Crock pot beef and broccoli

From: 

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Ingredients: 
1 pound boneless beef chuck roast, sliced into thin strips
1 cup beef consumme
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar 

1 tablespoon sesame oil 

3 garlic cloves, minced 

2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons sauce from the crock pot after being cooked
Fresh broccoli florets (as many as desired)
Hot cooked rice

Directions: 
1. Place beef in a crock pot.
2. In a small bowl, combine consomme, soy sauce, brown sugar, oil, and garlic. Pour over beef. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
3. In a cup, stir cornstarch and sauce from the crock pot until smooth. Add to crock pot. Stir well to combine.
4. Add broccoli to the crock pot. Stir to combine.
5. Cover and cook an additional 30 minutes on high (the sauce has to boil for it to thicken).
6. Serve over hot cooked rice. 

Migas

From: This is Pioneer Woman's breakfast recipe for Migas, though we have only ever had it for dinner.

Ingredients:

4 whole Corn Tortillas
1 whole Jalapeno, Seeds And Membranes Removed, Finely Diced
4 whole Plum Tomatoes, Roughly Chopped
1 whole Green Pepper, Roughly Chopped
1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Roughly Chopped
1 whole Medium Onion, Chopped
12 whole Large Eggs
1 cups Cotija Cheese, Grated (may Use Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Etc.)
1/3 cup Cilantro, Chopped
1 Tablespoon Butter
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1/4 cup half-and-half

How to:  

Just click here. 

Beef Brisket or Roast

From: I started with this recipe and tweaked it according to what was in my kitchen.  :)

Ingredients:

4 lbs. beef brisket (NOT corned) (you can also use a beef pot roast)
4 cloves minced garlic, or 1 Tbsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp. ketchup
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 onions, thinly sliced

For gravy: 
2 Tbsp. flour
1/3 cup water

How to:  

Place onions in bottom of slow cooker, then place brisket, fat side up, on top of onions. Sprinkle garlic, salt and pepper on top. Combine ketchup, vinegar, and brown sugar in small bowl and then rub into beef. Add enough water to coat the bottom of the cooker. Cover slower cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

For gravy, remove brisket from the slow cooker place on serving plate, and cover tightly with foil. Turn crockpot temperature to High. Mix flour with 1/3 cup water, add to crockpot, and bring to a boil, stirring frequently with wire whisk. Makes 16 servings.

Serve over rice or make a sandwich on toasted bread, with butter, mustard, mayo, and barbeque sauce.

Broccoli Chicken Casserole

From: I grew up eating this recipe... It was my Mom's favorite way to get us to eat broccoli!  Yumm!!

Ingredients:

1 lbs cooked broccoli
12 oz can chicken, or precooked chicken chunks
2 eggs
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 c chopped onion
1 c cheddar cheese
3/4 c mayonnaise
cheddar cheese Doritos

How to:  

Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl except the Doritos.  Pour it all into a lightly greased casserole dish and bake at  350° F, covered, until bubbly (about 30 minutes). You can serve it as is - my favorite way to eat it as a dip for Doritos.  Or you can pull it out of the oven and top it with Doritos and bake it for another 5 minutes uncovered and serve it as a casserole. Either way, it's yummy!!

Chicken Parmesan

From: This recipe came out of a fabulous new cook book that my mom and I have been cooking out of lately.

Anything with the words ”Comfort Food,” in the title immediately got my attention!  You can buy it right here.

Ingredients:

1 extra large egg
2 cups panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp olive oil
1tsp Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2 inch thickness (although I did not pound mine. I did slice the chicken into half inch thickness)
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 cups marinara sauce:

You'll need:
1 (28 oz) can of diced tomatoes, liquid discarded
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder OR 1 fresh diced garlic
1/4-1/8 cup diced onions OR 1/4 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp basil
Combine all the ingredients and simmer in a saucepan.  

How to:  

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Beat an egg in a shallow dish.  In a separate shallow dish (a pie pan is recommended), combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, olive oil, Italian seasoning and a few generous pinches of salt and black pepper.

Dip each piece of chicken into the egg, then into the bread crumbs, using your fingers to press the crumbs into the chicken.  Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet or roasting pan and bake in the oven on the middle rack for about 2 minutes, until the chicken is firm to the touch and the bread crumbs are golden brown.

Remove the chicken from the oven and set the oven to broil.  Cover each piece of chicken with a good ladle of tomato sauce and a handful of mozzarrella.  Then put the pan back in the oven on the middle rack and broil for about 3 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling.

Side notes: Serve over rice or cooked spinach with extra tomato sauce.

Creamy Wild Rice Soup

From: A dear friend, Ashley Martin, over at Adventures in Twinderland, shared this recipe with me.  Wow is it deeeeee-licious!!

