Slow Cooker Chex Snack Mix...aka Crack

I don't know about you, but I am all about "the crunch".  I love a good snack that includes some measurement of crunch involved.

Whenever we do a road trip, there is always some version of Chex snack mix purchased.  My whole world has just changed though, now that I know how to make this at home for waaaayyy less than it costs to buy a bag that is half filled with air!  The great thing about this also, with all the gluten free and organic choices out there now, you can easily transform this to a healthy snack option.

The problem is that it has now become a very accessible serious snack addition in our home, car, bus, office, etc...  I tried a test batch out before Super Bowl, to see how it would turn out.  Needless to say, my husband had me make a second batch on Super Bowl Sunday...I'll let you fill in the blanks.

Slow Cooker Chex Snack Mix

3 cups corn chex

3 cups wheat chex

3 cups rice chex

2 cups mini pretzel twists

1 cup cherrios

1 cup mixed nuts

1 cup cheese-its

1 stick melted butter

1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp garlic salt

1 Tbl Lawry's season salt

In a slower cooker over low heat, combine all chex, pretzels, cherrios, nuts, and cheese-its.

In a small bowl, whisk together melted butter, Worcestershire, garlic salt, and season salt.  Pour mixture over Chex Snack Mix and stir to combine.

*** Cover and cook, stirring every 30 minutes, for 2 to 2-1/2 hours.

Pour warmed snack mix out onto a large piece of foil or parchment paper.  Let cool for 30 minutes.

*** If you have a newer model of slow cooker that let's you open the steam option...do it.  You want to make sure the steam/moisture is released, so your mix does not become soggy.

Since my cooker is nearly 25 years old (wedding shower gift), I place a paper towel under the lid and change it to a new dry one when I stir the mixture every 30 minutes.  For Safety Purposes:  Do not leave slow cooker unattended in home, so as to not risk any fire hazards with paper.

One Year Ago: Chocolate Caramel Cracker Bars

Two Years Ago: Apple Cinnamon Monkey Bread

Three Years Ago: I'm Back and One Year Older

Four Years Ago: Mexican Grilled Shrimp Caesar Salad

Five Years Ago: Cross My Heart Danish

Six Years Ago: Mediterranean Chicken and Sausage

"Someone" couldn't wait to try these (again, again, and again), even screaming hot, right out of the crock pot.

Beer Cheese Dip

Beer - Cheese - Dip ... unanimously the three most popular words spoken at the Super Bowl.

This will be on our menu tomorrow.  What is your favorite dish to make, eat, inhale...all of the above!

This dip is way easier than I ever anticipated.  Of course, it helps when my sous chef daughter is in the kitchen and now can take over for me.  I'm sure she would agree how easy it is to make as well.

Beer Cheese Dip

Courtesy of Sally's Baking Addiction

2 Tbl unsalted butter

3 Tbl all-purpose flour

1 cup whole milk

2/3 cup beer

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add the flour and whisk together until a thick and clumpy paste "roux" forms, about 1 minute.

In a slow and steady stream, whisk in the milk.  After it's all added, continue whisking until it slightly thickens about 1 minute.

One at a time, whisk in the remaining ingredients.

REmove the cheese dip from heat and pour into a serving dish.  Sprinkle with extra cheese, if desired.

* The dip will be thin right off the stove, but will begin to thicken after a few minutes.  It's delicious warm or room temperature.

One Year Ago: Chocolate Caramel Cracker Bars

Two Years Ago: Apple Cinnamon Monkey Bread

Three Years Ago: I'm Back and One Year Older

Four Years Ago: Mexican Grilled Shrimp Caesar Salad

Five Years Ago: Sweet Dreams Cake

Six Years Ago: Ham and Cheese Biscuit Bake

Breakfast Casserole

Yes, I am still working out my breakfasts quest.  I am really enjoying this one as we near the end of the month.  Super easy and goes a very long way.  If you have company arriving in the morning before the Super Bowl, this would be perfect to feed that early crowd.

