EASY Homemade Caramel Dip

I belong to this canning group and on there I seen something about caramel dip made in your crockpot! How easy is that?

It's easy as 1, 2, 3!

1. Fill up your crockpot and add a can of sweetened condensed milk (the whole can)
2. Turn your crockpot on high for 4 hours
3. Let the can cool completely before opening

And enjoy!

UPDATE: 

Made this and it was awesome! A must try!

Perfect Guacamole

Guacamole, a dip made from avocados, is originally from Mexico. The name is derived from two Aztec Nahuatl words - ahuacatl (avocado) and molli (sauce). The trick to perfect guacamole is using good, ripe avocados. Check for ripeness by gently pressing the outside of the avocado. If there is no give, the avocado is not ripe yet and will not taste good. If there is a little give, the avocado is ripe. If there is a lot of give, the avocado may be past ripe and not good. In this case, taste test first before using.

Perfect Guacamole Recipe

• Prep time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 ripe avocados
• 1/2 red onion, minced (about 1/2 cup)
• 1-2 serrano chiles, stems and seeds removed, minced
• 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon of fresh lime or lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• A dash of freshly grated black pepper
• 1/2 ripe tomato, seeds and pulp removed, chopped

Garnish with red radishes or jicama. Serve with tortilla chips.

Method

1 Cut avocados in half. Remove seed. Scoop out avacado from the peel, put in a mixing bowl. (See How to Cut and Peel an Avocado.)
2 Using a fork, mash the avocado. Add the chopped onion, cilantro, lime or lemon, salt and pepper and mash some more. Chili peppers vary individually in their hotness. So, start with a half of one chili pepper and add to the guacamole to your desired degree of hotness. Be careful handling the peppers; wash your hands thoroughly after handling and do not touch your eyes or the area near your eyes with your hands for several hours.
Keep the tomatoes separate until ready to serve.
Remember that much of this is done to taste because of the variability in the fresh ingredients. Start with this recipe and adjust to your taste.
3 Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole to prevent oxidation from the air reaching it. Refrigerate until ready.
4 Just before serving, add the chopped tomato to the guacamole and mix.


Variations
For a very quick guacamole just take a 1/4 cup of salsa and mix it in with your mashed avocados.
You don't need to have tomatoes in your guacamole.
To extend a limited supply of avocados, add either sour cream or cottage cheese to your guacamole dip. Purists may be horrified, but so what? It tastes great. In fact, guacamole with a little cottage cheese added to it is my favorite.

Yield: Serves 2-4.

Curry Chicken

Curry chicken is a nice recipe for busy weeknights, with chicken breasts, onion, potatoes and carrots all cooked together in one dish. Feel free to use chicken thighs instead of breasts, and to replace the curry paste with 1 1/2 - 2 tablespoons curry powder if needed.

Serves 2 - 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3/4 - 1 pound chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, cut into chunks about 1 1/2 inches
• 2 potatoes, peeled, chopped into chunks
• 1 red onion, peeled and chopped
• 10 baby carrots, washed, drained, cut in half
• 2 tablespoons oil for stir-frying
• 2 tablespoons curry paste (traditional Indian yellow curry paste is best)
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• Freshly ground black or white pepper, to taste
• Ground coriander, optional

Preparation:

Heat a wok or deep-sided frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil to the heated wok. When the oil is hot, add the onion. Stir-fry until the onion is softened and translucent. Add the curry paste and stir-fry until fragrant. (If using curry powder instead, add a small amount of water to form a paste).

Add the chicken and stir-fry for about 5 minutes so that the chicken is browned and coated with the curry paste.

Add the carrots and potatoes. Stir for a minute and add the chicken broth, sugar, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 15 - 20 minutes, making sure the chicken is cooked.


Taste the curried chicken and adjust the seasoning if desired. Sprinkle the ground coriander over top.

