Caesar's Pork Chops & Creamed Potatoes Supreme

Great Caesar's Pork Chops

1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1/2 cup Caesar salad dressing (I always use Creamy House Italian)
4 bone-in pork center rib chops, 1/2" thick
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Heat oven to 375~. Spray a 12 x 8" baking dish with nonstick spray. Combine the flour and italian seasoning in a shallow dish and mix well. Pour the salad dressing into another shallow dish. Dip both sides of the pork chops in flour mixture, coating well. Dip in salad dressing, coating well. Place in baking dish. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake 35-40 minutes or until pork is no longer pink in center.

Or use 1" chops, bake 30 minutes before topping with the parmesan, then bake another 35 minutes until done. Very tender and juicy!!!


Creamed Potatoes Supreme

1/4 cup thinly sliced leeks
2 tbsp butter
4 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
1 tsp salt
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup (4-oz) shredded Swiss cheese

Saute the leeks in the butter in a small skillet until they start to change color. Pour over the sliced potatoes and toss well with salt. Place potatoes in a sprayed 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Pour cream over potatoes. Seal with foil and bake at 350^ F for about 1 hour, or until potatoes are tender. Sprinkle with cheese; bake 3-5 minutes longer or until cheese melts.

Adapted from Better Homes & Garden's All Time Favorite Casserole Recipes. Awesome flavor, very rich and creamy.

John's Cajun Chicken Pasta

I had to go to the doctor today for a routine check-up and when I mentioned that I tripped a couple of weeks ago and hurt my knee, she recommended that I get an MRI to make sure I didn't tear something and said I should stay off it as much as I can until we get the results. Hey! I'm good with that! So when I told my dh he volunteered to cook dinner tonight. Isn't he sweet? (OK, I might have been just a LITTLE theatrical about the seriousness of my knee situation, but whatever works, right?)

John's Cajun Chicken Pasta

1 onion, chopped
3 tbsp EVOO (he likes to watch Rachael Ray!)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into small bite-sized pieces
1/2 tsp basil
1 1/2 tsp minced roasted garlic
1 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning
1 tsp Mrs. Dash Tomato, Basil & Garlic flavored seasoning
1/2 cup diced green pepper
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tsp lime juice
Pinch sugar
5.5 oz can V-8
1 can Stewed Tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes with garlic & basil
Hot, cooked spaghetti

Saute the onion in the olive oil until soft. Add the chicken, basil, garlic, Cajun seasoning, and Mrs. Dash and cook until the chicken is done. Stir in the green pepper, lime juice, sugar, V-8 and both cans of tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer about 15 minutes. Serve over spaghetti.

Great job, John! We will be having this again! I think it would be good over rice as well.

Zuppa Toscana

Zuppa Toscana

12 oz italian sausage
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 onion, diced
2 tsp minced roasted garlic
48 oz carton chicken broth
2 large potatoes, thinly sliced
1 cup heavy cream
1 colander full fresh kale, rinsed and drained

Cook the sausage, pepper flakes, onion and garlic in a Dutch oven until browned and crumbled into bite-sized chunks. Drain well. Stir in the chicken broth and potato slices. Bring to a boil and cook until pototoes are fork tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in the cream and heat through. Add the kale just before serving.

Yummy!

Beef Pot Pie

Beef Pot Pie

1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 lb lean beef sirloin, cut into small cubes
Garlic salt and pepper
2 tsp celery flakes
1/2 cup red wine
1 tbsp Better Than Bouillon Beef Base
Water
1 large potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 heaping cup frozen peas and carrots
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 tbsp flour
1 box Pillsbury Piecrust Allready

Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet. Saute the onions until translucent and soft. Add the beef cubes and brown well, stirring occasionally. Season with garlic salt, pepper and celery flakes. Stir in wine, beef base and enough water to cover the meat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until very tender, about an hour and a half. Add more water to keep the meat covered if needed. Stir in the potato cubes and cook until potato is just barely tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the peas and carrots. Mix the sour cream and flour in a small bowl until smooth and then whisk it into the beef mixture, stirring constantly until smooth. Cook until slightly thickened.

