Pampered Chef Party

My other daughter is having her first time ever Pampered Chef party!!  If anyone would like to place an order, she would be thrilled!  You can have your order shipped directly to you and your credit card is not charged until the show closes.  Here is her link: http://new.pamperedchef.com/pws/marykwessling/guest-landing/8863398542491  Her show will close by March 30th, 2014.

I made this the other night and it is really good!

If you have kids, this is a great gadget and I also have a free e-book with more recipes too!

Here is a cute idea for Easter using the Brownie Pan, I also have a free e-book for lots more ideas too!

Thanks!  Mary

English Muffin Pizza

Hi everyone!!  I don't know about you but I'm glad that Spring is only 24 days away!!  The sun is out here today too, but it's still cold.

I think I mention that hubby has a part-time job, got bored being retired, and his hours are so that he works at night.  So I'm on my own for that meal and I tell you what, it's hard to cook for one!  So I've been on the look out for recipes that I can down size to make for myself, a person can eat only so many sandwiches for dinner before you get tired of it!

I found this recipe over on Plain Chicken for these English Muffin Pizzas and had a light bulb moment!  I could easily make this for myself and make it many different ways too.  So I gathered all the necessary ingredients and had a yummy meal!

This would be great for afternoon snacks for the kids after school or even a family meal.

 I used Pepperidge English Muffins for mine and was pleased with their taste and texture.  I also used Classico Traditional pizza sauce, oh my this is really good sauce too!  I would definitely buy this again.  Then I got mozzarella cheese, shredded, pepperoni and went to town making my pizza. One night I fried up one link of Italian sausage for my meat topping, yum!

Now you spread on as much sauce as you want on the cut side of the English muffin (split in half), then add your meat/toppings, you could add some small diced vegetables, if you wanted, then sprinkle on your cheese.  Bake in a preheat 400 degree oven (I used my toaster oven to bake mine).   YUMM-O!!

English Muffin Pizza

English Muffins, split
pizza sauce
mozzarella cheese, shredded
pizza toppings, the sky is the limit
garlic powder, optional

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place the English muffin halves, cut side up, onto a baking sheet.  Spoon some of the pizza sauce onto each half.  Top with mozzarella cheese and your pizza toppings.  Sprinkle with garlic powder.  Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and browned on the edges.

Hope you give this a try, they are good!   Mary

Swiss Loaf

Here is another oldie but goodie recipe. My brother shared this recipe with me along time ago. I really like it and it makes wonderful sandwiches with the leftovers, but my family insist that anytime I make meat loaf it has to be my Grandmother's recipe or they won't eat it, sniff..sniff..I like variety. Anyhoo, here is the recipe.

Swiss Meat Loaf

2 pounds hamburger, I always use lean
1- 8 oz. package Swiss cheese, diced or shredded
1/2 cup green pepper, diced
1/2 cup onions, diced
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk
1 1/2 teaspoon salt, you probably could use less, remember old recipe
1 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 cup bread crumbs

Mix all of the ingredients together, shape into a loaf and place into a cake pan. If you wanted you could place a rack in your cake pan and than put the loaf on top of the rack to let the drippings fall of the loaf. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour and 30 minutes. Serve 4 to 6.

Sorry no pictures again, but worth sharing with all of you!  Mary

Crock-Pot Beef Stew

Today I want to share with you a crock-pot recipe that I found in a church cookbook.  Aren't those where we find the best recipes in the first place?!  The title of this recipe is Stayabed Stew, as you can bake this in a 275 degree oven for 8 hours if you don't have a crock-pot.  I really like my crock-pot and like findings new recipes to use in it too.  My family really likes this and I usually serve biscuits with it too, but this last time I made Green Chili Cheddar Loaves in my Pampered Chef Brownie pans.  I'll share that recipe later.

I didn't take step by step pictures because you just put everything in the crock-pot except the peas, you add those just before serving.  Oh and the first picture is missing the onions.

Crock-Pot Beef Stew

2 pounds beef stew meat, cubed (I just buy already cubed stew meat)
1 14.5 ounce can peas, drained
1 cup sliced carrots
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 large potatoes, cubed, peeled or unpeeled
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 10.75 ounce can condensed tomato soup
1 bay leaf

Spray crock-pot liner with PAM.  Mix all of the above in the crock-pot except for the peas.  Cook on LOW for about 8 hours.  Right before serving, add peas and give it a good stir.  Serve.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

{PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION}

Broccoli Soup

Today it has turned alittle bit cool, so I thought I would share a soup recipe with you. I like to serve it with a crusty bread and of course, some real butter!  Sorry no picture.

Broccoli Soup

2- 10 oz. packages frozen broccoli
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 1/2 cups milk
2 cups half & half
1- 10 1/2 oz. can cream of chicken soup
1/2 teaspoon oregano (I use more like 1/8 teaspoon)
salt and pepper, to taste

Cook broccoli according to package directions in a pot large enough to hold all of the ingredients above; drain. Add the rest of the ingredients and heat thoroughly. Serve. Serves 4 to 6.

[PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION}

Pioneer Beans

Before I went to work this morning I put the fixin's for this soup in the crock-pot (love my crock-pot). Actually I put some of it togther last night, sliced the green onions and the sausage up to make it super easy in the morning for me. As you can see I served it with corn bread.  It must have been good, hubby had two bowls and three slices of cornbread too!! Still have plenty for another meal or two.

