Sunday, August 31, 2008

Seared Steaks


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Ingredients

Serves 4
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 beefsteak tomatoes, thinly sliced crosswise
1 sweet onion, such as Vidalia, one half thinly sliced, other half chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 flat-iron steaks (4 to 6 ounces each)
Directions

In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar and 2 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper. Place tomato and onion slices on a platter, and drizzle with vinaigrette. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, heat remaining tablespoon oil over medium. Add chopped onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to soften, 4 to 5 minutes.
Add flour to pan; cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Gradually whisk in milk. Stir in spinach and nutmeg; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until spinach is tender and sauce has thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Cover, and set aside.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Season steaks with salt and pepper. Cook until browned and medium-rare, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Serve steaks with tomato salad and creamy spinach.
Helpful Hint

Inexpensive flat-iron steak is a lean cut from the top shoulder; remove center gristle, if any. It's best medium-rare, so it's ready in minutes.

From Martha Stewart

Glazed Pork Chops with Smashed Potatoes and Green Beans


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Ingredients

Serves 4
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 medium red onion, diced
2 celery stalks, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 package (10 ounces) frozen green beans
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes in juice
1 1/2 pounds red new potatoes, scrubbed well and quartered
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup whole milk
4 bone-in pork chops (about 9 ounces each)
1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Directions

In a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium. Add onion and celery; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, 5 to 6 minutes. Add green beans and tomatoes (with their juice); cook, stirring occasionally, until beans are very tender, about 15 minutes.
Set a steamer basket in a large pot. Fill with enough water to come just below basket; bring to a boil. Add potatoes; reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until tender, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer potatoes to a bowl; set aside.
Remove steamer basket; discard water from pot. In same pot, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium. Add garlic; cook until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add potatoes; mash coarsely. Cook, stirring, 1 minute (a film of starch will form on bottom of pot). Stir in milk and remaining tablespoon butter; heat until warmed through, about 1 minute more. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat; cover. Set aside.
Heat broiler to high. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. In a small bowl, combine sugar and Dijon. Place pork on sheet; season with salt and pepper. Broil until pork begins to brown, 6 to 8 minutes; spread sugar mixture over top. Broil until glaze is browned and pork is opaque throughout, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve pork with potatoes and green beans.

Form Martha Stewart

Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower


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Ingredients

Serves 4
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 head cauliflower (about 2 1/2 pounds), cored and broken into small florets
1 medium red onion, halved and cut into thin wedges
5 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
1/4 cup olive oil
4 slices white sandwich bread
12 ounces cavatappi or other short pasta
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving (optional)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Directions

Preheat oven to 475 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Set a large pot of salted water to boil. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss cauliflower, onion, and garlic with 2 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast on lower rack until lightly browned and tender, 20 minutes, tossing once.
Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine bread and remaining 2 tablespoons oil; pulse until coarse crumbs form. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake on upper rack until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes, tossing once.
Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain pasta and return to pot. Add cauliflower mixture, Parmesan, and parsley; toss to combine. Tossing pasta, gradually add enough pasta water to form a thin sauce that coats pasta. Serve topped with breadcrumbs and, if desired, more Parmesan.
Helpful Hint

Cauliflower tastes surprisingly nutty and sweet when roasted. Break it up into small florets to help it cook quickly. We like cavatappi, but any short pasta will work.

From MarthaStewart

Cuban Black Bean Stew with Rice


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Ingredients

Serves 4
1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 red bell pepper (ribs and seeds removed), chopped
2 cans (19 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14.5 ounces) vegetable broth
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Coarse salt and ground pepper
Garnishes (optional): lime wedges, fresh cilantro, and sliced radishes
Directions

Prepare rice according to package instructions. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium. Add onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 8 to 10 minutes.
Add beans, broth, vinegar, and oregano. Cook, mashing some beans with the back of a spoon, until slightly thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Fluff rice with a fork. Serve beans over rice, with garnishes, if desired.
Helpful Hint

If you like, serve this protein-rich vegetarian dish with brown rice to boost the health factor even more. It's also delicious with chips or tortillas alongside. Canned beans are a great time-saver to stock in the pantry, but they're often high in sodium, so rinse them in a colander before using.

From Martha Stewart

Friday, August 29, 2008

Bok choy with five - spice sauce


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from Cooking Light 9/08

Combine in a skillet & bring to a boil:
1 c fat free less sodium chicken broth
1/4 tsp five-spice powder

Add cover and cook 3 minutes or until tender crisp:
4 baby bok choy halves in a single layer.

Remove boy choy.  Stir in the following and cook  until reduced to 1/4 cup:
1 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
2 tsp rice vinegar
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper.

Serve sauce with bok choy.

Grilled Chicken & Cheese Quesadillas


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Serves 4
 (okay, I know -- these quesadillas have peach in them -- but I couldn't find a better picture!)

