Ham in the slow-cooker

Honey-dijon ham

Made: December 25, 2013

Ingredients
- 1 bone-in cooked man (5lb)
- 1/3 cup apple juice
- 1/4 packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard

Directions
- In 4-6 quart slow cooker, place ham
- Add apple juice
- In small bowl, mix the brown sugar, honey and mustard
- Spread mixture over ham
- Clover, cook on low heat 6-8 hours
- Remove ham from slow cooker
- Cut ham & serve

I used a 3 pound, boneless ham to fit into our small slow-cooker. (and because we don't have too many people eating ham at Christmas). I used a combined tablespoon of mustard and dijon since the kind we had on hand was a little too zesty for my liking. We also cooked it for about 6 hours and it seemed to come out juicy and flavorful

(Recipe used: Pillsbury Christmas 2010)

Casserole, crab style

Maryland Crab Casserole

Made: December 25, 2013

Ingredients
- 1 pound crabmeat, well-picked
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 5 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted and divided
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Dash pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped green bell pepper
- 1/2 cup soft bread crumbs

Directions
- Grease bottom and sides of a 2-qt. baking dish
- Combine crabmeat, eggs, parsley, 3 tablespoon butter, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, milk and green pepper
- Gently pat into dish
- Combine bread crumbs with remaining butter; sprinkle on top
- Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes or until set

I added in some old bay seasoning to the top topping. I also doubled the recipe to fill a 3qt dish, but I used 1 can of evaporated milk (which was 1 1/2 cups) which seemed to fit perfectly in the dish. I also omitted the green peppers for my Granny. But 1 tablespoon wasn't much to worry over anyway.

(Recipe used: recipelion.com)

Healthy smoothie

Orange-Banana Smoothie

Made: November 8, 2013

Ingredients
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 small, ripe banana
- 1/4 cup instant non-fat milk powder
- 1/3 cup ice cubes
- 1/4 cup club soda

Directions
- In blender, process orange juice, banana, milk powder and ice cubes until mixture is thick and ice cubes are crushed
- Add club soda, stir and serve immediately

At work, I joined an 8-week program called "Lose and Win" where we learn about making healthier choices and creating a healthier lifestyle for the longrun. For this week, my group was picked to pick a recipe to make. So I got the smoothie. We had to post the nutrition facts as we're learning how to count calories and balance our energy levels. So this makes 2 servings of 130 calories each. But it tasted pretty good, although the banana really packs a flavor punch.

(Recipe used: unitedheathcare.com)

Mock Chicken Alfredo

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

Made: November 5, 2013

Ingredients
- 1/2 package of linguine noodles
- 1 cup fresh or frozen broccoli florets
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 1/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 can Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions
- Prepare linguine according to package directions in 3 quart saucepan
- Add broccoli during the last 4 minutes of cooking time
- Drain the linguine mixture well in a colander
- Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat
- Add chicken and cook until well browned and cooked through, stirring often
- Stir soup, milk, cheese, black pepper and linguine mixture in the skillet and cook until the mixture is hot and bubbling, stirring occasionally
- Serve with additional Parmesan cheese (optional)

I made things slightly different depending on what I had in my pantry. I used cheddar and mozzerella cheese since my Parmesan cheese went bad (oops) but it seemed to have the same taste and mixed/melted nicely. As you can see, I also used Bowtie pasta. I think this came out with a ton of flavor and it was super quick dinner. Boil, cook and mix and poof, you have dinner.

(Recipe used: Campbells.com)

Amish Apples

Apple Crisp

Made: November 3, 2013

Ingredients:
Filling
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups sliced & peeled apples (mix of courtland and golden delicious)
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Topping
- 1/2 cup oatmeal
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup butter

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 F
- Sift together sugar, flour, salt and cinnamon and combine with sliced apples
- Mix well
- Place in a greased 9x9in pan
- Combine oatmeal, flour, baking soda, baking powder and brown sugar
- Add in butter and mix together until it crumbles
- Put on top of apple mixture
- Bake for 35-40 minutes

For the apples, I used Red Delicious and Granny Smith, since they happened to be on sale. (Trying to be frugal) I also used a 9in pie pan.

First attempt, I sliced the apples and didn't melt the butter. I liked it, but I felt like it wanted to be more of an apple pie. Second attempt, I cut the apples into small pieces. And for the crumbles, I melted butter and then added all the dry ingredients to that. I think it was easier to eat (especially when you use a crappy plastic fork at work!)

My second attempt

Both ways tasted super delicious and had just enough sweetness with the tart. I didn't peel the apples on either attempt, but I think it adds to the flavor.

(Recipe used: theliterarfairy.com - tweaked from Amish Recipe)

Individual potpies

Mini Chicken Pot Pies

Made: October 27, 2013

Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken
- 1 can Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
- 8 oz package frozen mixed vegetables; thawed
- 1 (10 piece) refrigerated biscuits
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Flour

Directions
- Heat oven to 350 F
- Spray 10 muffin-pan cups with cooking spray
- Stir the chicken, soup and vegetables in a medium bowl
- Sprinkle flour on the work surface
- Roll or pat the biscuits to flatten slightly
- Press the buscuits into the bottoms and up the sides of the muffin-pan cups
- Spoon about 1/3 cup chicken mixture into each biscuit cup
- Lightly press the chicken mixture down so it's level
- Top each with shredded cheese
- Bake for 15 minutes or until the biscuts are golden brown and the cheese is melted
- Let the pot pies cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes

I was able to make 16 potpies overall. I had a little bit of trouble with getting the biscuits to fit in the pans evenly so I had some bunching and a couple spots of dough weren't 100% cooked through, but these came out super delish!

(Recipe used: Campbell's)

Chocolate-y Pumpkin-y Muffin-y, oh my!

