Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

This is such a quick easy budget friendly recipe, and so savory.   I serve this on fresh buns, and some kids choose to top with BBQ sauce.  It's good just the way it comes out of the slow cooker also!  The next day I freeze the leftovers or save some to add for a coleslaw salad for myself.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

3-4 pounds of boneless pork shoulder (I always have to remember the shoulder is the one that shreds the best)

1 tsp paprika

2 tsps garlic powder

2 tsps cumin

2 tsp chili powder

2 tsp kosher salt

3 TBS brown sugar

1 onion, chopped

In a small bowl, mix together the seasonings.

Place the pork shoulder in the slow cooker and coat it with the seasonings and onion.  That's it!

Cook on low for 8 hours.  When time is up, shred the meat with two forks until it's all mixed up.  It's ready to serve!

Meatball Subs

A favorite at our house.

I sometimes use frozen meatballs when I don't have time but I use this meatball recipe when I do.
I sometimes buy baguettes when I don't have time but I try to make my own in the break maker.  I'll post that recipe soon.

2 slices white sandwich bread, cut into little pieces
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
2 pounds ground sirloin
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tsp parsley
2 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 medium onion, diced
1/2 cup milk
2 large beaten eggs
olive oil
1 jar of pasta sauce
baguettes or sub buns
mozzarella cheese

Place first 8 ingredients in a bowl and mix well.  (Yes, you'll have to use your hands to really mix it all together well.)
Form into 1" balls, refrigerate for about 15 minutes to ensure firmness and so they won't break apart while browning.
Pour olive oil into a frying pan, heat till medium, and brown meatballs on all sides.
Turn as needed till all sides are brown.
Place meatballs in sauce and cook until done inside, at simmer, for about 2-4 hours.
Remove each meatball and place cooked meatballs on baguettes, topping with extra sauce as you go.
Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top of each meatball sub, and warm in oven until cheese is bubbly and bread is warmed.
I cut the baguettes into preferred serving size.

Chicken Noodle Casserole

An easy, simple favorite: no weird stuff for kids!

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

3/4 bag of 12 oz egg noodles

1/2 of a 12 oz pkg of mixed frozen vegetables (carrots, peas and beans)

1 can of condensed cream of mushroom soup

1 can of condensed cream of chicken soup

1 cup sour cream

3/4 roll of Ritz (or other butter) crackers

1/4 cup butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Poach chicken in a large pot of simmering water.  

Cook until done (about 12 minutes).  

Remove chicken but keep water!

Bring chicken cooking water to a boil and cook pasta in it. 

Cook pasta till al dente....don't over cook.

Drain.

Cut chicken into small pieces and mix with noodles.

In a separate bowl, mix together mushroom soup, chicken soup, frozen vegetables and sour cream.
Season with salt and pepper.
Gently fold together cream soup mixture with the chicken and noodles.
Place in a 2 quart buttered or sprayed baking dish.
Melt 1/4 cup butter and then stir crumbled crackers into butter.
Sprinkle on top of casserole.
Bake for 30 minutes.

Tomato Parmesan Chicken

An easy favorite.  Great served with a side of pasta and garlic bread.

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup bread crumbs

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, pounded thin and cut into 8 small cutlets

2 TBS olive oil

24 oz. red pasta sauce

8 slices of Montery Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Pour beaten eggs in a bowl.

In another bowl mix together Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs.

Dip chicken into eggs and then press into bread crumb mixture to coat well.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat.

Saute chicken for about 8-10 minutes on each side, until done.

Pour tomato sauce into a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish.

Add chicken then top each piece with slice of cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Cheddar Baked Chicken

This was a big hit.

1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 egg
1 TBS milk
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 cup crispy rice cereal
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut in half and pounded thin (to make 8 small thin patties)
2 TBS butter melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Coat a 9x13 baking dish with a 1/4 cup melted butter.
In a bowl mix flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
In another bowl whisk together egg and milk.
In a third bowl, mix the cheese, bread crumbs, and cereal.
Dredge chicken pieces in the flour mixture, dip in the egg mixture, then press in the bread crumb mixture to coat each side heavily.
Arrange in baking dish.
Drizzle 2 TBS butter evenly over the chicken.
Bake 35 minutes or until golden brown.

Mexican Pizza

1 16 ounce can refried beans

1 pound lean ground beef

1 (1.25oz) package of taco seasoning mix

1 TBS vegetable oil

8 6" CORN tortillas (I have used flour tortillas but corn does taste better with this recipe)

8 oz shredded Cheddar cheese

Toppings:

sour cream

chopped tomatoes 

shredded lettuce

chopped fresh cilantro

green onion, diced

guacamole

Heat the beans in a small saucepan over low heat.  

Brown the ground beef.  When cooked through, add the seasoning packet and stir.  Turn on low to simmer.

Place oil a large skillet.

Let the oil heat, then place one corn tortilla in the skillet.

After 15 seconds, flip the tortilla over and let it fry another 15 seconds.

Repeat this process with remaining tortillas, adding oil if needed.

Let tortillas drain on paper towels.

Once all tortillas have been toasted, arrange then on cookie sheets.

