Angel, my easy bread recipe.

3 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
â..." cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg lightly beaten
2 cups buttermilk
¼ cup butter melted

Stir until well mixed and pour into greased 9 x 5 loaf pan
325F for 60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean

substitution for buttermilk = 2 tablespoons lemon juice in 2 cups of milk

Thanks Jean. I am going to make that.  When I buy a loaf at the Bakery or store I end up throwing half out because they are just to large. Don't keep as well from the Bakery but like better.

Thank you so much, Jean! I just recently returned from grocery shopping so I'm ready, willing and able...but not until tomorrow! 

Cauliflower casserole

cut recipe in half.

Ingredients

    2 lbs cauliflower florets
    8 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
    8 oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
    8 oz block cream cheese, softened
    4 tablespoons heavy cream
    2 bunches green onions, sliced (1 1/2 cups)
    6 sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled
    1 clove garlic, grated
    Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions








Preheat oven to 350 degrees
    Steam cauliflower florets until tender, about 5 minutes.
    While cauliflower steams, cream together 6 oz of the shredded cheddar, 6 oz of the Monterey Jack, cream cheese, and heavy cream
    Stir in sliced green onions, chopped bacon, and garlic
    Set aside
    Drain any liquid from steamed cauliflower and add to cheese mixture
    Stir cauliflower and cheese mixture together
    Taste for seasoning, and add as necessary
    If you want a finer texture, give a few mashes with the potato masher
    Pour into a 2-3 quart casserole and sprinkle on remaining cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese
    Cover dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes; remove foil and continue to bake until cheese is brown and bubbly
    Enjoy

That sounds sooooo good!

Jean, your bread was delicious and I had it with a green salad and pork roast. Enough leftovers for breakfast or lunch as well! Thank you for that recipe!

Jeanne, I'm lactose intolerant so while it does look good, I won't be able to taste.

Angel, glad you liked it.

JeanneP, that sounds delicious.

I tried the bread today too and it's delicious!  I took half of it to my daughters when I went for supper and they liked it, too.

I love to cook easy recipes because I don't really like to cook.  If I were rich I would hire a cook. 😀

Today I have pinto beans and ham cooking.  We had ham a month ago and I froze a portion for beans when the weather got cooler.  Today is cold! At least for us in Florida.

I made the bread this morning, Flajean.  Very good and a slice or two browned under the broiler and spread with butter and honey should go down very well.  The taste reminds me a lot of a Sally Lunn but, without yeast it doesn't have the same texture.  Have you ever added chopped nuts or craisins/raisins to it?

This looks like it would be quick, easy and oh so good! And you could switch a lot of ingredients out for different tastes and flavors! There's enough to save for later meals as well.The recipe is from one of my blogs I subscribe to.

One Skillet Beefy Tuscan Pasta Recipe

Prep time
5 mins
Cook time
25 mins
Total time
30 mins

A simple one skillet pasta recipe, perfect for a busy weeknight!
Author: Dine & Dish
Recipe type: main
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 6 servings
Ingredients

  2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Tuscan infused preferred)
  ½ small onion, diced
  Two cloves garlic, minced
  1 pound lean ground beef
  10 oz can Rotel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies
  8 oz can tomato sauce
  2 cups water
  16 oz penne pasta, uncooked
  ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  5 ounces Cabot Tuscan Cheddar Cheese, shredded

Instructions

  Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Sauté for 3 minutes. Add ground beef and break up into small pieces. Cook until no longer pink, approximately 7 minutes. Sprinkle with Kosher salt.
  Stir in Rotel, tomato sauce, water and uncooked penne pasta. Increase heat to medium-high, cover, skillet and cook for 8 -10 minutes until pasta is at desired doneness, stirring frequently.
  Turn off skillet, remove the lid, and stir in shredded cheese. Serve and enjoy!

Phyllis, no, never added anything.

Sounds like it would be good with craisins and nuts.  Maybe I'll try that the next time.  My mother used to make something she called "Nut Bread" and the the texture was pretty much the same as this bread. 

Classic Guacamole Recipe from "Appetite for Health"

I've tried it and this works not just for dips, but as a topper or condiment as well. It's good!


