Strawberry Shortcake

2 lbs Strawberries, hulled and cut up
1/2 cup Sugar
1 lb store bought cake any flavor
         Bundt or Pound Cake
1/2 gallon Vanilla Ice Cream or
         Ready Whip or cool whip

Mix strawberries with sugar and set aside in fridge for 2 hours so juices form.

Slice cake.  I like to put two slices per serving.

Add ice cream or cool whip on top of cake slices.

Spoon strawberries with their juices on top of everything.

Sally's Stew

1 lb. large stew beef chunks
2 teaspoon olive oil
1 large onion, thickly sliced into wedges
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
2 teaspoon sesame oil
3 Tablespoons Water
Heaping Tablespoon Cornstarch
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips and then cut in half
Fresh Broccoli florets
1 3/4 cup Chicken Broth
1 Tablespoon Butter
3/4 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Jasmin Rice
A few tablespoons toasted sesame seeds for garnish (optional)

Pound beef chunks flat with meat hammer/tenderizer or bottom of flat heavy object. Place in bottom of crockpot

Combine oil, onion, garlic, soy sauce, water, brown sugar, ginger, hoisin sauce, and sesame oil in a small bowl.

Pour over beef and stir to evenly distribute.

Cook on high for 1 hour and on low for 4 hours.

Remove as much of the liquid and place in saucepan.

Make a slurry of water and cornstarch.

Add to liquid and cook until it thickens. (add a little more cornstarch/water mixture if not thick enough. 3:1 ratio water to cornstarch). It should be like a nice thick gravy or sauce.

Return thickened liquid back to crockpot and stir.

Place red bell pepper and broccoli florets on top of beef and sauce and stir a little to get moist. Cover. (20 minutes is just right about the amount of time for cooking the rice.)

Start making your rice by bringing broth, butter, and salt to a boil until butter is melted. Stir in rice.

Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Remove from heat, uncover, and fluff with a fork.

Serve stew over rice and add sesame seeds to garnish.

Silk Tie Easter Eggs

12 small-medium size Eggs
12 Silk Ties, cut off front tip about 6 inches up from bottom
1 White Pillow Case cut up for 12, 7-8 inch squares
12 Twist Ties
Glass or Enamel Pot
at least 1/4 cup Vinegar
some oil

Place egg in the middle of the tie, bottom of egg down.

Wrap tie around egg with all the fabric at the top of the egg.

Cover tie wrapped egg with white fabric the same way. Make sure that both fabrics are wrapped around the egg tightly. Twisting works well.

Use a twist tie around the top of the egg with all the fabric to close it up.

Place eggs in a glass or enamel pot filled with water, not too full or the water will over flow when you add the eggs.

Pour vinegar over eggs. Bring to a boil.

Once it gets to a boil, turn heat down and simmer for at least 20 minutes.

Take eggs out and let cool.

Unwrap eggs and put some oil on your hands and rub over eggs to make them shinny.  Be careful not to drop your eggs they get slippery.

Soft Boiled Eggs

Use as many eggs as you want to boil
Small pad of Butter
Salt and Pepper to taste

Use a pot that is just big enough to place all eggs in a single layer.  Pour water over eggs till it is about an inch above the eggs.  Remove eggs and place on a plate so they don't roll away.

Put a lid on the pot and bring water to a boil.

After brought to a boil, add eggs to pot using a Chinese strainer.  lower temperature slightly (around 6) and continue boiling for 6.5 minutes.  

Drain water.  Run eggs under cold water and drain several times.

To open egg hit forcefully with a knife in the middle of the egg.  Scoop out egg using knife closely to shell and put in an individual bowl.  Cut up egg in bowl.  We like to use little ramekin type bowls for each person.

Serve eggs with butter, salt, and pepper.

Shredded Spinach Salad

Spinach 1 small bag ~5 oz
Pear, diced
1/2 cup Craisins
2-4 oz Feta
1/2 recipe of Sugared Pecans
3-4 oz Pomegranate Dressing

Mix salad ingredients together.  Pour dressing over salad.

Note: You can find the dressing in the produce section not where the other salad dressings are in an aisle.

Sugared Pecans

1 cup sugar
1/2 Tbsp cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 egg whites
1/2 Tbsp water
1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract 
16 oz pecans - about 4 cups

Preheat oven to 250.

Put sugar, cinnamon, salt, cloves, and nutmeg in a plastic bag, shake to mix.

