Life in Mayberry

Turkey incident on N. Franklin Turnpike...LOL!

Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Pureed Vegetable Gravy

My mom makes the best pot roast. Like THE BEST pot roast with AMAZING gravy. She also makes it in a pot. My husband commented that she was the only one he knew that made pot roast in a pot...LOL!! After I had my son, she stayed with us for a week...and pot roast was on my list of favorite foods my mom makes that I requested while she was here. Her trick to her gravy is she purees the carrots and onions so that they blend into the gravy. It gives the gravy a really unique flavor.
I make my pot roast in the slow cooker but I make my gravy the same way she does. YUMMY!!!



Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Pureed Vegetable Gravy

1 - 3 to 4 lb beef chuck
1 1/2 cups petite carrots
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 beef bullion cubes
2 cups water
1 - 12 oz jar bistro au jus gravy
1 - 12 oz jar savory beef gravy
1 envelope onion soup mix
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Salt and ground black pepper
Wondra, if needed

Season beef chuck with onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions and saute until just starting to turn brown, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the onions and set aside (do not clean skillet). In the same skillet, add the chuck roast and sear on all sides.
Place seared chuck into the slow cooker. Top with onions and petite carrots. Add both jars of gravy, onion soup mix, water and bullion cubes. Set slow cooker for 6 hours.
When pot roast is finished, remove from the slow cooker and place on a platter. The meat will fall apart so try to cut it as best as you can.
Pour gravy with the carrots and onions into a large mixing bowl. Using a stick blender, puree the gravy until smooth. If the gravy is too thin, add a bit of Wondra and puree again. Season according to taste. Pour gravy over the pot roast. Serve with mashed potatoes or hot buttered noodles.



Even my 10-month old loved it!

Rainy fall day.....

....is the perfect excuse to snuggle on the couch while waiting for my slow-cooker pot roast to finish cooking.



Latte.....cookbook.....cable-knit blanket = perfect!

Spicy Italian Stromboli Ring

Spicy Italian Stromboli Ring

2 - 8oz. cans refrigerated crescent roll dough (I use Pillsbury Butter Garlic flavor)
10 slices provolone cheese, halved
1/3 lb deli sliced salami
1/4 lb deli sliced ham or hot capocollo
1/4 lb deli sliced pepperoni
1/2 cup well drained hot pepper rings
1/2 cup well drained mild pepper rings
Fresh ground black pepper
Marie's Creamy Garlic Italian Dressing, for dipping

Peheat oven to 375 degrees.
Unroll both cans of dough; separate into 8 rectangles. On an ungreased 12-inch pizza pan, arrange rectangles in ring so short sides of rectangles form a circle in center. (Dough will overlap; half of each rectangle will hang over edge of pan. Dough ring should resemble a sun.)
Start layering using half of the cheese. Layer salami, ham and pepperoni slices over cheese. Arrange pepper rings over top. Cover with remaining half of cheese.
Bring each dough rectangle hanging over side of pan up over stacked filling, tucking dough under bottom layer of dough to secure it. Repeat around sandwich until entire filling is enclosed (some filling might show a little but that is okay.) Sprinkle with black pepper.
Bake 22 to 30 minutes or until dough is golden brown and thoroughly baked. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting.

Recipe adapted from Pillsbury

Chocolate Fudge

Whenever I make this, I always make an extra batch for Billy to take to work with him.



Chocolate Fudge

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 - 5oz. can evaporated milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Line an 8-inch square baking pan with wax paper.
In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, evaporated milk, butter and salt. Bring to a full rolling boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly, for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Stir in marshmallows, chocolate chips and vanilla extract. Stir vigorously for 1 minute or until marshmallows are melted. Pour into prepared baking pan and refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm. Lift from pan and cut into pieces.

Gooey...Gooey...Goodness!

Lunch!!! Because Billy makes THE BEST grilled cheese sandwich EVER!! LOL!!

Janice's Famous Artichoke Dip

My friend Janice gave me this recipe a few years back. It is also featured in our LFFD Ladies Auxiliary cookbook. It is SOOO good! I love it with Ritz Crackers, especially the Toppers Garlic and Herb flavored but you can try it with bagel slices or toasted pita wedges.



