Cheesy Bacon Potatoes

These are like potatoes skins, but in my opinion, they taste a lot better.  Maybe it's because they are homemade & they didn't come from the freezer.  I will be making these again....in fact, I have some going as I type this up.

Servings: about 1 potato per person

Ingredients

1 large sized Russet potato, sliced into thin rounds

1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

2 tbsp bacon

Optional dipping sauce

1/3 cup ranch dressing 

1/2 tsp Chipotle powder seasoning or chilli power will work in a pinch

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bring sliced potatoes to a boil in cold, salted water to cover for 5 minutes. Carefully drain, and transfer slices to a paper-towel lined countertop or cutting board. Pat to dry.  Line a pan with foil & spray with cooking spray (easy clean up method), and lay out potato slices on it.  Sprinkle with salt & pepper to taste.  Bake 12-14 minutes in preheated oven until potatoes begin to slightly crisp and brown on the edges.  Remove from oven, and cover evenly with cheese and bacon bits.  Return to oven and cook until cheese is melted and bubbly, about 10-12 minutes.

If making dipping sauce, prepare sauce while potatoes bake.  Combine ranch dressing and Chipotle seasoning.

Orange Chicken

I ran across this recipe a while ago.  I had this or apricot chicken on my list of want to try.  i can tell you I am so glad I tried this.  It was simply delicious!  The  hubby liked it as well, he said the only thing missing was the egg rolls.  This and the bourbon chicken, might be two of our favorite chicken recipes!!  After frying the chicken, I kept some aside for the girls to eat, as we wanted ours spicy!!!


Servings: 6

Ingredients"
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/2-3/4 cup cornstarch for breading
3/4 cup orange marmalade or jam
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1-2 teaspoon ground ginger
1-2 teaspoon red pepper flakes or chili paste (I used sriracha sauce.)
Choice of oil
3-5 garlic cloves (Since we love garlic – use less if you don’t love it.)

Instructions:

Cut chicken breast into 1 inch strips.  Dredge chicken in cornstarch. Heat (medium-high) a large skillet that has been coated with your choice of oil. Cook chicken strips in a few cloves of minced garlic, oil and a few dashes of soy sauce until no longer pink.  Remove chicken from pan and deglaze pan with some of the vinegar. 

To make the Orange Sauce

Saute remaining garlic and then add orange marmalade, soy sauce, water, ginger, chili paste, red pepper flakes, and the rest of the vinegar.  Cook on medium – high heat until sauce begins to thicken slightly. Reduce heat. Initially, it will be very liquidy and seem as if it won’t thicken, but it will. This is also when I do a taste test, and ask myself those important questions. Do I want more of a kick to it? Then I add some more red pepper flakes. Is it not sweet enough? Add more marmalade Too sweet? Then I add a bit more soy sauce and rice vinegar. I love that this can be mastered into the perfect fit for your taste.  Pour chicken into skillet with sauce. It will continue to thicken.  You can add more water if sauce is too thick. (Taste test to see if additional seasoning needed.

Serve with recipe., your favorite vegetable or some egg rolls.

Pineapple Burgers

Sometimes a picture will speak a 1000 words, or make you think your self....I have to try this!  This was it for me....I must try!  But, if you have tried any of my recipes that I have posted, then you know I feel that way about all the recipes that I have tried.  Now, the bacon could have been a little crispier for my taste (I don't like chewy bacon).  Next time i make this, I think I will chop up some jalapeno's and mix them in with the burger  meat, for some added kick!

Servings: 4


Ingredients:
1 pound hambuer
your favorite burger seasoning
4 slices pineapple-fresh or canned
8 slices bacon

Directions-
Form your hamburger patties.  On a piece of foil (makes for easy clean up), place 2 pieces of bacon  to form an X.  Place your hamburger patty in the center of the  X, top with a piece of pineapple and bring bacon pieces to top.  Secure bacon pieces with a toothpick.  Grill to your desired doneness.