Put egg, water, and vanilla in a bowl.  Beat until slightly foamy, add pecans and coat well.

Lift pecans out of bowl with a slotted spoon and put into the bag of sugar and spices.

Shake pecans in bag making sure they are well coated.

Pour pecan evenly onto a jelly roll pan.

Bake for 1 hour stirring every 15 minutes.

Let cool completely before serving.

Sparkling Punch

1 lemon
1 large orange
1 (6 ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate
1 liter Sprite
2 bottles sparkling apple cider
1 tablespoon white sugar
2 trays ice cubes

Thinly slice the lemons and the oranges and place in a large punch bowl.

Pour in the thawed lemonade.

Gently stir in the Sprite and the sparkling apple cider.

Add sugar to taste.

Add ice.

Snickerdoodles

1 1/2 cups Sugar
1/2 cup Butter, softened
1 teaspoon Vanilla
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups Flour
1 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Sugar
2 teaspoons Cinnamon

In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy.

Add vanilla and eggs, blend well.

Add flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt; mix well.

In a small bowl combine sugar and cinnamon.

Shape dough into 1 inch balls (I just use a medium ice cream scooper) then roll in cinnamon sugar mixture. (makes about 37 cookies)

Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 400 for 8-10 minutes.

Samosa

1/2 box Phyllo Pastry Sheets
3 Red Potatoes (~28g)
1/2 Tablespoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Fennel Seeds
1 Tablespoon ground Cumin
1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1 Onion, chopped
3 small Serrano chilies, finely chopped
2 in. fresh Ginger, grated
3 Garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons Salt
10 oz. fresh baby Spinach
1/2 cup Butter, melted

Place 1 of the phyllo sheet pouches to thaw on the counter. 

Peal potatoes.  If the potatoes are too large cut them in half.  Place potatoes in a pot with water covering them.

Sprinkle salt into the water and bring to a boil.

Cover, and simmer potatoes in salted water for about 12 minutes.

Drain and run cold water over them.

Cut into 1/4 inch cubes. Set potatoes aside.

Heat skillet over medium heat, then add fennel seeds, cumin, and turmeric. Dry roast spices for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally and taking care not to burn them.

When spices are fragrant and darker in color, add the oil, onion, chilies, ginger, garlic and salt.

Stir while cooking until onions are softened.

Add potatoes and stir.

Then add spinach and sauté over medium high heat stirring often until spinach is wilted and a bright green. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

(At this point you can put potato mixture in a container and save in Fridge for up to 3 days.)  

Heat oven to 400.

To assemble samosa’s, place a phyllo sheet on a flat surface with the long side facing you and brush lightly with butter. Top with a second phyllo sheet and brush with butter also.

Cut the stacked phyllo sheets into 4 strips.

Put a heaping Tablespoon of spinach and potato mixture near one corner of each strip.

Fold the corner over filling to form a triangle. Continue folding phyllo strip maintaining a triangle shape, like flag folding.

Place samosa seam side down on a baking sheet. Continue making samosa’s in this way until all mixture is used up.

Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden.

Stuffing

1/4 cup Butter
2 stalks Celery, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1 1/2 cup Chicken Broth
1  box Chicken Stove Top Stuffing

Melt butter in a saucepan.

Saute celery and onions until tender.

Add broth and bring to a boil.

Stir in stuffing, cover, remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes.

Heat oven to 375.

Transfer stuffing to an oven safe dish.

Bake for 20 minutes or until top starts to get crunchy.

Sour Cream Apple Pie - Gina Dale

1 Box Pie Crust (comes with 2 rolls of pie crust)
Filling:
     1/4 cup Flour
     1/4 teaspoon Salt
     1 1/2 cup Sugar
     2 Eggs
     2 cup Sour Cream
     2 teaspoon Vanilla
     1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
     4 cups Granny Smith Apples, peeled and diced (~4 large apples)
Spicy Topping:
     2/3 cup Sugar
     2/3 cup Flour
     2 teaspoon Cinnamon
     1/2 cup cold Butter

Line pie pans with pastries. Flute edges.

In mixing bowl, combine flour, salt and sugar. Add eggs, sour cream, vanilla and nutmeg. Stir to make a smooth batter. Stir in apples.

Pour filling into 2 pastry pans.  

Bake at 400 for 15 minutes.

Reduce heat to 350 and continue cooking for 30 minutes.

In a small bowl mix sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in cold butter. Try to not have any butter pieces be larger than a pinto bean.