Janice's Famous Artichoke Dip

1 can artichoke hearts, chopped
1 cup Hellmann’s mayonnaise
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix artichokes, mayonnaise, Romano cheese, cayenne pepper and garlic powder in bowl. Blend in half of mozzarella cheese. Place in 1- quart casserole dish or glass pie plate. Sprinkle remaining half of mozzarella on top. Bake for 20 minute or until cheese is melted and slightly browned.

Creamy Garlic and Leek Ditalini

Creamy Garlic and Leek Ditalini

8 oz. ditalini pasta
4 tablespoons salted butter
1/2 cup chopped leek
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
1 pinch ground white pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add ditalini and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
Melt butter in a large skillet over low heat. Saute leeks and garlic until tender and translucent. Stir in cream and simmer until thickened. Toss with pasta and cheese until evenly coated. Season with pepper.

Spanakopita with Feta

Spanakopita with Feta

1/3 cup olive oil
2 pounds spinach, washed and drained
1 bunch scallions, white and green parts, chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound good- quality feta cheese, crumbled
1 - 2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
1 lb. filo pastry sheets

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large saute pan, add half of the spinach and saute until spinach wilts, tossing with tongs, about 2 minutes. Remove spinach and squeeze out excess liquid, then chop roughly. Repeat with remaining spinach, using 1 more tablespoon of olive oil. Pour off any liquid from the pan, and add remaining olive oil. Add scallions and saute until soft, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the spinach to the scallions, along with the parsley, salt and pepper. Cook over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove from heat to cool. (This part can be done ahead and kept refrigerated).

Stir the feta and as much beaten egg to moisten the cooled spinach mixture.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush a baking sheet with some of the melted butter.

Unroll the filo dough on a flat surface and keep it covered with waxed paper and a damp towel so it doesn't dry out and become brittle. Using a sharp knife, cut the filo into 3x11-inch strips, and recover with the towel. Use a pastry brush to brush a strip of filo with melted butter. Place a small spoonful of spinach filling 1-inch from the end of the pastry. Fold the end over the filling to form a triangle, then continue to fold up the strip in triangles, like folding up a flag. Continue with remaining strips of dough, placing filled triangles on the baking sheet and keeping them covered with a towel until all are ready to bake.

Brush the triangles lightly with butter, then bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden and crisp. Serve hot.

Recipe adapted from the Food Network

Stuffed Artichokes

Stuffed Artichokes

4 large artichokes
1 1/2 cups seasoned breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
4 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
1/2 cup white wine
Water

Take the artichokes and cut off the bottoms to level them off so they can stand up straight. Peel off any outer leaves that look really tough or that are just hanging off. Cut the tops of the artichokes so then are flat across.
In a separate bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, cheese, garlic, salt, pepper and just enough olive oil to make the mixture moist. Pry open the artichokes, pulling the leaves away from the middle a little bit. Start stuffing the breadcrumb mixture in between the leaves until all four are sufficiently stuffed then place the artichokes in a deep, heavy bottomed sauce pan. Drizzle a little olive oil on the tops of the artichokes to keep the stuffing extra moist. Add the wine to the pot and then add enough water to come halfway up the sides of the artichokes. Simmer over low heat. Then cover and cook until soft, about 45 minutes to an hour.

Ziti with Browned Butter Cream Sauce

This was probably one of the best things I have made in a long time. It's rich and full of flavor. It's like nothing you have ever tasted.

Ziti with Browned Butter Cream Sauce

12 oz. ziti pasta (any small shaped pasta will do)
1 stick salted butter
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup good quality grated Parmesan cheese (again..do not skimp on the quality of your cheese)
1 cup good quality grated Romano cheese (read above..lol!)
Salt (if desired) and ground white pepper, to taste

Cook ziti according to package instructions.

While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir butter frequently until it starts to turn a medium brown color then turn heat to low. The butter will brown fast, like 5 to 8 minutes. Add the cream and stir. Add the cheeses, a little at a time, stirring each time until smooth. Continue stirring until cheese is completely melted and sauce is smooth. Add the salt and ground white pepper, to taste. I don't add extra salt but if you want to, you can.
Once the ziti is done, drain and immediately add to the pan with the sauce. Toss to combine. Serve and enjoy!!!

Adapted from a few recipes I saw on Pinterest.

