Cheeseburger Crescent Roll

I love the crescent roll with the filling.   I normally make potato chips or onion pedals to go with it.

CHEESEBURGER CRESCENT ROLL
(serves 4)

Ingredients:
*1 pound ground beef
*1 small onion, chopped
*2 garlic cloves, sliced paper thin or minced
*1 cup fresh mushrooms, chopped
*1 teaspoon salt
*1 teaspoon pepper
*2 cups sharp shredded cheese, divided
*1/4 cup sour cream
*1 (8 ounce) refrigerated Crescent Dough
*1 egg white
*1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Directions:
~In a large skillet, cook ground beef, onion, garlic, salt, pepper and mushrooms, until ground beef in no longer pink and crumbled.
~Add sour cream and 1 cup cheese.  
~Mix until cheese is melted.
~Set aside.
~Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
~Unroll dough into 1 large rectangle on ungreased cookie sheet. 
~Press into 13x8-inch rectangle, firmly pressing perforations and seams to seal.
~Spoon hamburger mixture in 4-inch-wide strip lengthwise down center of rectangle. 
~Top with remaining shredded cheese.
~With scissors or sharp knife, make cuts 1 inch apart on long sides of dough rectangle to within 1/2 inch of sausage mixture. 
~Fold strips of dough up over hamburger mixture to meet in center; pinch to seal.
~Brush egg white over top of crescent roll.
~Sprinkle sesame seeds over top.
~Bake 18 -22 minutes or until golden brown. 
~Remove from cookie sheet; cut into crosswise slices. 
~Serve warm.

Cherry-Coconut-Nut Bread

Light and moist and easy to make.    Great for Valentine's Day or Christmas, or anytime of the year.  If you are not a big fan of coconut or nuts, just omit them.  The frosting on the top is optional.  I personally like it better without it.

CHERRY-COCONUT-NUT BREAD
(serves 8-10)

Ingredients:
*1 cup granulated sugar
*1/2 cup whole milk
*1/2 cup vegetable oil
*1 large egg
*2 cups all-purpose flour
*2 teaspoons baking powder
*1/2 teaspoon salt
*1 (10 ounce) jar maraschino cherries
*1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
*1/2 cup shredded coconut
*1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
*1 tablespoons butter, melted
*1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons reserved maraschino cherry juice
*1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Directions:
~Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
~Grease (or spray with a cooking spray) a 9"x5" bread pan.
~In a medium mixing bowl, mix granulated sugar, milk, oil and egg together.
~In another bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt together.
~Mix the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, until just combined (do not over mix).
~Drain cherries, reserving the liquid for later use.
~Chop cherries (coarse or fine however you like it).
~Fold chopped cherries, coconut and nuts into batter.
~Pour batter into prepared bread pan.
~Bake for 55-60 minutes or until bread is done.
~Allow bread to cool for 10 minutes before removing it from the bread pan.
~Continue cooling bread on a wire cooling rack.
~In a small bowl,  mix powdered sugar, melted butter, cherry juice and almond extract, until smooth.
~Spread glaze on cooled bread.
~Once glaze has set, slice the bread.

Peanut Butter Cup Parfait

Easy, although a little time consuming.  It is a light, tasty and very pretty dessert.  Sometimes I will put a graham cracker crust for the bottom layer, but it's not necessary.

PEANUT BUTTER CUP PARFAIT
(makes 4-6)

Ingredients for chocolate pudding layers:
*1/2 cup granulated sugar
*4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
*1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon corn starch
*1/8 teaspoon salt
*3 cups whole milk
*2 tablespoons butter
*1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Ingredients for peanut butter pudding layers:
*1/3 cup granulated sugar
*4 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
*1/2 teaspoon salt
*1  cup whole milk
*1 cup heavy whipping cream
*1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
*1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Ingredients for whip cream layers:
*2 cups heavy cream
*1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
*2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Directions for chocolate pudding layer:
~In a medium saucepan, stir together sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt.
~Place over medium heat, and stir in milk.
~Bring to a boil, over medium heat, whisking constantly.
~Whisk until mixture thickens enough to coat a metal whisk or spoon.
~Remover from heat and stir in butter and vanilla.
~Place plastic wrap directly over pudding and refrigerate until cool.

