Reuben Sandwich

Sometimes just an idea for dinner is all you need. I don't think a simple sandwich qualifies as a recipe but it is a great weeknight dinner that never fails. I'm not a huge fan of the fatty corned beef that is on the traditional Reuben and my hubby hates sauerkraut so we changed the classic sandwich just a bit. I buy the 97% fat free corned beef by Dietz and Watson from the deli. If your deli doesn't have this brand I am sure they have something similar and instead of using sauerkraut I use coleslaw that I make the night before. I find the best way to make these is on the George Foreman but you could use a panini press if you have one or even heat on the stove. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 pound low fat corned beef from the deli
Loaf of rye bread
Swiss cheese (1 slice per sandwich)
Thousand Island dressing, as desired
Prepared coleslaw
Spreadable butter, as needed

Directions:

Spread butter on one side of each piece of bread. Place butter side of bread down on heated grill.

Top with desired amount of corned beef and a slice of swiss cheese. Top with other piece of bread butter side up. Close grill or sandwich press and heat until cheese is melted and bread is crispy.

Remove sandwich from grill and add desired amount of coleslaw and thousand island dressing.

Apple-Sausage Mac and Cheese

I have a new favorite ingredient when cooking and that is chicken-apple sausage. It is so full of flavor and is a great alternative to the normal fatty sausage. When I noticed this recipe in my food network magazine I was basically drooling it looked so good. I then noticed that it was made with apple juice and I was a little apprehensive about making it but I am so glad that I did. This is a great spin on a comfort food classic. I would suggest doing 1/2 apple juice and 1/2 chicken broth to avoid it being too sweet.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter plus more for the dish
Kosher salt
3/4 pound medium pasta shells
1/2 cup diced onion
6 ounces chicken-apple sausage, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 tablespoon mustard powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups apple juice (suggest doing 1.5 cups chicken broth and 1.5 cups apple juice)
1 pound monterey jack cheese, shredded (4 cups)
1/2 pound extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups)
1/2 cup sour cream
35 small butter crackers (1 sleeve Ritz), crushed

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 2 1/2 -quart baking dish. 

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 6 minutes. Drain and set aside. 

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the sausage, mustard powder, cayenne and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until the sausage is golden, about 3 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Stir in the apple juice and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 8 more minutes.

Slowly stir about three-quarters each of the monterey jack and cheddar cheese into the sauce until smooth, about 2 minutes.

Remove from the heat. Stir in the pasta and sour cream. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.

Sprinkle with the crushed crackers and the remaining cheese. Bake until bubbly, 25 to 30 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Source: Food Network

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

I normally don't buy the pre-made chocolate chip cookie dough and the main reason for that is because the raw cookie dough is way to tempting for me. If you have the same love for cookie dough these cupcakes are perfect for you because they taste JUST like cookie dough. I normally stay away from recipes that have this many ingredients but these are an exception. I would suggest making these throughout a couple of days because they are very time consuming yet surprisingly easy as long as you own a stand mixer. These cupcakes were a huge hit with anyone that tried them and I will definitely be making these again. P.S. if you are health conscious just ignore how much butter goes into making these. ;)

Ingredients:

• 3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1½ cups light brown sugar, packed
• 4 large eggs
• 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup chocolate chips (semisweet or bittersweet)
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 6 tbsp. light brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour

• 7 oz. sweetened condensed milk
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract
• ¼ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
• 3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
• 3½ cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ tsp. salt
• 3 tbsp. milk
• 2½ tsp. vanilla extract
• Mini chocolate chips

  

Directions:

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350° F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners (24 total). In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and brown sugar. Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.


Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir together to blend. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl on low speed, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, mixing each addition just until incorporated. Blend in the vanilla. Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the cookie dough filling, combine the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the flour, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla until incorporated and smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the mixture has firmed up a bit, about an hour.

To fill the cupcakes, cut a cone-shaped portion out of the center of each cupcake. Fill each hole with a chunk of the chilled cookie dough mixture.

To make the frosting, beat together the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until creamy. Mix in the confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Beat in the flour and salt. Mix in the milk and vanilla extract until smooth and well blended.

Frost the filled cupcakes as desired, sprinkling with mini chocolate chips.

Source: Annie's Eats

Brown Sugar and Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin

All I can say is oh my gosh! This was the best tasting pork I have ever had AND this was the best dinner I have ever made using my slow cooker. The glaze is so so so delicious and the pork is so tender you don't even need a knife to cut it. I did make a few changes to the original recipe below. Instead of balsamic vinegar I used red wine vinegar and instead of ground sage I used ground thyme because that is what I had on hand. This is a recipe that is definitely going into our dinner rotation.

Ingredients:

1 (2 pound) boneless pork tenderloin (or regular pork loin)

1 teaspoon ground sage or ground thyme

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/2 cup water

Glaze

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons soy sauce

 

Directions:

 

Combine sage, salt, pepper and garlic. Rub over roast. 

 

Place in slow cooker with 1/2 cup water. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. 

 

About 1 hour before roast is done, combine ingredients for glaze in small sauce pan. Heat and stir until mixture thickens. 

 

Brush roast with glaze 2 or 3 times during the last hour of cooking. Serve with remaining glaze on the side.

 

Source: C&C Marriage Factory, originally from Let's Dish

Cannoli Cake with Fudge Frosting

I love cannolis and the best part of the cannoli in my opinion is the filling. If you like chocolate and cannolis you will love this cake. I couldn't find a prepared pound cake so I made my own but you could buy one to make this recipe even simpler. If you decide to make the pound cake yourself, I suggest making it the night before because it needs to be cooled completely before adding the filling. The best part of this cake without a doubt is the fudge frosting. My mother-in-law gave me the recipe and it is the best frosting I have ever had. The fudge frosting is great on angel food cake as well or you could just make it, store it in the refrigerator and eat it on its own. Seriously it is that good. :)

Ingredients:

Pound Cake:

1 pkg Duncan Hines Moist Classic Yellow Cake Mix
1 (3.4 oz) pkg vanilla instant pudding and pie filling
4 large eggs
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil

Cannoli Filling:

1 cup milk

1/2 tsp. orange extract

1pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding

1/2cup POLLY-O Original Ricotta Cheese

1/2 pkg. (4 squares) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, chopped, divided

Never Fail Fudge Frosting:

1 cup sugar

1/4 crisco

1/3 cup milk

1 square bakers semi-sweet chocolate

Dash of Salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Pound Cake:

 

Preheat oven to 350 ºF. Grease and flour loaf pan. 

Combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water, and oil in large bowl. Beat at medium speed with electric mixer for 2 minutes. Pour into pan. 

Bake at 350 ºF for 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 25 minutes. Invert onto heat resistant serving plate. Cool completely.

Cannoli Filling:

Pour milk and orange extract into large bowl. Add dry pudding mix. Beat with wire whisk 2 min. or until well blended. Add ricotta cheese and half of the chocolate; mix well.
 
Place bottom cake slice on serving plate; spread with one third of the pudding mixture. Repeat layers twice, ending with top cake slice.

Never Fail Fudge Frosting:

In a sauce pan boil all ingredients except vanilla. After it has boiled for 1 minute, add 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract.


Fill kitchen sink with cold water. Place the bottom 3/4 of the pan in the sink and stir constantly until thick. Pour over the cake.

Store in the refrigerator.