Linguini with Fresh Mozzarella and Onion Quartet

The first time I made this, I told my husband that if we were not married, after he tasted this, he would have dropped to his knees and proposed. The sweetness of the onions is balanced well by the balsamic vinegar and thyme. The bacon lends a subtle smokiness to this dish. It is truly one of my favorite pasta dishes.



Linguini with Fresh Mozzarella and Onion Quartet

1/4 cup olive oil
3 cups sliced leeks, white and light green parts only
1 large white onion, chopped
2 bunches green onion, sliced
6 large shallots, sliced
1 ½ cups chicken broth
1 ½ cups heavy cream
1 ½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 large garlic cloves, pushed thru a press
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
½ cup fresh pearlini mozzarella
1/8 level teaspoon ground thyme
6 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled (optional)
1 pound linguine

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks, white onion, green onions and shallots; cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the garlic. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook 20 minutes or until leeks and onions are tender and just starting to brown, stirring frequently.
While onion mixture cooks, prepare pasta according to package directions.
In a small saucepan, bring the broth to a boil. Add vinegar. Add broth mixture, cream and salt to onion mixture; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
Cook bacon until very crisp. Allow to cool then crumble.
Remove sauce from heat; stir in thyme a little at a time until you reach desired taste. Add sauce to pasta. Add crumbled bacon. Toss gently to combine. Top with mozzarella and toss again.

Cheddar Ale Dip

Cheddar Ale Dip

8 oz. cream cheese
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2½ cups shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons heavy cream
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup beer (I use Sam Adams Boston Lager)

Combine the cream cheese, mustard, cheddar cheese, cream and salt in a food processor. Process for 30 seconds, add the beer and continue processing until very smooth. Serve with corn chips or pretzels.

Recipe adapted from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody

Cavatelli with Hot Italian Sausage and Sage Browned Butter

Cavatelli with Hot Italian Sausage and Sage Browned Butter

1 lb. fresh cavatelli pasta or fresh orecchiette
1 lb. hot Italian sausage
9 tablespoons salted butter
6 - 8 sage leaves
Ground white pepper
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped

Place the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 cup of water to the skillet. After 10 minutes, flip the sausages over and simmer for an additional 5 minutes adding more water to the skillet as the water evaporates. Remove the sausages and slice them into 1/2-inch thick slices.
Add 1 tablespoon of the butter to the skillet and turn the heat to medium-high. After a minute, add the sausage slices in an even layer and let them cook until deeply browned. Flip and brown them on the other side. When the sausage slices browned, remove them from the pan and place them on a paper towel-lined plate and return the pan to the burner.
Salt a large pot of water and place it on high heat; bring to a boil. Add the pasta to the water and cook about 5 minutes. You are using fresh pasta so it will only need a few minutes to cook.
Turn the heat to medium-high and add the sage, the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter, and season with the white pepper. As the butter melts, scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Continue to cook until the foam subsides, about 10 minutes. Cook the butter until it’s deeply browned and fragrant, about 5 minutes more.
Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Add the pasta to the browned butter sauce and toss, adding a little bit of the reserved water until the sauce becomes rich. Add the sausage to the skillet and stir. Add the Romano cheese and stir again. Place the pasta and sausage into serving bowls and garnish with additional Romano cheese and sprinkle with parsley.

Footnotes - You will not be able to brown the sausage slices in one batch. After the first batch is done browning, add another tablespoon of butter and brown the other batch.

Recipe adapted from Frankie's Spuntino

Baked Stuffed Mushrooms....plus Baked Stuffed Mushroom Casserole

This recipe is originally from my LFFD Ladies Auxiliary cookbook. I think it's the best stuffed mushroom recipe I ever made. The casserole recipe is a funny story. The other day I decided to cook for Billy and his partner at work. I made my Spicy Italian Stromboli Ring and I wanted to make these stuffed mushrooms. I opened the fridge to get the mushrooms and I realize that they had spoiled. The day before I had gone food shopping with my mom and bought sliced mushrooms.....so I figured why not use sliced and bake them....and voila...Baked Stuffed Mushroom Casserole!