1 c monterey jack cheese, shredded
jalapeno pepers
4 8" flour tortillas
1 c shredded cooked chicken

Make 2 flour tortilla 'sandwiches' layering:  tortilla, 1/2 c cheese, peppers, 1/2 c chicken and another tortilla.  Toast in a skillet on each side.  Cut into quarters

Black Bean Soup - Cooking Light

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I found this recipe in Cooking Light 9/08 (Black Bean-Tomato Soup with Cilantro-Lime Cream) -- and searched on line so I didn't have to retype.  (I know -- lazy)  This is what they had on line.  Almost the same soup -- but with just  a few exceptions:  dry beans, 12 vs 4 servings, jalepeno, and the sour cream is plain.  Don't know which one would be better!  So I added the comparisons in blue -- 

Ingredients (Black Bean Tomato Soup with Cilantro-Lime Cream)

1 pound dried black beans (1 15 oz can , drained and rinsed)
2 bacon slices, chopped (same)
1 cup chopped onion (1/2 cup)
3/4 cup chopped carrot (none)
3/4 cup chopped celery (1/4 cup)
2 garlic cloves, minced (1 clove)
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced (none)
4 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth (1 can)
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, undrained (1 can diced)
1/3 cup minced fresh cilantro (1 Tbsp minced)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (1 Tbsp)
1 teaspoon salt (none but did add 1 tsp cumin)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (1/4 tsp)
3/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream (1/4 cup)
none here ( 1/2 tsp grated lime rind)

Preparation
  • Sort and wash beans; place in a large bowl. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans; cover and let stand 8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse beans.
  • Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings in pan. Add onion, carrot, and celery to drippings in pan; sauté 10 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and jalapeño; sauté 2 minutes. 
  • Stir in seasonings (reserving 1/4 tsp cumin).  
  •  Add beans, bacon, broth, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 1/2 hours or until beans are tender (10 minutes for canned). 
  • Place 4 cups soup in a blender or food processor; let stand 5 minutes. Process until smooth; return pureed soup to pan. 
  • Stir in cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Serve with sour cream. (Combine sour cream, remaining cumin, cilantro, rind and juice)

Yield
12 servings (serving size: 1 cup soup and 1 tablespoon sour cream) (4 - 1 cup servings; 1 1/2 Tbsp Cilantro -Lime Cream)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 215(20% from fat); FAT 4.8g (sat 2.1g,mono 1.6g,poly 0.7g); IRON 3mg; CHOLESTEROL 8mg; CALCIUM 95mg; CARBOHYDRATE 32.5g; SODIUM 570mg; PROTEIN 12g; FIBER 7.7g

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Confetti Chicken Wraps


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These are yummy, healthy and quick!  The first time I followed recipe exactly, the second time -- I used chicken I had precooked, shredded and frozen.  It seemed to have lost some of the flavor.  I liked it best just as the recipe states.)

A great recipe from the Meal Makeover Moms!
Makes 6 to 8 Servings

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large orange bell pepper, finely diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, sliced into thin strips
1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 to 1 teaspoon chili powder
One 15 1/2-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 cup preshredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
3/4 cup salsa
Six to eight 8-inch flour tortillas
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream, optional

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bell peppers and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken, cumin, and chili powder and cook until the chicken is no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the beans, corn, cheese, and salsa and cook until the mixture is heated through and the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, stack the tortillas on a microwave-safe plate, uncovered, and heat in the microwave until warmed through, 30 to 45 seconds. Assemble by placing the chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla. Wrap burrito style and serve with sour cream as desired.

Nutrition Information per Serving: 330 calories, 8g fat (1.5g saturated), 510mg sodium, 41g carbohydrates, 8g fiber, 24g protein, 80% vitamin C

Friday, August 22, 2008

Patrice's Potatoes



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Patrice’s Potatoes

8-10 medium sized red potatoes, thinly sliced
1/2 cube butter, melted
1/4 C olive oil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cayenne powder
2 tsp mild chili powder
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Mix above ingredients and toss with thin sliced potatoes. Place on a cookie sheet. Bake at 500 degrees for 7-10 minutes, then turn potatoes and bake another 7-10 minutes until desired crispness.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Emergency Cooking Methods

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This website lists lots of emergency cooking methods.

Canned Butter

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Canned Butter Recipe
User Rating Be the first to write a review
From Oct7, for About.com
Filed In:Recipes > Dairy Recipes
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Canned butter used to be commercially-available to campers. You can try this reader-submitted method at home which may be stored up to 3 years. I usually freeze butter when I find it on sale (and let it naturally defrost in the refrigerator). However, for extended camping trips with no electricity or in case of power outages, canned butter can come in handy.
Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

High-quality full-fat butter
Preparation:

Use only highest quality butter (Land O Lakes or equivalent).

Heat jelly jars in 250 F.-degree oven for 20 minutes, without rings or seals.

While jars heat, melt butter slowly until it comes to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

Pour melted butter carefully into heated jars, being careful not to get any butter on rim of jar.

Add lid and ring and close securely. They will seal as they cool. Shake jars a few times during cooling to prevent separation, although this step is optional.

Put into refrigerator or other cool place until butter hardens. After hardening, butter will store for 3 years.

Author Oct7 Comments: This is where low-fat butter and non-fat butter just do not measure up. Only real butter will can and store without separating into chemicals and water. --Oct7

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Make Your Own Hamburger Helper

Print Page"Almost Hamburger Helper" Mix in a Jar

2 cups nonfat dry milk
1 cup corn starch
1/4 cup beef bouillon powder
2 tablespoons onion flakes
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 tablespoon garlic powder

Mix the ingredients together and store in an airtight jar.

Attach the following recipes to the jar:

Chili Mac:
1 lb ground beef, browned and drained
1 c water
1/2 c macaroni noodles (uncooked)
2 cans chopped tomatoes
1 T chili powder
1/2 cup Hamburger Helper mix
Combine all and simmer 20 minutes or until macaroni is cooked.

Stroganoff:
1 lb ground beef, browned and drained
2 c water
1/2 c Hamburger Helper mix
2 c uncooked egg noodles
1/2 cup sour cream
Combine all except sour cream. Simmer 20 minutes or until noodles are tender. Stir in sour cream and serve.

