Jiffy Burgers and Potato Wedges with Ranch

In my first recipe post I shared the recipe for a delicacy from my childhood—Cheese and Taco Frenchies. I had to come up with my own version since the restaurant that served them—Peter’s Dairy Creme—closed in 1994.

Well, Peter’s had another delicacy called the Jiffy Burger. Basically, a Jiffy Burger is seasoned meat with a special mustard/mayo/ pickle/onion type of sauce on top. I personally think the sauce tastes like mustard potato salad without the potatoes.

When Peter’s closed they sold the Jiffy Burger recipe to Sehnert’s Bakery & Bieroc cafe (local bakery) so it still is possible to get a Jiffy Burger in my hometown McCook. The local grocery story also used to sale the jiffy sauce, but I’m not sure whether or not they still do. Disclaimer:  It is possible that the Jiffy Burger name is trademarked. If it is, I hope someone will let me know. I am not trying to claim the name or the product. I just had a craving and therefore came up with my own version. :-)

Unfortunately, I don’t get back to McCook very often and was very happy when my mom came up with her own version of the jiffy sauce and passed it on to me. I made a few of my own changes and now am able to re-create my own version of my favorite Peter’s meal. . . Jiffy Burgers and Potato Wedges with Ranch.

Jiffy SauceIngredients: Yellow mustard, real mayonnaise (no substitutes), dill pickles, and white onion

Mix 1 cup of mayonnaise, 1/4 cup of yellow mustard, 1/4 cup of finely chopped dill pickle, and a little more than 1/4 cup chopped onion.

The sauce should be light yellow in color. After mixing, place in the refrigerator to chill. The longer it chills, the more the flavors mix together.

Jiffy Burger MeatIngredients: Ground beef, white onion, Worcestershire sauce, and Cream of Wheat

I do not recommend using lean ground beef for the jiffy burger meat mixture. For it to taste right, you actually want that extra fat. I used 80/20 ground beef and it was the perfect mixture.

Brown the ground beef with 1/4 cup of the finely chopped/minced white onion.

I actually add some dry minced onion along with the fresh onion because the flavor is more concentrated, and I like how it seeps into the ground beef. 

Do not drain grease. Add a splash of  Worcestershire sauce and some Cream of Wheat to the ground beef.

The amount of Worcestershire sauce and Cream of Wheat you add will depend on how many pounds of ground beef you are using. I used 1 pound of ground beef and added approximately 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce and 2 tablespoons of Cream of Wheat. I also added a little bit of water (approximately 1/2 cup) to further break down the meat.

 Make sure you taste the meat mixture and salt to taste. It should have a nice onion-seasoned flavor. The beef itself should be broken down and the Cream of Wheat and water will make it stick together (similar to the consistency of a sloppy joe).

Potato Wedges with Ranch Ingredients: Potatoes and 1 packet of Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix (plus 1 cup of milk and 1 cup of mayonnaise).
Mix the dressing and place in refrigerator to chill.

The Ranch dip that Peter’s served with their wedges was so tasty. I like that it was runny rather than thick. Hidden Valley Ranch “Dressing” is very close to what they served. Who knows!? Maybe that is what they used.

Honestly, my desire for the “right” dressing drives my family crazy. While at my parents house this summer, my mom grabbed the bottled of Ranch out of the fridge. I said, “no way, it’s not the same.” If we would have been in Denver, I would have just dealt with it. But, since the grocery store was less than 5 minutes away, I mixed up the mayo and milk and had it ready for my hubby to get home with the seasoning packet. Hard-headed? Yes! But, no one could argue with me that it didn’t taste good. ;-)

Cut potatoes into wedges and place on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with PAM (or other nonstick cooking spray). Spray the tops of the wedges and sprinkle lightly with seasoning salt (eg, Lawry’s). Bake at 375* for approximately 20-25 minutes or until soft on the inside and crispy on the outside.

I like to make sure the potato wedges are completely coated. If you don’t have cooking spray, use vegetable oil and just coat the pan and wedges really well. Make sure you turn the wedges at least once during cooking. For crispier wedges, turn the broiler on low during the last 5 minutes. Just make sure you keep an eye on them unless you want ‘em really crispy. If desired, you can fry your wedges in a deep fryer. I like to think of this as the “somewhat” healthier alternative. Ha!

