By Popular Demand: No-Peek Casserole

I love everything about this recipe.  Except the name.  It said "No-Peek" and I spent all afternoon forcing myself not to peek.  Other than that hard and fast rule, this recipe is super simple.  It's great for a busy day.  You don't even have to brown the meat.  Which happens to be stew meat, and because it cooks low and slow, it comes out very tender.  The best part is everything goes in one pot, which make the dishwasher girl (yours truly) very happy.  I served it over mashed potatoes, but I think it would be equally delicious over rice or egg noodles.  Enjoy, and try not to peek!

The No-Peek Casserole Party!

In an oven-safe casserole dish or Dutch oven,
combine stew meat and soup.

Add ginger ale. 
(I don't know why, just go with it, it's good!)

Add dry onion soup mix.

Add drained mushrooms.

Stir it all up.  Cover and cook for 2.5 hours. 
No Peeking!

In 2.5 hours you have a delicious dinner,
and one pot to clean up.
File this one under "Fix it and Fugget About It."

Serve over mashed potatoes,
rice or noodles.  Yum!

Happy Mother's Day

Mother's Day is finally here and I like to think that we should celebrate all week.  Just a small affair, like the Royal Wedding.  To reward me for putting up with my teenager.  Aside from the whole world pausing to shower me with cash and prizes, it's also time for me to honor the Moms in my life.  Not only do I have the greatest Mom on the planet I have TWO of them.  (They cloned her.)  Just kidding, she has a twin and that is the next best thing to a clone.  I know I've told all of you about my car accident in 2010.  And how I couldn't walk for months.  And then surgery on my foot this year.  And I'm still not walking.  Well all the time I've been sitting around with my foot propped up, the house didn't exactly clean itself.  And that laundry didn't jump into the washer and dryer.  My dear mother and aunt have come over almost every day for the last year to help me around the house.  And take care of me.  And provide a shoulder to cry on.  So they deserve a special day and sweet treat.  After dinner tonight, we're having a Hot Fudge Sundae Bar, complete with chocolate and vanilla ice cream, homemade raspberry, marshmallow and hot fudge sauces, whipped cream, chopped nuts, strawberries, bananas, and brownies.  An ooey-gooey-create-your-own-throw the diet out the window-Mother's Day delight.  My mother-in-law will be here too,  a couple of my other aunts and my best friend.  Because we're all moms.  And we like sundaes.  I promise I'll post the ice cream topping recipes soon.  I'm making my From Scratch Brownies to go along with the ice cream.  Just to take the edge off.

Here's the little Kleenex Caddy
I made for the Moms. 

It includes a little magnet/bookmark
and monogrammed tissues.
You can learn how to make your own HERE.

They are also getting a
Red Velvet Cupcake in a Jar.  Complete
with spoon for quick and easy eating. 
In case the sundaes aren't enough.
You can see the instructions for the cupcakes in a jar HERE.

Here they are.  I bought everything to
coordinate with the black and white pattern
on the tissue packs.  It just took off from there.
I even have the matching napkins
for the sundae bar!  You can't tell but
the tops of the cupcake jars are covered
in the same black and white printed paper. 
What's black and white and red all over?
A zebra with a sunburn. 
And my Mother's Day treats!

Red Velvet Cupcakes In A Jar

I've been dying to make these.  Cupcakes in a jar.  People are putting everything in a jar.  Cobbler in a jar.  Cheesecake in a jar.  It all sounds so much cuter and so much tastier if it's in a jar!  It does make a cute little gift, and it is definitely easier to transport cupcakes if they are in a jar.  Plus you don't have to be quite so neat with the icing.  Because it's IN A JAR.  So Mother's Day is here, and I finally had my excuse to try putting cupcakes in a jar.  You could probably try this with just about any recipe you like.  I wanted my cupcake jars to coordinate with the Kleenex Caddys I made for the ladies in my life.  So I went with Red Velvet.  Because I like everything to coordinate.  I'm like that.

Red Velvet Cupcakes with
Cream Cheese Frosting

Combine dry ingredients and set aside.

Cream butter and sugar together
until light and fluffy.

Add eggs, one at a time.

Add sour cream.

And milk.

And vanilla.

And that WHOLE bottle of red food coloring. 
WOW!

Gradually mix in the dry ingredients.

Now you have a pretty red batter.

Put batter in well-greased muffin pans
(without paper liners if you are
doing the cupcakes in a jar.  See note below.)

While the cupcakes are baking,
make the frosting.  Combine
the cream cheese and butter until creamy. 

