French Dip Crescents

Ok, first I have to admit that I have been on a kick lately.  I mean Christmas is 10 days away so I had to make some goodies and then there is something about colder weather that just makes one feel like they have to bake and cook and get the extra padding on, right?  I hope that isn't just me!  Anyway, the other night I decided to try French Dip Crescents.  I should be upfront and say that we didn't actually do that French Dip part and half were made with ham!  But I will include the original recipe and you can tailor them to fit your family's likes!  So anyway, these little guys were super easy and super yummy.  The one that I made with ham smelled just like an Arby's Ham Melt.  So if that is what you like, go with the ham!  My daughter told me that these were the best dinner I had ever made!  Really, something so simple is what you like!  Sheesh, and here I had been making elaborate dish after elaborate dish trying to get that compliment!  Not really! 

French Dip Crescents

2 8 ct crescent rolls (I did used reduced fat)
1 lb deli roast beef thinly sliced (I used Hormel natural choice.  And really any deli meat will work)
4 oz of provolone or swiss cheese, cut into 16 equal pieces (I used sliced provolone and swiss)
optional: Horseradish sauce (I used mayo on some)
optional:  au jus sauce

Unroll crescents onto a large cookie sheet.  Spread small dab of horseradish on the crescent and place one piece of sandwich meat and cheese on top.  Roll up starting with the large end.  Bake at 375 degrees for 11-13 minutes or until golden brown. 





original recipe from www.mamalovesfood.com

Simply Great Chicken

Ok, saw this recipe and had to pin it.  I mean it had three ingredients one of which is the chicken.   And the combintion of the other two left me puzzled!  After I pinned it I had a friend comment on my pin asking me to make it.  Just FYI, I am a crazy Type A person in that if I pin something, I am going to make it.  I don't like my house cluttered with unused stuff and I don't like my virtual pin board cluttered with unused pins!  This chicken is so easy.  You just use the cut of meat that you like.  I used chicken thighs.  But if my sister, with a more refined palate, were here I would have to use breasts.   And if you are like my one friend ( I won't mention her name!  But she is my favorite Y instructor!) who loathes lengthy recipes and more than two or three spices, this recipe is right up your alley!  Don't worry about the taste either.  All my peeps gobbled it up!  Even my PB&J freak!  And hubby couldn't get enough!  So now that you are all dying to see this recipe.....


Simply Great Chicken

3 lbs chicken (thighs, breasts, drumsticks)
1/2 c brown sugar
1 packet dried Italian dressing mix (.6-.7 oz)


Grease a 9x13 baking dish.  Load that sucker down, because your sugar will carmelize and if you don't get it covered you are going to be scraping the heck out of the pan!  (You could also line the pan with foil and then spray it, but I hate making the trip all the way to the trash to throw the foil out!)  Combine the sugar and dressing mix in a bowl.  Press chicken into the mixture to coat it well.  Place coated chicken in the greased pan.  Sprinkle any leftover sugar mixture on top of chicken,  Bake for 50-60 minutes.  I did turn it once during the baking process, but that is entirely up to you!

Originally from www.foodforahungrysoul.blogspot.com

Strawberry Brownies!

Hmm, the name alone intrigued me.  Strawberry brownies?  Isn't the name kind of an oxymoron?  I mean aren't brownies all about ooey gooey chocolate?  Apparently not.  These little gems are super easy and really quite tasty.  I made these last night for dinner with some friends, and we ate almost the whole 9x13 pan.  I do have to admit that when I did the glaze I forgot the amounts, so we were scraping excess glaze off our brownies.  Which then got us to talking about how to make these even better!  Of course, we all agreed chocolate would make these even better!  I will be experimenting with these in the future so keep your eyes open!  Anyway, these are super delicious the way they are now!  Hope you all enjoy them! 

Strawberry Brownies

1 box strawberry cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 c oil

Mix above ingredients.  Spread into a greased 9x13 pan.  (will be super thick)  Bake at 350 degrees for 14 minutes. 

Glaze

1 c powdered sugar
 1 1/2 T milk or water

Mix above ingredients and pour over warm brownies.

Chocolate Mousse Brownies

Ok, I am going to admit to something so totally un-American.  We don't care much for pumpkin pie in this house!  Oh we will do pumpking bread, muffins, cookies, etc  But not pumpkin pie!  I will eat pumpkin pie ice cream, but not the actual pie!  Yup, I know we are so totally busted!  So what to do when you see Thanksgiving is coming up and you know the desserts are going to be pies (we don't really like traditional Thanksgiving pies, either!  Yup, you heard right.  NO pumpkin and no pecan!  We are ok with apple though!).  Found this recipe for Minty Chocolate Mousse Brownies and just had to try it!  I dind't use the minty part though.   Most people in my extended family (and this house as well) don't care for mint (I do though!)  Well, if it is any indication that almost the whole 9x13 pan was gone after Thursday (and that was with a total of like 9 pies to go along with my brownies), then I would say they were a hit!  I am going to post the recipe the way that I made them.  You guys feel free to experiment however you want!

