Potato Wedges

2 pounds red potatoes, cut into wedges and dried

2 T oil (I used EVOO)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

a pinch of black pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Put potato wedges in a bowl and toss with the oil.  Mix the spices together and add to the potatoes and toss.  Lay the wedges out onto a baking sheet covered with parchment paper, preferably not touching. Bake for 15 minutes, turn over and bake for 15 more minutes.

Dip in pink sauce (mayo mixed with ketchup)

or BBQ pink sauce (mayo mixed with BBQ sauce)

or just plain ketchup!

Note:  I only had regular paprika so I used a scant tsp of it and added a little cajun spice.  I was also out of onion powder so I used onion salt.  It made them a little extra salty which, as you all know, I like!!!

I think next time I'll try using the Air Fryer option in my oven.

SURE-JELL FREEZER JAM

 

Click on the picture to make it more clear.

1.  Use dry measuring cup to measure exact amount of prepared fruit.  stir in lemon juice if listed in recipe chart.

2.  Measure exact amount of sugar; add to fruit.  Let stand 10 minutes; stirring occasionally.  DO NOT REDUCE THE SUGER OR USE SUGAR SUBSTITUTE SINCE THIS WILL RESULT IN SET FAILURES.

3.  Stir 1 package of Sure-Jell Premium Fruit Pectin and 3/4 cup water in small saucepan.  (Pectin may start out lumpy.). Bring to boil on highest, stirring constantly.  Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.

4.  Add pectin mixture to fruit mixture; stir 3 minutes or until sugar is completely dissolved and no longer grainy.

5.  Fill containers immediately, leaving 1/2 inch space at tops for expansion during freezing; cover with lids.

6.  Let stand at room temperature 24 hours or until set.  Refrigerate up to 3 weeks or freeze up to 1 year.

Brown Sugar Caramel Pound Cake

 Cake Ingredients

1 1/2 C butter softened

2 C light brown sugar, packed

1 C granulated sugar

5 large eggs

3 C all-pupose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 C whole milk

1 8oz bag toffee chips (I use Heath)

1 C pecans, chopped (I omitted this because of my kids)

Caramel Drizzle Ingredients

1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk

1 C brown sugar

2 T butter

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 325, spray a 12 cup Bundt pan with cookin spray or grease and dust with flour.  Beat butter until creamy. Add sugars beating until fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time.  In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.  Add flour mix to batter alternatedly with milk, beat until just combined.  Stir in toffee chips and pecans.  Spoon batter into pan and bake 85 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  To prevent excess browning, cover cake with foil while baking.  Let cake cook in pan for 10 minutes.  Remove from pan and let cool completely on a wire rack.  Spoon caramel drizzle over cooled cake.

Caramel drizzle: 

In a medium sauce pan combine condensed milk and brown sugar; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking frequently.  Reduce heat, and SIMMER for 8 minutes, whisking frequently.  Revmove from heat; whisk in butter and vanilla.  Let cool for 5 minutes before using.  NOTE: Make sure to drizzle the caramel while it's still hot.

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

6 T. Mayo

3/4 Cup buttermilk

3/4 Cup sour cream

1 T. Lemon Juice

1/2 - 1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp dried dill

1 tsp dried parsley

2 T. Fresh Chives, minced. 

salt and pepper to taste

Put all ingredients into a bowl and whisk until completely mixed.

SHRIMP SCAMPI in the Crockpot

1 pound of shrimp, shelled

1/3 Cup chicken broth

2 T. minced garlic

Juice of 1/2 Lemon

1/2 tsp lemon zest

3 T. Olive Oil

3 T. Butter

2 T. Parsley

Salt and Pepper to taste

6-8 ounces of pasta, (your choice, I used bowtie)

Parmesan cheese

Place shrimp in crockpot.  Mix broth, garlic, lemon juice and zest, olive oil, butter and parsley in bowl.  Poor over the shrimp.  Cook on low for 2-1/2 hours.  (Mine actually cooked in 2).  Boil the pasta according to package directions.  Add to the crockpot and toss.  Add desired amount of salt and pepper.  Add parmesan cheese.  Stir and serve.

Note:  I actually used 1/2 this much shrimp and it was perfect.

Fajitas - from left over steak

 Fajita Spice Blend

1/2 tsp each of:

garlic powder

cumin

paprika

salt

oregano

1/8 tsp of cinnamon

Fajitas

Olive oil

1 onion, thinly sliced

1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced (or use 1/2 of other colors to = 1 pepper) {I used 1/2 red and 1/2 yellow}

leftover steak cut into thin strips 

1/2 cup beef broth

tortillas

Toppings

Cilantro, coarsely chopped

Shredded cheddar cheese

salsa

lime wedges

sliced avocado or guacamole

sour cream

Instructions

In a cast iron skillet heat some olive oil and add onions, stirring occasionally.  Cook until they are nice and brown (5-10 minutes).  Add the peppers (and more olive oil if needed).  Cook and stir another 5 minutes.  Stir in the Fajita Spice Blend.  Add the steak, stir for a couple minutes.  Add the beef broth and let simmer until the liquid is almost gone.  

Serve in a warm tortilla and add your choice of toppings.

French Onion Chicken and Rice

 This was amazing!

Ingredients:

-6 Chicken Thighs (boneless/skinless)

-1 French Onion Soup Mix

-3T Olive Oil

-2 Onions, chopped

-1.5 cups Long Grain Rice

-2 cups Chicken stock

-3T sour cream (could us heavy cream or cream cheese)

-1 large handful of spinach leaves

Instructions:

1. In a large frying, saute onions with some butter/oil and some salt.  Once cooked through (about 7 minutes), remove from pan and set aside.

2. Coat your chicken with French onion soup mix. Heat the oil in the same large frying pan,  and sear chicken on both sides (about 2 minutes each side) until nice and golden.  Remove from the pan.

3 In the same pan, add the rice and cook for 1 minute stirring.  Then add the stock, sour cream and some salt.  Bring to a simmer (3-4 minutes).

4. Add the onions, some spinach leaves (I did not have this so we made it without) and chicken back into the pan and then cover and continue to simmer for 20-25 minutes.