  Assembling the Jiffy Burger . . . Place about 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture onto the bottom half of a hamburger bun. Add a spoonful of the Jiffy sauce on top of the meat mixture.

Comfort food at it’s finest . . .

I know there are a few  of my classmates and other “McCookites” longing for a Jiffy Burger. Let me know if you try this out and what you think. Enjoy!!!

Jiffy Burgers                                                   Printable Recipe

Ingredients:        1/4 cup of yellow mustard    1 cup of real mayonnaise (no substitutes)    1/4 cup of finely chopped dill pickle    1 White onion (1/4 cup chopped for sauce and 1/4 cup finely              chopped/minced for meat)    Ground beef     Worcestershire sauce    Cream of Wheat    Salt (to taste)    Hamburger buns Jiffy Sauce Directions: 1. Mix yellow mustard, mayonnaise, dill pickle, and onion. The mixture should be light yellow in color. 2. Set in refrigerator to chill. Jiffy Burger Meat Directions: 1. Brown the ground beef with onion. Do not drain the grease. 2. Add a splash of  Worcestershire sauce and some Cream of Wheat. 3. Add some water (approximately 1/2 cup) to break down the meat a bit further. The beef itself should break down and the Cream of Wheat and water should make it stick together (similar to the consistency of a sloppy joe). To Serve: Place about 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture onto the bottom half of a hamburger bun. Add a spoonful of the Jiffy sauce on top of the meat mixture. Notes:  Use ground beef with a little extra fat, such as 80/20. You do not want to use lean ground beef. For added flavor, add some dry minced onion. You can use it alongside the fresh onion or in place of it. The amount of Worcestershire sauce and Cream of Wheat you add will depend on how many pounds of ground beef you are using. For example, if using 1 pound of ground beef you will add approximately 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce and 2 tablespoons of Cream of Wheat.

Potato Wedges with Ranch                            Printable Recipe

Ingredients:    Potatoes     Nonstick cooking spray (eg, Pam) or vegetable oil    1 packet of Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix     1 cup of milk     1 cup of mayonnaise Directions: 1. Mix the dressing ingredients and place in refrigerator to chill. 2. Cut potatoes into wedges and place on cookie sheet that has been sprayed with PAM (or other nonstick cooking spray). 3. Spray the tops of the wedges and sprinkle lightly with seasoning salt (eg, Lawry’s). 4. Bake at 375* for approximately 20-25 minutes or until soft on the inside but crispy on the outside. Notes: For crispier wedges, turn the broiler on low during the last 5 minutes. Just make sure you keep an eye on them unless you want ‘em really crispy

Crockpot Apple Butter

Last week we went up to Loveland to have dinner with my family. As we were pulling into my sister’s driveway, I couldn’t help but notice the huge apple tree in her backyard. I was so excited when she handed us a bag and told us to take what we wanted.

It helps having a tall guy around.

My niece, McKenna, holding up the perfect apple!

 Our Bounty

I really wish we had weighed the bag of apples or at least counted them. Sadly, we did not. Instead, my focus was on how I was going to use all of them before they started rotting. The apples were only about 2-1/2 inches in diameter, some with bad spots, so my first thought was Apple Butter.

I grew up eating Apple Butter on french toast. In fact, I remember having french toast at a friend’s slumber party when I was younger. I found it strange that my friends were pouring maple syrup over their french toast instead of Apple Butter. Needless to say, I was the strange one (nothing new…ha ha!). Anyway, to this day, when I make french toast I like to spread a good layer of Apple Butter on top. Usually I just use the stuff from the store, but I now have several containers in the freezer thanks to my extra large basket of hand-picked apples. Here’s how I turned my bounty in to Apple Butter.

 The line-up of ingredients . . .Apples (approximately 6 quarts or enough to fill a large Crockpot), 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 4 cups of sugar or less.

