Crescent Hamburger Bake

CRESCENT HAMBURGER BAKE

2 pkgs. crescent rolls
1 1/2 lb. hamburger
Salt and pepper to taste
1 med. onion
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1 pkg. Sloppy Joe mix
1 1/4 c. hot water
1 (4 oz.) pkg. Mozzarella cheese
1 (4 oz.) pkg. cheddar cheese

Brown hamburger and onion. Add salt and pepper. Add tomato paste, Sloppy Joe mix, and hot water. Simmer a few minutes and set aside. Place 1 package rolls flat in bottom of 9×13 pan. Cover with hamburger mixture. Top with cheeses. Place second package of rolls on top of cheese; bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Barbecue Shrimp & Grits

BBQ Shrimp and Grits

Serves 6

Creamy Grits

2 3/4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup dried grits — not instant
1/4 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons butter
black pepper — freshly ground
1 1/2 tablespoonsAsiago Cheese — grated

Barbecue Sauce
4 tablespoons butter
2 clovesgarlic — minced
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper — freshly ground
1/2 teaspoon thyme — dried
1/4 teaspoon oregano — dried
1/2 teaspoonred pepper flakes — crushed
1/2 cup shrimp stock or chicken stock
1/4 cup beer

Shrimp
1 pound large shrimp, butterflied
2 tablespoons butter — cut into pieces
salt and pepper — to taste
3 tablespoons parsley — minced

The Creamy Grits: In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the water and
salt to a simmer. Stirring constantly, slowly add the grits and stir
until combined. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring frequently,
until almost cooked through, about 15 minutes. Stir in the cream and cook
until the grits reach the desired consistency, about 10 minutes. Add the
butter and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Remove the pan from the heat, cover to keep warm and set aside. Just
before serving, add the cheese to the grits and stir to combine.

Barbecue Sauce: Watch this recipe carefully so that the dry ingredients
(the cayenne in particular) don’t burn. In a small saucepan over
medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Do not allow the garlic to brown. Add the cayenne, salt, pepper, thyme,
oregano, and pepper flakes and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds.
Add the stock and beer and bring the mixture to a boil. Cook until the
liquid is reduced by a third, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the pan from the
heat, cover and set aside.

Shrimp: Preheat the broiler. Place the butterflied shrimp on the broiler
pan, dot with the butter, season with salt and pepper, and broil without
turning, until cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. To

Assemble: Place a spoonful of Creamy Grits in the center of a shallow soup
dish. Arrange the shrimp around the grits. Spoon the Barbecue Sauce over
the shrimp and sprinkle with parsley.

NOTES : You may substitute chicken stock or broth for shrimp stock in
the Barbecued Shrimp. For a more authentic flavor, bring the chicken
stock or broth to a simmer with as many shrimp shells as available and
cook for 20 minutes. Strain the mixture.

Taco Bell Caramel Apple Freeze

1 Box Green Apple Jolly Rancher Drink Mix
2 Cups Cold Water
3-4 Cups Ice
½ Cup White Sugar
Green Food Coloring
Caramel Sauce

In a blender, combine water, apple drink mix, sugar, and ice. Blend for 1-2 minutes or until smooth.

Add in 3 to 4 drops of food coloring, blend until you reach your desired shade.

Fill glass about ⅓ of the way full with green apple slushy mixture.

Add about 2 tablespoons of caramel sauce.

Add more of the slushy mixture until glass is about ⅔ of the way full. Add 2 tablespoons of caramel sauce.

Top off glass with more of the slushy mixture.

