taco casserole

I love Mexican food. I love finding new recipes to try out that includes Mexican food :)

Ingredients:

~ 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef

~ 1 can (14.5 oz) can of diced tomatoes with green chiles, drained

~ 1 can (10.75) condensed cream of onion soup

~ 1 envelope taco seasoning envelope

~ 1/2 cup water

~ 6 corn tortilla strips, cut into 1/2 inch strips

~ 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

~ Cook beef until brown. Drain.

~ Mix beef, tomatoes, soup, and taco seasoning in slow cooker.

~ Stir in tortilla strips

~ Cover and cook on low for 8 hours

~ Sprinkle cheese over casserole

Verdict:

~ The onion soup really made a strong, yet yummy taste to this casserole. It wasnt overbearing, just added a nice touch to the meal. Def. will add to the rotation.

Menu:

~ taco casserole

~ salad

Pizza Chicken

Found this on the Betty Crocker website....had a good sounding name..so went for it :)

Ingredients:

~ 1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken

~ 1/2 teaspoon salt

~ 1/4 teaspoon pepper

~ 1 small onion, sliced

~ 2 medium bell pepper sliced (I omitted, I dont like the taste of cooked peppers)

~ 2 cups tomato pasta sauce

~ 1 package (16 oz.) rotini pasta

~ 1 cup shredded mozerella cheese

Directions:

~ Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Place into the slow cooker. Top with onion and the bell pepper. Add the pasta sauce.

~ I cooked mine on low for 8 hours

~ Cook and drain pasta. Place pasta on a platter. Place chicken and sauce. Sprinkle cheese.

Verdict:

~ Delicious taste...the cheese was a nice touch as it melted.

Menu:

~ Pizza chicken

~ Green beans

~ salad

A - 1 and Dijon steak

I was looking on my blogs and thought I'd give steak a try in the slow cooker. Hadn't tried it before and the meal sounded super easy.

Ingredients:

~ 4-6 steaks

~ 2 T A 1 sauce

~ 2 T dijon mustard

~ 1/4 cup white wine

Directions:

~ Combine the A1 sauce and mustard in a small mixing bowl

~ Paint the sauce mixture on all sides of the meat

~ Place the meat in the slow cooker

~ cover with white wine

~ Cook for 6-8 hours (I cooked mine for 8 since my steaks were still frozen)

Verdict:

~ Delicous! The steaks didnt dry out while cooking in the slow cooker. The dijon and the A1 sauce come together to make a nice coating for the steaks. Really good!

Menu:

~ A1 and dijon steaks

~ baked potatoes

~ green beans

~ corn

~ salad

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken

I was on the hunt this week for a BBQ chicken meal. My last experience with BBQ sauce in the slow cooker was less than stelllar (in my opinion). So this one sounded like it might be better, since no BBQ sauce was actually used. I love bbq sandwiches so thought I'd give this one a try.

Ingredients:

~ Boneless chicken breast

~ 1 cup ketchup

~ 2 tablespoons mustard

~ 2 teaspoons lemon juice

~ 1/4 teaspoons garlic powder

~ 1/2 cup maple syrup

~ 2 tablespoons worchcestshire sauce

~ 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

~ 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

~ a few dashes of hot pepper sauce

Directions:

~ In a bowl mix all ingredients, except for the chicken.

~ Place chicken on the bottom of the slow cooker.

~ Place the mixture on top of the chicken.

~ Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. (I cooked mine for 8 since the chicken was frozen)

Verdict:

~ Very delicious. I might have added a bit more of each ingredient. The sauce had a nice BBQ-y taste without it being a bbq sauce. The chicken was nice dry and the maple syrup brought a nice sweet taste.

Menu:

~ slow cooker bbq chicken sandwiches

~ french fries

~ suddenly salad pasta salad

~ brocoli

~ corn

I'm not really cooking this week

Just wanted to write that you wont see any new posts about new cooking ideas this week. We spent the weekend in Orlando and by the time we came home, I was in NO mood to grocery shop. So I ran into Publix and found just some quick meal things.
So...here are some product shout outs:
Tuesday~ we had the Viola Garlic Shrimp and Garlic Chicken pasta meals. love the fact that they already have the veggies, some protein, and pasta included. Quick and easy...no more than 10 minutes. Also cut up a salad.
Wednesday~ Hormel Italian style beef, rice, brocoli, corn, and salad. Again, nice and easy...plus tasty.
Thursday~ Going out to Big Sky Pizza
I had some other meals planned, but didnt feel like walking around looking for stuff. hahahaha! hopefully this weekend I'll be in a shopping mood. LOL!

