Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Tonight we had a new family favorite for dinner thanks to my co-worker Katie (same Katie as Katie bread) and my sister.   This meal cooks all day in the crockpot, and it is 3 (yes, 3) ingredients (other than the bun).

Are you ready for this recipe? 

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Ingredients:
Pork Roast (or Ham Roast or Pork Tenderloin...I have used all of them)
1 can of soda (I use an all natural creamy root beer; I have heard Coke or cola works well too)
1 bottle of liquid smoke (I use an all natural hickory)

Directions:
Place the pork roast in the crockpot. Pour the soda and the liquid smoke over it. Cook all day on low.  Shred the meat.  Place on a bun with a little barbecue sauce if desired. 

Enjoy!

Reba

Cream Cheese Chicken Taquitos

I am back.

It has been a long time.

I am not sure my fingers even know how to type anymore (well, other than lesson plans and other school related stuff).

But here I am.

I tried another new recipe this week (which is rare these days since I am often running on fumes...I tend to resort to tried and true), and it was a hit. A HUGE hit.

I have a feeling this will be another tried and true for the future.

And best of all, it cooks in the crockpot until the very end. 

Cream Cheese Chicken Taquitos
Ingredients:
2-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp chili powder (I omit due to food issues)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin (I doubled to make up for the lack of chili powder :)
salt and pepper to taste
8 oz cream cheese
1/3 cup water (I upped to 1/2 since I used more chicken)
Tortillas (I use flour)
Mexican cheese (I used a whole package of shredded Mexican cheese)
Other toppings (optional):  salsa, sour cream, avocado/guacamole, extra cheese, etc.

Directions:
Put the chicken, spices, cream cheese, and water in the crockpot.

Cook at low for 8 hours or high for 4.

Toward the end of the cooking of the meat (which smells amazing, I might add), shred the chicken with two forks.

Pre-heat to 450.

Scoop about 1/4 a cup of chicken mixture onto a tortilla. Top with a couple tablespoons of shredded cheese. Roll tightly up and place on a greased (I may have forgotten to grease...oops) cookie sheet.  I was able to get 14 with four chicken breasts.

Bake for 10 minutes.

Enjoy!

I have already been asked by one child when I am making this again!

Reba

French Dip on Homemade Sub Rolls

The other day I really wanted to make French Dip. And that is fairly easy.  But the hard part for us is finding the rolls for sandwiches that don't contain a lot of things we avoid (like preservatives).

So I did a quick search via Internet and found this recipe.  It had great reviews.  And it didn't look too hard.

So one night, after a long day of school and parent/teacher conferences, I threw them together.

A little while later I had this most amazing scent coming from my kitchen.

Homemade rolls.

When I took them out of the oven, I just had to have a little nibble.

Yum.

My teenager wandered in, ready to sample.  Or devour.  Whichever I would allow.

The next night we ate our French dips on these rolls.

And they were still delicious.

Here is the recipe for the rolls...
Ingredients:
2 packages (or 5 tsp) active yeast (I use instant)

3 cups warm water (divided...1/2 cup and 2 1/2 cups)

2 Tbsp sugar divided (1 and 1)

1/4 cup vegetable or olive oil (I used olive because I LOVE olive :)

1 Tbsp salt

5-9 cups all purpose flour (I think I used close to 8 but I lost track)

sesame seeds (optional)

Directions:
 Dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup water.  Add 1 Tbsp sugar.  Let it sit for about five minutes.  It should kind of "foam" up.

After a few minutes, add the remaining water and sugar.  Add in the oil and begin adding flour (about 4 cups).  Add in the salt.

Knead to make a soft dough, adding flour as needed until it is "not sticky", about 6-8 minutes.  Do NOT over-knead.

Form into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl (again, I used olive oil).

Cover and let rise, about 45 minutes.

Punch down the dough and divide the dough into small pieces.  The original recipe called for 18 pieces; I decided 16 was easier so my buns were just a bit bigger.  Shape the pieces into an oval.  I need to work on my shaping skills but thankfully that doesn't affect taste. :)  Place on a greased baking dish, about 2 inches apart.

Use scissors to cut a small slash across the top of the buns.

Cover and let rise for about 20 minutes.

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Add sesame seeds if desired.

Bake for 12-18 minutes, until golden brown.

Enjoy!

They were my favorite "sub" roll that I have made so far.  The original recipe is A LOT so if you don't want that many, I would just halve the recipe. I ended up freezing our leftovers for future meals.