Chicken Breast stuffed with Pesto butter

We are not big oven baked chicken people, so I was a little skeptical of this recipe.  It seems every time I bake chicken, it always comes out tough.  This however was not not the case.  The chicken had good flavor, was tender and the crust...well mine wasn't perfect.  Oh well, its going to get all mashed up together, right?  Now, I had some leftover pesto butter, so I tossed it in some pasta that I had in the pantry.  Note- Store bought pesto can be substitute.
Servings: 6

	Ingredients:
	6 chicken breasts, halved, boneless and skinless 1/2 c fresh basil leaves 1/4 c grated parmesan cheese 1 minced garlic clove 1/2 c butter, room temperature 1/3 c flour seasoned with salt and pepper 1 egg, well beaten 3/4 c fine bread crumbs Serving Day 2 Tbsp butter 2 Tbsp olive oil   Directions:   Flatten chicken breasts to 1/8" thickness.  In a food processor or blender, combine basil, cheese and garlic.Mix until a thick paste is formed. Add 1/2 cup of butter and blend. On a piece of waxed paper or plastic wrap, shape into a 3" square.  Chill until firm. (To quick chill, place in freezer for 10-20 minutes).  Slice chilled square into sticks, approximately 1/2-inch wide and three inches long.  Lay out the flattened chicken breasts.  Place a stick of pesto butter on the larger side of the meat.  Fold the remaining side over the butter, then fold under the two ends.  Press meat together on all sides to securely enclose butter. 12. Using 3 separate plates, place the seasoned flour in one, beaten egg in another and bread crumbs in the third.  Dredge rolled chicken breast in flour and shake off excess.  Dip into egg, then roll in bread crumbs.  Firmly pat bread crumbs onto chicken.  Refrigerate chicken rolls for at least 1 hour to allow breadcrumbs to adhere.  At this point chicken rolls may be frozen.  Wrap each chicken roll in plastic wrap, and place in freezer bags.     Serving day instructions: Unwrap chicken rolls and put on plate in refrigerator and thaw completely. In large saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of butter and olive oil on medium-medium high.  Saute chicken for about 10-15 minutes, turning chicken until golden brown on all sides.  Place in a lightly greased baking dish and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for approximately 40-45 minutes, or until meat is white all the way through. (Be careful not to overbake).

Beef Fajita's

Beef Fajita's in the crockpot...how easy!!  I love simple meals and right now in my life, I need simple.  I will be making this again, but may double the fajita spices and adding more garlic.  It was a little bland, but overall a good recipe!


Servings: 4-6

2 lbs of thin cut stir fry beef (you could use chicken) 
1 packet of fajita seasoning mix  
1 onion sliced 
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 bell peppers (I used 1 orange, 1 yellow and 1/2 green, or whatever you can get cheaply)
1/2 cup water
Optional Toppings- sour cream, guacamole, shredded Mexican blend cheese, chopped tomatoes, shredded lettuce, salsa, sliced olives, rice, etc.

Directions

 
Dump your meat into the crockpot. It can be frozen or thawed. Cut the onion and garlic, add to the crock. Add the seasoning and water. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours, or high for 6. The meat is done when it reaches desired tenderness. An hour before serving, add you chopped peppers (l like to add mine towards the end, so they are not mushy).  Serve with your favorite fajita toppings.

Grilled Chicken Feta Burgers

I went to the store and they had ground chicken, cheaper then ground beef.  so, I snatched up a few packages.  Then, when I got home, I wondered what do I make with it.  I put a few slices of cucumber on mine and, it was awesome!!!

Servings: 4

1 lb ground chicken
6 oz crumbled feta
1 tbsp ground oregano
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder


Directions:
Preheat grill or broiler. (You can also use a George Foreman grill).  Mix all ingredients well and form into 4 individual patties.  Grill or broil patties until internal temp. of burgers reaches 165 degrees F, or about 7 to 8 min. per side.

Swedish Meatball

I wanted something quick and easy for dinner the other night.  So, I came up with this.  My oldest didn't particularly like it, but my littlest inhaled it. I highly doubt that these are actually Swedish meatballs, but what do i know.

servings 4-6

Ingredients:

1 pound hamburger
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 cup bread crumbs (I like to use the Italian seasoned ones)
1 tablespoon garlic
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 - 1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon garlic

Directions:
Mix the first 5 ingredients together and form your meatballs.  you can either pan fry until done, or spray a baking pan with pam and bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until done.  If you want to go the super simple route, you can buy premade meatballs.  In a pan, big enough to hold sauce and meatballs, combine the rest of the ingredients.  Stir with a whisk to combine. Serve over hot noodles or rice.  

Want to do this in a crockpot?  After making your cooked meatballs, place all ingredients, except for sour cream in crockpot.  Cover and cook on low 4-6 hours.  30 minutes before serving, stir in sour cream, cover and cook.

Budget- 1 pound hamburger $3.23, 1 egg .10, bread crumbs .35, garlic .45, mushroom soup $1.00, sour cream .43, noodles $1.89.  $7.45 for all ingredients, for four large servings that is $1.86 per person!

