CROCKPOT CHILI PORK CHOPS

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having Crockpot Chili Pork Chops for dinner. There isn't any chili in this, they are actually describing the sauce. It seems like something my family would like so we'll see. We'll also be having Scalloped Potatoes and sliced tomatoes.

CROCKPOT CHILI PORK CHOPS
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ Recipezaar)

¾ cup chopped onions
3 tablespoons olive oil
3-4 garlic cloves
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 ¼ cup water
1 ¼ cup ketchup
1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
8-10 pork chops, bone-in preferred (I used 10 boneless)
salt and pepper

Cook onions in oil until lightly brown. Add garlic, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, water, ketchup, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer the sauce for 10 minutes. Arrange pork chops in crock pot, pour sauce over the chops. Cover and cook on low heat for 6-7 hours. OP’s notes: I find that the longer you cook them, the more tender they are. I normally serve them with mashed potatoes and a vegetable. I put the sauce over the mashed potatoes (yummy!).

Amy

Cheeseburger Supreme

Hi everyone!

Here is a recipe for Cheeseburger Supreme. I found this in the Family Fun Magazine and thought some of you might like it. This kind of reminds me of Spaghetti Casserole which I love but with egg noodles and no spaghetti sauce.

Cheeseburger Supreme
Amy – amylz
Family Fun Magazine

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 8 oz. package cream cheese (softened)
1 12 oz. sour cream
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 8oz. bag of egg noodles (cook according to instructions)
1/2 cup water

Step 1 Brown ground beef and drain. Step 2 Add cream of mushroom soup and water to the ground beef. Simmer about 5 minutes. Step 3 In a bowl, mix cream cheese and sour cream together. Step 4 In a casserole dish, layer ground beef mixture, cream cheese mixture, noodles, and grated cheese. Step 5 Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes. This is great served with a tossed salad and bread.

Amy

Cheesy Artichoke Chicken and Pasta, Chocolate Chip, Oats 'n Caramel Cookie Squares

Hi everyone!

Here is a recipe for Cheese Artichoke Chicken and Pasta. This is done in the crockpot and looks really creamy and good. I've also shared a recipe for Chocolate Chip Oats and Caramel Cookie Squares. I'm hoping to make these sometime this week.

Cheesy Artichoke Chicken and Pasta
OP????

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts -- cubed (1 to 1 1/2)
4 oz roasted red peppers -- chopped (4 to 6)
15 ounces artichoke hearts -- quartered
8 oz American cheese
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 cups hot cooked pasta
to taste salt and pepper

In a 3 1/2-quart or larger crock pot combine chicken, peppers, artichokes, American cheese, Worcestershire sauce, and soup in the crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. About 15 minutes before serving, add shredded Cheddar cheese and hot cooked pasta. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Serves 4 to 6.

Chocolate Chip, Oats 'n Caramel Cookie Squares
(amylz – Pillsbury website)

1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® Create 'n Bake® refrigerated chocolate chip cookies
1 cup quick-cooking oats
Dash salt, if desired
2/3 cup caramel topping
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 bag (6 oz) semisweet chocolate chips (1 cup)

1 . Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, break up cookie dough. Stir or knead in oats and salt. Reserve 1/2 cup dough for topping. In ungreased 9-inch square pan, press remaining dough mixture evenly in bottom to form crust. 2 . Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until dough puffs and appears dry. 3 . In small bowl, mix caramel topping, flour and vanilla until well blended. Sprinkle walnuts and chocolate chips evenly over crust. Drizzle evenly with caramel mixture. Crumble reserved 1/2 cup dough mixture over caramel. 4 . Bake 20 to 25 minutes longer or until golden brown. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around sides of pan to loosen bars. Cool completely, about 1 hour, 30 minutes. For bars, cut into 4 rows by 4 rows. Store tightly covered. 16 bars High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Bake crust 12 to 14 minutes. After topping crust, bake 22 to 27 minutes.

Amy

Spice-Rubbed Flank Steak and Portobello Salad

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having Spice Rubbed Flank Steak for dinner. We'll probably grill the steak but will otherwise follow the directions. For the salad, I'll do criminis because we like the taste a little better than portobello's. We'll also be having brown rice.

Spice-Rubbed Flank Steak and Portobello Salad
Amy - Amylz – WW website
Servings: 4

1 Tbsp dried basil
1 Tbsp dried oregano
2 tsp lemon pepper
1 pound raw lean flank steak
1 medium garlic clove(s), sliced
2 tsp olive oil
2 Tbsp sherry cooking wine
1 cup cherry tomato(es), or grape tomatoes, about 8 average
10 small portobello mushroom(s), approximately, quartered, (equivalent 1 1/2 ps)
2 head romaine lettuce, cut into 1/2-inch wide strips
1/2 cup scallion(s), chopped

Combine basil, oregano and lemon pepper seasoning in a shallow medium bowl or plate. Rub both sides of steak with garlic and oil; dredge in spice mixture until well-coated. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add 1 tablespoon of sherry and cook steak about 5 minutes per side. Remove and transfer to a cutting board; let rest 5 minutes before slicing crosswise against the grain into 8 very thin slices. While steak is resting, add remaining tablespoon of sherry to skillet. Add mushrooms and tomatoes and sauté about 1 minute; set aside. Toss lettuce, scallions, mushrooms and tomatoes with vinaigrette in a large bowl. Divide salad mixture between four plates. Top with steak. Yields about 1 1/2 cups of salad and 2 slices of steak per serving.