Onto the French dip.

I had a recipe I liked for French dip but with changes in diet around here, I had to re-think some recipes. That was one.  Thankfully one day a good friend of mine posted this recipe.   Perfect!  All things I could use or improvise.

So, here is my version based on her version. :)

French dip
Ingredients:
1 lb thin cut sirloin steak  (I actually use a bigger sirloin though I have never weighed it)
14 oz beef broth (though I add a whole container since I am using a bigger sirloin)
1 packet onion soup mix...this is where I have to improvise.  I make my own using the following recipe instead of using a packaged mix:
  8 teaspoons dried onion flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper 

Directions:
Combine soup mix and beef broth and pour over the sirloin in the crockpot.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Shred meat with a fork.

I had provolone cheese on hand for those who wanted cheese.

We then ate it on our buns (which we toasted slightly in the oven).

And of course, we used the "au jus" from the crockpot for the dipping part.

Yum.

Easy and yum.

Enjoy!

Reba

Crockpot Corn on the Cob

I will give a disclaimer:  This is nothing fancy at all.  I don't know if I would even call it a "recipe". But I wanted to share because apparently it is good stuff.

Another disclaimer:  I do not eat cooked corn. I like corn in corn dip but beyond that, I just don't. I try it periodically because it looks good to me. But it doesn't taste good (to me).  However, the people in my family who DO eat corn have loved it this way.  Thus, I am sharing.

Ingredients:
Corn on the cob, husk removed and corn washed (I break mine in half to make it easier to eat, per hubby's request)

Melted butter (2-3 Tbsp)

Salt and pepper (I use sea salt and freshly ground peppercorns)

Directions:
After cleaning the corn, rub with melted butter.

Salt and pepper the corn cob.

Wrap in aluminum foil.

Place in a crockpot (no water added) on low for about 4 hours.

Enjoy!

Like I said, simple but apparently really tasty!

Reba

Crockpot Italian Chicken and Potatoes

Someone recently mentioned on FB how much they loved chicken and potatoes in the crockpot. Of course, we asked, "With what?" She said she just used olive oil and dry Italian dressing mix...

Um, that easy?

Well, today I thought I had jury duty.  I DID have jury duty. But the trial was canceled.  I had already planned this meal with the idea that my husband could just add it all to the crockpot and turn it on around noon.  As it turned out, I was the one who did it since I was home after all.

It took me all of about five minutes to throw this together and turn that crockpot on.

And I even made my own Italian dressing.

And it was good.

Simple but good.

We will be eating this often, I think, throughout the school year when I can come home from lunch and get it started then come home later to dinner cooked. Woohoo!

I am sure you could use just a bottle of Italian dressing but I made mine homemade; it takes very little time and is VERY good.  Plus then I control what goes in it.  Oh, when I made it, I doubled the dressing ingredients because I was afraid it would be too dry.  Next time I will stick with one bottle...it was more than enough.  So this is the recipe using ONE bottle worth...

Ingredients:  
Chicken breasts (skinless, boneless...I just put frozen ones in the crockpot)
Small red potatoes, washed and quartered (I can't tell you how many, I just did it until the crockpot was fairly full)
Italian dressing (Mix together 4 oz. olive oil, 1 1/2 oz vinegar, freshly ground black peppercorns, 1/8 tsp basil, 1/4 tsp oregano, 1/4 tsp dry mustard, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp garlic salt)

Directions:
Place chicken breasts and potatoes in the crockpot.  Pour the dressing mix over the top.  Cook on low for 6+ hours.

Enjoy. :)

Reba

Crockpot Beef Tips in Gravy

On our last day of our January Grocery Challenge, I was running out of ideas on what to make.  I knew I had some stew meat in the freezer, so that seemed like a starting point. I had pinned a few beef tips recipes, so I quickly perused them to see what would work.  The recipe I found was just what I needed. It used ingredients I had (mostly...will get to that in a minute).  And though the recipe I found was actually for the oven, I decided I would attempt it in the crockpot.  I am glad I did.  It was delicious.  The gravy was just right, and the meat was tender. 

I will definitely make it again.  Grocery Challenge or not.

Ingredients:
2 lbs beef tenderloin tips (or in my case stew meat)

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 packet brown gravy mix (I actually did not have one and didn't have time to get one but I found a WONDERFUL substitute using ingredients I had at home...I will be making a large batch of it for future use)

1 packet Lipton dry onion mix (I used the onion with mushroom)

1 4 oz mushrooms (I omitted this one since I used the onion with mushrooms soup)

1 cup water

Directions:
Place the meat in the crockpot.  Mix all of the other ingredients and pour over the meat.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours.  (Mine was MORE than ready after about 6)

Yes, that is all you do.