Pumpkin Chip Muffins

Made: October 27, 2013

Ingredients:
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 15oz can solid-pack pumpkin
- 1 1/2 cups canola oil
- 3 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups (12oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 F
- In a large bowl, beat eggs, sugar, pumpkin and oil until smooth
- Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture, mixing well
- Fold in chocolate chips
- Fill greased or lined muffin pans 3/4 full
- Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted neat the center comes out clean
- Cook in pan for 10 minutes before removing to wire rack

One of the few things I like about fall ... all the new pumpkin recipes come out! These are very yummy and mine came out super moist. These could be just as delish without the chocolate chips, but either way I'm pleased!

(Recipe used: Taste of Home)

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Chicken with a glaze

Glazed Chicken Nuggets

Made: September 25, 2013

Ingredients
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup Dijon-style mustard
- 3 tablespoons molasses
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken-breast hales, cut into 1-1/2 inch cubes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions
- Preheat oven to 375 F
- Line a baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray
- Combine the maple syrup, mustard, molasses, vinegar, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl; mix well
- Pour the marinade into a zip-top bag, reserving 1/2 cup on the side
- Add the chicken to the marinade in the bag and seal
- Chill for 5 minutes
- Transfer the chicken to the baking sheet and sprinkle with the salt and pepper
- Discard marinate in the bag
- Bake the chicken for 10 minutes, then turn and brush with the reserved marinade
- Continue to bake until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 more minutes

 I made this pretty much to the tee, with a few adjustments. I ran out of Dijon mustard, so I added some yellow mustard to fill the 1/2 cup. I didn't use a full 1/2 cup of maple syrup (about 1/3) and I didn't have molasses, so I just left that out. I think the marinade was pretty good with how I made it. Not too sweet, but with the tang of the mustard. A really good contrast. I pared this with some "Chinese Style Rice" from Uncle Ben & some steamed green beans.

(recipe used: recipe my way)

No flour in these cookies

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

Made: September 6, 2013

Ingredients
- 1 cup natural peanut butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- Coarse sea salt, for sprinkling

Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and place the racks in the upper and lower third of the oven
- In a medium bowl, mix the peanut butter, sugar, vanilla and egg until well combined
- Spoon 1 tablespoon of the mixture about 1 inch apart onto ungreased baking sheets
- Flatten the mounds with the tines of a fork, making a crosshatch pattern on the cookies
- Sprinkle coarse salt on top of the cookies.
- Bake until golden around the edges, about 10 minutes, switching the position of the sheets halfway through baking
- Transfer to racks to cool
- Repeat with the remaining dough

I used my bottom rack and only my bottom rack since I had a 2-layer cake in the oven and they were taking up the other two racks in the oven. But cooking these for 10 minutes, no rotating and being on the bottom, these turned out really yummy! I like making my cookies smaller in size (I roll them into a small ball in the palm of my hands) and let them bake down into cookies. I also didn't use any seasalt for sprinkling and I was rushed for time for the decorating of the crosshatch pattern, but these tasted just like other peanut butter cookies with flour, just with a more prominent pb flavor you yearn for!

(recipe used: foodnetwork.com)

Orange Chicken

Roasted Chicken with Smokey Orange Sauce

Made: August 11, 2013

Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 8 (5-ounce) skinless chicken breast halves (with bone)
- Salt and ground black pepper
- 1 cup orange marmalade
- 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke

Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 F
- Coat a large roasting pan with cooking spray
- Season chicken all over with salt and black pepper
- Arrange chicken in prepared pan and set aside
- In a small bowl, combine orange marmalade, soy sauce and liquid smoke
- Mix until blended
- Pour mixture over chicken
- Roast 35 minutes, until chicken is cooked through
- Serve 4 chicken breast halves with this meal and refrigerate remaining chicken until ready to use

I used boneless chicken thighs instead of breasts with the bone and I didn't have any liquid smoke; trying to make something with ingredients we already have. I cooked the thighs for 45 minutes instead of 35 to make sure they were cooked all the way through. But they came out nice and juicy and super tender. The sauce wasn't too orangey or bitter, so it was a nice balance.

(recipe used: foodnetwork.com)

Purple Cabbage

German Red Cabbage

Made: July 20, 2013

Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 5 cups shredded red cabbage
- 1 cup sliced green apples
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions
- Place butter, cabbage, apples, and sugar into a large pot
- Pour in the vinegar and water, and season with salt, pepper and clove
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low, and simmer until the cabbage is tender for 1 1/2 - 2 hours

I used 1 apple (with the skin still on) and about 1/2 a head of cabbage. It's really sweet and juicy.

(Recipe used: allrecipes.com)

Asian Rice

Fried Rice

Made: July 14, 2013

Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked white rice
- 3 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 cup frozen peas (thawed)
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 eggs, slightly beaten
- 1/4 cup soy sauce

Directions
- On medium high heat, heat the oil in a large skillet (or wok)
- Add the peas, onion and garlic
- Stir fry until tender
- Lower the heat to medium low and push the mixture off to one side
- Pour your eggs on the other side and stir fry until scrambled
- Add the rice and the soy sauce
- Blend together
- Stir fry until thoroughly heated

I thought 3 tablespoons was a lot of the sesame oil, but it complemented the soy sauce just right. I always have trouble with the eggs as they always run into whatever else I'm cooking in the pan, but overall it came out nice. I'll have to tweak it to see how I could get the rice drier and not so mushy though.

