Crock Pot Pork Chops and Gravy

Photo from The 
Country Cook

Once the crock pot is out, I use it several nights in a row. Last night I made pot roast for book club. Tonight I made crock pot pork chops. 

I bought this MASSIVE thick pork chops. They must have been at least an inch and a half, maybe 2 inches thick. They cooked really well in the crock pot. I like using thicker chops in the crock pot. I think the texture is better. 

This was a solid recipe. I didn't salt anything and boy and I glad. The packets that get added have enough sodium. I actually watered down the gravy a bit half way through to see if it would take out some of the salt, and it did.

I didn't have to add any corn starch. The broth and the soup made it thick enough. Even adding water to it, the gravy was still a nice consistency. 

Crock Pot Pork Chops and Gravy

Recipe from The Country Cook

Serves 4

• 1 (1 oz) packet onion soup mix
• 1 (14 oz) can chicken broth, low sodium
• 1 (10.5 oz) can cream of chicken soup, low sodium
• 1 (1 oz) packet dry pork gravy mix
• 4 bone-in pork chops
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 3 T cornstarch
• 3 T cold water

In a 5-6 quart oval slow cooker, combine onion soup mix, chicken broth, cream of chicken soup and pork gravy mix. Whisk together until combined.

Season both sides of the chops with a little bit of garlic powder. Place pork chops into the slow cooker. Do your best to spread them out and cover with the gravy mixture.

Cover and cook on low about 4-6 hours.

Just before the pork chops are done - whisk together the corn starch and cold water in a small bowl. Once it is smooth, pour it in with your pork chops in the slow cooker and stir gently.

Cover and switch the slow cooker to high and cook for another 30 minutes (until gravy has thickened.)

Slow Cooked Roast with Creamy Mushroom Gravy

Photo from Melissa's Southern
Style Kitchen

Book club always brings out yummy food. Every time I have the ladies over I ponder what would be a delicious meal. I often don't want to be in the kitchen so I try to find some slow cooker recipes. 

Pot roast is a nice, go-to recipe. I have made pot roast a thousand times. It was dad's favorite meal, and I gotta say, it is in my top 5 favorites too. 

This one couldn't be more simple. Literally, toss the beef, soup and broth into a slow cooker. Well, after
you sear the roast. It's important to do that. It locks in flavor. 

The part that tripped me up was the gravy. Mom always made gravy with the drippings and a flour/water slurry. This recipe is with drippings and cream of mushroom soup. eh? But you guys, the gravy was, quite possibly, the best gravy I've ever had. It was so good. I'll be doing that again. 

I served it with mashed potatoes. I've never made mashed potatoes with pot roast. I always drop in red potatoes into the crock pot. But the recipe suggested mashed potatoes, so I went that route. WHY have I never done that before? Way better than potatoes in the crock pot.

I am adding this recipe to my 2024 favorites. It was that good. 

Slow Cooked Roast with Creamy Mushroom Gravy

Recipe from Melissa's Southern Style Kitchen

Serves 6

• 1 4 lb Chuck Roast
• 3 Tablespoon steak seasoning
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic roughly chopped
• 1 18.5 oz can French onion soup or 2 cups beef stock
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1 10 3/4 oz can cream of mushroom soup
• 1-2 lb carrots peeled, cut into quarters or peeled baby carrots. whole
• 8 oz frozen pearl onions
• salt & black pepper to taste

Pat dry the roast, then season the roast on all sides with steak seasoning.

On the stove top, heat the olive oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Brown the roast on every side in the hot oil, turning as needed.

Remove the roast to your slow cooker. Add the chopped garlic to the pan and sauté for 1 minute. Add the French Onion soup into the sauté pan to deglaze the pan. Pour the warm soup and garlic over the roast.

Sprinkle the Worcestershire sauce over the roast, and arrange the carrots around the edge of the slow cooker. Season everything with salt and black pepper to your taste.

Set your slow cooker to cook for 8-10 hours on the low setting.

Add the frozen pearl onions approximately 2 hours, before the roast is done, so they won't overcook.

When the roast has finished cooking, and is pull apart tender, pour the liquid from the roast into a stove top sauce pan.

Bring the drippings to a boil and add the cream of mushroom soup. Whisk the soup into the drippings, and simmer for around 5-7 minutes on low heat until the gravy turns a medium brown color and thickens.

Taste and adjust the seasonings to your taste.

Slice the roast and arrange it on a serving platter with the vegetables.

Drizzle the gravy on top and serve.

Honey, Lime & Sriracha Chicken Skewers

Holy cow! This was delicious! It hit the spot tonight. I found out I officially have type 2 diabetes so eating low carb is going to be on my lifetime plan for sure. 

This recipe was so flavorful and a little spicy. You can control the spice though. A little more or a little less siracha. 

I marinaded the chicken for 6 hours. I don't think it could have gone any more. The lime juice starts to make the texture weird to me. 

Honey, Lime & Sriracha Chicken Skewers

Recipe from Once Upon a Chef

Serves 4

3 T soy sauce (use gluten-free if needed)

1/4 c plus 2 T honey

1 T vegetable oil

1 tsp lime zest, from one lime

3 T fresh lime juice, from 2 limes

4 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped

1-1/2 square inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

1-1/2 T Sriracha sauce

1-1/4 tsp salt

2-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (between 8-10), trimmed and cut into 2-inch chunks

2 T chopped cilantro, plus a few whole sprigs for garnish

Limes, sliced into wedges, for garnishing platter (optional)

In a blender, combine the zest of a lime, fresh lime juice, honey, soy sauce, vegetable oil, garlic, ginger, and Sriracha. Purée until completely smooth, then set aside 1/2 cup of the marinade to use as a drizzling sauce.

Cut the chicken into chunks. Place the chicken in a Ziplock bag with the remaining marinade and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.

After the chicken has marinated, thread the pieces onto skewers.

Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Grill the chicken, turning occasionally to promote even browning, for 10-15 minutes.

Keep an eye on it — the honey in the marinade causes the chicken to caramelize on the grill and turn a beautiful, rich brown color; however, the chicken can burn if the grill is too hot. Lower the heat if the chicken is browning too fast.

Transfer the skewers to a platter and drizzle with the reserved marinade. Sprinkle chopped cilantro over top and serve. Enjoy!

Teriyaki Chicken

I think I'm going to give up on trying to find a teriyaki chicken recipe that's better than my favorite teriyaki place. I've tried so many and I've gotta say nothing has been WOW to me. 