Ingredients

2 ripe medium avocados, peeled, pitted and diced

1 large ripe tomato, diced

1â,,4 cup chopped onion (white or red)

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

3 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Juice of 1 large lime or 2 small limes

1â,,2 tsp ground cumin

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In medium bowl, combine all ingredients and blend together. Mash the avocado according to the consistency that you likeâ€"chunky or more smooth. Serve immediately.

For the summer or now if you can't wait!    
Copycat Dole Pineapple Whip
Ingredients

2 cups frozen Pineapple chunks
8 oz frozen Whipped Topping (like Cool Whip)
3 tbsp Honey or 2 tbsp Sugar
6 oz Pineapple Juice
Instructions

Blend all ingredients in strong blender or food processor until whipped.
If mixture is too runny, add 1/4 cup ice and process further.
To look more like a creamy whip, transfer mixture to piping bag with star tip and pipe into cups.

Both of those recipes sound good, Angel, but I would have to substitute for cilantro.

Jean, I rarely do a recipe as written. I'm too much of a "what if" type cook! 

From the guys at Platter Talk;
Chicken and Biscuits Skillet Pot Pie
Adapted from Judy Kim via Delish

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 5
Author Dan from Platter Talk
Ingredients
2-3 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp . fresh or dried thyme
2 cloves garlic minced
1 onion diced
2 carrots chopped
1 cup potatoes small dice
2 stalks of celery chopped
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup . heavy cream or half and half
1.5 lbs boneless chicken breasts cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup frozen corn
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1 package biscuits
1 egg beaten
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Using a large cast iron skillet over medium heat, place olive oil and add thyme, garlic, potatoes, celery, carrots and onions. Stir with a wooden spoon until the vegetables soften, about 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and then add flour. Continuously whisk until flour is cooked and well incorporated. Slowly stir in the broth and cream until mixture is smooth.
Add chicken and bring to a boil; simmer until thickened about 5 minutes. Stir in frozen peas, corn and parsley. Top with biscuits in an even layer, brush tops with egg wash.
Bake until biscuits are golden brown and filling is bubbling, about 25 minutes. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
Substitute milk for the cream to save a few calories.
If biscuits start to get too brown on top, place a sheet of foil over them until pot pie is done baking.
Don't be afraid to make this your own, use the ingredients and seasoning that you prefer!

Angel, that sounds delicious.  Am definitely going to try that.

For Valentine's Day or anytime you want something special;

Sirloin with Balsamic Reduction
This sirloin steak owes its great flavor to a savory combination of organic beef stock, garlic, balsamic vinegar and butter. It's a simple recipe that ensures great tasting beef each and every time. As usual, at least for me, substitute or change it as you wish

Ingredients

cost per recipe: $9.28

    1    boneless beef sirloin steak (about 1 1/4 pounds)
    2    tablespoons olive oil
    2    large shallot, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
    2    cloves garlic, minced
    1    tablespoon all-purpose flour
    2    cups Swanson® Organic Beef Stock
    2    tablespoons balsamic vinegar
    1    tablespoon butter
    1    tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves


How to Make It
Step 1
Season the beef as desired.  Heat half the oil in a 12-inch skillet over high heat.  Add the beef and cook for 6 minutes or until well browned on both sides.  Remove the beef from the skillet.

Step 2
Heat the remaining oil in the skillet.  Add the shallots and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.  Add the garlic and cook and stir for 1 minute.  Add the flour and cook and stir for 1 minute.
Step 3
Add the stock and vinegar and heat to a boil, stirring to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.  Cook for 4 minutes or until the stock mixture is reduced by half.
Step 4
Return the beef to the skillet.  Reduce the heat to medium-low.  Cook for 5 minutes for medium or until desired doneness.  Stir in the butter.  Season to taste.  Slice the beef and serve with the sauce.  Sprinkle with the rosemary.

https://www.campbells.com/kitchen/recipes/sirloin-with-balsamic-reduction/

That sounds good.  I think the only changes I would make would be using just one shallot and one minced garlic clove.  I wonder if it would be possible to make the sauce and add it to your sirloin and cook in a crockpot?

I don't see why not. I once made something very similar without the shallots and used purple onions and moose. It was delicious. I started the moose under the broiler and transferred it to the slow cooker and added the sauce.

From Paula Deen, I would omit the 2T. sugar. And make up my own style Italian seasonings. My sister who once lived in Florence for a number of years told me that the locals only used rosemary in their red sauces.

