Toby Keith - Red Solo Cup (Unedited Version)

Love this video :)

Happy cooking, loving, crafting, and laughing!

Cream Cheese Cupcake Filling

People always ooo and ahhhh over the cream cheese filling in my cupcakes. I'm almost embarrassed to say how easy it is! It is practically effortless.

Ingredients;

1 8 oz pkg Cream Cheese
1/4 cup Powdered Sugar
Your choice extract to taste

Instructions:

Soften cream cheese in a mixing bowl. Add powdered sugar. Add extract to taste...usually a 1/4 teaspoon. Mix with a mixer.

That's all....seriously! Then you just put a spoonful between layers of cupcake batter. People will think you're a genius!

Happy cooking, loving, crafting, and laughing!
Suzanne

Taco Seasoning Must-Haves

Just sharing the two taco seasonings that are must-haves for me. I use them in my Mexican dishes and also in my special chip dip!

I buy them at Gordon Food Service but I'm sure they can be found elsewhere.

Happy Eating!

Butter Pecan Ice Cream

After trying numerous recipes for Butter Pecan ice cream, I combined a few to make my perfect Butter Pecan!

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons Butter
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Half and Half
1-1/2 cups Heavy/Whipping Cream
1 Egg
Pinch Salt
1/2 cup Pecans

Instructions:

In medium saucepan, combine butter, egg, half and half, and brown sugar. Mix well with hand mixer on low and cook on light to medium heat until sugar is dissolved and butter is melted. Typically the temp will be about 165 degrees. Do not let the egg "scramble." Remove from heat.

Add the cream and pinch of salt to the saucepan. Mix with hand mixer.

Put mixture in ice cream attachment or maker. Follow manufacturer instructions. If using Kitchenaid mixer attachment, this will be about 20 minutes. Add pecans and mix for 3-5 more minutes making sure that you don't harm the attachment (I.e. let it go too long as indicated by clunking noises and stoppages).

Put in freezer for at least four hours if you want harder ice cream.

Enjoy!

Happy cooking, loving, crafting, and laughing!
Suzanne

Chocolate Cheesecake Ice Cream

This wonderful creation is my own special combination of ingredients. I cannot even begin to express how dreamy this is! The batch is almost too much for the Kitchenaid ice cream attachment so keep an eye on it.

Ingredients:

2 cups Heavy/Whipping Cream
2 cups Half and Half
1 package Cream Cheese
1 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Cocoa Powder
1-1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
Graham Crackers

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients except graham crackers in large saucepan. The cream cheese should be cubed.

Cook until chocolate is well incorporated into the mixture and cream cheese can be blended in. Using a hand mixer, blend the mixture until cream cheese is well incorporated. You will have some very small pieces of cream cheese in the mixture.

Chill mixture to around 40 degrees. Place in ice cream attachment or maker. Follow manufacturer instructions. This will be about 20 minutes for a Kitchenaid attachment. Make sure the mixture doesn't overflow. Add crushed graham cracker pieces during the last 3-5 minutes of processing.

Freeze for at least four hours for harder ice cream.

Enjoy!

Happy cooking, loving, crafting, and laughing!
Suzanne

Mint Cheesecake with Chocolate Sauce

This cheesecake takes some time to make but is well worth the effort!

Ingredients:

Cheesecake

4 pkgs Light Cream Cheese
2 cups Graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup Butter
1-1/4 cups Sugar
2 teaspoons Vanilla
1/4 cup Creme de Menthe
5 eggs

Topping

1/4 cup whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon Vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon Peppermint extract
Green food coloring

Chocolate Sauce

1 cup milk
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup chocolate powder
2 squares bakers chocolate
1/4 cup corn syrup
2 tablespoons corn starch

Instructions

Set oven to 325 degrees.

Mix graham cracker crumbs and butter together to make crust. Press along the bottom and sides of a springform pan.

