Category Archives: Meat

Chicken Crock Pot Pie

Chicken, Healthy, Pasta, Slow Cooker, Vegetarian Leave a comment

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 4 1/2 – 8/12 hours | Yield: Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

  • 8 oz. mushrooms, sliced, or cut up more if you are hiding them from your kids…
  • 4 carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (I like White Lily)
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme (don’t skip this)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 8)
  • 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed first
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 cup frozen green beans
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream

Directions:

  1. Thaw your puff pastry sheet before you do anything else.
  2. In a slow cooker, mix together mushrooms, carrots, onion, flour, thyme, bay leaves, and 1/2 cup water.
  3. Place chicken on top. Season with 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.
  4. Cover and cook until chicken and vegetables are tender, on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. (*Note: I like it on high for 4.5 hours)
  5. 30 minutes before you serve it, heat oven to 425F. Using a large circle cutter or a glass, cut out 4 circles (or more if you want to use the other pastry puff sheet too). Place on a baking sheet and bake until golden, 8-10 minutes. Don’t let the little leftover bits go to waste. Let your kids cut them into whatever shapes they want and bake those too. The smallest bits puff up the most!
  6. 20 minutes before serving, add the peas, green beans, cream and 1/2 tsp salt to the chicken mixture and stir to combine. Cover and cook on high until heated through, about 15 minutes more. To serve, place chicken mixture in bowls and top with the pastry rounds.

Notes: Family loved this. Leftovers were excellent. I might double this recipe next time in order to have more leftovers!

Recipe Origin:  Real Simple, modified with more spices and changed timing around a little.

Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Apples

Healthy, Meat, Other Leave a comment

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 35 minutes | Total Time: 45 minutes | Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

  • 2 (1 to 1 1/2 lb) pork tenderloins
  • 2 TBSP vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 TBSP Dijon mustard
  • 1 TBSP chopped fresh thyme leaves, or dried
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 2 apples, sliced (Granny Smith, Pink Lady or McIntosh)
  • 2 onions, sliced
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1 TBSP butter

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
  2. Trim tenderloins of any silver skin.  Pat dry with paper towels.
  3. Rub all over with 1 TBSP of the oil and 1 1/2 tsp salt. Rub until both are evenly coated.
  4. Heat 1 TBSP oil in cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add pork tenderloins and cook until evenly browned. This should take about 12 minutes.  Transfer to large plate.
  5. Add 2 tsp oil to pan. Add apples and onions, stirring lightly until browned around edges, about 5 minutes.
  6. Rub pork all over with mustard, sprinkle it with 2 tsp of thyme and pepper and rub until evenly coated.
  7. Add remaining tsp of thyme to apples and onions and stir. Then place pork on top of apples and put into oven. Roast 10 to 15 minutes.
  8. Transfer pork to large plate and tent with aluminum foil. Let rest about 10 minutes.
  9. While pork rests, put apples and onions back onto the stove and turn heat to medium. Add chicken stock and use a wooden spoon to scrape the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by about half. Add butter and stir until melted.

Notes: This is a great recipe. We ate it with pasta, which was a bit weird. Next time I might eat it with rice. Leftovers were amazing!

Recipe Origin:  Inspired Taste

Crispy Roasted Chicken with Sauce

Chicken, Meat Leave a comment

Servings: 4-6 | Prep Time: 5 minutes | Total Time: 50-60 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 3-5 lb chicken, preferably organic or free-range
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 TBSP butter
  • 2 large sprigs thyme (or not, if you don’t have them)
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed (you could use more)
  • 1/4 cup white wine

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 480F. Pat chicken with paper towels inside and out. 
  2. Put chicken inside cast iron skillet big enough to hold it. Season inside and outside of chicken with salt and pepper. Drizzle a little oil inside chicken.
  3. Rub rest of oil all over outside of chicken. Salt chicken all over, rubbing into crevices. (Your hands will be exfoliated and feel good afterwards from all the olive oil and salt!)
  4. Put in oven. Don’t open door for at least 45  minutes, or 55 minutes for a 5 pound chicken. Chicken is cooked when you pierce the thickest part of the thigh with a knife, and the juices run clear. Totally clear. Don’t take it out if juices are pink.
  5. Remove chicken to a carving board and let it rest while you make the sauce.
  6. Put the skillet on the stove over medium high heat.  Add butter to the pan, and once it melts add thyme and garlic. Cook for about a minute.
  7. Add wine and scrape all the brown bits with a wooden spoon. Let wine cook down for 1-2 minutes.
  8. Add 1 cup boiling water, stir well, and let the sauce cook down for about 5 minutes. Taste and add salt if needed.