Alice Jo's Spaghetti Sauce

"Ingredients
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 (14 1/2 oz) can stewed tomatoes
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
2 (6 oz) cans tomato paste
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
Preparation
Brown the beef in a large, heavy bottomed pot, then drain off the fat. Add the onion, green pepper and garlic and sauté until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, tomato sauce and stewed tomatoes, 1 cup water and seasonings. Simmer for 30 minutes. Let cool. The sauce will keep for several days covered and refrigerated.

Serve with spaghetti or your favorite pasta.

My Italian mother-in-law never used Rosemary in her sauce and NEVER ground beef....ALWAYS pork for the meatballs or pork chops if she didn't make meatballs.  Sometimes chicken AND pork.  Beef was a definite NO NO!

And always lots of garlic and Italian cheese.  Her parents came here from Italy with her 3 oldest brothers. And she learned to cook Italian food by the time she was 6.

When my youngest sister was living in Florence with her Italian boyfriend while they each attended a restaurant and cookery course, the main dinners usually beginning at nine PM offered several smaller bowls of different types of sauce chiefly with basic fresh seasonings and condiments to go with your pasta. I agree about the ground beef. That is an American invention. Florence or Tuscany cooking deals in simple fare, meat, beans, cheeses, and pasta.

She met her boyfriend while over in Florence, staying with his family while his sister was in the US. They were both, Becky and his sister, in a high school exchange program. Becky went back when she was 21 to study Italian cooking and work at restaurants for the experience.

I took a chance again and it turned out so good.
Didn't know what to do with 3 chicken thighs that I had taken out of the a packet I bought yesterday. I put the rest in Freezer.

Just decided would use to make something that I could finish up in the crock pot. (A lazy mood today) So decided would just make chicken stew. Had some carrots. Peas . couple shallots. I always have Chicken stock. I never use water. Got it into skillet and found I only had one can stock.  Always have canned creamed Chicken and cream Mushroom soup on hand. Decided I would just add a can of the Cream Chicken in place of 2nd can stock . Mixed it in the stew. Worked so good. Sort of gave a creamy texture to the stew.  Added in the potatoes, a little Worstershire and let it go on low. Really like it
So now will always use the Cream Chicken thinned out a little.  Fact next time I do the beef stew I am going to again use just one can of Stock and a can of Cream of Mushroom soup to it.. Got some good stew going in the freezer now for about 3 more meals.  I love just playing around with cooking.
My mother hated cooking and so I was let do what I wanted in the kitchen from being about 12.  Could never bake cakes. Still can't but was really good pie maker. Miss making them like when family still at home.  One daughter took after me but my eldest just like my mother. Never cooks now.

I did the same thing today, JeanneP.  Only it turned into a casserole.  It was pretty easy.  I had just under a pound of ground turkey already browned and just started adding things.  It turned out really good.

Here is a quick and easy recipe for mini meatloaf cupcakes that you can have for lunch or dinner, just freeze before adding potatoes. It also can easily be changed if you would like to substitute ingredients.
Meatloaf Cupcakes Recipe
Ingredients

1 lb Ground Beef
1 Egg
3/4 cup Milk
1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1/2 cup Quick Oats
1 tsp Salt
2 tsp Garlic Powder
2 tsp Onion Powder
2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 cup crushed Club Crackers
2/3 cup Ketchup
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
2 tsp Mustard
2 cup Mashed Potatoes
Instructions

Preheat Oven to 350.
Place mashed potatoes in a zippered bag or piping bag and set aside for later.
Combine Ketchup Mustard and brown sugar and mix well. Set aside.
Combine remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.
Press this mixture into muffin pan.
Spread top of each with the ketchup mixture.
Bake for 30-45 minutes.
Allow to sit for 5 minutes, remove from muffin pan and pipe on a mashed potato "frosting".