Potato Beef Casserole:
1 lb ground beef, browned and drained
3/4 c water
6 potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 c frozen mixed veggies
1/2 cup Hamburger Helper mix
Combine all and simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove cover and cook until excess water is evaporated.

Quick Lasagna:
1 lb ground beef, browned and drained
1/2 c Hamburger Helper mix
1 onion, chopped
2 c water
16 oz tomato sauce
3 c lasagna noodles, uncooked, broken in bits
1/4 c parmesan cheese
2 c mozzarella cheese, shredded
Combine all except mozzarella in large skillet. Bring to a boil, let simmer for 15 minutes or until noodles are cooked. Top with mozzarella. Turn off heat and let cheese melt.

Homemade Creamy Stroganoff Hamburger Helper:
Ingredients:
1½ pound of ground hamburger meat
1 large onion, chopped
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup flour
1 cup milk
½ to 1 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon Worchestershire Sauce
1 tablespoon parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
8 ounces or half pound box or package of uncooked macaroni, noodles or Rotini pasta
In a large saucepan, boil water to cook either the macaroni, noodles, or Rotini pasta. Cook until just done, drain and set aside. I have given these three options, as either of the three make for a great "Helper" meal.
In a large skillet brown the hamburger until done. To drain off excess oil from hamburger place a paper towel in a colander and add hamburger into colander.
Wash mushrooms under cold water, remove stems, and slice. In another large skillet or even a stock pot, with heat of flame on low, sauté chopped onions and sliced mushrooms in two tablespoons of butter until done. Sprinkle the ¼ cup flour onto mushrooms and onions and gently blend in flour with whisk, slowly add the milk, continuing to blend, then the beef broth. Add the Worchestershire Sauce, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Once everything is blended well, add the hamburger meat, and again blend in well, finally add the cooked noodles and blend so everything has an even coating of the sauce mixture.
Makes 4 Servings
Homemade Cheesy Version Hamburger Helper:
Ingredients:
1½ pound of ground hamburger meat
1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup flour
1 to 2 cups milk
1 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 tablespoon parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
8 ounces or half pound box or package of uncooked macaroni, or Rotini pasta.
Once more I suggest the idea of either using macaroni or Rotini pasta, however in this case not the noodles, as these two types of pasta work the best for this meal. In a large saucepan, cook either macaroni or Rotini pasta until done, drain and set aside.
In a large skillet add both onion and hamburger and cook until hamburger is browned and onion is translucent. To drain off excess oil from hamburger and onions place a paper towel in a colander and add the onion and hamburger into colander. Set aside.
In another large skillet or even a stock pot, on low flame, melt the butter, then add the flour and blend thoroughly with a whisk. Slowly add about a cup of the milk and blend with a whisk thoroughly to remove any lumpiness. Add the cup of shredded Cheddar Cheese and once more blend in for an even texture of the "sauce". Since the cheese will thicken the sauce, it's advisable to add more milk according to your preference in the thickness of the cheese sauce. Keep blending for a unified thickness of the sauce. Add the parsley and salt and pepper to taste, then next add the onion and hamburger mixture and blend into the sauce, and finally the macaroni or Rotini pasta.
Makes 4 Servings
Other seasoning ideas:
To add a zesty spicy taste to this Cheese version, one can also add 1 or more tablespoons of a Taco type seasoning to taste...add this seasoning at the same time you blend in the parsley and salt and pepper stage.
Homemade Tuna Helper:
Ingredients:
2 small cans of tuna, drained
1 large onion, chopped
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup flour
1 to 1½ cup milk
1 tablespoon parsley
Salt, pepper and Old Bay seasoning to taste
8 ounces or half of a package of uncooked macaroni, noodles or Rotini pasta
In a large saucepan, boil water to cook either the macaroni, noodles, or Rotini pasta. Cook until just done, drain and set aside. Once again all three work great, just as it does with the first hamburger helper type meal.
Wash mushrooms under cold water, remove stems, and slice. In another large skillet or even a stock pot, with heat of flame on low, sauté chopped onions and sliced mushrooms in two tablespoons of butter until done. Sprinkle the ¼ cup flour onto mushrooms and onions and gently blend in flour with whisk, slowly add the milk, continuing to blend, adding enough milk to desired thickness of "sauce". Add the parsley, salt, pepper and Old Bay Seasoning to taste. Once everything is blended well, add the tuna, and again blend in well, finally add the cooked noodles and blend so everything has an even coating of the sauce mixture.
Makes 4 Servings
Other options:
One can make a "cheesy" version of this, by adding a cup of shredded Cheddar Cheese at the making of the sauce stage...add more milk if sauce becomes to thick. Blend sauce and cheese mixture thoroughly with a whisk to remove any lumpiness.

Broccoli and Garlic Penne


Cook: 20 mins
Ready in: 20 mins

1 cup Swanson® Chicken Broth
1/2 tsp. dried basil leaves , crushed
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic , minced
3 cups broccoli flowerets
4 1/2 cups hot cooked penne pasta (medium tube­shaped pasta), cooked without salt
1 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

Cooking Instructions
MIX broth, basil, pepper, garlic and broccoli in skillet. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat for 3 min. or until broccoli is tender­crisp. ADD pasta and lemon juice. Toss to coat. Serve with cheese.

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Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Overnight Waffles


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Overnight Waffles

1/2 cup warm water
1 package dry yeast
2 cups milk, warmed
1/2 cup butter (1 cube), melted
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. granulated sugar
2 cups flour
2 eggs
1/4 tsp. baking soda

Use a big mixing bowl (the batter will rise to double its original volume.) Put the water in the mixing bowl and sprinkle in the yeast. Let stand to dissolve for 5 minutes. Warm the milk on the stove (I just add in the butter so it is melting as the milk warms) Be careful not to let the milk boil or get too hot. You don’t want it to kill the yeast when you add it into the yeast mixture.