Notes:

Recipe Origin: Food52

Stuffed Chicken with Roasted Broccoli and Potatoes

Chicken, Healthy Leave a comment

Servings: 2 | Prep Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 bunch broccoli, cut into florets
  • 1 lb red new potatoes (about 10), cut into quarters
  • 4  TBSP olive oil
  • salt and black pepper
  • 1 roasted red pepper, finely chopped (get from the deli counter)
  • 2 ounces Feta, crumbled or diced finely
  • 2 chicken breasts
  • 1 TBSP chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

  1. Heat oven to 400F. Put one rack on the top and one on the bottom. 
  2. On a rimmed baking sheet,  toss the broccoli and potatoes with 2-3 TBSP of the oil, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.
  3. Roast on the bottom rack, tossing once, for 20 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, slice your 2 chicken breasts into thin cutlets. You want them to be thin and flat. You should be able to get 8 cutlets out of 2 chicken breasts.
  5. Mix together the red peppers and feta in a small bowl.
  6. Season chicken cutlets with salt and pepper. Place about 1 TBSP of mixture on each cutlet and roll up. Fasten with toothpick. Do not overfill or it will spill out.
  7. Heat remaining TBSP of oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium high heat. Cook the chicken seam side up, until browned, 3-4 minutes. Turn the chicken and transfer the skillet to the top rack in your oven, and roast until cooked through, approximately 14 minutes.
  8. Serve chicken with roasted veggies and sprinkle with parsley.

Notes:

Recipe Origin: Real Simple recipe. I changed some amounts and times based on us having this for dinner last night. It was a hit with our kids, which was a surprise to me!

Slow Cooker Chicken Tuscan Style

Chicken, Slow Cooker Leave a comment

Servings: 6-8 | Prep Time: ? minutes | Cooking Time: 4 hours

Ingredients:

  • 3 lbs. bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed (can use boneless)
  • 1 large onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup red or white wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup chicken stock or white wine
  • 1 small can tomato paste
  • 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 Tablespoons minced fresh garlic
  • 1/4-1/2 cup chopped, pitted kalamata olives
  • 5 large pitted dates, chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh oregano (or 1-2 teaspoons dried)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 zucchini cut into 1/2″ rounds
  • 6 whole roma tomatoes
  • Fresh parsley, for garnish

Directions:

  1. Combine all ingredients except zucchini and roma tomatoes in a gallon Zip top plastic bag or large bowl covered with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour or more until ready to cook. (You can do this a day ahead if you like).
  2. Spray slow cooker with canola or olive oil. Place the entire contents of the bag into the slow cooker. Arrange the chicken with a spoon or spatula so it is in an even layer. Place the Roma tomatoes evenly around. Place the lid on top.
  3. Cook 3 hours on high. Add zucchini and cook for 1 more hour on high.
  4. Sauce should be thickened and chicken should be falling off bone. Serve with french bread, couscous, rice or pasta.

Notes:

Recipe Origin: My iteration for slow cooker adapted from Design Mom, who adapted it from Big Girls/Small Kitchen.

The Best Ever Chicken Salad

Chicken, Healthy, Salads, Sandwiches Leave a comment

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes | Yield: Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

  • 3½ cups boiled, shredded chicken (about 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves)
  • 3 stalks celery, diced
  • ⅔ cup pecans, chopped
  • ½ cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped
  • 2 Tbsp finely grated Parmesan cheese
  • Sliced bread, or lettuce, for serving

Dressing

  • ⅔ cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup apple juice
  • 3 Tbsp honey
  • 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp yellow mustard
  • 1 Tbsp poppy seeds
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Boil chicken for 15 minutes on medium high, 10 minutes more on medium. Take off eye and let cool in pot. Shred chicken with 2 forks.
  2. Combine the first five (5) ingredients in a large bowl.
  3. Whisk the dressing ingredients together. Pour dressing over chicken in large bowl. Toss gently.
  4. Serve as a sandwich, or on top of a lettuce leaf.

Notes: Recipe Origin: Adapted from this recipe.

