Slow Cooker Lasagna

I cannot remember how I came across this recipe but it was one of our busy-day favorites during the winter months.  Really nothing beats homemade lasagna that someone has lovingly worked on for hours but let’s be honest – that’s way too much work for a weeknight meal that most of my family members are going to devour in less than 8 minutes.  This recipe (for me) is a nice balance.  Not a lot of prep work, but a decent tasting lasagna (maybe a bit messier though) that everyone in the family enjoys. 

Link to recipe HERE

The last few times I made this recipe I added a few tablespoons of basil pesto in with the ricotta/mozzarella mixture.  It’s fine without it, but if you have some on hand then add it in!

Cheesy Enchilada Stack

My local grocery store has started doing something which I think is akin to brilliance.  Each week they feature two recipes, and in a certain section of the store they have stacked everything you need to create the recipe – including a paper bag w/ handles to tote it all away in. 


Just today as I was bagging some onions, I saw two shoppers stop and grab that brown bag and a copy of the recipe.  Now, the recipes they feature are often not much my style, but I think the idea is a great one, and a much-needed one.  Even when I am on my A-game with meal planning  I still have days – maybe once each month - when I have to make a quick dash to the store to get something for dinner.  And of course there are always those that wander the aisles of the grocery store searching for some inspiration as to what to make for dinner all week. 






This recipe was one that was featured a couple of weeks ago.  When I saw it I thought my kids would like it, but that I probably wouldn’t.  Some dinners are like that you know.  Anyway…  I loved it.  Kids loved it.  Grandparents loved it.  I made it once more the next week, tweaking a few things and we liked it even more. 

What I loved:  It’s a quick meal using things I usually have around the house.  It’s a great substitute for taco-night (which my toddler is NOT a fan of.)  The leftovers are great the next day for lunch.  It’s flexible ( try subbing in red enchilada sauce, use ground turkey or shredded chicken, add in some diced green peppers & tomatoes, swap the refried beans for some mashed up black beans….) 

There’s a version here and here

Here’s the original recipe that I used

This is MY favorite version:

Cheesy Enchilada Stack

1 lb lean ground beef (as lean as I can find)
1 (10 oz) can green enchilada sauce
6 (10-inch) flour tortillas
8 oz shredded Monterrey Jack cheese (cheddar is fine if that’s what you have)
1 (16 oz) can refried beans
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chiles (mild)

preheat oven to 400 degrees

Brown ground beef in a skillet.  Remove from heat and drain off any fat.  Add 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce to the ground beef and stir.  Set aside. 

Layer 1:  Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.  Place one tortilla on baking sheet.  Top with 1/3 of the beef mixture and 1/4 cup of the cheese. 

Layer 2:  add a tortilla to the stack and spread with half of the refried beans, half of the diced green chiles, 1/4 cup of cheese about 3 Tablespoons of enchilada sauce.  Spread evenly.

Layer 3:  add a tortilla, 1/3 of the beef mixture and 1/4 cup of cheese.

Layer 4:  add a tortilla and spread with remaining refried beans, remaining green chiles, 1/4 cup cheese and 3 –4  Tablespoons enchilada sauce.  Spread evenly.

Layer 5:  add a tortilla, remaining beef mixture and 1/4 cup cheese. 

Top with last tortilla.

Cover entire stack with foil.  Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until filling is hot.  Remove foil.  Top with 3-4 Tablespoons enchilada sauce and remaining cheese.  Bake for another 5 minutes until cheese is melted.

To serve, cut the stack into wedges.

Vegetable Beef Soup with Barley

When I think about all of the Sunday afternoons of my childhood, what comes to mind is our lunches:  soup and sandwiches.  I’m not sure just how often we actually ate it, but from where I stand now it seems like it was pretty much every week.  It was always the perfect just-home-from-church meal.  Having soup and sandwiches for lunch meant a can or two of some variety of Campbell’s soup and grilled cheese sandwiches slathered with honey.  Yes, I said honey.  Not just any honey.  Raw honey from Wyoming.  Amazing.  Ah but I digress.  This post is about soup.