Add in the sour cream and
vanilla until smooth.  Gradually add powdered sugar
until the frosting is as thick as you like. 
(It may not take the entire 32-ounce package of
powdered sugar.)

Now it's thick and creamy.

Put the frosting in a piping bag. 
(Mine is a big zip-top bag and
a star tip.  Very fancy.)

When the cupcakes are cooled, cut them in half. 
Place a half in the bottom of each jar. 
(This made 6 jars total for me, using 12 cupcakes.)

Pipe in a layer of frosting.

Keep on layering the cupcakes and frosting. 
I used 2 cupcakes per jar and the
entire recipe of frosting.  If you want 12 jars
OR your other 12 cupcakes to have frosting,
you'd better double the frosting recipe.
I have 12 naked cupcakes leftover.

Decorate the jar lid with paper or fabric,
and tie on a spoon for eating. 
For breakfast.

This recipe was featured on the Church Supper Link Up at:  Everyday Mom's Meals!

 Also featured at the Holiday Treats Week Link Up
at:  The Newlyweds Blog!

Red Velvet Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoon vanilla
1 small bottle red food coloringFrosting1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 (32 ounce package) powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.  Cream butter and sugar together until smooth and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time beating well after each.  Add in sour cream, milk, vanilla and red food coloring.  Mix until well combined.  Gradually add dry ingredients and mix until smooth.  Put into well greased muffin cups (no liners) and bake approximately 25 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.  Let cool in pan for 10 minutes.  Run knife around edge of pan to loosen, and place on cooling rack.  (The cupcakes may not want to release perfectly from the pans since you aren't using cupcake liners.  That's okay if they aren't perfect because they are getting cut up and put into jars.  If you want to use this recipe for regular cupcakes without putting them into jars, omit greasing the muffin pan and use paper liners instead.)

Meanwhile combine cream cheese and butter until smooth.  Add in sour cream and vanilla until creamy.  Add powdered sugar a little at a time until desired consistency.

Prep Time:  Approximately 20 minutes     Cook Time:  Approximately 25 minutes

When cupcakes are cool, cut them in half.  Place one cupcake half into the bottom of each jar.  Place cream cheese frosting into a piping bag and pipe a layer of frosting onto the cupcake.  Repeat with another layer of cupcake and frosting until you reach the top of the jar.  End with frosting and make it look pretty, for when the recipient takes the lid off.  Tie on a spoon and give it away!

NOTE:  I used bigger jars, putting about two cupcakes in each jar.  The red velvet recipe makes 24 cupcakes.  I did use all of the frosting, and my yield was 6 jars. 

This should be enough frosting for 24 cupcakes if you were just making regular cupcakes.  It may be necessary to double the frosting recipe, because I now have 12 naked cupcakes with no frosting on them.  I don't mind, because I got my 6 big cupcakes in a jar for Mother's Day gifts so I'm happy.  I don't mind eating the other 12 without frosting.

Mother's Day Craft: Kleenex Caddy

Maybe it's the graphic arts background in me.  Maybe it's because I had a Mother that gushed over macaroni ornaments like I was Picasso.  I always feel like I need to craft up some kind of fun for my Mom and the other lovely ladies in my life.  I usually wind up making gifts for my Mom, her twin (Mom II), my Mom-in-Law, and a couple of my aunts.  With that in mind, I can't paint 5 Sistine Chapels for Mother's Day, it has to be something quick and easy.  But still cute.  Because I still want my Mom to gush.  A while back, a friend of mine brought me the cutest little "tissue holder" that had a little magnet slipped inside.  Or it could be a bookmark.  Or both.  I have no idea where she got it, or who came up with the original idea, so I can't give credit where it is originally do.  But trust me, it's cute.  A great little Teacher's gift, pick me up, get well treat, you get it.  Everyone needs a tissue once in awhile.

Here's the finished product.  Pretty cute don'tcha think?

Here's all the stuff you need:  cardstock, scrapbooking adhesive, ribbon, scissors, sticky backed magnets, and of course a little pack of tissues.

I started by making the bookmark/magnet.  The finished piece
should measure approximately 5 1/2 -inches long by 1 3/4-inches wide.
Of course I had to make things more difficult by using more than
one layer of cardstock.  All because I wanted that fancy paper
that matched the tissues  You'll have to excuse my crummy
pictures.  I was working in my bedroom on my lapboard because
I needed to catch up on some back episodes of Ghost Adventures.
The lighting isn't so great in there, but hey, that's where the DVR is.

You can decorate the magnet however you want, with stickers
and what not.  Once the front is finished, add a strip of
magnet on the back.  Now Mom can hang a pretty picture of
you on her fridge.  Or use it as a bookmark when my cookbook comes out.