Spread a thin layer of beans on the tortillas, followed by seasoned beef, and then cheese.

Bake the tortillas at 350 for 20 minutes.

Top with desired toppings, and slice into pizza wedges.

Serve.

Frozen Dinner Roll Pizzas

A quick, easy dinner.
You need:
Rhodes dinner rolls for individual pizzas
pizza sauce
mozzarella cheese
parmesan cheese
assorted toppings
olive oil

The Rhodes dinner rolls are in the frozen food section.  They only take about an hour to thaw and even quicker if you use the fast thaw method on the back of the package.

Smash then down or roll them out, whatever is easier till you get the desired shape.  

I use a generous amount of olive oil on the baking pan…that’s the secret to a good homemade pizza I think.  My kids love to make their pizzas themselves. We top with sauce, cheeses and pepperonis.

I bake mine at 400 degrees, maybe 10 or so minutes, middle oven rack.

Spinach Lasagna

1 box of lasagna noodles

2 TBS olive oil

1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms

1 cup chopped onion

1 TBS minced garlic

2 cups fresh spinach

3 cups riccotta cheese

2/3 cup grated Romano cheese

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1 egg

2 8ox bags mozzarella cheese

1 28oz. jar spaghetti sauce (I used a marinara)

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350.

Boil lasagna noodles and set aside.

In a skillet, saute mushrooms, garlic and onion in the olive oil and tender.

Cool.

Boil fresh spinach for 5 minutes and drain and squeeze dry, then chop.

Combine ricotta, Romano, spinach, salt, oregano, basil, pepper, and egg in a bowl.

Add cooled mushroom mixture.

Beat with an electric mixer on low for a minute.

Lay noodles in bottom of 13 x 9 pan. (Spray with cooking spray first.)

Spread 1/3 mixture over noodles.

Sprinkle with 1/3 mozzarella and 1/3 of Parmesan.

Spread 1/3 spaghetti sauce on top.

Repeat twice.

Cover dish with foil and bake in oven for 1 hour.

SO GOOD!

Stuffed Shells

4 cups mozzarella cheese

1 (15 oz.) container of ricotta cheese

1 (10 oz.) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

1 (12 oz.) package jumbo pasta shells, cooked and drained

1 (28 oz.) jar spaghetti sauce

1. Combine cheese and spinach.

2. Stuff into cooked, cooled shells.

3. Arrange in 13x9 baking dish.

4. Pour spaghetti sauce over the shells.

5. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until heated through.

Greek Penne with Artichokes

1 (16 oz.) box of penne pasta

3 TBS butter

1/2 cup chopped red onion

2 cloves of garlic minced (I always use the kind that comes minced in a jar to save time)

1 (14 oz.) can artichoke hearts

1 tomato, chopped

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

3 TBS chopped fresh parsley (I grow this in a pot on my windowsill)

2 TBS lemon juice

1 tsp. dried oregano

1. In a large pot cook pasta until done.  Drain.

2. At the same time, in a large skillet over medium high heat melt butter.  Add onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes.

3. Reduce heat to medium-low.  Drain and chop artichoke hearts and add them.  Add chopped tomato, feta cheese, fresh parsley, lemon juice, dried oregano, and drained pasta to the large skillet.

4. Cook until heated through, about 3-4 minutes.

5. Serve warm.

Cheese and Salad Pizza

1 TBS olive oil

1 pound fresh or frozen (thawed) pizza dough (I use my breadmaker or just frozen bread dough.)

1 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

1/4 cup freshly grated Romano cheese (I didn't use "freshly grated")

1 pt. cherry or grape tomatoes, halfed or quartered

1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, chopped (I have a pot on my window sill)

1. Preheat oven to 450.  Grease a jelly roll pan with 1 TBS olive oil.  With fingers, spread out dough.

2. Spread ricotta on dough, sprinkle with mozzarella, Romano and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper.

4. Sprinkle tomatoes (halfed or quartered)  and chopped basil.

3. Place pan on rack in lower third of oven for 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Cheesy Bow Ties

2 cans (14 oz. each) diced tomatoes

1 box bow ties (16 oz.)

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 1/2 cups milk

1 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

1 1/3 cup grated Romano

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan

1/4 cup Blue Cheese OR Feta (OR you could omit this all together if you don't like either)

1/2 cup minced fresh parsely

1. Drain tomatoes, reserving as much juice as you can squeeze out. (I squeezed out about 1 cup)

2. Cook pasta.

3. In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  Stir in flour, salt and pepper until smooth; gradually add milk and reserved tomato juice.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.  Remove from heat.

3. In a large bowl, combine the pasta, sauce and reserved tomatoes. (I used only one can of the tomatoes.)  Stir in cheese and parsely; toss gently.

4. Place in greased baking dish.  Cook uncovered at 375 for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly.

The Most Comforting Comfort Food That Has Ever Made You Comfortable

I will admit, when I first read this recipe, my first thought was..."ugh"...not very healthy.