You can place it in the refrigerator and continue cutting right before you put it on the pie. It will help to get the butter cold again.

After the pie is done baking for 30 minutes increase temperature of oven to 400.

Sprinkle pies with topping and return to oven for 10 minutes.

Let pies cool completely and keep in refrigerator.

Wait at least 8 hours preferably 24 hours before eating.

Slow Cooked Pepper Steak - Gina Dale

2 lbs Beef Round Steak
2 Tablespoons Oil
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
1 cup Onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon granulated Garlic
1 teaspoon Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
1/4 teaspoon Ground Ginger
1 (14 1/2 oz.) can Diced Tomatoes, undrained
2 Bell Peppers, cut into strips
1 bag Egg Noodles
Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Cut partially frozen beef into 3x1x1/4 inch strips.

In a skillet, saute beef in oil until juices evaporate and meat browns.

Transfer to a slow cooker.

In a bowl, combine soy sauce, onion, garlic, sugar, salt, pepper, ginger, and tomatoes.

Pour over meat. Stir to combine.

Cover and cook on high for 1 hour and low for 4 hours.

Add green peppers and stir to combine.

Continue to cook on low for another hour.

The last half of this cooking hour cook noodles according to package direction.

When finished cooking, if there is a lot of juice in the crock pot, then thicken it by taking about 1/4 cup of juices from slow cooker and whisk it in a small bowl with 2-4 Tablespoons corn starch.  Then slowly add it back into the pot with the steak stirring till combined and thickened.  

Serve on noodles with cheddar cheese.

DUCK instructions:I use the breasts from about 2 - 2 1/2 ducks.

I cook on low for 1 hour and high for 3 hours.  Then add the bell pepper slices and cook for another hour.

This is a really good recipe to use if you use three ducks.  Use 2 1/2 ducks worth of breast for this recipe then use the thighs and drumsticks and other duck breast to make tamales. 

Slow Cooked Pulled Pork

1 (4 lb) pork shoulder or loin any kind of lump pork that is cheap
2 (12 oz) cans root beer
1 (18 oz) bottle barbecue sauce
16 hamburger buns

Cut the pork into three sections.  Place the pork in a slow cooker.  

Pour the root beer over meat enough to cover it.

Cover and cook on high for 2 hours and then on low for 5 hours.

Remove meat from slow cooker, discard liquid.

Shred meat and place in a large bowl.

Stir in barbecue sauce.

Serve over hamburger buns.

Spanish Sausage Supper

1/2 cup Bell Pepper, chopped
1/2 cup Onion, chopped
1 Tablespoon Oil
1 lb. Kielbasa (beef) cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 cups Water
1 can Rotel
1 box Spanish Rice w/ Vermicelli Mix

Saute bell pepper and onion in oil for about 3 minutes.

Add sausage and cook about 3 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients and stir and bring to a boil.

Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir half way through.

Spicy Shepard's Pie

4 1/2 cups Mashed Potatoes (instant mashed potatoes serves 8)
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 lb. ground Beef
1 medium Onion, chopped
1 can Rotel
1 can Corn, drained
2 Tablespoons Taco Seasoning Mix
1 1/2 teaspoon Chili Powder
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
2 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese

Make mashed potatoes according to package directions for water, salt, butter, and milk.  However, when it is time to add the potato flakes I add as much flakes as I feel is necessary to get a thick consistency.  After you add the potato flakes and before you stir add 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder then stir to combine.  If there are still liquidy, soft, squishy parts to the potato mixture add more potato flakes just to that part and stir.   Be careful it can be easy to add too many potato flakes.

Cook beef and onion, drain. Add rotel, corn, Taco seasoning, chili powder, salt, garlic powder, and pepper to meat. Stir and bring to a boil for 1-2 minutes.

Transfer to a 13x9 baking dish. Top with cheese. Top cheese with potatoes. Sprinkle a little cheese on top of potatoes for decoration.

Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes.

Spaghetti Ala Dale - Brian Dale

1 lb. Spaghetti
1 lb. ground Beef
4 cloves Garlic, minced
1 Red Bell Pepper, thickly sliced
1 Green Bell Pepper, thickly sliced
1 bunch Green Onions, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 large thickly chopped Tomato
2 cups Mozzarella Cheese
All Purpose Seasoning
Salt
Pepper
Lime, if desired

Cook Pasta according to package directions.

While pasta is cooking, brown beef and garlic, drain.