Crockpot Mongolian Beef

Yum, all I can say is yum!  This is a must try!  I really liked the sauce on this (I can't remember why, because of pregnancy brain), but I do remember that this was a great recipe!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds beef flank steak,or roast cut into stir-fry sized strips
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup soy sauce
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup shredded carrots
3 medium green onions, chopped (optional)
Side of veggies

Directions:
Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Place cornstarch in a bowl. Coat each piece of steak in cornstarch and place in crock pot. Discard any remaining cornstarch. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl and pour over beef in crock pot. Cook in crockpot on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-5 hours. Serve over rice/noodles, topped with additional sliced green onions, or with a side of your favorite veggies.

Cheesy Honey Mustard Chicken

I think my camera is deleting pictures.  I know I took a picture of this, but where it went, who knows.  This was a pretty good recipe, tender with a little bit of a tang.  I will be making this one again.  I served it with a sweet potato on the side, and some green beans.

Servings : 4

Ingredients:

4 boneless chicken breast
3/4 cup honey
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp paprika
lemon pepper to taste
4 Tbsp bacon, cooked and chopped
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375.

Season chicken breasts with lemon pepper.  Place in 9x13 baking dish.

Combine honey, mustard, lemon juice and paprika.  Pour over chicken.  Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Top each chicken breast with 1 Tablespoon of bacon and 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese.  Continue to bake until cheese is starting to brown (about 10 minutes).

Cheesy Chicken Tater tot casserole

It's one of those recipes, that was simple enough, that I had to try.  Cheese, bacon and tater tots!  I thought it was ok, and the kids only sort of liked it, but hubby thought it was good.  I thought it needed something, not sure what though. Don't mix the ranch mix with the milk & pour over the top like I did.  It just sits at the top. 

Servings :6


Ingredients:

1 (32 oz.) bag frozen tater tots
1 (3 oz.)bag bacon pieces
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup milk
salt & pepper, to taste
1 pkg of ranch dressing mix (optional)

Directions:
 
Spray slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.  Layer half of the frozen tater tots on the bottom of the slow cooker.   Sprinkle with 1/3 of the bacon pieces.   Now top with 1/3 of the shredded cheese.   Add diced chicken on top.  Season with salt & pepper, and package of ranch dressing mix.  Now add 1/3 of the bacon pieces and another 1/3 of shredded cheese. 
Put the rest of the frozen tater tots on top.  Finish with the remaining 1/3 cheddar cheese and remaining 1/3 of bacon pieces.  Pour 3/4 cup milk all over the top. 
Cover and cook on low about 4-6 hours.

 If you want to make this  in an oven, then you will need to partially thaw the tater tots first.
 Spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray.
Then layer ingredients into baking dish. Cover and bake at 350F degrees for about an hour to an hour and a half.

Cream of Something Soup

I know some people are against canned "cream of something soups".  Because of all the preservatives etc in them.  This may be a little better than the store bought.  There is still lots of stuff in the bullion cubes.  I used this the first time in the crockpot, so I did not cook it first.

One batch makes about 6 cans of " cream of "whatever" soup".

1 cup non-fat dried milk

3/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup bouillon (if you have cubes you have to smash them up).  You can use whatever kind you like (ie, beef, veggie)

4 Tablespoons freeze dried minced onions

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon pepper

(For the equivalent of one can of condensed cream soup, mix 1/3 cup dry mix with 1 1/4 cup water. Cook until thick)

Sweet and Spicy Chicken

This recipe begged me to try it, really it did!  I took a day to think about whether I wanted to make this.  I even dreamed about it.  So, after a night of dreaming about this chicken...I knew I had to try it.  Let me tell you, this is not spicy at all. I guess I should have used a spicy bbq sauce.  I really liked it,  plus it was an easy freezer meal.  Yippee!!!


Servings:4

Ingredients:

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 cup purchased sweet and sour sauce
3/4 cup purchased barbecue sauce
1-2 Tbsp. cornstarch, if needed
2 Tbsp. water, if needed

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in 4-5 quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours until chicken is thoroughly cooked. If you'd like a thicker sauce, mix the cornstarch and water in a small bowl and add to the liquid; cover and cook 10-15 minutes until thickened. If adding a bag of frozen vegetables, add an hour before serving.  Serve over hot cooked rice or couscous.  I added an egg roll!!

*For Freezer crockpot directions- place all ingredients (excluding the cornstarch and water in a bag).  Label freezer bag, seal well and freeze.

Budget Break down- 2 bone in breast, bones & skin removed (that's what has been on sale here). $3.21, 1 jar sweet and sour sauce $2.16, 3/4 cup bbq sauce $.46, 1 onion $.34, 3 cloves garlic $.28, 1 bag frozen Japanese style vegetables $2.16.  Total for ingredients, minus rice and egg roll $8.61 for 4 servings or $2.15 per person.