This one was "ok" but not great. It needed more sweetness or something. I couldn't really put a finger on it to be honest. 

I'm going to move on past teriyaki for a bit and try something different.

Teriyaki Chicken

Recipe from Tastes Better From Scratch

Serves 4

• 1-2 T oil
• 2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts , chopped
• 1 c low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 c rice vinegar
• 2 T sesame oil
• 1/2 c light brown sugar
• 2 T honey
• 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 cloves garlic , minced
• 3 tsp cornstarch+ 3 tsp water , mixed together to make a cornstarch slurry
• ¼ - ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• For serving:
• 1 Green onion , chopped, for garnish
• Hot cooked rice
• Steamed broccoli or stir-fry veggies

Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned on both sides (doesn’t need to be cooked all the way through). Remove to a plate and cover.

Add the remaining ingredients to the skillet and stir well to combine. Cook over medium heat until it comes to a low boil. Boil for 1 minute. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of the spoon.

Stir in chicken and cook for a few more minutes, just until chicken is cooked through.

Garnish with chopped green onion. Serve over cooked rice, with steamed vegetables on the side*.

Banana Bread Muffins

Photo from Melissa's 
Southern Style Kitchen

I did it! I made banana bread and remembered all the ingredients.

I'm a sucker for a good banana bread and I'm especially a sucker for the end pieces. Making muffins fixes it so every single one has an "end" (aka the muffin top). 

These are good banana muffins. Nothing special about them other than they were edible and I'd make them again.

Banana Bread Muffins

Recipe from Melissa's Southern Style Kitchen

Makes 12 muffins

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 medium ripe bananas mashed to equal 1 cup
• 2 large eggs beaten
• 1/2 cup butter melted (1 stick)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Liberally spray a 12-cup muffin tin with baking spray or use cupcake liners. Set aside.

In a medium-size mixing bowl use a whisk to sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

Make a well in the center of the bowl and add the bananas, eggs, butter and vanilla. Use a large non stick spatula to mix until fully combined.

Divide the batter evenly between the wells in the muffin tin. 

Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes back clean.

Cool for 15 minutes in the muffin tin then remove to a rack to cool completely.

Store chilled or at room temperature in an air tight container.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

 I wanted to use up some sausage I had in the freezer so this recipe came to mind. I've made similar recipes. In fact I've made something similar 6 times. The first one was BY FAR my favorite. All of them have some slight variation to the recipe. Some have onions. Some add sherry and some have Worcestershire sauce.

Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta with Smoked Sausage (Recipe 155 of 125)**
Cajun Chicken Pasta
Cajun Chicken Pasta on the Lighter Side
Cajun Chicken Pasta (Recipe 96 of 125)
Cajun Chicken Stroganoff
Cajun Fettuccine

This recipe was average. It was good, but not all that different from any of the others. The combination of chicken, kielbasa, cream, garlic, parmesan and Cajun seasoning is a good combo to have. 

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Recipe from Jo Cooks

Serves 4

8 ounce penne ((2 cups) uncooked)

2 T olive oil

1 pound chicken breast ((2 chicken breasts) boneless and skinless, cut into small pieces)

2 T Cajun seasoning

¼ tsp salt (or to taste)

¼ tsp pepper (or to taste)

2 links smoked sausage (cut into slices)

3 cloves garlic (minced)

¼ c parsley (chopped)

2 c half and half

1 c parmesan cheese (shredded)

Cook pasta: Cook the pasta according to package instructions until it’s al dente (cooked until it’s still firm when bitten). Drain and set aside.

Cook Chicken: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the chicken to the skillet, then sprinkle with the Cajun seasoning and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink and is cooked through, should take about 5 minutes.

Add sausage: Stir in the sausage and cook for a couple more minutes until the sausage starts to brown.

Add garlic and parsley: Add the garlic, parsley to the skillet and stir. Cook for 30 seconds until the garlic becomes aromatic.

Add half and half: Add the half and half and cook until it comes to a boil. Stir in the parmesan cheese.

Stir in pasta: Add the penne and stir everything together.

Garnish and serve: Garnish with more parmesan cheese and parsley if preferred and serve while warm.

Pinquito Beans

In California in the mid 80s my dad discovered Tritip. I don't really know how he discovered it, but it
was an inexpensive hunk of meat that he got really adept at grilling. As Mom and Dad did, they invited a gaggle of friends to dinner one Friday night and a family friend, John Ortiz brough Pinquito beans. 

The story, as I remember it, was they are special beans only found in Santa Maria California. They're small pink beans (thus pinquito). The recipe was one John had found in a newspaper. 

Mom was hooked. We had pinquito beans several times a year when we'd have tritip. So the two became a couple to me. If you have tritip you have pinquito.

When we moved to Washington a sadness fell across the Wraspir house, you couldn't get pinquito beans in Washington state. Mom, ever resourceful though, had a friend in Lancaster send pounds of these beans to us. In one of the bags, Mom was gifted this recipe!

You can tell it was well used. I love finding these type of recipes in the Gray box. It shows it was one of their favorites AND that mom was a messy cook like me. Or, more likely, Dad did the cooking cuz he WAS a messy cook. 

I made these for Sherrie's birthday meal. She requested ribs. I wanted to make some baked beans, but she doesn't like them, so I opted for pinquito. You still can't find them in Wa state, but thank god for Amazon. 

I didn't soak the beans, I boiled them for 2 hours and then followed the rest of the recipe. I did not include MSG. I am not a fan so thought I could easily keep it out. 

Pinquito Beans

Recipe from ?? It was in Mom's Gray Recipe Box

Serves 10 easily

• 2 lbs Pinquito beans
• 1 envelope chili mix
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 lb bacon diced
• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp MSG
• 1 1/2 c tomato juice

Cover beans with water, bring to a boil and add salt and pepper. Turn heat to simmer and cook two hours or until tender. 

Sauté bacon, onion, garlic, seasonings, chili mix, tomato juice and ground beef.  Add mixture to beans and simmer one hour and serve. 

Marinated Tri-Tip (Oven or Air Fryer)

I don't think you can ever go wrong with tritip as a steak choice. It is usually less expensive and just as tasty as fancy cuts. 

I marinated this for 4 hours and I felt like it was a good amount of time. Really gave it a lot of flavor. 