Lemon Chicken

I do not have any pictures of this meal. Not for sure why though. But had to share. This was our meal on Mother's Day. I wasnt in the mood to go out (and boy was I glad that I wasn't).

Ingredients:
~ 2 tablespoons lemon zest
~ 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
~ 2 garlic cloves crushed
~ 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
~ 1 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, minced
~ 1 teaspoon salt
~ 1 teaspoon black pepper
~ 2-4 lbs. bones in drumsticks and thighs (chicken)
~ 2-3 tablespoons melted butter

Directions:
~ Combine lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, freh thyme, rosemary salt and pepper in a ziploc plastic bag. Seal the bag well and shake to blend. Add the chicken pieces to the bag to marinate. Refridgerate for at least 2 hours.
~ Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Remove the chickens from the marinade and transfer to a baking dish. Reserve the marinade. Brush each piece of chicken with the melted butter.
~ Bake for 50-55 minutes until the skins are crispy and well browned. Halfway through cooking pour on the reserved marinade.

Verdict:
~ one of the best and new favorite chicken meals. fresh and citrusy taste, not overbearing though.

menu:
~ lemon chicken
~ alfredo pasta
~ salad

easy cheesy tortelini bake

Another one of my favorite pastas (tortelini) and a new way to cook...had to give it a try

Ingredients:
~ 2 9 oz. packages of cheese tortelini
~ 1 24 oz. marinara sauce
~ 1 15 oz. alfredo sauce
~ 1 10 oz. box of frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and drained
~ 1 tablespoon dried italian seasoning
~ 1 8 oz. package shredded mozzerella cheese
~ 1/4 cup grated parm. cheese

Directions:
~ Boil pasta and cook according to package directions, drain.
~ Adjust oven rack to the highest position and set to broil.
~ Generously butter or grease baking dish
~ Bring marinara sauce and alfredo sauce, plus spinach and 1 tablespoon italian dried seasoning to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in cooked tortellini and then pour into baking dish.
~ Sprinkle the top with mozzerella and parm cheese
~ Broil for a minute or two until the cheese is melted.

Verdict:
~ The cheeses and the sauces were blended well together to make an enjoyable taste. It wasn't too cheesey though. I've never had alfredo and marinara sauces blended together like that, but really enjoyed it.

Menu:
~ Tortellini bake
~ salmon (for Tom)
~ breaded italian chicken (for brandon and i)
~ green beans
~ salad

"fried" chicken

I love chicken and am not "chicken" to try a new recipe!

Ingredients:
~ 18 drumsticks
~ 1/4 cup butter
~ 1/4 cup flour
~ 2 t seasonsed salt
~ 1 T italian dressing
~ 1 t onion powder
~ 1 t paprika
~ 1/2 t black pepper

Directions:
~ Combine all the spices and flour into a freezer bag. Dredge each piece of chicken well with the spices/flour and place into the slow cooker.
~ When all the chicken is in the slow cooker, cover chicken with the butter.
~ Cook on low for 8.5 hours

I guess I should come clean, I probably added more of each dry ingredient to my chicken. I did the freezer bag method three times (6 drumsticks per bag). I love my salt :)

Verdict:
~ Def. going to make this one again. All of the spices came together to make a nice taste. The chicken had a nice crunchy texture to it, esp. the ones on the sides and bottom of the slow cooker.

Menu:
~ "fried" chicken
~ mashed potato and gravy
~ green beans
~ corn

Mongolian Beef

I must have been in a spicy mood when preparing my menu for the past two week's meals. I came acrosss this one on one of my favorite blogs. I crossed my fingers hoping it would work out!

Ingredients:

~ 1 1/2 lbs. flank steak

~ 3 cloves of garlic, minced

~ 4 sliced green onions (1 is to garnish if you wish)

~ 1 t dried minced onion

~ 1/2 cup soy sauce

~ 1/4 cup white wine

~ 1/4 cup cooking Sherry

~ 1/2 T white wine vinegar

~ 1 t sesame oil

~ 1 t molasses

~ 1 t ginger

~ 1/4 t black pepper

~ 1 t red chili pepper flakes

~ 1/2 T peanut butter

~ 3 T brown sugar

~ 1/4 cup cornstarch (to dredge meat)

Directions:
~ Slice your meat into thin strips and toss in a ziplock bag of cornstarch

~ add all of the liquids and dry spices to the slow cooker and then add peanut butter and mix well.