As a kid, there were only one or two soups that I cared for.  I was never a big fan of chicken noodle, unless it was mom’s homemade soup with dad’s noodles from scratch.  Over the years my tastes would change, but for most of that time my favorite soup was Campbell’s Vegetable Beef.  I loved the soft chunks of carrots and bits of potato, but mostly I loved, loved, loved the barley.  I would try to scoop out as much barley as I could without being obvious about it.

Over the past few years I’ve made my own version of Vegetable Beef soup, changing the ingredients depending on what was in the pantry.  The only “recipe” that I had was a scribbling of what herbs to add and what the barley-to-broth ratio should be.  When I got a few requests for the recipe I decided to write it down and make it official.

One of the things I do love about this soup is how flexible it is.  I’ve tried different combinations of vegetables (see the notes section at the end of the recipe) and it’s always great.  If I’m wanting more of a stew I’ll only add in two cans of beef broth (plus the one cup of water.)  The barley soaks up the liquids and makes a lovely thick and hearty soup.  To stretch the soup (or if I’m serving a crusty loaf of bread along side) I’ll add in the third or even a fourth can of beef broth – perfect for sopping up with the bread!

Vegetable Beef Soup with Barley

1 lb stew meat **
2-3 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil
2 or 3 (14.5 oz) cans beef broth (total about 5 to 6 cups)
1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes
4 carrots, sliced
1 small onion, large dice/small chop
1-2 stalks of celery, large dice/small chop
1/4 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup pearl barley (use 3/4 cup if you LOVE barley)
1 small zuchinni, large dice/small chop
1/4 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste

Cut meat into 2-inch chunks.  Place flour in a large ziplock bag.  Add in beef chunks and shake to coat with flour.  Heat oil in large dutch oven or soup pot, over medium high heat.  Remove beef chunks from ziplock (shaking gently to remove excess flour) and place in hot pot.  Brown beef on one or two sides.  (What you’re doing here is developing flavors, NOT cooking the beef.)  Add 1 cup of beef broth to the pot, and use a spoon to scrape up bits on bottom of pan (that’s called fond and it adds wonderful depth of flavor to your soup.)  Add the canned tomatoes and the rest of the beef broth.  Cover and simmer (not boil!) on medium-low for 1 hour. 
Add onion, carrots, celery, barley, zucchini, thyme, and bay leaf (all remaining ingredients except peas) and 1 cup of water.  Simmer on medium-low for 1 hour or until beef and barley are tender.  Taste soup and add salt and pepper to your liking.  Add peas and simmer for 5 additional minutes to heat through.

notes:

I rarely buy meat that is cut and marked as “stew meat.”  It is usually more expensive because you are paying for the butcher to cut it up for you into nice little pieces.  I watch for large roasts to go on sale and then I buy several.  I cut them up myself and then freeze them into 1 lb packages – perfect for soups and stews!

For the vegetables in this soup you can really use anything.  Try adding small potato chunks, frozen/canned corn, frozen/canned green beans and even mushrooms.  My favorite though is the combination I used in the recipe above.

Hawaiian Beef Teriyaki Skewers

Hawaiian Beef Teriyaki Skewers were a favorite with us this summer. We buy our top sirloin from Costco and it’s oh so good. Be sure to soak your wooden skewers in some water before grilling.

Serve with grilled or fresh pineapple, rice and a green salad.

Bacon Wrapped Hamburgers

We’re not big burger eaters, but when we do have burgers at home this is the recipe we use:

Bacon Wrapped Hamburgers

We use the recipe for the burger patties, but we don’t bother to do the bacon-wrapping part.  If you still need bacon on your burger then add it on top along with the lettuce, tomato & pickles.  Oh these are delicious.  And just look how lovely the ingredients are in the bowl.  (Do you find it at all strange that I have a photo of the ingredients, but not the finished burger?  Me too.)

East Meets West Burgers & Giveaway

This week's recipe for the Beef. It's What's For Dinner Wednesdays Challenge is East Meets West Burgers. This is an easy one, guys! If you follow the recipe exactly (which I did this time) then the hamburger patty gets no doctoring, you whip up a quick spicy mayo and while your burger is on the grill, slice up your slaw. This one was on the table quickly.

My favorite parts? The yummy mayo with it's little bit o' heat and it's lotta bit o' flavor! The slaw added great crunch (and beautiful color - just look at that!) and all of it together made one delicious burger.

