CROCKPOT SPAGHETTI

On cold winter days, I enjoy making dinner in the Crockpot. One of our favorite's is spaghetti; our kids were raised on this recipe, and it's one of picky-picky husbands favorites.

The thick and hearty sauce and tender meatballs take about 4-5 hours on HIGH in my 7-quart Crockpot (you might cut this recipe in half if you have a smaller Crockpot). I love the way my kitchen smells when I make this sauce.

This recipe is totally foolproof.

MEATBALLS OR NO MEATBALLS

1 pound of lean (90%) ground beef

1/2 cup fine DRY breadcrumbs

1 egg

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Mix all of the meatball ingredients and shape into walnut size meatballs. Bake in a 350 oven for 15 minutes then drain well before adding to sauce.

*If you would rather have a "loose meat" sauce (rather than meatballs) just brown 1 pound of lean ground beef (plus 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper) then drain it well, and put it in the Crockpot with the rest of the sauce ingredients.

SPAGHETTI SAUCE

(1) 14 ounce can of plain tomato sauce

(1) 12 ounce can of tomato paste

4 cups water

1 tablespoon dry onion flakes
1 cup finely diced carrot

1 clove of minced garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons dried sweet basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon fennel seed (crushed with mortar and pestle)

1 teaspoon salt 

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon sugar (don't leave this out)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (1/2 teaspoon if you like more heat)

Put everything in the Crockpot and mix well. Cook on HIGH for 4-5 hours (stirring once in a while if possible but not absolutely necessary).

The last hour, or so, leave the lid open just a crack so the sauce reduces and thickens. Serve over spaghetti noodles.

NOTE: If you like mushrooms, add them the last hour of cooking.

ENJOY !!!

CROCKPOT CHICKEN CHILI

Are you tired of the same old chili recipe? Try this chicken chili!! It is delicious, hearty and super easy to make. Comfort food, through and through. Oh, and it freezes well too!!!

The night BEFORE you want to eat, put (most) of the ingredients into the crockpot and cook on low all night (or for about 8 hours). The next morning, add the raw chicken thighs and shredded carrots and let it cook all day on low. It will make your house smell scrumptious!!!

1 1/2 cups DRY Great Northern white beans (the small ones)
4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 cup chopped onion (sauteed)
4 ounce can mild green chiles (I use Ortega brand) 
2 cups grated carrots
3 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 clove garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon dry oregano leaves
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more if you like "heat")
1 teaspoon salt (use salt ONLY if you are using salt free broth)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
6 cups chicken stock (see note below about salt)
1 cup Monterrey Jack Cheese shredded

Wash and sort the dry beans (do not pre-soak) and put them in the crockpot. Add the chicken stock, sauteed onion, seasonings and green chile's. Cook on LOW setting overnight (or for about 8 hours).

In the morning, remove about 1 cup of the beans and mash them thoroughly. (I put them in the blender)  Return the mashed beans to the crockpot; this will thicken up the broth in the chili.

Cut the raw chicken into large pieces and add it to the crockpot along with the shredded carrots.  Cook this on LOW for another 6 to 8 hours depending on how big your chicken pieces are.

About 30 minutes before you want to serve the chicken chili, add the shredded Monterrey Jack cheese and stir. This adds such a wonderful taste and texture.

I hope you like this hearty
chili as much as we do

NOTE: If you use salt free chicken broth, go ahead and put the teaspoon of salt into the chili. Taste it again after it is finished cooking (and after you've added the cheese) to see if it still needs more salt.   If you use chicken broth made from bullion, don't add ANY salt to the recipe, as the bullion broth is already quite salty.

NOTE: I hope you don't leave out the grated carrot, it really adds a wonderful taste and texture to the chili.

NOTE: We are fairly timid when it comes to spicy heat in our food, so I use an 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne and it is absolutely perfect for us. If you like more heat in your food, just add more cayenne.

NOTE: This makes a big pot of chicken chili. It freezes well.

ENJOY !!!