Add the milk, butter, salt, sugar and flour to the yeast mixture and stir until smooth and blended (can use a hand beater to get rid of the lumps if needed, I usually don’t need to.) Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand overnight at room temperature. Just before cooking the waffles, beat in the eggs, add the baking soda, and stir until well mixed. The batter will be very thin. Pour about 1/2 to 3/4 cup batter into a very hot waffle iron. Bake the waffles until they are golden and crisp. This batter will keep well for several days in the refrigerator. Depending on the size of your waffle iron this makes about 6-8 waffles.

Ooey Gooey Cake

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Ooey Gooey Cake

1 packaged yellow cake mix
1/2 cup melted butter (1 stick)
1 egg
1 (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
3 3/4 cup powdered sugar

Grease and flour one 13 x 9 pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix together cake mix (DO NOT add the things it tells you on the back of the box - you are using just the dry cake mix.), melted butter and 1 egg. press into prepared pan. In separate bowl mix cream cheese, 2 eggs and powdered sugar. Pour over the first layer. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Skirt Steak Tacos


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Skirt Steak Marinade

1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup soy sauce
4 scallions, washed and cut in 1/2
2 large cloves garlic
1/4 cup lime juice
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 lbs. skirt steak, cut into 3 equal pieces

In a blender, put in oil, soy sauce, scallions, garlic, lime juice, red pepper, cumin and sugar and puree. Pour into a large, heavy duty, zip top bag and add skirt steak. Seal bag, removing as much air as possible. Allow to marinade overnight or for at least 3-4 hours.

Remove steak from bag and pat dry with paper towels. Cook on barbecue - just a few minutes per side. When finished cooking wrap meat in double thickness of foil and allow to sit for 15 minutes.

Remove meat from foil, reserving foil and juices. Slice thinly across the grain of the meat. Return to foil pouch and toss with juice.


Friday, March 14, 2008

Banana Walnut Pancakes

(4 servings)

1 medium banana (the more ripe the better) - mashed
1 cup flour
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup crushed walnuts
1 large egg - beaten
2 Tablespoons canola oil
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

In a separate medium bowl, mix together buttermilk, egg, cooking oil and vanilla.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix well.

Stir in banana until just mixed. Fold in walnuts.

Pour in 1/2 cup portions onto a heated (medium-high), greased griddle or large fry pan.

Turn the pancake when the visible side starts to show a lot of bubbles. Turn and cook other side until golden brown.

Serve with butter and syrup, or any other favorite topping.
source

Balsamic Dressing

I served these with a salad made with romaine lettuce, baby spinach, tomato, romano and parmesan cheeses. I also made a balsamic dressing for the salad. It's recipe from Emeril Lagasse but I made some alterations.

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tsp brown sugar
Couple dashes salt and black pepper

Put all ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine.I

Crock Pot Lasagna

INGREDIENTS:

* 1 lb. ground beef
* 1 large onion, finely chopped
* 2 garlic cloves, crushed and minced
* 1 large jar spaghetti
sauce (such as Ragu in the
1 lb. 10 ounce
jar)
* 1 package (8 ounces no-boil
lasagna noodles
* 16 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
* 1 lb. ricotta cheese
* 1/4 cup milk
* 1 egg
* 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan/Romano cheese
* Salt and pepper to taste

PREPARATION:
Brown the beef, onion, and garlic in a littleoil in a frying pan. Drain offany grease.
Add the spaghetti sauce into the browned meatmixture. Mix well.In a separate bowl, mix thericotta cheese, milk, and egg.
Beat until thoroughly mixed and smooth.
Then mix in the mozzarella cheese and the grated cheese, so that all thecheeses are combined.

Grease the slow cooker/Crock Pot with some vegetable shortening on thebottom and sides.

Put about 1/4 of the meat and sauce mixture in the bottom of the slow cooker/Crock Pot. Put a layer of
noodles on top of that (break or cut them if needed). Put about 1/3 of the cheese mixture on
top of that. Then repeat with sauce, noodles, cheese for another 2 layers. Top with meat sauce.
Cookon low for 4-6 hours or until noodles are tender.

*I use regular lasagna noodles (not the no boil kind). Also,my crock pot cooks this in 3 1/2 hrs on
low so you have to watch it to be sure it doesn't burn.

Veggie Rice Pilaf

1/4 large red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 large green bell pepper,chopped
1/4 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, chopped
1 large clove garlic, pressed or minced
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup brown rice
salt and pepper

Begin by cooking the rice and set aside. Then finely chop all the vegetables. Heat a skillet over medium heat with about 2 Tbsp olive oil. Add chopped veggies to the pan and saute 2-3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth and let simmer another 3 minutes or so. Add the pressed garlic and stir. Last, stir in the cooked rice, remaining broth, salt, and pepper. Let cook another 3-5 minutes until some of the broth is absorbed. Serve warm.

Healthy Apple Muffins

3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 egg
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce (or vegetable oil, if you're not calorie counting)
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup lowfat buttermilk (I subbed 3/4 cup milk with 1 tsp lemon juice)
1 cup shredded apple (1 large apple)
1/3 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 400 and grease a 12-cup muffin tin. Sift together flours, baking powder and soda, salt and spices.

In a seprarate bowl, beat egg with brown sugar until well combined. Stir in vanilla, buttermilk, applesauce and shredded apple.

Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in nuts.