Ingredients:

1/2 or 1 large onion minced
6 garlic cloves or 1 Tbsp dried minced garlic
diced celery (to your liking - I used about a cup)
sliced carrots (to your liking - I used about 1 1/2 cups)
4 Tbsp butter (I may have used a whole butter stick. ;)  )
1 cup wild rice
1 cup of long grain rice
1/2 cup of flour
6 cups chicken stock or water with bullion (I used 5 cups of water with 6 cubes of bullion so it would have lots of flavor but be more like rice and less like soup - only because I was on a soup fettish and cooked soup 4 times in a week)
chicken or turkey cooked (optional)
crumbled cooked turkey bacon (half of a package)
salt and pepper to taste
2/3 cup cream
Parmesan cheese to taste

How to:  

Mince the onion, garlic, celery, and carrots and saute with half of the butter until it's softened and cooked through.

Then melt in the rest of the butter. Add 1 cup of wild rice and 1 cup of long grain rice and cook for a few minutes. Then add 1/2 a cup of flour and mix in, let it cook for a few minutes. Next, add in the chicken stock or water with bouillon and put a lid on the pot, let it simmer for about half an hour or until the rice is cooked and tender (but obviously wild rice still has some crunch to it).

If you want to add pre-cooked chicken or turkey, now is the time to add it along with the crumbled bacon. At this point, I taste-tested and was so in love with the taste that I didn't even add the rest of the ingredients, plus it's right after the holidays and I'm trying to eat healthier.  Ha!

But this would also be delicious:  Ashley says to mix in about 2/3 a cup of cream, and then add Parmesan, salt and freshly grated pepper to taste. Add extra chicken bouillon if needed but it you probably don't need it. Enjoy!  I sure did!

Cajun Chicken Pasta

From: A pregnant women with a craving is not to be contended with and I don't like taking no for an answer, particularly with regards to my stomach.  So when I called and they'd closed 10 wee minutes before, I decided I was GOING to have cajun chicken pasta, if I had to cook it myself.  So I searched for an imitation recipe and found this one. It was even better than the Chili's version!

Ingredients:

For the chicken:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
4 tsp. cajun seasoning

For the sauce:
4 tbsp. butter or margarine
3 cups heavy cream
1/2 tsp. lemon pepper seasoning (or you can substitute a Tbsp of lemon or lime juice)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
3 Tbsp of Parmesan cheese

8 oz. cooked penne pasta (drained)

For the toppings:
2 roma tomatoes, diced
fresh shredded parmesan, to taste

How to:  

Just click here for Squidoo.com's version of how to do it.  I did it almost the same, except that I added 3 Tbsp of Parmesan cheese to the sauce before adding the pasta.  I also substituted lime juice for the lemon pepper.

Fish Tacos

From: I searched far and wide for a fish taco sauce and jumped for joy when I finally found this one! Then I failed to read the directions and came up with the following variation which I now love to eat in mass quantities.  Yumm!!

Ingredients:

fish of your choice, cooked as you prefer

taco-sized flour tortillas

1 tomato , chopped
1 or 2 avocados chopped
1 cup lettuce, shredded

sauce ingredients:

4 tbsp light sour cream
2 tbsp light mayonnaise made with lime
2 tsp lime juice
1/4 onion , finely diced (optional)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 to 1/2 avocado, finely chopped

How to:  

Start by combining the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and chill while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.  Then prepare the rest of the ingredients, setting each one in a separate small bowl on the table so everyone can sit down and build their own taco!

Fish can be cooked with lemon and butter or any other of your favorite seasonings.

taco seasoning mix

From: For the longest time, I was looking for a substitute for the Taco Bell brand taco seasoning that costs an arm and a leg and has all the same spices as the ones that are already in my kitchen.  FINALLY, I found one, with the help of some friends of mine.  This is the one I found.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
1 teaspoon beef bouillon granules
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar

How to:  

Brown the meat in the skillet, then add seasoning and water and simmer until liquid reduces (approximately 10 minutes).

Shark, Talapia or Salmon

From: My mom sent me this idea for an easy way to cook fish.

Ingredients:

2 T butter, melted
5 T orange juice
2 tsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
dash (or more) white pepper

How to: 

Mix ingredients and pour over the top:

Cover caserole dish with plastic wrap, venting one corner. Microwave on HIGH 3-6 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with fork. Let stand for 4 minutes before serving.

Serve with veggies and rice, or Cheesy Garden Casserole.

Chicken Mushroom Stew

From: My mom passed this recipe on to me a few months ago.  This is the first time I've made it, but I'm gonna be sure and do it again REALLY SOON!  It was delicious!!

