Slow Cooker Beef Stew

A wonderful dinner for those chilly nights when you need something to warm you up.  Tender chunks of beef cooked  in a tasty sauce which has some red wine.  Add carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, and some tomatoes and you have the ingredients for a hearty stew.  Cook for 6 hours and serve.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew
From Family Circle Magazine

Ingredients:

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup canola oil
2 1/4 pounds boneless beef short ribs cut into 1 1/2-inches pieces
1 package (10-ounce) white or brown mushrooms, trimmed and cut into wedges
1 cup red wine
1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 can (14.5-ounce) diced tomatoes with garlic and onions
5 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch rounds

Directions:
1.  In a large bowl, toss beef with flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the pepper.  Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large stainless skillet over medium-high.  Add half the beef and brown, 4 minutes.  Remove to a 5 quart slow cooker.  Repeat with remaining oil and beef and transfer second batch to slow cooker.  Reduce heat under skillet to medium and add mushrooms and wine.  Cook 1 minute, scraping up brown bits.
2. Stir skillet contents plus potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, and 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1 cup water into slow cooker.  Cover and cook on HIGH for 6 hours or LOW for 8 1/2 hours.  Serve.

Serves 6

Chocolate Crinkles

Chocolate -  a great flavor for the holidays.  These cookies are not only lovely they also taste fantastic.  A deep chocolate flavored cookie dough (the dough looks and taste like brownie batter) rolled in confectioners' sugar then baked for about 12 minutes.  Once these cookies are cooled you have a chewy delicious chocolate fudge cookie with a dusting of confectioner's sugar.  Perfect for any holiday party, cookie exchange, or cookie tray.    Make some for this holiday season  - everyone who tastes this cookie will be so glad you did.

Chocolate Crinkles
From Simply Recipes

Ingredients:
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups  all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions:
1.  In a large mixing bowl beat together with an electric mixer the cocoa powder, white sugar and vegetable oil.  Mix until the dough is shiny and gritty - like brownie batter.
2. Add the eggs one at a time until incorporated in the batter then add next egg.  Once all eggs have been added beat in the vanilla extract.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients a spoonful at a time mixing until incorporated into the batter.
5. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  Place the confections' sugar in a wide bowl.
7. Using about a rounded teaspoon scoop out the dough and roll into a ball.  Roll the ball into the confections' sugar and place on the baking sheet.  Repeat until there are 12 cookies on each sheet.
8. Place in the oven and bake for about 10-12 minutes rotating sheets halfway through baking.  Allow the cookies to cool for about 2 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool completely. Repeat until all the dough has been used.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies

Cornflake Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies have some wonderful flavors and texture.  Cornflakes to make them crunchy, chocolate and marshmallows to add extra jazz to these cookies. As they come out of the oven the centers are just a little soft and the chocolate and the marshmallows are slightly gooey.  A wonderfully tasty cookie to present to your family and/or guests.  My family loved these cookies. They were gone within an hour and they were asking for more.

Cornflake Chocolate Chip Cookies
From Family Circle Magazine Adapted Slightly by From My Southwest Kitchen

Ingredients:


1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
Cornflake Crunch (recipe follows)
2/3 cup mini chocolate chips
1 1/4 cup mini marshmallows

Directions:
1. With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars on medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes.  Scrape down bowl, add egg and vanilla extract, and beat 7 to 8 minutes.
2. Reduce speed to low and add next 4 ingredients;  beat until well combined.  Beat in Cornflake Crunch and chocolate chips.  Beat in marshmallows until just incorporated.
3. Using a 1/3-cup measure, drop  dough onto a baking sheet. Pat dough flat and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours, until chilled.
4.  Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
5. Place chilled cookies at least 4 inches apart on prepared baking sheets (no more that 4 cookies per sheet).  Bake 1 or 2 sheets at a time, 18 minutes per batch.  Cookies will crackle and spread.  Cool completely on sheets.  Repeat with remaining dough and cooled baking sheets.

Cornflake Crunch
Crush 5 cups cornflakes in a medium blow until they're one-fourth their original size.  Add 1/2 cup milk powder, 3 tablespoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt; toss to mix.  Melt 9 tablespoons unsalted butter; add to cereal mixture and toss to coat, creating small clusters.  Spread clusters on a parchment-paper lined rimmed sheet pan and bake at 275 degrees F for 20 minutes.  Clusters should look toasted, smell buttery and crunch gently when cooled slightly.  Cool completely before using.  If not using right away, Cornflake Crunch will keep  for 1 week in an airtight container at room temperature or for 1 month in the fridge or freezer.