Now- I don't figure out the rice, because we buy our rice in bulk from sams club or costco & cook in our rice cooker.

Southwest Chicken Chili Mac

Since we are still having some cold days, I thought I would try this recipe out.  It was awesome.  Of course, now as I write this post up, I realized I messed up and added way to much ranch.  Oh well, it was yummy the way I made it. I will be making this again, but maybe with some corn bread.

Servings- 6

Ingredients:

8 ounces pasta noodles (whatever you have on hand works great, I used mini shells)

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 cup finely chopped white onion
1/2 cup finely chopped sweet peppers (or bell peppers)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 cups cooked shredded chicken breast
10 ounce can Rotel diced tomatoes, mild
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 can corn, fresh or canned
1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 Tablespoon ground cumin
1 package dry Ranch seasoning (original recipe called for 1 teaspoon)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and run under cool water to stop cooking. Heat oil in 9 inch deep cast iron skillet. Add onions and peppers, cook stirring until softened about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook stirring for 1 minute. Add chicken, tomatoes, broth, corn, beans, 1 pasta, chili powder, cumin, Ranch seasoning and cilantro. Stir until well combined. Reduce heat to low and simmer until ready to serve.

Cheesey Q's

This recipe just intrigued me, so I had to give it a shot.  It was good as dinner, but I also think it would make a great dip to bring to a party. The kids ate it, but I would say they didn't love it.  Make sure to put a splash of hot sauce on it!

Servings 6-8

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pound ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1-15 oz jar cheese whiz
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup water
1.4 cup brown sugar

Directions
Brown hamburger and onion; drain.  Add remaining ingredients and heat.  Serve on buns or with tortilla chips.

Rustic Chicken

Sometimes...well ok most of my free time, I spend searching for new recipes to try.  I have to say that I am pretty lucky to have a husband who is willing to try whatever I want to make. Of course that means, I doing the cooking.  When I found this one, chicken, artichokes, tomatoes and a crockpot I was sold immediatly.  It was very yummy!  I left the mushrooms out because the hubby does not like them.  Next time, I think I might throw some green olives into it.  PS- I know the picture makes it loook a little bland, but it was not.

Servings 4-6

Ingredients:
Ingredients:
1-1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders or breast
15 ounce can diced tomatoes
15 ounces artichoke hearts
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 packet dry chicken gravy mix
1/4 cup chicken broth
Salt/pepper

Directions:
1- Combine the chicken broth, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and gravy in the crockpot. Stir well.
2- Add the chicken and mushrooms. Stir until evenly covered in the tomato/mushroom sauce.
3- Season lightly with salt and pepper.
4- Cook 8 hours on low. Serve over rice or egg noodles.

 *To Make ahead/Freezer meal- Place all ingredients in a gallon sized freezer bag or ovenproof/disposable baking pan. Seal freezer bag while removing any excess air / cover ovenproof/disposable baking pan and freeze. When ready to prepare, remove from freezer to thaw. Place in crockpot, cook on low 6-8 hours.

Crockpot Chicken and Gravy

The name says it all!  This fast & simple dinner will have you asking, why didn't I think of this?  This is my MIL's recipe.  I love it.  Plus the leftover chicken and gravy freeze and reheat well. 

Servings 6

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken
Your choice of seasoning
1 onion- sliced
Bullion cube- optional
1/4- 1/2 cup Flour depending on how much juice you get from your chicken.
3/4-1 cup Water (if you don't get much juice, I didn't) optional
Egg noodles/rice or potato's

Directions:
Take a whole chicken, take innards out & rinse inside & outside. Pat dry. Place salt & pepper & whatever seasoning you want on it (I did a rosemary garlic). Brown in crisco on all sides. Place in crockpot with chopped onion. Cover & cook on low. After 6 hours or so, remove chicken, shred & remove bones. Make gravy with chicken juice in crockpot ( can add chicken bullion cube, for extra flavor). Flour & juice from chicken, whisk together. Until smooth. Add shredded chicken back to crockpot & turn on high to let gravy thicken up (about an hour). Serve over egg noodles or rice.

Budget- 1 whole chicken $3.89, 1 onion .50, Bullion cube ??? (can't find my receipt) and flour is a staple in most houses.  So, I will say $5.50 (on the high side).  Dinner minus the noodles which are inexpensive Around .91 cents per person.!!!  That makes dinner even more delicious. 

Note- Ignore the garlic bread, it was really gross!!

