Pot Roast nice for Christmas Crock-pot

Love this, nice and tender.

one 3 pound chuck roast

red potatoes (as much as you desire

carrots as much as you desire

1 large onion--chopped

cream of mushroom soup (I used a GF one)

1 cup water

1 bouillon pack optional

minced dried onion

cornstarch

Directions:

Slice the red potatoes in halves or quarters depending on the size of them. Slice carrots in lengthwise sticks. Cook on stove in water 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and place in the bottom of a crock-pot that has been sprayed with a bit of oil. Top with chopped onions. Place your roast on top of the vegetables. Mix your cream of mushroom with 1 cup of hot water in which a bouillon pack has been dissolved (or you can omit the bouillon). Pour over the ingredients in the crock-pot.Sprinkle the roast with minced dried onion.

Cook on low for 9-10 hours. (You can half the time if on high, but I prefer low).

When done remove veggies and meat onto a plate. Use 2 rounded tablespoons of cornstarch and mix with a bit of the liquid in a separate pot on the stove. Slowly add the rest of the liquid and heat stirring constantly until it thickens and comes to a boil. Simmer a few more minutes. This makes a lot of gravy!

Serve with red cabbage   Sauerkraut  if desired.

Chocolate Cheesecake -and gf version

This is excellent! This was a King Arthur flour

https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/chocolate-cheesecake-recipe?pp=1

 

Ingredients

Crust

• 24 (269g) vanilla-filled chocolate sandwich cookies (e.g., Oreos) (me Gluten free ones--think mine had about 21 or so)
• 1/4 cup (28g) confectioners' sugar
• 4 tablespoons (57g) butter, melted

Filling

• 1/2 cup (113g) milk (me almond milk)
• 2 cups (340g) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder, optional; for enhanced flavor (me omit)
• three 8-oz packages (680g) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup (198g) granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons (14g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour (I used King Arthur Gluten free measure for measure flour

• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9" springform pan.

• To make the crust: Crush, grind, or otherwise pulverize the cookies together with the sugar; a food processor works well here. If desired, set aside about a tablespoon of the crumbs to garnish the finished cake.

• Add the melted butter, processing briefly or stirring until the mixture is evenly crumbly. Press the moist crumbs into the bottom and partway up the sides of the prepared pan. Place the pan on a baking sheet, to catch any potential drips of butter.

• Bake the crust for 15 minutes. Remove it from the oven, and set it aside as you make the filling.

1. directions:

2. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9" springform pan.

3. To make the crust: Crush, grind, or otherwise pulverize the cookies together with the sugar; a food processor works well here. If desired, set aside about a tablespoon of the crumbs to garnish the finished cake.

4. Add the melted butter, processing briefly or stirring until the mixture is evenly crumbly. Press the moist crumbs into the bottom and partway up the sides of the prepared pan. Place the pan on a baking sheet, to catch any potential drips of butter.

5. Bake the crust for 15 minutes. Remove it from the oven, and set it aside as you make the filling.(I did mine a bit less) see note*

6. 1. Reduce the oven heat to 350°F.

   2. To make the filling: Combine the milk and chocolate chips in a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl or large cup. Heat, stirring frequently, until the chips melt and the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat, stir in the espresso powder, and set the mixture aside.

   3. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and sugar at low speed, until thoroughly combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, and beat briefly, just until smooth.

   4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating to combine after each one.

   5. Stir in the vanilla, then the flour.

   6. Add the chocolate/milk mixture, beating slowly until thoroughly combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl; beat briefly, just until smooth.

   7. Pour the batter atop the crust in the pan. Place the pan on a baking sheet; this will make it easier to get the cake in and out of the oven safely.

   8. Bake the cake (remember, the oven temperature should be 350°F) for 45 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cake 1" from the outside edge comes out clean. A digital thermometer, inserted at the same point, should read 175°F. The center may not look set; that's OK.

   9. Turn off the oven, crack the door open several inches, and allow the cake to cool in the oven for 1 hour. Remove the cake from the oven, and set it on a rack to finish cooling. When it's completely cool, cover the cake, and refrigerate it until ready to serve.

   10. Garnish the cake with the reserved crumbs. Serve it in small slices, with whipped cream and berries.

   11. 
       

   12. Tip: When you're baking the crust, as soon as you can smell a strong chocolate aroma, remove it from the oven; it's done. The crust may or may not have baked for 15 minutes, but the "aroma test" is a better indicator of doneness than the amount of time elapsed.