PEANUT BUTTER PUDDING

I set out to "invent" a great and unique "kid pudding". I collected all of the pudding recipes from my recipe box and started combining and tweaking them .... I wanted the richness from this one ...the consistency from that one ...the sweetness from yet another one... and went to work with my picky-picky husband as my Guinea pig taste tester. After several tries, old picky-picky gave me that "pudding face smile" and two thumbs up.  He said, "THIS one is a keeper!!"

Whether you want plain peanut butter pudding, or peanut butter pudding with bananas, or even peanut butter pudding with chocolate, it's all good.  

This pudding is rich, creamy, 

peanut butter-y 
and oh so easy to make!!

2/3 cup dark brown sugar

2 level tablespoons of corn starch

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cups whole milk (I've used 2% in a pinch)

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a saucepan that has a heavy bottom, whisk together the brown sugar, corn starch and salt. This step helps the cornstarch from clumping-lumping when you add the liquid.

After the sugar, cornstarch and salt are whisked together, slowly add the milk and cream. Stir to make sure everything is mixed well.

Bring to a boil, over medium high heat, stirring constantly. When this mixture gets nice and thick, add the peanut butter and whisk until it is totally melted and pudding just starts to boil again, (takes about 30 more seconds). Remove from heat and add vanilla extract, mix well.

Note: If you want a SILKY SMOOTH "mouth feel", put this pudding through a strainer after it's done and still hot.  This isn't necessary, but it REALLY makes a wonderful difference.

Pour into a pretty serving dish (or individual dishes) and lay plastic wrap directly on top of the hot pudding (make sure the plastic is actually touching the pudding) so a "skin" doesn't form on the pudding as it cools.  Chill for 

2-3 hours or overnight.

What a great recipe for ANY
kids birthday party!!

ENJOY !!!

QUICK and EASY STICKY CHICKEN WINGS

This is one of picky-picky hubbies all-time favorite things to eat (hands down!!). Wing sections baked in a soy sauce, brown sugar and pineapple mixture, this recipe is super simple and always a hit at parties. I've been asked for this recipe countless times and people are always surprised how few ingredients there are..

CLICK ON THIS PICTURE

2 pounds of chicken wing sections
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
pinch of red pepper flakes 
20 ounce can of pineapple chunks (drained well)

Cut the wings into sections, discarding the wing tip (or buy already cut up party wings) and place in a 9" x 13" (greased) baking dish.  Mix everything else together and spoon over the wings.

Bake in a 350 oven (uncovered) for 1 1/2 hours, turning everything over every 30 minutes or so. I know that seems like a LONG time for chicken wings, but trust me, it takes that long for the wings to "break down" and be super tender, sweet, juicy and sticky!!

NOTE: Remove the wings and pineapple from the sauce and serve (discard the sauce). Hubby likes the pineapple chunks, but I don't care for them...it's your choice.

NOTE: Do not leave out the pineapple during the baking stage; the flavor and moisture content of the fruit is important to the cooking process.

NOTE: During the last 30 minutes of bake time, the chicken wings will get shiny and sticky!!

NOTE: If you are still in doubt about the 1 1/2 hour cooking time, click on the above photo and you will see they are juicy and not overcooked.

ENJOY !!!

COLEEN's RED RICE

This is one of my original recipes and I like it SO MUCH I could eat it every day. It is definitely my favorite "go to" recipe when picky-picky husband is grilling some huge slab-o-meat and I want something a little lighter.

Quick and easy, and made with pantry staples; it is also excellent for a potluck side dish if you double or triple it. 

CLICK ON PHOTO 

1 cup raw white rice (not instant rice)
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
15 oz. can diced tomatoes in juice
1 tomato can of water + 1/2 cup water
4 ounce can of mild green chili's
1 red bell pepper chopped
1 cup red canned kidney beans drained
1 small seeded and diced jalapeno (if you want a little extra heat)

Heat the canola oil, then add the RAW rice, onion and spices. Sauté this mixture until the onion is transparent and the rice is opaque.