Heat oven to 425^ F. Following instruction on piecrust box, use one of the crusts to line a deep dish pie plate. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef and vegetables to the pie plate. Pour enough gravy over the beef mixture to just cover it. Place the second pie crust over the beef and tuck the edges under the bottom crust. Crimp to seal. Cut 4 small slits into the top pie crust. Place the pie dish on a large cookie sheet lined with foil to catch any drips. Bake for 40 - 50 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.

Very good dinner.

Hamburger Ramen Soup

Hamburger Ramen Soup

1 lb ground chuck
3 packets Beef Flavored Ramen Noodles
3 packets Oriental Flavored Ramen Noodles
4 tbsp lite soy sauce
1 tbsp Chinese hot mustard
4 tbsp duck sauce
1 tsp Chinese Five Spice powder
1 tbsp crystallized ginger
16 oz pkg frozen broccoli, cauliflower & carrots combination (or Oriental veggie mix)
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, corn, green beans, etc)
8 1/2 cups water

Brown and crumble the ground chuck in a large Dutch oven. Drain and discard any grease. Add the 6 spice packets from the ramen noodles (only use 4 if you need to cut back on your sodium), the soy sauce, hot mustard, duck sauce, five spice powder and crystallized ginger. Stir in the frozen vegetables and the water. Bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes or until veggies are done. Stir in the ramen noodles and cook about 2 minutes or until noodles are just cooked....do not overcook the noodles! Serve immediately.

This is quite possibly my favorite noodle soup of all time. It makes enough to serve 4 normal people, but John likes it so much he can easily eat half of it by himself and he'll eat the leftovers for breakfast!

Beefy Black Bean Chili

Beefy Black Bean Chili

1 lb boneless lean beef, cut into 1 to 2" cubes (cubed pork is also good in this)
1 lb dried black beans, rinsed and drained
1 large onion, chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
3 tbsp chili powder
1-1/2 tbsp cumin
1 tsp dried cilantro
1/4 cup chopped oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
48 oz carton beef broth
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 tsp Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate syrup (or plain chocolate syrup)
1 tsp sugar

Combine the first 9 ingredients in a crock pot. Stir and leave to cook on low all day. About 1 to 2 hours before serving, stir in the tomatoes, chocolate syrup and sugar and continue cooking until dinner time.

This is good served in a bowl with shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of sliced green onions. It's also very versatile....I've served it over rice, pasta, and baked potatoes and it's always well received by the family. With tortilla chips or without.

Pan Seared Scallops

Pan Seared Scallops

1 1/2 lbs bay scallops
Garlic Salt
2 tbsp butter, melted
2 tsp minced roasted garlic
1/2 lemon

Rinse scallops and drain well. Dry thoroughly with paper towels and sprinkle with garlic salt. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high. Stir in the minced garlic. Add the scallops and cook 6-8 minutes or until scallops start to turn golden brown. Remove from heat and squeeze lemon juice over all. Serve immediately.

Yum-OH! John cooked these for dinner tonight...all I had to do was bake a couple of potatoes and make a salad. Excellent dinner!

Butter Crumb Pork Chops, Maple Glazed Sweet Pototoes, Creamy Succotash with Bacon, Thyme & Chives

Butter Crumb Pork Chops

1 cup crushed Ritz crackers
1 tsp minced garlic
Pepper
2 eggs, beaten
1 tbsp water
4 pork chops
1/4 cup butter

Preheat oven to 375^ F. In a shallow bowl, combine the garlic, pepper, eggs and water; mix well. Put the cracker crumbs in a separate shallow bowl. Dip the pork chops in the egg mixture and then in the cracker crumbs until well coated. Place the chops in a 9x13" pan. Place chunks of butter around the chops. Cover with foil and bake 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake 15-20 minutes more or until the chops are completely cooked and tender. (Adapted from allrecipe.com's "Famous Pork Chops")

I did not like these...the crumb/breading was mushy, even though I even ran the pork chops under the broiler for the last few minutes of cooking trying to crisp them up.


Maple Glazed Sweet Potatoes

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced 3/4-inch thick
4 tbsp butter, melted
Pinch salt
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Place the potatoes and butter in a 9x13" pan in an even layer. Cover with foil and bake 30-40 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Combine salt, syrup, brown sugar and cinnamon. Remove foil from pan, and drizzle syrup mixture over potatoes. Return to oven, uncovered for 15-20 minutes longer. (Adapted from allrecipe.com's "Maple Glazed Sweet Potatoes")

I didn't like these either....they were like Wanna-Be Candied Sweet Potatoes only with a vastly inferior, very runny "sauce".


