WyomingLivestockRoundup

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Last Updated on Wednesday, 15 May 2013 15:33

Written by Millisa Armstrong

This is a quick and easy meal perfect for weeknights and can feed the whole family with a pound of ground beef. If you are in a big hurry, you can use a jar of spaghetti sauce with the ground beef instead of the diced tomatoes. Either way, it’s delicious!

EASY CHEESE TORTELLINI WITH MEAT SAUCE 

1 pound lean ground beef

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

2 – 14.5 ounce cans diced tomatoes

1 tablespoon sugar

1 shallot, diced

1 tablespoon butter

2/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup half and half

1 - 19 ounce package frozen cheese tortellini

1/4 cup fresh basil cut into ribbons

Add ground beef to pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring often to break it into crumbles and brown on all sides, about eight to 10 minutes.

Remove from pan into a bowl, drain excess grease if needed and set aside.

Add diced tomatoes, sugar, shallot and butter to pan and bring to a boil. Lower heat and cook 20 minutes, stirring often.

Return browned ground beef to the pan with the tomatoes, stir in Parmesan, half and half and tortellini. Raise to medium heat and cover with lid. Cook for five minutes, stir well, lower heat to medium-low and cover. Cook an additional five to eight minutes or until tortellini are heated through.

Stir in fresh basil and serve immediately.

A no-bake tasty dessert that is satisfying my need for spring! This would even be a nice treat for your Easter dinner. 

LEMON CHEESECAKE MOUSSE

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

lemon slices, lemon zest and mint leaves for garnish *optional

In a large mixer bowl, beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form, about three minutes on high. Pour into another bowl and set aside.

Add cream cheese and sugar to mixer bowl and beat at medium speed about one minute. Gradually pour in lemon juice and continue to beat for two to three minutes or until fluffy.

Fold in whipped cream. Pour into individual bowls and refrigerate for one hour.

Garnish with a lemon slice, a little lemon zest and a sprig of mint.

If you are going to refrigerate more than an hour before serving, cover with plastic wrap until ready to serve.

Yields five servings in four-ounce ramekins.

Enjoy!

Miss

Milisa Armstrong lives on a cattle ranch in Kaycee where she cooks, writes and raises a family. Visit her blog at missinthekitchen.com.

 

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Last Updated on Saturday, 19 January 2013 00:00

Written by Millisa Armstrong

In a few weeks we will all be plopping down on the couch to watch the big game – The Super Bowl, or the best three hours of commercials on television. No matter if you love the game or the commercials or none of it at all, I know you have to love the food!

So today I’m sharing a few of my favorite foods for game day! Of course they are quick, easy and delicious!

 

BACON-RANCH GUACAMOLE

4 ripe avocados

1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon dry Ranch Dressing Mix (I used Hidden Valley Ranch.)

1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic

1-2 dashes hot sauce

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1/4 cup crumbled, cooked bacon

Cut avocados in half and carefully remove pits, reserving one pit. Scoop avocado into a bowl and add lemon. Mash with a fork leaving some chunks. Add salt, Ranch dressing mix, garlic, hot sauce and mayo, stir until well combined. Fold in crumbled bacon. Pour into serving bowl and place reserved pit in center until ready to serve. Pit will keep guacamole bright green!

 

ALE PRETZEL BITES WITH CHEESE SAUCE

For pretzel bites:

1/4 cup warm water

1 tablespoon yeast

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons melted butter, cooled slightly

1 cup Ale

1 teaspoon sea salt

3 3/4 – 4 cups all purpose flour

3 quarts of water

3/4 cup baking soda

1 egg, beaten

Coarse salt for garnish

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a large bowl, add warm water and stir in yeast and sugar. Let stand 5 minutes or until yeast starts to bubble. Stir in ale, olive oil, and melted butter.

Stir in 1 cup of flour, add salt and continue adding flour 1 cup at a time. When dough comes together and pulls away from bowl, pour onto a floured surface. Knead dough for 3 to 5 minutes, adding flour as needed. Place dough in a greased bowl and cover with a flour sack towel. Allow to double in size, about 1 hour.

Knead dough to remove any air bubbles. Divide dough into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 1 inch in diameter. If pieces are too hard to handle, just divide them again. Cut each rope into 1-inch pieces. Repeat with remaining dough.

Bring 3 quarts of water to boil with baking soda.

Drop about 12 dough pieces at a time into boiling water and cook about 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon onto a greased or lined baking sheet.

Brush dough pieces with egg and sprinkle with salt.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until pretzel bites are golden brown.

For cheese sauce:

8 ounces Velveeta

2 tablespoons Ale

Cut Velveeta into small chunks and place in a microwave safe bowl. Add 2 tablespoons ale and cook in 30-second intervals, stirring in between until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth.

Enjoy!