(Recipe used: found on facebook)

Cracker Chicken

Crispy Baked Chicken

Made: July 7, 2013

Ingredients 
Chicken/coating
- chicken tenders (8 pieces)
- 1 sleeve Ritz crackers
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Sauce
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- 2 tablespoon sour cream
- 2 tablespoon butter

Directions
- Crush crackers
- Pour the milk, cheese and cracker crumbs into 3 separate bowls
- Toss the salt and pepper into the cracker crumbs and stir the mixture around to combine
- Dip each piece of chicken into the milk and then cheese
- Press the cheese into the chicken with your fingers
- Then press the cheese coated chicken into the cracker crumbs and press it in
- Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and lay the chicken inside the pan
- Sprinkle the dried parsley over the chicken
- Cover the pan with tin foil and bake at 400 F for 35 minutes
- Remove the tin foil, bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the edges of the chicken are golden brown and crispy
- In a medium sized sauce pan, combine the cream fo chicken soup, sour cream and butter with a whisk
- Stir it over medium high heat until the sauce is nice and hot
- Serve over the chicken

Served with a pasta side & asparagus

I didn't have Rtiz crackers, so I used Townhouse butter crackers instead. I also put the parsley in the sauce instead of over top the chicken. Other than that, I followed the recipe to the point

(Recipe used: found on facebook)

Coffee and Chocolate

Deep-Dish Brownies

Made: May 26, 2013

Ingredients
Brownies
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt

Frosting
- 4 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/4 cup water or coffee
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions
- Heat oven to 350 F
- Coat 8-inch square pan with cooking spray
- Whisk sugar, melted butter and 2 teaspoons vanilla in large bowl; whisk in eggs until blended
- Whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder and 3/4 teaspoon salt in medium bowl; slowly whisk into egg mixture until well-combined
- Spread in pan
- Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean but with some crumbs attached
- Cool completely on wire rack
- Meanwhile, melt chocolate, 1 tablespoon butter and water in small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally
- Pour into medium bowl; whisk in powdered sugar until smooth
- Whisk in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Refrigerate until frosting thickens slightly (about 25 minutes), stirring occasionally
- Spread over brownies; let stand until set

To melt the chocolate, I used a double broiler and I used coffee instead of water. I used a lot of powdered sugar and it seemed like it was still too watery. Even after an hour in the fridge, it still didn't seem like it wanted to set. I used it as a glaze and it's finally starting to set (about 3 hours later).

(recipe used: Cooking Club of America)

Taco spin-off

Beef Tostadas

Made: May 25, 2013

Ingredients
- 1-1/2 pounds boneless beef round steak
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 12 packaged tostada or hard taco shells
- 3/4 cup fat-free refried beans
- 1-1/2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
- 1 cup reduced-fat shredded Mexican-blend cheese
- 3/4 cup salsa

Directions
- Sprinkle steak with salt and pepper
- Place 3 tablespoons of the lime juice, the garlic, jalapeno, onion, chili powder, cumin and cayenne in a slow cooker
- Place beef on top and cook on HIGH for 6 hours or LOW for 8 hours
- Remove beef to a cutting board and when cool enough to handle, shred with fingers or using two forks
- Place shredded beef in a large bowl
- Strain remaining liquid in slow cooker over a bowl or measuring cup, discarding solids
- Add strained liquid and remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice to beef in bowl and stir to combine
- Cover; keep warm
- Warm tostada shells in oven according to package directions
- While tostadas are baking, heat refried beans in microwave for 1-1/2 minutes on HIGH, stirring halfway through until warm and spreadable
- Spread each tostada with 1 tablespoon refried beans
- Place 1/3 cup beef over beans and divide lettuce equally among tostadas
- Top each with 1 heaping tablespoon cheese and 1 tablespoon salsa

I made mine slightly different ... I used ground beef instead of round steak. I browned the beef in a pan with the spices and I used lemon juice instead of lime juice. I also added in a touch of taco seasoning. I also used spinach instead of lettuce and I also used sour cream to add a touch of cool. Also makes a good salad

(recipe used: recipe.com)

Shells Green with Envy

Chicken and Spinach Stuffed Shells

Made: May 13, 2013

Ingredients
- 1 (12-ounce) box uncooked jumbo pasta shells
- 2 cups chopped cooked chicken
- 2 cups fresh chopped spinach
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (15oz) container ricotta cheese
- 1 (8oz) packages cream cheese, softened
- 1 (5oz) package shredded Parmesan cheese (about 1 2/3 cups)
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1 (26oz) jar prepared spaghetti sauce

Instructions
- Cook shells according to package directions
- Be careful not to overcook them or they will tear easily when trying to fill them
- Drain and set shells out individually on a cutting board or baking sheet so that they don’t stick together
- Preheat oven to 350 F
- Lightly grease two 9x13 baking dishes
- In a large bowl, combine chicken and all the rest of the ingredients except mozzarella and spaghetti sauce
- Stir in 1 cup mozzarella
- Spoon into shells
- Spread half of spaghetti sauce into prepared baking dishes
- Arrange shells over sauce; top with remaining sauce
- Cover tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil
- Bake, covered, for 40 minutes
- Uncover, sprinkle with remaining 1 cup mozzarella
- Bake for 5 to 10 more minutes

I had a lot of filling leftover, but I only made 14 shells since we're a small family of 4. I used a Garlic and Onion pasta sauce to go with this and topped it with some shredded cheese. These shells seemed a lot smaller than others I've seen, but they were perfect for us!