(Printer-Friendly recipe available here)


Each week the Beef. It's What's For Dinner people are giving away a great gift bag (which includes The Healthy Beef Cookbook, a set of Crate & Barrel Grilling Tools, Sur La Table mini steak thermometers, a reusable shopping bag) to not one, but five people! To enter the giveaway, blog about your version of each week's recipe, then go and write a review of it on the recipe's website. I'm a day late posting about this week... to be eligible for the giveaway, all posts and comments have to be in by Thursday. I'll give you a head start on next week though - as soon as they announce next week's recipe I'll let you know! Meanwhile, visit these other yummy blogs to see their take on the East Meets West Burger.


Tried and True Cooking with Heidi
Cooking During Stolen Moments
Family, Friends and Food
Eat at Home
Aggie's Kitchen
Dine & Dish

Beef. It's What's For Dinner Wednesdays!

Not too long ago, I was struggling with really low iron levels. Really low. For months I was under doctor's orders to eat beef as much as possible. After about a week I realized that I only had a handful or so of really good beef recipes. Thus began the challenge to find new recipes to incorporate more red meat into my diet. I really wish I would have found this next recipe back then. It would have been on our menu A LOT.




Today's recipe came to me in a different way: it sought me out. And now as I share it with you, there is a delightful bonus. Let me explain...

I recently received an invitation to join a group of 6 other bloggers to participate in a project called "It's What's For Dinner Wednesdays" and anyone and everyone are welcome to join us! Each week a new recipe will be announced on their Facebook Fan Page and posted on the "Beef. It's What's For Dinner" web site. You can follow the recipe exactly, or use it as an inspiration or jump off point for your own meal idea. By participating, you will have the chance to win a Beef Grilling Gift Bag (which includes The Healthy Beef Cookbook, a set of Crate & Barrel Grilling Tools, Sur La Table mini steak thermometers, a reusable shopping bag and other items to help you shop for and cook healthy beef meals.) Check out all of the contest details on their discussion page.

This week's recipe is Cajun Beef Southwestern Salad. I confess that I had never cooked nor eaten anything with the word "cajun" in it and I was (more than) a little nervous. The idea of the steak salad with a refreshing orange dressing was appealing to me however, so this is what we had for dinner tonight!

(a little note to my lunch-ladies friends: Please do not try this recipe. I'll make it for you next time I host lunch. Promise. It's even gluten-free!)

Ah-mazing! I didn't follow the recipe exactly though, so let me tell you what I did. First of all, I didn't use a store bought cajun seasoning, but instead made my own (I'll add it below). I also substituted peaches for the figs (as it helpfully suggests on the recipe site). I did caramelize them, but next time I won't bother. Fresh peaches would be just fine. Also, I didn't want to bother tracking down blood oranges, so 3 regular oranges did the trick. Instead of thinly slicing the red onion, I cut thick slices, left the rings intact, and grilled those along side of the steak. Then before serving, I cut them up into smaller pieces. Perfecto! It sweetens them up and takes a little of the oniony bite out of them. I'll do that again next time.




The only other change I made was to not use the blue cheese. I didn't have it on hand and I hate-hate-hate running to the store for just one or two ingredients (unless it's something absolutely necessary like ice cream.) If your family is not a fan of blue cheese, you could try substituting Queso Fresco or a Feta, or just omit it.

We loved this salad. The steak is a bit spicy and adds a heartiness to the salad, while the orange dressing keeps it refreshing. Mr. Dinner's on Me requested we have it again next week. Fine with me! Give it a try, put your own twist on it and participate in the giveaway!


Oh and here's a list of the other participating bloggers. Be sure to visit them and check out their take on each week's recipe!

Kristin @ Dine and Dish
Aggie @ Aggie's Kitchen
Amy @ Dinner's for a Year and Beyond
Tiffany @ Eat at Home
Patsy @ Family, Friends and Food
Kate @ Cooking During Stolen Moments



Cajun Seasoning Mix

I did a bit of research on the pre-mixed cajun seasonings that are widely available at any grocery store, and I realized that I had most of the ingredients already in my pantry. This recipe makes about 1/2 cup of mix, so I'm storing the remainder and I'll try it as a dry rub on some chicken this week.

