Campers or Cowboy Bean Treat

This recipe is perfect to make if you just want a quick meal. It is a hardy and filling meal that your family is sure to love.

Ingredients

1 lb hamburger
1 lb. bacon, diced
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (1 lb.) cans pork and beans
1  can kidney beans
3/4 c. ketchup
1/4 C. brown sugar
1 to 2 Tbs. molasses
2 Tbs. prepared mustard
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbs. liquid smoke
2 tsp. vinegar
1 pkg dry onion soup

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.

Brown the ground beef, bacon, onion and garlic in a cast iron skillet or Dutch oven until the ground beef is no longer pink.  Drain off excess grease or fat.

Add pork and beans, kidney beans, ketchup, water, prepared mustard, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, vinegar and dry onion soup mix. 

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. You can also cook this over the campfire.

Oven Barbecued Beef Roast

Oven Barbecued Beef Roast or Steaks

Originally this recipe called for beef steak instead of beef roast. However, steak prices are so high right now, that we opt for buying a round roast, or whatever is the cheapest at the time we go shopping.

Ingredients

2 Tbs. vegetable oil
4 lbs. round roast, cut into strips or pieces
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 c. water
3/4 c. ketchup
3/4 c. vinegar
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbs. prepared mustard
2 Tbs. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

Directions

Heat oven to 170° for longer baking time and a more tender meat or 350° for shorter baking time.

In a Dutch oven or an ovenproof skillet with a lid, heat oil over medium high heat.

Cut off most of the fat from the roast. Add beef roast pieces or strips into the skillet.  Brown the pieces in hot oil. 

Add onions and garlic to the skillet.  Cook and stir for about 5 minutes, or until they are browned.

Stir in water, ketchup, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, prepared mustard, brown sugar, salt and pepper.  Simmer for 5 minutes.

Cover the Dutch oven or skillet and bake for 10 hours or until meat is tender.  If you are baking the beef at 350°, bake for 3 hours or until tender.

Soft Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

One of our favorite cookies to make and eat are Peanut Butter cookies. This recipe makes up a batch of peanut butter cookies that are soft and chewy.  I came across the written recipe tucked into one of my mother's cookbooks.

Ingredients

1 c. butter, softened
1 c. peanut butter, creamy
1 1/4 c. granulated sugar, divided
1 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
4 c. flour
1 c. peanut butter chips
1/4 c. sugar, for rolling the dough in

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°.  Lightly grease or spray a cookie sheet to keep the cookies from sticking, or line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  

Cream together butter, peanut butter, 1 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Stir in vanilla.

Mix in baking soda, salt and flour. 

Stir in peanut butter chips by hand with a wooden spoon.

Roll some dough between the palms of your hands into 1 1/2-inch balls.  You may want to refrigerate the dough if it sticks too much to your hands.

Place 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a small bowl. Roll the dough balls in the sugar. 

Place the cookie dough balls on a baking sheet.  Bake for 7 to 9 minutes.  Remove from oven before they turn brown.  Leave them on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes to set up, so you can remove them and place them on a cooling rack.  It is important not to over bake the cookies, so they will remain very soft.

Saucy Beef Stir Fry

 

This stir fry recipe is super easy, getting you in and out of the kitchen quickly. My family loves this meal. I use beef roast and it does not matter which one you choose.  You can use steak instead, but that is usually a lot pricier then the roast if you are wanting to save some money. You can also ask the butcher to slice the meat thinly for you as well.

Ingredients

2 Tbs. cornstarch
1 1/2 c. beef broth or 1 to 2 cubes beef bouillon dissolved in 1 1/4 c. hot water
1/4 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. Worcestershire
1/4 c. brown sugar or granulated sugar
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp. fresh ginger minced (Optional)
1 to 2 red pepper flakes, or to taste
1/2 to 1 tsp. black pepper, or to taste
1 to 2 Tbs. olive oil
1 lb. beef roast, fat removed, sliced into very thin strips
1 onion, thinly sliced into half rings
1 sweet pepper, chopped
1 can sliced carrots, drained
2 c. frozen broccoli
2 c. cooked rice

Directions

In a glass bowl, combine cornstarch, and beef broth. Stir until the cornstarch is dissolved.  Mix in the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger root red pepper flakes and black pepper. Set aside.

In a large cast iron skillet, heat oil over medium high heat.  Add the sliced beef, and cook until browned. This can take about 3 minutes. Remove from skillet or push the meat to one side if you are using a large skillet.

Add the onions and peppers to the skillet. Cook and stir until tender. 

Add the sliced carrots and broccoli. Cook until broccoli is no longer frozen. 