Miss

Milisa Armstrong lives on a cattle ranch in Kaycee where she cooks, writes and raises a family. Visit her blog at missinthekitchen.com

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Last Updated on Saturday, 16 February 2013 00:00

Written by Millisa Armstrong

This is a great pasta dish reminiscent of lasagna but a little easier.  I used medium pasta shells, but use the pasta of your choice.  It’s so filling without being terribly rich.  The perfect sides are garlic bread and a big green salad.

BAKED PASTA SHELLS CASSEROLE

1 pound pasta shells, medium sized, cooked until fork tender, and drained

1 pound ground beef

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 jar (26 oz) pasta sauce, I like garlic and onion flavor

15 ounces ricotta cheese

1 egg, beaten

1 garlic clove, grated or minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons dried basil

2-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella, divided

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a medium skillet, over medium-high heat add ground beef and season with salt and pepper.  Cook until well browned.  Drain fat if necessary.

Meanwhile, combine ricotta, egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, basil and 3/4 cup of mozzarella, set aside.

In a large bowl, or the pot that you cooked the pasta, combine pasta, pasta sauce and cooked ground beef.

Coat a medium size casserole dish with cooking spray.  Layer half of pasta mixture into bottom, followed by ricotta mixture and then topped with remaining pasta mixture.  Top with remaining mozzarella.  Bake for 45 minutes at 375 degrees.

Pure maple syrup has become one of my very favorite flavors.  I grew up not really liking pancake syrup or maple frosted donuts and thinking that I didn’t like maple.  My opinions quickly changed after trying real maple syrup, and I know you will love it in this cake.

MAPLE-WALNUT APPLE CAKE

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup pure maple syrup, divided use

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg

1 - 3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 - 1/2 cups apples, peeled, cored and coarsely chopped

1 cup toasted walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Grease a 9 x 9 inch baking pan.

In a large mixer bowl, add butter, creaming with electric mixer.  Add brown sugar, sugar and 1/4 cup of maple syrup mixing until combined.  Beat in vanilla and egg.  Add flour and baking soda mixing just until combined.  Fold in apples.

Pour into greased baking pan.

Sprinkle toasted walnuts over batter, pressing lightly.  Drizzle with remaining 1/4 cup maple syrup.

Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes before slicing.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Miss

Milisa Armstrong lives on a cattle ranch in Kaycee where she cooks, writes and raises a family. Visit her blog at missinthekitchen.com.

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Last Updated on Saturday, 15 December 2012 13:24

Written by Milisa Armstrong

Miss in the Kitchen
    On Christmas morning, my kids are so into what’s under the Christmas tree that they often forget to eat, and then suddenly, they are starving. So I always want something really simple for Christmas morning, and these cinnamon rolls are ideal.  They taste amazing and are the quickest and easiest!
SUPER QUICK AND EASY CINNAMON ROLLS
 2  8 oz cans refrigerated crescent rolls
 1/4 cup butter, softened
 1 cup brown sugar
 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
 1/2 cup cream cheese icing homemade or store bought
    Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
    Roll out each can of crescent rolls into a separate rectangle, pressing the seams together.
    Spread 2 tablespoons of butter onto each rectangle. Sprinkle 1/2 cup brown sugar over each rectangle of dough. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons cinnamon over each.
    Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut dough into one-half-inch strips.
    Roll up each strip carefully.  If the dough comes apart where it was perforated, just pinch it back together.  It will bake together.
    Place each roll into a greased 9-inch baking pan.
    Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until rolls are browned and cooked through.
    Drizzle with cream cheese icing.
    Serve warm or at room temperature.
    One of our family Christmas traditions is to decorate the tree and then have a glass of egg nog while admiring the tree.  This year the grocery store was out of egg nog, so I thought I would attempt it on my own. I searched for a recipe and it didn’t seem too difficult, but of course I didn’t have several of the ingredients. I made adjustments to what I had on hand, and it turned out way better than store bought.  I don’t know why I would be surprised at that, but man, it was good! And very obtainable.  This version is not too rich, you could make it a little richer by replacing 1/3 of the milk with heavy cream.  You have to try this – it really is easy and such an incredible holiday treat!  I may never buy store bought again!
HOMEMADE EGG NOG
 8 egg yolks
 1 cup sugar
 6 cups whole milk
 1 vanilla bean, split and seed scraped
 3/4 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
 2 teaspoons cinnamon
    With an electric mixer, beat egg yolks and sugar until thick and pale yellow.  
    In a Dutch oven or large pan add milk, vanilla beans with seeds, nutmeg and cinnamon over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.   
    Remove from heat and pour about 1 cup of milk mixture into eggs, whisking as you pour to temper the eggs.  Stir into remaining milk mixture and continue to cook over medium-high heat until thickened.
    Chill for 4 hours or until completely cooled and serve.
Enjoy!
Miss
    Milisa Armstrong lives on a cattle ranch in Kaycee where she cooks, writes and raises a family. Visit her blog at missinthekitchen.com.