Corned Beef and Cabbage

INGREDIENTS
1 medium onion, cut into wedges
4 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 pound baby carrots
3 cups water
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 (3 pound) corned beef brisket with spice packet, cut in half
1 small head cabbage, cut into wedges

DIRECTIONS
Place the onion, potatoes and carrots in a 5-qt. slow cooker. Combine water, garlic, bay leaf, sugar, vinegar, pepper and contents of spice packet; pour over vegetables. Top with brisket and cabbage. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours or until meat and vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Millionaire Shortbread

Lori brought these for Christmas—they were delicious!
(Southern Living, April 2005)

1 ½ cups butter, softened and divided
2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cups white rice flour*
½ cup sugar
Cooking spray for baking
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
¼ cup light corn syrup
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate morsels (I accidentally used milk chocolate)

• ¾ cups all-purpose flour may be substituted (I did)

Pulse 1 cup butter, flours, and white sugar in a food processor 10-15 times or until crumbly. (I cut the butter into the flour with that cutting tool-thingy…know what I mean?)
Press mixture evenly into a 15 X 10 inch jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray.

Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes or until light golden brown.

Stir together remaining ½ cup butter, condensed milk, and corn syrup in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over low heat for 4 minutes or until butter is melted and mixture is blended. Add brown sugar, and cook, stirring constantly, 25-30 minutes or until caramel colored and thickened. Pour evenly over baked cookie in the pan, and spread into an even layer. Chill 30 minutes or until caramel is set.

Microwave morsels in a small glass bowl at HIGH 1 minute or until almost melted. Stir until smooth. Spread over caramel layer in pan. (The chocolate layer will be thin). Chill 15 minutes or until chocolate is firm. Cut into 2-inch squares; if desired, cut each square into two triangles.

Campari Tomatoes

Winters are rough in the Midwest—especially when the tomatoes they sell taste like cardboard. Then last winter I splurged on some Campari tomatoes at Costco and couldn't believe that they tasted almost field grown. I thought maybe I was just lucky, but I just got another box and had four with my lunch. (Trying to get those vegetable --or are they fruits??--servings in.)
Well, they are terrific. You've probably all found them by now but, if not, give them a try. This tomato farmer's daughter rates them an 8 or 9 on a 10 point scale.

Beef Stroganoff

One of Mom's recipes and one of Dad's favorites!

1 lb beef round steak, sirloin or your choice, cut into 1/4 strips
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt & pepper (or to taste)
2 tablespoons butter
1 (3 ounce) can mushrooms, sliced, drained or I use fresh.
1 envelope of onion soup mix
2 tablespoons butter
2/3 Cup of Water
1 cup sour cream

Trim fat from meat. Cut meat diagonally across grain in 1/4" wide strips. Heat butter in skillet. Brown meat quickly. Add water and mushrooms including liquid. Stir in soup mix. Heat to boiling. Blend sour cream with flour and add. Cook until mixture thickens. Sauce will be thin. Serve over rice (Dad's first choice) or noodles.

Maid-Rites

You can find a lot of recipes on the web—and a lot of controversy about these famous loose meat sandwiches! Here is a recipe similar to the one I use. Anyone out there have any variations? I usually add more sugar and mustard--and I cook it in a double boiler.

1 lb Ground Beef
1 tsp ground pepper
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp prepared mustard
6 oz beer (optional)
salt (to taste)

Peanut Butter Bars

Weight Watchers Peanut Butter Bars

POINTS® Value: 4
Servings: 24
Preparation Time: 15 min
Cooking Time: 30 min
Level of Difficulty: Moderate

Weight Watchers Magazine remade a dessert classic for reader Sharon. The cake's sinfully rich with a creamy peanut butter icing—for half its original POINTS value.

Ingredients
1 sprays cooking spray
1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp table salt
1 1/2 cup quick cooking rolled oats, do not use instant
3/4 cup reduced-fat peanut butter
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar, granulated
1/2 cup light butter, from a stick, softened
2 large egg(s)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup fat-free skim milk,

Icing
3 Tbsp reduced-fat peanut butter
1 1/2 Tbsp light butter, from a stick
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp fat-free skim milk
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a 9- X 13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil; coat foil with cooking spray.

Whisk together all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Whisk in oats and set aside.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat peanut butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition; beat in vanilla.

At low speed, add one half of flour mixture to peanut butter mixture, then one half of milk, beating just until incorporated. Repeat with remaining flour mixture and milk, beating until well mixed. Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake until golden at edges and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a rack.

Meanwhile, to make icing, combine peanut butter and butter in a medium microwavable bowl. Microwave on high until butter is melted, about 30 seconds; whisk until smooth. Add powdered sugar and milk; whisk until smooth. Immediately spread icing evenly over hot cake. Cool completely. Cut into 24 bars. Yields 1 bar per serving.
Notes
Lining the baking pan with foil means no cleanup. Here’s how: Turn the pan upside down and press a sheet of foil around it. Remove the foil. Flip the pan over and drop the foil inside: crimp the edges of the foil around the rim of the pan.

White Bean Chicken Chili

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion chopped fine
2 garlic cloves chopped
1 red bell pepper chopped
Two 15 oz cans white beans
1 4 oz can diced green chiles
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth
1/2 lb roasted chicken breast meat
or turkey or browned ground turkey
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp cilantro minced


Saute for 5 minutes: onion, garlic and red pepper in large pot with olive oil. Stir in white beans, chiles, cumin, chili powder and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in chicken and simmer 5 minutes. Add lime juice and cilantro. If desired, garnish with salsa and tortilla chips.