Creamy Au Gratin Potatoes

I love potatoes so maybe I'll allocate a week just for potatoes, yum yum, this was so good. I really don't like onions that much but this recipe made me change my mind. This recipe is so good and it doesn't use canned cheese as I've seen in most recipes online.

Ingredients

4 russet potatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch slices
1 onion, sliced into rings
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese


Directions
+ Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Butter a 1 quart casserole dish.
+ Layer 1/2 of the potatoes into bottom of the prepared casserole dish. Top with the onion slices, and add the remaining potatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
+ In a medium-size saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Mix in the flour and salt, and stir constantly with a whisk for one minute. Stir in milk. Cook until mixture has thickened. Stir in cheese all at once, and continue stirring until melted, about 30 to 60 seconds. Pour cheese over the potatoes, and cover the dish with aluminum foil.
+ Bake 1 1/2 hours in the preheated oven.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/creamy-au-gratin-potatoes/detail.aspx

Stuffed Peppers

They recommend to use green peppers for this recipe but I noticed that the yellow and red peppers are bigger and they look more fresh than the green. They used uncooked rice but I use cooked rice since it makes my life easier and it beats standing and watching the pot the whole time.

Ingredients
6 green/red/yellow bell peppers
salt to taste
1 pound ground beef
1/2 onion
salt and pepper to taste
1 (14.5 ounce) can chopped tomatoes
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup cooked rice
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (16oz) can of tomato sauce


Directions
+ Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cut the tops off the peppers, and remove the seeds. Cook peppers in boiling water for 5 minutes; drain. Sprinkle shredded Cheddar cheese on bottom of peppers, and set aside.
+ In a large skillet, saute beef and onions for 5 minutes, or until beef is browned. Drain off excess fat, and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the tomatoes, rice and Worcestershire sauce. Cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, or until everything is incorporated and heated up. Remove from heat, and stir in the cheese.
+ Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. (175 degrees C). Stuff each pepper with the beef and rice mixture, and place peppers open side up in a baking dish. Sprinkle cheddar cheese and pour tomato sauce over the peppers.
+ Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until heated through and cheese is melted and bubbly.


http://allrecipes.com/recipe/stuffed-green-peppers-i/detail.aspx

Chocolate Crinkles

My Favorite Chocolate Crinkles Recipe

-I cannot get all the credit when I bake these chocolate crinkles because honestly I just found them in my favorite recipe portal allrecipes.com

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mix together cocoa, white sugar, and vegetable oil. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; stir into the cocoa mixture. Cover dough, and chill for at least 4 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Roll dough into one inch balls. I like to use a number 50 size scoop. Coat each ball in confectioners' sugar before placing onto prepared cookie sheets.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Let stand on the cookie sheet for a minute before transferring to wire racks to cool.

 

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/chocolate-crinkles-ii/detail.aspx

Baking and cooking is my outlet when I want to de-stress my life. Recipes posted here are the recipes I found online which have been tried, tested and  stuck. I keep this blog to remember them.