(Recipe used: Paula Deen via Facebook)

Swirly Cheesecake

Cappuccino Chocolate-Swirl Cheesecake Bars

Made: May 9, 2013

Ingredients
- 24 oreo Cookies, finely crushed (about 2 cups)
- 3 Tbsp butter, melted
- 1 Tbsp Instant Coffee
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup boiling water
- 4 packages (8 oz each) Cream Cheese, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup Sour Cream
- 4 eggs
- 2 oz. Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted, cooled

Directions
- Heat oven to 325 F
- Line 13x9-inch pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides
- Mix cookie crumbs and butter; press onto bottom of prepared pan
- Add coffee and cinnamon to boiling water; stir until coffee granules are dissolved
- Cool slightly
- Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with mixer until well blended
- Add coffee and sour cream; mix well
- Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing after each just until blended
- Remove 1 cup batter; pour remaining batter over crust
- Stir chocolate into reserved batter.
- Drop by tablespoonfuls over batter in pan; swirl gently with knife
- Bake 40 minutes or until center is almost set, cool
- Refrigerate 4 hours

A lot of prep work, melting chocolate, boiling water for coffee, then of course the normal for a cheesecake (cream cheese and crust). I probably should have added more coffee, but I'll have to adjust for a later recipe.

(Recipe used: Kraftrecipes.com)

Fajitas unwrapped

Warm Fajita Salad

Made: May 9, 2013

Ingredients
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon snipped fresh cilantro
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 3/4 pound boneless beef top sirloin steak, cut into thin, bite-size strips
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 2 small onions, cut into thin wedges
- 2 small green, red, and/or yellow sweet peppers, cut into thin strips
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 10-ounce package torn mixed greens (8 cups)
- 12  cherry tomatoes, quartered
- Red or green salsa (optional)

Directions
- Combine lime juice, chicken broth, cilantro, garlic, and cornstarch; set aside
- Sprinkle beef with cumin, salt, and black pepper; toss to coat
- Coat an unheated large skillet with cooking spray
- Add onions and sweet peppers
- Stir-fry over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes or until crisp-tender
- Remove vegetables from skillet
- Carefully add cooking oil to the skillet
- Add beef strips; stir-fry about 3 minutes or until desired doneness
- Push to side of the skillet
- Stir lime juice mixture; add to skillet
- Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly; cook and stir 1 minute more
- Stir meat and vegetables into mixture in skillet; heat through
- To serve, arrange greens and tomatoes on four dinner plates
- Divide beef-vegetable mixture among plates

I wanted something different and this was just what I was looking for. I also topped mine with sour cream and cheese, opted out of onions and cilantro and garlic. I did use Garlic salt in both the cornstarch mixture and with the steak rub too. I used red, green, yellow and orange peppers, romaine lettuce and some baby spinach.

(Recipe used: Better Homes & Gardens)

Meaty Taco Pasta

"Baked Taco Ziti"

Made: May 6, 2013

Ingredients
- 3/4 bag ziti noodles
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 package taco seasoning
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 package cream cheese
- 1 1/2 cup shredded cheese

Directions
- Boil pasta until just cooked (al dente)
- Brown ground beef; drain
- Mix taco seasoning and 1 cup water in the ground beef; stir for 5 minutes
- Add in cream cheese, stir until melted & remove from heat
- Add pasta into a casserole dish, top with 1 cup of the shredded cheese
- Gently pour beef mixture on top and mix with the pasta
- Top with remaining shredded cheese
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, uncovered, at 350 F, until cheese is melted and the dish is heated throughout

I used a normal sized box of pasta, used about 1/2 for this dish. We made over 4 servings with leftovers. I used a little more than 1/2 of a package of cream cheese and used cheddar jack & mozzarella cheeses. Overall, it came out nice and creamy, gooey and hot!

(Recipe used: via facebook)

Easy Chic & Dumps

Like Grandma's Chicken & Dumplin's

Made: March 25, 2013

Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chicken
- 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
- 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
- 2 soup cans water
- 4 teaspoons flour
- 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 can refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

Directions
- Mix chicken, soups, water, flour, bouillon and pepper in slow cooker
- Cut biscuits into quarters and gently stir into mixture
- Cover & cook on low for 4-6 hours

Really good taste. I like the biscuits as the dumplin's, they bring a nice taste to the dish. As for the soups, I used one can of chicken and one can of celery and I used 2 bouillon cubes since I don't have granules.

(Recipe used: Crock-Pot suppers)

Green Brownies

St. Patty’s Day Brownies

Made: March 15, 2013

Ingredients
- 1 box Betty Crocker® fudge brownie mix (plus eggs, water and oil listed on the package, prepared according to box directions) - or your favorite brownie mix
- 1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp vanilla
- green food coloring

Direction
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray
- Pour prepared brownie batter into the prepared 9 x 13 inch dish
- In a bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar together until well blended
- Beat in the egg, flour, vanilla, and food coloring until well blended and smooth
- Drop cream cheese mixture by tablespoonfuls evenly on top of batter
- With knife, cut through mixture a few times to marble
- Bake as directed on brownie mix box or until toothpick inserted in center comes out almost clean
- Cool completely, about 1 hour and cut into squares
- Store in refrigerator

I wanted to do something else for St Patrick's day this year, but I think the cream cheese mixture was too much for these brownies. I probably would only use 1 tsp of vanilla vs a tbsp and I would omit the flour completely. They still taste scrumptious, but there is just something off about them. I used 5 drops of food coloring for this

(Recipe used: Real Mom Kitchen)

Rice & Beans

Salsa, Black Bean, and Rice Salad

Made: March 14, 2013

Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked long grain rice, chilled
- 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups chopped tomatoes
- 1 cup chopped yellow or red sweet pepper
- 1 cup frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro
- 1 cup bottled picante sauce or salsa
- 4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeno chile peppers, cut into 1/4-inch cubes (optional)
- Lettuce leaves
- 1/2 cup fat-free or reduced-fat sour cream

Directions
- In large bowl, stir together chilled rice, beans, tomatoes, sweet pepper, corn, onions, and cilantro; add picante sauce or salsa
- Toss to coat
- Stir in cheese, if using
- Line six salad bowls or plates with lettuce leaves
- Top with rice mixture
- Serve with sour cream

I made this with a couple exceptions. (When don't I?) I didn't add in the cilantro or green peppers and I used cheese without the jalapeno chile peppers in it. But I did love the flavor the chili and sour cream gave the mixture. I made mine more like a layered salad. I had my lettuce (strips) on the bottom and then I added the rice. Next came the mixture and then I topped it with the cheese (cheddar and Mozzarella). I really liked this for there not including a main protein.

