French dip sandwiches

French Dip Sandwiches

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1 2.5-3 lb. beef roast (you can use a frozen roast if you want)

2 Tbsp. olive oil

salt and pepper

2 1-ounce packages dry onion soup mix

2 c. water

2 cans beef broth

6-8 large buns (or more…6 would be VERY generous servings!)

Swiss, provolone, or mozzarella cheese, shredded or sliced.

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and rub roast with salt and pepper.
When very hot, carefully place roast in pan and sear on all sides. You’re not cooking the meat, you’re just browning it quickly on all sides to add flavor and seal in the juices. Oh, and it smells so good–just like Grandma’s house on a Sunday afternoon.

Place in crockpot and sprinkle with onions soup mix. Pour water and beef broth over roast.
Cook 8-10 hours on low or cook 4-5 hours on high and another 3-4 hours on low. It’s hard to screw this part up; basically, the longer it cooks, the more tender it will be. But you know it’s done when you pop a fork in it and the meat just falls apart. When meat is ready, shred with a fork.
Place meat in crusty rolls. Top with cheese and broil open-faced in the oven or toaster oven for a few minutes, until bread is golden and cheese is melty. And don’t even think about walking away–things can go from lightly-toasted to on fire within a matter of seconds when you’re using your broiler.
Ladle juices into small cups for dipping and enjoy!

FREEZER DIRECTIONS:

Prepare roast through the searing step; after meat has cooled, place in a plastic freezer-safe container (think Gladware), cover with onion soup mix and boullion, and freeze. When ready to cook, pop it straight into the crockpot (frozen), add 2 cups of water, and set to high until warm or, even better, simmering. Turn to low; cook for a total of 8-10 hours.

Note: Beware don't dip the sandwich too long or it will get soggy. These sandwiches were a hit with my husband!

Nectarine Ice Cream

Ingredients


3 large nectarines 
3/4 cup sugar 
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 
1 cup half-and-half 
1/2 cup heavy cream 
a 2-inch piece of vanilla bean 
1/4 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest


Directions 

Peel the nectarines, reserving the peelings, and slice them, reserving the pits.

 In a food processor combine the nectarine slices, 1/2 cup of the sugar, and the lemon juice and pulse the motor until the nectarine slices are chopped coarse. 

Transfer the mixture to a bowl and chill it, covered. 

In a saucepan heat the half-and-half, the cream, the reserved nectarine peelings and pits, the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, the vanilla bean, the zest, and a pinch of salt over moderate heat until the mixture is very hot but not boiling;. 

Remove the pan from the heat, let the mixture cool to room temperature, and chill it, covered, for 1 hour, or until it is very cold.

Strain the cram mixture through a fine sieve into the bowl with the chopped nectarines, stir the mixture until it is combined well, and freeze it in an ice-cream freezer according to the manufacturer's instructions. 25 minutes or until it looks thick and delicious.

Note: Use a potato peeler to get the skin off of the nectarine. It is so much easier than using your hands to peel the nectarine!

Enjoy! This is our favorite ice cream recipe!

 

Recipe found here

Orange cake

Orange Cake

1 box white cake mix
1 3.4 oz pkg instant vanilla pudding
4 eggs
2/3 cup oil
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tbs orange zest
 
Orange buttercream 
1/2 cup butter softened
8 oz cream cheese softened 
2 tsp orange flavored gelatin
2 tsp orange zest
1 tsp vanilla
4-5 cups powder sugar
1 tbs milk if needed 
 

Heat oven to 350 and prepare two 8 inch pans. 

Sift cake mix and pudding into small bowl; set aside.

 In large bowl mix eggs, oil, milk, orange juice, 

sour cream and orange zest until smooth. 

Add in cake mixture stir until well combined. 

Divide batter between to pans and bake for 25-30 min. 
 
For frosting. Beat butter and cream cheese for 2 min. 

Add gelatin, orange zest, and vanilla, beat well.

 Slowly add powder sugar and beat until it reaches desired consistency.

 Add milk if needed. 
 

note: I would double the recipe of frosting. 

also to get a smooth finish use a pallette knife and 

cake smoother dip in hot water then on the frosting.

 it is a miracle worker I tell ya!

