SPO (Sausage Potato Onion)

I made this for dinner the other night and realized I had never blogged it so I took pictures and here it is! I love this recipe SO MUCH which is unusual for me because I am not a big fan of sausage. In fact, I usually don''t eat any of the sausage when I make it. I do love the flavor that the potatoes and onions take on from the sausage and the spices. I originally found this recipe online and printed it out. According to the print out it is from this site.

THE INGREDIENTS

1 package link sausage (I use beef sausage)
1 large onion, peeled and chopped 
5 large potatoes, peeled and cubed OR 1.5 pound bag of baby potatoes, cut in half
Olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp ground thyme OR 1/2 tsp dried thyme

This is a very different kind of recipe for me. The original has no measurements for the spices! I was very unsure of myself the first time I tried to make it but it turned out so good! I have found that the amount I listed are a good starting point. More on that in a minute...
I cook this on a sheet pan that I have covered with aluminum foil and sprayed with this wonderful invention:

I have never had any issues with sticking and clean up is a breeze! I also double this recipe every time so if the pictures below seem like a lot of food, it is. Everyone in the family loves this so much that we never have any leftovers. I use my largest mixing bowl and drizzle the empty bowl with olive oil first. Then prep the onions and add them to the bowl, followed by the potatoes and the sausage.

I add a little more olive oil and then mix everything around to coat the mix. For the spices, I mix them together in a small bowl.

Sprinkle the spice mix over the meat/veggie blend and mix to coat. Sometimes after mixing it seems like there are not enough spices so I will mix another portion and add and mix until everything has an even amount. When you are satisfied with the spices, pour the mix on the sheet pan and spread evenly.

Bake at 400 degrees for a total of 45 minutes. Every 15 minutes, remove from the oven and stir around to prevent sticking.

After 45 minutes, test the potatoes to make sure they are done through. If they do not pierce easily with a fork, cook a little longer, checking every 5 minutes or so until done.

My favorite thing to serve with this is cornbread but I usually forget that and unless I make the cornbread earlier, it doesn't work out. In any case this is a relatively simple but very hearty dish that our whole family loves!

Salisbury Steak 3

I have two different Salisbury Steak recipes on this blog already. I love the easy patties in this one and the sauce from this one. Since finding the second recipe I have tended to make a combination of the two so I thought I would blog that version!

THE INGREDIENTS FOR THE PATTIES

 1 cup of milk
28 saltine crackers
4 TBSP dried minced onion
4 tsp dried parsley flakes
2 pounds lean ground beef

THE INGREDIENTS FOR THE SAUCE

1 can condensed French onion soup
2 TBSP flour (I use seasoned flour)
1/2 cup ketchup
4-6 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp ground mustard
1/2 cup water

In a large bowl, mix the saltine, onion and parsley flakes. Add the milk and allow to soak while you make the sauce.

In a separate bowl, combine the sauce ingredients. Whisk together until flour is fully blended in.

Back to the meat! Mix the ground beef into the crackers mixture. I find the best tool for this is my hands.

Once fully mixed, I sort of divide the bowl into eighths.

Grab a section and roll it into a ball in your hands. Then flatten it out into a patty.

Place the patty into a 9x13 pan. I also like to poke a hole in the middle to help them cook through evenly.

Pour the sauce over the patties. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes or until cooked through.

This is a doubled recipe of the original and it makes 8 patties. I put two in a smaller dish and bake it all at the same time. This last picture is of all 8 patties in the smaller dish. The recipe can be halved but it leaves you with half a can of condensed soup. I guess you could make half the meat mix and all the sauce and have extra sauce for potatoes!

Crock Pot Pork with Buzzy's Butt Rub

This recipe is AMAZING!! On top of being absolutely delicious, it is incredibly easy!! Two of my favorite things. It does take an overnight fridge rest time and a full 8 hours to cook so a little planning is necessary. This is another one I found on Facebook initially.

THE INGREDIENTS

a 4-5 pound Boston butt roast (pork shoulder roast)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

I just have to say again how easy and wonderful this is! You can mix up a double or triple batch of the rub and then keep some on hand. Prep the rub in a small bowl, mixing together all the spices. Prep the roast by rinsing with cold water and patting dry with paper towels. I lay a long piece of plastic wrap on a small cookie sheet and set the roast on top. Then you rub the spice mix all over the meat until coated. Then you cover the roast in the plastic wrap and put it in the fridge overnight. The original recipe says that this isn't a must but that it is much tastier if you do. I have never not done this step. The next morning, pull it out of the fridge and throw it in the crock pot.

Put the lid on and cook on high for 4 hours. DO NOT ADD ANYTHING TO IT! At the four hour mark, switch the crock pot to low and add a couple drops of liquid smoke, if you want. I have sometimes but have not other times and don't feel it is necessary if you don't have any or don't like it.

After the second four hour cooking time, remove the meat from the crock pot. It will fall apart in absolute perfection. I like to put the chunks in a large covered dish and let it sit for about 10 minutes. The original recipe says to remove the liquid from the crock pot and leave the meat for 30 minutes to two hours. I also says you can use the liquid for something called Greasy Rice.

That's it!! Just eat it however you would like. You can make sandwiches or tacos. This time we had it in bowls with rice and black-eyed peas.