(Recipe used: Better Homes & Gardens)

Chees'd up Tuna

Sarah's Tuna Casserole Supreme

Made: March 8, 2013

Ingredients
- 16 oz package wide egg noodles, uncooked
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup celery, chopped
- 1 - 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 6oz cans tuna, drained
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- 1 can golden mushroom souo
- 1/2 pound pasteurized process cheese spread, cubed
- 1 can peas, drained
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup potato chips, crushed
- Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions
- Cook noodles as packages directs, drain and set aside
- In a large skillet over medium-heat, sauté onion and celery in butter until translucent
- Add cooked noodles to skillet
- Stir in tuna, soups and cheese spread
- Cook until blended and cheese is melted, one to two minutes
- Stir in peas
- Transfer to lightly greased baking pan
- Top with cheddar cheese
- Bake, uncovered for at 350 F for 20-25 minutes, until hot and bubbly
- Top with crushed potato chips
- Return to oven and bake an additional 5-10 minutes, until chips are golden

I love the cheesiness to this recipe. I didn't use an onion and I used 2 cans of Cream of Celery soup instead. I cooked it for about 12 minutes until the cheese was melted enough to top with potato chips then baked for 8 more minutes.

(Recipe used: Gooseberry Patch; Mom's very best recipes)

Non-lasagna

Easy Bowtie Lasagna

Made: March 6, 2013

Ingredients
- 16 oz package bowtie pasta, uncooked
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 onion, chopped
- 32 oz jar spaghetti sauce
- 8 oz container sour cream
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan chese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese

Directions
- Cook pasta as package directs, drain and set aside
- In a skillet over medium heat, brown beef and onion, drain
- Add spaghetti sauce to skillet and simmer for 5 minutes
- Mix cooked pasta with sour cream, Parmesan cheese and garlic powder
- In a greased 13x9 pan, layer half of beef mixture and half of pasta mixture
- Repeat layers
- Top with Mozzarella cheese
- Bake, uncovered, at 350 F for about 30 minutes, until heated through and cheese is melted

Along with the sour cream, I added in a couple spoons of cream cheese. It's not lasagna without cream cheese!! Overall, I really liked this recipe. I didn't use an onion, so I used Onion flakes instead, just to get that flavor. I also didn't use all the same measurements listed; I only used about 8 oz of pasta and 24 oz of sauce.

(Recipe used: Gooseberry Patch; Mom's very best recipes)

Deviled Eggs How To

Traditional Deviled Eggs

Made: March 4, 2013

Ingredients
- 6 hard boiled eggs
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise

- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar
- 1/3 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt

My Fool-Proof way to make Hard Boiled Eggs
- Place eggs into pot
- Fill with cold tap water until eggs are under water (about an inch over eggs)
- Bring to boil
- Once the water is at a rapid boil, begin the timer; 9 minutes
- After the 9 minutes is up, place pot (with eggs and water) in sink
- Run cold tap water into pot and eggs until water is cool

Directions
- Slice your eggs vertically (long sided)
- Remove yolks into a medium-sized bowl for your filling, place your egg whites in carry case/plate
- Mix together the egg yolks, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper until blended and smooth
- Fill the centers of the eggs with your filling

I'm not fancy, I don't pipe my filling in. I just spoon it and move on. You may adjust the recipe to make more than 12 deviled eggs or to adjust the filling according to your taste. If you want more bite, mustard (you can also use Dijon). If you're more for mild, mayo is for you. There are other variations and fancier versions of Deviled Eggs, but we usually just go for the traditional route.

Baked Asparagus

Parmesan Roasted Asparagus with Cod Cake

Made: March 1, 2013

Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan Cheese
- 1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions
- Place asparagus in an un-greased baking pan
- Drizzle with oil, toss to coat
- Sprinkle with cheese, lemon pepper and salt
- Bake at 400 F for 20-25 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally

I didn't make the Cod Cake; we bought them from our local church. But I baked mine along with the asparagus (about 5 per person, so 15 stalks altogether) for 25 minutes at 400 F. I put Old Bay and some butter on top of my cake. Asparagus were cooked as to the recipe recommendations. Everything came out yummy :)

(Recipe used: Taste of Home Quick Cooking Annual Recipes 2013)

CB Deconstructed

Cordon Bleu Casserole

Made: February 28, 2013

Ingredients
- 8 oz penne pasta
- 6 oz spreadable creamy Swiss cheese wedges
- 1 cup fat-dree half-and-half
- 1 teaspoon butter-flavored granules
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 3/4 cups cooked chicken breast, diced
- 1/2 cup cooked ham, diced
- 1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese
- 1/8 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs

Directions
- Cook pasta as directed on package, drain & set aside
- Meanwhile, in a large saucepan over medium-low heat, combine cheese wedges, half-and-half, butter-flavored granules, garlic salt & pepper
- Cook, stirring often, until cheese is melted and smooth
- Add chicken, ham and cooked pasta
- Stir until well blended and heated through
- Top with shredded cheese and bread crumbs at serving time

I did a couple things differently. I used slices of Swiss cheese, cut up instead of the spreadable wedge as I couldn't find any. They melted quite nicely. I did add in 2 wedges of the Garlic and herb cheese to add a punch more flavor along with some cream cheese and a couple splashes of milk so it wasn't too thick. I used Butter Buds as my "butter-flavored granules".