Not too surprising, I grilled it instead of oven or air frying it. I mean, I've never EVER baked a steak in the oven, so why start now. 

I'm going to keep this marinade handy. It's pretty typical, but for some reason this one hit the yummy button.

Marinated Tri-Tip (Oven or Air Fryer)

Recipe from Just A Taste

Serves 4

• 1/3 c low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 T Worcestershire sauce
• 1 T Dijon mustard
• 1/4 c extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 T honey
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 (2- to 3-pound) tri-tip, fat trimmed

In a large sealable plastic bag, whisk together the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, olive oil, honey, garlic powder and pepper.

Add the tri-tip to the bag, squeeze out any air, then seal the bag shut. Move the tri-tip around in the bag so it’s well-coated then refrigerate it for a minimum of 1 hour and up to overnight.

When ready to cook, remove the tri-tip from the fridge and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

TO COOK TRI-TIP IN THE OVEN:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Place a cast-iron or oven-safe nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the tri-tip (discarding the marinade) and cook, undisturbed, until it naturally releases from the skillet, 3 to 5 minutes. Flip the tri-tip once then transfer the skillet into the oven.

Cook the tri-tip in the oven for about 8 minutes per pound until it reaches your desired level of doneness. Remove the tri-tip from the oven when it reaches an internal temperature of 130°F for medium-rare, 140°F for medium and 150°F for medium-well. (The tri-tip internal temperature will rise about 10°F while it rests.)

Transfer the tri-tip onto a cutting board, tent it with foil, and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

TO COOK TRI-TIP IN AN AIR FRYER:

Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.

Place the tri-tip in the basket (discarding the marinade) and cook it for 8 minutes per pound until it reaches your desired level of doneness. Remove the tri-tip from the air fryer when it reaches an internal temperature of 130°F for medium-rare, 140°F for medium and 150°F for medium-well. (The tri-tip internal temperature will rise about 10°F while it rests.)

Transfer the tri-tip onto a cutting board, tent it with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Chicken Shawarma Salad

Photo from Baking Mischief

Shawarmas always make me think of Saudi. Our first shawarma there (they were burrito like) Mom and

I found cold French fries and dill pickle slices in. Very odd. 

This chicken shawarma is not like that. No dill pickles or cold fries around. 

The marinade for this was spot on. Very flavorful without a lot of fancy ingredients. I made extra and had a salad for lunch the next day too. Yummy. 

Chicken Shawarma Salad

Recipe from Baking Mischief

Serves 4

Chicken and Marinade

• 1/4 c olive oil
• 3 T lemon juice
• 3 cloves garlic pressed
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs

Yogurt Dressing

• 2/3 c plain, unsweetened yogurt*
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic pressed
• 1 to 3 tsp milk
• 1/8 tsp salt
• Pepper

Vegetables

• 1/4 c chicken broth or water
• 1 small red onion cut into thin wedges
• 1 head romaine washed and chopped
• 1 cucumber peeled and chopped
• 1 large tomato chopped

Marinate Chicken

In a small bowl, whisk together all marinade ingredients. Pour over chicken thighs and toss to coat. Return chicken to the refrigerator and marinate for 30 minutes, up to 2 hours.

Prepare Dressing

Combine yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, 1 teaspoon of milk, and salt. If desired, add more milk by the 1/2 teaspoon until dressing reaches your desired consistency. Add more salt and pepper to taste.

Cook Chicken and Onions

On the stove, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add chicken thighs and cook for 2 to 5 minutes per side, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. If at any time the outside of the chicken begins to cook too quickly and burn, turn the heat down. Transfer chicken to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

Deglaze the pan over medium-high heat with 1/4 cup of water or chicken broth, scraping all the crispy browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and add the onions. Cook onions until they reach your preferred level of doneness, 2 to 4 minutes.

Assemble

Slice the chicken and assemble salad. Top with dressing and enjoy!

Grilled Chicken Muffaletta Pizza

I am so glad I don't live in New Orleans. I'd eat a muffulettas every day if I did. And that can't be good for the scale. 

I've loved muffulettas since the first one I had. Oddly enough we bought a large one to be cut down in what was like a roadside store when we were headed to our condo for the week. It's just one big Italian sandwich with all the delicious deli meats on it and a glorious olive spread. 

I've had Muffuletta pasta at a local restaurant called Cafe Veloce. And I've had a muffuletta pizza there too. Their pizza is so fantastic that when I saw this recipe I had an ah-hah moment of making my own muffuletta pizza. 

The thing is, I didn't want chicken on this pizza. So I did not grill it or even consider putting it on the pizza. Instead I did everything else...and y'all...this pizza was amazing. 

Grilled Chicken Muffuletta Pizza

Recipe from Just a Pinch

Serves 6 (if you have something with it, like a salad)

• 1 lg chicken breast
• 6-8 slice ham
• 6-8 slice salami
• 8 slice provolone cheese
• 2 c mozzarella cheese
• 1 qt olive salad
• 1 can Pillsbury thin crust pizza dough

Bake according to Pillsbury thin crust instructions. Cook the chicken breast. Shred it.

There is NO SAUCE with this so first layer the pizza dough with 1 cup mozzarella, then layer next with provolone slices, next layer with salami slices, next layer ham slices, sprinkle shredded chicken breast, add olive salad (use as much or as little as you like). Sprinkle remaining cup of mozzarella.

Bake according to Pillsbury instructions or until warm and bubbly and all cheese is melted.

Lisbon Style Steak

It's been several months since our trip to Portugal. Upon return, I researched for recipes of some of the dish we had during our trip. This recipe we did not have, but when I saw it I knew I had to make it. 

I used a NY steak for this recipe because that's what was in the freezer. I also grilled it instead of pan fry it. I just can't. Beef needs to be grilled. 

I did, however, sauté the mushrooms, added the brandy and added the heavy cream. I felt like it was lacking because I didn't have the pan fry and get those yummy brown bits from that, so I added a tsp of beef broth paste from Better Than Bouillon. That did it. Wow. Did that make the flavor over the top delicious. 

When I got the NY steak off the grill and it rested, I sliced it then poured the mushroom gravy over it. 

Lord. It was delicious. I kinda wish I had made mashed potatoes, but I survived without them.

Lisbon Style Steak

Portuguese Recipes

Serves 4

• 4 tenderloin steaks, cut 1/2 inch thick
• 2 T of butter or margarine
• 2 c heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp of black pepper
• 2 T of brandy
• 1-8 oz. can of mushrooms
• Salt to taste

Over medium heat , melt the butter in a 12 inch skillet.