Ingredients:

1.5 pounds of boneless skinless chicken, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 Tbsp oil of your choice

8 oz fresh sliced mushrooms
1 medium onion, diced
2 diced zuchini
1 green pepper diced
4 garlic gloves, minced (or 1/2 tsp dried minced garlic)

3 medium tomatoes, diced OR an 8 oz can of diced tomatoes
6 oz tomato paste
3/4 cup water
2 tsp salt
1 tsp thyme leaves
1 tsp oregano leaves
1 tsp marjoram leaves
1 tsp basil

Parmesan, mozzarrella, or blue cheese (optional)

How to:  

(Using the slower cooker:) Put the mushrooms, onion, zuchini, green pepper and garlic in the bottom of the slower cooker.  Drizzle olive oil over the top and toss to cover.  Place raw chicken (may be frozen or thawed) in the slower cooker on top of the veggies.  Then add the remaining ingredients on top. Don't worry about mixing them. Turn on the slower cooker on high. Once the chicken starts to cook (turns white on one side - about an hour or so into the cooking process), mix the contents of the slower cooker well and push the chicken to the bottom. Cook on high for a total of 3-4 hours. Serve as is (absolutely delicious!) or top with cheese if desired.

(Without a slower cooker:) Brown the chicken in a large pot in oil.  Set aside.  In the same pot, in the remaining oil (or you may add more oil or butter if needed) saute the second group of ingredients (mushrooms, onion, zucchini, green pepper and garlic) until crisp/tender.  I like to add a terrible amount of butter because it tastes GOOD! Then return the chicken to the back into the pot and then add the remaining ingredients. Simmer for 15 minutes while mixing well.  Serve as is (absolutely delicious!) or top with cheese if desired.

Pesto-Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken Breasts

From: This recipe came from one of those recipe cards that Safeway distributes in their store.

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts
1/2 red pepper
olive oil
mozzarella cheese (shredded)
pesto sauce



How to:  

Cut a slit in the two chicken breasts so that you can stuff ingredients inside.  Cut the red pepper into strips and caramelize them (cook 'em) in olive oil in a skillet. Then stuff the inside of the chicken with pesto, mozzarella cheese, and red pepper.

Secure it closed at an angle with a couple of tooth picks, being sure the tooth picks are flush with the meat (so they don't keep the meat from being cooked well on all sides. Spread pesto on the outside of the chicken breasts. Heat oil in a skillet on medium heat.  Cook the chicken breasts on medium heat (slowly so they cook all the way through).  You can grill them too.

You can also microwave them for three minutes after cooking to be sure they are fully cooked inside, if you desire.  Be sure to remove toothpicks and top with more mozzarella if desired, before serving.

Chicken Craisin Salad

From: This recipe is from my Aunt Carol.  It's more filling than you'd think!  We love it for dinner!

Ingredients:

mostly white chicken pieces cut from small roasted chicken, about 3 c.
1 cup dried craisins (dried cranberries)
1 cup walnuts
1 Granny Smith apple, diced
3 celery stalks, sliced vertically, then chopped
pineapple slices, cut in wedges, two 15-oz cans
Marie’s (brand) cole slaw dressing (or 1000 Island or Honey Mustard) - we like honey mustard
Parmesan or mozzarella cheese

How to:  Combine all the ingredients except the dressing and cheese in a large bowl. Serve.  Top with dressing and cheese as desired.

Chicken Quesadillas

From: My husband whipped this up one evening and surprised me by setting this plate full of the best chicken quesadillas I've ever had right on my desk as I was working.

Ingredients:

flour tortillas
chicken
oregano
salt
pepper
parsley
basil
cheddar cheese
avocado
sour cream
butter
olive oil

How to:  Start by tossing some olive oil in a pan.  Heat it up and spread it around.  Then tossed in the chicken and the spices (to your liking).  Cook it through, allowing it to get nice and golden brown on the outside.  Then shred or dice it up.

Now load up a tortilla with cheddar cheese.  Add chicken, avocado and sour cream.  Close the tortilla and butter the outside.  Heat a clean pan.  Saute the quesadilla until the outside is golden brown and the cheddar cheese is melted.  Then flip it over and do the other side.

Now serve it up and eat it!

Bruschetta

From: This is the Pioneer Woman's Bruschetta recipe.  Holy heaven, this woman has done it again.  This is to die for.

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
5 fresh cloves Garlic, Finely Minced
1 pint Red Grape Tomatoes, Halved Lengthwise
1 pint Yellow Grape Tomatoes, Halved Lengthwise
1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
16 whole Basil Leaves (chiffonade)
Salt And Pepper To Taste (don't Oversalt!)
1 loaf of French bread
8 Tablespoons Butter

How to: 

Follow the Pioneer Woman's instructions.  The only deviation I suggest is that you only toast the top side of the bread.  That way, you get the crispy buttery goodness of toast and the soft fresh french bread at the same time.  It's fantastic.

Italian Chicken Soup

From: I started with this recipe from the Pioneer Woman and then tweaked it a bit to suit what I had in the kitchen and to make it a bit easier.