Add the red bell pepper, kidney beans, the whole can of diced tomatoes (plus the juice) plus 1 full can of water plus another 1/2 cup of water and the mild green chili's (and jalapeno if you are using it....I don't think it's necessary.

Stir well and bring to a boil.

Put a tight fitting lid on the pan and turn the heat down to a slow simmer. Cook for 17 minutes, then turn off heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.

NOTE: "Toasting" the spices in the oil/raw rice mixture at the beginning of this recipe really "wakes up" the spices and helps the flavor get deep into the rice.

ENJOY !!

CROCKPOT SERIOUS COMFORT FOOD

SERIOUS COMFORT FOOD!!

We call this lasagna (which it isn't) but it qualifies as serious comfort food and has all of the rich, familiar lasagna flavors.

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef (browned and drained well)
4 cups of beef broth (I used canned)
(1) 15 ounce can of tomato sauce
(1) 12 ounce can of tomato paste
1 tablespoon dehydrated onion flakes
1 teaspoon dry oregano
2 teaspoons dry basil
1/2 teaspoon fennel seed (don't leave out)
1 teaspoons salt (leave out if you use bullion)
1 tablespoons sugar (don't leave out)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (1/2 tsp if you like heat)
3/4 pound of rigatoni noodles
1/2 pound of mushrooms (thick sliced)
2 to 3 cups Colby Jack cheese shredded

Brown the ground beef and drain it very well. In a large crock pot (see note below), Mix the beef broth, tomato sauce, tomato paste, onion and spices. Use a whisk to mix the sauce together well, then stir in the meat and mushrooms. Cook on high for 4 hours (see note). Stir once in a while during the 4 hours if possible (but not absolutely necessary.

After 4 hours, Stir in the DRY unboiled rigatoni, make sure you push them under the sauce (add a little extra hot water if necessary). 

Continue to cook for 30-ish more minutes. Sprinkle the surface with shredded Colby jack cheese and put the lid back on for about 5 minutes or until cheese is nicely melted. Serve.

NOTE: My crock pot is a large oval and wide slow cooker, which works well for this recipe, as opposed to a small/tall one.  The main cooking time is 4 hours on high, but if you are going to be away from the house all day, just turn it down to LOW and cook for 8 hours before you add the noodles. If you are using one of those smaller/taller slow cookers, you may have to adjust the cooking time.

NOTE: Noodles tend to fall apart if you leave them in the crock pot for much more than 30 minutes, so don't be tempted to add them early. Thirty minutes is perfect.

NOTE: This recipe uses rigatoni noodles, which are large diameter tubular noodles that have ridges on them. However, any kind of thick walled (sturdy) noodle (like rotini) will work for this recipe. Just make sure you do NOT BOIL THEM before you add them to the sauce. They cook in the sauce and soak up all of that extra liquid. 

NOTE: I like dehydrated onion in this recipe, but if you don't have that, just saute a small chopped onion along with the ground beef.

NOTE: You can use your favorite cheese. We happen to like Colby Jack cheese, but mozzarella works well too.

NOTE: This reheats very well.

ENJOY !!!

BRIGHT CITRUS SALAD

This refreshing salad is a nutritious combination of crunch (from the broccoli and sunflower seeds), sweetness (from the oranges and raisins) and a pleasant "full feeling" from the black beans.  

It is the perfect side dish for any barbecue or potluck!!

Measurements given here are approximate (except for the dressing). YOU decide how much of each ingredient you would like in your salad. The amounts given here are catered to OUR taste buds. 

3 small heads of broccoli (bite size pieces)
1 red bell pepper (diced finely)
1 cup raisins
2 oranges (peeled and sliced thickly)
15 ounce can of black beans (rinsed and drained)
1/2 cup  toasted sunflower seeds
1/2 cup finely sliced green onion tops

Dressing:
1/2 cup mayonnaise (I use light)
1/2 cup milk (I use 2%)
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Pinch of cayenne powder


Wash the broccoli and shake dry. Remove as much of the stalk and stems as you can so you can break the florets into bite size pieces. Add (small diced) red bell pepper, raisins, oranges, black beans, sunflower seeds and green onions.