I was pretty sad not to have any leftovers this time. Our little mischievous puppy knocked the dish off the counter and ruined any chance of that by mixing the leftovers with shattered Corningware. It's a good thing she's cute!

Chicken Tetrazzini

Well, here we are again! I will skip the part where we talk about how long it has been and just jump in to the recipe!! This is one that I found online, probably on Facebook. I am not sure the original poster but I am very grateful to them. It's fairly easy to make as well.

THE INGREDIENTS

16 ounces of pasta, cooked
1/2 cup (one stick) butter, softened
3 cups cooked chicken, diced
2 cans cream of chicken soup *or make your own
2 cups sour cream
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 TBSP Parmesan cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

You can use whatever noodles you like. The original recipe called for linguine but I happened to have fettuccine the night I made this so I used that. I also used a rotisserie chicken that I had shredded up. Mix the soup, sour cream, seasonings and chicken broth in a large bowl.

Add in the chicken and mix thoroughly.

Mix in the cooked pasta

Pour into a 9x13 dish that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle the cheeses on top and cover with foil. I wish I had remembered to take a picture! Put into a preheated 300 degree oven.

Bake at 300 for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for 15 minutes longer. Remove from oven and serve. In the time it took me to turn and grab the camera for a final picture, my kitchen mice and already helped themselves! Oh well, at least they like it :)

Bundaberg Chicken

My oldest loves root beer and ginger beer (non-alcoholic version) and one of his favorite breweries for them (yes, they are called breweries) is the Australian company Bundaberg. He was looking at their website one day and came across this recipe for pulled chicken sandwiches so we gave it a shot and it has become a favorite of his and mine! If you use a rotisserie chicken it is even faster and easier.

The Ingredients:
2 cups Bundaberg Ginger Beer (slightly more than one bottle)
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup orange juice
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp honey
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp 5-spice powder**
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 roast chicken, skin removed and meat shredded

This is pretty easy to put together! You add everything except for the chicken to a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Stir often and reduce to a simmer until thickened.

When the sauce reaches the thickness you desire, add in the chicken to warm through.

Serve warm on buns. We dove in so fast that I did not get a picture of my sandwich this time. I will next time for sure.

**The 5-spice was a little hard to find but I finally located it at Sprouts in the loose spices aisle. I was able to buy just a small amount. A store with a nice Asian food department would have it I am sure.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Clay turned 15 a couple weeks ago and I still can't believe it! He asked me to make the same cake I made last year. I couldn't find the recipe I used then so I gave it a goog and found a cake and frosting combo that sounded on target. That cake is from The Stay At Home Chef and I fully agree with her naming it the Most Amazing Chocolate Cake! The frosting was on AllRecipes.com when I searched for peanut butter frosting. Here's what I did:

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Tablespoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 cups warm water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

I actually made a double recipe of this cake so I would end up with two 9x13 rectangles to layer. I did two separate batches of batter. The standard recipe, according to the original post, will yield three 9 inch rounds. The first step (after preheating your oven to 350 degrees) is to butter and flour your cake pans. I chose to use cocoa powder in place of flour for mine.

Mix together the dry ingredients until they are well combined.

In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Slowly pour the wet mix in to the dry mix and blend on medium speed until smooth.

Divide the batter between your prepared pans.

Bake for 30-45 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean!

Cool before frosting with your choice of options but, seriously, try this one first:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
3 Tablespoons milk (more if needed)
2 cups powdered sugar

Mix together the peanut butter and softened butter.

Gradually mix in the powdered sugar. As it thickens, add in milk one tablespoon at a time until all the sugar has been added.

Beat until nice and fluffy! Grab your cakes and slather them well!

The coup de gras of this cake is the topping. We went for Reese's minis on the perimeter and chopped up Reese's miniatures all over.

SO! VERY! GOOD!

French Dip Sliders

Well! It has been a little while since I have blogged anything, hasn't it? I am attempting to dust the cobwebs off this blog by starting to add some of the delicious things we have been eating here in Chaosville so here is the first one! As with many of the new recipes I have tied lately it started as a post on Facebook. This particular recipe was posted on Chelsea's Messy Apron

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 package (12) Hawaiian sweet rolls
1 pound deli roast beef
10-12 slices provolone cheese
1 1/2 cups French fried onions
Seasoning mix:
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 packet AuJus seasoning mix, separated
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3/4 teaspoon dried minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Using the softened butter, butter the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Split the package of Hawaiian rolls in half but do not separate the rolls individually.

2. Place the bottom half of the rolls in the buttered casserole pan. Top with a layer of provolone.

3. Add the roast beef in a layer on top of the cheese.

4. Spread the fried onions on top as evenly as you can. Add another layer of cheese on top of the onions.

5. For the seasoning sauce, melt the butter in a small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of the AuJus mix and the remaining ingredients.

6. Put the top layer of rolls on and coat with the sauce. You probably won't need all the sauce, just enough to cover the tops of all the rolls well.

7. Bake, uncovered for 15-20 minutes. Just long enough to make the cheese melty and the tops of the rolls toasted. Slice with a large knife to separate all the rolls from each other.

8. We ate ours with some pasta salad and loved every bite!

Special thanks to my lovely assistant, Pattie Lynn!!