Ingredients:

1/2 box Rigatoni Pasta
About 1/4 cup Olive Oil
2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 cups Chicken Broth
1/2 whole Medium Onion, diced
1 whole Green Bell Pepper, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 can (15-ounce) Can Diced Tomatoes
1 cups Heavy Cream (optional)
2 Tsp Oregano
Salt And Freshly Ground Pepper, To Taste
Parmesan Cheese Shavings, For Serving
1 Tbsp butter

How to: 

Cook pasta in a pot according to package directions, being sure not to overcook it. Drain and rinse in cold water to cool. Toss in 1 tablespoon olive oil and set aside.

Cook the chicken in a skillet. I added salt, pepper, oregano, parsley and basil to season. Then dice it up.

Place chicken in a large pot and cover in the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer chicken, while chopping and preparing the veggies.

In the same skillet you cooked the chicken, saute onion, green pepper, celery, and jalapenos, and oregano, salt and pepper in olive oil and butter over medium heat until tender and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add to the pot of chicken and chicken stock.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add cooked pasta, diced tomatoes and cream. Stir to combine. Turn off heat. Serve with lots of Parmesan sprinkled on the top--the more the better!

Side notes: For lactose intolerant guests, hold the cream and Parmesan cheese and serve on the side for those who want it.

Carne Arreglada

From: This is one of my husband's most frequently cooked and most loved meals.  Straight from Costa Rica and delicious!

Ingredients:

1 lb of cubed steak (the kind that's pounded flat)
Add the following spices to taste:
   salt
   pepper
   cumin
   oregano
   basil
   garlic powder
   onion powder
1 Tbsp soy sauce
pinch of curry
1 green pepper sliced into strips and seeds removed
1/2 onion cut into thin rings
1 Tbsp vegetable oil

How to: 

Cut the cubed steak into half-inch cubes.  Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet.  Saute the onions and pepper on medium heat until the onions are clear and the pepper loses its bright color and becomes a little transparent (fully cooked).  Push the pepper and onion to the sides of the pan and put the meat in the middle, spread out so it cooks well.  Add the rest of the ingredients to the top of the meat except for the soy sauce.  Use the soy sauce as liquid to keep everything moist.  Once the meat is cooked, remove from heat and allow to sit for five minutes before serving over Costa Rican white rice.

Pot Roast

From: My Mom included this recipe in a book of recipes that she made for us growing up.  It's one of my favorites...  It's such a hearty meal and it serves a lot.  And because it takes about 10 minutes to get everything into the crock pot and 12 hours later it's done!

Ingredients:

Roast
4-6 potatoes, cut for stew
1 quartered onion
carrots, peeled and cut for stew
can of cream of mushroom soup
can of golden mushroom soup
half a can of water
garlic salt
pepper

How to: 

Place roast in bottom of glass baking dish or slow cooker.  Arrange potatoes, onions and carrots all around and on top.  Spoon over the top the soups and water.  Sprinkle over everything with garlic salt and pepper.  Cover tightly with foil and bake at 350°F for 4-5 hours or 250 for 6-8 hours or in the slow cooker on low for 12 hours.  The meat should be falling apart and a gravy forming on the bottom.

Side notes:

You could also delete the quartered potatoes and serve with mashed potatoes.  In the picture, I forgot to buy potatoes - who forgets to buy potatoes?! - so I made it without them.  Before serving, I cut sliced whole wheat bread into squares and spooned the pot roast over the top.  Wow, it was really good that way!!

Sloppy Joe Casserole

From: This little tabloid recipe magazine was one of the best I've ever picked up!

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed tomato soup
1/4 cup water
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 package (7.5 oz) refrigerated biscuits (10 biscuits)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese or non dairy cheese

How to: 

Heat oven 400°F.  Cook the beef in a skillet over medium-high heat until it's browned.  Drain fat.  Stir the soup, water, Worsestershire sauce and black pepper in the skillet and heat to a boil.  Spoon the beef mixture into a 1 1/2 qt casserole.  Arrange biscuits on top.  Bake for 15 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown.  Top with cheese.

Slow cooker option:  I have not tried this, but here's my guess.  Put all ingredients except biscuits and cheese in a slower cooker and mix well.  Turn on high for 4 hours.  When meat is ready, add biscuits and cheese and cook for another half hour.  Serve.

Pesto Blue Cheese Ramen Noodles

From: We often have extra pesto sauce and blue cheese in our refrigerator and one day I was trying to figure out what to do with them.  This is what I came up with!

Ingredients:

Ramen noodles
2 or 3 Tbsp blue cheese crumbles
3 Tbsp pesto

How to:  Boil the noodles until they are cooked.  Drain.  Add pesto and mix well.  Top with blue cheese crumbles to your liking.

Side Notes:  For lactose intolerance, you could substitute non dairy cheese.