Chocolate Mousse Brownies

Box of Betty Crocker Original Supreme Brownie Mix (the one with syrup)
1/3 c water
1/3 c oil
2 eggs
3/4c whipping cream
1 c chocolate chips
3 eggs
1/3 c sugar

Topping:  1/3 c chocolate chips plus more for sprinkling on top

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease bottom of 9 x 13 baking pan.  Make brownie mix as directed on box but use the 1/3 c water, 1/3 c oil and 2 eggs listed above.   Spread evenly in pan.  In a 2 qt saucepan, heat whipping cream and 1 c chooclate chips over medium heat, stirring until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth and creamy.  Cool slightly.  In another bowl, beat 3 eggs and 1/3 c sugar on medium speed until foamy;  stir in chocolate mixture.  Pour the chocolate mixture evenly over the brownie mixture in the pan.  Bake for 45 minutes or until the top is set.  Cool completely; about 1 hour.  In the microwave melt the 1/3 c chocolate chips in 15 second intervals (stir) until smooth and creamy.  (Mine wouldn't get to this point so I added a litte whipping cream to make it drizzable).  Drizzle over cooled brownies.  Sprinkle chocolate chips over all.   Serve at room temperature or cover tightly and store in refrigerator. 



Original recipe from www.sweettreatsmore.com

Honey Butter Pork Tenderloin

I actually have another recipe to blog about as well, but I will save that for a later day.  For dinner tonight we had Honey Butter Pork Tenderloin.  Oh my!!!  It was so yummy!  I get so excited about recipes especially cuts of meat that have this awesome sauce on it, only to be disappointed when I take a bite and the flavor doesn't carry thru.  Obviously, this is not an operator error, so it must be a recipe error!  Anyway, I made this recipe in my crock pot today and was anything but disappointed.  It was so good (probably the butter!).   The original is an oven recipe, but seriously, who has time to stand in the kitchen to brown the meat and to get it coated well and yadda yadda!  Not me!  I have walls that need to be painted and laundry to do and recipes to pin.  You get the picture.  The other good thing about this recipe is that it has few ingredients and goes together very easily!  I hope you enjoy it as much as we did (all three kids ate it!)

Honey Butter Pork Tenderloin

6 T honey
2 T butter
1 1/2 lb boneless pork tenderloin
1/2 t Cajun seasoning (I didn't have any so I added a pinch of salt, paprika, oregano and cayenne pepper) 
1/2 t pepper

I am going to write down what I did (this is for my friends that don't like a lot of steps!  You know who you are)  If you want the oven variation you can always go to the original website.

Place honey and butter into a crock pot.  Rub pepper and Cajun seasoning over meat.  Place tenderloin into crock pot and cook on low.  About an hour into the process, I turned the meat over to make sure the butter and honey was on both sides!  Then cook for another 3-4 hours or until cooked thru. 

Original recipe at www.mommahenskitchen.blogspot.com

Crescent Cinnamon Rolls

Ok, so how about some breakfast food again?  Yeah!  Yesterday I had to find something that my 6 year old could eat that wasn't too hard...Croup had struck out house.  I had pinned this recipe last spring and it was a huge hit.  Think cinnamon rolls without all the intensive labor!  I am all about streamlining the grueling process of just about anything!  Efficiency is my middle name!  The first time I made these litte buttery bits of heaven, they were literally floating in butter when they came out of the oven.  The second time I doubled the amouts of crescent rolls, but kept the filling amounts the same.  That was awesome, but then we were eating 4 or 5 of these rolls!  Holy Cow!  So not good for you.  So this time, I halved the amount of butter, sugar and cinnamon for the filling and left everything else the same (I am leaving the amounts just as they were originally and you can do with it as you please).  Aww, enough so that we could have 2 each (The three year old opted for his standard breakfast fare of yogurt and toast with PB&J).  When someone figures out how a three year old boy works, please let me know!  So without further ado, here is the most awesome recipe around!!!!

Crescent Cinnamon Rolls

1 (8ct) tube of crescent rolls

Filling:

6 T butter, softened
1/4 c white sugar
2 1/2 t cinnamon

Glaze:

2 T butter, melted
1/4 c + 2 T powdered sugar
1/2 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Place unrolled  and seperated crescent rolls on an ungreased cookie sheet (one with sides ... actually a jelly roll pan).  In a small bowl, mix the filling ingredients.  Evenly spread the cinnamon butter over the crescent rolls and roll up.  Place tip side down on the cookie sheet.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until slightly golden.  Meanwhile, mix the glaze ingredients in a small bowl until smooth and creamy.  Place in a zip lock bag and snip a tiny corner off.  Drizzle over the cinnamon rolls when they get out of the oven. 


Recipe from www.thehungryhousewife.com

Creamy Garlic Pasta

Ok, so I haven't been posting as much lately.  It doesn't mean we aren't eating!  Just means we have found new ways to stay busy, so we have had a number of leftover nights!  Anyway, Creamy Garlic Pasta is so yummy!  Probably because it is made with really rich ingredients!  Which means if you are watching what you eat, you will just have to watch someone else enjoy this recipe!  Did I mention that it is yummy!  And it reheats really well!  My six year old loves this dish!  Oh and when I make this recipe, I add a little extra of each ingredient.  Not really double, but more than the recipe calls for.  I just eyeball it!  And this last time I also added some ham.  Wonderful!

Creamy Garlic Pasta

2 t olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 T butter
1/4 t salt
1/2 t pepper
3 c. chicken stock
1/2 lb spahetti or angel hair pasta (8 oz)
1 c grated parmesan cheese
3/4 c heavy cream
2 T chopped fresh parsley

In a pot, bring the olive oil to medium-low heat.  Add the garlic and stir, allowing it to cook for 1-2 minutes.  Mix in the butter until melted. Add the salt, pepper and chicken stock.  Raise to high heat and let it come to a boil.

Once it is a rolling boil, add the pasta and cook for as long as the box's directions indicate.  Reduce the stove to medium heat and mix in the parmesan until completely melted.  (This is when I added my ham)  Turn off the heat and stir in the cream and parsley.  Serve immediately!

 

 

Not sure where this recipe orignally came from!