Slow Cooker Caramel Apple Crisp

Since it is too cold to go out, making sure there are snacks available is important. After dinner I love to have some Apple Crisp. I made this on Thanksgiving this year and forgot to take a picture. I will add one next time I make it! I threw some Pecans in this time because I had extra and it was really great.

Ingredients

6 Apples, peeled and sliced
1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
1/2 cup Caramel sauce
1 cup Flour
1 cup Oats
1 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 Tsp Nutmeg
1/4 Tsp Ginger
1 cup Butter, melted
1 cup Pecans (optional)

Instructions

1. Place Apples in slow cooker. Sprinkle with Cinnamon. Stir in Caramel.
2. In a bowl, mix the Flour, Oats, Brown Sugar, Nutmeg, and Ginger until well blended.
3. Stir in Butter. Stir in Pecans if you are using them.
4. Add to Apples.
5. Cook on high for 2 1/2 hours.
6. Uncover before serving so that the Oats mixture will harden.
Serve with Ice Cream if desired.




Featured Beer

I know that I have not done this in awhile but today's featured beer is Great Lakes Christmas Ale. This beer is the perfect compliment to a holiday meal. It's a strong one though so watch out. 

Buffalo Chicken Mac N Cheese

Yes, I am making something with a Buffalo chicken theme again. I can't resist. Plus this one is a tasty twist on an old classic.

Ingredients
1 package Elbow Macaroni
2 Tbsp. Butter
1/4 cup Flour
1 Tsp Garlic, minced
2 cups Milk
1 (8oz package) Shredded Cheddar

2 Chicken Breasts, cooked, diced

3 Celery Stalks, chopped
1/4 cup Buffalo Sauce- I used Frank's Buffalo.

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Cook Elbow Macaroni according to package instructions. Drain.
3. Meanwhile, Melt Butter in large sauce pan. Stir in Flour and Garlic until well blended.
4. Stir in Milk. Bring to a boil. Allow to boil for 1 minute.
5. Remove from heat. Stir in Cheese.
6. Mix Cheese mixture with Pasta. Add Chicken, Celery, and Buffalo Sauce.Stir until well blended and spoon into 13x9 baking dish, sprayed with cooking spray.
7. Cover with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Featured Beer
I tried a Red Chair NWPA by Deschutes Brewery. This is what they are calling a Northwest Pale Ale. It has a ABV of 6.2% and is available during the Winter. I like this one because it has a slight bitterness and the flavor isn't overwhelmed by hops. It has a nice hint of citrus to finish off the aroma and flavor.

Easy Meatloaf

One can't have a food blog without including meatloaf. Mixing it up is great but every now and then it is good to make an old favorite. I like to make mine with BBQ Sauce but Ketchup works great as well.

Ingredients
2 lbs lean Ground Beef
1/2 cup Water
2 Eggs, beaten
1/2 cup Onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup Ketchup
1/2 of a (6 oz) package Sage Stuffing Mix

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Mix Ground Beef, Water, Eggs, Onion, Stuffing Mix, 1/4 cup BBQ Sauce/Ketchup.
3. Shape into a loaf.
4. Spread remaining 1/4 cup of Ketchup over the top.
5. Bake for 30 minutes.

Featured Beer
I bought this one on a whim. It's the Organic Chocolate Stout by Samuel Smith Brewery.  I had not tried an organic beer before, at least not that I can think of. Chocolate sounded appealing as usual as well. I purchased this pint sized bottle to split with Shane for only $3.99. For the price, I figured that it would be worth a try. This might sound obvious but this beer was overwhelmingly chocolate. I felt like I was drinking a thin chocolate shake. I will not be getting this again. If you are in the mood for this type of beer, I recommend that you have a Young's Double Chocolate Stout instead.