Crockpot Macaroni and Cheese

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours

Total Time: 3 hours, 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 16 oz. elbow macaroni
• 1 12 oz. can evaporated skim milk
• 1-1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
• 1 cup shredded gruyere cheese
• 1 cup shredded asiago cheese
• 1 tsp. kosher salt

Preparation:

1. Prepare macaroni according to package directions, cooking until the pasta is al dente. Drain.
2. Spray the slow cooker stoneware with cooking spray. Pour the cooked pasta into the slow cooker.
3. Add the remaining ingredients, except for 1/2 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese. Stir.
4. Cover and cook on low 3 hours.
5. Sprinkle with reserved cheese. Cover and cook on low another 10 minutes.

Oven Fried Zucchini

Oven fried zucchini is a delicious way to enjoy a bumper crop of zucchini. And this recipe for oven-fried zucchini goes well with everything from chicken to fish to burgers.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 18 minutes

Total Time: 33 minutes

Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

• 4 medium zucchini
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs or regular bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. dried basil
• 1/2 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Wash, trim and slice zucchini into 1/2-inch-thick rounds.
3. Drizzle one tablespoon of the olive oil over a baking sheet to evenly coat. Set aside.
4. Beat egg in a small bowl.
5. Spread bread crumbs out in a shallow dish. Stir Parmesan cheese, salt, basil and pepper into bread crumbs.
6. Dip 5-6 zucchini slices into the beaten egg. Transfer to the bread crumb mixture, pressing on both sides to coat. Shake off excess, and place on prepared baking sheet.
7. Repeat with remaining zucchini slices.
8. Drizzle remaining tablespoon of olive oil over the zucchini.
9. Bake in preheated oven 8 minutes. Using tongs, turn zucchini so the other side gets crispy. Bake another 5-7 minutes until golden brown.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Per serving (based on 6): 127 calories, 7 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 5 g cholesterol, 13 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 6 g protein, 7% vitamin A, 38% vitamin C, 12% calcium, 6% iron

How To Make Homemade Italian Spice Mix

 

I mentioned in my blog on How To Harvest, Store and Dry Your Own Herbs that I like to make my own homemade spice mixes.  Being Italian we do love our spice and we go through it pretty quick.If you haven't read that post, mosey on over and take a look at it.

When using dried herbs vs. fresh please make note:

1 teaspoon of crumbled dried leaves is used in place of 1 tablespoon of fresh.

How To Make Italian Spice Mix

You want to use equal parts of each dried herb

3 teaspoons oregano

3 teaspoons marjoram

3 teaspoons basil

3 teaspoons rosemary 

3 teaspoons sage

Of course you can always by your Italian Seasoning Mix at the store but it's not as much fun as making your own :-)

My Best To You,

Live Life, Laugh Hard and Love Passionately

4th of July Good Ole American Down Home Eats

 

"You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness.  You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism."

  ~Erma Bombeck ~

When it comes to grilling outdoors whether "just because" or for a family gathering during a holiday such as the 4th of July, I guess you could say I am a down home traditionalist.  Some may call it boring.  

Bring on the burgers, dogs, steak and chicken, corn on the cob and baked potato's, potato salad and baked beans :-) some fresh ice cold lemonade, refreshing tea or splurge with a mojito!  Great, now I'm hungry.  Give me that All American down home food!  Don't forget the little American flags to wave in the honor Independence Day.

So, come one now!  Break out that grill, call your family and friends and have a gathering of great fun.  Keep it simple, keep it fun and keep your sanity! I named some of the things I like to grill and eat what do you like?

Here are some other great ideas I got from Modern Mom  with a Jamie twist that I give a thumbs up too with traditional All American yummies!

Let's start with the Hamburgers:

I can think of tons of ways to eat a burger can't you?  These babies are the perfect food for your 4th of July BBQ and everybody has their own way of building it.  Heck these days there are burgers with beef, turkey burgers, veggie burgers and even ground chicken burgers...the burger ideas are endless.  Grill them to your perfection and set up a topping bar with things like:

1. Lettuce
2. Tomatoes
3. Pickles
4. Avocado
5. Sliced red onions
6. Bacon
7. Jalapeno's
8. Grilled Mushrooms
9. Grilled Peppers
10. A variety of cheeses

Holy cow (oh bad pun) the ideas are endless.


Don't forget the 'sauces' like:

• Mayo
• Ketchup
• Mustard
• BBQ Sauce
• Chili Sauce
• Thousand Island
• Blue Cheese
• Salsa
• Relish

I make a homemade hamburger relish of equal parts of sweet relish and chili sauce YUM! Just drain the relish in a mesh strainer to remove the excess juice before adding the chili sauce so it's not runny.


