This dip is simple to whip up and has a caramely-cream cheese taste. I like it better than caramel with apples. It is also good with other fruits.
I always just “wing” it with this dip, but I estimate the following measurements.
2 bars cream cheese
1 to 2 cups brown sugar
1 to 2 tsp vanilla
Stir!
I have a divided basket that has eight wells around the outside and two in the middle of it. I love to do seasonal type of things in this basket for our family as well as for get-togethers.
This weekend I did a fall one. Here is what I put in mine:
Middle: apple dip (recipe to follow)
Middle: chocolate chip “cheese ball” (recipe to follow)
Outside: apples, grapes, mixed nuts, peanuts, candy pumpkins, candy corn, Teddy grahams, mini vanilla wafers
I put the apples, grapes, mixed nuts, and peanuts on the side (end) with the apple dip.
I put the candy pumpkins, candy corn, Teddy grahams, and mini vanilla wafers on the side (end) with the chocolate chip cheese ball.
This is a great carry-in for finger food get-togethers, and there is something for kids of all ages if taken to a youth or gathering with children.
I’ll give you some ideas for a Christmas one later. If you do not have divided basket with plastic liner, any type of veggie tray will also work (though might have fewer “wells”).
Have a fun fall!
I have been trying to post recipes, especially freezer recipes, on the weekends—anything that will help our families run more smoothly and have more time for training and relationships is a go here at PP 365!!!
One of my long-term, simply-Simon recipes is my sloppy joes. “Sloppies,” as we call them, are simple to make in bulk, freeze well (and easily in quart sized zip locks—though we used to use gallon ones!), are liked by many, and are excellent for large group gatherings. As a matter of fact, Ray and Josiah just made twenty pounds of it yesterday—half for our freezer and half for a surprise birthday party for four kids in our field trip group (about sixty total people were fed). That’s another beauty of having your recipes organized like you see here—when I have to work, someone else can cook if the instructions are clearly laid out for them.
I will post it doubled, tripled, and then ten-timed—that is what Josiah and Ray used. We almost always use minced onion nowadays, but the fresh onion measurement is in the recipe (convert on the back of your minced onion can). We like to cook this long and slow and cook it down well. For the ten times recipe, it works better in two HUGE pans, so you have room to stir and cook off the juice. This is a sweet sloppy—which is how we like ours. You could reduce the sugars, if desired.
Happy cooking!
Sloppy Joes — Double serves 16
————————————————————
4 Pound Ground Beef
1 1/2 Each Onion finely chopped
4 Tablespoon Cider Vinegar
4 Tablespoon Mustard
1 Teaspoon Chili Powder
16 Ounce Tomato Sauce
4 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
4 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
4 Tablespoon Sugar May use Splenda
2 Teaspoon Salt
4 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 Cup Water May use more as needed
Instructions
————————————————————
1. Brown meat and drain. (If browning large amounts of meat together for
several dishes, remember that 2 1/2 cups fried and drained meat is
equivalent to 1 lb raw meat.)
2. Combine all ingredients and simmer for one to two hours on medium heat
until liquid is absorbed and flavors are well mixed–stir often.
3. Cool until able to be handled before freezing.
4. Freeze in 1 quart or 1 gallon sized bag.
5. Prepare labels:
Sloppy Joes Date:
To use: Thaw. Heat and serve. (Fully cooked.)
2+ lbs or nearly 3 cups cooked
Serves 8.
Sloppy Joes — Triple serves 24
————————————————————
6 Pound Ground Beef
2 1/4 Each Onion finely chopped
6 Tablespoon Cider Vinegar
6 Tablespoon Mustard
1 1/2 Teaspoon Chili Powder
24 Ounce Tomato Sauce
6 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
6 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
6 Tablespoon Sugar May use Splenda
3 Teaspoon Salt
6 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
3/4 Cup Water May use more as needed
Instructions
————————————————————
1. Brown meat and drain. (If browning large amounts of meat together for
several dishes, remember that 2 1/2 cups fried and drained meat is
equivalent to 1 lb raw meat.)
2. Combine all ingredients and simmer for one to two hours on medium heat
until liquid is absorbed and flavors are well mixed–stir often.
3. Cool until able to be handled before freezing.
4. Freeze in 1 quart or 1 gallon sized bag.
5. Prepare labels:
Sloppy Joes Date:
To use: Thaw. Heat and serve. (Fully cooked.)
2+ lbs or nearly 3 cups cooked
Serves 8.
Sloppy Joes — X 10 serves 80
————————————————————
20 Pound Ground Beef
7 1/2 Each Onion finely chopped
20 Tablespoon Cider Vinegar
20 Tablespoon Mustard
5 Teaspoon Chili Powder
80 Ounce Tomato Sauce
20 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
20 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
20 Tablespoon Sugar May use Splenda
10 Teaspoon Salt
20 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
2 1/2 Cup Water May use more as needed
Instructions
————————————————————
1. Brown meat and drain. (If browning large amounts of meat together for
several dishes, remember that 2 1/2 cups fried and drained meat is
equivalent to 1 lb raw meat.)