Irish Stout Stew

It's taken me awhile to come up with a Beef Stew recipe that I am satisfied with. This is an old favorite and a great meal for a winter's night after a long day at work. I served this with a Guinness and a piece of baguette. Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients
Oil
1/2 cup Flour
1/2 Tsp. Salt
2 lbs Beef Stew Meat, cubed
3 stalks Celery, sliced
2 Carrots, sliced
5 Yellow Potatoes, diced
1 Onion, sliced
1 tsp Garlic, minced
3 cups Beef Broth
1 (6 oz) Tomato Paste
1 (12 oz) Guinness
1 tsp Thyme

Instructions
1. Heat oil in large skillet.
2. In large bowl, mix Salt and Flour. Coat Beef in Flour mix.
3. Brown Beef in skillet.
4. Add Celery, Carrots,  Potatoes, Onion, and Garlic to slow cooker.
5. Top with Beef.
6. In medium sized bowl, stir Beef Broth and Tomato Paste. Pour over Beef.
7. Slowly pour Guinness over top.
8. Sprinkle Thyme over top.
9. Cover and cook for 8 hours.

Featured Beer

Obviously, I enjoyed this with a Guinness. I am certain most people are familiar with this one so my description will be brief. It's delicious.... I prefer it on draft but it is a great one to cook with as well. I recommend that you pour it in a glass at a vertical angle when enjoying it with this meal.

Easy Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs Lean Ground Beef
1/2 cup Onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups mixed Vegetables-Peas, Carrots, Corn
1/4 cup Beef Broth
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
Mashed Potatoes (See below)
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese


Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
1. Cook Beef and Onion in skillet.
2. Mix in Vegetables. Cook until tender.
3. Stir in Beef Broth and Worchestershire.
4. Simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Spoon Beef Mixture into 8x8 baking dish.
6. Top with Mashed Potatoes.
7. Bake for 20 minutes.
8. Add Cheddar and bake an additional 5 minutes.


Mashed Potatoes
You probably already know how to make mashed potatoes but I wanted to add a quick recipe so that my shepherd's pie recipe is complete. I boil the potatoes first, then start prepping the rest of the meal.

Ingredients
6 small white or red Potatoes
Water
1/3 cup Milk
1/4 cup Butter
1/2 Tsp. Salt
1 Tsp. Garlic, Minced
1/4 Sour Cream

Instructions
1. Peal Potatoes and cut into quarters.
2. Place Potatoes in sauce pan. Add just enough Water to cover the Potatoes. Cover.
3. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes. Potatoes should be tender when poked with a fork. Drain.
4. Mash Potatoes with masher of electric mixer.
5. Gradually stir in milk.
6. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Featured Beer
This one is Out of Bounds Stout by Avery Brewing Company. It's a dark stout that will warm you up on a Winter's night. This  full bodied stout has an ABV of 6.3%. It has a generous yet well balanced amount of hops to it and it paired nicely with this meal.

Ham and Broccoli Bake

This is a good weeknight meal since it takes a short time to prep. It's also a good way to use leftover ham. Shane likes to eat his over a piece of toast.

Ingredients
1 package Savory Herb Stuffing mix
1 cup Water
1 (10 oz)  Broccoli, thawed, drained
2 cups Ham, chopped
1/2 Tsp. Onion Powder
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
4 oz Velveeta, cubed

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In medium sized bowl, mix Water with Stuffing Mix. Set aside.
3. In a 8x8 baking dish, mix Broccoli, Ham, Onion Powder, and Soup.
4. Lightly mix in Velveeta cubes.
5. Top with Stuffing.
6. Bake for 25 minutes.

Featured Beer

I had a The Poet by New Holland Brewing Company. This one is an oatmeal stout which is a delicious twist on a classic style. It has a mild favor and it has a ABV of 5.2% which will keep one from feeling overwhelmed.

Chicken Florentine Rigatoni

Made this tonight! So tasty. I love spinach and this dish gives dinner a healthy kick.