~ Add garlic and three of the green onions.

~ Add meat to the slow cooker and toss well with the sauce

~ Cover and cook on high for four hours

Verdict:

~ Another delicious meal. The smell inside the apartment when we got home from work was very aromic. The meat was tender and the taste...out of this world. So glad that i gave it a try!

Menu:

~ mongolian beef

~ brocoli

~ rice

~noodles

~ salad

Korean Ribs

Another week another rib meal :)

Ingredients:

~ package of ribs

~ 1 cup soy sauce

~ 1 cup brown sugar

~ 5 whole jalepenos

~ 1/2 cup water

Directions:

~ Place ribs in the slow cooker

~ Top ribs with soy sauce, brown sugar, water, and jalepenos.

~ Cook on low for nine hours

Verdict:

~ Delicious! these are one of my favorite ribs now. the spice came out, but not overbearing. meat was very tender as well.

Menu:

~ Korean ribs

~ edaname

~ white rice

~ noodles

~ salad

Kicked up Mac n Cheese

I love Mac n Cheese, but was soo excited to find this variation on line.

Ingredients:

~ 1 1/2 cups rotelle pasta

~ 4 tablespoons butter, divided

~ 1/4 cup all purpose flour

~ 3 cups milk

~ 1 teaspoon dry mustard

~ 3/4 teaspoon salt

~ 1/2 teaspoon pepper

~ 3 teaspoons hot pepper sauce.

~ 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese

~ 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

~ 1/2 cup grated parm. cheese

~ 1/3 cup dried bread crumbs

~ 2 teaspoons chili powder

Directions:

~ Preheat oven to 375 degrees

~ Boil pasta until it is al dente

~ In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. A little at a time, whisk in milk, mustard, salt, pepper, and hot pepper sauce. Bring to a gentle boil stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute and then remove from heat. Whisk in the pepper jack, sharp cheddar, and parm. cheese until smooth. Stir in cooked pasta and pour into a shallow 2 quart baking dish.

~ Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in bread crumbs and chili powder. Sprinkle over macaroni mixture.

~ Bake for 30 minutes.

Verdict:

~ Wow! This is a great version of comfort food. It wasn't too spicy at all, but you could taste the kick in it. Brandon ate a little and didnt find it hot...so that's good :)

Menu:

~ kicked up mac n cheese

~ shrimp (for the boys)

~ bourbon chicken (for me)

~ salad

Cinco de Mayo

I was looking for something different to serve the famiy for Cinco de Mayo..something other than like tacos or burritos. This one fit the bill...and was willing to try it out!

Ingredients:

~ 1 pkg. of chicken breasts

~ black beans (1 cup was in the recipe, but I used two of the bags seen in the picture)

~ 1 1/2 cup chunky salsa

~ 1 cup frozen corn

Directions:

~ Put chicken in the slow cooker.

~ Cover the chicken with black beans, salsa, and corn.

~ Cook on low for 6-9 hours (I cooked mine for 7.5 hours)

Verdict:

~ Very nice taste. It was not spicy at all but had a nice kick to it. Also the chicken did not have that heavy feel to it while you were eating.

Menu:

~ salsa chicken

~ tortillas and cheese to make the chicken into tacos

~ salad

~ nachos and cheese

Orange Muffins

While reading through some of my blogs that I enjoy reading, I came across this one and thought it would be a nice muffin to have around the house to eat for breakfast or just for a treat.

Ingredients:

For the muffins

~ 1 cup milk

~ 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

~ 1/2 cup sour cream

~ 2 large eggs

~ 2 sticks, unsalted butter, melted

~ 3 1/2 cup all purpose flour

~ 1 cup sugar

~ 1 1/2 tbsp. baking powder

~ 1/2 tsp. salt

~ Zest of 1 oragnge

For the glaze

~ 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

~ 1 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

~ 1-2 tsp. of orange zest

Directions:

~ Preheat over to 350 Degrees. Line 16 wells of a muffin pan with paper liners. In a medium mixing bowl, combine milk, orange juice, sour cream, melted butter, and eggs. Whisk together to blend. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Stir to blend. Combine the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until incorporated. Fold in the orange zest with a spatula.