We ate ours over rice (mainly because I didn't have time to make mashed potatoes).

Yum!

Reba

Parmesan Honey Pork Roast

I am always looking for a good pork recipe.  Pork mixes things up for us.  Though I like chicken and beef, sometimes you just need something different. 

My favorite pork recipe is fall pork tenderloin.

Mmmm...been craving that lately.

But one of our kids is on an elimination diet for the time being. And that includes 2 of the 3 ingredients in the fall pork tenderloin.

So that will have to wait.

When I saw this recipe on Pinterest, I was intrigued.

A new pork recipe.

And it sounded yummy...

Plus, I love crockpot recipes.

So I gave it a go.

And it was good.

My only regret is that there was just a little left over.  And we ate a lot of good meals that week.  The leftovers went to waste. :(

But other than that, it was good. :)

Ingredients:
1 pork tenderloin, boneless (2-3 pounds)

2/3 cup grated Parmesan (only freshly grated for me...I am picky like that)

1/2 cup honey

3 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp dried basil

2 Tbsp minced garlic

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

2 Tbsp cornstarch (unless you are me and you just kind of add until you think it is enough...)

1/4 cup cold water

Directions:
Place roast in a slow cooker.  (I used a crockpot liner but if not, you probably want to spray with cooking spray first.)

Mix together the Parmesan, honey, soy, basil, garlic, olive oil, and salt.   Pour over the roast.

Cook on low for 6-7 hours.  The meat temperature should read 160; however, I go by the way it looks on the inside and usually have a little taste test. :)

Once the meat is cooked, remove the pork from the crockpot and keep warm in a separate dish.  Skim the fat off the remaining juices, then move the liquid to a saucepan.  Bring the liquid to a boil.  Mix the cornstarch and cold water until smooth.  Slowly add the cornstarch mixture to the boiling liquid.  Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes.  Serve the liquid over the roast.

I actually went a little overboard on the cornstarch, so mine was really thick. 

But it was delicious.

I will be making it again.

I served it with fried hashbrown potatoes, blackeye peas, and rolls (I think...it has been a week or so).
Happy cooking!

Reba

Roast Beef in Gravy

I have other recipes to post, but I want to post this one right now while the taste is fresh on the tip of my tongue.

Yum.

My friend Julie had posted this recipe on her FB. I also found it on Pinterest and had even pinned it. But it was Julie's recommendation that motivated me to put it on the menu.

Yum.

And easy.

I put this in my crockpot right before lunch and by dinner, the house smelled good (which was nice since earlier today I burned a Pop-Tart in the microwave due to a number malfunction). And my stomach was growling.

Then, just as if that wasn't torture enough, Hubby was a little later than usual getting home.

At that point, I was ready to just pop the lid off the crockpot and chow down.

Yet, like a good wife/mom, I waited.

And it was worth it.

Thanks for sharing, Julie!  We WILL be having this again!

Ingredients:
Roast (I used an arm roast which we got with our "half a cow")...about 3-4 pounds.  3 pounds was just the right size for us...there is just a smidgen left thanks to a really hungry teenager)

1 envelope Ranch dressing mix (the powder, not made)

1 envelope brown gravy mix

1 envelope Italian dressing mix

1/2 cup warm water

Directions:
I really think you can just mix the mixes and the water together and pour it over the thawed roast in the crockpot.

I also read you could sprinkle the mixes on the meat then add the water.

I did it that way.

I really don't think it matters.  

However you do it, cook on low for 6-8 hours.  You could probably cook on high for 3-4. I don't know...I haven't tried it on high.

But I do know with the low, around 6 was just right.

And it was good stuff.

We ate it with potatoes, rolls, and carrots and Ranch.

BIG hit.

And easy to boot.

We will be having this again.

Enjoy!

Reba

Butter Beef

Yes, another Pinterest recipe.  Or at least I saw the picture on Pinterest then followed the link to the recipe.

It looked yummy.  It uses fairly inexpensive ingredients.  And it is a crockpot meal.

I knew I had to try it.

So last week, mid-morning, I put my ingredients in the crockpot.

I left the house for a while.

When I came back, I could smell it cooking.  It smelled good.

