Easy Crockpot Roast

Easy Crockpot Roast
(I have no idea where I got this recipe)

1 beef roast, any kind, sized to fit your crockpot
1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
1 pkg. brown gravy mix
1 pkg. Italian dressing mix
½ c. or more water

Place roast in crockpot. Mix all 3 envelopes of seasonings together and sprinkle in top of roast. Pour ½ c. warm water in bottom of crockpot. Cook on low for 6-7 hours (or until it falls apart--all depends on the size roast).

Great because it makes its own gravy!!!!

White Chicken Chili

This is a delicious soup. I got the recipe from my sister-in-law, Lonni and have passed it on to a few people already. My other sister-in-law (on the other side of the family) made it this year for her ward "chili cook-off" and won 1st place...so you know it's gotta be good!
P.S. She also won 1st place for her cornbread--which is a recipe of mine that I posted a while back! Together, they make a great meal!

White Chicken Chili
(thanks Lonni!)

2 cans white navy beans (rinsed and drained)
4 large poblano chilies or 8 anaheim chilies (roasted, peeled and cut and diced)
1/4 cup butter
2 large onions chopped1/3 cup flour
4 c low salt chicken broth
3 c half and half
4 c cooked and shredded chicken
1 T chili powder
1 T hot pepper sauce
1 T ground cumin
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
(can add more spiced for hotter taste)
1 1/2 c grated Monterey Jack cheese
1 c sour cream
Cilantro

Melt butter in a large stock pot over med. heat.
Add onions and saute until tender, about 15min.
Add flour and stir 5 min. (do not brown).
Gradually whisk in chicken broth and half and half.
Simmer gently until thickened, about 10 min.
Add reserved white beans and roasted chilies, shredded chicken and spices.
Simmer gently to blend flavors, about 20 min.
Add sour cream and most of your cheese (save some to go on top)-- heat until heated through and cheese melts (do not boil).
Top with cilantro and cheese.

**To roast chilies: you can either throw them on the BBQ on medium heat and turn frequently until browned or roast them over an open gas flame on your stovetop (which is what I did this time). Honestly, I didn't peel them, just diced them small. I also only put in about 1/2 this time because my parents were in town and they don't like hot stuff--and this can get quite spicy depending on how many peppers you put in.

Bethlehem Pork & Tzatziki Sauce

I made about 50lbs. of pork roast for our ward Christmas party Saturday night, which was a reinactment of Bethlehem. Because of our theme, we tried to keep our meal somewhat authentic (even though the biggest faux paux was that Jewish people don't eat pork!). We had pita bread stuffed with shredded pork with tzatziki sauce, deviled eggs, olives, cheese, nuts, olives, and fruit.
I got this seasoning recipe from my friend JoAnna, who also used this recipe for her ward party last year, but she used beef. It was a huge hit in both wards!

Bethlehem Pork (or beef)
(thanks JoAnna!)

about 4lb. pork loin roast (or chuck roast)
2 t. garlic powder
1 t. rosemary
1 t. caraway (this is the one seasoning I couldn't find, so I just left it out)
1 T. minced onion
1 1/2 t. salt
2 t. oregano
1 t. marjoram
1 t. celery seed
1/2 t. red pepper

Mix all the seasoning together. Sprinkle over meat & gently rub in. Cook meat in crockpot (with just a little broth/water to cover the bottom) on LOW for 8-9 hours, or until meat pulls apart easily. Shred and stuff in pita pocket & serve with tzatziki sauce.

Tzatziki Sauce
(thanks again to JoAnna!)

2 c. plain yogurt
2 t. garlic
1 t. salt
2 cucumbers, peeled & seeded
1/2 t. pepper
2 t. olive oil
1 t. dill weed

Put all ingredients in Cuisinart until mixed well. Keep in refrigerator.

Pecan Tassies

A friend from Rochester, NY made these for a farewell luncheon she put on for me when we moved to Boston. I am not a pecan pie fan, but I fell in love with these. They are so easy, I don't know why I wait until Thanksgiving to make them. I think I ate 90% of them myself--I was just so easy to pop one in my mouth while on the go with the kids! :) (FYI: they taste even better with a dollop of whipping cream on top, but do that just before serving!)

Pecan Tassies
(thanks to Emily Owsley!)

3 oz. cream cheese
½ c. butter
1 c. flour

1 egg
¾ c. brown sugar
1 Tblspn. softened butter
1 tsp. Vanilla
dash of salt
2/3 c. finely chopped pecans

Combine cream cheese, butter, and flour.
Form into ball, wrap and chill for 1 hour.
Mix together egg, brown sugar, butter, vanilla, salt and finely chopped pecans.
Roll out dough 1/8” thick and use 3-inch circle cutter.
Place circle of dough in mini-muffin cups.
Fill with brown sugar-pecan filling.
Bake at 325 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Garnish with whipping cream.

Pumpkin Carrot Swirl Bars

I don't like pumpkin anything--but I like these! But I was asked to make these last year for the teachers at the elementary school. They were really good, so I saved the recipe. I am glad I did because I am in charge of the Teacher Appreciation Committee this year and so we made them again. Good, easy, makes a lot and cut/present well. I think they are "relatively" low fat, too!

Pumpkin Carrot Swirl Bars
(this recipe came from Nestle)
http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/detail.aspx?ID=28459

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 cup finely shredded carrot
Cream Cheese Topping (recipe follows)

PREHEAT oven to 350° F.
Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan.
COMBINE flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder and baking soda in small bowl. Beat granulated sugar, butter and brown sugar in large mixer bowl until crumbly. Add eggs, egg whites, pumpkin and carrot; beat until well blended. Add flour mixture; mix well.
Spread into prepared pan. Drop teaspoonfuls of Cream Cheese Topping over batter; swirl mixture with spoon.
BAKE for 25 to 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.
FOR CREAM CHEESE TOPPING:
COMBINE 4 ounces softened light cream cheese (Neufchâtel), 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon milk in small mixer bowl until thoroughly blended.

Sparkling Punch

I made this for the first time for a baby shower last night. I wish I would have taken a picture, because I thought it looked quite pretty. Oh well, next time, because I'm sure I'll make it again.

Sparkling Punch
(www.allrecipes.com http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Sparkling-Punch/Detail.aspx?prop31=1 )

2 (750 milliliter) bottles sparkling apple cider
1 liter carbonated water
3 large oranges
2 lemons
1 (6 ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate
1 tablespoon white sugar
2 trays ice cubes

Thinly slice the lemons and the oranges and place in a large punch bowl. Pour in the thawed lemonade. Gently stir in the seltzer water and the sparkling apple cider. Add sugar to taste. Add large block of ice.

Black Bottom Macaroon

I tried this dessert at a baby shower a few weeks back and just had to have the recipe. It is so good and so rich!

Black Bottom Macaroon
(thanks to Angelica Mings for sharing her recipe!)

1 19-21oz brownie mix + ingredients to make it

2 egg whites

14 oz sweetened flaked cocout

14oz can sweetened condensed milk

2.25 oz sliced almonds

2T. chocolate morsels or a hershy bar

1t. vegetable oil

Make brownie mix according to package, bake in a tart pan (I used a springform pan) for about 20min. Remove from oven. Mix egg whites, sweetened condensed milk, and coconut. Top baked brownies with coconut mixture, put in several globs and spread out.

Bake for an additional 20 min at 350 degrees.

Sprinkle with almonds and cook for another 5 min.

Remove from oven.

Microwave chocolate morsels and vegetable oil together and stir until smooth. Put melted chocolate into a sandwich bag, cut a small tip off of the corner and drizzle chocolate over the tart. Enjoy!