Beer Cheese Soup

Beer Cheese Soup

1/2 cup butter

1 chopped medium sized yellow onion

1/2 cup chopped carrot

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups chicken broth

1 (12-ounce) beer

14 oz extra-sharp Cheddar, shredded

7 ounces processed Swiss cheese, shredded

2 cups half-and-half

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 pound smoked sausage fried

Directions

1. Melt butter in a stockpot over medium heat. Add chopped onion, carrot, and celery. Saute until softened. Add flour. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add chicken broth and beer. Heat until it comes to a boil.  At this point if you choose you can purée so you have a smooth soup or leave vegetables whole for a chunkier soup.  I purées mine.  Slowly add cheese while stirring until just boiling and smooth. Add half-and-half, salt, dry mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Reduce heat to low and cook until soup has thickened. Cut smoked sausage into 1/2-inch pieces and place in a saucepan. Saute sausage over medium heat until heated through. It will probably take about 5 to 7 minutes. Add sausage to the soup, transfer to a large serving bowl and serve hot.

Homemade pita bread

• This was so easy and delicious!  I forgot to get pita at the grocery store for my gyros.  This was easy and perfect!  I made half the batch since it was just the two of us and I used garlic glavored olive oil. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water (90 to 100 degrees F/32 to 38 degrees C)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
  
  
  
  
  
  
  1 3/4 teaspoons salt
• • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, or more as needed
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
  1tablespoons olive oil
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Place yeast into the work bowl of a stand mixer and add 1 cup warm water and 1 cup flour. Whisk together and let stand 15 to 20 minutes for mixture to rise and make a loose sponge. Mixture will bubble and foam.Pour 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil and salt into sponge; add 1 3/4 cup flour. Mix at low speed, using a dough hook attachment, until dough is soft, supple, and slightly sticky. If dough sticks to the sides of the bowl, add up to 1/4 cup more flour, a little at a time.Knead dough with machine on low speed until slightly springy and still soft, 5 to 6 minutes. Turn dough out onto a floured work surface and form into a ball.Wipe inside of bowl with 1/4 teaspoon olive oil. Turn dough around in bowl to cover with a thin film of oil; cover bowl with foil and let sit until dough has doubled in size, about 2 hours.Remove dough from bowl and place onto a floured work surface. Lightly pat into a flat shape about 1 inch thick. Use a knife to cut dough into 8 pieces.Form each piece into a small round ball with a smooth top, pulling dough from the sides and tucking the ends underneath the bottom.Cover dough balls with lightly oiled plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.Sprinkle a small amount of flour on a work surface and top of a dough ball; gently pat dough ball flat with your fingers, forming a flat, round bread about 1/4 inch thick. Brush a cast-iron skillet with remaining 3/4 teaspoon olive oil and place over medium-high heat. Lay pita bread into hot skillet and cook until bread begins to puff up and bottom has brown spots and blisters, about 3 minutes. Flip, cook 2 more minutes, and flip back onto original side to cook for about 30 more seconds. Pita bread will begin to puff up and fill with hot air. Stack cooked breads on a plate; when cool enough to handle, break breads in half and open the pocket inside for stuffing. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

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Instant Pot Dijon Pork Loin

This is as so very good!  The sauce was delicious.  I could eat it with a spoon like a soup!

• 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 ½ pounds boneless pork loin
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon dried dill
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard 
• 1/2 tsp. Salt plus more to salt pork

• Place oil and 1 tbsp of butter into instant pot and turn on to sauté.  Once got add salted pork loin.  Brown on all sides.  Remove from pot and set aside.  Deglaze with white wine scraping up all the brown bits.  
• Mix together sour cream, stock, dill, salt, pepper and remaining 1 tbsp of butter melted.  Pour into instant pot. Place kid into pot and select high pressure.  Once pot reaches temp set for 20 min.  When timer goes off let natural release for 5 min the do a quick release.  Take pork out of pot and set aside to rest. Take a tablespoon of cornstarch and some water and mix to make a slurry.  Pour into pot and stir to thicken.  Slow pork loin and top with sauce.

Meatball subs

This is a favorite in my house!  I usually whip this up early in the day and let it set on the stove and just re heat at dinner time.  Then I build the subs.

Meatballs

• 1.5 pounds ground beef 
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• ½ cup seasoned Italian breadcrumbs
• 1 large egg 
• ¼ cup milk
• 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt

Marinara Sauce

• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 28 ounce can petite diced tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup red wine
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped basil

Other ingredients

• Sliced mozzarella or provolone cheese
• Baguette
• Garlic salt
• Olive oil 
• Italian shredded cheese

1. To make the meatballs, combine meat, garlic, breadcrumbs, eggs, salt, pepper, parsley, and milk in a mixing bowl. Mix together well with hands (careful not to over mix). Roll into 15, 3 inch balls and place on a cookie sheet and cover. Place cookie sheet into the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or even overnight. (letting the meatballs rests helps give them more flava).
2. While meatballs are setting, drizzle olive oil in a large pot and place over medium heat. Add onions and saute for a few minutes then add garlic and saute for an additional minute. Once onions are translucent, add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine. Bring sauce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring often to ensure the bottom does not burn. The sauce should not boil, just simmer.
3. To brown the meatballs, heat olive oil in a heavy pot or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs 6 to 8 at a time, turning to brown. Remove and drain on a paper towel after each batch.
4. Once all the meatballs are browned, gently add meatballs to sauce and simmer for about 20 minutes until cooked through, gently stirring often.
5. Assemble sandwiches - brush bread with olive and sprinkle with garlic salt.  Place two sliced of cheese on the bread, then 3-4 meatballs, then the sauce and a little shredded cheese and place under broiler for about 5 minutes or until cheese starts to lightly brown on the edges. Garnish with basil and parmesan cheese.

Crockpot Stroganoff Meatballs

MEATBALLS:

2 pounds ground beef

1 tablespoon minced garlic

¼ cup breadcrumbs

1 whole egg, beaten 

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon black pepper

1½ teaspoons salt 

SAUCE: 

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 tablespoons melted butter

2 Tsp. Better than boullion mixed into 2 cups hot water

3 cups thinly sliced button mushrooms

1 cup thinly sliced onion

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

For the meatballs: In a large bowl mix everything from ground beef to salt. Mix well so that all ingredients are combined evenly. Roll into meatballs, 1 inch in diameter

 Freeze meatballs on a baking sheet for 1 hour. 

In a 6-quart slow cooker, whisk flour and melted butter until it becomes a paste. Gradually whisk in beef broth. Mix in mushrooms, onions, garlic and Worcestershire sauce. 

Gently add meatballs. 

Cook on high for 4 hours, or on low for 6 hours.

Stir in sour cream and parsley.

Serve as is or over rice or pasta.