Makes 18 cookies

Cinnamon Chip Scones

Today's post uses another holiday favorite  flavor - cinnamon.  These scones have cinnamon morsels t which give this traditional cream scone a nice holiday flavor.  I love the moist texture and the rich flavor of these scones.    They are not dry and chewy like some scones.

This recipe also comes together very nicely.  Butter is cut into the dry ingredients and then the cinnamon morsels are tossed in.  The cream and vanilla extract are then poured into the dry ingredients and mixed together until a nice  dough is formed.  The dough is rolled out and the scones are cut.  Bake the scones for about 20 minutes or until the edges start to turn golden.  Remove from oven and serve warm.

A delicious holiday scone to go with your tea. Serve with your favorite jam, butter, or some clotted cream.

Cinnamon Chip Scones
Tea Time Magazine

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup cinnamon morsels
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold heavy whipping cream, divided
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, whisking well.  Using a pastry blender, cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.  Add cinnamon morsels, stirring until blended.
3. In a small bowl, combine 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon cream and vanilla extract, stirring well.  Add to flour mixture, stirring until mixture is evenly moist.  If dough seems dry, add more cream, 1 tablespoon at a time.  Working gently, bring mixture together with hands until a dough forms.
4. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface.  Knead gently 4 to 5 times.  Using a rolling pin, roll dough to a 1-inch thickness.  Using a 2 1/4-inch square cutter, cut 10 scones from dough, rerolling scraps as necessary.  Place scones 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet.
5.  Brush tops of scones with remaining 1 tablespoon cream.  Bake until edges are golden brown and a wooden pic inserted in the centers comes out clean, approximately 20 minutes.

Serve warm.

Makes 10 scones.

Peppermint Meringues

Peppermint is my favorite flavor of the Christmas Season.  When I found this recipe for Peppermint Meringues in Bon Appetit magazine, I got busy and started making them.  The basic ingredients for these cookies are egg whites, salt, sugars, peppermint extract, and red food coloring.

The meringue in spooned into a pastry bag and piped onto a baking sheet.  The meringues are baked for about 2 1/2 hours.  The meringues cool for about 1 hour and then are ready to enjoy.

These cookies are light and very delicious.  Perfect for any holiday gathering.


Peppermint Meringues
Bon Appétit Magazine

Ingredients:
3 large egg whites, room temperature
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3  cup sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract
12 drops red food coloring

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and salt on medium-high speed until white and foamy, about 1 minute.  With mixer running, gradually add sugar in 3 additions, beating for 2 minutes between each addition.  Beat until firm peaks form, about 2 minutes longer.  Add powdered sugar and peppermint extract; beat to blend, about 1 minute.
2. Dot coloring over surface of meringue; do not stir (the coloring will form swirls when piped).  Spoon meringue into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2" tip.  Twist top; pipe 1" rounds onto prepared sheet,   spacing 1" apart.
3. Bake meringues until dry, about 2 1/2 hours.  Let cool completely, about 1 hour.

Store airtight at room temperature between sheets of parchment or waxed paper.

Amish Sugar Cookies

My Christmas baking has begun.  I have a bunch of recipes I want to try.  My first baking adventure was baking a batch of  Amish Sugar Cookies.  I found this recipe on the Taste of Home website. They looked so good I just had to make some.  The ingredients are common items you probably have in your pantry.  In addition to being tasty these cookies are so easy to make.
Place butter, oil and sugars in a large bowl and beat. Next add in the eggs and vanilla.  In a separate bowl add the flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar.  Add in small amounts of the flour mixture to the cream mixture.  Drop by teaspoon onto a baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes.  Cool and  enjoy a wonderful tasting cookie. They just melt in your mouth.


Amish Sugar Cookies
Taste of Home
 Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar

Directions
1. In a large bowl, beat the butter, oil and sugars. Beat in eggs until well blended. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and cream of tartar; gradually add to creamed mixture.
2. Drop by small teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375° until lightly browned, 8-10 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Yield: about 5 dozen