Italian Beef Sandwiches

Not.gonna.make.these.again.......but, who knows, you may like them.  I don't even have a pic of them.  I could tell when I shredded the meat they were dry and not going to come together like I had hoped.  I do like hoagie buns with butter melted and warm cheese, all was not lost. I have several recipes for these sandwiches and this is not a fave.

~Recipe~

1 4-5 lb chuck roast, fat left on
Lawry's season salt
14 ounces of beef stock
1 chopped onion
8 ounces of chopped pepperocini with the juice
1/2 pkg Italian dressing mix
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp Italian seasoning
Hoagie buns
Cheese

Place roast in slow cooker and sprinkle with season salt.  Pour beef stock, pepperocini and juice around the roast.  Stir in salad dressing mix, garlic, Italian season and cover and cook on low for 8 hours,Turn off and allow to cool, strain the meat juices to remove the pepperocini and shred the meat.  Add it to the stock in the cooker and set on low heat.  Assemble sandwiches on toasted Hoagie buns with melted cheese. Eat....Enjoy~

Snickers Cake

Ok! Ok! OK! here it is!! I have had several messages since I posted the pic on Facebook to get the recipe out....NOW!! It is good....It is fattening....It is full of yummy-ooey-gooey-goodness....BUT it is a doctored box cake...BOO! I did some changes and I made my own Devils food cake from scratch but the easy and quicker way is to use a box mix.  I had the time so I went ahead and made te long version, it will be good with the box as well, I am certain!

~Recipe~

1 box devils food cake mix, plus ingredients to make the cake *or your own version of chocolate cake*
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 jar Smucker's hot caramel ice cream topping
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 tub of cool whip 3 snickers candy bars, chopped
1/3 cup peanuts, chopped
caramel sauce
chocolate sauce

Bake cake in a 9x13-inch pan according to direction on the package.

While cake is baking, mix condensed milk and hot caramel topping until well blended. *This is a dangerous combo by itself*. When the cake is done and while it's still hot, poke holes in it with the handle of a wooden spoon. Pour milk mixture over the cake. Allow cake to cool completely. Sprinkle chocolate chips over cake. 
Mix the chopped snickers*I put mine thru the food processor* and coolwhip and spread cake.  Top wth chopped peanuts, I used honey roasted...ya know....for that ADDED sweet.... then drizzle with caramel and chocolate sauces. EAT! YUM! Enjoy~

Lemon bars

These are an all time favorite of my family! I had not made them for a long time and they were  eaten in 30 minutes......I guess I need to make them more often! :)

~Recipe~
1 cup butter
2 1/4 cup flour
1/2 c powdered sugar
4 eggs
2 c sugar
1 tsp baking soda
6 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 powdered sugar for decoration

Heat oven to 350 degrees

Butter and flour a 9x13 pan and set aside
Cream the butter and flour and powdered sugar.  Press dough into the bottom of the pan and bake for 25 minutes.  Beat eggs until frothy and add sugar, baking powder and lemon juice.  Beat until smooth. Pour egg mixture over crust and bake for 20-25 minutes.  Cool and dust with powdered sugar.  Enjoy~

Orange muffins

These are AWESOME!!! I made them for the first morning back from vacation and they were GONE!  Everyone really enjoyed them.

~Recipe~
1 cup milk
1/2 cup freshly squeezed  orange juice
1/2 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
2 sticks butter melted
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
zest of 1 orange

Glaze~
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1-2 tsp orange zest

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Line muffins with paper liners or spray with cooking spray.  In a medium mixing bowl combine the milk, oj, sour cream, eggs and melted butter.  Whisk to blend.  In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Blend well.  Pour wet ingredients into the dry and mix until incorporated. Fold in the zest, gently.
Divide the batter between the prepared tins, bake for 15-18 minutes.  Cool in pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack on top of a baking sheet.  Make the glaze by combining the oj, powdered sugar and orange zest in a small bowl.  Whisk until smooth, add more juice if necessary.  Drizzle over the muffins and allow to set before you devour!! Enjoy~

Grilled Eggplant Parmesan

My daughter and I are huge fans of Eggplant Parm and I found this grilled version and had to try it.  It is healthier, I am sure but the grilling adds a new flavor that I am really fond of.  My hubs and son were not fond of this recipe at all. It is different and the texture is not the typical eggplant parm, but I loved it! The photo is terrible....I took it with my phone and it certainly doesn't do the yumminess any justice....

~Recipe~

3 medium eggplants, peeled and cut lengthwise into 1/2 inch slices
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp dried Italian herb mix
1 tsp coarse salt
fresh ground black pepper
5 cups of your favorite tomato sauce...I used marinara
8 ounces of provolone cheese
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
8 whole basil leaves

Rub the eggplant slices with the olive oil and then garlic, Italian spice, salt and pepper.  Place in a cooking pan and let sit for 5 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Hat grill and grill eggplant slices until lightly grilled in both sides.  **This took quite a bit longer than I thought it would** Spoon 1/2 cup of the sauce into the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Place about 6 eggplant slices on top of the sauce, top with cheese and a few basil leaves.  Top with 1 1/2 cups sauce and repeat layering.  End with the 1 cup parm cheese in top.  Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.  Remove the cover and continue baking for 15 minuets.  Enjoy~

Slow cooker marinara

As you know...my hubby is Italian.  I am always trying new Italian sauces and dishes.  This was so easy.  I tripled the recipe and froze the 2 additional batches.  It smells so good and does not heat up the house in the summer...Perfect!
This is not my pic, I did not think to take one and it is frozen now.

Super Easy Recipe~
2 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
2 bay leaves
1 Tbsp dried basil ( I added fresh when I served it like in the pic...I always add fresh basil, it is fresh and pretty)
1/2 Tbsp oregano
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper

Add the diced onion and minced garlic to the slow cooker.  Add the rest of the ingredients.  Stir to combine.  Add 1/2-1 cup of water to moisten it up also to bring it to the consistency you prefer. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Go about your day doing fun things and dinner will be easy! Enjoy~

Salted Caramel Pretzel Cookies

It is raining in Texas today.  What a perfect excuse to bake....that and the fact I usually have 9 or more teenaged boys here....so I need to keep up on my baking to satisfy the growing boys! They just came out of the oven so I am sure they will be devoured in a few minutes.  I think I will add more pretzels next time!

~Recipe~
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cupbrown sugar
1/4 c white sugar
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c chocolate chips
1 cup caramel bites*BEST invention EVER*
1/2 cup crushed pretzels * I will use more next time*

Oven to 350
Cream the sugars and butter until light and fluffy...you know the drill don't over mix...Add the egg and vanilla and blend well.  Mix in the flour, cornstarch, salt and baking soda.  Stir in the caramel chips, chocolate chips and pretzels.  Drop on cookie sheets and sprinkle with salt.  Bake for 8-10 minutes, barely golden...watch carefully as not to over bake.  Let cool on the sheet  for 5 minutes and transfer to the wire rack. Basic cookie batter with different add ins....enjoy~