Three Cities of Spain Cheesecake

1 crumb-crust, see below
3 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, softened
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sugar
For topping
16 oz sour cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Make crumb crust as directed. Preheat oven to 350°F.
Make filling and bake cake:
Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until fluffy and add eggs, 1 at a time, then vanilla and sugar, beating on low speed until each ingredient is incorporated and scraping down bowl between additions.
Put springform pan with crust in a shallow baking pan. Pour filling into crust and bake in baking pan (to catch drips) in middle of oven 45 minutes, or until cake is set 3 inches from edge but center is still slightly wobbly when pan is gently shaken. Let stand in baking pan on a rack 5 minutes. Leave oven on.
Make topping:
Stir together sour cream, sugar, and vanilla. Drop spoonfuls of topping around edge of cake and spread gently over center, smoothing evenly. Bake cake with topping 10 minutes.
Run a knife around top edge of cake to loosen and cool completely in springform pan on rack. (Cake will continue to set as it cools.) Chill cake, loosely covered, at least 6 hours. Remove side from pan and transfer cake to a plate. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Crumb-crust
1 1/2 cups (5 oz) finely ground graham crackers or cookies such as chocolate or vanilla wafers or gingersnaps
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt

Stir together crust ingredients and press onto bottom and 1 inch up side of a buttered 24-centimeter springform pan. Fill right away or chill up to 2 hours.

Bacon Cheeseburger Hamburger Helper

1 pound large shells pasta
8 ounces uncooked bacon
1 pound lean ground beef
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 teaspoons prepared yellow mustard
1 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded (6 ounces)

Cook the large shell pasta according to the directions on the bag and drain (do not rinse).
Add the bacon to a cast iron skillet, cook until crisp and remove from the pan.
Crumble the bacon into small bits.
Add the ground beef to a large cast iron skillet (this browns very well) and brown until a deep brown crust appears before breaking the beef apart.
Stir the ground beef and brown until a deep crust appears on about 50 or so percent of the beef.
Remove the beef (you can leave the fat) and add the onions.
Let brown for 1 minute before stirring, then let brown for another 1 minute before stirring again.
Add the beef back into the pan.
In a small cup mix the beef broth and the cornstarch until it is dissolved.
Add the ketchup, mustard, beef broth mixture, salt, and black pepper into the pan.
Cook until the mixture is only slightly liquidy (about 75% of the mixture is above liquid), 3-5 minutes.
Add the pasta back to the pan and mix together gently.
Add the bacon crumbles back into the pan.
Turn off the heat, add in the cheddar cheese and stir until melted.

Gnocchi Gratin with Ham and Peas

1 package 16 oz. potato gnocchi
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 pound ham steak, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup shredded Gruyère cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 cup thawed frozen green peas

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Cook potato gnocchi according to package directions; drain and transfer to a large bowl.
Melt 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high.
Add ham and cook, stirring often, until ham is lightly browned and any moisture has evaporated, 5 to 6 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer ham to bowl with gnocchi.
Melt 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter in Dutch oven over medium-high.
Whisk in all-purpose flour. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is light golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes.
Slowly whisk in whole milk, and bring to a boil; whisk vigorously to work out any lumps.
Whisk in kosher salt and black pepper.
Remove from heat, and slowly whisk in shredded Gruyère cheese and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, until melted.
Pour cheese sauce over ham and gnocchi; stir in thawed frozen green peas.
Transfer mixture to a lightly greased 11-x 7-inch baking dish.
Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese on top, and bake in preheated oven until bubbly and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
Remove from oven, and serve warm.

Honey Balsamic Pork Tenderloin

1 pork tenderloin (between 1-3 pounds)
½ cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup water
¼ cup honey
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cold water + 1 tablespoon corn starch (optional)

Whisk together vinegar, water, and next six ingredients.
Add pork to your slow cooker. Pour sauce over pork.
Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low 8 hours.
Shred pork with two forks and serve now OR follow the next (optional) step.
BEFORE SHREDDING MEAT:
Use a small strainer or a spoon to discard excess fat from the liquid in the slow cooker.
Transfer as much liquid from the slow cooker as possible to a medium sauce pan.
Bring to boil over medium-high heat.
Whisk together cold water and corn starch and stir into boiling sauce.
Reduce to simmer and allow to cook for 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened.
Shred pork, pour sauce over the top and serve.