Baked Stuffed Mushrooms

1 lb. fresh stuffing mushrooms
1 stick of melted butter
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
Fresh chopped parsley
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ cup grated Romano cheese
½ cup white wine
1 cup frozen chopped onions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Remove mushroom stems from mushrooms and chop. Place caps on a buttered baking sheet and set aside. In a saucepan, melt butter and white wine over low heat. In a skillet, sauté chopped stems, chopped onions and crushed garlic in olive oil. In a bowl, mix together bread crumbs, parsley and cheese then add them to the melted butter and white wine, then add the mushroom mixture, stir everything together. Mold a small amount on the cap of each mushroom. Bake for 30 minutes.




Baked Stuffed Mushroom Casserole

1 lb fresh sliced mushrooms
plus the rest of the ingredients listed above (minus the stuffing mushrooms of course)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a saucepan, melt butter and white wine over low heat. In a skillet, sauté chopped onions and crushed garlic in olive oil. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until tender, about 7 minutes. In a bowl, mix together bread crumbs, parsley and cheese then add them to the melted butter and white wine. Add the mushroom mixture and stir everything together. Place the entire mixture into a small baking dish and bake for 30 minutes.

Peace and Quiet..........finally!

My husband worked nights last week so I had the baby all day and most of the night. A crawling 9-month old doesn't leave much room for rest and relaxation so this morning Billy took the baby with him to run some errands......and I had breakfast.......and read a magazine...LOL! It's the little things, ya know?

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Mushrooms and Crispy Shallots

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Mushrooms and Crispy Shallots

For the Brussels sprouts -

3 lbs. Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper

For the shallots -

1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 lb. (about 6) large shallots, cut into thick rings

For the mushrooms -

1 stick unsalted butter
1 1/4 lb mixed fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 tablespoon ground thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup water

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Toss Brussels sprouts with oil, garlic, salt and pepper, then spread out in 1 layer on 2 large cookie sheets. Roast, stirring occasionally, until tender and browned, 25 to 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry shallots in batches, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per batch (watch closely, as shallots can burn easily). Quickly transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain, spreading in a single layer. (the shallots will crisp as they cool.) Pour off oil from skillet but do not clean.

Heat 6 tablespoons of the butter in the same skillet over medium-high heat until foam subsides, then sauté mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and tender, about 10 minutes.

Add wine, thyme, salt and pepper and boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced to a glaze, about 5 minutes. Add water and remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and simmer, swirling skillet, until butter is melted. Transfer to a serving dish and stir in the Brussels sprouts. Top with the shallots.

Recipe adapted from Epicurious

2-Timin' Pasta Bake

2-Timin' Pasta Bake

1 lb. ziti pasta
1 (15 oz.) jar Alfredo sauce (I use Bertolli)
1 - 24oz. jar marinara sauce (I use Rao's)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Grated pecorino Romano cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cook pasta according to directions and drain. Mix the sauces together in a large bowl. Add the mozzarella and stir to combine. Add the ziti and toss to combine. Pour pasta into a 2-quart baking dish and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly. Remove from oven and sprinkle with grated Romano and bake for another 5 minutes. Enjoy!!

Recipe adapted from Pearls, Handcuffs and Happy Hour

Beef Avgolemono Soup

In Greek, avgolemono means egg-lemon. The egg yolks and lemon juice mixture gives the soup its white color and velvety texture...not to mention it's awesome taste! It is my favorite thing my dad makes....next to pastitio..lol!



For the Beef Avgolemono Soup

4 1/2 lbs. beef bottom chuck, cut into chunks
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 medium red onion, chopped
3 - 4 stalks of celery, sliced
3 - 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
1 - 15 oz, can sliced white potatoes, cut into quarters
1 cup orzo pasta
8 cups beef stock
8 cups water

For the avgolemono -

Juice of 1 lemon
3 egg yolks

In a large stew pot, cover the meat with the broth and water and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam that rises to the top. Add salt, pepper and onions and continue to boil for 10 minutes.
Add the celery and continue to cook for 50 minutes. Add the carrots and continue to boil for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the liquid reduces to about half and the meat is fork tender. (Total cooking time 2 1/2 to 3 hours)
Add the orzo and potatoes and boil for 10 minutes or until the orzo is just tender.

How to make the avgolemono -

Just before the cooking time is up, remove a cup of the broth and allow to cool. In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks. Slowly beat in the broth, whisking continuously. Add the lemon juice.
As soon as the orzo has cooked for 10 minutes, turn off the heat. Add the avgolemono mixture to the soup and stir in gently, stirring in one direction only.
Pour soup into bowls and serve with crusty Italian bread.