Slow Cooked London Broil

Now, London broil used to be a very inexpensive cut of meat.  But nowadays, not so much.  However, you can catch some pretty good sales out there on it, if you keep your eyes open!

Servings: 4

Ingredients:
2 pounds flank steak (can substitute chuck roast)
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

Directions:
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.  Cook on low 6-8 hours.  serve with rice, mashed potato's or noodles and your choice of vegetable.

*To Make ahead/Freezer meal- Place beef in a gallon sized freezer bag or ovenproof/disposable baking pan. Pour soups over top of beef, toss to coat. Seal freezer bag while removing any excess air / cover ovenproof/disposable baking pan and freeze. When ready to prepare, remove from freezer to thaw. Place in crockpot and sprinkle dry soup over the top.  Cook on low 6-8 hours.

Budget meal break down- Beef $6.36, can of mushroom soup .75, can of tomato soup .75, dry onion soup mix .64.  Total without sides, $8.50.  A total of $2.12 per person.  There was enough gravy, that you could use a 3 pound roast and have plenty to go around.

Baked Chicken Taquitos

A slight different twist on mexican.  I thought my kids would really like this recipe, because they could hold it in their hands and eat it. But alas, all they ate was the filling.   I did not serve this with any mexican rice & I think it needs a little extra something on the side.  I served it with a avocado ranch sauce. 

Ingredients:
1/2 cup (4 oz) cream cheese
1/4 cup green salsa
1 Tablespoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro cilantro
2 Tablespoons sliced green onions
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 cup grated Pepperjack cheese
About 20 (6 inch) small flour or corn tortillas
Salt
Cooking spray

Directions:
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.
Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it’s soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and garlic powder. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and Pepperjack cheese and combine well.
Place 2-3 Tablespoons of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges and roll it up as tight as you can. Place seam side down on the baking sheet.
Lay all of the filled taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle some salt on top.
Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

Options for dippers-dip these in a "salsa ranch" dip (equal parts salsa and ranch dressing, but it's also great with guacamole, salsa or avocado ranch sauce.

Avacado Ranch Sauce
1 cup ranch dressing
½ avocado, smashed

1 teaspoon lime juice

2 Tablespoon cilantro leaves, chopped

Prepare the ranch dressing, then stir in the lime juice, mashed avocado and cilantro leaves. Chill until ready to serve.

Venison Roast

We had some deer meat given to us, so we thought we would give it a shot.  While this was a good recipe, we have decided, we are not deer meat people. I would really like to see how this recipe turns out with a beef roast.  The meat was very tender and had good flavor, but we could not get over the subtle gamey flavor.

Servings: 4-6

Ingrdients

Venison- roast- or stew meat
salt and paper to taste
3/4 cup catchup
1 teaspoon brown sugar
bottle of beer
1 large onion sliced

Directions:

Brown meat in olive oil.  Combine catchup, brown sugar and beer.  Pour over browned meat and add onions.  Simmer covered for 1.5-2 hours.  If using stew meat, check after 1 hour or place in crockpot and cook on low for 4-6 hours.

Serve over noodles or mashed potatoes.  

Nutella Croissants

First, let me apologize for not taking a picture.  However, everyone knows what a stuffed croissant looks like, right?  Does your family have an addiction to Nutella, like we do?  These were great, made them & just heated them up for about 10 seconds in the microwave.  Perfect with the morning coffee.

Servings-???? depends on how many you want to eat.

Ingrdients
Nutella
Roll of Refrigerated Crescents ( Reduced Fat also works)

 

Instructions

Preheat Oven To 375.  Unroll Crescent Rolls – with the larger section facing you.  Place one rounded tablespoon of Nutella on the larger section. Roll the dough into croissant shape and tuck the edges under to help seal in the chocolate.  Place croissants onto a cookie tray. Place tray into the oven and cook until golden brown about 15 – 20 minutes.

Optional:  Place some nutella in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds in the microwave.  Drizzle over cooked croissants.

Baked Ravioli Caprese

I am a BIG pasta, fan especially during lent.  So, this is perfect!  Plus, why not bring a taste of the summer, to the fall or winter.  Don't want to do just cheese ravioli?  I did cheese & chicken ravioli and it was great!

Servings- About 4

Ingredients:
1 pack of jumbo cheese ravioli
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 large tomato (or 2 small), sliced thin, each slice then cut in half
Basil
Fresh mozzarella

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425.  Cook the ravioli according to packaging directions, drain, and set aside. Pour the sauce over the bottom of a sprayed 9x13 baking dish.  Assemble the ravioli over the sauce in a single layer.  Top each ravioli with half a tomato slice, 1 basil leaf, and a slice of fresh mozzarella.  Bake 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted.