3 Tablespoons kosher salt
1 Tablespoon ground cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons ground white pepper**
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika

Add ingredients to a small bowl or resealable baggie, and combine. ** If you do not have white pepper, just add another 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground black pepper.

Johnson Baked Beans

Do you have your 4th of July festivities planned yet? Are you looking for the perfect side dish to go with your BBQ feast? I have one for you. This one is a classic in my family - Johnson Baked Beans. I love them hot from the oven for dinner, or cold with lunch the next day (if there are any left!) The recipe is also flexible. Don't have butter beans? Add another can of kidney beans or a small can of pork & beans, or a can of navy beans or....well - you get the idea.




click here for printable version of recipe


Johnson Baked Beans


1/2 lb bacon, cooked & diced
1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 (15 oz) can Butter Beans
1 (15 oz) can Kidney Beans
1 large can Pork & Beans
1/4 c. ketchup
3/4 c. brown sugar
2 Tablespoons vinegar
1 Tablespoon prepared mustard

Cook bacon (I prefer the oven). Let it cool, then crumble into small to medium sized pieces.

In a large skillet, brown ground beef. Add onions and saute with beef until softened. Add all ingredients to a large dutch oven (or other baking dish is fine). Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Slow-Cooked Steak Fajitas

This recipe appeared on my menu a week or so ago and it was a big hit! It was a new one for us - we usually have chicken fajitas and I wasn't sure how I would like the steak version but it was great, and I'll definitely be making it again.

For the original recipe click here. I made a few changes (more like omissions) so I'll type up my version below.


Slow-Cooked Steak Fajitas

1 1/2 lbs beef steak (I just chose a cut that was on sale that week and the slow cooker does the magic)
1 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes w/ garlic & onion, undrained
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 medium onion, sliced
1/2 red pepper, sliced
1/2 yellow pepper, sliced
2 tsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp water
flour tortillas
sour cream
cilantro
salsa

Place steak in freezer for 30 minutes. Remove from freezer and slice thinly across the grain into strips. Place in slow cooker. Add tomatoes, garlic, coriander, cumin, chili powder and salt. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours. Add onion and peppers. Cover and cook 1 hour longer or until meat and veggies are tender.

Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; gradually stir into slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes or until slightly thickened. Using a slotted spoon, spoon about 1/2 cup meat mixture down the center of each tortilla. Add toppings and enjoy!

Tater Tot Casserole

In my search for various ways to eat red meat, I was reminded of a childhood favorite of mine: Tater Tot Casserole. I asked my mom about this a month or so ago and she told me that she had made it so much when we were little that she was STILL sick of it. Ha ha. It's not a tough recipe, and quite child-friendly. For a 9x13 size, just double the recipe.



Tater Tot Casserole
(makes an 8 or 9-inch square casserole)

1 lb ground beef
1 onion, diced
1 can of cream of mushroom (or celery) soup
1/4 cup sour cream or 1/4 cup milk
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
bag of frozen tater tots

In a skillet, brown ground beef. When beef is nearly done, toss in diced onion and cook until meat is done. Remove from heat, stir in soup and sour cream (or milk). Taste, and add salt and pepper if needed. Spread in square casserole dish. Top with grated cheese and as many tater tots as can possibly fit (in one layer). Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes, until bubbly and hot in the center.

Robyn's Meatloaf

My sister-in-law, Robyn, shared this with me and I finally got around to trying it out this week. Wow! I don't think I'll ever make my other meatloaf recipe again. I love the crust this made on the bottom, and the sauce on top was oh-so-good. I made it in my oven-proof skillet and it turned out great - I would recommend doing the same.


Robyn's Meatloaf

2 lb hamburger
2 eggs
1 Tbsp dry onion flakes
1 cup oatmeal
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp Mrs. Dash (I used 1/2 tsp)
1/2 cup milk

Combine all ingredients except milk. Mix well, then add milk. Put into loaf pan (I really like using a skillet, but any baking dish will do.)

In a separate bowl mix:
1/4 cup ketchup
1 Tbsp dry mustard
3 Tbsp brown sugar

Mix and spread over meatloaf. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour to 1 hr 15 min.

Robyn's tip is to wrap some baking potatoes in foil and toss them in with the meatloaf. Dinner is done!

Beef, Beef and More Beef!

