Crockpot Cube Steak and Gravy

I have never had luck getting cube steak to be tender and after trying this recipe I FINALLY succeeded! Add ya some mashed potatoes, rolls and a veggie and it is a very YUMMY meal!

Crockpot Cube Steak and Gravy
Cube steak (I used a family size pack)
2 cans (10.75 ounce size) cream of mushroom soup
1 envelope onion soup mix
3/4 cup water
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on low all day. Serve over rice or mashed potatoes or with your favorite side dishes.

Grinch Spoon Ornaments

I just love the Grinch...I want to do an entire Grinch Christmas tree this year. Here is a start on the ornaments I want to put on that tree! These are spoons I painted into ornaments. Enjoy!

Fisherman and Golfer Ornaments

I have forever wanted to paint sports and hobbies ornaments and I have finally started my collection. These are my first two attempts...a fisherman and a golfer. It is always so time consuming painting up a new design for the first time as I have no clue what colors to even use...such fun to do tho. Hope you enjoy these. I have many more ideas that I am planning on creating this year...stay tuned!

Patty Melts

I love sandwiches just about more than any other foods out there. I have one for lunch just about every day. Most days it is something EZ and fast like a bologna or tuna salad sandwich but when I entertain friends I like trying new sandwich recipes...the kind that are a little more work intensive. While watching a cooking show on Food Network I saw a Patty Melt and I was in disbelief that these little tasty wonders never crossed my path...how did I miss them when eating out? I am a person that when I go to certain restaurants I usually order the same favorite thing and never branch out much so I think that is how I probably missed Patty Melts. Anywho...here is one that I made and it turned out delicious. It is definitely gonna be added to "my favorite recipes" cookbook that I keep in a 3-ring binder. Enjoy!

Patty Melts

Ingredients
• 10 thin slices sweet onion
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened, divided
• 1/2 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 4 slices rye bread
• 2 tablespoons Thousand Island salad dressing
• 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
• 2 slices process American cheese or Swiss cheese

Directions

In a large nonstick skillet, saute onion in 1 tablespoon butter until tender. Remove and keep warm. Shape beef into two oval patties; sprinkle with salt and pepper. In the same skillet, cook patties over medium heat for 3-4 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 160 and meat juices run clear; drain. Remove and keep warm. Spread remaining butter over one side of each slice of bread. Place in skillet, buttered side down, and toast until lightly browned. Combine salad dressing and horseradish. On two slices of toast, layer a slice of cheese, a beef patty, half of the onion and dressing mixture. Top with remaining toast. Yield: 2 servings.

Start of 2013 Creations

I have been so wanting for so long to get started on painting some new designs that have been sitting there staring me in the face for over a year. As luck would have it I managed to carve out some hours this new year and got these little cuties done! Nothing more gratifying to me than getting all the colors figured out and get the pattern down exactly how I want it. I think I am gonna take January and make it my "getting new patterns done" month. I only participated in two craft shows last year and was just amazingly surprised at how well I did with my sales so I'm a bit pumped up right now! LOL These are four new designs and I am completing a golfer santa and fisherman santa as I type this...stay tuned! Enjoy!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Welcome 2013! So glad to see 2012 leave the building! The reason I have been "missing in action" these past few months is that I have not had a second to get on here. My dad was in a horrible car accident on November 1st and I have been spending alot of my time at the hospital and rehab with him. Luckily, as I type this he is making great progress and we are still hopeful for a full recovery. A long way left to go but we can at least see the light at the end of the tunnel now. We have been so blessed to still have him and watch his fight to get well. At 78 it is a bit tougher and it seems like the hardest part is keeping him wanting to move forward and convince him that he can get through it and will. Weird how the kids become the parents and the parents become the kids as we get older. Going through all this certainly makes you see the power of prayer. Everyone has prayed for his recovery and without a doubt he would not be where he is today without all the prayers that have been raised for him and our family. There were days that I didn't think I could get through them but have of course. I have been so touched by observing not only my family and friends' love for me and my family but at all the other families that are affected by such tragedies as we have been experiencing. To watch others with their loved ones that are struggling with sicknesses and/or accidents has just been something to see. I wish I were capable of making a documentary just about "love." It doesn't matter who you are, we all are capable of giving much needed love to one another. I wish I were better with words to express what I have experienced just by watching others around me in a very sad environment. My wish to you all of you in 2013 is to keep telling the ones you love how much they mean to you this year and to be there for them. This experience with my dad has made me a more humble, loving and caring person which I knew I was all along but it sure makes me think about trying harder in this new year. God bless each and every one of you!

Fall...Bonfires and Chili Cook Offs

This year we had our 8th annual chili cook off and as usual, had the time of our lives with the best of friends. I am always surprised at the turn out we have. One never knows who will show up. This year I had to change the day from Saturday to Friday as lots of rain and a cold front was heading this way. So glad that didn't deter them from coming as they had all worked that day. Every year we always plan on burning a bonfire and every year we never know if it will be too windy to do so since we live on the lake and way up high. As luck would have it, we were able to burn it but I have to say I'm praying the entire time they are lighting it...bonfires still scare me when they are first lit but once under control all was well with the world. Below is the dessert I made for it. I have been wanting to try a caramel apple cake for years now and glad I chose this one. Since I am not much of a cake decorator I opted for this recipe because it was a sheet cake...gotts love sheet cakes...you cannot go wrong. This recipe is a bit labor intensive but worth every minute you put into it...the icing alone is worth it! Thanks to Motherthyme.com for this wonderful recipe...it's a keeper! Enjoy! Apple Sheet Cake with Salted Caramel Frosting Ingredients: For Apple Sheet Cake: 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon Pinch of ground cloves Pinch of ground nutmeg 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 2 cups sugar 4 large eggs 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/3 cup milk 2 cups peeled grated apples (about 3-4 medium apples) For Salted Caramel Frosting: 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar 1/3 cup half and half Pinch of cream of tartar 3/4 teaspoon fleur de sel or coarse salt 4 1/2 cups confectioners sugar 2 tablespoons milk Directions: For Apple Sheet Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and lightly dust with flour a 11" x 17" jelly roll pan and set aside. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg and set aside. In a large bowl using an electric mixer cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time mixing after each addition followed by vanilla extract and milk. Stir in grated apples. Gradually add in flour mixture until blended. Spread batter evenly on prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for 16-20 minutes until cake tester comes out clean when inserted in the middle. Cool completely. For Salted Caramel Frosting: In a medium saucepan combine butter, brown sugar, half and half, and cream of tartar over medium heat stirring occasionally until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil and stir frequently for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in salt. Let cool. Add cooled caramel, reserving 1 tablespoon in a large bowl along with about one cup of confectioners sugar. Stir using an electric mixer medium speed until confectioners sugar is combined. Continue to add in confectioners sugar in about one cup at at time. Stir in milk until creamy. Spread frosting on cooled cake. Drizzle with reserved caramel (This doesn't drizzle that well so I will skip this step next time). Notes- This can also be baked in a 9" x 13" cake pan for 35 approximately 35 minutes.