Serve with Garlic bread & salad!  Yummy!!!

Breakfast Muffins

This looked pretty tasty, and a quick breakfast for me (also high in protein).  Plus, no dirtying up a skillet every morning to make my eggs.  Just pop in the microwave for about 30 seconds & voila, my breakfast is done!  I made them in my jumbo muffin tins, which makes them perfect for fitting on my english muffin.  You have all sorts of options, so you can customize them to your taste.  My favorite is Bacon, spinach, onion & cheese.  I have also made cheese & sausage.

Servings: 12 regular muffins or about 8 jumbo ones.

Ingredients:
6 Egg 
6 oz Heavy Cream 
1.5 cups of Broccoli or Spinach
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded 
12 slices Bacon (whole or chopped) or 1/2 a tube of breakfast sausage 
To Taste Salt, pepper, garlic powder 
3 slices Cheddar Cheese

Directions



Cooked the bacon until close to done but not crispy, try to keep it flat and straight, might be easier to bake it.  Place one piece of bacon in each tin, wrapping it around the outside, depending on how non stick your pan is, you might want to pam it first (yes).  Or you can chop your bacon up.  Fry the broccoli in the bacon grease from above bacon, cutting the broccoli down once it is softer with the spatula.  Distribute the broccoli into the muffin pans equally. Whisk cream, eggs and spices, pour into each muffin, leave some room for expansion.  Cook for 20 minutes @ 350 degrees, the top should start browning and the inside should be firm

General Tso's Chicken

I have to say, The flavor of the dish is right up there with my bourbon chicken.  I pretty much followed the directions & the sauce was very gelatinous.  Hopefully the way I have it posted will fix that problem.  Unfortunately, I wont know until I make it again.  So, if you do make it, report back to me.  Serve over rice & with some stir fry veggies to balance out the meal.  Egg rolls would have been a nice addition too!

Servings 5

Ingredients

 

1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks

Cornstarch for dredging the chicken about 1/2-3/4 cup

1 cup green onions, sliced

4 small dried chilies, seeds removed (thai chilies are good, I used serrano peppers)

Sauce

1/8 cup cornstarch

1/8 cup water

3/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/8 cup white vinegar

1/8 cup white wine

1/4 teaspoon of pepper

 8 ounces chicken broth

 

Instructions

 

Place all the sauce ingredients in a bowl, mix well & set aside

Chop chicken into bite size pieces.  Place cornstarch for dredging chicken in a zip lock bag or in a bow.  Add chicken and toss to coat chicken in cornstarch.  Place a little oil in a pan & heat until hot.  Add chicken and cook until brown on all sides. I had to do this in batches, set the chicken aside once cooked.  Add green onions and peppers into the pan and cook for 30 seconds. Add sauce and stir until thick, if your pan is still hot from cooking the chicken & onions, the sauce should thicken right up.  Add in chicken into the sauce. Cook till the sauce starts to bubble (to ensure you don't get a yucky corn starch taste). 

Bacon Explosion

I had you at bacon didn't I?  I know that's what caught my attention.  While, I have to say, this is not the most budget friendly recipe, it is pretty darn tasty.  Being tasty is definitely a pro on this recipe, the con...I had to run a clean cycle on my oven because of all the grease.  The house got pretty smokey for a while.  Now, I hope my instructions, with the pictures make sense.

Servings 8

Ingredients

Ingredients

1 pound bacon 
1 pound ground beef
1/2 a roll of sausage  
4 oz cheddar cheese, shredded

Cooking Directions

1. Layout 3X3 bacon weave, bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes until near crisp
2. Create meat mixture by mixing the beef and sausage together
3. Layout meat in a rectangle the same size as the first bacon weave
4. Season meat and then place bacon weave on meat
5. Place cheese in center of bacon
6. Roll meat into a tight roll, then refrigerate
7. Make 5x5 bacon weave
8. Roll bacon weave over meat at a diagonal pattern
9. Bake at 400 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees
10. Let set for 10 minutes and then slice and enjoy!

The first step is to foil line a pan and make the internal bacon weave.  This weave will be a 3×3.  Line up three slices and cut 3 slices in half, then start weaving bacon in until you get a three by three.  Bake this weave in the oven @ 400 degrees until mostly done.

 The next step is to lay some saran wrap or foil on a board and using your hands form a rectangle.  At this point you can season the meat with some seasoning if you would like.  I forgot to get  picture of my seasoning, but I ended up seasoning with some bbq rub.  At this point your 3×3 weave should be ready. You don’t want it to be completely hard because this one needs to be flexible. Carefully move the bacon on top of the meat.  I used my flexible spatula, but anything will work.

