Fauxito Mojito

Serves: 3
A refreshing lime and mint spritzer drink perfect for a hot summer day. Easily made “adult” with the addition of 1 shot of rum per serving.
 
Ingredients:
3 leaves of mint plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon agave syrup OR honey OR white sugar 
 juice of 1/2 lime
12 oz. seltzer (plain or lime flavored)
lime slices
crushed ice
 
Instructions:
Combine mint leaves, agave and lime juice in a blender and puree.
Add ice to a pitcher and pour in puree from blender.
Top with seltzer and stir to mix together.
Add lime slices to pitcher and garnish with mint leaves.
 
Notes:
Add white rum for a refreshing adult beverage.

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Paper Bag Apple Pie

Jocelyn V.
Crust:
1/2 C veg oil
2 T milk
1 t salt
1 1/2 t sugar
1 1/2 C flour

Mix together & press into 9 in pie plate.

Filling:
4-6 C apples
2 T flour
1/2 C sugar
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg

Peel, core, & slice apples, mix remain ingredients. Stir into apples to coat, pour into crust.

Topping:

1/2 C butter

1/2 C flour

1/2 C sugar

Mix & sprinkle or dot over top of apples.

Place in paper bag, seal, & bake in preheated 350° oven for 1 1/2 hrs. Make sure bag doesn't touch sides of oven. Enjoy!

Crock Pot French Dip

Jennifer S.

3-5 pound beef roast (as you can see mine is still frozen)
1 envelope Au Jus PLUS the 3 cups of water called for on the package
1 envelope dried onion soup/dip mix
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning (gives it that Prime Rib flavor)

Put water and Au Jus packet into crock pot set on Low. Whisk together. Place roast on top of liquid. Drizzle roast with Worcestershire sauce, then sprinkle soup/dip mix and poultry seasoning over roast. Cover and let cook for 6-8 hours. Until meat shreds easily.

Serve on crusty rolls or make some of these . I just portioned them into 16 "mini loaves" and did the egg wash on them the last 5 min of bake time.

Shred the meat, place on crusty rolls. Serve with a side of Au Jus from crock pot and some oven baked fries. Enjoy!!

Bacon Burger Hobo Packets

Jennifer S.

Ingredients for one packet:
1 potato, peeled and thinly sliced
1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 4-oz FROZEN hamburger patty (this helps to maintain moisture while cooking. If using fresh, add 2-3 small ice cubes to the packet before sealing.
2 slices of cheese (your choice here, I used American)
1 TBS real bacon bits
salt and pepper to taste or burger/steak seasoning of your choice
2 TBS butter, cut up into small pieces PLUS more for foil
large square of heavy duty foil

Assemble packet:
Take large sheet of foil and fold in half, butter one side.
Layer half of each of the potato, carrot and onion near the center of the foil.
Dot with half of butter pieces.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Sprinkle on half of bacon.
Place slice of cheese, burger patty and second slice of cheese in center of veggies.
Layer (as best you can) the remaining veggies and butter pieces.
Add more salt and pepper as needed. Toss in ice cubes if using fresh meat.
Wrap and seal the foil really well.
If making more than one packet use a permanent marker to write name on pouches.

To cook you have several options, choose what works best for you.
Traditionally these are done in a camp fire. Place foil pouch in the ash or hot ember (outer ring) area of a camp fire for 20-30 minutes or until veggies are tender and meat is cooked through. Turn once during cooking, careful not to pierce the foil!

One the grill you can place the foil pouches on the rack set 2-3 inches from charcoal that is grey but still hot. Or on a medium high gas grill. Cover and cook for about 15-20 minutes per side, or until veggies are tender and meat is cooked through.

In the oven set oven to 400 degrees. Place foil pouch on a baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes or until veggies are tender and meat is cooked through.

Open pouch and enjoy eating from pouch (a heavy duty paper plate under for support and protection is recommended).

Serve with ketchup, mustard and relish. Enjoy!

Mom's Meatloaf

OK let me be totally honest here....I HATE meatloaf. Or at least I thought that I did. I know I was shocked too to find out that I like it. Especially when I make it, I know what is in it, and I approve of the flavor.

This recipe came about after a decade long ban on meatloaf in my home (I refused to eat or make it) Until now! Hold onto your socks!

I also want you to know that this makes kickin' sandwiches the next day, eat it cold on bread with a slather of mayo. You will be glad that you did!!

1 lb lean ground beef
1 lb ground venison (double the beef if this bothers you, or you don't have access to venison)
1 envelope dry onion soup mix/dip
1 sleeve saltine crackers, crushed to crumbs
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 TBS prepared mustard
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 eggs
3 green onions, thinly sliced
salt and pepper to taste
enough uncooked bacon slices to cover top of meatloaf (see picture)
extra BBQ sauce

In a mixing bowl combine all ingredients except the bacon and extra BBQ sauce with your hands! I wore rubber gloves, you can too ;)
Place meat mixture into a sprayed 9x9 square pan. Lay bacon on top of meat (any way you want) I chose to make a lattice pattern,
Bake at 350 for 60 minutes. Add about 1/2 cup of the BBQ sauce to top of bacon slices, and spread out. Back into the oven for another 15 minutes.
Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing to eat. Save some for sandwiches the next day :)

Don't for get to serve as your side dish The Pioneer Woman - Ree Drummond's Mac N Cheese

Now check out the finished meatloaf! Go make some today....lift the ban!!