My stomach was growling.

And then I had to wait a few more hours to actually eat it.

I really liked it.  My oldest child did too. The two younger kids ate it okay.  And hubby liked it but I don't think he loved it.

That is okay.

I will make it again.

The one difference is that I may try it with mashed potatoes or rice next time.  My husband is not a big egg noodle fan.

Other than that, I will likely make it the same way.

I did change the recipe a little from the original after reading some comments/suggestions.

But even adding a couple of things, it was a very simple recipe.

Ingredients:
2-3 lbs stew meat (cubed...I just buy it that way...it is fairly inexpensive)
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1 stick of butter (I HIGHLY recommend using unsalted because this is a fairly salty food)
1 jar sliced mushrooms (totally optional...I just like mushrooms)
about 1/2 cup red cooking wine

Directions:
Place the beef and stick of butter in the crockpot.

Sprinkle the onion soup mix on top of the beef. 

Add the mushrooms and red cooking wine.

 Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4-5. 

Stir occasionally.

I did add a little cornstarch at the end just to thicken up the gravy a bit.

I really liked it.  It is obviously not the healthiest meal (stick of butter) but I have made others that were even worse (healthy wise...not flavor wise).  I will definitely be using this recipe during the school year when I need a meal ready for me at the end of a crazy day!

Enjoy!

Reba

Crockpot Chicken Parmesan

I have mentioned a few times that food photography is not my thing.

So again, I apologize for the photos.

They weren't staged in anyway (obviously). I was just trying to get food on the table so we could eat. My phone camera was handy, so I just snapped a quick pic or two and then sat down to eat.

I saw this recipe on Pinterest and have been wanting to try it.

I want to preface this by saying it isn't a true chicken parmesan, or at least what you would get at a restaurant.

It is a crockpot recipe after all.

But it was good food. The chicken was tender, and with the sauce and cheese...well, it was just good food.

I will be making it again.

Ingredients:
Chicken breasts (I used 6 due to family size, but I did have to stack in the crockpot)

salt and pepper (to taste, about 1/4 tsp)

1/4-1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (I used freshly shredded because that is what I like)

1 egg, beaten

1 jar spaghetti sauce (the original recipe used marinara)

1/2-1 cup Italian breadcrumbs (I used Panko because that is what I had...the Italian version. Oh, and the variation in measurement is related to how much chicken you are using)

1 tbsp olive oil

Mozzarella cheese (amount depends on how cheese you want it)- I actually used provolone. I have found that it melts better than mozzarella and I had some on hand I needed to use up :)

Directions:
Spread the olive oil on the bottom of the crockpot (or for me, the crockpot liner).

Beat egg with a fork or a whisk in a bowl.

In another bowl, mix salt, pepper, bread crumbs, and Parmesan.

Dip chicken in the beaten egg, then in the bread crumb mixture. Place chicken in the crockpot.

Cover the chicken with the cheese (Mozzarella or Provolone in my case :).

Pour spaghetti sauce (or marinara sauce) over the chicken.

Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high.

I did top with a little more shredded Parmesan, just because you can never have too much Parmesan...

We ate it over angel hair pasta and with garlic bread. We would have had a salad if my salad stuff hadn't gone bad...

Good stuff.

Reba

Asian Pork with Mushrooms

I saw this recipe on Pinterest (of course) and have been itching to try it. We have really expanded our tastes in recent years. When we first got married, adventure might be trying a different type of Hamburger Helper. These days, we eat sushi, Thai, Chinese, etc. I also am using a lot more fresh herbs, fresh cheeses, etc.

Anyway, Friday I ran home for lunch. (Okay, drove, not ran) I had enough time to prepare this and still eat a quick lunch.

As soon as I got home from school on Friday afternoon and stepped out of my car, I could SMELL this. Even in our garage. And it smelled WONDERFUL.

For the next couple of hours, my stomach growled as the aroma continued to drift through our house.

I posted on Facebook that I hoped dinner tasted as good as it smelled because I would be quite disappointed otherwise.

Thankfully it was.

I followed most of the recipe, making a couple changes mainly based upon what kinds of ingredients I had on hand.

Ingredients:
2 lb pork center loin roast

salt and pepper (I just used freshly ground sea salt and peppercorn)

Non-stick spray

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar (I was out of balsamic so I used red wine vinegar)

3 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp Chinese five spice (found in the "ethnic foods" section by the Chinese food)

3 cloves garlic (it was supposed to be crushed, but I minced it)

1 tbsp fresh grated ginger root (I had trouble grating it so I minced it)

8 oz sliced mushrooms (I used Baby Bella)

Chopped cilantro

Directions:
Salt and pepper the pork.