Mix dressing ingredients with a whisk and pour about 1/2 cup of it over the salad just before you serve it. Toss gently and taste to see if you want more dressing. You may not need or want all of the dressing. 


NOTE: Peel the oranges, removing as much of the white as you can, then slice the orange into thick slices; cut the thick slices into four wedges.

NOTE: Let your imagination go wild with this salad, you can add just about any veggies that strike your fancy.

ENJOY !!!

MARINATED PORK LOIN

After grilling the same country style pork ribs  for the past umpteen years, I wanted a change.  I wanted to find some cut of pork that didn't need pre-cooking (in order to get it nice and tender). So recently, we started grilling pork loin (not tenderloin). The whole loin is very tender, flavorful and unlike the country style pork ribs that have lots of ... what picky-picky husband calls "waste" (fat, gristle, bone), the loins have ZERO "waste".  I usually buy a 2 pound loin and that is perfect for three big eaters (or 2 of us plus lunch tomorrow).

 

1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons pineapple juice
1 tablespoon dehydrated onion flakes
4 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Put everything in a large zip lock plastic bag and squeeze it around to mix well.

Slice your 2 pound pork loin into 3/4" thick slices and put them into the bag with the marinade, making sure the liquid reaches all of the meat surfaces.  Put the bag in the fridge for 6-12 hours (I did it for 6 hours and it was perfect).

When you are ready to grill, remove the meat from the marinade (but save the marinade). Bring the marinade to a very gentle boil and cook it for 15 minutes. This cooking time will make the marinade safe to eat AND it will thicken the marinade so you can use it to baste the pork loin on the grill.

Grill your pork outdoors, basting the meat each time you flip it over.

CLASSIC MACARONI SALAD

Everyone seems to have their own tried and true family macaroni or potato salad recipe. Some have lots of vinegar, some have lots of mustard, some have no eggs (yee gads!!) I even had some that had small cubes of sharp Cheddar cheese which was surprisingly tasty.

I remember when I was little, my folks took us back to visit our VERY German relatives in the Dakota's and one of my Aunts gave me some German potato salad. I was a huge fan of potato salad, but let me tell you that hers was not like any other potato salad I had ever tasted. It was not only FULL of vinegar and bacon grease, but it was HOT!! It's been over 50 years but I still can remember my shock!!  lol

What do you put in YOUR macaroni (potato) salad?

2 cups dry small seashell macaroni
½ cup chopped onion chopped (fairly fine)
3 stalks of celery with leaves chopped (fairly fine)
½ cup red bell pepper chopped (optional)
1 cup grated carrot
3 large pickles chopped (favorite flavor)
4 hard-boiled eggs chopped
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup lite mayonnaise
3 tablespoons yellow prepared mustard
3 tablespoons pickle juice

Boil macaroni for 8 minutes (or as recommended on box), then rinse under cold water, and drain very well.

NOTE: Many recipes warn you not to rinse cooked macaroni, however, I find that macaroni salad stays creamier if you rinse the starch off of the cooked macaroni before you add the mayonnaise to the salad.

Add chopped veggies, eggs and pickles to the cooked and rinsed macaroni. Whisk the mayonnaise, mustard, pepper and pickle juice together and gently stir into the macaroni-veggies.

IMPORTANT: This salad really needs to sit in the refrigerator overnight so the flavors can blend together…it makes a huge difference.

NOTE: I do not add salt to this salad because there is already a lot of salt in the pickles, pickle juice and mustard.

NOTE: Just before I put this salad into the fridge, for the first time, I put a piece of wax paper (or plastic wrap) on the surface of the salad and then I lay 2 paper towels (folded) on top of the wax paper and snap the Tupperware lid on. The paper towel will attract any condensation in the bowl and the waxed paper (or plastic wrap) will keep the moisture from running down into the salad. Once the salad is in the fridge overnight, discard the wax paper and paper towel.