Amy

Spiced-Mustard Chicken

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having Spiced Mustard Chicken for dinner. This recipe is for one serving so make sure you increase it for however many you are feeding. This is from the WW website but there's no rocket science here. You put the mustard and red pepper flakes on each chicken breast and then broil. You could bake your chicken if you prefer. We'll also be having baked potatoes and Caesar Salad.

Spiced-Mustard Chicken
Amy – Amylz – WW website

1 Tbsp mustard hot and spicy
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 average Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast

Preheat broiler. Coat chicken with mustard and sprinkle with pepper flakes. Broil until no longer pink

Amy

Speedy Supper

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having Speedy Supper for dinner. This is basically ground beef and rice with a gravy. It sounds good to me. Sometimes I feel like every single dinner can't be some fancy masterpiece. I always do my best to make things "healthier" for our needs and that works for us. With this, I will use brown rice (and I'll probably cook it first because I don't trust rice to cook in dishes like this) and I always use 93% lean ground beef. This will work as a one pot complete meal for me!

Speedy Supper
Cyndy (MyPB&Jelly) Serves 4-6

1 lb ground beef, browned & drained
1/3 C long-cooking rice, uncooked
1 oz pkg onion gravy mix
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1 1/2 C water
10 oz pkg frozen peas, thawed (I didn't thaw, just threw some in)
8 oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained
2.8 oz can french fried onions
soy sauce to taste

Combine beef, rice, gravy mix, garlic salt and water to a large skillet. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to low; cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in peas and water chestnuts; simmer until rice is tender, about 10 additional minutes. Remove from heat; toss in onions. Season with soy sauce before serving.

Amy

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Hi everyone! Happy Easter!

Tomorrow we are having Spaghetti and Meatballs for dinner. I love making my own meatballs and I'm always searching for the best meatball out there. My family loves spaghetti more than any other meal so they're happy when I make any type of spaghetti. We'll also be having a nice big green salad!

Spaghetti and Meatballs
Amy - amylz Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2005

1 tablespoon bacon drippings or olive oil
1 cup diced onions
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
1/2 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 ounces ground chuck
8 ounces ground pork sausage
2 tablespoons red wine
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup minced green onions, white parts only
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Essence
1 pound spaghetti, cooked, drained and tossed with olive oil

Heat the bacon drippings (or olive oil) in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until softened and translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. Season the sauce with the basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Place the remaining ingredients, except spaghetti, in a large mixing bowl. Mix together just until combined. Form meatballs by rolling meat mixture into 1 tablespoon-sized balls. Place meatballs on a plate as they are formed. (Hint: If your hands are slightly damp, the meatballs will roll more easily without sticking.) Place the balls into the simmering sauce 1 at a time. Allow the sauce to return to a simmer, and cook, partially covered. Let the meatballs to rest undisturbed for 25 minutes before stirring. When the meatballs rise to the top, stir gently. Simmer, partially covered, for an additional hour, stirring occasionally to prevent the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Remove the sauce from the heat and serve immediately over cooked spaghetti.

Amy

Southwestern Casserole

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow is Easter and we will be having dinner with John's family. I am going to bring a nice green salad and bread so nothing too difficult. Here is a recipe for Southwestern Casserole that I thought some of you might enjoy.

Southwestern Casserole
makes 2 meals, 6 servings each (one to eat & one to freeze)

7oz elbow macaroni, cooked to package directions & drained
2 lbs ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (14-1/2 oz each) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 - 16oz can kidney beans, rinsed & drained
1 6oz can tomato paste
1 4oz can chopped green chilies
1-1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded & chopped - optional

In a large saucepan or dutch oven, cook beef, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Drain. Stir in tomatoes, beans, tomato paste, chilies and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Drain macaroni and stir into beef. Transfer to 2 greased 2 qt baking dishes. Top with cheese and jalapenos. Cover and bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 minutes longer until bubbly and heated through. Serve one casserole. Cool the second; cover and freeze for up to 3 months. To use frozen casserole, thaw in fridge for 8 hours. Cover and bake 20-25 minutes or until heated though (I think it takes longer though).

Amy

Sour Cream Pork Chops

Hi everyone!

Here is a recipe for Sour Cream Pork Chops. This has been around the cooking group I belong to for years and is always very popular. I like the simpleness of the ingredients and think this would be very quick and easy for most moms trying to get dinner on the table.