Fry the steaks turning them over after 2 minutes or so (you do not want to over cook them at this point as they will finish cooking later).

Add the cream, mushrooms to the steaks and cook for 5 minutes.

Add the brandy and pepper and simmer over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes.

Serve with mashed potatoes or fries.

Recipe Credit: I. Borges

Photo Credit: recipeshubs.com

Spicy Ranch Oyster Crackers

I'm a sucker for a snack. And a crunchy, salty snack is my favorite. That's how I keep my girlish figure. I'm also a sucker for chex mix. I won't make it because I'll eat it all in one setting (not really, but close).

I had some oyster crackers hanging around in the pantry for some reason, so opted to make this recipe. 

Y'all, it's delicious and SPICY! But lucky I like spice. And the spice can be removed if you're not a spicy person. 

I tossed a little season salt on them when they came out of the oven too. That helped with the salty part of my salty snack. 

Spicy Ranch Oyster Crackers

Recipe from Sweet C Designs

Serves 6

1 T dried parsley

1 T dried dill weed

1 T garlic powder

1 T onion powder

1 T dried onion flakes

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp sea salt

½ tsp red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)

¼ tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)

½ c vegetable oil

1 box (9-10 ounces) oyster crackers

Preheat your oven to 250°F (120°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

In a large bowl, combine the dried parsley, dried dill weed, garlic powder, onion powder, dried onion flakes, dried basil, black pepper, sea salt, red pepper flakes, and cayenne pepper. Mix well to ensure the spices are evenly distributed.

Add the vegetable oil to the spice mixture and stir until it forms a paste-like consistency.

Pour the oyster crackers into the bowl with the spice paste. Gently toss and stir until the crackers are well coated with the mixture. Make sure all the crackers are evenly coated.

Spread the coated oyster crackers in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake the crackers in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes or until they are crispy and golden. Keep an eye on them to prevent burning.

Once baked, remove the crackers from the oven and allow them to cool completely on the baking sheet.

Once cooled, transfer the spicy ranch oyster crackers to an airtight container or sealable bags for storage.

Steak Quesadillas

Photo from Bake it with Love

I'm sure I've mentioned that I could eat Mexican food every day. It's often so easy and so delicious. Tacos are my usual go to, but tonight I decided to go the quesadilla route.

To be fair, quesadilla recipes aren't really a "new" recipe for me. My quesadilla making days go WAY back to my semester in Mexico.

I grilled the skirt steak and then cut it into small chunks. When I was ready to make the quesadilla I sautéed the steak to get it a little crispy. So delicious. 

Steak Quesadillas

Recipe from Bake It with Love 

Serves 4

• 1 T olive oil (extra virgin)
• 1 lb skirt steak (or flank steak, diced into bite-sized pieces)
• 1 T beef taco seasoning
• 8 large flour tortillas
• 1 c Mexican cheese blend (shredded)

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the diced steak and beef taco seasoning to the hot skillet and toss to fully coat the steak. Cook the steak until all sides are nicely browned, then transfer to a plate or cutting board and wipe out your pan.

Add a little more olive oil to the pan and place one tortilla in the center. Top the tortilla with ¼ of the diced steak and ¼ of the shredded cheese then place a second tortilla on top and use your spatula to gently press it down.

Cook your steak quesadilla until the tortillas have browned and the cheese is melted inside (about 3-4 minutes per side). Repeat this same process with each quesadilla.

Slice each quesadilla into wedges if desired and serve immediately.

Antipasto Salad

Photo from The Girl Who 
Ate Everything.com

Book club night. This month it was my turn to bring a salad. As luck would have it a salad came up on my random selection of recipes for this week. I had intended on making this and having it for lunch, but figured book club was just as good. 

I am a big lover of Italian subs. This recipe is basically a sub in a bowl. I did not include the pepperoncinis because 1) I couldn't find them and 2) none of the people eating this salad like them. I think they'd be good in it so when I make this again, and I will, I'll be sure to add them. I momentarily thought to do banana peppers, but decided against it. Next time.

The other change I made is I used Swiss Cheese instead of provolone. I had it and it needed to be used. I do think provolone would have been delicious in it. Again, Next time.

I dressed it with a Caesar dressing. I thought it was Olive Garden's Italian dressing, but it was a Caesar. Which turned out delicious too.

Antipasto Salad

Recipe from The-girl-who-ate-everything.com

Serves 8

• 8 c chopped romaine lettuce
• 3/4 c grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
• 6 ounces provolone cheese, diced
• 4 ounces marinated artichokes, drained and chopped
• 1/2 c olives (about 3 ounces)
• 2 ounces hard salami, diced
• 2 ounces pepperoni, quartered
• 1/4 c sliced pepperoncinis
• 1/4 c sliced red onion
• 1/4 c shredded Parmesan cheese (more to taste)

In a large shallow salad bowl, add the romaine and layer all of the rest of the ingredients. Toss together with your favorite Italian dressing and enjoy. It doesn't get any easier.

Beef, Tomato and Acini Di Pepe Soup

Soup season is winding down here in the PNW. I think I might have a couple more weeks, but you never know here. It could be summer tomorrow and then back to winter the day after. 

This soup recipe is so delicious. It's easy and hearty too. We had a somewhat blustery day and this was perfect to keep me warm. I think tomorrow it'll be even better as a leftover. 

Its such a simple recipe in fact, that I changed nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Beef, Tomato and Acini Di Pepe Soup

Recipe from SkinnyTaste

Serves 6

• 1 lb 90% lean ground beef
• 1- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 c diced onion
• 1/2 c diced celery
• 1/2 c diced carrot
• 28 oz can diced tomatoes
• 32 oz beef stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 oz small pasta such as Acini di pepei*
• grated parmesan cheese, optional

In a large pot or Dutch oven, sauté the beef and salt on high heat until browned, breaking the meat up into small bits. Add the onion, celery and carrots and sauté 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, stock and bay leaf, cover and cook low until the beef and the vegetables are tender, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours (you may need to add more broth or water if it evaporates too much).

Add the pasta, stir and cook according to package directions.

Country French Skillet Chicken

I wasn't at all sure how this recipe would turn out. I've never used Vegetable Recipe Mix in anything. Ever. I didn't even know what it was. 

