Easy Slow Cookier Lil' Smokies

Summertime, summertime, sum-sum-summertime!  All the summer things happening!  Outdoor concerts, BBQ's, gatherings, swimming, and the list goes on.  I momentarily thought I was 10 again and ALMOST hit up a slip and slide.  One of my childhood favorite activities.  We didn't have the money to buy the REAL deal, but we had even better....  Let me set the scene.  My dad would buy a roll of plastic at the local lumberyard each fall to cover the very OLD windows on our 7-bedroom house with an amazing 6 ft. clawfoot bathtub, a kitchen for 12 that was about 6X7 and the best wrap around porch this side of the Mississippi!  He would take what was left, and sometimes add more, and lay it out in our long backyard.  He would run the sprinkler, the kind that fans out, and we would slip, and slide half a city block I swear.  We had the MEGA TONKA version of the Slip N' Slide, and it was awesome!  We always found ways to have fun.  We swam from sunup until sundown, had to be home when the streetlights went off and our bikes in the yard.  Those were the good old days, weren't they?  Neighbors on a walk, stopping by for iced tea on the porch, poured straight out of a Tupperware pitcher, you know the ones. God has certainly blessed me in my life, so I shall be grateful for NOW as well.  

Anyway, this morning as I am typing this up, it will be over 100 today and what better time to get some good use out of that slow cooker it took me years to make friends with?!  Perfect to cook things low and slow, AND to avoid heating up the house with the oven on, right?  This recipe is so easy and probably 98% of you know it, make it, or have at least eaten it once.  But you know what?  There are very beginner or kid home chefs out there (and other countries) who might need something easy to start with or even someone who has perhaps forgotten how good these are!  I have a little mid-size slow cooker because I am not about to dirty my regular size one for such a small amount of food.  I mean big batch, sure, this size no way!

Here we go, Lil' smokies, every football party across America serves them!  WITH a toothpick! THREE ingredients!

• 1 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce (I only like Cookies which is probably, maybe a Nebraska thing only)
• 1 cup grape jelly
• 2-14oz pkgs Lil' Smokies of your choice

I like to mix the sauce separate.  Put the little smokies in your slow cooker (or simmer for an hour on low in a regular pot or in the oven at 300).  Mix up your jelly and BBQ sauce well and pour it over the top.  Mix to combine or let it slowly warm and drip down after heating and don't stir at all!  After 1 hour in the slow cooker, stir well.  Let go another hour or 2 before serving.  Make sure to put out toothpicks next to the paper plates for serving!

NOTE: I don't like my Lil' Smokies to saucy, but feel free to add more jelly and BBQ sauce to yours!  They WILL give off some juice of their own so if it feels like not enough sauce, it is!

Spaghetti Salad

It is a BEAUTIFUL day here in the Midwest!  Bad storms last night led to perfect weather today, I hope you are all having your own "perfect" weather.  It sure does lift your spirits, doesn't it?

I am so ready for some picnics, BBQ's and the like.  This is a salad I actually adapted from one I got from my friend Lisa.  She gave me a list of ingredients that is traditional in her part of the country, and I redid it in a way that my husband and I would enjoy it.  Oh boy, is this a good one.  No worries about mayo-based salads getting to warm, etc.  Besides, do we need more mayo-based salads?  No.  Not for me anyway! I will also link the YouTube video that goes with this at the bottom.  Make sure to SUBSCRIBE there if you aren't already!  Also, click the notification bell and select ALL to be notified each time I upload a video!

Ready, spaghetti?!? 

• 1 lb. spaghetti (broken in half if you choose and cooked)
• 4 Roma tomatoes
• 1-2 cucumbers (mostly peeled)
• 2 tsp homemade pizza seasoning (or Italian Seasoning) there will be a difference
• 1 tsp dried basil (4 or 5 leaves of fresh)
• 1/2 tsp dried parsley
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup creamy Italian dressing (I prefer Aldi version of Olive Garden Original)

Cook your pasta and run cold water over it.  Make sure you salt your water as well.  Drain well and then add in cut up tomato and cucumber.  If you do not use my homemade pizza seasoning, you CAN use Italian seasoning but there will be a difference in flavor.  Not bad, just different.  My pizza seasoning had extra flavors not in a regular Italian seasoning.  Add in basil, I use my home dried basil, as my basil plant outside isn't worthy yet! 😁 Add in salt and pepper to taste and 1 cup of dressing.  NOTE: you will likely need a bit more dressing when it is time to serve as it sits, the spaghetti will soak up the dressing and you don't want it dry, as much as you don't want it swimming in dressing.  Refrigerate for at least 2-4 hours before serving.  

PS. If you want to serve this withsome small balls of fresh mozzarella, I won't tell if you won't tell.

Caramel Apple Turnovers

 Good Day Friends!

WHOA!  Long time, eh?  I can't believe it is summer and the heat has already set in big time!  Summer fun has begun and we are already complaining about the humidity!  Dang midwesterners!

By they way, below you will find a link to the YouTube video that goes with this recipe.  Please consider subscribing and clicking the bell icon so you are notified each time I upload!  Thanks SO  much!

Of all things that I could make for you, I picked something not very "summery".  These may remind you more of fall but in our house, they are served with ice cream and I just can't do ice cream except for summer.  Is that weird?  I mean, I think it might be, but it is seriously the truth.  To be completely honest, ice cream isn't really my "thing".  I like it, but could definitely live without it too!

Here is what you will need for this recipe.  It will make 4 "turnovers that aren't turned over at all!

• 1 roll big flaky crescent rolls (refrigerated)
• 2 apples
• 2-3 caramels per turnover
• Cinnamon

Preheat oven to temperature recommended on the roll of crescents.  You will also use the recommended time to back these.

Chop apples into small pieces like I did.  If you prefer just slices of apple you can do that as well, it may make sealing them easier for you.  When you are done roll out 4 of your crescent rolls and run a rolling pin over them a couple of times for maximum surface!!!  Add your apples, sprinkle cinnamon, and if you aren't using a sweet apple, sprinkle in a little brown sugar as well.  Nestle in 2 or 3 caramels, take another crescent roll and lay it on top and seal the edges with a fork.  Place onto a parchment lines cookie sheet or sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.  Just before popping them in the oven, spray with nonstick cooking spray on top, or brush with an egg wash (egg whisked with water) or melted butter.  

Place into oven for 15 minutes and smeeeellllllll-ellllll-ellllll what you been cookin'!!!  If you know, you know.........

I hope you give this a try and that you love it as much as we do!  Don't limit what you eat according to seasons, make what you like, when you like!  Need to go check my simmering bone broth.  It is only like 95 degrees, what is the big deal?

Your Chefwannabe,