Spray a skillet and brown the pork on medium high heat for about 7-8 minutes.

In the crockpot, add the broth, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, Chinese five spice, garlic, and ginger.

Put the pork in the crockpot, cover, and cook on low for about 8 hours.

At about the 7:30 mark, remove the pork from the crockpot to rest. Add mushrooms to the sauce and continue to cook on low for the remaining 30 minutes.

Shred the pork with two forks then return to the crockpot.

Add cilantro if desired. (I LOVE cilantro)

Serve over rice or noodles.

We ate it over egg noodles.

The pork was very low calorie. The noodles not so much. :)

All of it was good though.

All of it.

Yum.

Enjoy!

Reba

Pot Roast Pizzaiola

Did I mention I am not a professional photographer? I probably don't need to mention it...

Anywho, once again, I was browsing on Pinterest and saw a picture that caught my eye (and my stomach); obviously these people DO know how to take good food pictures. And I just knew I had to try it.

When I read through the recipe, it sounded very similar to a family recipe we have called "Pizza Steak". That was one of my favorite foods growing up, though I haven't had made it much as an adult for various reasons.

I will say that this recipe, other than the lack of cheese that Pizza Steak has, was equally as good and worked for us.

It is easy.

Simple.

And good.

I had a thumbs up from all at the table I believe. And at least two went back for more.

That is a success in my book.

Are you ready for this lengthy list of ingredients?

Ingredients:
1 yellow onion, chopped (I knew my family would pick them out so I chopped big pieces just for flavor)

4 or 5 pound chuck roast (Mine was 3.6 lbs. Any bigger would NOT have fit in my crockpot. And my crockpot is not really small...)

1 jar of spaghetti sauce (I used Prego, a Chunky version with onion, garlic, and tomatoes I think)

Directions:
Layer in a crockpot: onions, chuck roast, spaghetti sauce.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high 3-5 hours.

I served it with Schwan's Baby Roasted Bakers (lightly seasoned potatoes) and rolls.

I would have made a salad too but we were limited on time.

I made this meal, the family enjoyed it, and I found myself wondering, "Why did this never cross my mind before?"

Simple and easy.

And good.

My favorite combination.

Happy cooking!
Reba

Creamy White Chili

I have to admit, I am really self-conscious about food photos now after someone wrote something hurtful about one of my pictures that showed up on Pinterest. (The food was good but it really wasn't a good picture of it) I am just not a professional food photographer. I really am not. My kitchen doesn't have the greatest lighting for taking food photos. And honestly I don't have the time to try to stage it better. So I guess I either can go no pictures or just poorly taken pics.

Like this one.

This pic does NOT do this meal justice.

Last year my mom kept talking about this white chili recipe.

I was even going to make it once but then never did.

Then we went to my parents' house for the Super Bowl, and my mom made this creamy white chili she had talked about.

I calculated the calories and quickly figured out that with all of the other food there, I could only have a very small serving. More like a fourth of a serving.

And it was delicious.

Better than I ever imagined.

I may or may not have licked the bowl afterward.

By the way, the whole "chili" thing in the name really threw me because that is what I had in mind (chili beans), but honestly this is more like a creamy chicken soup with a little pizzazz.

Nothing like chili.

Anyway, tonight I decided I would make it and enjoy every bite. I had eaten very light all day, saving up the calories.

And I did. Enjoy every bite that is.

I had to use a lot of self-control not to finish up the little bit that was left.

I WILL be making this again.

Soon.

Oh, and my family was skeptical when I told them the name (the whole "chili" thing I think) but they enjoyed it too.

So this is the recipe my mom gave to me. I am not totally positive where she got it. :)

Oh, don't let the list of ingredients intimidate you. It really isn't as complex as it looks. More like "a little of this, a little of that..."

Ingredients:
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (as usual, I used tenderloins, and mine was just cut into small pieces. No "cubes" for me :)

1 medium onion chopped (I never know what a "medium onion" is...I used a white onion and cut it in half then chopped that half. That was plenty for us)

1 1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tbsp canola oil (I just used my blend I always use)

2 cans great northern beans, rinsed and drained

2 cans chopped green chilies (I only used one...these are the little 4 oz cans)

1 can chicken broth (I do use the 99% fat free)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cumin (except I was out of cumin...it is now on my Grocery IQ app to get)

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 cup sour cream (we used light)

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions:
In a large saucepan, saute the chicken, garlic powder, and chopped onion in the canola oil until the chicken is no longer pink.