Creamy Succotash with Bacon, Thyme & Chives

4 slices thick cut bacon, cut into 1/2" pieces
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
14-oz pkg frozen Fordhook lima beans
1/2 cup water
Salt & pepper to taste
10-oz pkg frozen whole kernel corn
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp fresh snipped chives

Fry the bacon over medium-high heat in a large skillet until crisp. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate. Pour off all but 2 tbsp bacon drippings. Add onions and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add lima beans, water, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered until cooked. Stir in corn and thyme and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in half & half and heat through. Serve topped with bacon and chives. (Adapted from allrecipe.com's recipe by the same name)

And I didn't like this either, but John did. I prefer plain, old regular Succotash...hold the cream!

Lima Beans and Rice and Individual Peach Crisps

Lima Beans & Rice

16 oz bag dried large lima beans, rinsed
1 smoked turkey wing (or neckbones, or ham hocks, etc), optional
48 oz carton chicken broth
Water (or additional chicken broth)
1 large onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 tsp pepper
Hot, Buttered Rice

Combine all ingredients except rice in a crockpot (slow cooker). Add enough additional water or chicken broth to cover the beans by about 1 inch. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours. Serve over hot, buttered rice.

This is my all-time favorite bean dish. I've eaten it this way since I was a small child and I love it!


Individual Peach Crisps

2 fresh peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced
1/8 tsp almond extract
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
2 tbsp butter

Preheat the oven to 375^F. Lightly butter 2 individual baking crocks. Place the sliced peaches in the crocks and sprinkle with the almond extract. In a bowl, combine the remaining ingredients, cutting the butter into the flour mixture until crumbly. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the peaches. Bake for about 45 minutes or until peaches are bubbling and the topping is browned. Serve warm.

Adapted from allrecipe.com's "Juicy Peach Crisp". This was absolutely delicious! However, it was too sweet and there was too much topping. I'll be making this one again with some adjustments.

Quick Hamburger Stroganoff (Reduced Fat Version)

Quick Hamburger Stroganoff (Reduced Fat Version)

1 lb lean ground round
1/4 cup water
1 onion, chopped
Garlic Powder, Salt and Pepper to taste
Pinch oregano powder
2 tsp dried parsley flakes
1 tbsp Better Than Bouillon Beef Base
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
4 oz reduced fat soft cream cheese with chive and onions
1 can reduced fat cream of mushroom soup
2 cans water
1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream
1 tbsp flour
Hot, cooked egg noodles

In a large skillet, brown and crumble the ground round in the 1/4 cup water (the water helps keep the meat from sticking). If you're really trying to cut the fat, put the cooked meat in a colander and rinse under running water. Personally, I skip that step because I used really lean meat. Return the meat to the skillet and add the onion, seasonings to taste, oregano powder, parsley flakes, beef base and worcestershire sauce. Cook, stirring for 5-10 minutes until the onion is soft. Add the cream cheese, mushroom soup and water and simmer for 30 minutes. Just before serving, combine the sour cream and flour until smooth and whisk into the beef mixture to thicken the sauce a bit. Serve over the hot egg noodles.

I detest mushrooms but I occasionally add a can of them to this because my hubbie loves them. This is tasty and easy.

Ranch Chicken & BLT Salad

Ranch Chicken & BLT Salad

8-10 chicken tenderloins
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tbsp taco seasoning
1 tbsp ranch dressing mix
4-5 sliced thick cut bacon
1 bag salad greens
2 ripe tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup cubed cheddar jack cheese
Croutons
Ranch Dressing

Combine the olive oil, taco seasoning and ranch dressing mix. Pour over chicken tenderloins and let marinate in the refrigerator overnight. Cook the bacon until crispy and brown and remove to a paper towel lined plate to cool. Drain the chicken tenders and cook them in 2 tbsp bacon drippings unti completely done. Remove the chicken to a paper towel lined plate and let cool.

Wash and spin the salad greens. Combine with the tomatoes, cheese, croutons, crumbled bacon and chicken tenders. Drizzle Ranch Dressing over all and serve immediately.

Yummy good salad!