I'm under doctor's orders to consume as much red meat as I can manage. So I've begun a search for new yummy beef recipes. This is one that I came across and made for last night's dinner. It was a big hit, and even my 6 year old licked his plate clean (a miracle!). I did make a few changes, but I listed where the original recipe is from.

Oh and here's a tip that I learned this week: To get nice, thin slices of meat, place it in the freezer for 30 minutes or so and then slice thin with a very sharp knife.



Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry
(epicurious.com)

8 oz top sirloin, cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips
6 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp sesame oil
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp minced ginger

2 cups broccoli florets
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup Chinese pea pods, trimmed
6 green onions, cut into 1-inch-long pieces
2 tsp cornstarch

Combine first 7 ingredients and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

Cook broccoli in small pot of boiling, salted water until almost crisp-tender, about 2 minutes; drain. Rinse under cold water to cool.

Heat oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Using slotted spoon, tranfser beef to pan - RESERVING MARINADE. Stir-fry beef until just no longer pink - about 2 minutes. Remove beef from pan. Add broccoli, pea pods and green onions. Continue stir-frying until vegetables are just crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Stir cornstarch into reserved marinade. Pour marinade over veggies in pan. Add beef and cook until liquid boils and thickens, 2-3 minutes.

Serve over rice.

Week 21 Recipes

Swedish Meatballs
This is a quick recipe that uses items normally found in my pantry/freezer.

1 beef bouillion cube
1/2 cup water
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/4 cup milk
1 Tablespoon dried, minced onion
3 Tablespoons sour cream
15-20 Make-Ahead Meatballs (frozen)

Dissolve beef bouillion cube in 1/2 cup warm water. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine soup, bouillion-water and 1/4 milk. Stir until smooth. If you would like a thinner or thicker consistency, make that adjustment to the milk. Add dried onion and bring to a simmer. Toss in frozen meatballs, cover and simmer on low, stirring often.

Meanwhile, make your rice or egg noodles. After about 10 minutes, check one meatball to see if it is warmed all the way through. When meatballs are warmed, add sour cream and stir to combine. Serve over rice or egg noodles.



Magic 6 Chicken Tortilla SoupAnother recipe using ingredients commonly found in my pantry & fridge. It gets its name because it uses 6 cans of food and 6 corn tortillas.

1 (15-0z) can corn, drained
1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained & rinsed
2 (14.5-oz) can chicken broth
1 (10 or 14.5-oz) can chunk chicken, drained & rinsed
1 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes, do not drain
1/2 cup Salsa (your favorite)
1/4 cup chopped onion
6 (6-inch) corn tortillas, diced
Cumin
Chili Powder
Salt & Pepper

Add all canned items to a large pot. Add salsa and onions, then bring to a simmer. Dice corn tortillas and add. Let soup simmer for 15 minutes. The tortilla bits will dissolve and thicken soup. Be sure to stir every few minutes.

When tortillas are dissolved, taste soup. Add Cumin, Chili Powder, Salt and Pepper to taste. (The amounts will vary depending on which salsa you use, and your taste preferences.)

Serving options: tortilla chips, fresh cilantro, sour cream, avocado slices, olives, grated cheddar.

note: When I use canned chicken, I drain and rinse it to reduce the "questionables" that might remain, including any preservatives and sodium.

Week 17 Recipes

Crispy Chicken Wraps

1 Tyson Crispy Chicken Strip (click here for info)
1 tortilla
handful of pre-washed salad mix
sprinkling of cheese (whatever you have in the fridge)
ranch dressing (or honey mustard, or other favorite)

Prepare chicken strip according to package directions. (I microwave it for 3-4 minutes, then place under the broiler for a few minutes until crispy.) Roll all ingredients up in your tortilla and that's it!



Make-Ahead Meatballs
from Brielle Wollenzien

4 eggs
2 cups dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1 Tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
4 pounds lean ground beef

In a large bowl, beat eggs. Add the next five ingredients. Add beef; mix well. Shape into 1-in balls, about 12 dozen.

Place in single layers in ungreased 15-in x 10-in x 1-in baking pans.

Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until no longer pink, turning often; drain. Cool. Place about 30 meatballs each into freezer containers. May be frozen for up to 3 months.