Ingredients
1 box Rigatoni
1 (10 oz) package frozen Spinach, cooked, drained
1/2 Tsp Red Pepper Flakes
1 1/2 cups Cottage Cheese
2 Eggs
1 1/2 cups Chicken Breasts, cooked
1 (8oz) package Mozzarella

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Cook Rigatoni according to package instructions, omitting the salt.
3. Mix Spinach, Red Pepper Flakes, Cottage Cheese, Eggs until well blended. Mix in Chicken.
4. Gradually mix in Mozzarella.
5. Spoon mixture into 13x9 baking dish, sprayed with cooking spray.
6. Bake for 25 minutes.

Featured Beverage

Tonight I'm drinking a Conway's Irish ale by Great Lakes Brewing Company. This is one of my favorite beers by one of my favorite brewing company's! Like most Great Lake's beers, you have to be careful with this one. It has an ABV of 6.5% so it tends to sneak up on you. This Irish Red Ale is also great for cooking. You will see this one come up in a few of my recipes in the future.

Sticky Bars

A few weeks ago, a good friend of my family passed away. She was a huge influence on me and was the one who introduced me to some great foods such as Pepperoni bread. She also made the most delicious dessert ever that she called Ooey Gooey. When I heard the news I immediately went out and bought the ingredients for Pepperoni Bread. Unfortunately, I have no idea what was in her Ooey Gooey but I gave it a try. My version is not even a little bit close to hers. I was initially disappointed but everyone that tired these thought that they were tasty.

Ingredients
20 finely ground Oreos
1/2 stick Butter
1/2 cup Macadamia Nuts
1 cup Coconut
1 (14 ounce) can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/2 cup Butterscotch Morsels
1/2 cup Semi- Sweet Chocolate Chips

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Melt butte in 13x9 baking dish. Remove from oven. Pour Oreos over the bottom of the pan. Pressing the mixture down onto the bottom of the pan to form a crust.
3. Sprinkle Macadamia Nuts and Coconut over the top.
4. Pour Sweetened Condensed Milk evenly over the top.
5. Top with Butterscotch and Chocolate Chip Morsels.
6. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool and cut into bars.

Featured Beer

When I made these I was enjoying a Winter Warmer Ale by Elevator Brewing Company. Long story short, this six pack did not last long.

Beef Stroganoff

Today was my first day back to classes for the semester. This meant that it was time to start doing my Crockpot Mondays again! Mondays are my longest work day so it is nice to come home to a fully cooked meal. This is also really quick to throw together.  This recipe only uses 1 1/2 lb of meat since it's just for two of us. Always have leftovers though. 

Ingredients 

1 1/2  lb Beef Stew Meat

1 cup Onion, chopped

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup

8 oz fresh Mushrooms, sliced

1/4 tsp pepper

4 ox Cream Cheese 

1 (oz) Sour Cream

1 (12 oz) package Egg Noodles

Instructions

1. In crock pot, mix together Beef Stew Meat, Onions, Soup, Mushrooms, and pepper. 

2. Cover and cook on low heat for 8-10 hours. 

3. Stir in Cream Cheese until melted. Stir in Sour Cream. 

4. Serve over Egg Noodles. 

Quick Tip: For a quick clean up, use sow cooker liners. 


Featured Beer

Tonight I'm having a Mt Carmel Winter Ale. Another Cincinnati brew. I am definitely on a Winter Warmer kick. I can;t seem to get enough of this style of beer lately. This one is a good alternative if you can't pick up a Great Lakes Christmas Ale. This beer has an inviting Ginger aroma and a hint of orange spice. 

Spinach Manicotti

I have always loved Manicotti. Tonight, I was craving Spinach Manicotti and since we have been eating mostly chicken lately, this was the perfect way to mix up our menu. Even without the meat this dish leaves you with a full and happy belly. I added a red pepper to the mix tonight simply because I had one.