~ Divide the batter evenly into the muffin pans. Bake for about 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes and then transfer to a baking sheet.

~ To make the glaze, combine the orange juice, confectioners sugar, and orange zest in a small mixing bowl. Whisk together until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the muffins while the muffins are still warm.

Verdict:

~ a very clean citrus taste. a nice treat to have for breakfast.

Strawberry Shortcake cookies

I found this recipe and wanted to try a dessert to have just sitting around the house for us to munch on. I usually just get chocolate chip cookies, but these sounded too good to pass up!

Ingredients:

~ About 2 cups strawberries, hulled and diced in to 1/4 inch pieces

~ 1-2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

~ 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

~ 2 cups all purpose flour

~ 2 teaspoons baking powder

~ 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

~ 6 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter cut into small pieces

~ 2/3 cup heavy cream

~ coarse sugar for sprinkling

Directions:

~ Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

~ Combine strawberries, lemon juice, and 2 tablepoons of granulated sugar in a medium bowl . Set aside.

~ Whisk together the flour, remaining sugar, baking powder, and kosher salt in a large bowl. Using a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour mixture until coarse crumbs are formed. You can also use your fingers. Stir in the heavy cream until the dough starts to come together, then gently fold in the strawberries.

~ Using a 1 1/2 inch cookie scoop, drop dough onto cookie sheets, evenly spaced apart. Sprinkle with coarse suger. Bake for 22-27 minutes or until cookies are golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

~ These cookies are best if eatten the same day.

Verdict:

~ These cookies were delicious! The sweet taste was not too sweet, but just enough to help a sweet craving out. I'll def. make these again!

Maple Dijon Chicken

Needed a chicken meal for the week...so I was like this one sounds good. Hahahah! I was really tired in the morning and forgot to get a pic of the ingredients..and as you can tell from the pics served it 2 different ways..but we both ate it..(mine is teh top and tom's is the bottom)

Ingredients:

~ 1 lb. chicken

~ 1 cup chicken broth

~ 2 potatoes peeled and chopped

~ 1 onion, chopped

~ 2 T dijon mustard

~ 3 T maple syrup

~ 3 cloves garlic, chopped

~ 2 bay leaves

~ 1 tsp. thyme

Directions:

~ Place chicken in the crock pot

~ Toss it with the dijon mustard, syrup, and thyme

~ Place the onions, potatoes, and garlic on top of the chicken

~ Pour in the chicken broth

~ Add the bay leaves

~ Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours (I cooked mine on low for 7 hours)

Verdict:

~ Very good and moist. The potatoes were tender and the onions had a crunchy taste. I had to cook brandon some noodles and I decided I wanted some too. The potatoes were good, but chopped mine smaller to add some different texture to my noodles. Very easy to throw together...esp. when you are tired in the morning!

Menu:

~ Maple dijon mustard

~ Noodles

~ Brocoli

~ Corn

~Salad

Jalepeno Pot Roast

This again was one of those receipes that sounded different and not something that I would usually cook. I added to our menu one week and was hoping it was going to be as good as my taste buds wanted it to be.

Ingredients~

~ 3 lbs. chuck roast

~ 1 can of cream of mushroom soup

~ sliced jalepeno peppers (use as many as you want, depending on the heat factor you want them to produce)

~ can of black beans

~ 1 yellow onion sliced into rings

~ 1-2 cups of sour cream (to add to the end)

Directions~

~ Place all ingredients into the crock pot. It doesnt matter which order you do this in.

~ Cook for 8-10 hours (I did mine for 9 hours since my chuck roast was still frozen)

~ After cooking, remove the meat with tongs and stir the sour cream into the crock pot.

~ Serve as you wish

I decided to serve mine as soft tacos. I bought tortillas, cheese, and salsa to go along with the meal.

Verdict~

The meat was delicious. It wasnt too spicy you could def. taste the kick in it. Serving it taco style was also a good way to mix in tacos to my menu that week.

Menu:

~ Jalepeno Pot Roast (taco style)

~ Mexican Rice

~ Salad

Orange Chipotle Ribs

This was another receipe I found while on my rib receipe hunt. Sounded like some good, yet different flavors.