Yield: 5 batches (about 30 meatballs per batch)


Candied Chicken
from Brielle Wollenzien

1 1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. ketchup
1/4 c. chopped onion
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup mustard
1 1/2 Tbsp crunchy peanut butter
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
salt
5-6 chicken breasts

Flour and brown chicken (sometimes I forget to do this and it always turns out fine but it's much better if you do it.) Place in baking dish. Mix all ingredients and pour over chicken. Bake, covered at 350 for about 1 1/2 hours. Serve over rice or mashed potatoes. (We've made this in a dutch oven while camping and it tasted perfect.)

John's Sweet and Sour Sauce
from John Wollenzien

1 can chunk pineapple and juice

2 medium carrots

1 green bell pepper

1 (10 oz) can tomato sauce

1/4 c. brown sugar ( maybe a little more if not sweet enough)

3 tbsp. vinegar

1 tbsp. peanut butter

John cuts all the veggies up into matchsticks and simmers them in a pot with the rest of the ingredients for about 20 minutes...or until the rice is ready. Then before he serves it he throws in a couple baggies of my make ahead freezer meatballs. We eat this over rice and it's delicious. Also if the sauce is looking to thin sometimes I'll add a little corn starch to a tiny bit of water and add that in. It makes it into a good sauce. I thought about this recipe for Alie because a lot of times John will just add whatever vegetables we happen to have that day---celery, zucchini, green beans anything would work just fine.

Blue Ribbon Brownies

from Donna Wollenzien

1 cube butter

2 squares unsweetened chocolate

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 eggs

Melt butter and chocolate in a square pyrex over medium flame right on the stove top. When melted take it off the heat and add sugar until combined. Add baking powder and salt to flour and add mixture to chocolate. Mix in eggs one at a time with a fork. Bake for 30 minutes at 350.

Delicious frosting---

when brownies come out break Andies mints over the top and let them melt. Then spread them out over the brownies and let them harden. Soooooo good!

Corn Dog Muffins

Corn Dog Muffins

Click here for printable version


1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
3 hotdogs, diced
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat muffin pan with cooking spray, or use foil muffin cups. In medium bowl mix all ingredients until moist. Spoon mixture into muffin cups, filling 1/2 full. Bake at 400 degrees 15-20 minutes.

**note: So yummy! We ALL loved them. I only put cheese in half of the muffins and next time I'll leave it out entirely. A must-have though, is ketchup and mustard for dipping. This made 9 muffins and we finished them off tonight!

Week 7 Recipes

Simple Beef Stroganoff (crockpot)
from 101 Things To Do With A Slow Cooker

1 lb stew meat, cubed
1/2 cup dried minced onion
1 can (10 3/4-oz) cream of mushroom soup
1 can (4-oz) mushrooms, drained
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1 cup sour cream

Combine all ingredients except sour cream in greased slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat 6-8 hours. Add sour cream the last hour of cooking. Spoon over hot noodles.



Skillet Sarzana

1/2 lb Itallian Sausage
1/2 lb lean ground beef (or you could use a full pound of either of these meats)
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, diced
1 (8-oz) package wide egg noodles
1 (16-oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 (8-oz) can tomato sauce
2 cups water
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
salt/pepper to taste

In a large skillet (I use my electric skillet) brown ground beef and sausage. Add onion near the end and saute with meat. Add uncooked egg noodles, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce and water. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir gently, and simmer for 1/2 hour. Keep checking it during this time; you might need to add some water if the noodles absorb all of the liquid too quickly. When the noodles are softened, add the grated cheese and continue to stir until it melts. At this point, do not overcook - the cheese might burn. Makes 4-6 servings, and it's great as leftovers.


Orange Chicken (crockpot)
from 101 Things To Do With A Slow Cooker

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup molasses
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
2 Tbsp orange juice
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/8-1/4 tsp hot pepper sauce, optional

Place chicken in greased slow cooker. Combine all other ingredients and pour over chicken. Cover and cook on high 3-4 hours or low 7-9 hours. Serve over rice.