NOTE: The amount of mayonnaise you use is up to you. Start with 1 cup and add more if you like your salad creamier.

CHICKEN SOUP FOR A SICK HOUSE

I haven't posted much lately because picky-picky husband and I have had the flu. Not just your every day "better in a week flu", but the old fashioned "don't even get out of your jammies)"flu that has plagued us with lethargy and coughs for almost a month.

Our meals have been simple and mostly from the crock pot (or frozen food entree aisle) but then we haven't had much of an appetite either. Now that we are feeling a little better, I am venturing back into the kitchen.

This chicken soup has been a life saver for us during this time. I just keep it going in the slow cooker, adding a little more broth and veggies when necessary. It is a super simple recipe and if your family is coping with this ugly flu, like we are, I hope you will give this magic "elixer" a try.

6 large boneless-skinless chicken thighs (dark meat has the best flavor)
1 cup chopped onion (I like to use sweet onions)
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrot
2 quarts of good chicken stock (I use the boxed kind)
1 tablespoon chicken bullion granules
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
pinch of dried thyme
pinch of poultry seasoning
2 cups favorite veggies (I use frozen mixed veggies)
spaghetti or fettuccine noodles (they hold up better than other noodles)

Cube and brown the chicken thighs in a tablespoon of oil until you get brown crusty spots on the chicken. Remove from pan and put it into the crock pot. In the same pan, saute the onion, celery and carrot until they get a little soft. Use a spatula and use the moisture in the veggies to de-glaze any crusty bits left in the bottom of the pan. Add this mixture into the crock pot ; those crusty brown bits in the pan are PACKED with chicken flavor.

Add the broth, 2 cups favorite veggies, bullion granules and salt and pepper. Stir and cook on high for about 6 hours, stirring once in a while. Half an hour before you serve this soup, break the noodles into 4" pieces and put into hot broth and stir. The noodles should be ready to eat in about 30 minutes.

NOTE: I have tried many different kinds of noodles in this soup. Spaghetti seems to hold up the best without turning to mush if you are cooking the soup for a long time or overnight. I also use rice instead of noodles, however, DO NOT put the rice into the soup because after a short while, it will deteriorate and make your soup a mushy mess. Instead, make the rice SEPARATELY and put a big spoon of it in your soup bowl and ladle the soup OVER the rice. It only took me about 10 years to figure this trick out.

NOTE: Any cut of chicken will work in the soup, however, the dark meat gives the most flavor and after 6 hours, it will still be very moist and "fall apart" tender.


NOTE: Any kind of veggies can be used for the "favorite veggies" part. Just make sure you use veggies that will stand up to long cooking. I usually use a frozen veggie mixture that has peas, corn, green beans and carrots, but anything will work (just don't used canned veggies).

NOTE: Homemade chicken broth is best, but I never seem to have any when I want to make this soup, so I use a good quality BOXED chicken broth (just don't use bullion and water to make broth because it will be too salty).

BEEF TOMATO-BARLEY SOUP

"It has finally stopped snowing", she said quietly as she knocked on wood. We actually saw the sun today and they are calling for more sun tomorrow; it has been quite a winter!! My poor old crock pot has hardly hit the shelf this winter; it seems like there is always some bean or soup recipe bubbling away in there.

Today's post is one of picky-picky husbands crockpot favorites. It is very rich, very beefy, very filling and it just keeps getting better and better the longer it cooks.

I was a young bride when I tried to make  home made beef soup the first time and it was terrible (I think it called for a ton of bay leaves). I remember cooking it all day and wanting it to taste as good as it looked, but we just couldn't eat it.

I didn't give up though, I tried all kinds of magazine recipes; some had a ton of herbs; some had onion soup mix; some had Italian salad dressing mix in it; I tried them all, with little success. I decided to go back to a no frill vegetable soup recipe.  I tweaked it for years until it evolved into the recipe I'm posting today. Picky-picky husband is crazy about this soup and loves to dip hot buttered bread rolls into it.