(Recipe used: Gooseberry Patch; Mom's very best recipes)

Buttered rice with Fish

Parleyed Rice Pilaf + Marinated Cod

Made: February 23, 2013

Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 1/3 cup dried minced onion
- 4 teaspoons butter
- 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
- 2 cups instant rice
- 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

Directions
- In a small saucepan, bring the water, onion, butter and bouillon to a boil
- Stir in rice and parsley
- Remove from heat
- Cover and let stand for 5 minutes
- Fluff with fork

I only had bullion cubes; so I used two for this recipe. I paired this with marinated Cod filets (the marinate was a ginger soy sauce) instead of the pairing recipe from our book. Since they were pre-marinated, I wanted to find a suitable side to match.

If interested in the fish recipe: read on below! (I cooked the fish as directed for time estimation, but I did not make the sauce)

Asian Snapper with Capers
Ingredients
- 4 red snapper fillets (6 oz each)
- 4 1/2 teaspoons Mongolian Fire oil or Sesame oil
- 1/4 cup apple jelly
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger-root

Directions
- In a large skillet, cook fillets in oil over medium heat for 3-5 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily with a fork
- Remove from pan and keep warm
- Stir the jelly, ketchup, capers, lemon juice, soy sauce and ginger into the skillet
- Cook and stir for 2-3 minutes or until slightly thickened
- Serve with red snapper

(Recipe used: Taste of Home Quick Cooking Annual Recipes 2013)

Mexcio meets Pie

Mexican Sheppard's Pie

Made: February 19, 2013

Directions
- 1 lb extra lean (at least 93%) ground beef
- 1/2 cup sliced green onions
- 1 cup Old El Paso® Thick ‘n Chunky Salsa
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 3/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1 can Green Giant® SteamCrisp® Mexicorn® corn, drained
- 1 pouch Betty Crocker® loaded mashed potatoes
- 1 1/3 cups water
- 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (2 oz)
- 1 medium tomato, sliced into thin wedges
- Tortilla chips, if desired

Ingredients
- In 10-inch skillet, cook ground beef and 1/4 cup of the green onions over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain
- Stir in salsa, chili powder and cumin
- Spoon corn evenly over beef mixture in skillet
- Cover and cook over low heat until mixture is thoroughly heated
- Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, heat water and butter to boiling
- Remove from heat
- Stir in milk and 1 pouch potatoes with seasoning just until blended
- Let stand about 1 minute or until liquid is absorbed; beat with fork until smooth
- Spoon potatoes over corn in skillet; spread evenly
- Sprinkle with cheese and remaining 1/4 cup green onions
- Cover; cook over low heat about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted
- Arrange tomato wedges in spoke fashion over potatoes
- Garnish with tortilla chips around outside edge of skillet



I didn't use those exact brands, I had Gaint Mexicorn, Chi-Chi's Thick & Chunky Mild salsa & Velveeta cheesy Potatoes. I opted against the green onions and tomato. I topped mine with some sour cream, extra salsa and shredded cheese. I also used a little more salsa in with my beef to fully coat and mix around the spices so you didn't get one bite of nothing but chili powder. The extra cheese in the potatoes really kicked it up a notch

(Recipe used: Betty Crocker)

Sweet Southern Oven Frying

Baked Chicken and Pineapple Casserole

Made: February 18, 2013

Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2-2 1/2 pounds whole chicken legs (thigh & drumstick)
- Salt
- Black pepper
- 2 cans crushed pineapple, drained
- 1 1/2 teaspoons hot sauce
- 1 cup crushed Ritz or Saltine crackers
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions
- Preheat oven to 375 F
- Grease a 13x9 baking dish or coat with cooking spray
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat
- Lightly season the chicken all over with salt and pepper
- In batches (if necessary), place the chicken in the hot oil and cook, turning once, until golden brown (about 8 minutes)
- Transfer the chicken to a paper towel-lined plate to drain
- In a small bowl, toss toghet the pineapple and hot sauce
- Spread evenly on the bottom of the prepared baking dish
- Place the chicken on top of the pineapple
- In a small bowl, combine the ccrackers, butter anc cheese
- Scatter the mixture over time the chicken and pineapple
- Bake until topping is melted and golden and the chicken is just cooked through (about 45 minutes)

I only made a small portion, so I used 1 can of pineapple and I didn't drain so the juice could soak into the chicken. I made 2 quarters total and opted against the hot sauce. I also served this with spinach & a pasta side. It was quite flavorful, but I cooked the chicken for about an hour since my chicken wasn't done in 45 minutes.

(Recipe used: Paula Deen's Southern Cooking Bible)

Mardi Gras

King Cake Cupcakes

Made: February 12, 2013

Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 2/3 cups flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons soft butter
- 2/3 cup milk, at room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia; OR 1 teaspoon vanilla + 1/8 teaspoon lemon oil
- 2 large eggs

Icing
- 3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (half of an 8-ounce package) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon lemon oil
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1 to 2 tablespoons milk, enough to make a spreadable icing
- colored sugars, preferably purple, yellow, and green

Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 FL
- Lightly grease and flour a muffin tin, or line the muffin tins with papers, and spray the insides of the papers

Cupcakes
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt
- Add the butter and beat with an electric mixer at low speed, until the mixture looks sandy
- Combine the milk and vanilla and add, all at once
- Mix at low speed for 30 seconds, then increase the speed to medium and beat for 30 seconds
- Scrape the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl
- With the mixer running at low speed, add 1 egg
- Increase the speed to medium and beat for 30 seconds
- Add the second egg, again beating for 30 seconds
- Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, and beat briefly, just till smooth
- Scoop the batter by heaping 1/4-cupfuls into the prepared muffin tin (A muffin scoop works well here)
- Bake the cupcakes for 23 to 25 minutes, until they've domed, and are a light golden brown around the edges
- They'll spring back when pressed gently on top, and a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean
- Remove the cupcakes from the oven, and place on a rack to cool completely before icing

