Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon

Ingredients:

3 pounds beef roast, or beef stew meat
6 slices bacon--no need to cook
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, sliced in rings
1 cup carrots (chopped or baby, your choice)
4 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
1 tablespoon herbs de provence
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cups red wine

Directions:

Use a 6 quart slow cooker. In the bottom of your stoneware, smear around the olive oil. Then lay down 3 slices of bacon. Add sliced onion and garlic. Put the meat into the pot on top of the onion and garlic, and sprinkle on dried spices and herbs. Toss the meat to distribute the spices to all sides. Add tomato paste. Lay the other 3 slices of bacon on top of the meat, and throw in the carrots. Pour wine over the whole thing.

Cover and let cook on low for 8-9 hours, high for 4-5, or until meat has reached desired tenderness. If you are using a roast, you may want to flip the meat about an hour before serving so more liquid is absorbed into the meat. You can also cut the meat into chunks and return to the pot, if you would like more moisture to absorb.

Serve with whipped mashed potatoes, and a ladle full of crock juices.

Spanish Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:
* Sweet Chocolate Version
* 2 8-ounce cups (250 ml) whole milk
* 4 ounces (113 gr) milk chocolate
* 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
* Baking Chocolate Version
* 2 8-ounce (250 ml) cups whole milk
* 3 ounces=3 squares (93 gr) baking chocolate
* 1/3-1/2 cup sugar
* 1/2 tsp. cornstarch

Directions:
With either type of chocolate, the process is almost the same:

Pour the milk into a medium saucepan and add the cornstarch. Whisk to dissolve the cornstarch. Once the cornstarch is dissolved, heat the milk on medium heat just until it boils, then remove from heat. Add the chocolate squares immediately and begin stirring until the chocolate is completely melted. If the milk cools off too fast, place the pan back on the stove on low heat to melt the chocolate.

If you are using baking chocolate, which is unsweetened, pour the sugar into the chocolate milk mixture and stir until thoroughly dissolved.

Place the pan back on the stove on medium low heat, stirring slowly, but constantly. (Do not cook the mixture over high heat because it may cause lumping.) Taste the chocolate for sweetness and add more sugar if necessary. The mixture should thicken quickly. As soon as you see it thicken, remove the pan from the heat so the cornstarch will not thin. Ladle immediately into cups and serve piping hot.

Note: Be sure to use a clean spoon every time you taste the chocolate. Enzymes from your mouth can cause a thickened cornstarch mixture to thin.

Pizza Poppers

Ingredients:

3/4 cup flour3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup milk
1 egg 
1 1/4 cup Italian Cheese blend
4 ounces Pepperoni Mini’s (or regularly-sized pepperoni, chopped
1 cup your favorite marinara
2 Tablespoons fresh basil, thyme, or italian parsely, chopped

Directions:

Grease a mini muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, milk, egg, cheese, and pepperoni, stirring until completely mixed. Spoon batter into the prepared mini-muffin cups. Bake in an oven preheated to 400 degrees for 15-18 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh chopped herbs, and serve with warm marinara for dipping.

Chicken Noodle Casserole

Ingredients:

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
12 ounces medium egg noodles, cooked and drained

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine soup, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Add the chicken, onion, peppers, 1/2 cup of Monterey Jack cheese and 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese; mix well. Add noodles and toss to coat.

Transfer to a greased 2-quart baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Bake 10 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender and cheese is melted.

Pot Roast Risotto

Ingredients

2 1/2 pounds beef shoulder
3 garlic cloves, smashed
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 medium onions, peeled and sliced in half
4 large carrots, cut in half
2 celery stalks, sliced in large pieces
1 cup red wine
2 quarts beef stock
2 sprigs of rosemary
2 bay leaves
extra-virgin olive oil
kosher salst and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked
2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
8 cups pot-roast braising stock, strained, skimmed and heated
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
kosher salst and freshly ground black pepper
extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Start with the pot roast. Drizzle the meat with extra-virgin olive oil and then season all over with a good amount of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

In a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot that has a tight cover, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil and 1 tablespoon of butter over moderately high heat. Sear the beef all over, ensuring a nice crust and good even color. Add the rosemary, thyme and garlic cloves to the beef.