Ingredients

1 (8 oz) box Manicotti Noodles
1 tsp Garlic, minced
1 (8 ounce) package Mozzarella Cheese
1/2 Tsp Italian seasoning
15 oz Ricotta
1 Egg, beaten
1/2 cup Red Pepper, chopped (optional)
1 package frozen Spinach, thawed, drained
1 (24 oz)jar Pasta Sauce (any kind)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Cook Manicotti according to package instructions. Drain. 
3. In a large bowl, stir in Garlic, 1 1/2 cup Mozzarella, Italian seasoning, Ricotta, and Egg. Mix well.
4. Stir in Red Peppers and Spinach until well blended.
5. Spread 1 cup of Pasta sauce on the bottom of an ungreased 13x9 baking dish.
6. Spoon mixture into Manicotti noodles. Place the noodles over the sauce. Pour remaining sauce over the Manicotti.
7. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover, add remaining Mozzarella cheese. Bake for an additional 5 minutes to melt the cheese.


Quick Tips: 

• You may also want to try the technique of putting the mixture in a large ziploc bag and cutting off one corner hole in it for an easier way to fill the Manicotti noodles.
• For a quicker and just as delicious alternative, you can substitute Jumbo Shells for the Manicotti noodles to make stuffed shells.  

Featured Beer

Tonight I tried Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout. This is a well priced beer from England with a very dark pour that I thought was quite smooth. It has a strong taste for a beer with an ABV of 5%.

Pretzel Turkey Burgers

I usually make these in the summer but it is negative degrees out right now Shane and I are craving summer, I decided to make these. I saw an idea for something similar a long time ago and these were the first thing I ever made for Shane. They have been a favorite ever since. I had some bagels that I wanted to use up so I used these instead of buns this time.

Ingredients

1 lb Ground Turkey
1/2 cup Green Peppers, chopped
1 cup Snyder's Honey Mustard and Onion Pretzels
1 egg, beaten
salt and pepper
4-5 hamburger buns (depends how big you make your burgers)

Cheese, lettuce, tomato or whatever toppings you prefer

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In a large bowl, mix Ground Turkey, Green Peppers, Pretzels, egg, and salt and pepper.
3. Form mixture into 4 or 5 patties and place on a baking sheet.
4. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the burgers over and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
5. Top with cheese or other toppings of your choice. I also like to snack on the additional pretzels on the side.


Featured Beer

Since I was lucky enough to have a day off on a day as cold as this one I made sure to stock the refrigerator. Today, I bought Old Man Winter Ale by Southern Tier Brewing Company. Upon the first few sips I could tell that it was a perfect choice for being "snowed in". One of my new favorites by Southern Tier. I was surprised when I looked at the label and saw that it was 7%. This is a seasonal that I will be looking for again next year.

Cheesy Italian Sausage Penne

This is one of my favorite dinners! I love just mixing the meat, pasta and veggies all in one dish. Shane asks me to make this all of the time. I make a lot of this even thought there is only two of us because we like to have extra for the next day. Normally, I only use Penne pasta for this one but as you can see in the picture I mixed in some Rotini this time. I wanted to use what I had in the pantry up. 

Ingredients

1 box Penne Pasta. 
1 lb Mild Italian Sausage
1 tsp Garlic, minced
1 Zucchini, sliced
1 Red Pepper, chopped
1 jar Pasta Sauce (any kind)
8 oz Velveeta, cubed

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. 
2. Cook pasta according to package instructions. 
3. In large skillet, brown sausage breaking up the sausage as you cook it. Drain. 
4. Return to heat adding the garlic, zucchini, red peppers, and pasta sauce. Cook until vegetables are tender. 
5. Drain pasta and add to sausage mixture. Lightly mix in Velveeta. 
6. Move to a lightly greased 13x9 baking dish and bake for 20 minutes. 

Featured Beer

While making this meal last night I also had a Unit 6 by Rivertown Brewing Company. It's an American Hefeweizen Ale. I must say I am a little disappointed. While the beer itself is good it is not your typical Hefeweizen. It is more of a plain wheat beer in my opinion. Hefeweizen beers are typically has hints of bananas and cloves giving them a distinct taste. This beer is lacking such flavor. 