Breakfast Casserole

1 (24 ounce) package frozen southern home style potatoes (or) shredded hash browns
salt
pepper
12 large eggs
1 cup half and half
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese (or) Monterey Jack cheese
8 ounces diced ham
2 Tbl fresh Italian flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 13x9 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Cook frozen southern potatoes according to package directions.  Pour cooked potatoes into prepared baking dish, set aside.

Add eggs to a large mixing bowl.  Whip together until well blended.

Stir in half and half, heavy whipping cream, cheddar cheese, Swiss cheese, ham, parsley, and season with salt and pepper.

Pour mixture evenly over potato layer then spread out with a spatula to even out as needed.

Bake in oven about 40-50 minutes, until center is set.  Let cool about 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

One Year Ago: Banana Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Muffins

Two Years Ago: Crock Pot Breakfast

Three Years Ago: No Post

Four Years Ago: No Post

Five Years Ago: It's So "Sweet" To Be 16

Six Years Ago: Hungarian Goulash

Mama's Party Meatballs

 Nothing says party time, more than a platter of meatballs...am I right?!?!

I love making these for holidays and special events.  They cannot be any easier and so delicious.  I have a feeling they will be making an appearance at next weekend's Super Bowl eating fest!

Mama's Party Meatballs

1 (32-ounce) bag frozen fully-cooked (plain, homestyle) meatballs

12 ounce chili sauce

10 ounces grape jelly

2 Tbl Italian flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

In a medium size oven proof dutch oven, add the chili sauce and grape jelly.  Simmer until starts a low boil.  

Add the frozen meatballs and stir to make sure glaze is all over meatballs.

Cover dutch oven and bake in oven for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Plate and put individual toothpick in each meatball.  Sprinkle with fresh parsley.

One Year Ago: Pan Seared Strip Steak with Red Wine Pan Sauce and Pink Peppercorn Butter

Two Years Ago: Crock Pot Breakfast

Three Years Ago: No Post

Four Years Ago: No Post

Five Years Ago: Antipasto Salad with Bacon Wrapped Artichoke Hearts

Six Years Ago: Grilled Shrimp with Bacon, Tomato and Scallion Vinaigrette

Waffle Iron Biscuits & Gravy

Just when I thought biscuits and gravy couldn't get any better....this little beauty showed up online last week!

Seriously, what genius thought of this!  I don't indulge in biscuits and gravy often...typically only special occasions or when the girls are home for the weekend.  But these!  Oh so yummy!!

Waffle Iron Biscuits & Gravy
Courtesy of Delish.com

1 (16.3 ounce) can refrigerated biscuits
cooking spray

Recipe for (click on link) Breakfast Sausage Gravy (or your favorite sausage gravy recipe)

Make sausage gravy, according to link directions.

Preheat waffle iron and grease with cooking spray.  Add one biscuit in the middle of iron, close iron, and cook until golden, about 3 minutes.  Repeat with remaining biscuits.

When gravy is ready, serve over biscuits.

Enjoy!

One Year Ago: Fold Over Tortilla Bake
Two Years Ago: Crock Pot Breakfast
Three Years Ago: No Post
Four Years Ago: No Post
Five Years Ago: Blue Cheese Buffalo Bites
Six Years Ago: Paninis

Carbonara Pigs in a Blanket

Super Bowl is in 2 weeks!  You know what that means (other than watching the halftime show), what are we eating?!?!  

My sister-in-law recently made us these Carbonara Pigs in a Blanket.  Oh my word!  I have done your basic lil' smokies wrapped in the croissant dough and baked them off...but these.  Speechless!

Now the original recipe (click here) does call for doing the traditional way with crescent dough...but why?  I am all about the save time method and thank God, she turned me on to these frozen little beauties!

Carbonara Pigs in a Blanket

Adapted from Mary Giuliani

2.5 ounces sliced pancetta, diced

1 box frozen Hebrew National Beef Franks in Puff Pastry Blanket

1 egg

1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

1/2 cup store-bough Alfredo sauce, for dipping.