Sour Cream Pork Chops
Grace TigMode

4 Pork chops (3/4" thick)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons vinegar
1/2 cup water
Pepper -- to taste
Salt -- to taste

Salt and pepper the pork chops on both sides and fry in butter until brown. Mix together vinegar, sugar, water and pour the mixture over the chops. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer gently about 1 1/4 hours or until chops are tender. Add sour cream and heat to just under boil.

Amy

Pasta with Pumpkin and Sausage

Hi everyone!

Here is a recipe for Pasta with Pumpkin and Sausage. This is a Rachael Ray recipe. I'll be honest, pumkin isn't my favorite in savory dishes but I know many people love it. So, I thought I would pass this along for some of you to try!

Pasta with Pumpkin and Sausage
(RecipeGirl - a RR recipe)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage (I use turkey sausage)
4 cloves garlic, cracked and chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
4 to 6 sprigs sage leaves, cut into chiffonade, about 2 tablespoons
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock, canned or paper container
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup (3 turns around the pan) heavy cream (I use evaporated milk)
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, ground or freshly grated
Coarse salt and black pepper
1 pound penne rigate, cooked to al dente
Romano or Parmigiano, for grating
Pumpernickel or whole grain bread, as an accompaniment

Heat a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and brown the sausage in it. Transfer sausage to paper towel lined plate. Drain fat from skillet and return pan to the stove. Add the remaining tablespoon oil, and then the garlic and onion. Saute 3 to 5 minutes until the onions are tender. Add bay leaf, sage, and wine to the pan. Reduce wine by half, about 2 minutes. Add stock and pumpkin and stir to combine, stirring sauce until it comes to a bubble. Return sausage to pan, reduce heat, and stir in cream. Season the sauce with the cinnamon and nutmeg, and salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer mixture 5 to 10 minutes to thicken sauce. Return drained pasta to the pot you cooked it in. Remove the bay leaf from sauce and pour the sausage pumpkin sauce over pasta. Combine sauce and pasta and toss over low heat for 1 minute. Garnish the pasta with lots of shaved cheese and sage leaves.

Amy

Spicy Chicken Kabobs, Spaghetti Al Oglio

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having Spicy Chicken Kabobs. These are chicken and jalapenos skewered on the grill, yum! Remember, when working with jalapenos, it's the ribs and seeds that are hot so take that out if you don't like them too spicy and be careful when handling them. Wear gloves if you want to be extra cautious. On the side we'll be having sliced mushrooms with dip and then Spaghetti Al Oglio. This is just pasta tossed with garlic and parsley. My 9 year old will love that!

Spicy Chicken Kabobs
Rachel ~ burns_toast via LCBO Food & Drink

1 pound b/s chicken thighs or breast
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 1/2 tbsp. hot pepper sauce
1 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
generous pinch cayenne
4 small jalapeno's
salt
1 tbsp. butter
Blue Cheese Dressing

Cut chicken into bite sized chunks for threading onto skewers. In a bowl, just large enough to hold chicken, measure oil, 1 tbsp. hot sauce, thyme, paprika, garlic, onion and cayenne. Add chicken and stir to coat. let stand while preparing barbecue. Oil grill and preheat to medium. Slice jalapenos in half lengthwise, discarding seeds. Thread chicken onto skewers randomly with jalapeno halves. Sprinkle with salt. Grill, turning occasionally until cooked through, about 7-10 minutes. Adjust heat as needed. Melt butter with remaining hot sauce. As soon as kabobs are removed from grill brush with butter mixture. Serve with dip and extra hot sauce if you wish.

Spaghetti Al Oglio
Grace (TigMode)

1 (16 ounce) package thin spaghetti
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
hot red pepper flakes
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup melted butter or margarine

In a large pot with boiling salted water cook spaghetti pasta until al dente. Drain. Meanwhile, in a large skillet over low heat saute garlic, parsley, and red pepper flakes with olive oil . Cook until garlic turns golden in color, about 10 to 15 minutes. Toss pasta with garlic mixture and butter or margarine. Serve right away with grated cheese as topping.

Amy

Southwestern Taco Salad

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having Southwester Taco Salads for dinner. This is done with chicken but if you prefer ground beef, feel free to sub that. Just cook it up with some taco seasoning. Instead of mixing everything together, I will put it all in seperate little bowls and let everyone add what they like. We like Italian dressing with our taco salad so I'll probably skip the ranch but we'll definitely have salsa. We love the Kirkland Organic Salsa from Costco. It is the best store bought salsa we have found in a long time. I won't be serving anything else with this since it seems like a complete meal.