Onion Dip Meatloaf, Garlic Mashed Potatoes & Herbed Corn

Onion Dip Meatloaf

1/2 lbs ground round
1 heaping tablespoon mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 (1-oz) packet dry onion soup mix
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
3/4 cup plain dried bread crumbs
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp garlic powder with parsley

Preheat the oven to 375^ F. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix lightly until well mixed. Press mixture into a 9x5" loaf pan. Cover with foil. Bake 1 hour. Remove foil and continue baking another 15 minutes. Let stand 10-15 minutes before serving for easier slicing.
Adapted from "Eileen's Meatloaf" at allrecipes.com

This was good, but I agree with my husband's assessment: "It needs catsup!"


Garlic Mashed Potatoes

2 lbs potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 stick butter
3 tbsp parmesan or romano cheese
1/2 tbsp minced garlic
Salt & Pepper to taste

Cook the potatoes in a large pot of salted water until tender but still firm. Drain and return potatoes to hot pot on the stove for about 1-2 minutes to dry out a bit. Stir in butter, cheese, salt, pepper and oregano. Mash with a potato masher until consistency you like...I like mine lumpy! Adapted from "Garlic Mashed Potatoes Secret Recipe" at allrecipes.com

Also good, buy I'm very relieved that I didn't add the amount of garlic called for in the original recipe! It would have been unbearably garlic-y!


Herbed Corn

1 can gold and white whole-kernel corn
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp freshed minced parsley
1/4 tsp dillweed
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp italian seasoning
Pinch of dried thyme

Heat the corn in a small saucepan until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer about 5 minutes. Drain. Stir in the butter and remaining ingredients. Cover and let set 5-10 minutes over low heat to blend flavors. Adapted from "Herbed Corn" at allrecipes.com

Again, this was good, but I really don't think you can beat plain old buttered corn.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

BBQ Chicken Pizza

1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
3/4 cup BBQ sauce
3 tbsp red pepper jelly
2 tsp cilantro
1 Boboli pizza crust
1 cup shredded smoked gouda
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup minced red onion

Preheat the oven to 425^ F. Combine the chicken, bbq sauce, pepper jelly and cilantro in a glass bowl. Cover with a paper towel and microwave on high for 2 minutes. Place Boboli on a pizza pan (I like the ones with little holes in the bottom - make the crust crunchier). Spread chicken mixture on Boboli crust. Sprinkle with gouda, mozzarella and red onion and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and beginning to turn a little golden around the edges. Slice and serve hot.

This was good....but will never replace a "real" pizza (which must have sausage and pepperoni on it!). The bbq sauce was just too sweet tasting for me. Adapted from BBQ Chicken Pizza I at allrecipes.com

Chicken & Bowties with Sun Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

Chicken & Bowties with Sun Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

2 tbsp olive oil
3 oz prosciutto, chopped
3 tbsp chopped sun dried tomatoes in oil + 1 tbsp oil from the tomatoes
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1 tsp garlic
Garlic salt & pepper to taste
1 1/2 - 2 lbs chicken tenderloins
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups heavy cream
2-3 handfuls shredded parmigiano-reggiano
1 lb Bowtie pasta, cooked and drained
Chopped parsley to garnish

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the prosciutto and cook until it begins to brown. Stir in the sun dried tomatoes, oil, red onion and garlic. Cook about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken, garlic salt, pepper and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the chicken is completely cooked and the broth has been reduced by about half. Remove the chicken to a plate and keep warm. Whisk in the cream and the cheese and simmer until the cheese melts and the sauce starts to thicken. Return the chicken to the sauce and heat through. Serve over bowties, garnished with chopped parsley. (Adapted from Asiago Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta at allrecipes.com)

I loved it, John not so much. And it was so pretty with the parsley sprinkled over it!

