Comfort Food at It's Best~Classic Stuffing!

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It is time again for the Crazy Cooking Challenge, and this month we are making stuffing! Stuffing was one of the first recipes I ever made. I remember getting up extremely early, or so it seemed at the time, to make the dressing and stuff the turkey. It had to go in the oven so we could eat at 2:00pm. I have made this same dressing every Thanksgiving since I have been married. Sometimes I added a cornbread dressing, and one time I even made a dressing with walnuts, but I always make this one. 

Classic Homestyle Stuffing

(serves 4)

2 tablespoon Butter

1 cup Onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup Celery, finely chopped

3 cups Milk

20 slices Bread

1 teaspoon Poultry Seasoning

1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder

Pepper

1/2 cup Chicken Broth

Melt the butter over medium heat.

Add the onion and celery, and saute until tender.

Pour the milk into a large bowl.

Dip the slices of bread into the milk, pull the bread

apart, and place it in your pot.

Add the poultry seasoning, garlic powder, pepper,

and chicken broth.

Mix well. Stuff your turkey and bake.

Enjoy!

Thanks for joining me today!

Check out the rest of the

Crazy Cooking Challenge entries:

Mini Apple Pies!

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I love anything apple, so I was excited to see that apple pie was the challenge part of this months Crazy Cooking Challenge I made Mini Apple Pies and they are so cute!
(I think if it's cute, there are no calories!) These are great to make for parties and get togethers.

Mini Apple Pies

(makes 7)

• 3 medium Granny Smith Apples
• 1/4 cup Sugar
• 3 teaspoons Flour
• splash Lemon Juice
• 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

Crust

• 2 cups Flour
• 2/3 cup Shortening
• 2 teaspoon Sugar
• 2 tablespoon Water

Begin with making your crust. I used a food processor,

but you can also use a fork to mix everything together.

Add all the ingredients, except for the water. Add the water

a tablespoon at a time as needed to obtain a smooth dough.

Roll your dough out on a floured surface.

Roll to approx. 1/4" thick.

Use whatever you have that is about 2 1/2" in diameter.

Cut out the pie bottom pieces. You will need seven.

Place your circle of dough into a muffin tin that has been

sprayed with pan spray. 

Adjust your dough to fit the tin bottom and come

up the sides.

Use a 2" diameter cutter or a pattern to cut 7 tops

for your pie. Set aside while you make your filling.

Peel your 3 apples, and cut away the core.

Slice your apples.

Place your apples in a bowl. Add the sugar, flour, 

lemon juice and cinnamon. Mix well.

This is where I realized that I should have chopped the 

apples. The slices are too big to fit in the shells.

So I went back and sliced the apples in to chunks.

Fill each pie shell with your apple filling mix.

Cover the top of each pie.

Vent each pie by putting a few knife holes in the top

of each one. Melt your butter, and spread some over

each pie. Sprinkle each one with sugar.

Fill any empty muffin cavities with water.

This will help with even baking.

Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Let sit for 5 minutes, then cool on a baking rack,

or enjoy warm from the oven.

Enjoy!

Thanks for joining me!

We are showing off our stuff at these parties:
Church Supper

Let's see what everyone else made:

S'mores Cheesecake!

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Although it is as hot as hot can be here in the desert, I love a roaring campfire and roasting marshmallows after the sun sets. As I thought about all the other things I love about summer, you know s'mores had to be on the list!  It's Crazy Cooking Challenge day and this month we are making cheesecake! I don't know about you, but I love a good cheesecake too! So, what could be better than S'mores Cheesecake! That's all of my summer loves rolled into one! Yum!

S'mores Cheesecake

(adapted from  Cheesecake Extraordinaire
 by Mary Crownover)

Graham Cracker Crust

1 1/4 cup finely crushed Graham Crackers

1/4 cup melted Butter

Cheesecake Filling

24 ounces softened Cream Cheese

2/3 cup Sugar

1/2 cup Whipping Cream

5 teaspoons Cornstarch

4 Eggs

1 Egg Yolk

1/4 cup Vanilla Flavored Syrup(Torani)

2 teaspoons Vanilla

8 oz. Milk Chocolate(Callebaut)

3-4 oz. Whipping Cream

Mini Marshmallows

This is my "go to" cheesecake recipe. Well, it is if you stop 

after the Vanilla in the ingredient list. I used it to create this 

s'mores recipe by making a few tasty additions.  But, if you are

in the mood for a really good, creamy, vanilla cheesecake

make this. You won't be disappointed. Oh, yeah, change the 

graham crackers to nilla wafers. So good!!