Southwestern Taco Salad
Sharon via "Rotisserie Chickens to the Rescue"

Dressing
3/4 cup bottled light ranch salad dressing
1/2 cup salsa

Salad
6 cups torn romaine lettuce leaves
2 cups bite-sized chunks rotisserie chicken
1-1/2 cup broken tortilla chips
11 oz can Mexi corn with red and green bell peppers
1 cup drained black beans
1 small avocado, chopped
1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (to taste)
1/2 tsp chili powder Combine dressing and salsa and set aside.

Combine salad ingredients, add the dressing and toss. Sprinkle with chili powder and serve immediately.

Amy

Souvlaki

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having Souvlaki for dinner. These are just kebobs. You can use any meat you like but the directions assume you are using pork. On the side we'll be having roasted potatoes.

Souvlaki
Michelle~mum-mum-mum
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp dried oregano
3 cloves garlic, crushed
4 pounds chicken breast, lamb, beef steak or pork tenderloin, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 medium yellow onions, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 green bell peppers, cut into 1 inch pieces
skewers

In a large glass bowl, mix together lemon juice, olive oil, soy sauce, oregano, and garlic; add pork, onions, and green peppers, and stir to coat. Cover, and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours. Preheat grill for medium-high heat. Thread pork, peppers, and onions onto skewers. Lightly oil grate. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or to desired doneness, turning skewers frequently for even cooking.

Amy

Southwestern Spaghetti

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having Southwestern Spaghetti for dinner. Last year I made a dish with taco seasoning and spaghetti sauce and it was perfection so when I saw this I knew I wanted to try it. On the side I will serve sliced cherry tomatoes.

Southwestern Spaghetti
Adrienne620 ~ Taste of Home

12 ounces uncooked spaghetti
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 jar (26 oz) spaghetti sauce
1 jar (4 ½ oz) sliced mushrooms, drained
1 can (2 ¼ oz) sliced ripe olives, drained
2 cups (8 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
Shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sour cream, and salsa or picante sauce

Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef & onion over medium heat until beef is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the taco seasoning, spaghetti sauce, mushrooms and olives. Drain spaghetti; stir into the beef mixture. Transfer to a greased shallow 3 quart baking dish; sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until heated through. Serve with lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream and salsa. 8 servings. Adrienne’s notes: I used Mexican blend cheese and a 13 x 9 dish. I served it with sour cream, salsa and tortilla chips.

Amy

Smoked Pork Ribs, Smashed Potato Salad 2

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having Smoked Pork Ribs for dinner. My husband got a smoker for Christmas and he has been dying to use it so I finally planned something he can do. Paula Deen's recipes are at the bottom but you can use any seasoning blend you like and sauce. I do love her House Seasoning though, it's great to have on hand for many things. I'll use some Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce for basting because that's what we like. On the side I'm making some Smashed Potato Salad. This is an Emeril recipe. The idea here is you mash the potatoes and then add all the other potato salad ingredients. What I typically do is partially mash them so there are still some chunks. We'll also be having fresh fruit.

Smoked Pork Ribs
Amy – amylz
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

2 racks pork ribs
House Seasoning, recipe follows
Jerry's Basting Sauce, recipe follows
Favorite BBQ sauce, if desired

Prepare smoker to 250 degrees F. I use charcoal and wood chips such as hickory. Remove membrane from ribs if desired. Rub thoroughly with House Seasoning. Place ribs on smoker grate and cover. Slow smoke ribs for 2 to 3 hours. Every 15 minutes brush ribs with vinegar solution. We serve our ribs without sauce. If you like sauce cooked on, brush ribs with sauce about 15 minutes before they are done, turning often, watching carefully that the sauce does not burn. Ribs are done when they are tender enough to easily pull from the bones. If you're not a sauce eater, remove ribs, cut and serve with BBQ sauce on the side.

House Seasoning: 1 cup salt 1/4 cup black pepper 1/4 cup garlic powder

Jerry's Basting Sauce: 3/4 cup white vinegar 3/4 cup lemon juice 4 dashes Worcestershire sauce 3 to 4 dashes hot red pepper sauce 1 small onion, minced 3 to 4 dashes salt Seasoned pepper, to taste 2 to 3 cups water

In a medium saucepan, mix all ingredients and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Use this sauce to brush ribs or chicken to keep moist.

Smashed Potato Salad 2
Amy - amylz
Recipe Courtesy of Emeril Lagasse

2 pounds new potatoes, chopped
1/2 cup minced onions
3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1/2 to 3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup yellow mustard
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
Dash of Tabasco sauce
1 lemon, juiced
Salt and pepper

Place the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water. Season the water with salt. Bring the potatoes to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook the potatoes until fork tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and drain. Turn the potatoes into a mixing bowl. Using a hand-held masher, mash the potatoes. Stir in the onions, eggs and garlic. Stir in the brown sugar, mayonnaise, and mustard. Mix thoroughly. Season the salad with Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Cover the salad and refrigerate until chilled.

Amy

Pasta in a pot

Hi everyone!

