Anna A La Mode

November 11, 2026
by Anna Huckeba

Slow Cooker Cheeseburger Soup

  • 1 pound lean ground beef

  • 1 (16 oz.) package velveeta, cubed

  • 1 yellow onion, finely chopped

  • 1 cup carrots, finely chopped

  • 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped

  • 4 small potatoes, peeled and diced

  • 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

  • 2 cups whole milk

  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1 teaspoon dried basil

  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley

  • kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

  • bacon bits

  • cheddar cheese, grated

Heat a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat and cook ground beef, breaking it up as it cooks, until browned. Season generously with salt and pepper and garlic powder.

Drain fat, then wipe out skillet with a paper towel. Melt butter in skillet, then whisk in flour. Cook roux for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown, then whisk in whole milk. Season with salt and pepper, then remove from heat and refrigerate until ready to use.

Place beef, along with onion, carrot, celery and potatoes in slow cooker and cover with chicken broth. Season with basil and parsley, the cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours, or until potatoes are tender.

Stir in refrigerated roux mixture, then add in cubed velveeta. Cover again and cook for another 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and soup is thick and smooth. Serve hot, topped with cheese and bacon bits. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

(Really good - can add BBQ sauce to it when serving for a stronger taste. I served it on Brioche buns.)

  • 1 tablespoon chili powder

  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin

  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano

  • 2 teaspoons salt, or more, to taste

  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

  • 4 pound pork shoulder, excess fat trimmed

  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled

  • 2 onions, quartered

  • ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice

  • ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice

In a small bowl, combine chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Season pork shoulder with spice mixture, rubbing in thoroughly on all sides.

Place garlic, onions, orange juice, lime juice and seasoned pork shoulder into a 6-qt slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat for 8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.

Remove pork shoulder from the slow cooker and shred the meat before returning to the pot with the juices; season with salt and pepper, to taste, if needed. Cover and keep warm for an additional 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to broil. Place carnitas onto a baking sheet with some of the cooking fat and liquid, and broil until crisp and crusted, about 3-4 minutes.

Serve immediately

Pecan Pie Muffins

  • 1 cup brown sugar

  • 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour

  • 2 cup of chopped pecans

  • 3/4 cup of butter softned or 12 tablespoons

  • 2 large eggs beaten

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 12 muffin cup tin. Be sure and spray very generously, if you don’t, they will stick. Using Bakers Joy always works for me.

In a bowl, stir brown sugar, flour and pecans together. In a separate bowl, beat together the butter and eggs. Stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and combine.

Fill each muffin cup 2/3 full. Bake for 15-17 minutes. Take a knife and run it around the edge of each muffin before removing.

Catch a Husband Cake

  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk

  • 1 can evaporated milk

  • 1 cup coconut milk, plus 1 cup for the icing

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 cup sugar

  • 3 large eggs

  • 3 Tbsp margarine or butter, melted

  • 1 Tbsp baking powder

  • 2 Tbsp sugar

  • 1 cup shredded coconut

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a Bundt pan well.

In a blender or large bowl, combine the condensed milk, evaporated milk, 1 cup coconut milk, flour, 1/2 cup sugar, eggs, margarine, and baking powder. Blend or mix until smooth.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40–50 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

While the cake bakes, make the icing. In a saucepan, combine 1 cup coconut milk, 2 Tbsp sugar, and half of the shredded coconut. Simmer over low heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring often, until slightly thickened and creamy.

Let the cake rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully turn it out onto a serving plate.

While the cake is still warm, spoon the warm icing slowly over the top so it can soak in.

Sprinkle the remaining shredded coconut over the cake and let it cool before slicing.

Practical tip: Pour the icing over the cake while both are still warm. That helps the coconut topping soak in properly and gives the cake the ultra-moist texture shown in the reference.

Easy Party Mix

  • 2 cups oyster crackers

  • 1 cup mini pretzels

  • 1 cup mini saltines

  • 2 cups Cheez-Its

  • 1 (1-ounce) packet ranch seasoning

  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil

  • 1 up to 3 teaspoons freeze-dried dill

Preheat oven to 250°F.

Add oyster crackers, pretzels, saltines, and Cheez-Its to a large bowl. Drizzle on oil and sprinkle ranch seasoning and dill over the top. Use a spatula to toss thoroughly until everything is evenly and well coated.

Spread the mixture in an even layer on the prepared sheet pan, making sure the ingredients aren’t overlapping. Bake for 15 minutes, toss well, then bake for another 5–10 minutes, or until the mixture is dry and crisp.

Remove from the oven and let cool completely on the pan. The mix will continue to crisp as it cools.