Ingredients:
~ 3 lbs. beef or pork ribs
~ 1/2 cup ketchup
~ 1/4 cup orange marmelade
~ 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
~ 2 T soy sauce
~ 2 T brown sugar
~ 2 t chipotle chilli powder
~ 1/4 t cumin
~ 1/4 t ground ginger
~ 4 cloves smashed and chopped garlic

Directions:
~ In a mixing bowl, mix together everything except for the ribs
~ Put the ribs into the crock pot
~ Pour the sauce over the top
~ Cook on high for 5-6 hours or low for 8-9 hours (I cooked mine for 8.5)

Verdict:
~ The ribs had a nice flavor and were tender. The orange flavor was not overbearing, especially for the ribs near the top of the crock pot ( had to layer mine to fit in). There was quite a bit of sauce on the bottom of the crock pot that I used to to cover the ribs once plated. I might add more orange marmalade next time to make that flavor more pronounced. But they were still a delight to eat!

Menu:
~ Orange Chipotle Ribs
~ Kraft suddenly simple pasta salad

Barbeque Chicken and Cornbread Casserole

I was reading through blogs and I found this receipe. Sounded interesting so I thought that I'd give it a try.

Ingredients:

~ 1 lb. cooked (or practically cooked) chicken; cubed or shredded

~ 1 potato

~ 1 red onion, diced

~ 1 cup frozen corn

~ 1 bottle of your favorite bbq sauce (18 oz.)

~ 1/4 cup hot water

~ 1 cornbread mix (DO NOT ADD the oil or the butter)

Directions:

~ Spray the inside of the crock pot

~ Cut up the chicken, potato, and red onion and add to the crock pot

~ Add the corn

~ Empty out the bbq sauce bottle into the crock pot

~ Place the 1/4 cup of hot water to the inside of hte bbq bottle, shake well and pour the rset of the contents into the crock pot.

~ Mix all ingredients together

~ In a seperate bowl, mix together the cornbread topping (remember do not add the oil or butter)

~ Spread the topping onto the chicken mixture

~Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours (I did mine for 7 hours)

Verdict:

~ Now this one is hard to explain. Was it great...kind of. Was it not what I was hoping it would taste like...yes! was it good or bad..I dont know! hahah! I told you it was hard to explain! I think for me the cornbread was dry or it was too much of a bbq taste..beats me. I did eat it all, but not for sure if I would ever cook again!

Menu:

~ bbq chicken and cornbread casserole

~ green beans

~ corn

~ salad

Spinach and Cheese noodles

I was looking for a pasta meal for the slow cooker. Something that all I'd have to do is come home and cook the protein portion of the meal and cut up the salad. This sounded like it was going to be an intresting blend...so gave it a shot.

Ingredients:

~ 2 T butter

~ 1/3 cup flour

~ 2 1/2 cups milk

~ 1/2 t pepper

~ 1 t kosher salt

~ 3 T dijon mustard

~ 15 oz. riccotta cheese

~ 1/4 cup parmesean cheese

~ 10 pkg. frozen, chopped spinach

~ 16 oz. package, uncooked noodles

Directions:

~ In a bowl, I mixed all of the ingredients together except for the parmesean cheese and the noodles.

~ Spray the inside of the crock pot (really well~ dont forget all of the sides) with cooking spray and add in the noodles.

~ Cover the noodles with the mixture that was made.

~ Cover the noodles and the mixture with the 1/4 cup of parm. cheese

~ Cook on high for 5-7 hours (i did mine for six)

Verdict:

~ I will admit that the pictures makes this meal look totally disgusting, but guess what? It wasn't. This has to be one of the best pasta meals that I have ever eatten.

Menu:

~ Spinach and cheese noodles

~ Hormel Italian Beef

~ Salad

Honey Ribs

I was looking around for a rib receipe...something that was different than your basic BBQ sauce..and was hoping that this one would fit the bill.

Ingredients:
~ 1 (10.5 oz) beef broth
~ 3 tablespoons honey mustard
~ 1/4 cup honey
~ 1/2 cup water
~ 1/4 maple syrup
~ 1/4 cup soy sauce
~ 1/4 cup honey BBQ sauce
~ 3 lbs. baby back ribs

Directions:
~ In a bowl, mix all ingredients, except the ribs.
~ Place the ribs into the slow cooker.
~ Cover the ribs with the mixture.
~ Cook on high for five hours.

