Shepherd's Pie

I generally have an aversion to most shepherd's pie recipes. This one is surprisingly excellent! With no tomato sauce or deplorable green beans, I'd say this is a winner. Many times when I am cooking, I skip some herbs and spices and substitute with what I have. Be sure to add the Sage, whatever you do!

INGREDIENTS
6 medium potatoes
1 pound carrots, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups of beef gravy
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup milk
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS
Peel and cube the potatoes; place in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cover and cook for 20 minutes or until tender. Add 1 in. of water to another saucepan; add carrots. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until crisp-tender, about 7-9 minutes. Drain.
    In a large nonstick skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the carrots, gravy, 1/2 teaspoon salt, sage, thyme, rosemary and pepper. Transfer to a shallow 3-qt. baking dish coated with cooking spray.
    Drain the potatoes; mash with milk, butter and remaining salt. Spread over meat mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 40-45 minutes or until heated through. Yield: 6 servings.

** If you want to used artificial potatoes, I think you should be fine. Save yourself 20 minutes! I often add canned corn or other vegetables I need to use up. Bell peppers are really great, as are peas!

Household hint--laundy

This has nothing to do with the kitchen, but it has made laundry day infinitely easier at the Zollinger house.
At the dollar store I found a bunch of those tiny brass safety pins( 150 for a dollar!) and every night when I take off my socks I use one to pin them together. NO more matching for me! They are washable, and I am to the point where I just leave the safety pin on one of my socks when I wear them.There was a day a week ago where one of my students was in dire need of a safety pin due to a ripped pants issue, and he was amazed when I took one off the cuff of my sock and saved his day. If you are a super laundry hater like me, you don't even have to fold the socks, you can just throw them in a drawer already pinned together.
I hope this saves a few people from having a basket full of mismatched socks!

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches

I am sure there are better recipes for this out there, but I can't think of any easier. Jake and I love to do these on a day we have planned to be busy.

2-3 lbs picnic pork roast (this is a cheap meat--we have found it on sale for 99 cents a lb. before!)

1 cup chicken or beef broth ( I suppose you can use water too, this just keeps it from burning in the slow cooker)

2-3 tbsp hot sauce

Dash garlic, pepper, paprika (whatever flavoring you like, it will be just a hint when the roast is done)

1-2 drops of liquid smoke(totally optional)

1 bottle BBQ sauce

Hamburger buns, split potato rolls, or hoagie buns

Put the roast in a crock pot with all ingredients except the last two (buns and sauce).

Slow cook 6-8 hours on low.

You will know when the roast is done when you can shred the meat by stirring it with a fork in the pot.

At this point you can pour in your desired amount of sauce in the pot, or you can just place the meat on buns and  each person top it with their own amount of sauce.

This recipe can easily be doubled, tripled or whatever to feed a crowd. To me it is reminiscent of the wallaby's pulled pork sandwich that my Uncle Ryan used to run.

It would be fun to get several unique BBQ sauces when you are feeding a group for them to try.

Vegetable Chowder

I am in a dinner group with a ton of people in my student ward at BYU. My good buddy Adam made this soup for dinner and it was amazing.

2.5 lb bag of Normandy blend frozen vegetables
(broccoli, cauliflower and carrots)
5 Chicken Bouillon Cubes
2 8 oz packages of cream cheese
6 cups of water

Place frozen vegetables in pot with bouillon cubes and
Water. Boil covered for 20 minutes. Mash with potato
Masher until lumps are small. Cube the cream cheese
Bricks into small pieces, and whisk into soup mixture.
Turn heat to medium low and stir until cream cheese
Is incorporated and melted.

Serve immediately.

Cheese Ball

This is a Thanksgiving Staple in the Smith and Beckstead homes. My dad always makes it, and my grandma thinks my mother is the chef:) Delicious!

Ingredients: 1 pkg Cream cheese, softened
¼ cup mayonnaise
½ cup grated cheese
1 pkg wafer ham, chopped into small pieces
 
Chopped walnuts
 
Directions:
Combine first four ingredients, mix well. Shape into ball, roll in nuts if desired. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Baked Potoato Soup

Most potato soups are more difficult to make because of the thickening methods. Not this one. I like this soup because it is different from every other creamy potato soup out there, yet it is still delicious! Enjoy during the last of your winter season!

Ingredients:
4 medium (6 small) potatoes chopped bite sized
Seasoned Salt, oil
1 onion, chopped
4 tbsp butter
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 pint of Half and Half.
2 chicken bullion cubes
4 cups milk.
 
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400. Coat potatoes with seasoned salt and a small amount of oil, spread into one layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes. In large stock pot, sauté onion in melted butter, add potatoes and coat with butter mixture. Stir in remaining ingredients, boil until thickened.
Serve with: grated cheese, sour cream and green onions… bacon bits if you so desire.

Fool Proof Pizza Dough

There is something about a homemade pizza that says I love you. Growing up, our mother would make her own BBQ chicken pizza and a family signature Bean Pizza.

Ingredients:
1 pkg (1 tbsp) active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp salt
2 ½ cups of flour
 
Directions:
Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water, about five minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients, beat vigorously 20 strokes. Let rest about 10 minutes. I use baking sheets to make pizza and this dough fits perfectly! After ingredients have been placed on dough, cook in 350 degree oven for 15-18 minutes.