Recent Recipes

The last few weeks have been rough at work... lots and lots and lots and lots of grading... concession stand duty... football game gate worker duty... Cappies duty... and then there is that whole having a life outside of work thing... I haven't cooked much, but I have made a few deliciosities. Beginning most recently...

For supper with Brad's 'rents, we had pot roast, mashed potatoes, gravy, glazed carrots, and some rocky road brownies that were largely ignored.

Pot Roast with Gravy (my recipe)
2 pounds chuck roast, trimmed of fat
1/2 cup beef broth
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 packets dry french onion soup mix
sliced mushrooms (about 1 1/2 pounds)

2 beef bullion cubes
4 tablespoons corn starch
water

Set crock pot on low. Put beef broth, mushroom soup and dry onion soup mix in the bottom of a 4 quart crock pot. Stir. Put beef in crock pot and spoon some of the soup mixture on top. Pack mushrooms on top of beef mixture, almost to the top of the crock pot. Place lid on top, and cook on low for at least 7 hours. Stir occasionally if able.

Carefully remove the beef from the crock pot. Pour the remaining liquid in a large saucepan. Turn burner to low heat. Place two bullion cubes in liquid. Mix the cornstarch with 1/2-1 cup of water, depending on how much liquid you already have. Pour the cornstarchy water slowly into the liquid, and stir well. Repeat with more cornstarchy liquid until gravy is desired consistency.


Mashed Potatoes (grandma's recipe)
1 5 lb bag of potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
1 (16 0z.) container sour cream
Salt and Pepper to taste

Place chopped potatoes in a large saucepan. Add water until potatoes are thoroughly covered with water. Sprinkle salt on top. Turn heat on high until boiling. Turn heat to medium and allow to cook until potatoes are tender. (I stick a fork in to test.)

Drain potatoes in a colander. Return saucepan to heat, and add butter, cream cheese and sour cream. Stir until melted and well blended. Add potatoes to mix, and mash with a potato masher until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. (Add milk bit by bit to desired consistency if they are too thick for your taste. If you think they are too thin, they will thicken up as the cool off...)


Glazed Carrots (my recipe)
1 (8 oz.) bag baby carrots
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Place baby carrots in a small saucepan. Add enough water to thoroughly cover the carrots. Turn heat to medium-high. Cook carrots until al dente. Drain. Add butter, brown sugar and cinnamon to saucepan. Stir until mixed well. Return carrots to saucepan. Toss with glaze.


Chocolate Peanut Butter Mallow Bars (From the Kraft Food and Family Magazine)
1 package devil's food cake mix
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
2/3 cup cold milk, divided
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 (7 oz. jar) Marshmallow creme
1/2 cup salted peanuts
3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350F. Mix dry cake mix, butter and 1/3 cup milk until blended; press 2/3 of the mixture into the bottom of a 13 x 9 inch pan. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until center is almost set; cool 3 minutes.

Mix peanut butter and remaining milk; spread onto crust. Top with spoonfuls of marshmallow creme and remaining cake mixture. Sprinkle with nuts and chocolate chips. Press gently into cake mixture.

Bake 18 minutes or just until center is set. Cool before cutting into bars.