Roasted Chicken with Leeks and Apples

Chicken, Healthy, Meat Leave a comment

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 60- 70 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 10- 20 minutes | Yield: Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

  • 4 small crisp apples (Empire or Braeburn)
  • 1 to 2 bunches leeks (white and light green parts), halved crosswise and lengthwise
  • 6 small sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 3 TBSP olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 8 small chicken thighs and/or drumsticks (about 2 1/2 lbs total)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. In a large bowl, toss the apples, leeks, rosemary, oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper.
  3. Pour onto a roasting pan with a rack in it.
  4. Season the chicken with 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper, and place skin-side up, into the pan with the vegetables.
  5. Roast until the chicken is cooked through and the apples and leeks are tender. 50-60 minutes.

Notes: Original recipe says to cook it for 40 to 45 minutes. That wasn’t long enough for me.

Recipe Origin: I got the recipe from Real Simple originally. I added more leeks and increased the cooking time.

Onion Butt Chicken

Chicken, Healthy, Meat Leave a comment

Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 60-75 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 5 to 1 hour 20 minutes | Yield: Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

  • 1 chicken, about 4 pounds
  • One small onion
  • A lot of celery salt
  • pepper and salt to taste

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Wash chicken and pat dry.
  3. Fold wings back.
  4. Sprinkle salt, pepper and celery salt on chicken liberally. I mean an OBSCENE amount of celery salt. Like 1/4 of one of the containers you buy celery salt in.
  5. Stick the onion up into the cavity. You don’t want it too tight, where air can’t circulate. Cut it up in smaller pieces if you need to.
  6. Bake for approximately 1 hour, or until legs are easily wiggled.

Notes: Cook time for 4 lb chicken is 1 hour. For 5 lb up it to 1 hr 20 minutes.

Recipe Origin:  My mother. I used to think it was the funniest thing she made, and one of the  most delicious.

Roasted Vegetable Pasta

Chicken, Healthy, Pasta, Vegetarian Leave a comment

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 15-18 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes | Yield: Serves: 6

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 pound strozapretti pasta (Montebello is great), or spaghetti or linguine
  • 1 medium eggplant, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
  • 1 medium onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 8 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • kosher salt and black pepper
  • 1 pound cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered if large
  • 1/4 cup fresh thyme or oregano (I like thyme) leaves
  • grated Parmesan, for serving

Directions:

  1. Heat oven to 450° F.
  2. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. DON’T POUR ALL WATER OUT! Reserve ½ cup of the cooking water; drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
  3. Meanwhile, on 2 rimmed baking sheets, toss the eggplant, onion, bell pepper, and garlic with the oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Roast, rotating the sheets halfway through, until the vegetables are golden brown and very tender, 15 to 18 minutes.
  4. Add the vegetables, tomatoes, and reserved cooking water to the pasta and cook over medium heat, tossing, until the liquid coats the pasta, 2 to 4 minutes.
  5. Add the thyme or oregano and toss to combine.
  6. Sprinkle with the Parmesan.

Notes: Add sliced grilled chicken to the top. The first time I made this I forgot to save the pasta water. It was fine. I cooked the tomatoes with the other veggies instead of adding them to the end. It was fine. I forgot to add the oregano and “toss to combine” at the end. I just threw a few oregano leaves on the top. I don’t think it matters, really. It was delicious! Easy, good and enough leftovers for another meal. Original recipe calls for spaghetti, which I don’t like, so I used this excellent strozapretti I found from Whole Foods.

Recipe Origin:  Real Simple.

Chicken with Green Beans and New Potatoes

Chicken, Healthy, Meat Leave a comment

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 60 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes | Yield: Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

  • 6 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 lemon, juiced, or 2 TBSP store-bought lemon juice
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3/4 pound trimmed green beans
  • 8 small red potatoes, quartered
  • 3-4 chicken breasts (bones left in, with skin, about 3 1/4 pounds)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat a large rectangular baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the remaining oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper; add the green beans and toss to coat. Using tongs, remove the green beans and arrange them on top of the lemon slices.
  3. Add the potatoes to the same olive-oil mixture and toss to coat. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, arrange the potatoes along the inside edge of the dish or skillet on top of the green beans.
  4. Place the chicken in the same bowl with the olive-oil mixture and coat thoroughly. Place the chicken, skin-side up, in the dish or skillet. Pour any of the remaining olive-oil mixture over the chicken.
  5. Roast for 50 minutes.
  6. Remove the chicken from the dish. Place the beans and potatoes back in oven for 10 minutes more or until the potatoes are tender.