But then, one morning, in desperation, I pulled it up (from Allrecipes by Janiece Mason) and threw it in my slow cooker.  That night my kids and husband couldn't get enough...EVERYONE sung it's praises.  I think maybe you could throw a bag of frozen peas in there and maybe that would be enough to offset the butter/soup/biscuit part?  I don't know...I'm just a happy I have another '7/7 loved it' recipe.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (I cut mine in half or quarters)

2 TBS butter

2 cans of cream of chicken soup

1 onion finely chopped

2 packages of refrigerated biscuit dough, torn into pieces

Place the chicken, butter, soup and onion in a slow cooker, and fill with just enough water to cover.

Cover and cook for 5-6 hours on High.  About 30 minutes before serving, place the torn biscuit dough in the slow cooker.  Cook until the dough is no longer raw in the center.

(I've served this as is, and with egg noodles too...both are great!)

Really Good Chicken Fingers

I love this recipe. I have a "thing" against frozen chicken nuggets and chicken fingers. I know they are popular but they just seem so processed and chemical-ridden to me and I don't want my kids eating all that crap they put in them. Here's an excellent, easy recipe that ALL my family loves. (I double the recipe when I make it.)
1 roll of Ritz crackers, crushed
1 cup of mayo
1 tsp. dried mustard
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast (or one container...you know what I'm talking about...usually about 1# and 1/2.)
Smoosh the crackers and set in one bowl.
Mix the next 3 ingredients together and set in another.
Cut up chicken in strips or nuggets.
Coat chicken in mayo mixture. (I usually get lazy and just dump all the chicken in the mayo bowl and mix up good.)
Then coat chicken piece by piece in Ritz crackers...be generous...this is the best part.
Set on a WELL OILED cookie sheet. (About 2 TBS.)
Bake for 20 minutes at 350 or till done.

Mexican Casserole

Everyone LOVED this.

1 pound lean ground beef
2 cups salsa (I used Paul Newman's)
1 16oz can chili beans, drained
3 cups tortilla chips, crushed
2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh tomato
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350.
In a large skillet, brown beef. Stir in salsa, reduce heat, simmer until liquid is absorbed (about 10 minutes depending on how thick your salsa is.) Stir in beans, and heat through.
Spray a 9 x 13 baking pan with cooking spray. Spread crushed chips in a layer on bottom and then add ground beef mixture. Spread sour cream on top. Top with onion, tomato, cilantro and cheese.
Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Pasta

In your slow cooker:

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp lemon pepper

1 tsp. garlic powder

6 skinless boneless chicken breast halves

Mix in separate bowl:

10 oz. cream of mushroom (or chicken) soup

8 oz. sour cream

1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth (I use wine)

1/2 # fresh mushrooms, sliced

Combine both chicken, seasonings, and soup mixture together in your slow cooker. 

Cover and cook on high 5 hours, or on high 1 hour and then on low 5-7 hours.

I serve this over egg noodles.

Beef Stroganoff

EASY PEASY!

AND DEFINITELY "BLOG-WORTHY"

1 8 oz. package of egg noodles

1 pound lean ground beef

1 can condensed Golden Mushroom soup

1 TBS garlic powder

3/4 cup sour cream

salt to taste

Cook egg noodles.

Brown ground beef.

Mix soup and garlic powder with ground beef and simmer for about 5-10 minutes.

Add noodles, beef and soup mixture and sour cream all together in a casserole dish, stirring well.

Ready to serve, or refrigerate and heat up later.

Chicken Pot Pie

This is so good and easier than it seems! I make it the morning, and set it in the fridge to bake later.

1 2-3 pound whole chicken (get one on sale for a couple dollars!)

1 can of cream of mushroom soup

1 10 oz. package of frozen peas and carrots

2 cups of water

1 tsp chicken bouillon granules

Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust (the kind that comes rolled up in a box)

In a large pot, throw chicken and water to cover and bring to a boil, simmering for 30 minutes.

In a small saucepan, mix veggies, soup, water and bouillon. Simmer and stir till smooth.

When chicken is boiled and tender, pick meat off of bones, and put meat into soup mixture, stirring all together.

In a pie dish, roll out one pie crust, then pour soup/chicken mixture in. Cover with other pie crust and pinch edges. Cut a small steam hole.

Bake at 400 for 30-35 minutes.

I always serve this with mashed potatoes.

Traditional Chili in the Crock Pot

I LOVE this chili. It is mild so the kids aren't dying when they're chowing down. If you like SPICY chili, just add some more chili powder!

1 pound of ground beef, browned and drained

1 26 oz. jar of traditional Prego sauce

2 cans of undrained kidney beans

2 cans of chili-seasoned diced tomatoes

(you can use plain diced tomatoes...just add a little more seasoning to chili!)

2 TBS chili powder

2 TBS cumin

Dump all in a crock pot and mix together.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Serve with chips, grated cheese and sour cream.

Chicken Noodle Soup

In a crockpot:

1 boneless skinless chicken breast cut in small pieces

1 carrot sliced thin

1 small onion chopped

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

1-2 tsp salt to taste

64 oz. of chicken broth (2 cartons)

egg noodles (about 1/2 a bag)

Keep on low for about 6-8 hours, or till chicken is done. 

Add noodles about 10 minutes before serving time or precook and add right before serving.

Serve with lots of crackers.