Heavenly Crock Pot Chicken

Yum, and not low calorie....you should definitely excercise portion control on this one....(if you can!!)

4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
2 Tbl Sp Butter
1 Can of Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 8oz of Cream Cheese
1 .7oz of "Good Seasons" Italian Dressing Mix
1/2 Cup Dry White Wine (I like the flavor of Sherry)

Melt the butter, cream cheese, cream of mushroom soup in a sauce pan. Blend in the Italian Dressing packet and the wine, mix well. Put the chicken breast in the bottom of the crock pot, and pour the mixture over it.
Set on low for 4-6 hours. The chicken will be practically falling apart. This is so good over egg noodles, or rice!

Spinach and Cheese Lasagna

I have a couple different versions of Lasagna, but as long as you know the basic way to layer it up the possibilities are endless.
This is my meatless version:
Refer back to the recipe for Sunday Gravy (or you could use a jar of sauce dare I say!!)
1 Ball of Mozzarella (you could use whole milk or part skim, but not fresh) If you could find a block of Provolone definitely use that too (or the pre-shredded Italian Blend)
1 Container Ricotta 14oz
1 egg
Salt &Pepper
Parsley
Fresh Basil (optional)
Small Clove Crushed Garlic
Olive Oil (to drizzle over the top)
1 Pkg Frozen Spinach (you need to defrost and squeeze all of the water out)

Boil your noodles according to package directions. Drain, and add a little olive oil, shake them around so they don't stick.
Mix the  Spinach, Ricotta, half of the shredded cheese (you want some to sprinkle in each layer and to finish off the top), salt & pepper, crushed garlic, a little parsley, and the egg.
Put a little sauce down in the bottom of your pan. Put a layer of noodles down overlapping each other. Sparingly put your mixture down on the noodles, and use your fingers to spread it out. Then sprinkle cheese on top. Put a little sauce on top of that, and then more noodles, mixture and so on....It makes about two layers, and the last layer (featured in above picture) is sauce, shredded cheese, some fresh basil, parsley, a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, and a drizzle of olive oil.
Cover with foil, and put in a preheated 350 degree oven until all is melted and gooey (pictured below).

The first slice is always the hardest to remove from the pan....but does it really matter? Slice across with a spatula, and use a wide spoon to scoop out....

Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Here is a yummy version of Chicken Tortilla Soup, but made in the crock pot. For those of you that work all day long, you can come home to a savory soup, with minimal prep.
1/2 Chopped Yellow Onion (chopped very small)
1 Crushed Garlic Clove
1 Can Pinto Beans (14oz)
1 Can Black Beans (14oz)
1 Can Whole Kernel Corn
1 Can Tomato Sauce (8oz)
1 Can Diced Tomato Mexican Style (14oz)
1 Packet Taco Seasoning
1 Can Chicken Broth
2 to 3 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast (I used breast tenders)
Put all cans and taco seasoning in and stir. Then put the chicken in, make sure that it is covered with liqiud and put the lid on, and set the crock pot to low. Cook for 7 hours. If the chicken is not already falling apart, shred with two forks. If you cook longer than 7 hours, it is really not going to make a difference, as long as there is enough liquid. You could always add a little water, or beer along with the broth.
Garnish with what you like......I like crushed Tortilla Chips, Avocado, Sour Cream, and Cheddar Cheese.
If you like it spicey, add some jalapeno's or your favorite hot sauce.
Enjoy :o)

Mexican Pizza

This pizza works best with a pre-made crust. I like the Freschetta brand, but Boboli works too...
Take a 1/2 to 1 Pound of Ground Beef, mix it with a half roll (or full roll) El Mexicano Pork Chorizo
Brown it in a pan with a little salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin.

Heat a can of refried beans in a separate pan.
Spread the beans on the crust, and then  put the meat mixture on top of the beans. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and put in a pre-heated 425 oven.

Once the cheese is melted, pull it out of the oven. Now we can put the rest of the ingredients...
Shredded Cabbage
Sliced Black Olives
Chopped Tomato (or Salsa)
Crunched up Tortilla Chips
Sour Cream (I mix a little taco seasoning in)
Cilantro
Jalapeno
Chopped Avocado
Of course you could add or omit what ever ingredients you like :o)

                                                           The Finished Product

Quick and Easy Meatball Soup

This one is so quick and easy (and delicious)....
2 Cans of Beef Broth
2 Cans of Italian Style Chopped Tomato
1 Small Package of Frozen Mixed Vegetables
1 Package Alphabet Pasta (you can find in the hispanic section)
Meatballs (refer back to my recipe in previous post)
Make the meatballs, and brown them in the same pot you will cook the soup....once they are browned, pour in the two cans of broth, and the two cans of tomatos. Use one of the empty cans of tomatos to add some water, just one can should be enough. At this point you can add a little bit of Italian Seasoning, and pepper...(I wouldn't add salt, as the broth is pretty salty)
Bring to a boil, and then add the vegetables. Bring it back to a boil and then add the pasta....
Once the pasta is cooked, the soup is done. Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese when serving it up in bowls, and serve with garlic bread.