Add the beans, broth, chilies, and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and simmer on the stove, uncovered for 30 minutes.

If you would rather make this with a crockpot, put the ingredients in the crockpot on high for an hour, then reduce heat to low for several hours. I am guessing you would go ahead and saute first. I didn't make this one in the crockpot this time, so I am not totally sure.

Remove from heat. Add sour cream and heavy whipping cream.

Stir.

Enjoy.

We just ate ours with French baguette on the side.

I really can't explain it but it has this taste.

I really think it is the heavy whipping cream that I like.

Maybe I should go finish off the leftovers...

Reba

Hopping John

I really thought I had shared this recipe which just shows what a blur December was. :) Because today when I searched for it, it was not there. Oops.

So here is the recipe for Hopping John.

We eat this on New Year's if we are with my parents. You know, supposedly eating black-eye peas on January 1 is good luck. Now I don't really believe in luck, but I never turn down a reason to eat sausage, ham, rice, and beans. :)

If you are a Southerner, you have probably eaten this. If you aren't, you may think it sounds crazy.

But it really is good. I promise.

Even my picky picky eaters will eat this.

In fact, tonight the pickiest ate 5 bowls.

And one of my children who gags at anything the color green will eat this up in a heartbeat, celery and all. In fact, he wanted this for his birthday meal. So that is what we had.

You can either cook this on the stove or in a crock pot. If you know me at all, you know which way I went.

Ingredients:
1 cup celery, sliced (I just sliced a couple stalks)

2/3 cup onions, chopped (I used a yellow)

1/8 tsp garlic powder

1 tbsp vegetable oil or bacon drippings

2 (10 3/4 oz) cans chicken broth

1 (16 oz) bag frozen black eye peas or 15 oz can black eye peas (I used the can...I have had trouble getting frozen to cook thoroughly)

1/2 lb ham, cut into cubes (I totally cheated on this...bought a package of already cubed ham :)

4 oz smoked sausage, sliced (I just used the Lil Smokies/cocktail wienies and slice them in half)

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

1 bay leaf

3 cups cooked long-grain enriched white rice

Directions:
Saute' celery and onion in vegetable oil or bacon drippings until tender.

For the stovetop:
Add remaining ingredients except rice. Bring to a boil. Cover. Reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes or until the peas are tender.

Remove and discard bay leaf.

Add rice and heat through.

For the crockpot:
After sauteing the celery and onions, add all ingredients except for the rice to the crockpot.

I think I cooked it about five hours. I started off on high then switched to low.

I am trying to remember exactly.

Anyway, when the beans are cooked thoroughly, remove the bay leaf and add the rice about 30 minutes before serving.

Oh, and I made a double batch since we were having family over for our son's birthday. I think a regular batch would easily feed about 6. :)

Reba

French Dip

I am not a big sandwich eater...especially if I go out for dinner. I mean, I can make sandwiches at home. But the one weakness I have is a good French Dip. But it is rare for me to get one. So when I saw a recipe for French Dip via Pinterest, I knew I had to work it into my menu.

Yesterday, I literally had about five minutes to get dinner going in the crockpot.

I am happy to say that it probably didn't even take five minutes.

Quick.

My favorite kind!

Ingredients:
3 1/2 lbs beef chuck roast (I only used about 2 1/2, that was the biggest I found)

16 oz. beef broth

1 can French Onion soup

6 oz red cooking wine

1 tsp garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

4-6 French rolls (I couldn't find these, so I used hoagie type bread)

Provolone cheese

Directions:
Trim excess fat off roast. Okay, I totally skipped that part. I didn't see much. And I was in a hurry.

Season with salt and pepper.

Place in crockpot.

Pour French Onion soup, red cooking wine, and beef broth over the meat. Add garlic powder.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

When the meat is cooked and tender, take it out and let it rest for 15 minutes.

Slice. For me, it was more like shredding.

Put back in the juices for about 30 minutes.

Take meat out. Pour juices into ramekins or custard cups.

Toast bread in the oven, a slice of Provolone on each one.

Add meat and enjoy.

It was good stuff. Reminded me of something my mom used to make.

Too bad the Man of the House wasn't here to give his opinion. In fact, the oldest child wasn't here either.

