••••HAPPY PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE DAY••••

(Source: nationaldaycalender.com & i.e. zombie.com & Google+)

••••YUMMY!!

••••CORNBREAD••••

(Photo-Google+ thecookingdish.com & jiffy.com & heart4home.com)

••••JUST IN TIME!!!

••••GRANDMA'S MEAT AND DUMPLING CASSEROLE••••

(Source: love foodies.com & photos.com)

••••LOVE THIS!!!!

Grandma’s Meat and Dumpling Casserole

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes

Yield: 4

This recipe is one I remember with great fondness. My grandmother would make up a big pot, with a cheap cut of lamb (that is the national meat of Wales!) , pile in loads of carrots, swede, turnip, mushroom, and then top the casserole with these dumplings. They would start off their life as golf ball sized blobs floating on the top of the casserole, and then 2 hours later, they would have expanded nearly double in size. 

Ingredients

The casserole
• 1 lb or 500 g cheap cut lamb or beef cubed
• 1 onion chopped
• 3 cloves garlic chopped
• 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced into chunks
• swede/ rutabagas / turnip/ other root vegetables , Whole baby onions if you like them!
• handful of mushrooms (whole or cut smaller)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons flour
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 2 Tablespoons Tomato Puree
• 1 Tablespoon balsamic Vinegar
• 1 stock cube dissolved in 2 1/2 cups / 500 ml boiling water
• 1 teaspoon thyme / rosemary / tarragon - you choose your favourite.
• Salt & Pepper to season
• Fresh parsley for garnish.
The Dumplings
• 1 & 1/2 cups or 200 g Plain, All Purpose Flour 
• 1 & 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup, 3.5 oz, 100 g crisco /suet, grated or shredded.
• If using Crisco, Please freeze it until it is hard enough and then grate it using the large holes on your grater (so it's shredded).
• Pinch of salt
• 5 - 8 Tablespoons cold water.

Instructions

1. Set your oven to 170 C , Gas 3, 325 F 
2. In the same pan you will use for the oven, add the olive oil, chopped onion, mushrooms and fry until translucent.
3. Add the meat and fry until brown to seal the juices. Add the flour and combine it all. Add your other vegetables. They should all be bite sized pieces.
4. Add the remaining flavours (tomato puree, balsamic, herbs etc), and dissolve your stock cube in the stated amount of boiling water. Then add it to the pan. Leave to simmer on a very low heat whilst we make the dumplings.
5. Now we make those delicious dumplings!
6. In a bowl, sieve the flour, salt, pepper & baking powder. Add the suet or grated crisco. 
7. Using a flat bladed knife (if you use your hands you will melt the fat with your own heat!) mix everything together.
8. Adding 1 tablespoon of cold water at a time, continue using the flat bladed knife, to combine everything, cutting through the mixture, be patient, and add a little more, combine, add a little more, and after 6 or so tablespoons of water, the dough should come together. Do the final bit with your hand, the dough should not stick to the bowl or your hands, but be comfortable to touch. Shape into 8 - 10 golf ball sizes and place in the casserole dish, spread them around.
9. Place the lid on the dish and put in the oven for 2 hours and enjoy the smells whilst it's cooking!
10. For Slow Cooker - Place everything except the dumplings in the slow cooker and cook on Medium for 6 hours, then 45 minutes BEFORE serving, place your dumplings in the cooker on top of the casserole (let them float) 
11. When it's ready, serve on it's own or with some mashed potato or cous cous. Delicious! Please Enjoy a taste of my grandma's meat & dumpling casserole!

Notes

If using crisco for the dumplings, please remember to place your crisco in the freezer in plenty of time for it to freeze hard, so that you can grate it. For Slow Cooker - Place everything except the dumplings in the slow cooker and cook on Medium for 6 hours, then 45 minutes BEFORE serving, place your dumplings in the cooker on top of the casserole (let them float)

••••FRUIT AND NUT BAKED APPLES••••

(Source: Publications International, Slow Cooker Bible & photos)

••••GREAT FOR A COLD DAY!!!

••••FRUIT AND NUT BAKED APPLES ••••

•4 large baking apples, such as Rome Beauty or Jonathan

•1 tablespoon lemon juice

•1/3 cup chopped dried apricots

•1/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

•3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

•1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

•2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted 

1. Scoop out center of each apple, leaving 1-1/2-inch-wide cavity about 1/2 inch from bottom. Peel top of apple down about 1 inch. Brush peeled edges evenly with lemon juice.  Mix apricots, walnuts, brown sugar and cinnamon in small bowl. Add butter; mix well. Spoon mixture evenly into apple cavities.

2. Pour 1/2 cup water in bottom of slow cooker. Place 2 apples in bottom of cooker. Arrange remaining 2 apples above but not directly on top of bottom apples.

3. Cover; cook on LOW 3 to 4 hours or until apples are tender.  Serve warm or at room temperature with carmel ice cream topping, if desired.

•Makes 4 servings

••HELPFUL HINT••

•Acidic lemon juice is brushed onto the cut surfaces of apples and pears to prevent them from discoloring when they are exposed to air.

••••DOUBLE-HEARTY AND QUICK VEGGIE CHILI••••

(Source: Publicatiions International, Slow Cooker Bible & photos)

••••PERFECT FOR A COLD DAY!!

••••DOUBLE-HEARTY AND QUICK VEGGIE CHILI••••

•2 cans (about 15 ounces each) dark kidney beans, rinsed and drained

•1 package (16 ounces) frozen bell pepper stir-fry mixture, thawed, or 2 bell peppers, *chopped

•1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes with peppers, celery and onions

•1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed

•3 tablespoons chili powder

•2 teaspoons ground cumin, divided

•1 tablespoon olive oil

•1/2 teaspoon salt

•+Sour Cream

•+Chopped cilantro leaves

*If using fresh bell peppers, add 1 small onion, chopped.

1. Combine beans, bell peppers, tomatoes, corn, chili powder, sugar and 1-1/2 teaspoons cumin in slow cooker; mix well.

2. Cover; cook on LOW 6 hours or on HIGH 3 hours.

3. Stir in olive oil, salt and remaining 1/2 teaspoon cumin. Serve with sour cream and cilantro.

•Makes 4 to 6 servings 

NOTE: If using fresh bell peppers, add 1 small onion, chopped

••••NO-CHOP BLACK BEAN SOUP••••

(Source: Publications International-SlowCookerBible & photos also)

••••SO COLORFUL!!!

••••NO-CHOP BLACK BEAN SOUP••••

•3 cans (about 15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained

•1 package (12 ounces) frozen diced green bell peppers, thawed

•2 cups frozen chopped onion, thawed

•2 cans (about 14 ounces each) chicken broth

•1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes with pepper, celery and onion, I drained

•1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic

•1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, divided

•2 tablespoons olive oil

•3/4 teaspoon salt

•1. Combine beans, bell peppers, onions, broth, tomatoes with juice, garlic and 1 teaspoon cumin in slow cooker.

•2. Cover; cook on LOW 8-10 hours or on HIGH 4-5 hours.

•3. Stir in oil, salt and remaining 1/2 teaspoon cumin just before serving.

•Makes 8 servings

••••PERSIMMON AND POMEGRANATE CUPS••••

(Source: happyfoodstube.com & photos also)

••••DELICIOUS!!!

Persimmon & Pomegranate Cups Recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

2 Persimmons

200g Dried Dates

100g Hazelnuts

30-40ml Coconut Oil

2 Tablespoons Chia Seeds (optional)

½ of a Large Pomegranate

Makes: 6 portions

Time: Preparation 20 minutes + Freezer 15 minutes + 1 hour in the Fridge

METHOD:

Process the hazelnuts and dates (soak the dates first – best overnight. I don’t always soak them, it depends on how soft they are) and set aside.

Wash, peel, dice and puree 2 persimmons (taste them first – make sure you have sweet ones. Some of them can have bitter taste).

Add chia seeds (optional) and 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds into the persimmon puree. Mix well with a spoon.

In a bowl mix the dates, hazelnuts and coconut oil until well blended.

Line each hole in a muffin tray with tin foil. Spoon in the dates mix (divide equally into six portions) into the muffin holes. Using a small spoon (and your fingers if necessary), create a cup like shapes by pressing the mixture down and to the sides.

Once ready, freeze it for 15 minutes.  Afterwards, take it out and fill it with persimmon puree. Top with a few pomegranate seeds and place in a fridge for about an hour.