Here is a recipe for Pasta in a Pot. This is kind of like a baked ziti but with shells and it's layered. It seems like something easy and very kid friendly.

Pasta in a pot
OP???

2 lbs ground beef
1 onion, chopped
8 oz can mushrooms (drained)
2 16 oz stewed tomatoes
14 oz Ragu Traditional Sauce
1 pint sour cream
1 box medium shells
Sliced mozzarella

Brown ground beef and onion. Add mushrooms, tomatoes, and sauce. Simmer 20 minutes. Boil noodles al dente. Layer 1/3 noodles, ground beef mixture and drizzle with sour cream. Repeat layers. Put sliced mozzarella over the top and cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes, uncover and bake 5 more minutes to brown up the cheese. **Makes two smaller pans (8x8) or one large pan (deep 13 x 9)

Amy

Pasta Fagioli Soup, Blueberry Buckle

Hi everyone!

Here is a recipe for Pasta Fagioli Soup. This recipe looks very simple and something you could whip up on a cold day. There is also a recipe for Blueberry Buckle. I am hoping to make this sometime this week.

Pasta Fagioli Soup
Cindy (mommy_of_love1)

1 bag of great northern beans, sorted and rinsed
1 onion, chopped
1 ham bone
2 C chopped ham
1 box ditalini pasta
1-2 cans tomato soup
1/2 tsp pepper

In a large pot of water, bring beans, onion and ham bone to a boil. Simmer over med low heat, until beans are tender, 4 or more hrs, adding water when needed. Once beans are tender, add ham, ditalini, tomato soup and pepper. Simmer until pasta is tender.

Blueberry Buckle
Katie (KatieDid)

2 T butter, softened
1/3 c sugar
1 egg
1 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 c 2% milk (skim works well)
1 c fresh or frozen bluberries
Topping: 1/4 c flour 2 T sugar 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon 2 T cold butter

In a small mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg; mix well. Combine the flour , baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Fold in blueberries. Spread into and 8-in x 4-in x 2-in loaf pan coated with nonstick cooking spray. For topping, combine the flour, sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over batter. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Split the loaf in half lengthwise ; cut into thirds.

Nutritional Analysis: 1 piece equals 248 calories, 9 g fat (5 g saturated), 57 g cholesterol, 230 mg sodium, 38 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 5 g protein

Amy

SOUP-ERB CHICKEN CASSEROLE

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having Soup-Erb Chicken Casserole for dinner. This would be perfect for using up leftover cooked chicken. I'll probably leave out the cheese but otherwise will follow as written. This casserole pretty much has everything you need in it so I'm not going to serve anything else with dinner (I'm feeling lazy).

SOUP-ERB CHICKEN CASSEROLE
(luckymommyto2boys)

1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Campbell's Condensed Cream of Broccoli Soup
1 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
2 cups hot cooked elbow pasta
2 cups cubed cooked chicken OR turkey
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen peas and carrots, cooked and drained
1/2 cup Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Stuffing, crushed
2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese 2 tbsp. butter OR margarine, melted

PREHEAT oven to 400F. MIX soup, milk, mozzarella cheese, garlic powder and black pepper in 2-qt. baking dish. Stir in pasta, chicken and peas and carrots. BAKE 20 min. Stir.MIX stuffing, Parmesan cheese and butter. Sprinkle on top. Bake 5 min. or until hot. TIP: Serve with Caesar salad. For dessert serve your favorite Pepperidge Farm layer cake.

Amy

Slow-cooker Pot Roast

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having a pot roast done in the crockpot. You could call this week slow cooker week around here. I love it though. It defintiely freed up a lot of my time. Plus, having the 3 in 1 was great because I was able to use the size I needed for what I was doing. This is a pretty basic pot roast. At the bottom there are directions for using a chuck roast if that's what you prefer. This does call for 2 roasts because the idea is that you want leftovers. If you don't, I would follow the chuck roast instructions. We'll also be having Baked Potatoes.

Slow-cooker Pot Roast
Amy - amylz
Prep: 15 min.; Cook: 12 hr., 10 min.

2 (2 1/4- to 2 1/2-lb.) eye-of-round roasts, trimmed
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 (1-lb.) package baby carrots
1 (14.5-oz.) can petite diced tomatoes
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup beef broth
1/2 cup dry red wine
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram

1. Rub roasts evenly with 2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper.
2. Brown roasts on all sides in hot oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat (about 10 minutes). Place roasts, side by side, in a 6-qt. slow cooker. Add carrots and remaining ingredients.
3. Cook, covered, on LOW 10 to 12 hours or until tender. Remove roasts from slow cooker; shred 1 roast, and serve with 2 cups vegetable-and-gravy mixture. Shred remaining roast. Store remaining roast and 2 cups vegetable-and-gravy mixture in separate airtight containers in refrigerator up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 months.