More for me. :)

I will definitely be making it again!

Reba

Tomato Tortellini Soup

This is a Pinterest recipe. When I saw the picture (not MY picture but the picture on Pinterest the original poster took), I knew I wanted to try this. Here is the original link. As usual, I used the recipe as a guide though I changed a few things to fit our family.

Oh, ironically at one time I would have turned my nose up at the word "tomato". I still cannot sit down and eat a tomato. Or even tomato chunks. And I still eat spaghetti plain...no tomato sauce. But I use tomato sauce/paste in cooking. And in this recipe, the tomato soup is just one ingredient...it doesn't give it a strong tomato flavor, just a little taste...

Ingredients:
1 package (9 oz) refrigerated cheese tortellini (I went for the big package which was 20 oz) to give a little more for my family. However, next time I think I would stick with the smaller package, just for cost's sake.

2 cans tomato soup (the original recipe calls for reduced sodium...I just used regular tomato soup)

2 cups vegetable broth (I could only find one kind of vegetable broth at our grocery store, and it was organic and really expensive...so I went with beef broth)

2 cups milk (recipe specifies 2 percent, we only use 1 percent)

2 cups half and half (I would have used fat free but I think I accidentally grabbed the regular)

1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (I did NOT add these...my family would have balked)

1 tsp onion powder (or for us, minced onion)

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp basil

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (and more later to top off soup if wanted)

We also added 1 pound ground beef (browned) to add a little more to the soup and make it go further...

Directions:
Cook tortellini according to package directions (which basically involves boiling in water).

Meanwhile, add all of the other ingredients but the cheese to a Dutch oven. Okay, I do NOT have a Dutch oven. Maybe I need to ask for one for Christmas. I used my crockpot instead. My only regret is that I wish I had had more time to let it heat before we ate. It was nice and warm but not steaming hot like I would have preferred. That is my fault, not the recipe's. Anyway, drain the tortellini when tender and add to the soup. Add in cheese. Heat through.

I did add extra Parmesan on top. It just looked pretty. And of course I love Parmesan.

I served this with Grilled Cheese Rolls (also Pinterest).

It was good.

Only one child completely balked.

I will make this again.

Reba

Slow Cooker Jambalaya

Not long ago, our oldest son said he really wanted some jambalaya. I have never made that so I am not sure where the request came from. However, if you knew this son and his eating habits, that request would have surprised you. Even a year again, he likely wouldn't have touched rice, shrimp, or tomatoes. Jambalaya (our version) has all three!

Not long after the request was made, a slow cooker jambalaya recipe appeared on Pinterest. I was intrigued; the picture of it made it look delicious.

So knowing it was going to be quite a bit cooler today, I planned to make it. I ran home at lunch, threw the ingredients in the slow cooker, and came home several hours later to a most wonderful smell. Jambalaya.

Here is the link to the original recipe. I stuck fairly close to it since this was my first time to make it, though I had to alter a couple things due to lack of supplies...

Ingredients:
1 lb chicken breasts cut into 1 inch cubes. When I say chicken breasts, I always mean skinless and boneless unless I specify otherwise. Oh, and I really haven't figured out how to cute it into cubes. I just use scissors and cut it into small chunks. :)
1 lb smoked turkey sausage, sliced
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes with juice (don't drain). Confession: I didn't check to see if I had enough diced tomatoes. I didn't. Luckily I had a can of mild Rotel which is mostly tomatoes. I used it too.
2 tbsp dried minced onion flakes
1 cup chicken broth (Note: I really used closer to 2 since that was the container it was in; I hated to waste any.)
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried parsley
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp Cajun seasoning
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme

Optional: shrimp. I really wanted shrimp in mine. However, I accidentally grabbed a bag of the frozen COOKED shrimp when I meant to get the frozen RAW shrimp. The cooked shrimp worked okay but I would have preferred the raw to let it "cook" in the seasonings.

white rice or instant rice (I used white long grain enriched; I believe I made 6 servings)
Note: The directions on the original call say to add celery which was not in the ingredients list, so I have no idea how much. However, my family would shun them anyway, so I did not add any.

Directions:
In a slow cooker (and of course, I used a liner), mix the chicken, sausage, tomatoes with juice, onion, garlic, and broth. Season with oregano, parsley, Cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, and thyme.

Cover and cook 7-8 hours on low or 3-4 hours on High.

If you are adding shrimp, add it about 30 minutes before eating. Shrimp cooks quickly.