How about some Oinkers?  Okay, you know them as Pigs In A Blanket but I call them Oinkers because I gobble them up like an Oink Oink piggy poo hahaha.

These are always a favorite and easy peasey to make.  

• Heat oven to 375
• Use crescent roll dough and cut into triangles.
• Wrap them around your hot dogs (cut them into pieces or I like to use little smokies)
• Place on un-greased cookie sheet
• Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown
• and OINK out

How about some ice cold lemonade?  Not just any plain ole lemonade but.....
Strawberry Lemonade

 Also easy peasey Jamie style!  No squeezing needed.

• Lemonade from concentrate (you know the cans in the frozen section)
• Make per instructions but use a larger pitcher than called for
• Take 2 cups of fresh strawberries stick in a blender for a few seconds Pour into your pitcher of lemonade and stir.
• Pour over ice in glasses and I take a slice of lemon put on the side of the glass and one whole strawberry for garnish.  Pop a straw in it and Enjoy!

Oh and pssst it's good with a splash of vodka or rum ;-)

Whatever you decide to do or make all I ask is that you have fun and be safe!


As always, my best to you,

 

Live Life, Laugh Harder and Love Passionately

Cabbage Rolls For The Crock Pot

 

 Cabbage Rolls

On days like today when it's 112 degrees outside I am ever so grateful for my crock pot so I wanted to share one of my favorite slow cooker yummies! This recipe has been tested and eaten in my house and that means, we like it!  Enjoy :-)

Cabbage Rolls Recipe For The Slow Cooker

Serves 6 (12 Rolls at 2 per person)

Filling Ingredients 

1 1/2 pounds 93/7 lean ground beef

1/2 cup instant rice (uncooked)

1 large egg

2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 small onion diced

12 cabbage leaves

Sauce Ingredients

1 - 28 oz can of Contadina Italian Herb Crushed Tomatoes

4 Roma tomatoes chopped in bite size pieces

1 small can tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 small can tomato sauce

1/4 cup brown sugar

Mix all sauce ingredients in bowl and set aside

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients (except cabbage leaves) together well
2. Drop cabbage leaves in boiling water for no longer than 2 minutes just enough to make them bright green and pliable
3. Drain into colander
4. Place 1/4 cup of meat mixture in the center of each leaf, fold sides then roll to make neat sausage shaped packages; set aside
5. Pour half the sauce mixture into crock pot, add cabbage rolls
6. Pour remaining sauce over the top of rolls.
7. Cover and cook on high 3-4 hours or on low 5-6 hours.
   

About 2 hours into cook time ladle out a cup of excess juice, cover and let continue to cook.  When done and ready to serve put rolls on a platter and let stand for a few minutes to set and ladle sauce over top.
Thanks for stopping by today and remember,

Live Life, Laugh Hard and Love Passionately,

Homemade Sausage: Pork or Turkey

I am always looking for more healthful solutions to my cooking but in the process not sacrificing flavor.  In my search for a good, flavorful turkey sausage I found I was coming up short in the "good flavor" department and decided to try my hand at making my own.  I decided to make the recipe for both pork and turkey.  I hope you enjoy it as much as we do in my household.

Homemade Sausage: Pork or Turkey

Ingredients (makes 4 -4oz serving patties)

1 lb ground pork or low fat ground turkey 

¼ teaspoon thyme

¼ teaspoon black pepper

¼ teaspoon sage

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon paprika

¼ teaspoon garlic

¼ teaspoon onion powder

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

1. Place meat in bowl and with your hands blend the spices well into the meat.   
2. Cover and refrigerate a couple of hours up to overnight.  The longer you let it sit the more the flavors will soak into the meat and give you a full bodied flavor.
3. Create meat into balls then flatten them down into patties.  Spray a skillet lightly with olive oil cooking spray.
4. Cook over medium heat until thoroughly cooked and brown on both sides.
5. Place each patty onto a dry paper towel to drain and blot out any excess grease.

Thanks for stopping by today and as always wishing you the best,