Upside Down Spaghetti

1 package spaghetti

• 1 large jar of your favorite pasta sauce
  
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1/2 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1/2 package of dry itallian dressing mix
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook spaghetti according to directions on package. Do not overcook. While pasta is cooking, cream sour cream, cream cheese and dry itallian mix in a bowl. Spread cream mixture in bottom of a 7 x 11 casserole dish. Drain spaghetti and add sauce until coated how your family prefers it (we like saucy spaghetti, some prefer it more dry.) Spread spaghetti over the cream mixture. Top with a bit more sauce (if you like) and sprinkle with Mozzarella cheese. Bake in oven until heated through and cheese is melted, about 20 minutes.

PASTA SALAD
from Sharon Johnson
(A sister on our Temple night made this last year and it was such a hit)

7 oz. uncooked pasta (colored twisty kind is nice)

1 green pepper, chopped

1 tomato, diced

1 med. zucchini, sliced and diced

1 bunch green onions, chopped

(you could probably add anything you really liked, even cucumbers)

DRESSING

1/4 c. red wine vinegar

1/4 c. salad oil (or olive)

1/4 c. Johnny's Salad Seasoning**

Cook pasta. Rinse and cool. Add vegetables and mixed dressing. Refrigerate.

**Johnny's Salad Seasoning, a dry combination of seasonings, I found in the aisle where the salad dressings are and comes in a jar.

You could also try where the spices are too.

Week 6 Recipes

Hawaiian Haystacks
(4-6 servings)
from 101 Things To Do With A Slow Cooker

10-12 chicken tenders, cut in chunks
1 C. chicken broth
2 cans (10.75-oz ea.) cream of chicken soup
1 can (12-oz) evaporated milk
6 cups cooked rice

Place chicken in greased crock pot. Combine all remaining ingredients except rice and pour over chicken. Cover and cook on high 3-4 hours, or low heat 6-8 hours.

Serve over hot rice with a variety of cold toppings: grated cheese, peas, pineapple tidbits, shredded coconut, Chinese noodles, diced tomatoes, diced green peppers, sliced green onions, or other!


Pleasant Pork Chops
from allrecipes.com

6 pork chops
salt and pepper to taste
3 Tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup chicken broth**
1 bay leaf
1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons paprika

Saute onion and garlic in hot butter. Remove from skillet. Trim excess fat from chops and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brown chops in skillet; pour off fat.

Lower heat, add bay leaf and chicken broth. Cook covered over low heat for 1 hour (might be less if using thin cut chops). Transfer chops to a serving plate, but keep them hot.

Heat juices in skillet and reduce to half. Add the sour cream, onion-garlic mixture and paprika, blending thoroughly. Add chops and heat through, but don't boil. Serve over rice or noodles.

** You can substitute beef broth
(here are my changes: I used an electric skillet and it was great. I did use the beef broth instead of chicken and I only used about 1/2 cup of the sour cream, and only 1/2 tsp of paprika. During the cooking of the chops in broth, I did need to add the rest of the broth from the can to make sure there was enough for sauce. )


Johnson Shredded BBQ Beef Sandwiches

1 large rump roast or chuck roast (pretty much anything will work)
liquid smoke (found on same aisle as BBQ sauces)
garlic salt (optional)
celery salt (optional)
pepper
bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce
hamburger buns

The night before, generously rub the roast on both sides with liquid smoke. I put a baggie over my hand so I don't smell like liquid smoke for a week. Also rub with pepper, garlic & celery salt (I LOVE McCormick Grill Mates Montreal Steak Seasoning because it has all of those things in it, plus a tasty combination of others!)

Place roast in crock pot, add a little water (1/4 cup or less). Cook on low overnight. In the morning remove fat and shred meat with fork. Add your favorite BBQ sauce and cook on low all day. Serve over your favorite bun.

For a "speed" method, you can just start the meat first thing in the morning, shred it at about 3 or 4 pm and let it simmer in sauce until dinner. This works fine for the smaller size roast.

Shared Main Dishes

Robyn’s Roast
This pot-roast makes its own gravy!

2 cans Cream of Mushroom soup
1 (1oz.) package dry onion soup mix
1 ¼ cups water
3-5 pound roast

In the crock-pot, mix cream of mushroom soup, dry onion soup mix and water. Place pot roast in crock-pot and coat with soup mixture. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 8-9 hours.

When done I like to take the roast out and shred it up and add it back to the gravy so that I’m not spending my whole meal cutting up meat for the kids. We serve this over rice or baked potatoes. The kids even love it!

