Crock Pot Ham & Potato Soup

This was so easy and delicious.  My only changes to the recipe, I used Better Than Bouillon instead of bouillon cubes and I also sauted the celery and onions in a little butter before adding them to the crock pot.

Crock Pot Ham & Potato Soup
Recipe from Moms With Crock Pots

Ingredients

• 3-1/2 cups peeled, diced potatoes
• ⅓ cup chopped celery
• ⅓ cup finely chopped onion
• 1 cup diced ham
• 3-1/4 cups water
• 6 chicken bullion cubes
• t. salt
• 1 t. pepper
• 5 T. flour
• 5 T. butter
• 2 cups milk

Instruction

Stir all but milk, flour and butter into crockpot. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, check tenderness of potatoes.  About 20 minutes before serving, melt butter in a saucepan, add flour and gradually add milk, stirring constantly over med heat until thick.  Stir mixture into crockpot.  Let cook 15-20 minutes more.

Aebleskiver

Our new favorite breakfast treat!  There's a special pan you will need to cook these.  I like the cast iron one.



Aebleskiver

2 cups buttermilk
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs
2 Tbls. sugar
2 Tbls. melted butter

Heat the pan and brush a little butter in each hole.  Use a small cookie or ice cream scoop to place batter in each hole.  When the sides start to look a little done (just like a pancake) use a wooden skewer to turn the aebleskiver by lifting a little on the side and letting it drop back down into the pan to cook on the other side. When done, lift out with a wooded skewer or toothpick.  Baste pan with butter again and continue cooking batter.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with raspberry sauce, jam, syrup or whatever you like.  You can also stuff yummy things into the center of the aebleskiver while they are cooking like apples, jam, chocolate, etc.  Just be sure to put it in right after you drop the batter into the pan.

Irish Chocolate Mint Dessert

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups (3 sticks) plus 6 tablespoons butter or margarine , divided
• 2 cupsgranulated sugar
• 2 teaspoonsvanilla extract
• 4 eggs
• 1 cupall-purpose flour
• 3/4 cupHERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoonbaking powder
• 2-2/3 cupspowdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon water
• 1 teaspoonmint extract
• 4 dropsgreen food color
• 1 cupHERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Chocolate Chips or HERSHEY'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Directions

1. 1 Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 13x9x2-inch baking pan.
   
2. 2 Place 1 cup (2 sticks) butter in large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 2 minutes or until melted. Stir in granulated sugar and vanilla. Add eggs; beat well. Add cocoa, flour and baking powder; beat until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pan.
   
3. 3 Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool completely on wire rack.
   
4. 4 Prepare Mint Cream Center by combining powdered sugar, 1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter, water, mint extract and food color. Beat until smooth. Divide and spread evenly on brownies. Cover; refrigerate until cold.
   
5. 5 Prepare Chocolate Glaze by placing remaining 6 tablespoons butter and chocolate chips in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 1 minute or until mixture is smooth when stirred. Cool slightly; pour over chilled dessert. Cover; refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. Cover; refrigerate leftover dessert. 24 servings.

Rosettes

Rosettes are a delicate fried cookie that are another family Christmas tradition.  I remember my Grandma having pans and pans of these cookies at her house for our family Christmas party.  She probably hated having the sugar all over the floor, but they were so good everyone couldn't help going back for more. 

You can find Rosette irons at many cooking stores, I've even seen some at the dollar store (although I don't know how well those would work).  It might be a process of trial and error to find some great irons, but once you do, making these cookies will be a breeze.  There are also two pronged iron handles so you can make two cookies at once to speed up the process.

Rosettes

2 eggs
1 cup flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Peanut oil (for frying)

Sugar
Cinnamon (optional)

Put first 6 ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth (you don't want any lumps, it will be the consistency of crepe batter).

Heat 3" of oil in a deep fryer (or deep pan) to 365 degrees.  Place a rosette iron in the hot oil for 60 seconds.  Pour batter into a deep dish (I like to use a bread pan).  Dip the hot iron into the batter, making sure NOT to let the batter run over the top of the iron. If you do, the rosette will be impossible to remove. Immerse the coated iron in the hot fat and fry 25-30 seconds until light brown (you can use a fork to help slide the cookie off if it is sticking). Once light golden brown, flip cookie over and then out of the oil to drain on a paper towel lined cookie sheet.   Heat iron again and repeat.  Sometimes you can get two cookies after heating the iron.
In a pie dish or other shallow container, combine 1 cup sugar (and cinnamon if you wish) and mix well. Dip rosettes in this mixture while still warm. You can also sprinkle them with powdered sugar. Don't skip this step - the cookies aren't really sweetened until they're coated in some kind of sugar!

Makes about 5 dozen rosettes

Beef Brisket

This recipe is a family tradition at Christmas time.  My Mom and Grandma bake it in the oven pretty much all day and sometimes I do the same but other times I opt for the time-saving pressure cooker for the first portion of cooking and then add the sauce and cook for the remaining hour in the oven.

Beef Brisket

4lb. Beef brisket
3 tablespoons liquid smoke (I use hickory)
3 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion salt
2 teaspoons celery salt
2-3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1-2 teaspoons ground black pepper

Sauce
1 cup ketchup
1 cup water
3 cups brown sugar (I use about half of this, just depends on how sweet you want it)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 small onion finely chopped

Place brisket in a large casserole dish and sprinkle both sides with liquid smoke, garlic powder, onion salt, and celery salt.  Cover with two layers of plastic wrap and leave overnight in the refrigerator.

Remove from refrigerator and sprinkle with pepper and worcestershire sauce.  Cover with foil and bake 5 hours at 275 degrees.

While baking, make the sauce by combining ingredients in a saucepan and boil for 15 min.

After 5 hours, remove brisket from the oven and pour juices from the meat into a bowl or large measuring cup. Skim the fat/oil from the juices and then put juices back on meat.  Cover brisket with sauce and bake uncovered for an additional hour.

Lemon Bars

This recipe is from Barefoot Contessa.  It has the perfect ratio of crispy crust to sweet lemon filling.

For the crust:

• 1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature (2 sticks)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

For the filling:

• 6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (4 to 6 lemons)
• 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 cup flour
• Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill for 15 minutes.

Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.
For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.
Cut into triangles and dust with confectioners' sugar.

Texas Sheet Cake

Texas Sheet Cake

Cake:
Cooking spray
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
2 cups all-purpose flour (about 9 ounces)
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs

Icing
6 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup fat-free milk
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted (optional)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
 
Preheat oven to 375°.

Coat a 15 x 10-inch pan with cooking spray, and dust with 2 teaspoons flour. Set aside.

Lightly spoon 2 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 2 cups flour and next 4 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Combine 3/4 cup water, 1/2 cup butter, and 1/4 cup cocoa in a small saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Add to flour mixture. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until well blended. Add buttermilk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and eggs; beat well. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 375° for 17 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Place on a wire rack.

Combine 6 tablespoons butter, fat-free milk, and 1/4 cup cocoa in a saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Gradually stir in powdered sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Spread over hot cake. Sprinkle cake with pecans (optional). Cool completely on wire rack.