Mix in cooked rice for about 15 minutes to warm through.

Enjoy! (We had cornbread muffins with it)

Ranch House Crock Pot Pork Chops

As you know, my latest "interest" is Pinterest. I have been trying to make at least one recipe from my Pinterest boards each week. As soon as I saw the picture and recipe, I knew it was next on my list.

This recipe actually has both a pork chop recipe and a mashed potato recipe, but I am going to separate them out to make it easier for me later when I am trying to find one or the other.

The recipe actually came from this site which apparently got it from this site. Not sure who came up with it originally, but whoever did, thank you. It is a very simple crockpot recipe yet oh, so good!

Ingredients:
6 pork chops (I just used loins)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 envelope DRY Ranch dressing mix (I used Hidden Valley)

Directions:
Place the pork chops in the crockpot. Of course, I am use my handy dandy liners for easy clean up later.

Pour the cream of chicken soup and Ranch dressing over the pork chops. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4. I did the low for 6.

Eat over mashed potatoes or rice...I imagine it would be good with either one.

Very simple, very tasty.

My favorite combination!

I will share the potato recipe soon...they were amazing!

Happy cooking,
Reba

Crockpot Chicken Dip

(Don't let the picture/visual mislead you...it was good stuff)

A friend of mine (Brandi) posted a recipe on Facebook not long ago. It just sounded so very good to me. I decided it would be a perfect Friday night dinner...light and yummy. Plus it is a crockpot recipe so it got bonus points before I even made it.

Here is her recipe. I made a couple of changes, just because I have a picky family.

Ingredients:
package frozen corn (my family would have balked...I used a can of kidney beans instead)
3 frozen chicken breasts
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 jar of salsa (I used my homemade salsa)
1 box of cream cheese (I use the light)

Directions:
1. In a crockpot, layer the frozen corn, 3 frozen chicken breasts, can of black beans, and jar of salsa. Of course, I used my favorite crockpot liners.
2. Cook on high for 4 hours. I had to cook mine for about six due to timing with my lunch break, so I set it to low. By the time I got home, my chicken was cooked.
3. Remove chicken and shred. Return to crockpot. I didn't actually do a whole lot of shredding...I probably should have. But it worked out okay.
4. Add box of cream cheese. Stir. I did this about 20 minutes before we ate.

Brandi had recommended serving individual bowls and throwing some chips on the table. I did just that. I put out some Fritos and baked Tostitos. Then we ate it like a dip.

Yum.

It was exactly what I wanted tonight. Like a snack but a little more. Good flavor. The chicken was just so tender. Even my picky kids ate it (though one wouldn't touch a bean).

I think it would be delicious in a tortilla or over rice too.

One kiddo has already asked when we can have it again.

It won't be tomorrow. There were hardly any leftovers!

Happy cooking.
Reba

Sidenote: Today (Nov. 11, 2011) I made this for dinner. I didn't have kidney beans or frozen corn (which they won't eat anyway) so I used a can of blackeye peas for the first layer (then black beans later). Delicious. They all ate it. My oldest didn't even realize it had blackeye peas in it!

Chicken Marsala

I have always loved the taste of Marsala sauce on different meals at restaurants. So when I saw a recipe for Chicken Marsala, I knew I wanted to try it. Even better, it is a crockpot recipe...my favorite kind. This recipe is not going to be just like chicken marsala at a restaurant but it is chicken cooked with marsala wine (cooking wine), so the title fits. Oh, I don't remember where I found this recipe...probably online?

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken breasts, cubed (Instead of cubing breasts, I used about 12 or 13 frozen chicken tenderloins instead...much easier)
• 1 stick butter (I just use the light Blue Bonnet spread instead)
• 8 ounces cream cheese (I used no fat which works but it doesn't "melt" as well as the regular)
• 2/3 cup Marsala wine (I just use cooking wine from the grocery store)
• 2 cans cream of mushroom soup (I use the low fat)
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 tsp oregano
• 1/4 tsp basil
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• salt and pepper

Directions:
Place chicken, butter, and spices/herbs in the slow cooker.

Mix cream cheese, wine, and mushroom soup. Pour over chicken.

Cover.

Cook 4-5 hours on high.

I served mine with rice, bread, and carrots/snap peas and Ranch.

The house smells good now, and I didn't get any complaints from my peanut gallery. In fact, a couple of the kids raved about it.

I love crockpot recipes.

Enjoy!

More recipes coming...
Reba