The Best Chicken & Stuffing Casserole

The Best Chicken & Stuffing Casserole

18 chicken tenderloins
Salt & Pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
2 1/2 cups water
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1 tbsp dried parsley
1 can creamy chicken & mushroom soup
4 oz soft cream cheese with chives & onions
2 boxed Stove Top Cornbread Stuffing mix
10 oz frozen peas and carrots, thawed
6 slices Swiss or Emmathaler cheese

Season the chicken tenderloins with salt & pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet and lightly brown the chicken on both sides. Add water, chives, poultry seasoning and parsley and simmer about 15 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside. Whisk soup and cream cheese into remaining liquid in skillet until smooth. Return chicken to skillet and continue to cook about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the stuffing mix as directed on the pan, adding the peas & carrots to the boiling water before stirring in the stuffing mix. Spoon the stuffing and veggies into a sprayed 9x13" pan. Arrange the chicken over the stuffing and pour the gravy over all. Arrange the cheese on top and bake for 20 minutes or until cheese melts. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and a sprinkle of paprika before serving.

This should serve 6 to 8 people, but I've never been able to stretch it that far....everyone always wants seconds! I've been making this for at least 15 years. The original recipe had the chicken and gravy on the bottom and the stuffing on top but my family thought that was too dry, so I started making it upside down and they loved it.

Hamburger Rice Casserole #2

Hamburger Rice Casserole #2

1 lb ground chuck
Pepper
1/4 cup lite soy sauce
1 (6.4-oz) box Uncle Ben's Long Grain & Wild Rice Roasted Garlic & Olive Oil flavor
1/2 cup long-grain white rice
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 1/2 cups water
1 cup frozen peas & carrots

Brown and crumble the ground chuck, seasoned with pepper and soy sauce, in a large skillet until done. Stir in the remaining ingredients and heat to boiling. Pour into a large casserole dish (or 9x13 pan). Cover tightly with foil and bake at 350^ for 1 hour or until the rice is completely cooked and tender.

And again....this was good!

Burgers!

John and I went to Whole Foods this morning - I LOVE that store! The produce is always gorgeous, the meats make me drool and by the time I get to the cheese shop I'm positively giddy! We only went there to buy some tomatoes but we ended up with 5 bags of stuff we really didn't need, but we had a great time choosing things.

So, anyways, after scoping out the store, we decided to buy some hamburgers to grill for dinner tonight. They had a great selection of already pattied out burgers which is something I would never buy in a regular grocery store, but Whole Food's meat is just awesome! John chose 2 Cowboy Burgers (beef with bacon, jalapeno, cheddar and jack) and I picked a Gorgonzola Burger (beef with crumbled gorgonzola and bacon). We also bought a jar of Roasted Garlic Mayonnaise and some gorgeous Heirloom tomatoes that we had with the Hamburgers.....and dinner was FANtastic!

The Gorgonzola Burger was delicious, but John's Cowboy Burger was the best of the two. He graciously offered me a taste. I'll definitely buy these again!

Jerk Chicken with Rice & Beans

Jerk Chicken with Rice and Beans

1/2 chicken (or 2 quarters)
1/2 bottle Lawry's Caribbean Jerk marinade
Gallon-sized Freezer bag
2 cups rice
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp allspice
1 tbsp dried minced onion
32 oz chicken broth
27 oz can Margaret Holme's Seasoned Black Beans with Vidalia Onions
2 tsp cumin
1/3 cup catsup
Splash worcestershire sauce
1 tsp lime juice

When I buy whole chickens, I cut them up and re-package them for the freezer. I often pour a marinade (any kind you like) over the meat before I freeze it, which makes it very easy to make dinner later on. The chicken I used for this dish was simply cut in half, placed in the zip-loc bag and the marinade poured over it, then sealed and frozen. Thaw before cooking.

Place the chicken in a 9x13" pan and roast at 400^F for about 1 hour or until the chicken is completely cooked. This would normally have gone on the grill but it's way too hot outside to bother! And it comes out really tender and juicy when cooked in the oven this way.

While the chicken cooks, combine the rice, turmeric, allspice, dried onions, and chicken broth and cook until done. I use a Rice Cooker...makes perfect rice every time!

About 20 minutes before the chicken is ready, combine the beans, cumin, catsup, worcestershire and lime juice and cook gently, stirring often, until hot.

Results: perfectly cooked, juicy and delicious chicken, and quite possibly the BEST rice I've ever cooked. The black beans were perfect with the rice and chicken!

Blueberry Coffee Cake II

Blueberry Coffee Cake II
(Original at allrecipes.com)








2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 cup blueberries
1 tsp vanilla (my only tweak)

Topping:

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, softened

Preheat the oven to 375^ F. Grease and flour a 9-inch pan. (I used Pam and had no problems) Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whick together the oil, sugar and egg. Stir in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing just until incorporated. Fold in the blueberries. Pour batter (it's extremely thick and should say "spoon batter" instead, because it cannot be "poured"!) into prepared pan. Cover with streusel topping.