I would recommend that you use a variety of different apples. The first time I made apple butter  I used only golden delicious. Another time I combined macintosh, gala, and granny smith. I believe the apples from the tree are close to a gala apple since they were on the sweeter side. We ended up using about 5 quarts of the apples from the tree. I then added a couple of gala and honey crisp apples that I had on hand. Use your own judgment about the types of apples you use and how many of each kind you use. How much sugar you use will depend on the sweetness of the apples.

Prepping  Peel, core, and finely chop the apples.

Fill the Crockpot heaping full of apples (the lid may not fit but apples will shrink as they cook) and drizzle sugar over the top.

Begin with less sugar, especially if you are using sweet apples. I started with 2-1/2 cups of sugar.

Add cinnamon, cloves, and salt.

 Stir together, place lid on top, turn the Crockpot on low, and go to bed.

Okay, the last step is completely optional. Because it takes several hours for the apple butter to cook, it made sense to me to let it cook overnight while I got my beauty sleep. My house smelled wonderful the next morning. The beauty thing . . .well, we won’t talk about that!

I put this batch in the Crockpot around 11 pm and about 14-1/2 hours later it was ready to go in the freezer.

The transformation . . .After 7 hours of cooking.

One minute later after stirring the apples. Notice the shrinkage!

After 9-1/2 hours of cooking.

After 11-1/2 hours of cooking. I used my potato masher to begin breaking down apples even further. I also added another half cup of sugar.  

 Ready to go after 13 hours of cooking.

 I let it cool for an hour before placing in the freezer containers.

This is my first time using the freezer containers (8 oz containers made by Ball). In the past I’ve actually used different size jars and canned the apple butter. Either way works great. Personally, I wanted to save a little time and since I have a deep freezer this was the way to go.

All divvied up and ready to freeze I serious wish I’d had a biscuit to slather this stuff on. I settled for licking it directly off the spoon.

 Made with love . . .Since I plan on sharing this batch with others, I went ahead and made some labels (okay, it was a great excuse to use my Xyron Creative Station). And, how sweet that we made this on our 2-year wedding anniversary. Everybody say it. . . .Ahhhh!!

And, there you have it . . . Homemade Apple Butter. Easy peasy in the freezy! Yep, it’s been a long day and I am slap happy. I hope you enjoy!

Crockpot Apple Butter               Printable Recipe

Ingredients:        Apples (approximately 6 quarts or enough to fill the Crockpot)    4 cups of sugar or less       1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon    1/4 teaspoon ground cloves    1/4 teaspoon of salt. Directions: 1. Peel, core, and finely chop the apples. 2. Fill the Crockpot heaping full of apples (the lid may not fit but apples will shrink as they cook). 3. Drizzle sugar over the top (sweet apples require less). 4. Add cinnamon, cloves, and salt. 5. Stir together, place lid on top, and turn the Crockpot on low. 6. Cook until thick and dark in color. 7. Place in small jars or freezer containers. Leave enough room for expansion. 8. Cool and freeze. Notes: Use your own judgment about the types of apples you use and how many of each kind you use. How much sugar you use will depend on the sweetness of the apples. Begin with less sugar, especially if you are using sweet apples. Taste the mixture mid-way through cooking to determine whether or not you need more sugar. If desired, use a potato masher  near the end of cook time to further break down the apples. If you are using jars, make sure you follow the directions for canning and storing.

Buffalo Chicken Dip (double batch)

A couple of years ago a co-worker brought this awesome dip to our office potluck. I seriously could have stood over the crock pot dipping celery sticks all day.

If you are a lover of buffalo wings this is the dip for you. If you are a lover of cream cheese, this is the dip for you. If you aren’t on any type of diet and really don’t care that you need to be on a diet, this dip is for you. Of course, enter at your own risk! One could probably get the same result by just slapping the this dip right on the ol’ hips and thighs instead of eating it (especially if your hubby picked up regular cream cheese instead of reduced fat . . .eek!). But, it’s much better to savor and enjoy Buffalo Chicken Dip with friends and family. Here is how I make a double batch . . .

For a double dose of YUM you’ll need . . .two rotisserie chickens, four 8 oz packages of cream cheese, one 12 oz bottle of Frank’s Red Hot Sauce, one 16 oz bottle of Ranch dressing, and 2-1/2 cups (or more) of cheddar cheese.