When I Googled it I found what it looks like and then I was able to track it down in the store. Looking at the recipe on this package it turns out this is used in several spinach dip recipes. Makes sense. 

But with a chicken recipe I was surprised. Turned out this was pretty darn good. I don't need to make it again, but it was a decent recipe. I had to add a little more water to the pan since it felt like it thickened up too quickly. 

Country French Skillet Chicken

Recipe from I Am Homesteader

Serves 4

• 4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
• 1 T Lawry's seasoned salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ¼ c unsalted butter
• 1 c water
• 1 package Vegetable Recipe Mix
• 1tsp dried dillweed
• ½ c sour cream

Season both sides of the chicken breasts with the seasoning salt and garlic powder. Use clean hands to smear and coat evenly.

In a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the chicken and sear each side until golden, about 3 minutes on each side.

While the chicken is searing, mix together the water, vegetable recipe mix, and dillweed. Once the chicken has finished searing on both sides, pour in the seasoning mixture. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer and cover. Let cook for 7-9 minutes, until the center of the thickest part of the breast registers 160°F.

Off the heat and transfer the chicken breasts to a clean plate. Cover the chicken loosely with foil and let rest.

To the sauce still in the skillet, stir in the sour cream. Pour the sauce over each chicken breast before serving. Or, place chicken breasts back in skillet and serve your family directly from the skillet.

Braised Mexican Style Pork Ribs

Folks...we have another favorite for 2024! 

This recipe was amazing. Mind you I had to cut it down quite a bit since the original recipe makes enough for 10 people! 

Aside from cutting it down, I forgot to add the cinnamon and didn't add as much cumin as it asks for (too much cumin tastes like licking the bottom of an ashtray to me). I couldn't find Rotel's Chili Fixin’s tomatoes so just used a can of their tomatoes with green chilis. 

The recipe author suggests shredding the meat and putting it on a roll, or in a tortilla. I ate it as is with no extra thing wrapped around it and it was perfect. 

Braised Mexican Style Pork Ribs

Recipe from Melissa's Southern Style Kitchen 

Serves 10

• 4 lb boneless country style pork ribs
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 chipotle in adobo sauce minced
• 3 clove garlic minced
• 1 small lime juiced
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon dark chili powder
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup chipotle-honey barbecue sauce or your favorite plus additional for serving
• 1 medium medium sweet onion sliced into wedges
• 1 10 oz can Rotel Chili Fixin’s or chili seasoned tomatoes
• fresh cilantro

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Heat a couple of drizzles of olive oil in the bottom of a Dutch oven or heavy bottomed oven safe skillet.

In a small bowl mix together the brown sugar, minced chipotle peppers, minced garlic, lime juice, cumin, chili, paprika, garlic salt, oregano, pepper and cinnamon.

Rub the paste onto the ribs on all sides. Transfer to the Dutch oven and sear the ribs on all sides turning for even browning.

After searing drizzle the ribs with the barbecue sauce and arrange the onion wedges on top. Top with the Rotel tomatoes.

Cover and transfer to the oven braising for 3 hours or until the meat easily pulls apart with a fork. Rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Serve with rice, on toasted baguettes drizzled with additional barbecue sauce topped with slaw, or on warm tortillas with your favorite taco toppings.

Grilled Nashville Hot Chicken

When we were in Nashville we didn't get a chance to try their hot chicken. I was sure it'd be too hot for me but that wasn't why. We just ran out of meals. We had so many places we wanted to try. 

When I saw this recipe I thought it might be a good one to try. In her blog she warns that this recipe is HOT and she is not kidding. I like spicey, but I don't want my mouth to be so on fire that I can't taste anything.

I did NOT use 3 Tablespoons of cayenne. No way. I knew that would be too hot. I used 2tsp maybe a little more and WHOA!!! This was just right. 

The recipe doesn't call for it, but I drizzled it with honey after it came off the grill. That really made the chicken to me. 

Grilled Nashville Hot Chicken

Recipe from Damn Delicious

Serves 4

• 3 T cayenne pepper
• 1 T brown sugar
• ½ tsp chili powder
• ½ tsp paprika
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ c vegetable oil
• 2 lbs boneless chicken tenders

Whisk together cayenne pepper, brown sugar, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder and oil. Reserve 2 or 3 tablespoons if you want extra hot chicken.

Place chicken in a gallon ziplock bag and pour marinade over chicken. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to overnight.

Remove chicken from marinade and grill until done, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove chicken from grill and brush with reserved marinade, if desired.

Easy Slow Cooked Smothered Swiss Steak

Photo from Melissa's
Southern Style Kitchen.com

Slow cooker season is almost over. Or so I've been told. Though I'm a rebel and I slow cook all year round. Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall. If it's a season I'm gonna do a slow cooked meal. 

This particular meal is warm and comforting. It was perfect for the drizzly Seattle day. 

The only change I made was I left those demon green bell peppers out. Blech.

Easy Slow Cooked Smothered Swiss Steak

Recipe from Melissa's Southern Style Kitchen

Serves 6

• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 4 teaspoon Mediterranean Herb seasoning, divided i.e. McCormick’s
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt plus additional as needed
• 2 lb cubed sirloin steak
• olive oil
• 1 large green bell pepper sliced
• 1 large sweet onion cut into thin wedges
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 2 14.5 oz cans fire roasted tomatoes with garlic
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3 tablespoon tomato paste if needed to thicken
• 2 tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan or shredded Swiss cheese

Seasoned Flour: In a small bowl mix together flour, 1 tsp Mediterranean seasoning and garlic salt. Dust the steaks with seasoned flour on all sides.

Drizzle a large skillet with olive oil. Heat to high browning steaks on both sides for around 1-2 minutes per side. Do not cook through.

Assemble: Arrange green peppers and 1/2 of the onion on the bottom of the slow cooker. Sprinkle with garlic salt and black pepper to your taste.

Arrange the steaks on top. Top with remaining onion. Drizzle with Worcestershire sauce.

Sauce: Deglaze skillet with fire roasted tomatoes, brown sugar, bay leaves, 3 tsp of Mediterranean seasoning, red pepper flakes and 3 Tbsp tomato paste.

Season with garlic salt and black pepper to your taste. Scrape any brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Pour sauce over the steaks in slow cooker.

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

Remove steaks and use tomato paste to thicken the sauce at the end of cooking, if desired.

