Best Ever Crockpot Beef Stew

Serve with yummy biscuits or rolls...

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 large potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 cup fresh green beans, in bite-size pieces
1 pound beef stew-meat chunks
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 clove garlic, crushed
3 cups beef stock
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Pepper to taste
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons tomato paste

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1. Put everything but the flour and the tomato paste in a slow cooker; stir to combine.

2. Cover and cook on the low setting for 8 to 9 hours or on high for 4 to 5, until the beef is tender and the potatoes are just fork tender.

3. Stir the stew once or twice as it cooks, if possible. About 30 minutes before serving, transfer a ladleful of the broth to a small mixing bowl.

4. Add the flour and tomato paste and whisk until smooth. Stir the mixture into the stew and cook for the remaining half hour. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

(I like to add frozen peas to mine just before serving)

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BON BON

Oven Baked Meatballs

Meatballs
2 slices white sandwich bread, torn into small cubes
4 tablespoons milk
1 pound meat loaf mix

(equal portions of ground beef, pork and ground turkey)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon basil
Salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan Cheese to serve on the side

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1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a large roasting pan or a baking sheet with sides. Place the bread and milk into a small bowl, mix together and set aside.

2. Place the meatloaf mix into a large bowl and add the egg, Parmesan cheese, parsley, and basil. Mix together--it is best to use your hands to ensure everything is evenly distributed.

3. Squeeze any excess milk from the bread and crumble it into tiny pieces. Add the bread to the meat mixture and mix again.

4. Take 1/4 cup of the meat into your hands and roll into a ball about 2 inches in diameter. You should have 12 meatballs total. Place the meatballs on the greased pan--do not crowd. Bake for 15 minutes, and then turn. Bake for an additional 15 minutes, turn again and continue to bake until meatballs are browned and cooked through. Let cool slightly and then sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

BON BON

9 Layer Mexican Dip

Ingredients:
3 (16 ounce) cans refried black beans
1 (16 ounce) jar salsa
32 ounces sour cream
12 ounces guacamole
Assorted Toppings To Taste:
3 cups lettuce, shredded
2 beefsteak tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 cups finely shredded cheddar cheese
8 ounces black olives, sliced
6 ounces green pimento stuffed olives, sliced
2-4 green onions, coarsely choppedDirections

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In large mixing bowl, combine refried beans and salsa. Consistency should be that of cake frosting--spreadable but not thick. Adjust amount of salsa accordingly.
Spread bean and salsa mixture onto serving platter. (I use the back of a metal serving spoon.).
Layer remaining ingredients. Serve with Baked Tostitos Scoops Tortilla Chips.

BON BON

Big Blueberry Muffins

Big Blueberry Muffins

3 cups all purpose flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup unsalted butter, very soft

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 1/2 - 2 cups (fresh or frozen) blueberries
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Preheat oven to 375F. Line 16 muffin tin cups (might need two tins) with paper liners.In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vegetable oil and the vanilla extract.Alternate buttermilk and flour into butter mixture, ending with an addition of flour and working in 2 or three additions. Stir in blueberries.Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.Bake for 18-22 minutes, until tops are lightly browned and a tester comes out clean.Cool on a wire rack. Makes 16 big muffins

BON BON

Sunshine Cake

Sunshine Cake

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1 white cake mix

1 (11 oz) can mandarin oranges with juice

4 eggs

1/2 cup oil

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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all together and bake in 9 X 13 cake pan (or 2 round pans for a layered cake) for 25 minutes or until cake is done. Cool cake completely before icing it.

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Icing:

1 large box instant vanilla pudding

1 small/medium can crushed pineapple, chilled

8 oz cool whip

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Mix pudding and pineapple together. Fold in cool whip and ice on cooled cake (if making a layered cake, using icing in between layers)Yummmmmm!!

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BON BON

Cool and Easy Strawberry Pie

Cool 'N Easy Strawberry Pie
Ingredients
2/3 cup boiling water
1 pkg. (4-serving size) Jell-O Brand Strawberry Flavor Gelatin
ice cubes
1/2 cup cold water
1 tub (8 oz.) Cool Whip Whipped Topping, thawed
1 cup chopped fresh strawberries
1 ready-to-use graham cracker crumb crust (6 oz.)
1 cup sliced strawberriesDirections
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STIR boiling water into dry gelatin mix in large bowl at least 2 min. until completely dissolved. Add enough ice to cold water to measure 1 cup. Add to gelatin; stir until slightly thickened. Remove any unmelted ice. ADD whipped topping; stir with wire whisk until well blended. Stir in chopped strawberries. Refrigerate 20 to 30 min. or until mixture is very thick and will mound. Spoon into crust. REFRIGERATE 6 hours or overnight until firm. Top with sliced strawberries. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

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BON BON

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes Recipe

Ingredients:
Dry ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 Tbsp sugar
Other ingredients:

2 large eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 cup milk

3 Tbsp warm melted butter

1 cup blueberries

1 Tbsp of butter or vegetable oil

*****

BON BON

EGG SALAD WITH A TWIST...

Egg Salad Sandwich Recipe

This recipe is for a one egg sandwich. If you have more eggs and more people to feed, just double, triple, etc. the recipe.

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Ingredients
1 large hard-boiled egg*, peeled and chopped
1-2 Tbsp mayonnaise (to taste)
1 Tbsp chopped green onion
2 Tbsp chopped celery
Curry powder
Salt
Pepper
1 leaf of lettuce
2 slices dark rye bread, toasted
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* To make hard boiled eggs, place a few eggs in a saucepan, cover with at least an inch of water. Add a half teaspoon of vinegar and some salt to the water (if the shells crack while boiling, the vinegar will help keep the egg in the shell). Cover and bring the water to a boil. As soon as the water is boiling, remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 12 minutes. Drain water, add cold water to cool the eggs, let sit a couple minutes longer.

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Method
1 Mash up the chopped egg a bit with a fork. Mix together the chopped hard-boiled egg, mayonnaise, onion and celery. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and curry powder. Mix.
2 If you haven't already, toast your bread slices. Put a layer of lettuce on one slice of toasted bread, spread the egg mixture on top of the lettuce, put another slice of toasted bread on top.
Makes one sandwich.

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BON BON

The IFs, ANDs, or BUT(T)s!

IF I knew how to add a song to the blog, I would choose:

"I'M SORRY, SO SORRY!"

In case you haven't noticed, when I'm stressed, I SHUT DOWN! (and it's been a VERY stressful 6 weeks for me!)

-AND-

IF I had my own blog, the title would be,

"I HAVE ISSUES!"

-BUT-

That is NO EXCUSE for neglecting my chef friends--I'm sorry! You are so very kind to still love me anyway...And thankfully, my stress has subsided, but I still can't do a real post because I'm TOO BUSY trying to recover (in every way!) from my big shut-down. (Not to mention the fact that I haven't cooked in WEEKS!)

So here is my meager offering to our blog...a link to a site I really like...

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/

Do try her recipes--they look really good (in an artery-clogging, BIG BUTT-building, calorie overloaded way--A girl after my own heart!--[my poor, poor heart...]) AND she's very fun AND so talented...(but NOT NEARLY as fun and talented as my friends BON-BON and TRULY!)

I'm sure I will get back to cranking out my own GORGEOUS and GOURMET-ISH recipes in no time...Until then, enjoy PW's recipes!!

MUCH LOVE!

~GG~

p.s. BON-BON--I LOVED your "missing you" and "can't smile without you" posts--you are FUNNY--thank you! You made my day(s)!