Author: sarafillmer

Tomato Basil Soup

On By sarafillmerIn Entree, SoupLeave a comment

This recipe is a dead ringer for La Madeleine’s. I found it on a website called girltalkhome.com.

  • 4 cups canned crushed tomatoes
  • 12 fresh basil leaves
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 stick sweet unsalted butter
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
  • salt to taste

Simmer tomatoes in a saucepan for 30 minutes. Puree, with the basil leaves in a blender or food processor. Return to saucepan and add cream, butter, salt and pepper while stirring over low heat. Garnish with basil leaves and serve with your favorite bread.

Baked Potato Soup

On By sarafillmerIn Entree, SoupLeave a comment

This recipe is brought to you by Paula Deen. While not the thing to eat if you’re worried about your cholesterol, it is nevertheless very yummy.

  • 8-10 slices of bacon
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1⁄2 cup all purpose flour
  • 3 14.5 oz cans chicken broth
  • 5 potatoes, baked, peeled, and diced
  • 1  teaspoon dried parsley flakes
  • 2  cups half & half
  • 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
  • 1 cup sour cream

In a Dutch oven, or stock pot, cook bacon until crisp; remove and crumble, reserve drippings. Cook onion in bacon drippings until tender; stir in flour and cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add chicken broth; cook, stirring constantly until thickened and bubbly. Put in diced potatoes, parsley bacon and half & half cook for 10 minutes. Stir in cheese and sour cream. Garnish with cheese, bacon and sour cream.

Texas Chili

On By sarafillmerIn Entree, SoupLeave a comment

This recipe comes courtesy of a website called 70sbig.com. Bryan loves it because of all the meat that is packed in this chili. It is very good, but can be a bit spicy, so if that’s not your thing, cut down on the amount of chili powder you put in.

Spice Mix

  • 2-3 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon mexican oregano leaves
  • 1-2 teaspoon black pepper (to taste)
  • 1-2 teaspoon salt (to taste)

Chili Ingredients

  • 2 pounds coarse ground beef
  • 2 1⁄2 pounds stew meat
  • 1 can diced tomatoes
  • 1 can Rotel
  • 4-5 minced garlic cloves
  • 1⁄2-1 cups chopped white onions
  • 1⁄4-1⁄2 cup chopped cilantro
  • Lime juice from 1 lg. lime
  • Thickener (flour, etc.)
  • 20 oz. can of beer
 

Preparation for this recipe is very simple. Prepare the spice mix and set aside. Brown the ground beef and stew meat, then put all the chili ingredients into a crock- pot in the order they are listed, with the exception of the thickener, adding more or less beer depending on taste. Add in the spice mix and stir until mostly mixed. Put the lid on the crock-pot and cook for 6-8 hours, adding in the thickener (we like Wondra) about an hour before eating. Top with shredded cheese or pair with cornbread to complete the meal.

Homemade Dinner Rolls

On By sarafillmerIn Side ItemLeave a comment

Another Pioneer Woman recipe. I made these for the first time on Thanksgiving Day, and next time, I’ll make the dough ahead of time so it’s easier to plan on the day of.

  • 2 cups milk
  • 1⁄2  cup sugar
  • 1⁄2  cup vegetable oil
  • 4 1⁄2 cups flour
  • 1 pkg (21⁄4 tsp.) active dry yeast
  • 1⁄2  teaspoon (heaping) baking powder
  • 1⁄2  teaspoon (scant) baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon salt

Pour 2 cups of milk into a stock pot or dutch oven. Add sugar and vegetable oil, stir to combine. Now turn the burner to medium/medium low and “scald” the mixture/ lukewarm (between 90-110 degrees). If you forget its on the stove and bring it to a boil that’s ok, just walk away and let it cool down to the appropriate temperature. If you don’t have a thermometer the pan should be comfortably warm to the touch. When the mixture is the right temp, add in 2 cups flour and 1 package of active dry yeast. After the yeast and flour are nicely incorporated, add another 2 cups of flour. Stir together (it will seem very sticky) and allow to sit, covered with a tea towel or lid, for an hour. After about an hour it should have doubled in size. When it has doubled sufficiently, add in 1⁄2 cup flour, the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir (or knead just a bit) until combined. Butter 1-2 muffin pans. Form rolls by pinching off walnut sized pieces of dough and rolling into balls. Repeat and tuck three balls of dough into each buttered muffin cup. Cover and allow to rise for 1-2 hours. Bake in a 400° oven til golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Monkey Bread

On By sarafillmerIn Bread, BreakfastLeave a comment

This recipe comes from the website twopeasandtheirpod.com. I found it on Pinterest, and it can be made into muffins, or a loaf.