Icing
- Combine the butter, cream cheese, vanilla, and lemon oil in a medium-sized bowl, and beat them together until light and fluffy
- Add the sugar gradually, beating well
- Beat in the milk a little at a time, until the frosting is a spreadable consistency
- Spread each cake with icing, and immediately dip in gold, purple, and green sparkling sugars, covering about 1/3 of the cupcake with each color sugar

I followed this one really close to the recipe; only a couple of changes. I couldn't find lemon oil anywhere. So I used lemon juice in the batter with the vanilla and extract in the icing. Also, I didn't use a full 2 cups of powdered sugar. It was getting a nice consistency, so I used 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon of milk. I also didn't have or could find yellow sugars, so I just used green and purple I had. I never had King Cake before, but these cupcakes were quite delicious!

(Recipe used: King Aurthur Flour)

Beany Chicken

Chicken with Black Beans and Rice

Made: February 7, 2013

Ingredients
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 1/2 - 3 pounds meaty chicken pieces (breast halves, thighs, and drumsticks)
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can diced tomatoes with onion and green pepper, undrained
- 1 cup tomato juice
- 1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
- 2/3 cup long grain rice
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced

Directions
- In a large resealable plastic bag combine flour, 1 teaspoon of the chili powder, the salt, and pepper
- Add chicken pieces, half at a time
- Seal bag; shake to coat
- In a very large skillet brown chicken on all sides in hot oil over medium heat about 10 mintues, turning occasionally
- Remove chicken from skillet and set aside; discard drippings
- Add beans, tomatoes, tomato juice, corn, uncooked rice, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, the cayenne pepper, and garlic to the skillet
- Bring to boiling
- Transfer rice mixture to a baking dish
- Arrange chicken pieces on top of rice mixture
- Bake, covered, in a 375 F oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and rice is tender

I did a couple of things differently. I didn't put the chicken in a bag or use boned chicken. I used what we had; which was boneless breast tenderloins. I think it worked just fine coating them by hand in a bowl. I used a can of corn (drained) and a little more than 2/3 cup rice, since the box was almost empty, I just poured the rest in and added an extra 1/2 cup tomato juice (low sodium V8). Overall, I thought it was very good. Although I could've used more tomato juice as the rice sucked up more than I thought!

(Recipe used: Better Homes & Gardens)

Fruity cake

Pineapple Upside-down Cake

Made: February 1, 2013

Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter or margarine
- 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 9 slices pineapple in juice, drained
- 9 maraschino cherries without stems
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup shortening
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 egg

Directions
- Heat oven to 350 F
- In 9-inch square pan, melt butter in oven
- Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over melted butter
- Arrange pineapple slices over brown sugar
- Place cherry in center of each pineapple slice
- In medium bowl, beat remaining ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly
- Beat on high speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally
- Pour batter over pineapple and cherries
- Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean
- Immediately place heatproof serving plate upside down over pan; turn plate and pan over
- Leave pan over cake a few minutes so brown sugar mixture can drizzle over cake; remove pan
- Serve cake warm
- Store loosely covered

It's a little darker than I expected, but my pan only fit 6 pineapple slices instead of 9, but the taste is really good! Even though the batter tasted odd before I baked it.

(Recipe used: Pillsbury)

Tuna with chips

Mom's Tuna Casserole

Made: January 26, 2013

Ingredients
- 2 cans (12oz each) tuna, drained & flaked
- 3 cups diced celery
- 3 cups crushed potato chips (divided)
- 6 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
- 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
- 1 can condensed cream of celery soup, undiluted
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
- 1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions
- Combine tuna, celery, 2 1/2 cups potato chips, eggs, soups, mayonnaise, tarragon and pepper in slow cooker
- Mix together well
- Cover and cook on low 5-8 hours
- Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup potato chips before serving

I did just a couple differences, I used 2 cans of cream of celery soup and only used 4 eggs since it was beginning to be more egg than tuna. Overall, it had a good taste and was different (but good) with the egg added in

(Recipe used: Crock-Pot: 365 Year-Round Recipes)

Winner winner ...

Slow Cooker Chicken Dinner

Made: January 21, 2012

Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 package stuffing mix
- 1 2/3 cups water

Directions
- Place chicken in slow cooker
- Combine soup and milk in small bowl, mix well
- Pour soup mixture over chicken
- Combine stuffing mix and water
- Spoon stuffing over chicken
- Cover, cook on Low for 6-8 hours

The only difference I made was using dark meat (I had legs and thighs and took the meat off the bones) instead of using white meat. I also paired this meal with boiled carrots.

(Recipe used: Crock-Pot: 365 Year-Round Recipes)

Pizza Puffs

Cheese-Crusted Pizza Pot Pies

Made: January 19, 2013

Ingredients
- 1 package (12oz) pork sausage or 3/4 pound ground beef
- 2/3 cup chopped onion
- 2/3 cup finely chopped carrots
- 1/2 cup chipped fren bell pepper
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 1/4 cups marinara sauce
- 2/3 cup sliced pepperoni
- 1/3 cup chopped pimiento-stuffed green olives
- 1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend
- 1 cup Pillsbury refrigerated thin pizza crust
- 8 slices Mozzarella cheese

Directions
- Heat oven to 450 F
- In a skillet, cook sausage, onion, carrots, bell pepper, and garlic over medium heat, until meat is no longer pink, drain
- Stir in marinara sauce, pepperoni and olives
- Simmer for 3-5 minutes or until thickened
- Remove from heat
- Stir in cheese blend
- Spray bottoms, sides and rims of 4 individual baking dishes (10oz ramekins) with cooking spray
- Spoon meat mixture into dishes
- Place on baking pan
- Unroll dough on large cutting board
- Cut in half lengthwise, then cut in half crosswise
- Place 1 dough piece over meat mixture in each dish, overlapping rims
- Top ech pot pie wiht 2 slices cheese, overlapping slightly
- Bake 16-20 minutes or until crust is brown

I did things a little differently. I opted against the carrots and chose for black olives instead. I also used shredded Mozzarella cheese to top the dough and used a Mexican blend. I also mixed meat; we had some leftover celery sausage so I used that and ground beef making enough meat for 6 servings and even some for a mini-flatbread pizza.