Peanut Blossoms

Peanut Blossoms

Ingredients

1 c. granulated sugar

1 c. packed brown sugar

1 c. butter

1 c. creamy peanut butter

2 eggs

1/4 c. milk

2 tsp. vanilla

3 1/2 c. flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 10-ounce pkgs. Chocolate kisses

Directions

Cream sugars, butter or margarine, and peanut butter.
Beat in eggs, milk, and vanilla. Sift together flour, soda, and salt; stir into egg mixture. Shape into balls; roll in additional granulated sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet; bake in 375 degrees oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Immediately press chocolate Kisses into the middle of each cookie.

Makes 7 dozen.

Note: I didn't roll in sugar. less sugar is better for me. I also didn't sift flour. beware these are addictive!

Strawberry Tart

Ingredients

Crust:
36 honey graham crackers (about 9 sheets)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
4 teaspoons water
Cooking spray
Filling:
2/3 cup light cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Topping:
6 cups small fresh strawberries, divided
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.
To prepare crust, place crackers in a food processor; process until crumbly. Add 2 tablespoons sugar, butter, and water; pulse just until moist. Place mixture in a 9-inch round removable-bottom tart pan coated with cooking spray, pressing into bottom and up sides of pan to 3/4 inch. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack.
To prepare filling, combine cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, and extracts in a medium bowl; stir until smooth. Spread mixture evenly over bottom of tart shell.
To prepare topping, place 2 cups strawberries in food processor; process until pureed. Combine strawberry puree, 2/3 cup sugar, and cornstarch in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low; cook 1 minute. Remove glaze from heat, and cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
Combine 4 cups strawberries and juice; toss to coat. Arrange berries, bottoms up, in a circular pattern over filling. Spoon half of glaze evenly over berries (reserve remaining glaze for another use). Sprinkle nuts around edge. Cover and chill 3 hours.
Note: You can use either an 8 x 12-inch rectangular pan or a 9-inch round tart pan. The recipe also works with a 9-inch springform pan and a 10-inch pie plate

Jean Kressy, Cooking Light APRIL 2003

Note: keep an eye on your almonds in the oven when toasting to prevent burning. Also with the left over starwberry puree make popsicles.

Tomato Basil Pesto Pizza

Turn oven to broil.

5 ingredients

Pesto sauce
Mozzarella cheese
Ricotta cheese
Tomatoes
Basil

Boboli thin crust pizza dough
Spread on pesto
Sprinkle mozzarella cheese
Dollops of ricotta cheese

Place in oven, broil for 5 min. We wished we cooked it a little longer. So add a few minutes depending on how hot your oven is. When cheese is melted take out of oven.

Add sliced tomatoes on top
Place small basil leaves on tomatoes
Top with ground black pepper and red pepper flakes

Eat up!

This recipe was from Cooking Light magazine.

Pepper Steak Sandwich

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 medium onion, sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced into long strips
• 1 yellow pepper sliced into long strips
• 1 red pepper sliced into long strips
  
• 2-3 tri-tip steak
  
• 1 teaspoon Hot pepper sauce
• 1 c mozzarella cheese
  
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/3 French baguette, cut in half lengthwise
  

Directions

1. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion; cook and stir until tender. Push onion to the side of the pan, then add the bell pepper and cook just until tender, about 3 minutes. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon, and set aside.
2. Add the remaining butter to the skillet. No need to clean the pan, just let it heat up a little bit. Place the steak in the skillet along with the pickled peppers. Season with salt and pepper. The steak cooks really fast, just a couple of minutes. Once the steak is mostly browned, return the onion and pepper to the pan. Cook until heated through. Adam cooked the steak on the george foreman grill.
   
3. Turn off the heat, and place the slices of cheese over the top of the pile so they can melt. Scoop the whole pile into the awaiting bread, making sure to pour some of the juices onto that wonderful sandwich.

This is Adam's famous sandwich he learned to make when he lived in Chicago. He could open up his own sandwich shack, because it's that good!