Pasta Fagioli

 Pictured above is the sauce--you add your pasta to this. Since I have to be GF we add the pasta separately.  Note--I should have cut my carrots smaller.  I found this at Clara's kitchen---a book that describes eating in the Great Depression.

Ingredients:

5 tablespoons of olive oil (I don't use this much for my iron skillet)

1 clove garlic (me--minced)

1 yellow onion (me-chopped)

2 cups of tomato sauce (I like marinara)

3 and 1/2 cups of water 

1 carrot chopped

1 celery stalk with leaves chopped

2 cups canned white beans (me-Cannelloni beans)

2 chicken bouillon cubes (or envelopes)

1 large basil leave (I just used some dried basil if I don't have it)

1 pound small dry pasta (like the tiny shells) I sometimes use GF Rotini)

1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley--I used dried and not as much

Pecarino Romano cheese

She adds 2 dried red peperoncini, crouched---I omit since I can't have them ;-)

Directions:

saute onion and garlic until carmalized about 5-7 minutes. (I actually add the garlic after the onion is about done.

Add tomato sauce, water, carrots, celery , cannelloni beans and bullion cubes, basil, and peperoncini if using. Cover with a slight venting and cook over medium heat for at least 35 minutes or until your carrot and celery is tender. 

Add the beans.

Meanwhile cook your pasta.Then add it to the sauce when done and let it sit a few minutes.Top with the cheese and parsley.

Cranberry almond coffee cake Gluten Free

This is nice--sort of a Christmas coffee cake. I found the recipe here https://www.cottercrunch.com/cranberry-sour-cream-almond-cake/#tasty-recipes-43171
 

I did cook mine 30 minutes , but even though the center was toothpick clean it would be better to cook longer as my center turned out a bit too moist. I like the slightly tart taste of the cranberries. I am going to list the ingredients, but you can go to the link to get full explanations.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 eggs (room temp if possible)
• 1/2 cup organic sour cream (light sour cream or greek yogurt is substitutable)
• 1 ripe banana ( 6 or 7 inches is best)
• 2 cups fine almond flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• pinch of cinnamon
• 1/2 cup to 2/3 cup coconut sugar (may substitute some with brown sugar or maple syrup)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 cup cranberries plus extra for topping. See notes for substitutes
• Powdered sugar or Swerve Sugar substitute for Sprinkling

She also has a topping for it and you can see it on the link.  Mine takes longer to cook since I use frozen cranberries and I like more of them. So for me about 35 minutes not covered at 350 F

Gingerbread cookies--sister's

  The odd thing about these is there is no ginger in the recipe! But my guys love them and they are easy to make.

Ingredients:

2/3 cup solid shortening

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons of cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon of allspice (or you could sub cloves)

1 & 1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 beaten egg

3/4 cup molasses (I prefer Grandma's unsulphured molasses---makes a difference)

3 cups of plain flour

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

Form the dough and chill 2 hours.Preheat oven 375 degrees F.  Roll dough out 1/4 inch thick. Cut shapes out. Bake 5-6 minutes or 8-10 minutes---watch carefully as it depends on how thick you have rolled it. My guys prefer them not over cooked.

Fudge

 I like this fudge recipe and it only took one minute in my microwave. I did add the vanilla after melting the chocolate in the condensed milk--about 1/4 teaspoon.  

https://youtu.be/eVYDOJAQEjY

1      12 oz package of semi-sweet chocolate chips

1      14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)

1/4 tsp vanilla

Mix first 2 ingredients in a microwavable bowl. Nuke 1 minute. Stir until chips have dissolved. Add vanilla if desired. Pour into 8 inch square pan that has parchment in it--covering bottom and sides of the pan.. Refrigerate at least an hour.  Store in frig.  Love these! 

Note: In the video she says to use the semi-sweet and not the milk chocolate as the semi-sweet is  firmer.

Another recipe which uses 2 ingredients is one for peanut butter fudge found here: https://youtu.be/RaArsvKUAnw     16 ounces (1 pound) of peanut butter & 16 ounces of frosting.

Easy Peanut Butter Roll – Recipe https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHoY6...

Gingerbread cookies Gluten Free

Easy and fast---mix all , roll between parchment paper, place in frig in the parchment for 30 minutes then , cut with cookie cutters or whatever, place on parchment lined sheet and cook at 350 F for 10-12 minutes.  Go here for all the details: https://www.mynaturalfamily.com/paleo-gingerbread-cookies/