  • 2 cans refrigerated biscuit dough
  • 1 stick of butter
  • 1 cup of brown sugar
  • Cinnamon Sugar

Heat oven to 350°. Spray your chosen tin with non-stick cooking spray. Cut the biscuits in half and roll dough into balls. Combine the cinnamon and sugar and roll the balls in the mixture. Fill the pan. Melt the butter and brown sugar until bubbly. Pour the sauce over the muffins. Bake for 10-12 minutes for muffins, or until done. The one in the picture took about 30.

Cinnamon Roll Cake

On By sarafillmerIn Breakfast1 Comment

Another recipe from Pinterest. This is nice because it was so much easier than making individual rolls, but still delicious. I’ll put the full amounts here but it makes quite a bit, so I halved the recipe.

Cake

  • 3 cups flour
  • 3⁄4 cups sugar
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder 11⁄2 cups milk
  • 1⁄2 cup melted butter 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla

Topping

  • 1⁄2 cup melted butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1⁄2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon

Glaze

  • 11⁄2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla

In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Add in the milk, butter, eggs and vanilla. Pour into a jelly roll pan/large cookie sheet (or 9×9 if you halve the recipe). Mix the topping ingredients together and pour over the dough, swirling with a knife to help spread it around. Bake at 375° for 13-15 minutes. While still warm, drizzle glaze on top. Serve with cold milk!

 

Pumpkin Pie Baked Oatmeal

On By sarafillmerIn BreakfastLeave a comment

Another recipe from pinterest.com. This is super yummy, especially with the whipped cream on top.

Oatmeal:

  • 15 oz can pumpkin
  • 1⁄2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1 scoop unflavored protein powder, optional
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
  • 3⁄4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1⁄2  cups milk
  • 2 1⁄2  cups old-fashioned oats

Topping:

  • 4 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup pecans

In a bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, brown sugar, protein powder, eggs, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking powder until smooth. Whisk in the milk and dry oats. Cover with foil and bake in a lightly greased 8×8 pan at 350° for 25 minutes. While baking, combine the butter, flour, brown sugar and pecans, mixing with a fork til crumbly and incorporated. At 25 minutes, remove the foil from the oatmeal and add the crumble topping. Bake an additional 20 minutes, uncovered. Serve with milk, whipped cream or maple syrup. Can be eaten cold or warmed up.

Baked Oatmeal

On By sarafillmerIn Breakfast1 Comment

I found this recipe on Pinterest. It’s from a blog called yourhomebasedmom.com. It was great, especially topped with the homemade cinnamon apples.

  • 1⁄2  cup melted butter
  • 1⁄2  cup brown sugar
  • 2  eggs, beaten
  • 3  cup old fashioned oats
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 1⁄2 cup milk
  • 1 1⁄2 cup fruit of your choice

In a bowl, mix together the butter, honey and eggs. Add in the oats, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, vanilla, and milk. Mix then fold in fruit of choice. Bake in a lightly greased 8×8 pan at 350° for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with milk, or more fruit on top.

Cinnamon Apples

On By sarafillmerIn Side ItemLeave a comment

I drew this recipe from a few different sources and winged the amounts, but they turned out really yummy.

  • 5 apples, peeled and chopped
  • 1⁄4 cup brown sugar
  • 1-2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • dash of nutmeg

Combine all ingredients and cook on the stove over medium heat until apples are soft and juice has thickened.

Homemade Cheese Crackers

On By sarafillmerIn SnackLeave a comment

This recipe came from the blog “in the kitchen with Kath”.These are a dead ringer for the red boxed cheese crackers. If you want them to be crunchier make them even thinner, otherwise they will be slightly puffier, but still really tasty.

  • 6 oz grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and cut into pieces 3⁄4 cup flour, plus more for dusting
  • 1⁄2  teaspoon salt
  • 1⁄2  teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 tablespoon milk

Preheat oven to 350°. Put everything except the milk in a food processor. Pulse the processor, 5 seconds at a time, for about 5 or 6 times, until the dough is in coarse crumbs. Add the milk and process until the dough gathers into a ball. Roll the dough out on a floured board with a rolling pin that has been floured until it is about 1⁄8” thick. Cut the dough into 1 inch squares with a sharp knife or pizza cutter. You can put a bit of flour on the blade of the knife to keep it from sticking. Use the flat end of a wooden skewer to poke a hole in the center of each cracker. Place the crackers on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes until the edges are starting to brown. Put the baking sheet on a rack and let the crackers cook completely. Store in an airtight container to eat within a day or two.