French Onion Beef

600g Boneless beef round steak
1 package (200g) fresh sliced mushrooms
1 large Onion sliced into rings
1 can French onion soup condensed
1 package 15 minute herb stuffing mix
1/4 cup Margarine or butter, melted
100g Shredded mozzarella cheese

Cut beef into 6 serving−size pieces. Layer half of the beef, mushrooms and onion in 3-4L slow cooker; repeat layers. Pour soup over ingredients in slow cooker. Cover; cook on low setting for 8 to 10 hours or until beef is tender and no longer pink. Before serving, toss stuffing mix and contents of seasoning packet with melted margarine and 1/2 cup liquid from pot. Place stuffing on top of contents in slow cooker; cover. Increase heat to high setting. Cook 10 minutes or until stuffing is fluffy. Sprinkle with cheese; cover. Cook until cheese is melted.

Recipe and photo from http://www.slowcookerrecipes.org.uk/french_onion_beef_recipe.htm

Spinach & Feta Muffins

Serves 12

Canola oil, to grease
375g (2 1/2 cups) self-raising flour
250g (about 1/2 bunch) English spinach,trimmed, washed, dried, shredded
150g feta cheese, crumbled
110g (1/2 cup) chopped semi-driedtomatoes
2 tbs finely grated parmesan
330ml (1 1/3 cups) milk
90g butter, melted
1 egg
1 tbs chopped fresh dill
2 tbs finely grated parmesan, extra

Preheat oven to 200°C. Brush twelve 80ml (1/3-cup) muffin pans with canola oil to lightly grease. Sift flour into a bowl. Add shredded spinach, feta, tomatoes and parmesan, and stir to combine. Use a fork to whisk together milk, butter, egg and dill until well combined. Add milk mixture to flour mixture and use a metal spoon to stir until just combined (do not over mix).
Spoon mixture into prepared pans. Sprinkle with extra parmesan. Bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Turn out onto wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.
recipe from http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/12981/spinach+feta+muffins

Spinach Manicotti

8 dried manicotti shells
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 1/3 cup milk
3 oz. Swiss cheese
1/3 cup chicken broth
1 beaten egg
1 x 10 oz package frozen spinach, thawed
3/4 cup ricotta
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 Tsp lemon peel

Cook manicotti according to directions on box. Cool in a single layer on a piece of greased foil.

Meanwhile for sauce, cook green onions and garlic in butter until tender. Stir in flour. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add Swiss cheese and broth, stirring until cheese melts.

For filling, in a medium bowl stir together egg, spinach, ricotta and Parmesan cheese and lemon peel. Use a small spoon to fill shells. Arrange in a baking dish. Pour sauce over. Bake, covered, in a 350F oven 30-35 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Candy Cane Thumbprints

3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup shortening1
1/2 cups sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. peppermint extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
Red food coloring
Candy cane flavored Hershey's Kisses

- In a large mixing bowl beat butter and shortening with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.
- Add sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined.
- Beat in eggs, peppermint, and vanilla until combined.
- Add food coloring to reach desired pink/red color.
- Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour.
- Cover and chill dough for 1 hour or overnight until dough is easy to handle.
- Shape into 11/2 in balls and place on cookie sheet.
- Bake for 11 minutes.
- Press unwrapped Hershey Kiss into center of each cookie shortly after removing from oven.

Variations (w/o Hershey's Kisses):
1. Roll same dough into short stick-like cookies. Drizzle or dip in chocolate.
2. Add chocolate chips to the dough and flatten slightly before baking for chocolate-mint-chip cookies.

Recipe from Abby from LJ

Banana Bread

3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup sugar (can easily reduce to 3/4 cup)
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

No need for a mixer for this recipe. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

Recipe and photo from Simply Recipes

Baked Gnocchi

2 (1-pound) packages gnocchi
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with Italian seasoning
1 cup white wine, or vegetable broth, or mixture of the two
1 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large pot of lightly salted boiling water, cook the gnocchi according to the package directions, drain and set aside. Coat a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. While waiting for the water to boil, in the bottom of a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, broth, and wine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the cooked gnocchi to the prepared baking dish. Cover gnocchi with tomato sauce and stir to coat the gnocchi with the sauce. Sprinkle top with mozzarella cheese, cover dish with foil, and bake for about 20 minutes.

Recipe and photo from Keri on LJ.

Menu for Dec. 5 - Dec. 11

Friday: Asian grilled salmon and baked potato
Saturday: Out
Sunday: Chicken Scalopine and mashed potatoes
Monday: Beef Stroganoff
Tuesday: Smoked Salmon Pasta
Wednesday: Chicken Parmesean
Thursday: BLT and chips