Southwest Stuffed Peppers

This dish is perfect for when you're looking for something to mix things up a bit. There are many ways to make stuffed peppers. I love southwest style because it's simple and delicious! 

Ingredients

6 large bell peppers (any color)

1 pound lean ground beef (or Turkey)

1 small onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

½ package of taco seasoning

1 cup salsa

2 cups cooked rice

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup fresh or frozen corn

1 cup shredded Mexican cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Rinse each pepper. Cut off the top and remove the seeds.

3. Brown the ground beef in large frying pan. Add onions and garlic and saute until beef is cooked. Drain the fat. Add the taco seasoning, salsa, rice, black beans, corn. Stir over medium- low heat until well blended.

4. Fill each pepper ¾ full of beef mixture.

5. Arrange the peppers upright in baking dish. Cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

6. Remove from oven and add cheese to each pepper. Bake, uncovered, for an additional 10 minutes.

7. Enjoy immediately.

Hint: If you have more filling left over you can use it for lunch the next day. I usually roll it up into a tortilla for a quick burrito for lunch.


Featured Beer

Tonight I'm drinking a Hop Bomber by Rivertown Brewing Company. I like to support my local breweries. Although, being from Cleveland, I firmly believe that nothing beats Great Lakes Brewing Company. This beer is an American Rye pale ale. It's a good pick if you're looking to try something new.

Chicken Alfredo Carbonara

This is something that I make on busy days. It's quick, it's easy and it's cheap! I usually make a lot so that I can eat it for lunch the next day.  I first made this because these were the only ingredients that I had that would allow me to make dinner without going to the store.

Ingredients

Oil

1lb Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, diced

I jar Alfredo sauce

1 cup of frozen peas

5-6 slices of bacon (sometimes I use Turkey bacon when I’m feeling healthy), cut into pieces

1 (16 oz) package Fettuccine pasta

Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions. 

2. Add the peas when there is about 5 more minutes of cooking time. Drain.

3. Meanwhile, heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until it is no longer pink inside. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Stir in bacon and Alfredo sauce. Bring to a boil.

5. Combine with Fettuccine and peas

Featured Beverage

Right now I am enjoying a Brown Shugga' by Lagunitas Brewing Company. My brother introduced me to this one. It's an American strong ale. It's a bit hoppier than I remember and it is definitely a strong one as it has an ABV: 9.99%

Snickerdoodles

I woke up today and for the first time in awhile I don’t have to go to work or class.Since it is the 21st of December the only logical thing to do with this time is to get started on Holiday baking. I’m starting with Snickerdoodles since that is what my boyfriend asked for. I haven’t made these in forever but I do have a good amount of holiday sprinkles that would be perfect for making these cookies even more festive.

I was on the phone with my Pops today and told him that I was starting a blog and what I was making today and he said "Well that's something to Snickerdoodle about". I couldn't agree more Pops.

Snickerdoodles with a Holiday Flare

Ingredients:

1Tbsp Granulated Sugar

1 Tbsp Cinnamon

Red and Green Sugar Sprinkles

1 Cup Butter, Softened

1 1/2 Cups Granulated Sugar

2 Eggs

1 Tsp Vanilla Extract

2 3/4 Cup All Purpose Flour

1 Tsp Baking Soda

1/2 Tsp Salt

2 Tsp Cream of Tartar

Directions:

Combine the 1 Tbsp sugar and ground cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter with the sugar beating well. 

Add the eggs. Then stir in the vanilla.

Mix the flour, soda, salt, and cream of tartar in a separate mixing bowl and then gradually add to the creamed mixture. Mix until dough is formed.

Shape the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar. 

Next roll each one into the red or green sprinkles.

Place these 2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet.

Bake at 400* for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Let cool for a few minutes before moving them to a wire rack.

Featured Beverage

I should mention that while I cook I usually like to enjoy a good craft beer while I'm at it. This prevents snacking while I cook. Today I am trying New Belgium Brewing Company's Trippel. It's a deliciously smooth ale that is spiced with coriander. I recommend you give it a try.