery 4 small green onions chopped 1 tsp sugar A dash of Pepper to taste Lettuce leaf (for garnish only) 2 boxes of crackers (I use Ritz the Garden blend and Triscuts the Rosemary and Olive oil blend) In mixer mix cream cheese and ranch dressing until well mixed.  Cut the tomato and add to the cream cheese mixture.  Use a food chopper and chop up the celery and the onion.  When those are chopped add them to the cream cheese mixture.  Add the Bacon Bits, sugar and pepper and mix well!! Cover and refrigerate overnight.  Leaving it in the...

3 Tablespoons of Butter (not margarine) 1 small onion chopped(I use onion powder instead and I just sprinkle some in the pan that the butter is melting in) 4 Cups frozen shredded  hashbrowns 8 cups cubed French Bread 1 package of sausage links (flavor you desire) 1 package diced ham 2 cups mozzarella cheese 2 cups cheddar cheese 1 pint half and half 1/4 cup 2% milk 8 Large Eggs Salt to taste Pepper to taste 1/4 tsp nutmeg 2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard 1.  Spray a deep 9 X 13 inch casserole with vegetable oil cooking spray. On Medium melt the butter in a Large Frying pan and add the onion (either the powder or the actual onion).  Add the hashbrowns to the pan and cook until they are soft about 5 minutes.  Place the bread cubes in the bottom of the Casserole dish.  Spread the onion and hashbrown mixture evenly over the bread cubes. 2.  Saute' the sausage and cut into chunks.  When the sausage is cooked through wit...