Another good cold weather dinner;

SLOW COOKER POT ROAST

INGREDIENTS
2-3 lb Beef Roast
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tbsp Salt
2 tsp Pepper
1 tsp Thyme
1 tsp Tarragon
2 tsp minced Garlic
1 lb Carrots
2 lb Potatoes
1 large Onion
32 oz Beef Stock
3 tbsp Cornstarch

DIRECTIONS
Peel and cut carrots into 1-3″ pieces.
Peel and cut onions into 1-3″ pieces.
Wash and cut potatoes into 1-3″ pieces.
Mix together salt, pepper, thyme and tarragon.
Rub roast with olive oil and cover with about 2/3 of spice mix.
Heat skillet over medium high heat and brown on all sides.
Transfer roast to slow cooker.
Lightly coat vegetables in olive oil and season with remaining spice mix.
Transfer vegetables to slow cooker.
Add some stock to skillet and stir to deglaze.
Pour liquid into slow cooker.
Add remaining stock to slow cooker.
Cook on high for 5 hours or low for 10 hours until vegetables are tender and meat pulls apart easily.
Transfer meat and vegetables to serving dish.
Pour liquid in sauce pan and heat.
Mix cornstarch with an equal amount of water and stir until well blended.
Add cornstarch mix to sauce and heat, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens.
Pour sauce over meat and vegetables.

Slow Cooker Pork Chops
Ingredients

2 lb Pork Chops
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1 cup Chicken Broth
2 tsp Minced Garlic
1 tbsp Paprika
1 tbsp Onion Powder
1 tbsp Poultry Seasoning
1 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Basil
Salt and Pepper (to taste)
Instructions

You can optionally brown the pork chops in a skillet in 1 table spoon of olive oil.
Place pork chops in slow cooker.
Whisk together remaining ingredients and pour over pork.
Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 7 hours.
If you would like, you can make a slurry of 1 tablespoon of cornstarch amd 1/4 cup water and whisk until smooth.
Add cornstarch mixture to some of the liquid from slow cooker and heat to boiling whisking until thickened.

Need to sit for awhile.  Thing are closed around here where i needed to go. No Mail, library etc. Go tomorrow.  Still warm out.

Been in the kitchen all morning. All needs cleaning up.
I made 5 pints of Pasta sauce. 4 in the freezer and one to go over Ravioli for dinner Spinach and Cheese. Had lots of tomatoes and Mushrooms needed using up. Has some Walnuts left and so I just threw them in.  More Protein now. Not had much meat this past week.. Ground Round was on sale this week so going to make some o the small meat loaves for freezer soon.  That sauce goes good over those..  I really could use a nap.

For those of you who like and can enjoy dairy.

Crock Pot Sloppy Joe Casserole
June 19, 2013 by Brandie @ The Country Cook

Well goodness, that recipe title is a mouthful, huh?  I really should have come up with a snazzier name. If y’all have a good idea for one, let me know. But really, the name doesn’t matter all that much. The taste does, right? I was so thrilled with how this came out. It’s a very simple recipe but it is a fun and new way to eat your meat and potatoes. It ain’t the prettiest meal you ever saw but it sure does taste good! With this recipe, we are definitely thinking outside of the bun. Feel free to add in any other veggies or seasoning that you enjoy. Green peppers or red peppers would be great in this!

Ingredients:

1 (32 oz.) package frozen shredded hashbrown potatoes, thawed
1 can (10.75 oz.) condensed cheddar cheese soup, undiluted
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1 (15.5 oz.) can sloppy joe sauce
shredded cheddar cheese, for topping (optional)

Note: you can substitute the shredded hashbrowns for southern style hashbrowns, which are the smaller cubed potatoes or you can use the Potatoes O’Brien that have peppers and onion mixed in with the cubed potatoes.

Directions:
Spray your 5-qt crock pot (slow cooker) with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine shredded potatoes with the soup, egg, salt & pepper.

Stir well then spread it in the bottom of the crock pot.

In a large skillet, over medium heat, brown and crumble ground beef along with chopped onion. Cook until beef is no longer pink.

Drain excess grease. Stir in sloppy joe sauce.

Spoon sloppy joe mixture over hashbrown mixture in crock pot.

Cover and cook on low for about 4 to 4 1/2 hours.

Note: If you’d like, about 10 minutes before it is ready, add about a cup of shredded cheddar cheese to the top of the casserole. Then put lid back on crock pot and allow the cheese to melt. Then serve!

Enjoy!

Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 45 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 800 kcal

Angel.   I may just try a little of this ground beef and make some of that in my Little slow cooker today. I have most the stuff.  Can just shred some regular Potatoes. I don't have the Cheese soup but lots of Shredded cheese here.  I can make some with it.  Have some sloppy joe sauce. 
I like things like that.  I have done something like it and just put over large baked potato for if in a hurry.

Glad I don't have the kitchen cleaned up yet.