Cajunesque Rice & Beans

Cajunesque Rice & Beans

2 cups long grain rice
4 cups water
3/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp Cajun seasoning
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1 can dark red kidney beans

I use a Rice Cooker! It's much easier and always turns out nice and fluffy, unlike cooking it in a pot on top of the stove. Put the rice, water, cumin, turmeric, cajun seasoning and corn into the cooker. Put the lid on it, plug it in and turn it on. Meanwhile, slowly heat the beans over low heat and keep warm until the rice is done.

I HAD been going to make Black Beans & Rice to go with my Roast Pork, but when I searched my pantry I discovered I didn't have any Black Beans! So I concocted this and it turned out pretty good, if I do say so myself. I'll make it again, but use 2 cans of kidney beans next time with the same amount of rice. John loved it.

Tangy Slow Cooker Pork Roast

Tangy Slow Cooker Pork Roast

1 large onion, sliced
2 1/2 pounds boneless pork loin roast
1 cup hot water
1/4 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 dash hot pepper sauce, or to taste

Arrange onion slices evenly over the bottom of the slow cooker, and then place the roast on top of the onion. In a bowl, mix together water, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, ketchup, black pepper, salt, garlic powder, and hot sauce; pour over roast.
Cover, and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours, or on High for 3 to 4 hours. From allrecipes.com

I used a Boston Butt instead of the Loin Roast (they were on sale at Publix!) I also added extra garlic salt after tasting it. The meat was falling apart tender, but there was absolutely nothing "tangy" about it. It was too sweet and it needed spicing up.

Butter Baked Chicken

Butter Baked Chicken
Similar to Cracker Barrel's)

1/4 cup butter or margarine
4 chicken breasts (I only cooked 2, but they were huge!)
1 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1 (10 3/4 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken with herbs soup, undiluted
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
1/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Melt butter in 9 x 13 baking dish (I used an iron skillet). Combine flour, salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. Dredge chicken in seasoned flour. Place chicken, skin side down, in butter. Bake 30 minutes.

Mix water, milk and soup together. Reduce heat to 375^F. Turn chicken over and pour soup mixture over it. Bake 30-45 minutes more or until the chicken is completely cooked. Remove chicken and stir gravy.

This was really good!

Adapted from recipezaar, Lubbock Christian U. Associates cookbook, 1975

Sweet Mustard Chicken Bake

Sweet Mustard Chicken Bake

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
Garlic salt to taste
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
5 Tbsp butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). In a small bowl, stir together the honey, Dijon mustard, melted butter and pepper. Place chicken in a baking dish, and pour the honey mustard sauce over it.

Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven, basting frequently with the sauce, until chicken is firm and juices run clear.

This was pretty good, served with a salad. Adapted from allrecipes.com

World's Best Lasagna My Way

World's Best Lasagna

1 lb lean ground chuck
6 oz hot Italian sausage
6 oz mild Italian sausage
1 onion, minced
2 tsp minced garlic
Garlic Salt & Pepper to taste
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
2 (6 oz) cans tomato paste
2 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 Tbsp white sugar
1 1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp Italian seasoning
2 tsps salt
4 Tbsp dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 lb lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
2 lbs ricotta
1 egg
6 slices provolone cheese
8 oz pkg shredded mozzarella cheese
8 oz pkg shredded Italian blend cheese
5 oz pkg shredded parmesan and romano cheese

In a Dutch oven, cook ground chuck, sausages, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned and crumbled. Stir in garlic salt and pepper to taste. Add cruched tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, water, sugar, basil, fennel, Italian seasoning, salt, parsley flakes and red pepper flakes and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Cook the lasagna noodles al dente and drain. Beat the ricotta and egg until well blended.

Preheat the oven to 350^F. Spread 1 1/2 cups meat sauce in the bottom of a lasagna pan (I used one of those cool new ones with 3 separate channels for the first time today, but a 9x13 or thereabouts is fine too!) Arrange a layer of noodles over the sauce, spread with a layer of ricotta, and then the provolone slices. Spoon more sauce over the provolone, then a layer of noodles, ricotta, shredded mozzarella and some of the parmesan blend. Repeat layers until the pan is full, ending with noodles, sauce, shredded Italian blend and finally the parmesan/romano.

Cover with foil sprayed with Pam to prevent it sticking to the cheese and bake for about 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is all melted and starting to brown a bit on top. Cool 15-30 minutes before serving.

This recipe (from allrecipes.com) makes enough for a full lasagna pan plus a 9x5 pan to freeze for another day!

I loved this Lasagna. Jen & Mom both thought it was a little too sweet (even though I used half the amount of sugar the original recipe called for). This is very similar to the way I make my Lasagna...only difference is I use a large jar of Ragu (instead of the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste & sauce) and then add the spices/herbs and only a pinch of sugar. However, this was the best Lasagna I've tried other than my own!

Blueberry Cream Muffins

Blueberry Cream Muffins

2 eggs
1 1/4 cups white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sour cream
1 cup blueberries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease 24 muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.

In large bowl beat eggs, gradually add sugar while beating. Continue beating while slowly pouring in oil. Stir in vanilla. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, salt and baking soda.

Stir dry ingredients into egg mixture alternately with sour cream. Gently fold in blueberries. Scoop batter into prepared muffin cups.

Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.

These were perfect muffins to look at....and they tasted good, but (imho) bland. John, on the other hand, loved them and said they didn't taste bland at all. Maybe it's me....

Adapted from allrecipes.com

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 (17.5 fluid ounce) bottle buffalo wing sauce, divided
1/2 (1 ounce) package dry ranch salad dressing mix
2 tablespoons butter (I left this out and didn't miss it at all!)
6 hoagie rolls, split lengthwise

Place the chicken breasts into a slow cooker, and pour in 3/4 of the wing sauce and the ranch dressing mix. Cover, and cook on Low for 6 to 7 hours.

Once the chicken has cooked, add the butter, and shred the meat finely with two forks. Pile the meat onto the hoagie rolls, and splash with the remaining buffalo wing sauce to serve.

Very tasty!! I served this on freshly baked Bread Machine Rolls and it was great!
From allrecipes.com