Add peppers, onions and tomato. Cook a few minutes, you still want the peppers to be crisp.

Drain spaghetti and run under cold water.

On individual bowls add some spaghetti. On top of that put a generous amount of the meat mixture. Top with mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with desired amounts of all purpose seasoning, salt, pepper, and lime juice if desired

Note: This dish works well with shredded rotisserie chicken.  When using chicken definitely use with lime!  I would saute garlic in oil, add veggies then when veggies are almost done cooking add shredded chicken to warm up.  Continue with making individual bowls.

Slow Cooked Pot Roast

3 lb. Round Steak
2 packages Onion Soup Mix
2 cans Cream of Mushroom soup
1 1/2 cups Water
1/4 cup Flour
crescent rolls 
roasted veggies

Either buy round steak already sliced into 1 1/2 inch steaks or freeze steak for 30 minutes and then slice it yourself.  You should get about 6 slices.

Mix in a bowl onion soup mix, cream of mushroom soup and water.

Heat a cast iron pan to medium high heat.  Once pan is hot add 3 steaks to the pan at a time.  Cook on both sides for 2 minutes.  Place steaks around the bottom of a crock pot.

Pour 1/2 the soup mixture over steaks.

Cook the remaining steaks and arrange on top of other steaks in crock pot.  Pour remaining soup mix over steaks.

Cover and cook on high for 1 hour and on low for 6 hours.

Take steaks out and shred.

To thicken gravy mix flour and 1/2 cup liquid from crock pot.

Transfer liquid from crock pot to a sauce pan.

Set stove temperature to medium high.  Slowly add flour mixture to liquid stirring constantly until thicken.

Serve over shredded meat on individual plates.

Serve pot roast with crescent rolls and roasted veggies.

Note: I priced this on DaleLiciousFood with the rolls and veggies.  With everything it was $23.41 or $2.93/serving.  By itself it was $19.01 or $2.38/serving.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

1 lb. ground Beef
1/3 cup Onion, finely chopped
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 jar Spaghetti Sauce, divided
1 cup Instant Rice
1/2 cup Water
1/2 cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese
3-4 large Bell Peppers
1 cup Mozzarella Cheese

Brown beef, onion, and garlic.  Drain.

Stir into browned beef  2/3 of spaghetti sauce, rice, water and Parmesan cheese. Return to boil. Cover and take off heat. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Cut tops off of bell peppers and remove seeds.

Slice down center top to bottom. Set in pan with cup side up.

Fill with meat mixture.

Top with remaining spaghetti sauce and mozzarella.

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until cheese melts.

Spoon extra meat mixture over individual dishes if desired.

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

1 lb. Ground Beef
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 Onion, chopped
Kosher Salt
Pepper
1 (45 oz) jar Spaghetti Sauce
1 lb. Spaghetti Noodles
Parmesan Cheese, shredded

Cook beef, garlic, onion, and a pinch or two of both kosher salt and pepper in a large pan till done.  Drain.  In the same pan add spaghetti sauce to meat mixture and heat over medium low heat.  Put lid on at an angle so that heat can escape.  Let simmer while cooking spaghetti stirring occasionally.

Sprinkle generous amounts of kosher salt into spaghetti pot filled with water up to the second to top holes.  (I normally do three big pinches of salt).  Bring water to a boil over high heat.  Turn down water to medium high heat.  Break noodles in half and add to water and stir immediately to break apart.  Set timer for 14 1/2 minutes.

Stir noodles every few minutes so that they do not clump together.  Drain noodles and run under cold water to stop them from cooking.

Dish noodles into individual bowls and ladle with sauce.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Note: Priced on DaleLiciousFood with Sister Schuester dinner rolls.

Sloppy Joes

3 lb. ground beef
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 onions, chopped
6-8 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper to taste
3 celery stalks, chopped
3/4 cup ketchup
1 cup bbq sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
8 oz tomato sauce
1 - 12 oz can spicy hot v-8
1/4 cup frank's red hot sauce
2 Tablespoons chili powder
2 Tablespoons mustard
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Buns
Shredded cheese

Brown beef, bell pepper, onions, garlic, salt, and pepper.  Drain.  Add remaining ingredients to red pepper flakes.  Simmer for 30 minutes.  Let sit for 30 minutes to cool down.  Serve over buns with shredded cheese.

Note:  You can freeze left overs in muffin tins.  Once frozen put in zip lock baggies and keep in freezer.  Reheat in microwave when needed.