(Recipe used: Pillsbury Annual Recipes 2013)

Mushroomy beef

Easy Beef Stroganoff

Made: January 18, 2013

Ingredients
- 3 cans condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 package dry onion soup mix
- 2 pounds beef strew meat, cut into 1in pieces

Directions
- Combine soup, sour cream, water and soup mix in slow cooker
- Add beef
- Stir until well combined/covered
- Cover
- Cook on low 6 for hours or high 3 for hours

I didn't add extra mushrooms to this; I think it's what really turns me off from eating this dish personally. But even with 3 hours on low, it cooked quicky and had a nice taste to it. I did cut down the recipe a smidge, I didn't need 6-8 servings. So I used 2 cans of soup (1 mushroom, 1 celery), 1/2 cup sour cream and 1/4 cup water with only 1 pound of meat.

(Recipe used: Crock-pot: 365 year-round recipes)

Quesadilla Mishap

Chicken Veggie Quesadillas

Made: January 16, 2013

Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 2 cups chopped cooked chicken
- 1 package frozen corn, thawed and drained
- 6 green onions, sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
- 8 flour tortillas (8in)
- 1/4 cup salsa
- 1/4 cup sour cream

Directions
- Heat the canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat
- Saute the bell pepper in the hot oil, stirring continually until tender, about 3 minutes
- Combine the bell pepper, tomato, chicken, corn and green onion in a large bowl
- Add in the salt & pepper and mix well
- Mix the Jack cheese and the Cheddar cheese in a small bowl
- Wipe out the skillet you used for the bell pepper with a paper towel, then heat
- Place a tortilla in the pan and spread on a quarter of the chicken mixture
- Sprinkle with a quarter of the cheese mixture
- Top with another tortilla
- Cook for 2 minutes
- Turn over and cook for 2 more minutes or until browned
- Set aside and repeat with the rest of the tortillas
- Cut each one into 4 wedges
- Serve with the salsa and sour cream

I had quite a bit of an issue with trying to turn the quesadilla over in the skillet.

So after this fiasco, I put them in the oven. I set the oven to 375 F and prepared them like normal. I let them bake (without flipping) for 15 minutes. Much better!

(Recipe used: Cooking my way)

Tomato Stir Fry

Beef Broccoli Stir-Fry

Made: January 14, 2013

Ingredients
- Vegetable cooking spray
- 3  cups broccoli florets
- 1 boneless beef sirloin steak
- 1  can Campbell's Condensed Tomato Soup
- 1/4 cup water
- 2  packages oriental flavor ramen noodle soup

Directions
- Spray a 10-inch skillet with the cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat for 1 minute
- Add the broccoli and stir-fry until tender-crisp
- Remove the broccoli from the skillet
- Remove the skillet from the heat
- Spray the skillet with the cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat for 1 minute
- Add the beef and stir-fry until well browned
- Stir in the soup, water and 1 ramen seasoning packet (reserve the remaining seasoning packet for another use) and heat to a boil
- Return the broccoli to the skillet and cook until the mixture is hot and bubbling
- Cook the noodle soup according to the package directions without the seasoning packet
- Drain the noodles well in a colander
- Serve the beef mixture over the noodles

I cut the serving down since I only needed two servings instead of 4. I used a small top sirloin and whatever leftover frozen broccoli I had left as well as only 1 package of ramen noodles. Overall, it was a different take on a stir-fry and a quick dinner.

(Recipe used: recipe.com)

Twist on Tacos

Crispy Beef and Bean Tacos (Beef & Beans mixture)

Made: January 12, 2013

For Crispy shells
Ingredients
- 8 6in corn tortillas
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions
- Position the oven rack in the center of the oven
- Preheat the oven to 375 F
- Wrap tortillas in damp paper towels
- Microwave on high about 40 seconds until warm and softened
- Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with oil, sprinkle with salt
- Slide oven rack out slightly
- Carefully drape each tortilla over two bard of oven rack, forming shells with flat bottoms
- Bake about 7 minutes until crispy
- Using tongs, transfer warm shells to a plate (or allow to cool completely on oven rack)
(These can be made a day in advance)

Ingredients
Beef & Bean filling
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 cup water

Toppings (examples given from the book)
- 1 medium tomato, diced and seeded
- 1/2 cup chopped red onion
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1'2 cup shredded romaine lettuce
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Ingredients
- In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, cook beef for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally and breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon until no longer pink
- Add beans and garlic
- Cook and stir for 2 minutes
- Add chili powder, oregano, salt, cayenne pepper and the water
- Cook and stir for 2 minutes until heated through
- To serve, divide the filling among the shells
- Serve toppings in separate bowls to top the meat

Cripsy Beef and Bean Tacos (finished tacos)

I'm a soft shell person, so I had soft shells for mine. I topped mine with sour cream, shredded lettuce, shredded Cheddar/American cheese mix and cherry tomatoes diced. Overall, this is a lighter version of a taco seasoning that you would get from the packets. It wasn't as powerful or overwhelming with the seasoning you'd be used to, but I did like the change in taste,

(Recipe used: Better Homes and Gardens - Annual Recipes 2012)