I found this recipe in a magazine back in the early 1980's. It is a recipe from Tabasco, so naturally there is Tabasco in the recipe.

Pioneer Beans

1 pound dried lima bean, I like to use small navy beans when I make it
1 pound smoked sausage, sliced, I use Eckridge sausage
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
4 beef bouillon cubes
3/4 teaspoon Tabasco pepper sauce **
6 cups water

Place all ingredients in a crock-pot. Mix well. Cover and cook on High for 8 to 10 hours. Serves 4 to 6.

Now today when I made this I accidentally put it on Low instead and didn't realize it until I came home from work (about 4 hours later). I bumped it up to High for a couple of hours, tried the beans and they were soft, so I put it back down to Low until we were ready to eat. I really think it would have been OK on Low all day. 

**Now this does have alittle bit of a kick to it, if you don't want that, your could add less Tabasco sauce. If you want it more spicy, than add more.

You could easily make half of this recipe.

Hope you all stay warm and cozy........Mary

Happy New Years

Happy New Years to all of you!  I hope you have a happy, healthy year!!!  Mary

Pampered Chef Party Online

Hi everyone!

I just wanted to extend to all of you an open invitation to visit my Online Pampered Chef party!!  I know of some really great items that I'm going to get to give to my daughters for Christmas this year.  Here is the link to either browse or shop, if you would like.  Your order will be shipped directly to you. My party starts on November 18th, 2013 and will close on December 10th, 2013.

Here is the link: http://new.pamperedchef.com/pws/marlenedavis/guest-landing/8848524197019

Here is a PDF of gifts for under $10.00.

Have fun looking!  Mary

Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili

Hi everyone, so sorry about not posting more but hubby has a part-time job now (he was bored sitting around doing nothing in retirement, so he's back to work again) and a lot of times I'm here in the evening by myself.  It's hard to make recipes when it just one eating.  I have been thinking about adapting some of my favorites and seeing if I can make them so it serves just two, we shall see.

I found this recipe on Facebook one day and it looked so good and with cooler weather now upon us, it just plain sounded good too!  I had so much left over that I frozen two containers of it for another really cold day.

This recipe is very thick and has a lot of chicken to it, so it is very filling.  The original poster showed her served over rice, but I just had chips on the side with mine.

This recipe is really easy to put together too, just dump everything in a crock pot.  I will tell you that I added the chicken to the middle and not on top like she instructs you to do.  I did cook mine on LOW for 6 to 8 hours rather than High, and it was just fine.  Also I did not add the one tablespoon of chili powder and cumin, I didn't want if real spicy, I just used one teaspoon of each and it was fine for my family.  If you like spicy, you can adjust those two spices to your taste.


Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili
 Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 10 • Size: 1 1/4 cups • Old Points: 3 pts • Points+: 5 pts
Calories: 203.7 • Fat: 1.4 g • Carb: 33.3 g • Fiber: 10.0 g  • Protein: 16.9 g

Ingredients: 

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 16-oz can black beans
• 1 16-oz can kidney beans
• 1 8-oz can tomato sauce
• 10 oz package frozen corn kernels
• 2 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes w/chilies
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 24 oz (3-4) boneless skinless chicken breasts
• chili peppers, chopped (optional)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions: 

Combine beans, onion, chili peppers, corn, tomato sauce, cumin, chili powder and taco seasoning in a slow cooker. Place chicken on top and cover. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Top with fresh cilantro. Also try it with low fat cheese and sour cream (extra points).

I copied the Weight Watchers information from her blog for any of you that are following WW.  You can click on the link above to go to her blog.

Well, this is my share for today, hope to be back sooner!  Mary

Two Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins

Today I want to share with all of you a sure easy, cheap recipe that I found on Splitcoaststampers website.  Some of the demonstrators for Stampin' Up! have shared some of their inexpensive and easy recipes that they make when they have stampers over.  Everyone was raving about how good this recipe is, so I just had to try it and today it was cool enough to have the oven on.

All you have to do is empty your cake mix and pureed pumpkin in to a mixing bowl.

I used my hand held mixer to blend it all together, it will be really thick too, but boy does it smell heavenly.

I have some Pampered Chef Brownie Pans, but you can use your muffin tins too.  I added papers for easy of clean-up.  I probably should have spread the mixture out some but next time I make them I will.

Here they are all done baking.  Let them cool.

Here are two of them, one with cream cheese icing and one plain.  Hubby likes his iced, I like mine plain.  Some of the ladies stated that you can use any flavor of cake mix and some have even used Angel Food cake mix.  Another way to bake this mixture is to spread it into a 9x13" greased cake pan, then ice with cream cheese icing.  Either way you make these, they are GOOD!  Very moist too.

Pumpkin Muffins

1 box Spice Cake mix (18.25 oz.), no eggs, oil or water
1 can Pumpkin (15 oz.) puree, not the pumpkin pie mix

Place cake mix and pumpkin into a mixing bowl.  With a hand-held mixer, mix until well blended.  Place cupcake liners into 24 muffin wells, add mixture to each well, until evenly divided.  Bake at 350 degrees, for 15 to 20 minutes, until done when tested.   Remove from oven and cool.  Makes 24 muffins.

For the Pumpkin Cake:
Mix the above together but spread into a Greased 9 x 13" cake pan, bake at 350 for 20 to 25 mins, until done when tested.  Cool and ice with your favorite cream cheese icing.

I hope you enjoy this treat, we are!     Mary