Pour mixture into muffin cups and bake approximately 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Pumpkin Muffins

Nana's Spaghetti Sauce

3 pounds ground beef
1 large onion, diced
1 green pepper,diced2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans tomato sauce
1/2 tsp onion salt
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp oregano
1 Tbsp ketchup
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Heinz 57 steak sauce
1 tsp Italian seasoning



In a heavy skillet,brown the onion,green pepper and garlic in a small amount of oil. Add ground beef and cook until brown.
Drain meat well and place into a large saucepan.
Add tomatoes,salt,onion salt,garlic salt, oregano,ketchup,worcestershire sauce,Heinz 57 and Italian seasoning to the ground beef mixture.
Stir well and cook on low heat 2-3 hours.
Serve over your choice of cooked pasta angarnish with grated parmesan cheese.

"I-HOP" Pancakes

Copy cat pancakes
There is a link to a different recipe in this weeks Carnival of Recipes. Although it is hugely different than mine is there are a few measurements that are changed.


1 1/4 cup flour
1 egg
1 1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup sugar
1 heaping teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1/4 cup vegetable oil
pinch of salt

1. Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Apply a little nonstick spray or margarine.
2. Mix together the ingredients, I usually wisk but a blender will yield a smoother result.
3. Pour batter onto the hot skillet, I usually use a 1/4 cup measuring cup for this.
4. When edges appear to harden, flip the pancakes. They should be golden brown.
5. Cook pancakes on the other side until golden.

I had to add chocolate ships to mine this morning. All I did was after pouring the batter onto the skillet I sprinkled on some chips. No biggie but the kids love it!

CHICKEN NOODLE CASSEROLE

I LOVE this casserole dish and have eaten it every Christmas Eve since I can remember. (BECKY HIGGINS.COM)

You need:

4 pieces of chicken breasts, cooked & cubed
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/4 c. chopped green pepper
Butter or margarine
3 Tbsp. flour
1 1/4 c. milk
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 sm. jar of pimentos
2 cans (8 oz. total) sliced mushroom pieces (juice drained)
stuffing mix (I prefer Peppridge Farm brand)
egg noodles (about 6 oz. dry)

Cook chicken first (boil) and allow to cool. Cut into pieces and set aside. Cook egg noodles according to directions on package. In a saucepan, saute onion and green pepper in margarine. Make a white sauce of 3 Tbsp. margarine, flour and milk. Combine sauce with onion and green pepper mixture and bring to a boil. Add cream of chicken, pimentos, mushrooms and chicken. Combine this with the noodles. Place in casserole and sprinkle with stuffing mix. Dot with butter (my preference) or margarine. Bake (covered with tin foil) for 30 minutes at 350, until bubbly and lightly brown on top.

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Chocolate Cake II w/ Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

This one is really easy. It turns out a little dense and really moist...we love it!
Chocolate cake
3 c. all-purpose flour
2 c. sugar
1/3 c. baking cocoa
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 c. water
3/4 c. vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. vinegar
In a mixing bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Add the water, oil, vanilla and vinegar; mix well. (Batter will be thin.) Pour into a greased 9x13" baking pan. Bake at 350* for 25-30 min. (sometimes it's longer than that for me) or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely. *Recipe contains no eggs*

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. butter or margarine, softened
2 c. powdered sugar
1/3 c. baking cocoa
dash salt
3 Tbsp. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter. Add the powdered sugar, cocoa, salt, milk and vanilla; mix well.

Triple Chocolate Cake

1 box chocolate cake mix
1 small box chocolate pudding
2 c chocolate chips

Make the pudding according to the directions on the box in a medium saucepan (you can use either cook and serve or instant) If using instant pudding, heat on medium-high until it starts to boil. Mix in the dry cake mix, then pour into a 9x13 pan sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top. Bake in oven preheated to 350 for 25-30 min.

This is great with ice cream on top.

Chocolate Cake I

1 chocolate cake mix
1 lg box chocolate pudding
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 12 oz bag chocolate chips (your preference)

Mix first 4 together, stir in chocolate chips (this will be very thick), put in greased bundt pan, bake at 350 for 1 hour. Top with powdered sugar when cool.
* Note- I use applesauce instead of oil and fat free sour cream and it is just as good, even more moist.

Thursday, November 29, 2007

Fresh Strawberry Jam

from: The Barefoot Contessa

2 cups sugar
1 large lemon, zested and juiced
1 1/2 pints fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
Combine the sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over very low heat for 10 minutes, until the sugar is dissolved. Add the strawberries and continue to cook over very low heat for 20 minutes, until the strawberries release some of their juices and the mixture boils slowly. Cook until a small amount of the juice gels on a very cold plate. (I keep one in the freezer.) Pour carefully into 2 pint canning jars and either seal or keep refrigerated. Use immediately, or follow proper canning guidelines below.

Tips on Sterilizing Jars:

Properly-handled sterilized equipment will keep canned foods in good condition for years. Sterilizing jars is the first step of preserving foods.

Sterilizing Tips:

Jars should be made from glass and free of any chips or cracks. Preserving or canning jars are topped with a glass, plastic, or metal lid, which has a rubber seal. Two piece lids are best for canning, as they vacuum seal when processed.

To sterilize jars, before filling with jams, pickles, or preserves, wash jars and lids with hot, soapy water. Rinse well and arrange jars and lids open sides up, without touching, on a tray. Leave in a preheated 175 degree F oven for 25 minutes. Or, boil the jars and lids in a large saucepan, covered with water, for 15 minutes.

Use tongs when handling the hot sterilized jars, to move them from either boiling water or the oven. Be sure the tongs are sterilized too, by dipping the ends in boiling water for a few minutes.