Notes: Use real garlic, instead of the pre-minced stuff in a jar (which under normal circumstances, I am a huge fan of)  In this dish, I believe it makes a difference. This is such an incredibly easy dish to make. My kids loved it and wanted seconds, and that is saying something!

Recipe Origin: I got the recipe from Pinterest, but it came from Real Simple originally. The original recipe called for a sliced lemon to go at the bottom of the pan, but I don’t like that.

Burger with Sauce

Beef, Grill Leave a comment

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 20 minutes | Yield: Serves 6

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs ground beef, 85/15
  • buns
  • Pickles/ lettuce/ tomato to dress
  • 1/2 cup grated Monterrey Jack cheese
  • 1/4 cup BBQ sauce
  • Breakfast Klub seasoning to taste
  • Fresh ground black pepper
  • Onion Powder

Sauce:

  • 3/4 cup mayo
  • 1/4 cup Heinz ketchup
  • 1/4 cup relish
  • 2 TBSP dill pickle relish
  • Emeril’s season salt

Directions:

  1. Combine all ingredients (with your hands). Make patties that are 1″ thick. Make small indentation in the center. Place indent side up on hot pan (or grill). Cook 4-6 minutes. Flip and cook until done.
  2. Make sauce by combining all remaining ingredients.
  3. Toast buns on grill.
  4. Dress with pickles, lettuce, tomato and sauce.

Notes:

Recipe Origin: Adapted from blog Little Miss Momma.

May May’s Meatloaf

Beef Leave a comment

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 50 minutes | Total Time: 70 minutes | Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 lbs ground sirloin
  • 1 cup Ritz cracker crumbs
  • 1 medium purple onion grated (or do 1/2)
  • 1 beaten egg
  • 4 TBSP ketchup
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • salt and pepper

Sauce on Top:

  • 4 TBSP white vinegar
  • 4 TBSP brown sugar
  • 2 TBSP worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2  cup ketchup

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. Combine all of sauce ingredients in a small pot. Stir and heat up. Do not boil.
  3. In a large bowl combine meatloaf ingredients. This will be wet.
  4. Put into a greased loaf pan.
  5. Poke holes with your fingers in the top of the meat. Pour the sauce on top.
  6. Bake for 50 minutes. Take it out let stand for 10 minutes.

Notes:  MUST use ground sirloin, otherwise will be mushy

Variations that friends have made to this recipe:

  • If you use Saltines instead of Ritz crackers, it is exactly one sleeve of crackers minus 4 crackers.
  • Can add 1 TBSP Mrs Dash Garlic and Herb.
  • Another version: 1 onion, 1/4 bell pepper, roma tomato, chopped. Saute in olive oil. Add to meat.

Recipe Origin: This was my grandfather’s favorite thing to eat. My grandmother made it for years. When he got into his late 80’s, he wanted it every day for lunch.

Meatloaf

Beef Leave a comment

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 0 minutes | Total Time: 10 minutes | Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
  • 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
  • 1/4 cup chopped onion
  • 1/3 cup glaze
  • 1 egg
  • 3 Tbsp real lemon lemon juice

Sauce on Top:

  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1Tbsp real lemon lemon juice
  • 1 tsp prepared mustard

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350
  2. Combine all of glaze ingredients in a medium sized bowl and set aside
  3. In a large bowl combine meatloaf ingredients and 1/3 cup of your glaze
  4. Shape into a loaf and bake 1 hour; pour off fat
  5. Cover with remaining glaze and place back into oven and bake an additional 15 mins or until done in center.

Notes:

Recipe Origin: From blog Comfy in the Kitchen.

Crockpot Fajitas

Chicken, Meat, Slow Cooker Leave a comment

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 4 hours | Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes | Yield: Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

  • 1 yellow onion, sliced
  • 3 red, yellow or orange bell peppers, sliced
  • 1 ½ pounds boneless chicken breast
  • ½ to 1 cup chicken broth, depending on how juicy you want the fajitas
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 TBSP cumin
  • 1 ½ tablespoons chili powder
  • Squirt of lime juice
  • Flour Tortillas
  • Sour cream, Salsa, Cheeese

Directions:

  1. Spray crockpot with Pam. Put sliced onion and peppers in the bottom. If using frozen chicken stock, put this in now. If not, pour it over before step 3.
  2. Lay chicken on top of veggies.
  3. Sprinkle everything with cumin, salt, and chili powder.
  4. Pour lime juice over the top.
  5. Cover and cook on High for 4 hours or Low for 8 hours. I like to cook it on High for 4 hrs.
  6. When meat is done, shred with two forks and stir back into juices.
  7. Serve meat mixture with slotted spoon on tortillas with your choice of fixings.