2. Combine all ingredients and simmer for one to two hours on medium heat
until liquid is absorbed and flavors are well mixed–stir often.
3. Cool until able to be handled before freezing.
4. Freeze in 1 quart or 1 gallon sized bag.
5. Prepare labels:
Sloppy Joes Date:
To use: Thaw. Heat and serve. (Fully cooked.)
2+ lbs or nearly 3 cups cooked
Serves 8.
Containers
————————————————————
* Needed on Serving Day Appliance …….. Skillet
Recipe Category .. Beef Entrees
Printed by Advantage Cooking! 30 Day Gourmet Edition
www.advantagecooking.com www.30DayGourmet.Com
Our first daughter, the missionary, has always loved baking and cooking. One of the things Kayla always does for me when we go visit her or when she comes home is make me chocolate chip cookies. She has it down to perfection!
I will share her recipe below—along with some tips that she has gleaned along the way for the most amazing chocolate chip cookies ever!
Kayla’s Amazing Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 cup butter, melted
1 t. vanilla
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
2 ¼ cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 ½ to 2 cups chocolate chips
1. Melt butter in micro until just melted (do not overheat).
2. Stir in both types of sugar. Mix thoroughly and let sit for a few minutes until sugars are fully dissolved in melted butter.
3. Stir eggs and vanilla slightly (just enough to pierce yolk but not enough to make whites frothy).
4. Add eggs to sugar mixture. Mix thoroughly.
5. Mix dry ingredients.
6. Fold dry ingredients into sugar mixture, mixing well.
7. Fold in chocolate chips carefully. Be sure cooking dough is not “hot” from the melted butter before adding the chocolate chips. (We add cold or “frozen” chocolate chips to be sure they keep their shape and do not melt.)
8. Make in 350’ oven for about ten minutes, rotating cookie sheets half-way through.
9. Drop cookie sheets on counter for cookies to “fall” after you remove them from the oven.
10. Let cookies sit a minute or two then remove onto cooling racks.
11. Be sure cookie sheets are cooled between batches. Do not drop cookie dough onto hot cookie sheets.
Notes:
(1) She no longer uses a combination of shortening and butter—butter only!
(2) The melted butter approach dissolves the sugars much better and makes the cookies chewier than not melting the butter.
(3) The ration of brown sugar to granulated sugar is different in this recipe than some. Trust us, it makes them yummier!
(4) Be careful not “whip” the eggs. Whipping egg (esp whites) is for light, high products. That is not the goal here.
(5) Start cookies on bottom of oven then move up. Do not start any on the top shelf as the tops melt immediately that way. (This takes staggered baking times, but is worth it…and gives cookie sheets a chance to cool in between while you are preparing another one, too.)
(6) Do not add chocolate chips to “hot” dough—the chocolate chips will melt into your dough.
(7) Dropping the cookie sheets on the counter makes the texture perfect—not high and fluffy.
(8) Placing dough onto hot cookie sheets makes the dough spread out and melt before the cookies begin to bake. Cool cookie sheets before dropping another batch onto them.
This weather makes me want to make fall dishes—soups, stews, caramel apples, apple crisp, smores, and more! I love this recipe for caramel corn for a couple of reasons—it’s yummy and so simple!
Try it with your kids this fall—or make it for a bonfire or youth gathering. You’ll get rave reviews!
MICROWAVE CARAMEL CORN
14-16 cups popped corn
1 cup brown sugar
1 stick butter
¼ cup light Karo syrup
½ tsp. salt
1. Microwave above ingredients (except for the popcorn) 4 minutes on high, add ½ tsp. baking soda; mix in.
2. Pour over popcorn, stir in,
3. Cook popcorn mixture 3 minutes on high stirring every minute.
4. Cool and let dry on wax paper or
greased cookie sheet.
Another favorite appetizer—of teens and adults alike—and one that I served at all four of our graduation parties so far!
Layered Mexican Dip
1 large can refried beans 2 ½ cups fried hamburger
2 cups sour cream Taco seasoning mix
Salsa Shredded lettuce
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
Optional: Onions, tomatoes, and black olives (drained)
Optional: Guacamole (1-2 cups)
1. Mix fried hamburger with 2 TBSP taco seasoning mix and ½ cup
water. (Mix seasoning mix into water, then pour into hamburger.)
2. Micro on high uncovered for 5-7 minutes or until water is evaporated and seasoning is throughout.
3. Mix sour cream with 1 TBSP taco seasoning mix.
4. Spread refried beans onto large round platter.
5. Spread sour cream mixture over beans.
6. Sprinkle seasoned hamburger over sour cream.
7. Sprinkle 1-3 cups shredded lettuce over hamburger.
8. Sprinkle shredded cheese over all.
9. Note: If using onions, tomatoes, and black olives, sprinkle them on top of cheese.
10. Note: If using guacamole, spread it over refried beans, before spreading sour cream.
11. Serve with Salsa in bowl beside it or pour over top of dip, if desired.