Then add the onions, carrots and celery and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the red wine and then the stock.

Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Braise for about 3 hours, basting every 30 minutes with the pan juices, until the beef is fork tender. Set the meat aside and take out the vegetables.

Strain the braising liquid and skim the fat, this will be used to make the risotto.

Now prepare the risotto. Place a large, deep skillet over medium heat and pour in 3 tablespoons of olive oil.

Add onions and cook for 5 minutes, until soft. Stir in the rice making sure to coat all the grains with the oil. Add wine and thyme and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated. Ladle in 1 cup of strained, hot braising stock.

Using a wooden spoon, stir constantly until most of the stock has been absorbed. Keep adding stock, one cup at a time, and stirring until absorbed. After about 10 to 15 minutes, test the rice. It should be cooked and creamy but still have a slight bite to it. (You may not need all of the stock.)

Season with salt and pepper; stir in butter and Parmesan cheese. Taste for
seasoning then remove from heat and cover. Just before serving fold in chopped parsley.

To serve, slice the pot roast and arrange over the top of the risotto with some of the vegetables. Garnish with fresh parsley stems.

Chocolate-Cherry Clusters

Ingredients:

3 cups cornflakes
1 cup dried cherries
12 oz. milk chocolate chips

Directions:

In a large bowl, break cornflakes into small pieces, add cherries and toss together.

Place chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Stir occasionally until chocolate melts (3-5 minutes). Remove from heat and pour over cornflakes mixture. With a rubber spatula, gently fold until cereal and cherries are completely coated.

Drop by heaping tablespoons onto parchment (or wax paper) lined baking sheet. Let cool. Can store up to one week.

Homemade Ice Cream

Ingredients:
2.5 cups of half-and-half
8 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
2.5 cups whipping cream
4 teaspoon vanilla
1/8teaspoon salt

Directions:

Heat half and half until very hot but not boiling, stir often.

Mix egg yolks and sugar until blended and slightly thickened, very gradually blend into hot half-and-half.

Add mixture to a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until steamy and bubbles form around the edge, stirring constantly.  Do not boil.

Once hot, pour into a large mixing bowl and stir in the whipping cream, vanilla, and salt.

Cover and chill thoroughly. (At least 3 hours, better over night)

Add to ice maker per manufacturer's direction.

Add in whatever ingredients you want. Example: For Cookies 'n Cream, crush up 20 Oreo cookies and add once the mixture is starting to thicken in the ice cream maker. Add gradually.

You can do fruit, chopped nuts, chocolate bits... what ever you like.

Pizza Tortilla Rolls

Ingredients:

3/4 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped green sweet pepper

1 tablespoon margarine or butter

1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, crushed

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

6 7-inch flour tortillas

1 8 ounce can pizza sauce

1 8 ounce package shredded 4-cheese pizza cheese (2 cups)

1 tablespoon cooking oil

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Cook onion and sweet pepper in margarine or butter in a skillet until vegetables are tender. Stir in Italian seasoning and crushed pepper.

Spread each tortilla with about 1 tablespoon of the pizza sauce, spreading sauce to about 1/2 inch from edges (reserve remaining sauce). Divide onion-pepper mixture among the tortillas, spooning it evenly atop the sauce. Sprinkle the pizza cheese evenly over the onion-pepper mixture, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges.

Roll up tortillas from one side and place on a foil-lined baking sheet with seam sides down. Brush lightly with a little cooking oil. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.

Bake in a 400 degree F oven about 8 minutes or until cheese is melted. Meanwhile, heat remaining pizza sauce in a small saucepan. To serve, use a sharp knife to cut each tortilla roll into four pieces. Serve warm with the heated pizza sauce for dipping.  Makes 24 appetizers.