Slow Cooker Beef Tips

I found this recipe in Taste of Home Magazine a few years ago.  I haev found that there are lots of great slow cooker recipes using chicken, but recipes using beef are harder to come by.  This recipe is easy to make (I can throw it together in about 5 minutes in the morning if I buy the pre-cut stew meat) and my whole family loves it.  We usually serve ours over mashed potatoes instead of noodles.

Ingredients:
1 beef top sirloin steak (1 pound), cut into 1-inch cubes
2 to 3 medium carrots, chopped
1 to 1-1/2 cups chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion (I omit)
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed golden mushroom soup, undiluted
1/2 to 1 cup white wine or beef broth
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
Hot cooked egg noodles

Directions:
In a 3-qt. slow cooker, combine the beef, carrots, celery, onion, soup and wine or broth. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or until meat is tender.

Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; gradually stir into cooking juices. Cover and cook on high for 15 minutes or until thickened. Serve with noodles.

NOTE:  I also add a beef bouillon cube for flavor when I put everything together in the slow cooker.

Cooking With Kids Thursday: Mini Frittatas

These days we are trying really hard to eat healthier in our house.  As part of that, we have some sort of salad for dinner at least once a week.  Let’s just say my 2, 4 and 6 year old children were not that excited about the idea of dinner being lettuce, but I found a solution that works great.  Instead of mixing everything together in a big salad bowl, I place each ingredient in a spearate bowl and let the kids build their own salads.  They absolutely love it and actually look forward to salad night now.  It is because of this success that I now try to find as many meals as possible where the kids can “build” their own food.  These mini frittatas are perfect.  I can already tell this is going to become a family favorite.  Who says eggs can only be for breakfast?  Thanks Disney Family Fun!

Here is what you need to make these:

  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup half-and-half
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Assorted mix-ins (such as shredded cheese, diced vegetables, and cooked and chopped bacon, ham, or sausage)
  • Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Here is how to make it -> Mini Frittatas Tutorial

 

 

Tasty Treat Tuesday: Easy Homemade Ice Cream

Seriously, this recipe is so easy that I may never buy ice cream at the store ever again!  It only requires two ingredients and no need for an ice cream maker.  Can it really be that easy?  Yes, yes it can.  Now I just need to decide on a flavor.  So many to choose from…  Thanks Kevin and Amanda!

Here’s what you need to make this:

  • 2 cups of heavy cream
  • 1 can of Eagle Brand  Sweetened Condensed Milk
  • any add-ins or toppings you would like

Here’s how to make it -> Easy Homemade Ice Cream Tutorial

 

 

Tasty Treat Tuesday: Salted Caramel Chocolate Pretzel Bark

Salted Caramel pretzel bark
I found this recipe on pinterest and couldn’t resist trying it out right away.  Pretzels and choclate chips are practically staple foods around our house and then you add caramel to it… all I can say is yummy!  My only advice it to be prepared to make more than one batch because this stuff will go fast.  Thanks Flower Patch Farm Girl!

Here’s all you need to make this:

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) of unsalted butter
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • bag of mini pretzels
  • 12-oz bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • sea salt

Here’s how to make it -> Salted Caramel Chocolate Pretzel Bark Tutorial

 

Cooking With Kids Thursday: Campfire Cones

If you are planning a family camping trip this summer or you have a fire pit in your backyard, you definitely need to add making these campfire cones to your list of things to do.  I might even try doing it in the oven.  Kids can customize their own cones with whatever fillings they choose and everybody wins.  Thanks Chef Jessica Bright!

Here’s what you need to make these:

-Waffle cones

-Pieces of foil, big enough to wrap the cone

-An assortment of the fillings of your choice. They can include but are not limited to:

  • Chocolate chips
  • Butterscotch morsels
  • White chocolate morsels
  • Walnuts
  • Peanuts
  • Almonds
  • Toffee pieces
  • Mini marshmallows
  • Brown sugar
  • Coconut
  • Cocoa nibs (raw chocolate)
  • Banana pieces
  • Dried fruit

 

Here’s how to make them -> Campfire Cones Tutorial