 If you removed the meat from the skillet, add it back into the skillet. Pour in the cornstarch mixture. Cook and stir until the sauce is thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Serve over rice.

Apple Cinnamon Rolls

This is a very easy recipe if you don't have much time to prepare a delicious treat for breakfast or lunch. Canned apple pie filling and refrigerated cinnamon rolls in the tube is the perfect way for those who don't like to cook or have much time to cook.

Ingredients

1 (8 or 10 count) Cinnamon rolls
1 (21 oz.) can apple pie filling
1/4 Tbs. butter (melted)
1/2 - 1 tsp.  cinnamon
6 Tbs. brown sugar
1/2 c. chopped nuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease or spray an 8 x 8-inch baking pan or casserole dish.

Cut each cinnamon roll into 4 or 6 pieces and place them evenly on the bottom of the baking pan or casserole dish.

Pour the melted butter over the top of the cut up cinnamon rolls. Sprinkle with cinnamon and then 2 tablespoons brown sugar. 

Cut the apples in the pie filling into smaller, bite sized pieces.  You can either dump them in a bowl or leave them in the can and cut through them with a sharp knife.  Spread half of the apple pie mixture over the cinnamon rolls. Stir to combine. Smooth out the mixture evenly in the pan.

Repeat the layer by sprinkling 2 tablespoons brown sugar over the top, then evenly spread out the remaining apple pie filling.  Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of brown sugar over the apples. 

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until done.

Drizzle the top of the cinnamon rolls with icing that came in the package.

Best when served warm from the oven.

 Pigs in a Blanket

This is a simple recipe brings back childhood memories of hot dogs wrapped in biscuit dough. This recipe uses home-made biscuits. However, if you want to make this meal even easier, use one tube of refrigerated crescent rolls. 

Also, you can put a slice of cheese on the hot dog and then wrap the biscuit dough around the outside of the hot dog. Home-made yeast dough works equally well to make Pigs in a Blanket.

Ingredients

2 c. flour
1 Tbs. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
4 Tbs. cold butter cut into small pieces
1/2 c. cheddar cheese
3/4 c. buttermilk
8 beef hot dogs

Directions

Heat oven to 400°. Lightly grease a baking sheet.

In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Mix the cut up butter in with the flour.  Cut the flour in with two knives until the butter is like coarse crumbs.

Make a well in the flour, butter mixture. Pour the buttermilk into the center of the indention. Mix with a wooden spoon just until combined. Do not over mix the dough, or it will be tough. 

Place the dough onto a floured surface. Gently knead the dough about 4 or 6 times with floured hands. 

Using a rolling pin, gently roll out the dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, cut the dough horizontally into 1-inch strips. Spread the strips out, leaving half an inch between strip. 

Place one hot dog on a strip of biscuit dough, beginning on the left edge of the biscuit dough strip. Begin to spiral the dough around the outside of the hot dog. Press the ends of the biscuit dough against the dough to keep the dough in place. Place the hot dog on the baking sheet. Repeat the process for each hot dog.

 Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with ketchup and mustard.

Notes:

Use the kind of hot dogs that you like best. The cheap ones with chicken, beef and pork work just as well and the all beef ones.

 

 

Layered Enchilada Casserole

 

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 chopped hot pepper (Optional)
1 chopped sweet pepper (Optional)
1 Tbs. taco seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans (You can drain them if desired)
1 (10 oz.) can ROTEL hot or mild diced tomatoes or salsa
2 c. whole kernel corn
2 c. enchilada sauce
2 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
2 tomatoes, diced
10 corn tortillas, cut in half, or you can leave whole

 Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 2 quart casserole dish.

In a heavy cast iron skillet, brown the ground beef, onions, hot pepper and sweet pepper. Drain off excess grease.

Stir in taco seasoning, salt and pepper. Add the beans, and ROTEL, stirring to combine.  Heat through.

Pour 1/4 cup enchilada sauce over the bottom of the casserole dish. Layer one third of the tortillas over the sauce.

Add half of the meat mixture. Top with 1 cup corn and 3/4 cup shredded cheese. Pour 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce over the cheese.  Layer another third of the tortillas, and the remaining meat mixture. Next add the rest of the corn and then 3/4 cup shredded cheese. Pour 1/2 cup enchilada sauce over the cheese. Layer the last of the tortillas over the top.  

Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the tortillas. Top with the remaining cheese. 

Cover with a lid or foil. Bake for 30 minutes. 

Remove the lid or foil and bake another 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and browned. Serve with diced tomatoes, sour cream, black olives, cheese, and/or extra salsa.