Sunday Gravy is not just for Sunday's....

I love making a big pot of sauce, and I always do it a little bit different every time. So I say, take what I give you for the basics.....and make it your own!
Meatballs:
1 Pound Ground Beef (or half ground pork or veal, half ground beef)
1 Egg
Parmesan Cheese
One Clove Garlic (crushed)
Parsley (fresh or dried is fine)
onion powder
salt and pepper
bread crumbs
and a little water or milk just to moisten the bread crumbs
Now you will notice, I do not have measurement.....you can figure it out, a pinch here, a shake there. It's meatballs, it's not pharmacuetical science!!
I make my balls, and brown them in the pot that I am going to cook the sauce.

Once they are browned, you can drain some of the fat.....I personally keep it for flavor, and then skim some off of the top while it is cooking. That is up to you.
Some times I throw in some hot Italian sausage links to cook in the sauce. It makes the sauce take on a great flavor with the pork fat :o) This is not healthy cooking, this is full flavor cooking, so it is all about portion  control!
For the sauce: (I use canned tomato's....I do not sit with the family and core, and crush, and strain thousands of tomato, canned still gives you good flavor!!)
2 28oz Cans of Crushed Tomato (Cento is a good brand, but any will work...they are all the same)
Oregano
Italian Seasoning
Fresh Basil
1/4 to 1/2 Yellow Onion (diced)
One Clove Garlic (or more)
Again, eyeball your measurements...saute your onion, and put the garlic in at the last minute. You do not want the garlic browned, it gets bitter!
Pour in your cans of tomato's, and use one of those cans for water. Crushed tomato's can be thick depending on what brand you use....if you notice them to be watery, don't add as much water, and use a little tomato paste.

That is pretty much it, you make it your own.....and once you smell all of that goodness cooking on the stove....you will swear you just walked in to an Italian restaurant.....
Mangia~!

Ribs, it's what's for dinner tonight!

This is my version of fall off the bone goodness....some like to boil, and then throw on the grill....some like to strictly just grill them....but unless you are a wizard at controlling the heat, you will not get them done perfectly. I bake mine, really slow, with a dry rub, and then sauce them at the end...so here it is:

Rubbed Slab

I prefer pork babybacks, I take one slab (or more depending on how big your family is) and rub it with a great blend of spices (to follow). Then I take a cookie sheet that I have covered in foil, spray it with non-stick spray, and put your rubbed ribs on it, cover almost air tight, so they steam while they cook. This is what keeps them moist. Put them in a pre-heated oven at 225 degrees for three hours. After the three hours, unwrap, there will be quite a bit of liquid, you could leave in or drain off....this is when you want to slather with your favorite sauce,  turn the oven up to 250 degrees and put back in uncovered for about 45 minutes. This should create almost a glaze effect. Once you take them out of the oven, let rest a bit before you cut them apart.

Rib Rub: (you can adjust how you like, this is the basics)

2 Tsp Paprika

1 1/2 Tsp Chili Powder

1/4 Tsp Cayenne (or more it you like it spicy)

1 Tsp White Pepper

1 Tsp Pepper (I used smoked)
1 Tsp Cinnamon
3/4 Tsp Ground Oregano
1/2 Tsp Allspice
1/2 Tsp Cumin
1/2 Tsp Ginger
1/4  Tsp Ground Cloves
1 Tbl sp Salt
1 Tbl sp Brown Sugar

I know it is a lot of different ingredients but you will never go back to pre-made rib rubs again!!

Stroganoff anyone....?

Super  simple, and yummy....when the weather changes, so do meals that you cook. All though I have been know to BBQ in the snow.....just ask my husband!! My mom used to cook this all of the time, but I tweaked it a little and is even more yummy. I pour it over wide egg noodles that have been tossed with a little butter or olive oil, a little garlic, and parsley...don't forget salt and pepper. For the Stroganoff, buy the beef strips, (the package usually states for stir fry). I cut the strips into smaller pieces, and then brown in a skillet, season  with garlic, onion, parsley, and salt and pepper. Once all browned, take one can of Campbell's cream of mushroom soup (roasted garlic mushroom works too), pour that into the skillet with the beef, and in that can you just emptied, pour some Sherry wine, or a really dry white wine, then pour that into the pan. Add one package of fresh sliced mushrooms. Stir it all up so it is combined. Simmer on low, usually about 30-45 minutes. After that time, take the lid off and put in a heaping scoop of Sour Cream to finish it off. That is it, pour it over noodles (or rice) and you are done!! A nice green salad goes good on the side :o)