Slow-cooker Chuck Roast: Substitute 1 (3 1/4- to 3 3/4-lb.) chuck roast, trimmed, for eye-of-round roasts; reduce salt to 1 tsp; dried thyme leaves to 1/2 tsp.; and dried marjoram to 1/4 tsp. Prepare recipe as directed through Step 2. Cook, covered, on LOW 10 to 12 hours or until tender. Remove roast and vegetables, and shred meat. Pour gravy mixture from slow cooker into a 4-cup measuring cup or fat strainer, and let stand 15 minutes. Spoon or pour fat out of gravy mixture in cup or fat strainer, and discard. Serve gravy with shredded roast and carrots.

Yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings
Southern Living, FEBRUARY 2008

Amy

Smothered Chicken Breasts, SLOW COOKER STUFFING

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having Smothered Chicken Breasts. I love lemon pepper so hopefully these are tasty. I will be leaving off the cheese and using turkey bacon. On the side I'm making this Slow Cooker Stuffing. I've heard a lot of great things about this and am finally getting around to trying it. I think I'll cut the recipe in half since I'm not feeding a Thanksgiving crowd. We'll also be having green beans.

Smothered Chicken Breasts
Katie (Katiedid) from Taste of Home

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
8 bacon strips
1 medium onion, sliced
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese

Sprinkle chicken with salt and lemon-pepper. In a large skillet, cook chicken in oil for 13-15 minutes or until juices run clear; remove and keep warm. In the same skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towels; drain, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings. In the drippings, saute the onion and brown sugar until onion is golden. Place two bacon strips on each chicken breast half; top with caramelized onions and cheese. Yield: 4 servings.

SLOW COOKER STUFFING
Sandy~~*~Sandy~*~
8 servings

2 T butter
1 cup or more finely chopped onions
1 cup or more finely chopped celery
12 cups toasted bread crumbs or dressing mix (Pepperidge Farms Onion and Sage - 1 1/2 (14 oz pkgs))
1/4-1 cup butter or margarine, melted (enough to flavor bread - 2 sticks)
2 (8 oz) cans sliced mushrooms, drained
1/2 to 1 cup dried cranberries and raisins
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (2 Tbsp dried)
2 tsp poultry seasoning (omit if using seasoned dressing mix)
dash of pepper
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs, beaten
4 cups chicken stock

1. Sauté onions and celery in butter.
2. Combine bread crumbs, onions, celery, mushrooms and dried cranberries. Add parsley and seasoning.
3. Combine eggs and chicken stock, stir into stuffing mix.
4. Pour into slow cooker and bake on High 1 hour, and on Low an additional 3 hours.

Sandy’s Note: I cooked on High in crock pot for about 4 hours.

Amy

Slow Cooker London Broil

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having London Broil done in the crockpot. This is another recipe with only 4 ingredients and we love that! On the side we'll be having mashed potatoes and a green salad.

Slow Cooker London Broil
(P&Co)

2 pounds London Broil
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup
1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix

Place meat in the bottom of the slow cooker; if necessary, slice meat to make it fit! In a medium bowl, mix together mushroom and tomato soup. Pour mixture over beef. Sprinkle dry onion soup mix over top. Cover, and cook on Low for 6-8 hours.

Amy

Slow Cooker Cranberry Pork

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having Slow Cooker Cranberry Pork. I love that this recipe has 4 ingredients. On the side we'll be having baked potatoes and green beans.

Slow Cooker Cranberry Pork
(Messed_Up_Mama From Allrecipes)

1 (16 ounce) can cranberry sauce
1/3 cup French salad dressing
1 onion, sliced
1 (3 pound) boneless pork loin roast

In a medium bowl, stir together the cranberry sauce, salad dressing, and onion. Place pork in a slow cooker, and cover with the sauce mixture. Cover, and cook on High for 4 hours, or on Low for 8 hours. Pork is done when the internal temperature has reached 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).

Amy

Apple Crisp II

Hi everyone!

We are going to dinner at our friends' house and I am bringing dessert. I decided on an Apple Crisp. I like the idea of putting the crumble on the bottom as well as the top. It's something a little different and will make this a little more pie like. I hope it's good!

Apple Crisp II
mom_jenWA courtesy of allrecipes.com

1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup rolled oats
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, melted
4 cups peeled, cored and sliced apples
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).In a medium bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and melted butter. Stir until crumbly. Press half the oat mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Cover with sliced apples. In a medium saucepan, combine white sugar, cornstarch, water and vanilla. Cook, stirring, until thick and clear, 10 minutes. Pour over apples. Cover apples with remaining crumble mixture. Bake in preheated oven 45 minutes, until bubbly and golden.

Amy

Pan-Roasted Mushroom & Pepper Pork Enchiladas

Hi everyone!

Here is a recipe for Pan-Roasted Mushroom & Pepper Pork Enchiladas. This sounds delicious! She gives you a way to cook your pork but this would be a great recipe to use up leftover pork that you already have. I'm not a big fan of fat free cream cheese so I would suggest using regular.