As a rule, hot preserves go into hot jars and cold preserves go into cold jars. All items used in the process of making jams, jellies, and preserves must be clean. This includes any towels used, and especially your hands.

After the jars are sterilized, you can preserve the food. It is important to follow any canning and processing instructions included in the recipe and refer to USDA guidelines about the sterilization of canned products.

Tips on Sterilizing Jars

Properly-handled sterilized equipment will keep canned foods in good condition for years. Sterilizing jars is the first step of preserving foods.

Sterilizing Tips:

Jars should be made from glass and free of any chips or cracks. Preserving or canning jars are topped with a glass, plastic, or metal lid, which has a rubber seal. Two piece lids are best for canning, as they vacuum seal when processed.

To sterilize jars, before filling with jams, pickles, or preserves, wash jars and lids with hot, soapy water. Rinse well and arrange jars and lids open sides up, without touching, on a tray. Leave in a preheated 175 degree F oven for 25 minutes. Or, boil the jars and lids in a large saucepan, covered with water, for 15 minutes.

Use tongs when handling the hot sterilized jars, to move them from either boiling water or the oven. Be sure the tongs are sterilized too, by dipping the ends in boiling water for a few minutes.

As a rule, hot preserves go into hot jars and cold preserves go into cold jars. All items used in the process of making jams, jellies, and preserves must be clean. This includes any towels used, and especially your hands.

After the jars are sterilized, you can preserve the food. It is important to follow any canning and processing instructions included in the recipe and refer to USDA guidelines about the sterilization of canned products.

Saturday, October 27, 2007

Chicken and Roasted Pepper Panini

You don't need a panini press to make panini. Covering these sandwiches with a large, heavy pan (such as a Dutch oven) is enough to give them the desired press.

If your sub rolls are longer than 6 inches, cook the panini in 2 batches.

Serves 4

8 thin-cut, boneless, skinless chicken cutlets (about 1 1/2 pounds)
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup drained jarred roasted red peppers, chopped
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1 garlic clove, minced
4 (6-inch) sub rolls, halved lengthwise
8 ounces thinly sliced Provolone deli cheese
Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook half of cutlets until lightly browned and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to plate and repeat with additional 1 tablespoon oil and remaining cutlets.
Pulse red peppers, olives, basil, garlic, and 1 tablespoon oil in food processor until coarsely chopped. Spread pepper mixture evenly over both sides of rolls. Layer half of cheese and 2 chicken cutlets over each roll bottom. Top with remaining cheese and roll tops.
Wipe out skillet. Heat remaining oil over medium-low heat until just shimmering. Arrange panini in skillet and top with large Dutch oven. Cook until bottoms of sandwiches are crisp and cheese is beginning to melt, about 2 minutes. Remove Dutch oven, flip sandwiches, replace Dutch oven, and continue to cook until crisp on second side and heated through, about 2 minutes. Serve.

Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup

A speed up homemade broth puts this soup on the table in 90 minutes! From Cooks Illustrated

Makes about 3 quarts, serving 6 to 8
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds), breast removed and split, remaining chicken cut into 2-inch pieces
2 medium onions , cut into medium dice
2 quarts boiling water
Table salt
2 bay leaves
1 large carrot , peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 medium rib celery , sliced 1/4-inch thick
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cups egg noodles (3 ounces), preferably wide
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
Ground black pepper


1. Heat oil in large soup kettle. When oil shimmers and starts to smoke, add chicken breast halves; sauté until brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside. Add half of chopped onions to kettle; sauté until colored and softened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl; set aside. Add half of chicken pieces; sauté until no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl with onions. Sauté remaining chicken pieces. Return onions and chicken pieces (excluding breasts) to kettle. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until chicken releases its juices, about 20 minutes. Increase heat to high; add boiling water along with both breast halves, 2 teaspoons salt, and bay leaves. Return to simmer, then cover and barely simmer until chicken breasts are cooked and broth is rich and flavorful, about 20 minutes.

2. Remove chicken breasts from kettle; set aside. When cool enough to handle, remove skin from breasts, then remove meat from bones and shred into bite-size pieces; discard skin and bone. Strain broth; discard bones. Skim fat from broth, reserving 2 tablespoons. (Broth and meat can be covered and refrigerated up to 2 days.)

3. Return soup kettle to medium-high heat. Add reserved chicken fat. Add remaining onions, along with carrot and celery; sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add thyme, along with broth and chicken; simmer until vegetables are tender and flavors meld, 10 to 15 minutes. Add noodles and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Adjust seasonings, stir in parsley, and serve.

Friday, October 26, 2007

Warm Chicken Salsa

2-3 chicken breasts
1 can black beans (You could try dry beans after soaking overnight)
1 cup of salsa
1 can corn--drained (optional since my three year old wants it separate)

If the chicken is frozen cook for about 4 hours on high, if not frozen cook around 2 to 3. I shredded the chicken once it was cooked and let it cook for another hour.

Serve with warm tortillas or over rice. YUM!!!

SPLIT PEA AND SAUSAGE CROCKPOT SOUP

16 oz. pkg. green or yellow split peas
4 cups water
10.5-oz. can chicken broth
1 cup chopped carrots
6 oz. sliced sausage or chorizo, casing removed
¼ tsp.salt
¼ tsp. pepper
½ cup sliced green onions
11-oz. can corn

Rinse and sort peas. Combine all ingredients in crockpot except onions and corn; stir gently to mix. Cover; cook on LOW setting for 7-9 hours. About 10 minutes before serving, stir in onions and corn. Increase heat setting to high; cover and cook an additional 5-10 minutes or until corn is thoroughly heated.