Notes: This is so good it is UNBELIEVABLE. When my husband ate it he said he was going to start crying. I used homemade chicken broth.

Recipe Origin: Adapted from a recipe on a blog called Stacy Makes Cents.

Chicken Salad

Chicken, Healthy, Salads Leave a comment

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 0 minutes | Total Time: 10 minutes | Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 2 chicken breasts, cooked
  • 1/2 cup yogurt – whole milk or Greek style
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 shallot
  • 1/2 cup dill (after chopping) OR 3 TBSP dried dill
  • 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • Fresh black pepper

Directions:

  1. Get chicken breasts from Breakfast Klub Chicken, or just boil them according to step 1 of this recipe.
  2. Shred the chicken off the bone with two forks then chop the resulting shreds finely. Peel and chop the shallot finely and toss with the chicken.
  3. Whisk the yogurt, mayonnaise and dill together and season with salt and pepper. Pour over the chicken and toss. Refrigerate for an hour to let the flavors come together.

Notes: Use chicken breasts from Breakfast Klub Crockpot Chicken or any others you have.

Recipe Origin: Adapted from this recipe.

Breakfast Klub Crockpot Chicken

Chicken, Meat, Slow Cooker Leave a comment

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 4 1/2 hours | Total Time: 4 hours 40 minutes | Yield: Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

  • 1 whole chicken
  • 1 bag carrots
  • 1 onion
  • Breakfast Klub seasoning

Directions:

  1. Measure 8 tsp Breakfast Klub spice mix into a small bowl.
  2. Cut onion into 4 or 5 chunks and put it in the bottom of the slow cooker.
  3. Peel and cut entire bag of carrots into 2 or 3 pieces for each carrot, and put in bottom of slow cooker.
  4. Remove any stuff from inside of chicken. If there is a lot of fat at the opening of the cavity, trim it off.
  5. Rinse and pat chicken dry.
  6. Rub Breakfast Klub spice mixture all over. Rub a few carrots with your hands to get the spice mixture off of them. Toss those back into slow cooker.
  7. Put prepared chicken on top of the onions and carrots in the slow cooker, cover it, and turn it on to high. Do not add any liquid.
  8. Cook for 4  1/2 hours on high. Chicken will be falling off the bone.

Notes:

Recipe Origin:

I got the original concept of Crockpot Chicken from here, and modified it to add vegetables and use the awesome Breakfast Klub seasoning I brought home from my recent trip to Houston.

Wondertime Lasagna

Beef, Casseroles, Freezes Well, Pasta Leave a comment

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 40 minutes | Total Time: 60 minutes | Yield: 1 lasagna

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound ground beef or ground turkey (or cooked chicken, Italian sausage, andouille, etc.)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced (I would use 3 or 4 cloves)
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 26 to 28 ounces (about 3 cups) pasta sauce
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 tablespoons red wine (optional)
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 2 tablespoons white wine (optional)
  • 12 ounces (3 cups) freshly grated mozzarella
  • 8 no-boil lasagna noodles
  • 2 cups cooked, well-drained spinach, peas, or other vegetables (optional)
  • 1 cup (about 4 ounces) freshly grated Parmesan

Directions:

  1. Heat oven to 400. Spray a 9-by-13-inch dish. Thoroughly cook the ground beef, garlic, and herbs in a large skillet, stirring frequently and breaking up the meat. Stir in pasta sauce and bring to a simmer for about 2 minutes. Season to taste and add the red wine, if using. Set aside.
  2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring chicken stock to a boil. Add cream cheese, turn heat to low, and whisk until smooth, about 6 minutes. Season to taste and add the white wine, if using.
  3. Spoon half the meat sauce into the pan as evenly as possible. Sprinkle 1 cup grated mozzarella over the meat mixture. Top with 3 or 4 lasagna noodles. If using vegetables, toss them evenly over the noodles.
  4. Pour the cream-cheese sauce over the noodles and cover with another cup of grated mozzarella. Arrange 3 or 4 lasagna noodles over the cheese, then spoon remaining meat mixture over noodles as evenly as possible. Top with the rest of the mozzarella and the grated Parmesan. Bake until brown and bubbling, 45 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes.