2 pounds beef chuck roast
1 cup onion chopped
1 cup celery chopped
2 cups carrot chopped
4 large potatoes cubed
2/3 cup pearl barley (don’t leave out)
(2) 32 ounce boxes beef broth
(1) 15 ounce can tomato sauce
½ teaspoon black pepper
(2) heaping teaspoons beef bullion granules

Cut the beef into 1” cubes, removing as much fat as possible. Brown beef in a minimal amount of vegetable oil until beef is nice and crusty brown (this is where the majority of your soup flavor will come from, so don't skip this step).
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Remove beef from fry pan and drain off as much fat as you can; add onion, celery and carrots. Using the moisture from the veggies, de-glaze any crusty brown bits on the bottom of the pan. If the brown bits are stubborn, add a table spoon of water and use your spatula to scrape up the fond . Cook until onions are transparent.
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Put the beef and sauteed vegetables in the crockpot and add the rest of the ingredients, stir well. Cook on low for 8 hours.
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NOTE: Do not leave out barley. It not only gives a wonderful flavor to the soup, but it thickens the broth.

NOTE: Put any vegetables you like in the soup, just make sure they are vegetables that can stand up to long cooking times.

NOTE: Taste the soup for salt when it is almost done cooking.

CLASSIC FRENCH TOAST

Today is our 41st Anniversary; actually, we've been together 46 years (we were high school sweethearts). If you follow my recipe blog, you know that I call him "Picky-picky husband" (because he is very timid when it comes to trying ANY new recipes); but he is a GREAT guy and we are more in love today than ever.

~~~~~~~

This is a recipe for basic French toast. Everyone seems to have their own recipe and there are a million variations, but this is a post for the beginning cook, complete with a few tips I've learned over the years.

 

First of all, a tip about the kind of bread you need.
1. ANY bread will work, but SOME breads make a much better French toast than others.

2. Fresh, soft bread makes the worst French toast; day old (or even week old) bread works better.

3. Thicker bread makes better French toast than thinner bread. 

4. Sweet bread like Texas toast works well, so do English Muffins, although you have to let them soak a while. So keep an open mind when thinking about bread choices!!

4 large eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
dash nutmeg (optional)

Whisk all of the above until very well mixed.  I like to use my immersion blender to do this.  Dip the bread into the mixture and let it sit for 10 or 15 seconds (longer if the bread is extra dry or if you are using English Muffins) then lift out and cook on preheated (and buttered) frying pan (I get the best results from my electric frying pan). Cook until the French toast is golden brown on both sides.

Serve immediately with butter and HOT maple syrup.

NOTE: You can use milk instead of cream, but the cream gives a richer taste and helps the French toast get that golden "crust".

CRISP BACON and GUACAMOLE SANDWICH

I first posted this idea a couple of years ago and then promptly forgot about it. However, summer is often too busy (or hot) to cook, so recently I dug into my files for a good sandwich idea and re-discovered this treat.

You will not find this delight on any health food menu and you won't find it on your weight watchers plan, but man oh man, is it tasty. Crisp fried bacon, on top of a thick layer of guacamole and topped with lettuce and tomatoes. You just have to say yes to a good sandwich some times!

The guacamole for these sandwiches is excellent:
3 avocados
juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup sweet (or red) onion diced small
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 Roma tomatoes diced small
1 teaspoon minced garlic
pinch of ground cayenne pepper (optional)

Mash the avocado with the lime and salt and then stir in the rest of the ingredients. You can use this right away, but the flavors blend better if it sits in the fridge for an hour or so.

Spread a nice thick layer of guacamole on your toasted bread, then top with crisp bacon, tomato slices and favorite lettuce.  Eat your sandwich in the shade with a tall glass of sweet ice tea !!

SWEET & SOUR PORK RECIPE

There are four reasons to try this great recipe. First, it is made in the slow cooker, so it's super easy. Secondly, it is inexpensive to make; thirdly, it gets rave reviews whenever I make it and fourthly, the finished meal freezes VERY well if you have leftovers.
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I am not a big sweet and sour fan, but I love this recipe. It is extremely moist with just the right amount of sweet to sour ratio.