Serve over mashed potatoes, rice or egg noodles. garnished with fresh chopped parsley and a sprinkle of grated Parmesan or Swiss cheese.

Slow Cooker Pork Chile Verde

I'm not entirely sure why this recipe leapt off the page to me and yelled TRY ME, but it did and I did. And frankly, I'm sad that I did. 

This was not a good recipe for me. It both had and lacked flavor. I know that sounds weird, but let me try to explain. 

There was flavor there, but it was a vinegar-y flavor. It didn't have that salsa verde flavor I was expecting.

Oddly, that also lent to it not having flavor. I just can't really explain it.

Bottom line, this one was a fail. 

Slow Cooker Pork Chile Verde

Recipe from Lemon Blossom

Serves 8

• 3 – 4 pounds pork butt (or shoulder), cubed
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 – 2 T olive oil
• 1 11-ounces canned tomatillos
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 16-ounces jar salsa verde
• 1 10-ounces can green enchilada sauce
• 1 4-ounces can diced green chile (I use mild)
• 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp liquid smoke
• 3 T cornstarch
• 1/4 c water or chicken broth

Season the pork with salt, pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of cumin.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium – high heat. Working in batches (to not overcrowd the skillet), add the pork to the skillet and cook until golden brown. Add additional oil, if needed. Transfer the seared pork to the slow cooker.

Add the tomatillos to a food processor and blend until smooth. Transfer the tomatillos to the slow cooker.

Add the onions, garlic, salsa verde, green enchilada sauce, diced green chiles, oregano, cumin and liquid smoke to the crockpot. Mix to combine.

Cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 4 hours. About an hour before serving, mix 3 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water or chicken broth. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and cook for an additional hour. Adjust seasoning to taste and serve!

Hamburger Macaroni Skillet

When I was in college and my early 20's I was broke. I mean, who wasn't during those years of their lives. A lot of my meals were raman, mac and cheese and hamburger helper. 

Somewhere in my late 20's early thirties I had a helping of Hamburger Helper and I almost tossed my cookies. It was gross. How could I have eaten that? 

I still have fond memories of it, but not at all interested in eating the boxed version of hamburger helper. 

This will feed a ton too. You could probably stretch this to 10 servings if you are serving sides. I LOVED this recipe. The comfort of it brought me back to my early life but way better than that. 

Super easy recipe. I highly recommend cavatappi as the pasta too. So yummy with all the twirls of it. The sauce really holds on. You should also have all your ingredients measured before you start. It's not that this moves fast, but it's a good practice to get into. 

Hamburger Macaroni Skillet

Recipe from I am Homesteader

Serves 8

• 1 ½ pounds ground beef
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 T paprika
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• ¼ tsp crushed red pepper
• 1 c beef broth
• 1 ½ c whole milk
• 2 T cornstarch
• 1 pound cavatappi pasta, cooked al dente to package instructions
• 3 c cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 T parsley, chopped for garnish

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add ground beef and cook until it is no longer pink.

To the beef, add salt, paprika, garlic salt, onion powder, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir to fully incorporate all of the seasonings.

To a medium bowl add beef broth, milk, and cornstarch. Whisk together until smooth.

Pour mixture into ground beef, stir to incorporate completely. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally, until it thickens.

Add in cooked pasta and shredded cheese.

Garnish with freshly chopped parsley.

Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta

The first time I ever tasted pesto was at TASIS. We had a school chef who made all our meals that was amazing with the pasta sauces. I still dream about his carbonara. His name was Chefy (clever, huh?). He was the typical Italian gangster looking guy to me. Tony Soprano type. Big guy, balding, talked A LOT with his hands. We loved him. I think us kids annoyed the heck out of him, but we loved him all the same. 

He served pesto one day at lunch time shortly after I arrived at the school. I had never had it and really didn't know what it was. One bite and I was hooked. It could have been the special Chefy touch that made it so good, but the creamy, sweet taste of the basil I knew I would never forget. 

I frequently make my own pesto. I make a big vat of it and portion it out into single servings and freeze it. Tonight, sadly, I didn't have any homemade so I improvised and bought bottled pesto. I don't remember the brand I bought, but it was surprisingly flavorful. 

Make this dish. You can't go wrong with cream, pesto and pasta. 

Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta

Recipe from Love From the Oven

Serves 6

• 7 ounces pesto sauce homemade or jarred
• 1 pound penne pasta or other pasta shape
• 1 c heavy cream
• 3 c warm grilled chicken sliced or roughly chopped
• shredded parmesan for garnish optional
• pine nuts for garnish optional

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente pasta.

Prior to draining the pasta, save about ½ cup of the cooking water. Drain pasta well.

Toss pesto sauce with cooked pasta. Add heavy cream and toss again. Add pasta water, a little at a time, to thin the sauce if needed.

Add the chicken and toss to coat. Top with extra parmesan cheese and pine nuts.

Panda Express Shanghai Angus Steak

I am not a regular at Panda Express, but when I do go I get their Shanghai Angus steak. It's delicious.

Photo from Baking with Love

When I saw this recipe I thought "Sweet, I can make my own."

Well, I'm not sure if this person has had Shanghai Angus steak at Panda Express, but this did not really taste like it. Now it could be that I could find kecap manis so I substituted 1/2 tsp sugar to each tablespoon of kecap manis. I don't think it worked. This recipe was very vinegary and not at all what I was expecting.

It also didn't help that I didn't really read the recipe correctly and missed the separating the soy sauce up in two portions. I may make this again if I can find the right ingredients.

Panda Express Shanghai Angus Steak

Recipe from Baking with Love

Serves 4

• 12 oz Angus sirloin steak (cut into 1" strips)
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 4 tablespoon soy sauce (divided - 1 tablespoon portion & 3 tablespoon portion)
• 2 tablespoon sesame seed oil
• ½ tablespoon garlic (minced)
• 1 small white onion (sliced & cut into 1" pieces)
• 12 oz asparagus (1 bunch, cut into 1" pieces)
• 1 ½ cups white mushrooms (sliced)
• ½ cup Chinese Rice Wine (or cooking sherry)
• 1 tablespoon kecap manis (sweet soy sauce)
• 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and the 1 tablespoon portion of soy sauce. Add the steak slices and coat well. Set aside and marinate in the cornstarch mixture for at least an hour.

Combine your sauce: in a small bowl add the remaining portion of soy sauce with the kecap manis and Worcestershire sauce. Set aside.