Pan-Roasted Mushroom & Pepper Pork Enchiladas:
(Jessica)

1 lb pork tenderloin (boneless)
1 green bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 tin presliced/prewashed mushrooms
1 small (or 1/2 med) Vidalia onion, finely diced
6-8 ounces fat free cream cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or favorite melting cheese)
vegetable oil
salt & pepper
enchilada sauce
burrito size tortillas of choice

*Preheat oven to bake at 350º
*Sear & pan-cook pork tenderloin with a little vegetable oil, and seasoned with salt & pepper just until cooked through. Allow meat to rest & cool for 5-10 minutes, then cut into bite-sized chunks & set aside in a mixing bowl.
*In same pan, sautee bell pepper dices until pan roasted and beginning to soften and brown, then set aside in the mixing bowl with pork.
*In same pan, sautee mushrooms until just cooked through and softened, then add to pork and pepper mix.
*In same pan, sautee and carmelize onion dices, seasoned with salt and pepper as desired.
*Once onions are carmelized, add cream cheese and pork mixture into pan, melting cream cheese until everything is coated evenly with cream cheese.
*Turn off heat, then add shredded mozzarella.
*Mix everything together until evenly blended.
*Fill tortilla with about 1/4-1/3 cup of pork mixture and fold over.
*Lay enchiladas seam-side down in flat baking dish (makes between 6-8 enchiladas, depending on how full you make them).
*Top with enchilada sauce.
*Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes at 350º or for 20 minutes at 400º.
*Most of the enchilada sauce should be absorbed into enchiladas, with the top of the enchiladas appearing almost "dry."
*Serve, and be prepared to eat with a fork.
*Enjoy!

Amy

SLOW COOKED PARMESAN CHICKEN

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having Slow Cooked Parmesan Chicken. Obviously this is done in the crockpot. Have I mentioned my crockpot? I now have the Hamilton Beach 3 in 1 and I adore this appliance. Everything I have made has turned out perfectly! I bought it on Amazon and highly recommend it. This dinner is almost an all in one. It had the chicken and rice and the sauce. I'll also be serving green beans.

SLOW COOKED PARMESAN CHICKEN
(luckymommyto2boys)

1 pkg. dry onion soup mix
1 1/2 cups milk
2 cans (10 3/4 oz each) Campbell's Condensed Cream of Mushroom
1 cup converted long-grain white rice
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
6 tsp butter OR margarine
Pepper to taste
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Mix the dry onion soup, milk, mushroom soup, and rice in a medium bowl. Put chicken in bottom of greased slow cooker. Place 1 tsp of butter on each breast. Pour soup mixture over all. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.Cover and cook on low heat for 8-10 hours.

Amy

Simple Bolognese

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having Simple Bolognese for dinner. This is just a fancy name for a meat sauce with veggies. I'll be serving pasta and a green salad with this.

Simple Bolognese
(JoAnn via Everyday Italian)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
1 pound ground chuck beef
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup flat-leaf Italian parsley, chopped
8 fresh basil leaves, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano

In a large skillet heat the olive oil. When almost smoking, add the onion and garlic and saute over medium heat until the onions become very soft, about 8 minutes. Add the celery and carrot and saute for 5 minutes. Raise heat to high and add the ground beef. Saute, stirring frequently and breaking up any large lumps and cook until meat is no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, parsley and basil and cook over medium low heat until the sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper. This will take approximately 1/2 hour. Finish bolognese with Pecorino Romano.

Amy

SLOPPY JOE LOAF

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having Sloppy Joe Loaf for dinner. I am going to leave out the cheese so hopefully it will still all stick together but I think my kids will like this. We'll also be having green beans.

SLOPPY JOE LOAF
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ Pillsbury.com)

1 lb. extra-lean ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 (8-oz.) can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose or Unbleached Flour (I used self-rising)
¼ teaspoon dried basil leaves
¼ teaspoon dried oregano leaves
¼ teaspoon fennel seed
1 (11-oz.) can Pillsbury® Refrigerated Crusty French Loaf
4 oz. (1 cup) shredded mozzarella cheese

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray cookie sheet and large skillet with nonstick cooking spray. In sprayed skillet, combine ground beef and onion; cook until beef is thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently. Drain. Add tomato sauce, flour, basil, oregano and fennel seed; mix well. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Meanwhile, remove dough from can; place on lightly floured surface. Cut loaf in half lengthwise. Roll each half to form 16x4-inch rectangle. Place 1 dough rectangle on sprayed cookie sheet, being careful not to change shape. Stir ½ cup of the cheese into ground beef mixture. Spoon and spread mixture over dough rectangle on cookie sheet. Sprinkle with remaining ½ cup cheese. Top with remaining dough rectangle.
Bake at 350°F. for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into slices.