Verdict:
~ these ribs were delicious!!! We kept on going back for seconds. The sweetness was a nice change from the ribs that are purely BBQ sauce.

Menu:
~ Honey Ribs
~ Kraft Suddenly Salad~ Pasta Salad

Butter Beef

Another week...another search for a beef meal. This one sounded super easy...just what I was looking for midweek during a busy week!

ingredients:

~ 3 lbs. cubed beef stew meat

~ 1/2 cup butter

~ 1 (1 oz) envelope dry onion soup mix

directions:

~ Place beef and butter into slow cooker. Sprinkle the onion soup mix over. Cover and cook for low on 8 hours or high for 4-5 hours. Stir once or twice.

menu:

~ butter beef

~ mashed potatoes

~ corn

~ green beans

~ salad

verdict:

~ this was much more flavorful than i had imagined it was going to be. the meat melted in our mouths. everyone ate their platefuls of this beef. great!

Dump and Go cheesey chicken

I LOVE cheese...and chicken. Perfect combo, right? hahah! And the prep is as easy as the title sounds. Gotta love that!

Ingredients:

~ 6 boneless chicken breasts

~ 2 (11 oz.) condensed cream of cheddar cheese soup

~ 1/2 cup milk

~ salt and pepper to taste

~ 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

~ Spray slow cooker with cooking spray. Place chicken breats in slow cooker. In a mixing bowl, mix together soup and milk. Pour mixture over chicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste and garlic powder.

~ Cook on high for six hours.

Verdict:

~ the chicken was enjoyed by all. brandon even ate all of his left over for lunch at school. the cheese flavor was not overbearing, but enough to make it an enjoyable taste.

Menu:

~ cheesey chicken

~ noodles

~ green beans

~ salad

~ corn

Hoisin Chicken Wings

Another appetizer that I served at bunco..and again no pics...but they were pretty looking..LOL!

Ingredients:
~ 2-3 lbs. frozen chicken wings
~ 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
~ 1/4 cup honey
~ 4-5 garlic cloves
~ 1 inch of ginger, peeled and grated
~ 1 T sesame oil

Directions:
~ Dump the chicken into the crock pot. Add the hoisin sauce, honey, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. Stir well to mix flavors.

Verdict:
These were great! The meat was super tender! I'd never had chicken wings in this flavor...but boy...I'll be having these again!

Pizza Fondue

Last week I co hosted bunco night with a group of gals from work! As cohosts we were in charge of feeding the group while we mingled. I of course googled around to find something that was easy to cook, sounded a tad bit different and yummy, and something I'd want to eat as well. I came across this receipe and knew i could cook it when I got back from work/tutoring.
Unfortunately, I was in such a hurry to get it started cooking and then at the end to get out of the door, I have no pictures! But it seemed to be a hit at bunco night.

Ingredients:
~ 1 cup pasta sauce
~ 1/2 tsp.italian seasoning
~ 1o pieces pepperoni, sliced
~ 1 cup shredded cheese (I used mozzerella, cheddar, and swiss)

Directions:
~ I should mention I did not use a big crock pot, but rather the little dipper
~ Put in the pasta sauce
~ Count out 10 slices of pepperoni and slice them.
~ Add the italian seasoning
~ Add the cheese
~ Cook for 45 minutes
~ Stir well

Menu:
~ pizza fondue
~ sliced french bread

Verdict:
~ easy, delicious...great for parties!

Italian Beef for Sandwiches

Just was searching around for a beef receipe to add to the weekly dinner and found this one. All the different spices sounded great...so I gave it a shot!

Ingredients:

~ 3 cups water

~ 1 teaspoon salt

~ 1 teaspoon grounded black pepper

~ 1 teaspoon dry oregano

~ 1 teaspoon dried basil

~ 1 teaspoon onion salt

~ 1 teaspoon dried parsley

~ 1 teaspoon garlic powder

~ 1 bay leaf

~ 1 (.7 oz) package dry italian style dressing package

~ 5 lbs. rump roast

Directions:

~ Combine all ingredients, except rump roast, in a sauce pan. Stir well and bring to a boil

~ Place rump roast in the crock pot and pour seasoning mixture over meat.

~ Cook on low for 10 hours.