Heat a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add the sesame seed oil and wait for it to start smoking slightly. Add the garlic and onion, stir fry for 1-2 minutes until the onion begins to get translucent.

Add the mushrooms and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Add the marinated steak and cook until no longer pink (about 4-5 minutes). Add the asparagus, then Chinese Rice Wine or cooking sherry, and stir fry for about 1 minute before adding the sauce (combined soy sauce, kecap manis, and Worcestershire) and black pepper.

Cook for 3-4 minutes (covered if you want your Shanghai Angus Steak to be nice and saucy) or until the asparagus has reached your desired level of tenderness and the sauce has thickened. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Photo from I Am
Homesteader

I've made a couple of different versions of "cajun chicken pasta" and each one has their own flavor
profile while having the same flavor profile. I know. It's weird. 

This was yummy. I've never cooked with ziti pasta before and think I may have a new favorite pasta shape.

I added some andouille sausage because I had some in the freezer and I really think it adds to the "Cajun-ness" of this recipe.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Recipe from I Am Homesteader

Serves 4

Noodles

• 8 ounces ziti noodles
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 T olive oil

Chicken

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tsp Cajun seasoning
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons olive oil

Sauce

• 2 T unsalted butter
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 4 tsp garlic, minced
• 1½ c heavy cream
• ½ cup parmesan cheese, grated (plus more for garnish)
• 2 T Cajun seasoning
• salt and pepper, to taste
• fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

In a large pot filled with water, add salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Add noodles and cook al dente, according to package directions.

Reserve 1 cup of pasta water; drain the rest.

Pound the chicken breasts so that they are even in thickness. Season on all sides with Cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper.

To a large skillet over medium heat, add oil, and heat until oil is sizzling.

When the oil is hot, add chicken and cook 5-6 minutes on each side, or until no longer pink and fully cooked. (Chicken is fully cooked when the internal temperature reaches 165°F.)

Remove chicken from the skillet and transfer to a cutting board. Slice the chicken breasts into thin strips. Tent to keep warm as you make the sauce.

To the same skillet over medium heat, add butter. Once the butter has melted, add onions and cook until softened (8-10 minutes).

Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Add heavy cream, ½ cup pasta water, parmesan cheese, and Cajun seasoning. Stir to combine. (At this point, taste the sauce for flavor. Add more Cajun seasoning if needed.)

Reduce heat to low and add cooked noodles to the skillet. (If you want a thinner sauce, add more reserved pasta water until desired consistency is reached.)

Add chicken. Toss to combine.

Serve immediately. Salt and pepper to taste.

Creamy French Onion Beef and Noodles

Beef Stroganoff is on the top of my list of comfort foods. It's an easy recipe and one that I have mastered. Still, I like to try other versions of it just to see if I can improve on mine. 

This recipe is a small upgrade to beef stroganoff. The French Onion Soup really makes this recipe. That little addition makes a big difference.

It's a hearty, one pot meal that I am sure you'll enjoy. 

I made ZERO changes to this recipe. Oh wait, that's not true. I had a half of an onion from another meal so I sliced that up and tossed it in when I was cooking the beef.

Creamy French Onion Beef and Noodles

Recipe from The Salty Marshmallow

Serves 4

• 2 T Olive Oil
• 1 Pound Beef Stew Meat
• 1 tsp Onion Powder
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• Salt & Pepper, To Taste
• 1 10.5 Ounce Can French Onion Soup
• 3 c Beef Broth
• 12 Ounces Egg Noodles
• ½ c Sour Cream
• ¼ c Parmesan Cheese
• 1 c French Fried Onions

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat.

Add the beef and season with the onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

Cook for 3-5 minutes until beef is seared on all sides.

Add French onion soup an beef broth to the pot and bring to a simmer.

Simmer the beef on low for 10 minutes, then add the egg noodles and simmer for 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally until the noodles are tender.

Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the sour cream and parmesan cheese. Sprinkle with french onions as desired.

Taco Soup

Well the sun is out here in Seattle. It's supposed to be 70F by Saturday. Looks like soup season might be winding down. 

This soup... oh my goodness...I am not even sure what to say about it other than it was FAN-FREAKIN-DELICIOUS!! It's definitely going into the favorites category for this year. 

It's a simple soup, but it packs a lot of flavor and textures. It's definitely hearty.  And the best part I had almost everything in the pantry to make this soup. I didn't have diced tomatoes with green chilies. BUT I had diced tomatoes and a can of green chilis. Close enough. 

I didn't change anything in this recipe (well except the diced tomatoes) significantly. I added a hit of hot sauce and a bit more chili powder. I served it along side warmed up flour tortillas - great for dipping in the broth.

Taco Soup

Recipe from The Clean Couple

Serves 4

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 cup onion chopped (1 medium onion)
• ½ tablespoon garlic minced (about 4 cloves)
• 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes with green chiles
• 1 quart beef broth low or no salt
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• 1 can black beans drained & rinsed
• 1 can pinto beans drained & rinsed
• 1 cup frozen corn thawed

In a soup pot, heat olive oil. Brown beef, onions and garlic for 10-12 minutes until cooked.

Add in tomatoes, broth, spices, beans and corn.

Stir together. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes to an hour.

The original website with this recipe has instructions for Instant Pot and Crock Pot.

Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage Stew

Last night was Sunday dinner and the theme was Irish. Only because next Sunday is St. Patty's day and

it was an excuse to eat soda bread. 

We had all the Irish favorites: Guinness, soda bread, colcannon, and more Guinness.

This was a good recipe. The crock pot was F-U-L-L. I cooked it for 8 hours and the corned beef wasn't as tender as I was hoping, but it was still good. I also didn't like the pickling spice. I knew I wasn't going to but was following the recipe anyhow. 

If I made this again, I wouldn't put in the veggies until half way. The cabbage was way to slimy. 

Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage Stew

Recipe from The Recipe Critic

Serves 6

• 2 pounds corned beef cut into bite sized pieces
• 4 large potatoes cut into large pieces
• 2 stalks celery chopped
• 1 white onion chopped
• 1 bag baby carrots 16 oz
• 1/2 head cabbage cut into small wedges
• 3 cups beef broth
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons McCormick® Pickling Spice
• 1 teaspoon McCormick® Garlic Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch optional
• Chopped Parsley and additional salt and pepper for garnish

Add corned beef, potatoes, celery, onion, carrots, and cabbage to your slow cooker.