In a large skillet over medium-low heat, cook the pancetta until cooked through but not too crispy, 5 to 6 minutes.  Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Line a sheet tray with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, beat together the egg and Pecorino Romano cheese.  Using a pastry brush, brush the frozen pigs in a blanket with the egg/cheese mixture.  Sprinkle with the diced pancetta.

Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.  Arrange on a platter and serve with the Alfredo sauce for dipping.  Now these bites are a definite touchdown for your next party!

One Year Ago: Potatoes au Gratin (Dauphinoise Potatoes) and Red Chicken

Two Years Ago: Slow Cooker Pork Loin

Three Years Ago: No Post

Four Years Ago: No Post

Five Years Ago: Kamikazes and Blue Cheese Buffalo Bites

Six Years Ago: Marinara Meatball Sliders

If your guests have more of a refined palette, 

you could always do one of these platters that I made

for a New Year's party I catered.

Pork Chops with Raspberry Balsamic Glaze and Blessings

In an effort to continue our home enhancements, our weekly Sunday date after Mass is either Home Depot and/or Lowes.

On a recent shopping/scouting adventure were looking for exterior bistro cafe lights to hang around the perimeter of the deck.  We turned the corner and found (my favorite area) CLEARANCE!

There they were....not 1, but 2 chandeliers that were oh so perfect for our home.  The original price for each was $148.00.  Clearance price was $38.03!!!!  SOLD!

We went to the checkout line with our 2 new beautiful chandeliers.  The cashier tried scanning them and was having trouble.  The code wasn't working, therefore the prices wouldn't come up.  He tried a few times and then had to call a manager.

After a brief phone conversation back and forth between the two of them, he rung up $.01.  Yes, you read that right.  One cent for each fixture!  I said, "that can't be correct".  He said, "that's what my manager told me to ring it up as".  I felt a giant lump in my throat and a small tear go down my cheek.  Thanks be to God...what a blessing!  (and thank you to Home Depot)!

We took home our new treasures, installed one in our eating area and celebrated with these beautiful pork chops! 

Pork Chops with Raspberry Balsamic Glaze

4 (6 ounce) bone-in pork chops, approximately 1 inch thick

1 Tbl olive oil

1 Tbl butter

salt

pepper

1/2 cup red raspberry seedless jam

2 Tbl orange juice

2 Tbl balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp dried basil leaves

1 cup fresh raspberries

Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Season pork chops with salt and pepper.  Add to skillet.  Cook 4 minutes on each side or until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees.  Remove pork chops from skillet.

Combine seedless jam, orange juice, balsamic vinegar, and basil leaves in small bowl.  Add sauce mixture to the skillet, cooking and stirring over medium heat until heated through.  Return pork chops to skillet.  Cook 30 seconds on each side until glazed.  Plate and serve glaze over pork chops with fresh raspberries.

One Year Ago: Julia Child's Potatoes au Gratin

Two Years Ago: Slow Cooker Pork Loin

Three Years Ago: No Post

Four Years Ago: No Post

Five Years Ago: Lemon Drop Martini

Six Years Ago: Birthday Party - Chapter 2

Blueberry Banana Oatmeal Bake

I have been on a breakfast binge mission as of late.  I'm desperately searching for new ways to have and enjoy a breakfast, given our hectic mornings.

I cannot eat breakfast first thing in the morning.  I don't know why...it just doesn't sit well with me.  And let's be completely honest, I am usually running very late, also knowing I have a 45-60 minutes commute ahead of me.  My husband never leaves the house without having his breakfast...I however, need to wait until around 9am for mine.

I typically like to make a big batch of something and take half of it to work on Mondays, so that I know breakfast will be waiting for me when I arrive every day of the week.

This new found find is awesome!!!  It has the perfect amount of warmth, sweetness, and crunch to do the trick.  Enjoy and have a great week.

Blueberry Banana Oatmeal Bake
Courtesy of King Soopers My Magazine

3 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
1 banana, sliced
1/4 cup pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine oats, sugar, salt, and baking powder.