~ Take out the bay leaf. Shred meat with a fork.

Verdict:

WOW!!! These were some of the best beef sandwiches I have ever had. All of those seasonings came together for a really unique taste. Def. recomend this dish! After I took the picture, I added shredded mozzerella cheese to the top of my sandwich...even added more to this dish!

Complete menu:

~ Italian beef sandwich

~ Hoagies

~ mozzerella cheese

~ mac and cheese

~ corn

~ green beans

Carnitas

I have been trying to find some mexican meals to cook in the slow cooker and came across this one. All the ingredients sounded good...so thought I'd give this one a shot.

Ingredients

~ 2 lbs pork shoulder

~ 1 large orange, squeezed

~ 1 large lime, squeezed

~ 7 garlic cloves (whole intact)

~ 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt

~ 1 tablespoon cumin

~ 1/2 cup beef broth

~ tortillas

~ toppings for the carnitas when you are assembling them (I used cheese and salsa. Other options include sour cream and avacado)

Directions

~ In a bowl, mix the kosher salt and cumin. Rub the spices on the pork shoulder. Place pork shoulder in the crock pot.

~ Squeeze the citrus juices on the pork shoulder. Pour the beef broth evenly over the pork.

~ Cook on low for 8-10 hours (I cooked mine for about 8.5 hours).

~ Shred meat and serve over tortillas with the toppings of your choice.

Verdict

~ let met tell you, when Brandon and I walked in the house, the smell of the apartment was serioulsy the best i had ever smelled during my cooking experiments..hahah! I was ready to eat as soon as I walked in the door. The citrus and the smokiness come together to make a delicious taste. Brandon and I kept on eating the meat! YUMMY!!

Menu

~ Carnitas

~ Mexican Rice

~ Salad

Margarita Chicken

While reading the blogs, I always look for some receipes that are different. Something that I cannot find the frozen food section of Publix already made. This one was interesting sounding and I thought I'd give it a shot. The best part, i was home all day while this was cooking since we had no school. The aroma in the house was making Brandon and I hungry. LOL!

Ingredients:

~ 4-5 boneless chicken breasts

~ 1/4 cup dijon mustard

~ 1/4 cup honey

~ 1 T soy sauce

~ 2 minced garlic cloves

~ 3 T margarita mix

Directions:

~ Mix your sauce ingredients in a mixing bowl

~ Plop the frozen chicken in the bottom of the crock pot

~ Cover with the sauce

~ Cook on low for 7-9 hours or on high for 4-5 hours (I cooked mine for eight hours)

Verdict:

~ The taste was as good as the smell in my house! All of the ingredients that are mixed together for the sauce come together to make a delcious taste! Definately worth making again!

Menu:

~ Margarita Chicken

~ Herb and Butter rotini pasta with vegetables (Knorr pasta kit)

~ salad

Taking a vacation...

It's Spring Break time..so it means the kitchen is closed! I'll be back with new food ideas in April! Hope you enjoy the meals that are posted though! Have a nice spring season with your family :)

Asian Shredded Beef

I love Asian inspired meals...the combination of ingredients really sparked my interest while searching for new meals!

Ingredients:

~ 4 lbs. boneless beef or pork roast

~ 1/2 cup soy sauce

~ 1/2 cup hoisin sauce

~ 6 tablespoons ketchup

~ 6 tablespoons honey

~ 2 teaspoons Chinese 5 spice powder (I added a bit more..when I was adding seemed more was needed)

~ 2 teaspoons garlic powder (same comment as above)

Directions:

~ Place the meat into the slow cooker

~ Sprinkle the dried spices directly onto the meat

~ Top with ketchup and honey

~ Pour on the soy sauce and hoisin sauce.

~ Cover and cook for 8-9 hours on low or until the meat begins to shred.

~ You may need to take the beef/pork out after eight hours and cut into cubes. Turn the slow cooker onto high and cook for another hour to get it to shred nicely.

Verdict:

Wow! The flavors were so strong...but in a good way! I was not home and was not able to cut my beef into teh cubes to get it to shred better. as you can tell from my pictures i just had to cut mine into slices, which you coud still get all of the flavors. I am not for sure if i have ever had the five spices before..but it was a really good taste.

Complete menu

~ Asian shredded beef

~ White rice (Brandon and I had it with this)

~Noodles (for Tom)

~ Brocoli

~ salad