Directions for peanut butter pudding layer:
~In a medium saucepan, whisk granulated sugar, cornstarch and salt.
~Add milk and heavy cream.
~Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly.
~Cook until thicken and will coat whisk or a metal spoon.
~Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla extract, until smooth.
~Place plastic wrap directly over pudding and refrigerate until cool.

Whip cream directions:
~Add heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla into a chilled bowl.
~Whisk until cream forms into peaks (do not over beat).


Time to put the dessert together once it cools:
~Use a large glass bowl or single parfait glasses.
~Place a layer of chocolate pudding.
~Place a layer of whip cream.
~Place a layer of peanut butter pudding.
~Repeat all three layers.
~Top with one last layer of whip cream.
~Top with a piece of fruit or chopped peanut butter cups.




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French Bread

This is great for a sub sandwich or with any soup.   It's one of my favorites.

FRENCH BREAD

(makes two loafs)

Ingredients: 

*1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast

*2 cups very warm water 

*1 1/2 teaspoon salt

*4 1/2-5 cups all-purpose flour

*1 large egg, beaten

Directions: 

~In a large mixing bowl, add yeast, salt flourIn the bowl of a stand mixer, add yeast, water, salt, and 3 cups of flour. 

~Using a dough hook (or knead my hand), knead dough until flour is mixed in.

~Add remaining flour a 1/3 at a time, and knead until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl.

~Grease a large bowl.

~Add dough into greased bowl, and cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap.

~Allow to rise until double in size, about 1 hour.

~Divide dough in half.

~Roll each half into a large rectangle.

~Roll up tightly from the long end of dough.

~Place on a baking sheet and cover allow to rise for 40-45 minutes.

~Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

~Cut several diagonal cuts on top of each loaf of bread (about 1/4 inch deep).

~In a small bowl, beat one egg.

~Brush beaten egg over top of dough.

~Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown.

~Remove from oven and allow to cool on a cooling rack.

Roast Beef Soup

Super easy soup to make.  You can cook it on the stove or in a slow cooker.  Nice comfort food on those cold winter days.

ROAST BEEF SOUP
(serves 8)

Ingredients:
*2 1/2 pound sirloin roast (or a roast of your choosing), cut into 1 inch cubes
*1/4 cup flour
*1 teaspoon ground pepper
*1/4 teaspoon salt
*1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
*1 teaspoon garlic powder
*4 large carrots, sliced
*2 celery sticks, sliced
*1 large onion, sliced thin
*2 tablespoons olive oil (or oil of your choice)
*1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
*1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
*1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
*4 cups beef stock/broth
*2 cups egg noodles

Directions:
~In  large zip-loc bag, combine flour, pepper, salt, Italian seasoning and garlic powder and mix well.
~Add cubed roast and seal bag.
~Shake until well coated.
~Heat oil over medium high heat in a large stock pot.
~Add coated roast and cook until brown, stirring often (around 5-7 minutes).
~Add carrots, celery, onion, dry onion soup mix, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and beef stock.
~Bring to a boil.
~Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 4 - 5 hours or until roast beef is tender and veggies are tender.
~Add egg noodles and cook for another 10-15 minutes or until noodles are tender (stirring once in a while).
~Serve hot.

Slow Cooker Directions:  Cook roast as directed above.  Place roast in slow cooker and add the rest of the ingredients, minus the noodles.  Cook on low for 8 hours.  Add cooked noodles and stir.   Cook until noodles are tender. Serve hot.

Instant Pot Directions:
~In a large zip loc bag, combine flour, pepper, salt, Italian seasoning and garlic power and mix well.
~Add cured roast and seal bag.
~Shake until well coated.
~Put instant pot on sauté mode and add olive oil.
~Once hot, add coated roast and cook until brown on all sides.
~Add beef stock.
~Turn of sauté mode and put on pressure cook mode.
~Pressure cook for 30 minutes.
~Do a quick release.
~Add carrots, celery, onion, tomato paste and worcestershire sauce.
~Pressure cook again for 15 minutes.
~Do a quick release.
~Stir in cooked egg noodles.