In a medium sized mixing bowl combine beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, pickling spice, garlic powder, paprika and salt and pepper. Pour over the meat and veggies.

Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 5-6 until the vegetables are tender and meat is cooked throughout.

Add salt and pepper to taste and garnish with chopped parsley.

Beef and Cheddar Cheeseball

This month for book club, I was on the hook to bring an appetizer. I like to try something different instead of buying a premade at the store. And I like to mix it up. I don't like brining the same thing every time. 

Dried beef is a funny thing to me. I remember my grandma making chip beef gravy that we'd put over toast. Some folks call that S.O. S. I've only ever used it in dips and wondered if this would be a good thing to have in my preparedness kit. 

This was a delicious appetizer. DO NOT salt this immediately. That chip beef has a ton of salt in it. I didn't salt it at all and yet it turned out a little salty. 

What did I change: 

1. I didn't make a ball. I know. GASP. I put it in a dish and called it good. 

2. Because I didn't put it in a ball, I didn't use the pecans.

Beef and Cheddar Cheeseball

Recipe from Melissa's Southern Style Kitchen

Serves 12

• 1 1/2 cups pecans toasted & chopped
• 2 8 oz softened cream cheese
• 1 1/2 Tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 2.25 oz jar dried beef i.e. Armour
• 4 chopped green onions
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Toast the pecan pieces for 6-8 minutes. Set aside to cool.

In a medium mixing bowl, cream together, the softened cream cheese, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder and salt until light and fluffy.

Chop the dried beef and finely chop the green onions. Add to the cheese mixture then whip it in just until blended, to avoid pureeing the onion.

Mix in the shredded cheddar cheese by hand using a large spoon or spatula.

Shape into a ball. Wrap the cheese ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm.

Roll the chilled cheese ball in the toasted chopped pecans and serve with assorted crackers, veggies or pita chips.

Apple and Goat Cheese Salad with White Balsamic-Herb Dressing

Photo from Chef de Home

We had book club this week. My potluck item was an appetizer but Sherrie wasn't going to make it so I picked up her salad potluck item. 

I like a salad with a lot of viddles in it. I need more than just lettuce and tomato. This particular salad has enough viddles and enough flavor to make it a keeper. 

What did I change: 

1. I used spinach for a couple of reasons. First, I'm not a fan of a spring mix. It feels like I'm eating weeds. And second, I had the spinach in the fridge. 

Side note: I buy my spinach in a box (or a bag) as do most of us. You still need to wash it. You know that right? I washed this spinach and I was floored at the dirt and a couple of bugs I found in it. It was an organic box, but that's a little too organic for me. 

Apple and Goat Cheese Salad with White Balsamic-Herb Dressing

Recipe from Chef de Home

Serves 2

White Balsamic Dressing

• 2 T Balsamic Vinegar (white balsamic)
• 2 T Olive Oil
• 1 tsp Parsley (dried flakes)
• 1/2 tsp Oregano
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• Black Pepper (per taste)

Apple and Goat Cheese Salad

• 1 Apple (green, granny smith, sliced to thin wedges)
• 1/4 c Goat Cheese (chevre brand preferred, crumbled)
• 1/4 c Cranberries (dried cranberries)
• 3 c Spring Greens Mix
• 1/4 c Almonds (sliced, dry toasted, instructions below)

Dressing - Add all dressing ingredients in a wide salad bowl except olive oil. Whisking continuously, add olive oil to make a thick emulsion. Set Aside.

Brown almonds in a small pan.

Arrange the salad and dress.

Slow Cooker Pasta E Fagioli

Photo from Taste of Home

I really should have my Slow Cooker ID card revoked. This is recipe #2 this week that literally says "slow cooker" in the title and yet I did not get it together in time for the said slow cooking. 

No matter. I've had this soup in the big Dutch oven for an hour and it'll be fine. As soon as my cheddar bay biscuits are done, dinner's served. 

What I added:

1. I added a tablespoon of tomato paste. I wanted a deeper tomato flavor. 

2. I used vegetable broth because for some dumb reason I'm out of chicken broth. Me thinks it's time for a pantry inventory again. 

3. I didn't put in the pasta. I don't like how pasta soaks up all the liquid when you keep the remaining for the leftover. I know I can cook pasta separately and put it in when serving, but considering I'm having biscuits with it, I thought I could go without.

Slow Cooker Pasta E Fagioli

Recipe from Taste of Home

Serves 8 (if you have something else with it like a salad) ( and don't want leftovers)

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 carton (32 ounces) chicken broth
• 2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can (15 ounces) canneloni beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 1-1/2 c finely chopped cabbage
• 1 celery rib, chopped
• 2 T minced fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 c ditalini or other small pasta
• Grated Parmesan cheese, optional

In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until beef is no longer pink and onion is tender; drain.

Transfer to a 4- or 5-qt. slow cooker. Stir in the broth, tomatoes, beans, carrots, cabbage, celery, basil, garlic, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low until vegetables are tender, 7-8 hours.

Stir in pasta. Cover and cook on high until pasta is tender, about 30 minutes longer. Sprinkle with cheese if desired.

Mama's Banana Bread

I started buying bananas to have a couple of times a week to help with leg cramps. Turns out all I'm using them for is making banana type bread. I gotta stop buying bananas and thinking I'm going to eat them. They really don't last long and before I know it, they're too brown for my taste. My dad would have loved them. He'd let his bananas almost be rotten before he'd eat them.

I normally use my sister-in-laws banana bread recipe (I'm actually surprised it's not on this blog), but figured why not try something new.

This is actually the second batch of banana bread. The first batch I had to toss because I completely forgot the sugar. And it was gross. Tasted like flour and bananas. 

This one is YUMMY. I would prefer butter in my bread instead of oil, but overall this was a good bread. I'd make it again. 

Mama's Banana Bread

Recipe from South Your Mouth

Serves 10

3-4 bananas (preferably overripe)

1/2 c vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 c sugar

2 c all-purpose flour

1 T baking soda

1 c chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Peel and slice bananas then add to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer on low, beat bananas until creamy and only small chunks remain. Add oil, eggs, vanilla extract and sugar then continue beating on low until well combined. Add flour and baking soda and continue beating on low until just combined.

Grease and flour a standard-size loaf pan. Pour batter into prepared pan then bake at 350 degrees for one hour or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Cool banana bread in pan for 20 minutes then turn out and serve. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.