Notes: I like to add finely diced carrots, and I like to add a few more lasagna noodles. You might as well double the recipe and make 2. It’s not much more work than making 1. I always know someone who has a new baby, or a sick family member, or has just had surgery. Everyone needs a little help sometimes.

Recipe Origin: Based on Wondertime recipe. Great magazine that is no longer.

Slow Cooker Root Beer Braised Brisket

Beef, Meat, Slow Cooker Leave a comment

Prep Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 4 – 6 hours 30 minutes | Yield: Serves 12

Ingredients:

  • 1 – 3 pound beef brisket coarse salt and pepper
  • 1 – 4 ounce can tomato paste
  • 1 – 6 ounce can tomato sauce
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1 tsp chili sauce
  • 2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 TBSP Dijon mustard
  • 2 TBSP ketchup
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 12 ounces root beer, all-natural is better

Directions:

  1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Rub brisket with salt and pepper. Sear in pan for 2-3 minutes on each side until browned.
  2. In a slow cooker, mix together tomato sauce and paste, onion, garlic, chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, ketchup, and brown sugar. Transfer brisket to the sauce in the slow cooker. Pour over root beer. Cover with lid and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
  3. Slice and serve with mashed potatoes.

Notes: I want to try it with vegetables. Maybe carrots?

Recipe Origin:  Adapted from a babble.com recipe

Slow Cooker Chipotle Chili

Beef, Meat, Slow Cooker, Soup Leave a comment

Prep Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 8 hours 30 minutes | Yield: Serves 12

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups beef broth
  • 2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
  • 1 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
  • 1 large can whole green chili peppers
  • 1/3 cup chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 jar chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 -2 tablespoon sugar
  • 4 (15 ounce) cans pinto beans, or whatever kind of beans you have on hand
  • 1 -3 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 large yellow onions, chopped
  • 1 green bell peppers, diced
  • 2 lbs beef stew meat, cut into small cubes
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Directions:

  1. Put chipotle chilis and whole green chilis in food processor and dice. Set aside.
  2. Put first 13 ingredients in crock pot with 1 tablespoon of the sugar, mix well, add pinto beans.
  3. Turn crock pot on low.
  4. Heat some olive oil in a large skillet sauté garlic, onions and green pepper for 4-5 minutes.
  5. Add to crock pot.
  6. Dredge the beef in the flour and brown in skillet.
  7. Add more oil, if necessary
  8. Add to slow cooker and stir well.
  9. Cook 8 hours.
  10. Taste check; for acidity if necessary add more sugar, salt.

Notes: This is spicy and extremely good. Could be frozen, but I always invite people over and they eat it all. Makes a full slow cooker pot.

Recipe Origin:  Adapted from a Food.com recipe.

Strawberry, Chicken and Baby Spinach Salad

Chicken, Healthy, Salads Leave a comment

Prep Time: ? minutes | Cook Time: ? minutes | Total Time: ? minutes | Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 8 oz strawberries, halved and hulled
  • 1 small shallot
  • 3 1/2 TBSP balsamic vinegar
  • 3 1/2 TBSP vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
  • 1 bag (6 oz) baby spinach
  • 2 oz goat cheese log, sliced into rounds
  • 1/4 bunch chives, chopped

Directions:

  1. In a blender, puree one quarter of the strawberries, the shallot, 2 1/2 Tbsp balsamic, 2 Tbsp oil and the honey; season with salt and pepper. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
  2. In a large skillet, heat the remaining 1 1/2 Tbsp oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, until cooked through, about 8 minutes; transfer to a plate and tent with foil.
  3. Meanwhile, add remaining strawberries, 1 Tbsp balsamic and 1/4 cup water to skillet and simmer, stirring, until the berries are warmed through, about 1 minute.
  4. In a large bowl, toss the spinach with the strawberry vinaigrette and divide among 4 plates. Slice the chicken breasts 1/4 inch thick and place on top with warm strawberries, goat cheese and chives; season with salt and pepper.

Notes:

Recipe Origin:  No idea.