The bird is the word . . . Remove all of the meat from both chickens. Dice or chop into bite-size pieces. I used my new Pampered Chef Salad Chopper. I love this tool!

You can also use canned chicken (two 10 oz cans, drained). Or, if you are Superwoman (or man), you can certainly bake your own chicken. I personally prefer the taste (and convenience) of rotisserie chicken.

Note: If you have two dogs and two cats at your feet ready to “assist” you with the meat removal, you may just want to throw them a piece or two . . . but no bones! :-)

Gettin’ Spicy!Combine chicken and the entire 12 oz bottle of Frank’s Red Hot Sauce in a large pan. Heat through.

That’s a lot of meat . .   If making a double batch, you may want to use a large pot (I switched because I knew this double batch could get out of hand). 

Time for some love . . .Melt in the blocks of cream cheese. I melted two at a time to make sure they melted evenly.

 You can’t have wings without the ranch . . .Stir in the entire 16 oz bottle of Ranch dressing. 

It’s gettin’ It’s gettin’ It’s gettin’ kinda heavy . . . 
Add 2-1/2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese.

Old FaithfulContinue to cook on low heat until the cheese is completely melted.

After adding the shredded cheese, you can transfer to a slow cooker (and, if desired, add additional cheddar). This is great if you are serving at a party, potluck, etc. Since I was making the dip ahead of time (to put in slow cooker the next day), I continued to cook on low heat until the cheese was completely melted.

I love how this dip bubbles while cooking. It makes me think of little tiny geysers. You just don’t want to have an “Old Faithful” moment like I had. That is, unless you like cleaning your cupboards, stovetop, and everything else in the area. So, you may want to put a lid on it.

 Gonna make you sweat . . . I love how the Frank’s Red Hot Sauce “sweats” from the cheese mixture. Don’t worry . . .unless you use the really spicy version of Frank’s Red Hot Sauce, you won’t burn your tongue with this dip.

Ready to enjoy . . .I think this dip tastes best with celery sticks and tortilla chips. I’ve also used carrot sticks and chicken-flavored crackers.

Ok, who am I kidding?? Truthfully, this dip is so good you could lick it right out of the bowl! Ha! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

 

Buffalo Chicken Dip (double batch)                Printable Recipe

Ingredients:        2 rotisserie chickens    4 packages of cream cheese (8 oz each)    1 bottle of Frank’s Red Hot Sauce (12 oz) or other pepper sauce    1 bottle of Ranch dressing (16 oz)    2-1/2 cups (or more) of shredded cheddar cheese Directions: 1. Remove all of the meat from both chickens. Dice or chop into bite-size pieces. 2. Combine chicken and the entire bottle of Frank’s Red Hot Saucer in a large pan. Heat through. 3. Melt in the blocks of cream cheese. I melted two at a time to make sure they melted evenly. 4. Stir in the entire 16 oz bottle of Ranch dressing. 5. Add 2-1/2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese. 6. Continue to cook on low heat until the cheese is completely melted. Notes: You can also use canned chicken (two 10 oz cans, drained) or bake your own chicken. I personally prefer the taste (and convenience) of rotisserie chicken. After adding the shredded cheese (step 6), you can transfer to a slow cooker (and, if desired, add additional cheddar). This is great if you are serving at a party, potluck, etc. If you are making the dip ahead of time (to put in slow cooker the next day), continue to cook on low heat until the cheese is completely melted. Refrigerate and warm in slow cooker on low heat. Serve warm with celery sticks,  tortilla chips, carrot sticks, and chicken-flavored crackers. For a single batch, you will need:   1 rotisserie chicken   2 packages of cream cheese (8 oz each)   1 cup Ranch dressing   3/4 cup Frank’s Red Hot Sauce   1-1/2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

My “cook and go clean” Chili

I love this time of year. The leaves are changing, the weather is cooler, and I can finally make chili without hearing my husband groan. It’s not that he doesn’t like chili, he’s just not a big fan of soup in general. Personally I love making big batches of different kinds of soup so I can freeze and have later in the Winter.