Quick and Easy Alfredo Sauce
(submitted by Robyn)

½ cup butter
1 8oz. package cream cheese
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 cups milk
6 oz. grated parmesan cheese
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add cream cheese and garlic powder, stirring with wire whisk until smooth. Add milk, a little at a time, whisking to smooth out lumps. Stir in Parmesan and pepper. Remove from heat when sauce reaches desired consistency. Sauce will thicken rapidly, thin with milk if cooked to long. Toss with hot pasta and serve.

**Robyn's note**
I made this tonight and found that it makes enough for 2 dinners for our size of family. I cooked 16 oz. of bowtie pasta with this and have another whole dinners worth of alfredo sauce left. I’m freezing it and will use the other half for a dinner one night next week. So you could easily cut everything in half and have plenty for one dinner. For the parmesan, I just used Kraft parmesan in the green can, like you would put on the top of spaghetti sauce, not a brick of cheese that I grated and it turned out really good.

Shared Soups

Robyn’s Taco Soup
Quick and easy!

1 pound lean ground beef
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 envelope ranch seasoning
1 can kidney beans-DO NOT DRAIN
1 can chili beans-DO NOT DRAIN
1 can corn-DO NOT DRAIN
1 8oz. can tomato sauce
1 8oz can of water

Brown hamburger with taco and ranch seasonings. Drain fat if any. Then add all other ingredients and let simmer till heated through. Serve with tortilla chips and have some sour cream and shredded cheese ready on the table and it’s time to eat! Then people can top it with what they like best. Enjoy!

Zesty Minestrone

(submitted by Sharon)

1/4 cup KRAFT Zesty Italian Dressing
1 cup chopped onions (about 1 medium)
1/2 cup chopped celery (about 1 stalk)
1/2 cup chopped carrots (about 1 medium)
1 can (14 1/2-0z) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (19-oz) red kidney beans, drained, rinsed
2 cans (14-oz each) vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 1/2 cups small shell macaroni, uncooked
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Heat dressing in a large nonstick skillet on medium high heat. Add onions, celery and carrots; cook 2 min or until crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Spoon into slow cooker. Add tomatoes, beans, broth, water and Italian seasoning; stir. Cover with lid.

Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours. Stir in macaroni and cook for 15 more minutes until macaroni is tender. Sprinkle with cheese just before serving.


Mom's Potato Soup

3 cups diced, peeled potatoes uncooked
1/2 cup diced celery
1 1/2 cups chicken bullion (2 cubes with 1 1/2 cups hot water)
1/2 cup onion diced
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups milk
1 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp chives, chopped (optional)

Cook potatoes, celery and onion in bullion, water and salt. Cover and cook until potatoes are tender. DO NOT OVERCOOK potatoes - you almost want them a little undercooked. Do not drain off liquid. Add 1 cup of the milk and heat. Watch so that it doesn't burn. In a medium bowl, mix sour cream, flour and remaining milk. Add that mixture to the potato mixture. Cook over low heat until thick and heated through. I like to serve this with a little grated cheese on top.

Week 4 Recipes

Robyn's Sweet & Sour Meatballs

1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
2 Tbsp diced onions (I use dry onion flakes)
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Sauce:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 can (20-oz) pineapple chunks with juice
1/3 cup vinegar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 green pepper, chopped

Mix together first 6 ingredients; add beef and mix well. Shape into 1 inch balls. In a large skillet, brown meatballs on all sides, turning often. Remove and set aside. (Drain fat, if any)

For sauce, combine brown sugar and cornstarch in the same skillet. Stir in pineapple with juice, vinegar and soy sauce. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; cover and simmer about 10 minutes or until sauce thickens. Add green pepper; cover and simmer until tender, about 5 minutes. Return meatballs to skillet and heat through. We serve with rice.

**Andy's note** I found a similar recipe in the Fix-It and Forget-It cookbook. If you'd like to try the crock pot version of Robyn's recipe, here are the directions --

1. Combine meatball ingredients. Shape into 1 1/2" balls. Brown in skillet. Drain. Place in crock pot.
2. Add brown sugar and cornstarch to skillet. Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Pour over meatballs.
3. Cover and cook on low 3-4 hours.