Slow Cooker Cuban Braised Beef and Peppers

This is a great "put it in the crockpot and leave it" meal. Very tasty! I omit the avacado and cilantro and its just as good.

Ingredients

• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
• 2 red bell peppers, sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 1 onion, cut into 8 wedges
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds flank steak, cut crosswise into thirds
• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

1. In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the tomatoes, bell peppers, onion, oregano, cumin, 1½ teaspoons salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Nestle the steak among the vegetables. Cook, covered, until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily, on high for 4 to 5 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours.
2. Twenty-five minutes before serving, cook the rice according to the package directions.
3. Using two forks, shred the beef and mix it into the cooking liquid. Serve with the rice and top with the avocado and cilantro.

Fish Tostadads with Chili Lime Cream

Ingredients

1 lb. fresh tilapia or cod fillets
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 lime, halved
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
8 6-inch tostada shells
2 cups shredded cabbage mix
1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled, and sliced (optional)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered (optional)
Bottled hot pepper sauce (optional)

Directions

Preheat broiler. Sprinkle fish with 1/4 teaspoon of the chili powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
For chili-lime cream, in bowl squeeze 2 teaspoons juice from half the lime. Stir in sour cream, garlic powder, and remaining chili powder; set aside. Cut remaining lime half in wedges for serving.
Place fish on unheated greased broiler rack; tuck under thin edges. Place shells on baking sheet on lowest rack. Broil fish 4 inches from heat 4 to 6 minutes per 1/2-inch thickness, until fish flakes with fork. Break in chunks.
Serve tostadas with cabbage, chili-lime cream, avocado, tomatoes, lime, and pepper sauce.
Serves 4.

Peppermint Thins

1 pkg. (8 squares) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted, slightly cooled

1/4 tsp. peppermint extract

1 sleeve RITZ Crackers (36 crackers)

1 candy cane (6 inch), crushed

MIX chocolate and extract.

DIP crackers in chocolate, turning to completely coat each cracker. Carefully scrape off excess chocolate. Place crackers in single layer on waxed paper-covered baking sheets; sprinkle with crushed candy.

REFRIGERATE 30 min. or until chocolate is firm.

Cracker Candy

This recipe speaks to my sweet and salty tooth!

Line a cookie sheet with foil. Place Saltine crackers side by side to cover entire sheet.

On stove:
1 stick butter
1 stick margarine
1 C dark brown sugar

Bring to a boil and simmer 3 min. Pour over crackers. Bake 400 degrees for 5 min.
Pour 12 oz chocolate chips over hot crackers and spread as it melts. Let cool.
30 minutes in the freezer or 1/2 day in the refrigerator.

Oreo Truffles

This is a great Kraft Foods recipe that is easy and decadent! Lindsay turned me on to these and they make great gifts in little Chinese take-out boxes.

1 pkg. (8 oz.) Cream cheese, softened

2 pkg. (8 squares each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted

MIX 3 cups of the cookie crumbs and the cream cheese until well blended. Shape into (1-inch) balls.

DIP balls in melted chocolate; place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet. You can sprinkle tops with reserved Oreo crumbs or decorate with melted white chocolate.

REFRIGERATE 1 hour or until firm. Store any leftover truffles in tightly covered container in refrigerator.

Cannon Balls

This little treat was an essential part of my Christmas experience growing up. My mom would make a batch and we would munch on them while we played our traditional game of Christmas Day Monopoly and drank Coke out of glass bottles!

1 lb chopped dates

1 C sugar
1 stick butter
2 tsp vanilla
2 C Rice Krispies
2 C pecans
coconut

Boil dates, sugar and butter- 3 min.
Add vanilla and pour over Rice Krispies and pecans.
Form into balls and roll in coconut.

Sopapilla Cheesecake

2 8oz pkgs cream cheese, soft
2 8oz cans crescent rolls
2 cups sugar, divided
2 tsp vanilla, divided
½ cup butter (one stick)
Cinnamon

Line a greased 9x 13 pan with crescent rolls. Pinch dough to close up perforated holes or buy seamless (Pillsbury makes some called "Recipe Creations Crescents")

Mix together: cream cheese (softened), 1 cup sugar and 1 tsp vanilla. Spread cream cheese mixture over dough, about ½ inch from the edge

Stretch the second can of rolls over the cream cheese mixture like a 2-crust pie and pinch the edges together

Melt the stick of butter and 1 cup of sugar together over hi heat stirring the whole time 2 min. then add 1 tsp vanilla. Pour evenly over the entire crust (sides too). Sprinkle with lots of cinnamon.

Bake 350 for 30-35 min

Serve by itself or with honey and can cream. Eat hot or cold.

This recipe courtesy of Nichole