Veggie Beef Stew

This is always good!

1.5 lb pork roast (cut into large chunks)
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup red cooking wine (optional)
1 can beef broth
1 can Italian style diced tomatoes
2 medium red potatoes, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. dried thyme

Season the pork with kosher salt, pepper and Spike (a multi-purpose seasoning).
Heat olive oil in a large metal (non-Teflon) skillet or dutch oven. Add pork and sear on each side about 3-5 minutes.
Remove pork from skillet and place in a large slow cooker (which is turned on HIGH).
Add onion to the hot skillet and cook a few minutes; deglaze pan with wine or a littel beef broth. Add onions to crock pot.
Pour remainder of ingredients over the pork in the crock pot and cook on high for 4 hours (or low 6). Shred pork before serving.

Cauliflower Soup and Garlic Cheddar Scones

I have had an awful cold all week. I needed some comfort food. I don't think I have ever had cauliflower soup before, but for some reason it sounded really good. So I did a search for it and a recipe popped up that was from Pioneer woman. I have tried several of her recipes and really liked them, so I thought it was worth a shot. (I just went back and did a search on her site for cauliflower soup and she had about 8 different soups featuring cauliflower!)
I really liked how this turned out. Even thought I was really plugged up I could taste that it had a nice flavor.
I made a few changes to things I had around. I subsituted 2% milk for the whole, fat-free half and half for the real stuff, and I omitted the sour cream and topped the soup with grated cheddar instead.
Gotta have bread with soup. I didn't have a lot of time, so I turned to this recipe that I have used before, is really satisfying and is done in no time.

Breakfast Pizza

Clean plate club for the whole family last night with this delicious creation!
I found this in my BHG cookbook, but tweaked it for my preferences.

Bread dough
4 slices bacon
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
I cup chopped zucchini or green pepper
8 eggs (you could use just 6)
1/2 cup milk
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
(I also added fresh spinach)
Season as you like

• Cook bacon; set aside and crumble when cooled
• In bacon grease, cook the vegetables
• Form dough into a round pizza pan; build up edges slightly and prick dough generously with a fork. Bake in a 375 degree oven 15-20 minutes or until light brown.
• In a medium bowl, whisk eggs and milk. Cook in a buttered skillet over medium until eggs are nearly done (will be cooked through but still glossy). Remove from heat.
• Sprinkle half the cheese over the hot crust. Top with scrambled eggs, veggies, bacon and remaining cheese. Bake 5-8 minutes until cheese melts.

Mike made these for us last night when we were at gymnastics and what a treat to come home to such a delicious meal! One of the pizzas was lactose-free for me, which actually turned out really well. Enjoy!

S'mores Cookies

Yowzaa, these rock! Here's the recipe for these little gems. I actually use creamy-centered chocolate kisses instead of the bars, and add them AFTER the cookies have baked. Enjoy!

Favorite Baked Goods

Here are some links to some of my favorite baked goods. Are links so boring? Oh well, you won't be bored when you try some of this good-ness!
Pumpkin Cranberry Bread
Whole Wheat Pear Granola Muffins
Buttermilk Biscuit Bread

The blueberry muffins pictured above are from a recipe that Amie recently posted. I wish I would've taken a picture of the insides, they are delisiously marbled. Amazing! Instead of struesel I just sprinkled them with sugar. They didn't need much.

Blueberry Muffins

Sorry- no picture with this one. You will have to use your imagination! These are amazingly delish and the reason I don't have a picture of them is because they are always devoured before I have a chance. This recipe comes from "Cook's Illustrated" but I have made some adjustments of my own. Enjoy!

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1 1/8 c plus 1 tsp sugar
2 1/2 c flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp table salt
2 eggs
4 Tbsp butter, melted and slightly cooled
1/4 c vegetable oil
1 c buttermilk (I use 3/4 c plain yogurt + 1/4 c rice milk)
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

In a small sauce pan, bring the blueberries and 1 tsp sugar to simmer, mashing berries with a fork, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool 10 min.
Whisk flour, powder, salt in a large bowl. Whisk remaining 1 1/8 c sugar with eggs about 45 seconds. Slowly whisk in oil and butter, then buttermilk (or yogurt) and vanilla until combined. Using a rubber spatula, fold egg mixture into flour mixture just until moistened...DO NOT OVER MIX!
Spoon into greased muffin tins until very full. Spoon a tsp or so of the cooked berries into each muffin tin and slightly stir the jam into the batter (I use a wooden skewer to do this).
Top with your favorite streusel topping and bake at 425 degrees for about 18 minutes.

You say tomato, I say...Sauce!

Before...

After...

I am SO tired!