Amy

Skyline Chili

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having Skyline Chili for dinner. This is another one of those copycat recipes so we'll see how authentic it is. I've only had Skyline Chili once while visiting friends in Ohio so I can't really remember it but I know that they all love it (that's why we went there). I think the key to their chili (besides being authentic with no beans) is the spices (cinnamon and allspice). This chili is done in the crockpot. We'll also be having rolls and a green salad.

Skyline Chili
Amy - amylz

2 1/2 pounds ground beef
15 ounce can tomato sauce
8 ounce can tomato paste
5 tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. allspice
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion salt
2 tsp. A-1 sauce
1 qt. water

Brown beef lightly. Put all ingredients in crock and mix together well. Cook for 12 hours or more on low. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Amy

SHRIMP SCAMPI

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having Shrimp Scampi for dinner. I'm still hoping my kids will like seafood one day because I really dislike the fact that I hate it. Shrimp is one of those foods I wish I liked because there's so many fun things to do with it. At any rate, I'll be making this Shrimp Scampi dish. I will be serving this pasta and green beans.

SHRIMP SCAMPI
by janetny

1 lb Shrimp (I used already cleaned, already cooked, but my mom prefers regular shrimp)
4 large Cloves of Garlic
½ cup Butter
1 Tbs Lemon Juice
½ tsp Salt
½ tsp Oregano
1/8 tsp Pepper
Parsley

Into saucepan, combine garlic, butter, lemon juice, salt, and oregano. Pour over shrimp (cleaned only, not cooked). You can make extra sauce, depending on how much pasta you are making, and how much sauce you like. Broil approximately 5 - 8 minutes. Serve with Bowties, Rice, etc. Garnish with lemon wedges and parsley.

Amy

P.F. Chang's Chicken in soothing lettuce wraps

Hi everyone!

Here is a recipe for PF Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps. I know that people love these so I thought I would share this recipe. I haven't tried the recipe myself so I don't know how authentic it is. If any of you give it a try, let us know if it's close to the real thing!

P.F. Chang's Chicken in soothing lettuce wraps
Cindybakedababy- TSR

Special Sauce
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon Chinese hot mustard powder (see tidbits)
2 teaspoons water
1-3 teaspoons chili garlic sauce

Stir Fry Sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon rice vinegar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 skinless chicken breast fillets
1 cup diced water chestnuts
2/3 cup diced straw mushrooms
3 tablespoons diced green onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic (1 clove)
1 cup fried maifun rice sticks (see tidbits)
4-5 iceberg lettuce cups

1. Make the special sauce (for spooning over your lettuce wraps) by dissolving the 1/4 cup sugar in 1/2 cup water in a small bowl. Add 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons ketchup, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1/8 teaspoon sesame oil. Mix well and refrigerate this sauce until your ready to serve with lettuce wraps. Combine the 2 teaspoons water with the Chinese hot mustard and set aside as well. Eventually you will add your desired measurement of Chinese mustard and garlic chili sauce to the special sauce mixture to pour over your lettuce wraps. In the restaurant chain, waiters prepare the sauce at your table the same way, depending on your desired heat level. I'll talk more about that later.
2. Prepare the stir fry sauce by mixing the soy sauce, brown sugar and rice vinegar together in a small bowl.
3. To prepare the filling for your lettuce wraps, bring 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil to high heat in a wok or large frying pan. Saute the chicken breasts for 4-5 minutes per side or until done. Remove chicken from the pan to cool. Keep the oil in the pan.
4. As the chicken cools be sure your water chestnuts and mushrooms are diced about the size of small peas.
5. When you can handle the chicken, hack it up with a large knife so that no piece is larger than a dime. With the wok or pan on high heat, add the remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add the chicken, garlic, water chestnuts and mushrooms to the pan. Add the stir fry sauce to the pan and saute the mixture for a couple minutes then spoon it into a dish lined with a bed of fried rice noodles (maifun).
6. Serve chicken with a side of lettuce cups. Make these lettuce cups by slicing the top off of a head of iceberg lettuce right through the middle of the head. Pull your lettuce cups off of the outside of this slice.
7. Make the special sauce at the table by adding your desired measurement of mustard and chili sauce to the special sauce blend: 1 teaspoon each of mustard and chili sauce for mild, 2 teaspoons of each for medium, and 3 teaspoons of each for hot. Stir well.
8. Assemble lettuce wraps by spooning filling into a lettuce cup, adding special sauce over the top, folding the sucker up like a taco, then munching down apon it with reckless abandon.

Serves 2-3 as an appetizer

Tidbits: Follow the directions on the package for frying the maifun (rice sticks)- usually by pouring 2 inches of vegetable oil into a pan and heating to around 400 degrees. Add maifun, a little at a time, and when it floats to the top remove it to a paper towel. The rapid noodle expansion is actually quite exciting.
Rather than powdered Chinese hot mustard, you can instead use the kind that already comes prepared in the bottle so that you don't have to add water. Your choice.

Amy