Add butter, milk, eggs, and vanilla.  Stir in blueberries and banana.

Pour mixture into 3-quart oval baking dish and top with pecans.  Bake 45 minutes or until set.  Cool slightly before serving.  Refrigerate or freeze any leftovers.

One Year Ago:  Bourbon and Vanilla Creme Anglaise
Two Years Ago: Slow Cooker Pork Loin
Three Years Ago: No Post
Four Years Ago: No Post
Five Years Ago: Pasta Salad with Green Beans and Cherry Tomatoes
Six Years Ago: Birthday Party - Chapter 1

Construction, Carpet, and Cocktail (Spiked Lemonade)

This new year has started off to quite an interesting month already....

We are (yes, I know....18 months) into our home and still under construction trying to work out the lower ranch level.

My husband has been getting framing done in stages and then finishing those areas off.  He asked if I was going to be home so that the drywall could be delivered.  "No problem", I said.

My mistake was that I thought they were going to just drop the drywall on your driveway and be on their way...not so much.

What he failed to tell me was that an entire crew was coming over with a remote control lift that would robot its way through the front door with the stacks of drywall!

Once all the drywall was in the house, he proceeded on the rest of Phase 1.  This past weekend, he is "shooting" the framing up and kept yelling, "FIRE".  Dogs were not happy about it and would not leave my side.

Which leads me to the next subject....Kongs.  News Flash!!  Kongs are not Labrador proof.  Kongs are not Kylo proof!

Carpet is also not Kylo proof....which is why we now have new carpet in our Living Room.  UGH!  

With all this excitement and $$$ out the door, I needed a new construction cocktail.

Spiked Lemonade

Courtesy of Kylo

3 cups sugar

3 cups water

12 lemons, juiced

Ice

Vodka

Club Soda

In a saucepan, add the sugar and water.  Heat until the sugar dissolves.  Chill until ready to use.

In a small pitcher, mix together the lemon juice and chilled simple syrup.  Add the syrup in stages and taste so it is just the right blend to your preference.

To serve, place ice cubes in a glass.  Pour some vodka into the glass to your taste.  Add lemonade and top off with club soda.

Kylo then has the audacity to nap on the couch when I'm not looking!!!

One Year Ago: Beef Bourguignon

Two Years Ago: Potato, Bacon, Mushroom, and Gorgonzola Pizzette

Three Years Ago: No Post

Four Years Ago: No Post

Five Years Ago: Orange Olive Oil Cake

Six Years Ago: Black and White Parfaits and Martinis

Oven Baked Crispy Mashed Potato Cakes

Now that the holidays are over there are two things that make me very happy...I can get some rest...and enjoy re-purposing our leftovers!

I love creating new (or improving old) recipes with leftovers.  It gets me to use my creative juices while using up remnants in the refrigerator.

One definite guarantee is that we always have mashed potatoes around after holiday dinners.  I love these because they bake in oven, without the greasiness of pan frying.

Enjoy...and get some rest too!

Oven Baked Crispy Mashed Potato Cakes

2 cups mashed potatoes
3 to 4 ounces cream cheese
2 Tbl sour cream
2 scallions, very finely chopped
2 Tbl extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Place mashed potatoes in a medium bowl.  Stir in cream cheese, sour cream, scallions, cheddar cheese, salt, and pepper.

Divide potato mixture into 6 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2 inch thick patty.

Place panko in a shallow dish.  Dredge both sides of patties in panko crumbs.

Place patties on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake for 12 minutes.  Carefully turn patties over and bake an additional 12 minutes, or until golden.

One Year Ago: The Wedding Dress and Tuxedo Cupcakes
Two Years Ago: Potato, Bacon, Mushroom, and Gorgonzola Pizzette
Three Years Ago: No Post
Four Years Ago: No Post
Five Years Ago: Chicken Tetrazinni
Six Years Ago: Black and White Parfaits and Martinis