Blend cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and Creme de Menthe. Once blended, add eggs and blend until eggs are fully incorporated. Pour into springform pan. Bake for one hour and ten minutes.

Blend topping ingredients until firm peaks appear. Top cooled cheesecake with topping.

Mix chocolate sauce ingredients in medium saucepan and cook over low to medium heat until everything is melted and blended. Drizzle over the cheesecake in desired pattern.

Keep cheesecake refrigerated until ready to serve.

Happy cooking, loving, crafting, and laughing!
Suzanne

Suzi's Kicked Up Goulash

This is my special version of goulash with a little more spice than traditional versions. I finished mine in the crock pot but you can finish it in your dutch oven or the oven.

Ingredients:

1 Pound Ground Sirloin
1 Med onion chopped
1 Can Southwest Diced Tomatoes
1 Can Tomato Paste
1/2 Cup Water
1 Teaspoon Chili Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Oregano
1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
Pepper

Instructions:

Cook ground beef/sirloin, onion, garlic powder, and pepper in medium skillet.

While cooking ground beef, mix the tomatoes, tomato paste, water, oregano, and chili powder and put it in the crock pot or Dutch oven. Begin to heat. Add more spice or jalapeños for more "heat."

Add cooked beef to tomato mixture and mix well. Cook until completely heated.

When serving, top with Parmesan or mozzarella for a special treat.

Happy cooking, loving, crafting, and laughing!
Suzanne

Vanilla Peppermint Ice Cream

This is a delightfully easy and scrumptious recipe for the holidays or any time of year! This has an "ice milk" texture to it.

Ingredients:

3 cups Half and Half
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 tablespoon peppermint extract
1-2 tablespoons crushed peppermint candy

Instructions:

Mix the half and half, sugar, and both extracts together. Refrigerate overnight.

Stir again.

Pour mixture into Kitchenaid mixer ice cream attachment after setting the mixer to "Stir" or any other ice cream maker.  After mixing for 15 minutes, add the crushed candies. Mix for another 5-10 minutes.

Using a rubber spatula, put ice cream into freezer safe container and freeze at least 4-5 hours.

Enjoy!

Happy cooking, loving, crafting, and laughing!
Suzanne

A Convo with Grandma C about Friendship

I had the most wonderful conversation with Grandma C yesterday.

She first asked me if I have a friend that was close that I would dearly miss if they were gone. Immediately I realized I don't have a best friend. I do have a couple friends who may end up being that person. Over the years best friends have left for bigger and better things, forgetting their old pal or simply just coming around when it fit into their schedule. Others have abandoned me because I'm not the healthiest and can't "hang."

She proceeded to tell me about her dear friend whose husband will be 90 soon and will be having a party! Very exciting! She told me about their talks and her times tagging along to card games even though she doesn't play cards (sounds like me).

I got teary as she said she misses her friend every day. That sweet little lady before me said she says goodnight to her friend every night.

True friendship is being there. No matter how busy you are or if you'd rather be doing something else while your friend cries. Those who have told me they were too busy to do lunch or come to an annual party after twenty-some years of friendship ... or they couldn't be there for me during a horrible time in my life because they had "to focus on themselves" were not true friends in any sense of the word.

I hope I can do better than that for my forever friends and have what Grandma C had :)

Allergic to Shellfish and Need a Joint Supplement?

A while back, someone mentioned a shellfish free glucosamine chondroitin product on the market. At the time I couldn't find it, but yesterday there it was in the vitamin aisle at Wally World!

It comes in bottles and also powder packets...just like Crystal Light. I opted for the powder packets because there was one extra serving for the same price. Yeah...I'm cheap like that :).





I was surprised to find that the product tastes like a cross between Kool Aid and Crystal Light! The Raspberry White Grape is pretty good. I'm looking forward to being super limber from this product :).

I also found that they have a program on their website for coupons and such!

Check them out at http://www.elations.com

My Countryside Purchases!

I bought some of my favorite things today!