I prefer the yellow split peas because it’s a nicer color. Leftover soup will be thick the next day. Add a little bit of water before heating up to return it to the desired consistency.

Crockpot Stew

My family is making a cookbook for Christmas and so we are typing up some of our favorite recipes. I thought I would pass along this great stew. (I make it with pork and use turkey gravy instead and I love it that way.) The coating and the precooking of the meat makes it super tender.

1 ½ lb. beef stew meat
2 TBS flour
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 TBS oil
1 lb. small red potatoes quartered
16-oz. pkg. frozen pearl onions
1 lb. baby carrots
12-oz. jar beef gravy
14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes
3 TBS flour
¼ cup cold water

Cut meat into 3/4 inch cubes. Coat beef with 2 TBS flour, salt, and pepper. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add coated beef; cook and stir 4-6 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. In crockpot layer potatoes, onions, and carrots. Add browned beef; sprinkle with remaining flour mixture. Drain diced tomatoes. Top with gravy and tomatoes. Cover and cook on LOW setting for 8-10 hours. Before serving blend 3 TBS flour with 1/4 cup cold water. Stir into stew. Cook on HIGH, covered, 10 minutes or until thickened.

Two medium onions, peeled and cut, can be used in place of frozen pearl onions. Russet potatoes and large carrots can also be used. Browning the meat develops the flavor, but this step can be omitted to save time. Simply coat the meat with flour mixture before layering it with the other ingredients as directed. This recipe works great with pork or chicken as well. Just buy turkey gravy instead of beef.

Sinfully Easy Swiss Crockpot Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (I actually used about 8 tenderloins, I think)
1 box Chicken Stuffing Mix (It said to use Stove Top but I used a generic brand)
1/4 lb Swiss Cheese sliced
1 can (19 oz.) Campbell’s Chunky Chicken Corn Chowder
1/2 cup water of chicken broth (I used the broth and I think it really gave it more flavor)
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (I just put more swiss on top)

Layer chicken breasts in bottom of crockpot. Cover with slices of Swiss cheese. In seperate bowl, combine soup (direct from can), uncooked stuffing mix and herb packet from box, and water OR chicken broth. Spread mixed ingredients over chicken. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cook on high for approximately 4 hours or 8 hours on low. Yield 4-6 servings.

It definitely took less time than that, especially since I used tenderloins so the chicken cooked faster.

Sour Cream Chicken & Noodles (Just made this one again on Sunday it's one of our favs!)

1 pkg. chicken, boneless breasts or thighs (we used tenderloins and not a whole package)
1/4 cup white wine (didn’t have any so we used water)
1 can cream of chicken soup (could use mushroom instead)
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup flour
Cooked egg noodles.

Place chicken in corck pot. Mix wine and soup and pour over chicken. Cover and cook: low 7-9 hours, or high 3-4 hours. Before serving, mix sour cream and flour; stir mixture into chicken and gravy. Heat for 30 minutes on low. Serve chicken and gravey over hot cooked egg noodles. YUM!

Slow Cooker Oriental Chicken

3-4 pounds chicken
2 Tbsp. oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 Tbsp. brown sugar
3 Tbsp.water
1 clove garlic
1 tsp. ground ginger

Brown chicken in oil. In a crock pot, combine soy sauce, brown sugar, water, garlic, and ginger. Add chicken and stir to coat each piece. Cover and cook on high1 hour. Reduce heat to Low and cook 4-5 hours. Serve with white or brown rice, YUMMY!!! Also after I turned it down to low I added about 2 Tbsp. of cornstarch with a little cold water then added that to the crock pot to make the sauce a little thicker, this is pretty good

CrockPot Refried Beans (cheap & delicious!)

Soak your dried pinto beans in your crockpot in the fridge overnight. (Fill it half full with beans and cover to top with water. For a yummy variation add 2 handfulls of black beans.) Drain water and rinse beans. Put back in crockpot and fill to top with water. Cook on high for 8 hours--make sure it never runs out of water. Drain some of the excess liquid, but keep liquid in a separate container. Add 1-2 tsp. salt and 1-3 TBS butter and about 1 cup mild salsa. Blend with hand mixer until mostly smooth. Add additional reserved liquid if it is not desired consistency. Serve with tacos, burritos, eggs or any other dishes you eat beans with. Delicious and so very, very cheap. You will never buy refried beans again!
bsolutely you can freeze the refried beans! (I should've added that, sorry. ) I always divide it up into smaller containers that we get out as we need to use them. You can defrost them easily. I think refried beans are one of those magic freezer foods that seems to stay good in the freezer for forever. I have even frozen them in ziploc bags to keep them compact and small. They're great to take that way camping.

One last tip--cooking beans in the house is very aromatic. My Dad and sisters love the smell, but I think it is overwhelming. I always cook mine in the crockpot on the back porch in good weather and in the garage in bad.

ITALIAN BEEF

#3 roast, cut into peices
1 env. of good seasons zesty italian dry salad dressing mix
1 cup water OR 1 can of beer, whatever u have on hand of these 2 is fine
1 onion, chopped
6-7 peppercinis, cut into small peices

brown roast on stove.Cut roast into 4 peices and place roast in crockpot. Mix the salad dressing in with the liquid and pour over the roast. Add the onion and peppercinis and cook for 5-6hrs on high and shred with fork when tender. Serve on sandwich buns or hoagie buns.