Combine the cream cheese, sugar, whipping cream

and cornstarch. Beat with an electric mixer till smooth.

Add eggs and the egg yolk, one at a time, beating well after

each addition.

Beat in vanilla flavoring and vanilla.

Mix together your graham crackers and butter.

Press the mixture into the bottom of your 

springform pan. Set aside.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler set up.

Add the cream a little at a time until a desired 

smooth consistency is achieved.

Fill your springform pan with your cheesecake filling.

Leave a little room at the top for the chocolate to be added.

 Add about 3-4 spoon fulls of the melted chocolate

to your filling.

Swirl around for a pretty effect.

 Place some of the chocolate on top of the cheesecake.

Top with mini marshmallows all over.

Using a kitchen torch, roast the marshmallows.

You can roast them as much or as little as you wish.

Happy Roasting!

Thanks for joining me today!

Let's see what everyone else made:

It's a Smoothie Party!

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It's time for another Crazy Cooking Challenge! This month the recipe to make was a fruit smoothie. I don't know about you, but I love fruit smoothies! But really, what's not to love. They have fruit and they take no time to whip up. And, you can always gussy them up with frills to make them a special treat!

I made my fruit smoothie recipe from Erin at Big Fat Baker. I just love Erin's blog! It is full of  fantastic recipes like Candied Cranberries, Hawaiian Trifle,  and some beautiful Lemon Lime Macarons. That's just a few of her recipes. Erin is also the creator of the Holiday Recipe Club! The HRC is a really fun club, in which I also participate when I can!

So, let's treat ourselves, and enjoy a fruit smoothie!

Fruit Smoothie
1 sliced Banana
1 cup sliced Strawberries
1/3 cup Blueberries
1/3 cup chopped Mango
1 cup Skim Milk
1 cup Ice
Put the strawberries, blueberries and mango in the freezer for
1/2 hour before starting blender.

Layer the ingredients in order in your blender.

Blend for 1-2 minutes, or until completely smooth.

Serve immediately!
Enjoy!

I did make a few changes to the recipe. To see the original
recipe, go to Fruit Smoothies.

Thanks for joining me today,
and thanks Erin, for such a great recipe!

Crab Rangoon Grilled Cheese Sandwich~A Crazy Cooking Challenge

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It's that time again~Crazy Cooking Challenge time! This month our challenge is Grilled Cheese Sandwiches. I have never been a huge fan of grilled cheese sandwiches, but after making and eating the recipe I found, I have had a change of heart! I found the perfect, yummy grilled cheese sandwich on a blog called i am a food blog. What a wonderful blog! It's full of delicious recipes that I want to try and you will too! There is a fantastic recipe for Tomato Basil Bufala Salad, a Pizza Dough recipe, and a recipe for a porchetta sandwich with a Salsa Verde sauce that looks and sounds incredible. I can't wait to give them a try!
I picked a Crab Rangoon Grilled Cheese Sandwich to make. Oh, so yummy! It is creamy, saucy, a little messy, and a bit rich. Oh, did I add delicious?! Because it is!! I made this Grilled cheese on regular white bread. When I make it again, I think I will use the mini flat style buns. They will give this yummy treat the elegance it deserves!

Crab Rangoon Grilled Cheese

2 slices Bread

1 tablespoon Butter (softened)

1 1/2 tablespoons Cream Cheese (softened)

1 tablespoon sliced Green Onion

2 tablespoon Crab

Sale and Pepper to taste

a couple drops Sriracha Sauce

Mix the cream cheese, green onion, and crab

in a bowl. I used the flake style imitation crab. Next

time I would like to try this with the real crab.

Add salt and pepper to taste. I did not add salt, 

because the crab added plenty for me. Drop in a few 

drops of sriracha sauce. Taste to see if you want more.

Spread your bread with the mix.

Split your tablespoon of butter between the two 

slices of bread, and grill on medium to low heat.

Watch your bread carefully, as it can burn in no time.

I speak from experience.

Enjoy!

Thank you to i am a food blog for the perfect recipe!

I will be seeing you again!