For the topping, in a bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon and sugar. Cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.

This recipe had an average rating of 4.5 stars by 53 reviewers. I'm baffled...and disappointed. The topping was very good, but the cake itself was flavorless and bland and very dry. I'd only give it 2 stars.

Classic Crockpot Beef with Red Wine Gravy

You can make this with just about any kind of beef you have on hand...a roast, stew meat, round steaks, whatever! Tonight I used a piece of sirloin cut into 4 serving sized pieces.

Crockpot Beef with Red Wine Gravy

Beef, your choice, enough for 4 servings
Garlic Salt & Pepper
3 tbsp bacon grease
3-4 slices cooked and crumbled thick cut bacon
1 packet Lipton Onion Soup mix
1 tsp rubbed sage
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 can water
1 cup red wine

Season the beef with garlic salt & pepper and brown well on all sides in the bacon grease. Meanwhile, combine the remaining ingredients in your crockpot. Add the browned beef and stir. Cover and cook on low all day. This gravy is awesome and the beef is so tender!

Served with Mashed Potatoes and Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots.

Beef & Beans

Beef & Beans

1 lb (more or less) lean beef cubes
1 lb dried pinto beans, rinsed and sorted
1 (32-oz) carton beef broth
1 onion, chopped
1 heaping tsp minced garlic
2 tsp hot mexican chili powder
1 tsp cumin
Water
1 can diced tomatoes with garlic & basil
Salt & Pepper to taste

Combine the frist 7 ingredients in the crock pot. Add enough water to cover the beans by about 1 inch. Cook on low several hours or until beans are done and the beef is tender. Add the tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste and cook at least 1 more hour.

Very tasty served with allrecipe's Absolute Mexican Cornbread.

Chili Chicken Soup

Chili Chicken Soup

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste
Water to cover
1 tbsp dried minced cilantro
1 onion, chopped
1/c cup chopped bell pepper
1 can diced Mexican flavored tomatoes
1 small can V8
2 cans chili beans in medium sauce
1 1/2 cups frozen whole kernel corn
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp hot Mexican chili powder

Season the chicken with salt, pepper and garlic powder and cover with water in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked. Remove the chicken and set aside to cool. Strain the broth, discarding the weird floaty things, and return the broth to the pot.

Add the chopped onion, bell pepper, cilantro, tomatoes and V8 and return to a boil. Simmer until the onions and peppers are soft. Meanwhile, chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces and add it to the soup. Stir in the chili beans, corn, cumin and chili powder and cook for about 30 minutes. Serve with a garnish of partially crushed tortilla chips, a sprinkle of shredded cheddar and a dollop of sour cream.

This was so good! I love soup.

Baked Piccolini Alfredo

Baked Piccolini Alfredo

12 oz italian sausage
1 lb ground chuck
Garlic salt and pepper
1 onion, chopped
26 oz jar spaghetti sauce
1 tsp dried basil
Pinch sugar
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp minced roasted garlic
2 cups heavy cream
heaping 1/2 cup grated parmigiano reggiano
Salt and pepper if needed
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 lb piccolini (or ziti), cooked al dente and drained
2 cups shredded mozzarella-provolone mix

Brown and crumble the sausage, chuck and onion until completely cooked. Drain. Season with garlic salt and pepper to taste. Stir in spaghetti sauce, basil and sugar and simmer a half hour.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the garlic and cream and heat over medium heat, stirring frequently until hot. Stir in parmigiano reggiano and continue stirring until the cheese is melted and the sauce has thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat, pour over hot, cooked piccolini and stir to combine.

Spoon about 1 1/2 cups meat sauce into bottom of a 9x13" pan. Spoon piccolini and alfredo sauce over the meat mixture. Top with 1 cup shredded mozzarella. Spoon remaining meat sauce over all. Top with 2 cups shredded mozzarella-provolone mix and cover pan with foil.

Bake at 350^ for 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake 10-15 minutes more until cheese on top is lightly browned and bubbly. Let stand for at least 15 minutes before serving.

This was awesome, if I do say so myself!