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN AND RICE

3 cans cream of chicken soup
2 cups uncooked instant rice
1 cup water
1 # boneless skinless chicken breasts or tenders
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
1/2 cup diced celery

Mix soup, rice and water in cooker. Add chicken on top and sprinkle with seasoning and sprinkle with celery over the top. Cover and cook on low for 6-8hrs or high for 3-4hrs

Chicken Enchilada Layered Crock Pot Casserole

Servings-8

Ingredients:
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
6 Chicken breasts, chopped small
1-15oz can diced tomatoes with Mexican seasoning
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1-15 oz. can ranch beans (or chili beans or dark red kidney beans) undrained
1 small can tomato sauce
flour tortillas
Mexican Cheese
1 lg can Black olives
Directions:
Cook onion and green pepper in non-stick skillet over medium heat until translucent, stirring constantly.
Add Chicken breasts and stir until cooked.
Add 1 15oz can diced tomatoes with Mexican seasoning, 1 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon cumin 1 15 oz. can ranch beans (or chili beans or dark red kidney beans), undrained 1/2 to 1 small can tomato sauce.
Cook on low for 10 minutes, until piping hot.
Sauce should be like a thin spaghetti sauce consistency.
Spray with Pam the inside of a 3.5 quart crockpot or larger one will be good too.

Layer the following in this order:
3/4 cup sauce mixture
1 flour tortilla
1/3 cup Mexican Cheese, grated
Make 6 layers, ending with cheese.
Pour any sauce remaining over the top. Cook 6 hours on low.
When you get ready to serve top of with black olives

CROCK-POT CHICKEN & RICE CASSEROLE

Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients:
6 lg chicken breasts
1 can of mushrooms
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 c diced celery
1 1/2 c minute rice

Mix in crock-pot the 1 can mushrooms, 3 cans of soup and rice.
Place the chicken on top of the mixture, then add the diced celery.
Cook for 3 hours on high or 4 hours on low.
Makes 6 servings

Crunchy Taco Casserole

1 lb ground beef or turkey cooked with taco seasoning packet.
6-8 cups crunched tortilla chips
! can black beans drained
1 can kidney beans drained
1 can corn drained
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can enchilada sauce. use your favorite
2 cups shredded cheese

You can do this for 2 hours on low in the crockpot

Yoshida Shredded pork

Pork roast (I used pork sirloin roast)

Cook roast alone in crock pot until done, shred, then add
1/2-3/4 C Yoshida's gourmet sauce
1/2 - 1 tsp liquid smoke
1/4 C soy sauce

Serve on buns.

Apple Crisp Dessert

INGREDIENTS:
0. 7 medium cooking apples, peeled, cored, sliced
0. 1 1/2 cups flour
0. 1 cup packed brown sugar
0. 1 tablespoon cinnamon
0. 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
0. 1/4 teaspoon ginger
0. 3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
0. .
0. Topping Suggestions:
0. Vanilla ice cream
0. Maraschino cherries
0. Whipped cream or whipped topping
PREPARATION:

Grease crockpot, arrange sliced apples in bottom of crock pot. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, spices and butter. Cover the apples with this mixture. Tap down lightly. Cook on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until apples are tender.

Serve in dessert dishes with any or all of the suggested toppings

Lemonade Chicken

Tangy and sweet.

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (I only used 3 to feed my younger family)
3/4 cup lemonade, frozen concentrate
3 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water

1. Place chicken in slow cooker. Combine lemonade, ketchup,
brown sugar, and cider vinegar; pour over chicken.

2. Cover and cook on low (I used high to guarantee it done in time for dinner )for 2 1/2 hours or until chicken juices run
clear.

3. Remove chicken and keep warm. For gravy, combine cornstarch and
water until smooth; stir into cooking juices

4. Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes or until thickened. Return
chicken to slow cooker; heat through.

Chocolate Mud Cake (Evil in a Crock pot!)

1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
6 tablespoons butter
2 ounces semisweet chocolate or chocolate chips
1 cup sugar, divided
3 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa powder, plus
1/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup milk
1 egg yolk
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups hot water
whipped cream or ice cream

Coat the inside of a 2 ½ quart to 5 quart slow cooker or crock pot with cooking spray.
(Note: the cake’s cooking time and final appearance will vary depending on your crock’s size.) Whisk together the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl and set aside.
In a large bowl, melt the butter and chocolate in the microwave or over a pan of simmering water and mix well.
Whisk in the 2/3 cup of sugar, 3 T.
of cocoa, vanilla, salt, milk, and egg yolk.
Add the flour mixture and stir until thoroughly mixed.
Pour the batter into the slow cooker and spread it evenly.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining sugar, cocoa and hot water until the sugar is dissolved.
Pour the mixture over the batter in the slow cooker.
Cover and cook on high for 1 ¼ to 2 ¼ hours, depending on size of the crock pot.
Even when done, the cake will be very moist and floating on a layer of molten chocolate, but you will know it is ready when nearly all of the cake is set and the edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pot.
(As you check, try not to let the condensed steam from the lid, drip on the cake.) When it is done, turn off the power and remove the lid.
Let it cool for 25 minutes, then serve it in bowls topped with whipped cream or ice cream.

Creamy Pot Roast

Put the pot roast in the crockpot, cover with Cream of Mushroom (I use the Healthy Request) and top with Lipton Beefy Onion (it has to be this soup mix). Cook all day on low. The juices, soup and onion mix make a great gravy

CROCKPOT TRIPLE CHOCOLATE CAKE

1 package chocolate cake mix
1 pint sour cream
1 package instant chocolate pudding
1 small bag chocolate chip (approx. 6 ounces)
3/4 cup oil
4 eggs
1 cup water
Spray crockpot with non-stick spray. Mix all ingredients.
Pour into crockpot. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
Serve in a bowl with vanilla ice cream.