 

For some reason, my family loves my chili. It receives rave reviews every time I’ve made it. And, I honestly can’t say why. All I do is dump a lot of stuff in and season it to taste. It’s not spicy and it’s not blah. It’s just right. hmmmm…perhaps my wooden spoon is a magic wand!? Ha ha! Yeah right. Regardless, it has become a family favorite. In fact, my hubby actually gave high reviews for the batch you are about to see. Score!

 

Along with Fall cooking comes Fall decorating and, of course, Fall cleaning. Oh Joy! Since I like to get the most out of my day and don’t have time to slave away in the kitchen, this is my “Cook and go Clean” Chili . . .

Lining up the ingredients . . .Ground beef, white onion, ketchup, chili beans, kidney beans, tomatoes, green chiles, tomato sauce, chili powder.

 

I wanted a big batch of Chili so I used 2 lbs of ground beef, 1-1/2 cans of green chiles, and large cans of chili beans and tomatoes. You can certainly half the recipe if desired.

 

You can substitute ground turkey for the ground beef (or do half and half). It tastes just as good but you may need to work harder to get it seasoned properly.

 

It’s all in the seasoning . . . In a large pot, brown the ground beef. I sprinkle it liberally with chili powder because I think this is what sets the flavor.

 

While the ground beef is browning, add chopped onion (to taste) and one can of green chiles. Continue browning and then drain grease.

 

Adding the good stuff . . .  
Add tomatoes. You can use any type of tomatoes (diced, crushed, whole, etc.) For this batch I used whole tomatoes and cut them up with the wooden spoon.

 

In the past I’ve used the “tomatoes with green chiles” and “tomatoes in chili seasoning.” Both have very good flavor. Since I didn’t have any of these on hand, I just made sure I used a good deal of chili powder.

 

Add kidney beans (drained and rinsed) and chili beans.

 

For a little bit of sweetness, I add about a tablespoon of  ketchup. I also add approximately 3/4 of a large can of tomato sauce and another good sprinkling of chili powder. Add salt and pepper as needed!

 

If I do not have enough liquid from the tomatoes, chili beans, and tomato sauce, I will add  liquid by mixing water with the juices from the cans. Obviously, if you want a chunkier soup, you may not even bother with this.

 

Adding more liquid . . .

Add enough water to catch the “stuck-on” juices. I do this with both cans (chili beans and tomatoes).
Mix the liquids together and add to the pot.

My Method:  Cook and go clean . . . 
Bring to a boil and then let simmer for at least 1 hour, stirring occasionally. The longer it cooks, the better it tastes.

 

Come and get it . . .
Here it is about 3 hours later.
It will be even better in a few days when it’s re-heated.

 

Ready to eat . . .
I love my chili with cheese and fresh onion.
Mmm mmm mmm . . .

 

WAIT!!!
 
Almost forgot the Fritos! Now we’re good.
 

 

“Cook and go Clean” Chili                      Printable Recipe

Ingredients:       2 lbs of ground beef    1/2 white onion, diced    1-1/2 cans of green chilies    Chili beans (large can)     Whole tomatoes (large can)    Kidney beans (regular can)    Tomato sauce    Ketchup    Chili powder. Directions: 1. In a large pot, brown the ground beef. Make sure you have sprinkled the ground beef with chili powder. 2. While the ground beef is browning, add chopped onion (to taste) and one can of green chilies. Continue browning and then drain grease. 3. Add tomatoes to the meat mixture. If using whole tomatoes, cup up with the wooden spoon. 4. Add kidney beans (drained and rinsed) and chili beans. 5. Add about a tablespoon of  ketchup. 6. Add 3/4 of a large can of tomato sauce. 7. Add additional chili powder (to taste). 8. Bring to a boil and then let simmer for at least 1 hour, stirring occasionally. It’s better the longer it cooks. Notes: You can substitute ground turkey for the ground beef (or do half and half). It tastes just as good but you may need to work harder to get it seasoned properly. If you do not have enough liquid from the tomatoes, chili beans, and tomato sauce, add more liquid by mixing water with the juices from the cans. If you want a chunkier soup, you may not even bother with this. Add salt and pepper as needed!