Some Misses

Some of the recipes are hits...those are the ones I post with photos and deserve the "wow" certification.  Some of the recipes are misses...those are the ones that my Meringues didn't care for.  I have been trying recipes, I didn't want you to think I had abandoned the blog.  Here is one of those recipes I have made recently that were OK....just not a "wow".

Chocolate Cream Pie

1 whole Store Bought Or Homemade Pie Shell

1 cup Granulated Sugar

½ cups All-purpose Flour

¼ teaspoons Salt

3 cups Milk

4 whole Eggs

⅔ cups Unsweetened Cocoa Powder OR  3 whole Squares Of Unsweetened Chocolate Squares

3 Tablespoons Butter Or Margarine

1-½ teaspoon Vanilla

Bake homemade or store bought pie crust. Set aside, and let cool.

In medium saucepan, combine sugar, flour, salt, and cocoa (or chocolate squares). Gradually stir in milk. Cook over medium heat and stir mixture till thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove saucepan from heat.  Separate egg yolks from whites; save eggs whites for meringue topping if desired. Beat egg yolks slightly in a heat proof bowl. Gradually stir one cup of hot mixture into the slightly beaten eggs. Return egg mixture to the saucepan. Return saucepan to heat and bring to a gentle boil. Cook and stir for two minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in butter and vanilla. Pour hot mixture into a baked pie shell.

Top with your favorite meringue recipe or leave uncovered. Let sit for two hours before serving.

When I had made this for my Meringues it was on Pi Day, you remember Pi from math class 3.14.  Yes I made this on March 14th.  That still makes me giggle.  Anyways, I made this recipe and none of my Meringues seemed to go for it.  It turned out like a glorified chocolate pudding pie.  If i were to make it again I would skip the "pie" form and pour the chocolate mixture into individual ramekins and serve as a chocolate pudding dessert.  Maybe with some Cool Whip and strawberries. 

I've discovered Gooey Butter Cake!

While flipping through a copy of Midwest Living magazine I came across an article on a salute to the Midwest's signature foods with a focus on its cakes.  The article featured cakes from all 12 Midwest states and Missouri was honored with the Gooey Butter Cake. This cake originated in the 1930s and according to legend, a German baker added the wrong proportions of ingredients in the coffee cake batter he was making. It turned into a gooey, pudding-like filling. Did you know that other German Americans brought us many of the things we have in our everyday culture?  They established the first kindergartens in the U.S., introduced the Christmas tree tradition and originated the popular American food of hamburgers!  German Americans were also a driving force in the beer brewing industry such as Eberhard Anheuser and Adolphis Busch who started a small brewery in 1860 in St. Louis, Missouri!  Just a little trivia for you to know while you make your cake & eat it too!

Gooey Butter Cake

For the Crust:

1 package of yellow cake mix

1 stick butter, melted

1 egg

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare crust first.  In a large mixing bowl, combine the crust ingredients with a spoon until moist.  Transfer to a 13x9 ungreased pan and spread evenly over the bottom of the pan.  Set aside.

For the Filling:

8 oz cream cheese, room temp

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 stick butter, melted

1 lb box of powdered sugar (or 3 and 3/4 cups)

Next prepare the filling.  In the kitchen aid mixer (or bowl with handheld mixer) beat the cream cheese until fluffy.  Add the eggs, vanilla and melted butter and continue to mix.  Next add the powdered sugar one cup at a time until all sugar is mixed in.  Pour filling over crust and spread evenly with a spatula.  Bake the gooey butter cake for 40 to 45 minutes or until it is browned but the center still jiggles when the pan is shaken.  Cool for 30 minutes.  Sprinkle with additional powdered sugar.

I have also seen many recipes that use different cake mixes such as pumpkin or cherry.  There are some that add a layer of apple pie filling between the crust layer and filling layer or add cinnamon to the top.  I think the next time I make this I am going to add some hot fudge ice cream topping between the two layers.  A versatile recipe for flavors but mainly it is just delicious!!!  The kind where you politely cut a piece to eat and then proceed to eat it out of the pan with your fork!  Enjoy!

Elvis Presley....in meatball form!

When your hubby hunts as much as mine does and your chest freezer could put your supermarket meat deptartment to shame, one must expand your recipe repertoire to figure out what to do with all that meat!  These meatballs actually are based loosely on a recipe from Paula Deen.  Many years ago I had seen an episode of hers where she was making recipes that were inspired by some of Elvis Presley's favorite tastes.  Her recipe for Cheeseburger Meatloaf inspired me that day and I put together a similar recipe since I was missing some of the ingredients she called for.  I have never actually made her version and I have since changed mine from the original meatloaf form to meatballs.  With sometimes picky Mini Meringues its just easier to serve a meatball, its more fun!  I have made these using bison, deer and elk burger and they all turn out delicious! 

Cheeseburger Meatballs with Sauce

1 1/2 lbs ground beef

1 tsp each garlic powder, pepper, Lawry Season Salt

1 medium onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1 cup crushed croutons

2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix together all ingredients to form either a loaf  or meatballs.  If making a loaf place bread slices on the bottom of the loaf pan before putting the meatloaf in.  It helps absorb the grease and should be discarded after the loaf is removed from the oven.  When I make meatballs where the sauce is served separately I like to bake them on a rack with a jelly roll pan under to catch any of the grease drippings.  Bake them for 45 minutes.  During the last 10 minutes of baking start making the Cheese Sauce.

Cheese Sauce

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 cups milk

1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Heat the soup and milk over medium heat, add the cheese.  Pour the Cheese Sauce over the meatloaf or serve on the side to pass at the table.

I usually serve these with mashed potatoes on the side since the cheese sauce makes plenty but since we just had mashed potatoes the other night with the brisket, I made broccoli instead to pour the Cheese Sauce on.  I was not about to pull out the plunger for the second time this week!  I do have my limits with plunger usage. ") 

After School Snack Attack!

It is a little chilly out today so I thought it would be a great idea to make my Mini Meringue's some warm and yummy Pecan Pie Muffins for an after school snack.  Once they walked through the door I heard oohs and aahs from the smell that these wonderful muffins make.  They were super excited that I made them and were even more excited to start eating them, which is why the only photo of them I got was one of the Mini Meringues eating them!  I love how she doesn't even take off the wrapper!  LOL.

Pecan Pie Muffins

makes only 8

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup flour

1 cup chopped pecans

2/3 cup softened butter

2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease your muffin tin or use muffin liners.  In my kitchenaid mixer I tossed in all ingredients and mixed well together until smooth.  Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups so they are about 2/3 full.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.  Let cool.  Option: when you take them out of the oven, smear a little butter on the top and eat warm.  The Mini Meringues have requested I make these everyday!  ")

Beef Brisket!

2 cans beef consomme (not beef broth)

1 1/2 cups low sodium soy sauce

juice of 2 lemons

5 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon liquid smoke

a 7 to 10 lb beef brisket

In the roasting pan combine the beef consomme and soy sauce.  Halve the lemons and juice them.  (I also included the lemon zest of the 2 lemons, do this before cutting them)  Add the garlic and liquid smoke.  Place the brisket in the pan, fat side up.  Ladel some of the liquid on top .  Cover tightly with foil and place in the fridge to marinate for 24 to 48 hours.  When you're ready pop the brisket , still covered in foil, into a 300 degree oven and cook for about 40 minutes per pound. I transfered the meat to a cutting board and sliced off the fat.  Shred the meat with forks and serve over mashed potatoes with some of the delicious juices!  YUM!!!

This recipe came courtesy of The Pioneer Woman!  She's got great recipes!