Homemade Manwich

Homemade Manwich

     I can finally feel spring in the air. This past week has been a glorious week. The sun, for the most part, has been shining and working on melting that snow. The temperatures have pushed the 50's a couple of times this week too. I can finally see grass out in the backyard and the ducks have been gathering on the pond again.

     Since the weather has been so nice this week I have been starting on my regular routine of walking the dogs around the block again. Now I just need to keep this routine going next week. See I've been on spring break this past week and Monday is back to school for me. I'll have to start getting up to the alarm clock and throwing my sweats on to get the dogs out the door and on their walk before I have to hit the shower. It's a great way to start the day, especially now that the temps are getting warmer.

     In anticipation of the warmer weather I have been in the mood for more summer type food. I decided that I wanted to spice up my sloppy joe recipe a bit, so I went in search of a recipe. I found one that reminds me of Manwich. You know, that canned mix that you just add to cooked ground beef? Well I think this recipe is even better.

     I had to change the recipe slightly, but I think it still tastes really good. Now my kids still like my original recipe for sloppy joes, but they thought these were really good too.

Homemade Manwich
1 lb of ground beef
1/2 medium onion, diced
1- 14.5 oz diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 C ketchup
1/2 C Sweet Baby Rays barbeque sauce
3 T Worcestershire sauce
1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t ground cumin
1/2 t chili powder
1/4 t paprika
hamburger buns

In a skillet brown the hamburger and onions until the beef is cooked through. Drain the meat mixture. Add the drained tomatoes, ketchup, barbeque sauce, Worcestershire sauce and spices. Stir well and cover and cook on low heat for about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. Uncover and cook on low for about 5 minutes or until the mixture thickens up. Serve on hamburger buns.

Adapted from Big Mama's Home Kitchen

Slow Cooker Potato & Ham Soup

Potato Ham Soup

     Everyone likes easy right? Well this recipe is super easy. My husband happen to make this soup a few weeks ago. He of course found the recipe in Simple and Delicious magazine. It was so good that I just had to share it with everyone. This recipe is basically a 2 step process. Can't much easier than that. In fact this recipe is just as easy as the recipe I posted for Wild rice soup in the crock pot. 

     This soup is so good it tastes like it took a ton of work to make, but it really doesn't. It also only takes 7 ingredients to make. Most everything I already had at home to make this. The recipe did call for deli ham, but we had left over ham, so that's what was used. It also called for a package of frozen shredded hash browns, thawed. Now my husband went and bought some, but I would have just peeled and shredded some potatoes using my saladshooter.

      It smelled so good and tasted even better. The day he made this and I came home from work and the wonderful smell just hypnotized me. I immediately walked over to the crock pot to check it out. He served this soup up with a some fresh french bread (courtesy of the bakery) and it was a wonderful meal.

     This recipe is a keeper for sure!

Slow Cooker Potato & Ham Soup
1carton (32 oz) chicken broth
1 pkg. (30 oz) frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/4t pepper
4 oz cream cheese, softened and cubed
1 C cubed deli ham
1 can (5 oz) evaporated milk
sour cream and chopped green onions, optional

1. In a 4 or 5 quart slow cooker, combine broth, potatoes, onion and pepper. Cook, covered, on low 6-8 hours.
2. Mash potatoes to desired consistency. Whisk in cream cheese until melted. Stir in ham and evaporated milk. Cook, covered, 15-20 minutes longer or until heated through. Serve soup with sour cream and green onions if desired.

Recipe from Taste of Home Simple and Delicious

Banana Bread

Banana Bread

     These cold mornings are starting to get the best of me. It is just freezing and it makes it hard for me to get out of bed. Then of course when I do get out of bed all I want is some hot coffee. Now of course I need to have something to go with my coffee. Bagels or toast have been the main course lately, but today I'm mixing it up.

     I had this craving for warm, sweet banana bread. Now I know that I've posted several different recipes for banana breads on my blog, but I don't know why I've never posted this one. This recipe is the very first recipe that I ever had for banana bread. I don't even know where I came across this recipe. It was either from a friend, family member or even a magazine. All I know is it was well before internet times.

     Anyways, it is super moist and has no nuts, not that you can't put nuts in if you desire. It seems that every time I make this bread it disappears quick. Obviously it is a hit with the family. Hope you enjoy it.

Banana Bread
3 very ripe bananas sliced
1/2 C sour milk, or 1/2 C milk & 1 t vinegar
2 eggs
2/3 C melted fat (or I sometimes substitute 1/2 C canola oil)
Beat these ingredients together.
Add and beat in;
2 C flour
1 t baking soda
1 C sugar
1/2 t salt
Pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake at 325 for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack.