Tag: fall recipes

Recipes and Cooking

Souped Up Apple Junk Recipe

Brandi C

Souped Up Apple Junk Recipe

Souped Up Apple Junk Recipe

Souped Up Apple Junk Recipe was so easy to make and a simple crowd pleaser. This is a recipe that I have been making for years. It really hits the spot in the fall but one of my son-in-laws absolutely loves apple anything, so I try to make something for him when he comes for dinner. This is simple with easy ingredients. Typically, I make this in a dutch oven, but I don’t have one of those anymore so I used a 13×9 dish and it worked out just fine.

Ingredients

2 cans of apple pie filling

Cinnamon and sugar

1 box of yellow cake mix

1 stick of butter

Brown Sugar

Caramel Sauce

Directions

In a greased 13×9 dish, put in your 2 cans of apple pie filling.  On top of that, sprinkle a layer of brown sugar and then the cinnamon/sugar mixture. Next, squeeze on a layer of caramel sauce. After that, pour on the yellow cake mix (just the mix, do not make the batter). Lastly, cut your stick of butter into pats and place it all over the cake.

Bake, covered, at 350 for about 30 minutes. Then, I took the aluminum off and baked it for an addition 5 minutes.

Serve hot and for weirdos out there, you can add ice cream (enter gagging sounds because that concept is NOT my jam).

Related Posts

The Importance of Little Acts of Kindness

Recipes and Cooking

Healthy Beef Stew Crockpot

Brandi C

Healthy Beef Stew Crockpot

Healthy Beef Stew Crockpot

**This Healthy Beef Stew Crockpot is terrific.  I wish you could smell my house.  It smells WONDERFUL**  I have used round steak, chopped up, leftover roast, or stew meat in this recipe.  They all taste great.  It smells like home.  Make some homemade biscuits and gracious.  This is a meal!

It reminds me of being at my Aunt Bettye’s house when I was younger.  I loved the smells that came out of her kitchen.  That and the chaos of all us cousins playing.  The grown-ups doing grown-up things!  LOL.

Now, I’m the grown-up.  That’s a scary thought.

Ingredients

1 lb stew meat

1/3 c. all-purpose flour + 2 T.

Seasoning

6 cloves garlic, finely chopped

bay leaves, 2

2 tsp. paprika

Worcestershire, 2 tsp.

2 onions, chopped

4 potatoes, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

4 beef bouillon

4 c. water

1 lb. squash, chopped

Directions

Put beef in crockpot.  Mix the flour and seasoning in a separate bowl.  You can find my seasoning recipe on my blog.  Once that is done, pour that over the beef.  Stir to coat meat.

Place the rest of the ingredients and cook on low for 10-12 hours or high for 4-6 hours.

This Healthy Beef Stew Crockpot recipe is a comfort food classic that’s perfect for busy days when you need a hearty meal to come home to. The beauty of using a crockpot is that the flavors meld together beautifully throughout the day, making for a dish that tastes even better as it sits. The beef becomes tender and the vegetables soak up all the delicious seasoning, creating a rich and savory broth. It’s one of those meals that fills your home with warmth, making it the ideal dish for cold nights or when you’re craving something comforting. Pair it with homemade biscuits or crusty bread, and you’ve got yourself a meal that the whole family will love.

Related Posts

Take a Deep Breath and Try All Over Again

 

 

Recipes and Cooking

Bacon and Fire Roasted Tomato Soup

Brandi C

 

Bacon and Fire Roasted Tomato Soup

Bacon and Fire Roasted Tomato Soup

This soup is slap-your-mama good—seriously comforting, smoky, and full of flavor. Perfect for chilly evenings or when you just need a big bowl of cozy. Here is my Bacon and Fire Roasted Tomato Soup recipe.

Ingredients:

  • 6 strips thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 1 cup chopped onion

  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

  • 1 (28-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained (about 3 cups)

  • 1½ cups low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)

  • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

  • Seasoning to taste (salt, pepper, smoked paprika, etc.)

  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream (or more to taste)

Directions:

  1. Cook the Bacon:
    In a heavy soup pot, cook the bacon until crispy. Transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease.

  2. Sauté the Veggies:
    Add olive oil to the pot. Over medium heat, sauté the chopped onion until soft and translucent (about 3–4 minutes). Stir in the garlic and cook just until fragrant—about 30 seconds.

  3. Simmer the Soup:
    Pour in the fire-roasted diced tomatoes (puree first if you prefer a smoother texture), broth, and fresh thyme. Stir everything together and bring to a gentle simmer. Add your favorite seasonings and let it simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  4. Finish with Bacon & Cream:
    Stir in the crumbled bacon and heavy cream. Let it heat through, then taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Notes:

  • Swap heavy cream with milk or whipping cream if preferred.

  • You can use real bacon bits instead of fresh bacon for a shortcut.

  • Want to sneak in extra nutrients? Add a handful (or two) of chopped spinach or kale during the last few minutes of simmering.

This soup is amazing on its own or paired with a grilled cheese for the ultimate comfort meal.

Related Posts

The Power of Small Breaks