Now, put your favorite cheese in the center, I used cheddar cheese.

At this point, you need to roll the meat up.  Try and have as clean a roll as possible.  That way your cheese doesn't squirt out the ends.  Mush your ends up tight.  At this point, it is easier to work with if it is a little cold.  So, I wrapped it in foil and put it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes or so.  Also, during the process I tried to compress it as much as possible with the foil.

Now, that you had practice on the first bacon weave, now it's time to do another.  I made a 5X5 because that's how much bacon I had.   Now, take the meat out of the refrigerator and place it approximately as shown.  Then wrap the weave over top and tuck it in on the other side.  A lot of the other wraps shown on the internet wrap horizontally.  This is not nearly as cool, wrapping on a diagonal makes a much nicer final product.  It also works better when you cut it.

 Here is what it looks like before the oven, looks tasty, doesn't it??!!  I used the same pan as before for the first weave hence why it is dirty (and probably the smokey kitchen).  I put it on a rack so the bottom cooks as well.

 And there you have it!  I baked it for around 60 minutes on 400 degrees.  But I mainly checked it until the internal temperature reached 165 degrees.  I served it with mashed potatoes and green beans.

Crockpot Chipotle Pulled Pork/Chicken

The name of this recipes says it all!  Can you say yummy deliciousness?  The avocado on top of the sandwich, really pulled the sandwich together & balanced the heat.  One of the things I liked about this recipe is that the sauce is added at the end.  So, before I poured the sauce over the pork, I pulled out some pork for my girls, since they don't like spicy foods.  This is definitely going to make my top 10 recipes.  I am ready to try is with some chicken! 

Servings: 8-10

Ingredients

1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground mustard
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 boneless pork shoulder (3 lb), trimmed of fat
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
2 canned chipotle chiles, finely chopped(seeds removed)-I used a food processor for this.
1 tablespoon adobo sauce from canned chipotle chiles
8-10 burger buns, split
2 medium avocados, pitted, peeled and thinly sliced

Directions

Spray 4- to 5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In small bowl, mix brown sugar, salt, garlic powder, mustard and chili powder. Rub seasoning mixture over pork. Place pork in cooker. Sprinkle any remaining seasoning mixture that doesn't stick to pork over top of pork in cooker.
Cover; cook on Low heat setting 7 to 8 hours.
Remove pork from cooker; place on cutting board. Remove liquid from cooker; skim fat from liquid and reserve liquid. Cool pork slightly. With 2 forks, shred pork. Return to cooker. Stir tomato sauce, chipotle chiles and adobo sauce into shredded pork. If desired, stir in some of the reserved cooking liquid for desired moistness. 
Increase heat setting to High. Cover; cook 15 to 30 minutes longer or until hot. Spoon about 1/3 cup pork mixture into each bun. Place a few slices of avocado over pork in each bun. Pork mixture can be kept warm on Low heat setting up to 2 hours; stir occasionally.

Bourbon Banana Bread

Crockpot Bourbon Banana Bread, why yes please!!!!  This recipe just called out to me.  When I found it, I made it the same day!  It was yummy, a little sweet for me, but sweet stuff is not appealing to me at the moment.  I had it while warm with a little vanilla ice cream. Great for breakfast with coffee or as a dessert.

Ingredients:

2 2/3 cups Original Bisquick® mix
1 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons bourbon
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped toasted pecans

Glaze 

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 cup powdered sugar

1-2 tablespoon bourbon
1 teaspoon hot water

Directions:
Grease bottom only of 3 1/2- to 4-quart round slow cooker with shortening or cooking spray. Sprinkle lightly with 2 teaspoons of the Bisquick mix. 
 In large bowl, stir bananas, granulated sugar, 1/3 cup melted butter, 2 tablespoons bourbon, the vanilla and eggs until well blended. Stir in remaining Bisquick mix, the cinnamon, chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of the pecans until well blended. Pour into slow cooker. 
Cover; cook on High heat setting 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours (it took mine 2 hours 10 minutes) or until toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean. Turn off slow cooker; uncover, and remove ceramic base from cooker to cooling rack. Let cool 15 minutes.  
Loosen edge of bread with thin metal spatula. Remove bread from slow cooker to cooling rack. Cool 1 hour.
In small bowl, mix glaze ingredients until smooth and consistency of thick syrup. Drizzle over top of bread. Sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/4 cup pecans.

