Saltwater and Snow Storms: I'm Turning Into A Regular Ole Betty Stewart

After a week full of wanting to cook and bake, I declared to the hubs that he was married to a future Betty Stewart this weekend. Hmmm, not really sure that came out right, but maybe it was Freudian slip. What I meant was that I'm becoming a Martha Stewart or Betty Crocker, but the irony is that a lot of what I make on the first time often has the right ingredients, but somehow comes out slightly off. Much like being a Betty Stewart, I would guess.

A few of my recent recipes that did come out deliciously correct were a Shepard's Pie for St. Patty's Day (served with steamed cabbage, of course), Energy Balls from Pinterest (although these might need a new name that isn't so joke friendly- I told my hubs if he needed me, I'd be in the kitchen rolls my balls, which did not sound quite like it did in my head. Oops), and a Tex-Mex Pizza that I've made before and loved.

With all triumphs come a few failures along the way to help keep ya humble. Sadly, one of my recent failures was a Pinterest slow cooker meal that every pinner before swore by. #PinterestFail. And of course, this failure took place at a family dinner last night with my parents and brother present. I'm not sure what I could've done differently, to be honest. I followed the recipe to a T. One of the comments on the actual recipe site stated that she "made it for fer family of 4 and they had to fight each other for seconds", while another commentator stated "we ate this meal for 3 days straight; we loved it so much".

Seriously, if I had to eat this meal for 3 days straight, I'd probably cry until I was excused from the table and my Clean Plate Club membership had been revoked. Do yourselves a favor, if you were one of the 10 people who repinned my pin for the Cheesy Chicken and Rice pin, delete it and never look back. Never. It just tastes like a big vat of chicken. The end.

So if you're still reading and are looking for a few fun, new recipes, give these a try! I've tried them, tested them, and they're Betty Stewart approved:)

Martha Stewart's Shepard's Pie-

2 pounds baking potatoes (about 4), peeled and thinly sliced (I always freeze extra mashed potatoes when I make them so that I can pull them out and use them for a recipe like this, saves so much time!)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, such as safflower
6 medium carrots, halved lengthwise, quartered if large, and thinly sliced
6 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 pounds lean ground beef chuck
1 cup whole milk (I used 1% milk for a healthier option and it was fine)
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp white cheddar (6 ounces) (I also used less cheese for a healthier touch)
Directions

Preheat oven to 450. Place potatoes in a large saucepan, and cover by 1 inch with salted water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 15 to 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high. Add carrots, celery, onion, and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add flour and tomato paste; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add beef; cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink, 6 to 8 minutes. Add 1 cup water; bring to a boil, and simmer 1 minute. Set beef filling aside.
Drain potatoes; return to pan. Cook over medium, stirring, until liquid has evaporated and a thin film covers bottom of pan, about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat; add milk and 1 cup cheese. Mash until smooth; season cheddar-potato topping with salt and pepper.
Pour beef filling into a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Drop dollops of topping over filling; spread to edges with a spatula. Using a fork, make decorative peaks; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake until topping is browned and filling is bubbling rapidly, about 20 minutes (if topping and filling were chilled, increase to 35 minutes). Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Meet our little shepard below-

Pinterest's Energy Balls-

1 cup (dry) oatmeal (I used old-fashioned oats)

2/3 cup toasted coconut flakes (I despise coconut, so this was omitted for my balls;)
1/2 cup peanut butter (I used natural peanut butter)
1/2 cup ground flax seed or wheat germ (I used whole flax seed and it was fine)
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)
1/3 cup honey
1 Tbsp. chia seeds (optional)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Directions-Stir all ingredients together in a medium bowl until thoroughly mixed. Let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour. Once chilled, roll into balls of whatever size you would like. (Mine were about 1" in diameter.) Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.
*Makes about 20-25 balls.

These are awesome of a quick snack on the go! *Warning, they look like meatballs so warn those that live with you. You do not want to throw these guys on spaghetti!