Next you need to measure out the pieces that form the caddy.
I'm calling them the "horizontal piece" and the "vertical piece." 
Keep in mind the sizes of the little packs of tissue vary, so these measurements are only a guide.  You may need to add or take away a little.  (Don't shoot the messenger, I made this whole pattern up!) 
The horizontal piece should measure approximately 1 3/4-inches wide and  8 1/8-inches long.  (This forms the band around the tissue packet.)
The vertical piece should measure approximately 1 3/4-inches wide and  9 1/2-inches long.  (This forms the long piece that creates the caddy the tissue pack sits in.)
Again, I had to be fancy and use that black and white paper instead of cardstock.  You could avoid  a small nightmare by simple choosing cardstock instead of trying to mat paper with cardstock. Oh well, I've never chosen the easy road anywhere.

Now that those pieces are measured out, you want to "score" them.  I used to have a fancy little scoring tool on my paper cutter, but who knows where that ran off to.  I just used a straight edge and a popsicle stick.  Because I like very high-tech tools.  On the longer piece, make your score lines (from the top) at the 4 3/4-inch and 5 3/4-inch point. On the shorter piece make your score lines at 1 7/8-inch, 4-inch, 5-inch and 7-inch Bend these a little back and forth.  You just want a nice crease so it creates a
little box that looks nice and neat.

Like this.  Use a little bit of your scrapook adhesive to adhere the short piece together to create the band that wraps around the tissue.

Next wrap the long piece around the short piece and adhere
that together.  (Before you do this, you might want to stick your
package of tissue in there and make sure everything is going to fit
before it's all stuck together and you can't do anything about it.

Here it is from the side.  See how you created a little pocket?

Now tie a cute ribbon around the whole thing and make it fancy.

Here it is all together...The magnet/bookmark, the tissue pack and
the little cardstock caddy to hold everything.

I ended up making 7 of these.  I only needed 6 but I was having
so much fun I lost count.  And I was distracted by the cute guy on
Ghost Adventures.

My Mom's Corkscrew Pasta Salad

There are hundreds of pasta salad recipes out there.  I've tried dozens of them myself.  But I always find myself returning to this version.  It's tried and true and everyone loves it.  I may be partial to it because it's my Mom's recipe and the only pasta salad I ever had growing up.  Sentimental or not, it is a darned good salad.  It's both tangy and sweet.  And Mom approved! It's Little Devil's favorite, although she just eats the noodles and leaves the veggies on the plate.  As an update to this original post, we recently visited the Devilish Nephew and family in Colorado.  He smoked a brisket, ribs and chicken for a huge football watch party.  His only request was  I make the sides.  I happily obliged with my Mac & Cheese, Baked Beans, Pumpkin Spice Rice Krispie Bars, and OF course this family favorite!

A tried and true family favorite.

The Corkscrew Pasta Salad Line-Up...
I forgot to invite 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour

Place vinegar in a liquid measuring cup.

Add enough water to make 3/4 cup of liquid.

Place in a sauce pan and add sugar and flour.

Whisk well to get rid of any flour lumps.

Continue stirring and allow mixture
to reach a full boil.  Boil until it becomes
thick and almost clear.

Place cooked pasta in a large bowl.

Coat with oil

Season well with garlic salt, salt and pepper.

Add chopped vegetables. 
I almost always put cucumber,
green pepper and onion. 
Sometimes I add red pepper,
pimiento peppers and/or green onions
for color and variation!

Pour vinegar mixture over pasta. 
Stir well.  Cover and refrigerate.

This is my go to pasta salad recipe. 
It's perfect for picnics, barbecues and potlucks!

Colorful and tasty.  A family favorite.

Mom's Corkscrew Pasta Salad

8 ounces corkscrew pasta, cooked and drained
2 tablespoons canola oil
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons vinegar
1 green pepper, chopped
1 cucumber, chopped
1 medium sized onion, chopped
garlic salt to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Combine vinegar with enough water to make 3/4 cup liquid.  Place in a sauce pan on stove and add sugar and flour.  Whisk well to combine.  Cook on high until mixture reaches a full boil.  Continue stirring until mixture becomes thick and almost clear.  Set aside to cool.  In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta.  Add oil, garlic salt, salt and pepper.  Toss to coat.  Add chopped vegetables and combine.  Pour vinegar mixture over pasta and mix well.  Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours so pasta absorbs some of the sauce.  Can be made ahead. 

Prep Time:  Approximately 20 minutes     Cook Time:  Approximately 10 minutes

NOTE: This recipe was originally published on 5/6/11 and updated on 10/12/25