Note- I got this recipe from Betty Crocker.  All crockpots cook differently.  I suggest to start checking the bread after 1 1/2 hours.  

Herbed Chicken Legs

Chicken legs in a crockpot, how easy right? Well, this is a pretty tasty recipe. It smelled so good while cooking. The hardest part of this recipe, was peeling all the garlic cloves. I cooked 15 chicken legs & the meat was tasty & tender. Falling off the bone. I served 3 legs per person, except for the girls, they only ate 1. Now, you all know we eat leftovers for lunch. Well, the hubs and I were not feeling 100%, so the leftover chicken only tasted so, so to us. Feel free to leave me any comments.

Servings: 3 (really depend on how big of an eater you are)
Ingredients:
20 whole garlic cloves, skin removed
2 Tablespoons light olive oil
6-8 chicken legs or drumsticks
1 Tablespoon dried oregano or rosemary
1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1/3 cup chicken broth

Directions:  Place the garlic cloves in the bottom of a slow cooker. Pour the olive oil into a gallon sized zip-style bag. Add the chicken legs, close the bag, and massage the olive oil into the chicken legs. In a separate cup, combine the dried herbs and spices. Pour this herb mixture over the chicken in the bag. Close the bag again and massage the chicken until the spices coat all of the chicken legs. Pour the chicken into a large skillet and brown the chicken over medium high heat for 3-4 minutes per side (this step will give the chicken flavor and color). Place the browned chicken into the slow cooker, pour the chicken broth over the top and place the lid on the slow cooker. Cook on low heat for 8 hours.

Easy to Stuff Manacotti

I really love simple recipes. This one was pretty good, I will definitely be making this one again. Even the girls ate it, but of course I don't know many children who don't like pasta. You can even have your children help you stuff the cheese into the shells! I put this in the meat free category because during lent, I will be stuffing 2 cheese sticks inside & topping it with plain sauce. Serve with salad & cheesy bread & you are set to go!

Servings:6-8
Ingredients:
1 package (8 ounces) manicotti shells
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 jar (24 ounces) spaghetti sauce
14 pieces string cheese
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions: Cook manicotti according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce. Spread 1/3 of the meat sauce into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Drain manicotti; stuff each shell with a piece of string cheese. Place over meat sauce; top with remaining sauce. Cover and bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until the cheese is melted.

Chicken Enchilada Skillet

I don't think I have ever cooked a dinner so fast. From start to table it took me, maybe 15-20 minutes. It was super easy &  it actually was a pretty good dinner. You could easily turn this into a soup by adding chicken stock to it. If using corn tortillas, you can tear them up &  add them in, but I find it makes them very mushy, plus  leftovers do not taste very good. So, we just spooned it into flour tortillas &  made taco's out of it.

Serves: 6

Ingredients
No-Stick Cooking Spray
3 cups shredded cooked chicken (3 cups = about 12 oz)I used 2-12 oz canned chicken
1 can (10 oz each) Ro*Tel® Original Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies, undrained
1 can (10 oz each) red enchilada sauce
1 can (8 oz each) Hunt's® Tomato Sauce
1 cup shredded Cheddar and Monterey Jack blend cheese, divided
Corn or flour tortillas

 Directions:  Spray large nonstick skillet with cooking spray. (Add tortilla pieces) and chicken; mix well. Cook over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until hot, stirring frequently. Pour undrained tomatoes and enchilada and tomato sauces over chicken mixture in skillet. Mix well. Sprinkle 1/2 cup cheese over chicken mixture. Cover skillet; cook 5 minutes or until hot, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Make taco's or you can serve immediately if you tore up the tortillas.

Crockpot cream cheese chicken

I stumbled on this recipe & thought I would give it a try. Normally I use boneless skinless chicken breast for just about EVERYTHING. However...with the price of meat on the rise, sometimes the bone-in-breast or whole chicken is way cheaper to use & buy. Especially on this type of recipe, so feel free to use what you have on hand. We had leftovers, so I froze the chicken mixture & added just a touch of stock. Tasted just as good as the first time! It was perfect when we got in from out of town at 4 & I needed to have a quick dinner.

Serves 6-8
Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs chicken pieces
2 Tablespoon of Italian seasoning
2 Tablespoons melted butter
1 Teaspoon onion powder
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Pepper
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
(5 1/4 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
4 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup chicken broth

Directions:  Set chicken into a crock pot set to low. Add all the seasonings and butter. Cook on low for 3-4 hours, you can shred the chicken at this point Add Cream of Chicken Soup, cream cheese, and chicken broth. Cook on low for an additional hour. Serves over noodles & of course with crusty bread! Enjoy