Beyond Easy Cheesteak Sub

Super yummy and quick lunch or dinner. -Rachel

Inspired from Mel's Kitchen Cafe
*Makes 3-4 sandwiches

2 tablespoons butter
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
2-3 tablespoons A-1 steak sauce
1 pound deli roast beef, cut into 2-inch strips (if you can, get Boars Head Roast beef at your local supermarket deli....so worth the extra $)
Salt and pepper
4 (6-inch) sub rolls, split partially open lengthwise
Swiss or provolone cheese

Preheat the broiler in your oven and adjust a rack to the upper-middle position. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt the butter, Add the onion and garlic powder,oregano and the A-1 sauce. Add the beef stirring well to coat the beef with the sauce. Cook until the meat is heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Place the sliced rolls on a rimmed baking sheet. Divide the beef mixture among the rolls. Top with the cheese and broil until the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes (don’t even take your hand off the oven door handle – stand right there so they don’t burn!). Serve immediately.

Grandma Walker's Tutti-Frutti Ice Cream

This is one of the best, egg-less ice creams known to man!
2 1/2 cups of sugar
pinch of salt
3 mashed bananas
juice of 3 lemons
1 small can of crushed pineapple
1 large can of evaporated milk
1 cup of whipping cream
1 quart of milk
1 small bottle of red maraschino cherries, drained and sliced
Combine all ingredients and freeze according to directions that come with your ice cream maker. Enjoy!

Cafe Rio Pork

5 pounds of pork roast
2 cups of sweet salsa, pureed (mango salsa works best)
1 cup of mild or medium traditional salsa
1 can of pepsi
2 cups of brown sugar
Slice the raw meat so that it's about 1 inch thick. Boil it on the stove for 2-plus hours. Remove the roast from the pot and shred it. Add the meat and all the other ingredients into a crock pot for 4-plus hours. The longer it cooks the more tender it will be. Serve in a salad or throw it into a cheese quesadilla! Delicious!

Dill Dip

This dip is perfect for a nice little snack on a warm summer's evening. Enjoy!
1 Cup of Sour Cream
1 Cup of Mayo
1 Tablespoon of dill weed
1 Tablespoon of Bon Appetit*
Mix ingredients together and refrigerate. This makes 2 cups of vegetable dip.
*Bon Appetit is a part of the McCormik gourmet collection. You can buy this at Macey's. Not Walmart

Mexican Lasagna

I found this recipe on another food blog and it looked like something that I would love to make. Why? Because it's a mexican dish (enough said) and it looks deliciously cheesy and the directions are simple! Recipe and pic from weelicious.com. -Christine 
Mexican Lasagna (Serves 6-8)
Cooking Oil Spray
6 Corn Tortillas, cut into quarters
1 Large Egg
1/4 Cup Milk
1/4 Cup Sour Cream
1 Cup Mild Chunky Salsa
1 lb Chicken Breast, cooked and shredded
4 oz Cream Cheese, half inch cubed
2 Tbsp Fresh Cilantro, chopped
3 Scallions, chopped
1 Tsp Kosher Salt
2 Cups Mexican Cheese Blend (or a blend of Monterey Jack and Mild Cheddar), divided



1. Preheat oven to 350 F°.

2. Place the quartered tortillas on an oil sprayed baking sheet, then spray the tops with additional oil.

3. Bake for 5 minutes, remove and set aside.

4. In a large bowl, whisk one egg. Add the milk, sour cream, salsa, shredded chicken, cubed cream cheese, cilantro, scallions and salt. Stir to combine.

5. Arrange half of the par-baked tortillas on the bottom of an oil sprayed 7×11 baking dish. Layer half the chicken mixture on top of the tortillas, then layer 1 cup of the cheese blend on top.

6. Continue to layer the rest of the tortillas on top, followed by the remaining chicken mixture and cheese.

7. Bake uncovered for 35 minutes.

8. Serve.

Strawberries and {butter}cream cupcakes

This is the season for strawberries. We get a bowl full of strawberries almost daily so we need different ways to use them. You can always dip them in chocolate...make jam...make homemade nutrigrain bars...make white cake with strawberry frosting...or you can try this cupcake recipe! I have fantastic pictures but my computer won't let me upload them. I will try again soon.~BJ





Strawberries and {butter}cream cupcakes
recipe by BestBites

2 3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup cake flour
1 Tbs. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 sticks butter
2 1/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 egg white
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 lb. strawberries, pureed
A few drops of red food coloring.

Preheat oven to 350. Line METAL muffin pan with papers. Cream butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs and eggs white one at a time.

Reduce speed to low. Combine buttermilk and vanilla. Set aside. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture a little at a time, alternating with the milk mixture. End with dry ingredients. Add food coloring. If you don't the cake will look gray. Fill each muffin cup 3/4 full. Bake for 22 minute.

Allow to cool in muffin tin. Frost with buttercream frosting.

Chocolate Mousse Cake

I love chocolate mousse. Ever since I was a kid I looked forward to eating out at fancy restaurants so I could order chocolate mousse for dessert. Then I was introduced to chocolate mousse cake. I found heaven! Since then I have always wanted to be able to make my own chocolate mousse cake...and now I can. I created my own version of what a chocolate mousse cake should be.~BJ


Chocolate Mousse Cake
recipe by BarbaraJo

1 Devil's Food Cake Mix

1 tsp. unflavored gelatin

1 Tbsp. cold water

2 Tbsp. boiling water (just heat it in a small bowl in your microwave)

1/2 c. sugar

1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 c. whipping cream

1 tsp. vanilla

For the frosting:
* 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
* ½ cup oil
* 2 tablespoons honey
* 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
* pinch salt
* 1 cup powdered sugar
* 1-2 TB water

Bake cake according to cake mix instructions in 2, 8″ round pans. Allow to cool and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine gelatin and cold water and allow to stand for about 1 minute. While gelatin is softening, bring 2 Tbsp. water to a boil in the microwave. Whisk into the softened gelatin and allow to cool slightly.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine sugar, cocoa powder, whipping cream, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer until medium-stiff peaks form. Mix in gelatin mixture and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Place one layer of the cake on the serving plate and spread about 1/2 of the chocolate mousse over the cake. Stack second layer and top with frosting, letting it drip down the sides. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Frosting:
Melting all the ingredients on the stove in a sauce pan on low until melted. Stir in vanilla once off the heat. Spoon over cake while frosting is still warm. The longer you let it sit the thicker it becomes.