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2-3 pound lean boneless pork loin roast 
1 cup granulated sugar (seems like a lot, but it mellows out)
1/2 cup white vinegar
4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons ketchup
20 ounce can crushed pineapple (drained)
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Brown the pork roast on all sides and put it in your slow cooker. Mix everything else and bring it to a boil, then pour it over the meat.
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Cook on low for 4-6 hours or until very tender (spoon the sauce over the meat every once in a while).
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That's it...super easy!! At the very end of the cooking time, I thickened the sauce a little with a slurry of cornstarch and water (right in the crockpot). To serve, slice the meat and spoon a little of the sauce over it; it's great with rice.

Now this last suggestion is not for everyone, but my picky-picky hubby absolutely loves it. On day two, I pull this pork apart and mix it with a little of the sauce (make sure you include some pineapple out of the sauce). While its still cold, I roll it into a large burrito size tortilla (folding in all the ends) and then I brown the whole "sandwich" in a little butter until its piping hot. Hubby is extremely UN-demostrative when it comes to food, but he ooohhh'd and ahhhhhh'd about this sandwich until the last bite.

NOTE: Sorry about these photographs. This is one of those recipes that, no matter how hard to try to get a good photo, it just doesn't work. You'll just have to trust me that it is delicious.

ENJOY !!!

EASY ENCHILADA CASSEROLE

This is a great comfort food classic that I turned into an easy, quick fix casserole. You can easily double or triple the ingredients for a big crowd. The flavors are great and it reheats extremely well.

MEAT FILLING
1 pound lean ground beef
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon dry onion flakes
3 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup water
4 oz. mild green chilies (I use Ortega brand)

Brown the ground beef and drain. Return to pan and add everything else, stir well and let this simmer for about 10 minutes, stir in a can of refried beans and remove from heat and set aside.

 ENCHILADA SAUCE

(1) 6 ounce can tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon cayenne*
2 cups water

Mix well and simmer for about 15 minutes...set aside

ASSEMBLY

In a greased 9 x 13 pan, place TWO layers of soft corn tortillas; cover with a little of the enchilada sauce. Space large spoons of the meat-bean filling 2" apart on top of the sauce, and sprinkle with a little cheese like this:



Top with TWO more thickness' of soft corn tortillas that have been cut into diamonds, like this:

Ladle some more enchilada sauce over the soft tortilla diamonds, then repeat with the meat and cheese.

Bake in a preheated 350 oven for about 35 minutes. You can put this all together early in the day and then just pop it into the oven at dinner time. If you do that, add about 10 minutes to the total baking time.

NOTE: We are pretty shy when it comes to spicy, so I use 1/8 teaspoon cayenne and it is very mild. If you like a little more "heat", go for it.

GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE with MUSHROOMS, CHEESE AND BACON

The traditional "green bean casserole" has always intrigued me. I see it mostly during the holidays and I want to enjoy it, although I'm not too fond of the mushroom soup sauce it usually has. This year, I set out to re-invent this holiday casserole and I absolutely love the final results.
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I used fresh green beans, sauteed sweet onions, portabello mushrooms, crisp bacon, a little cheddar cheese and my own white sauce. The resulting "green bean casserole" was delicious and we ate a ton of it.

1 pound of fresh green beans cut into 2" pieces
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
1/2 pound of baby portobello mushrooms sliced
5 slices of bacon fried crisp (drained well & crumbled)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (loosely packed)
1 clove garlic minced finely
3 tablespoons white flour
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
scant 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 1/2 cups milk


In a large frying pan, saute the chopped onions until they smell sweet; add the garlic and saute until it barely turns golden. 

Add the green beans and mushrooms (mixing well) and saute for a few minutes until they start to wilt just a little (don't cook them all the way through). Remove pan from heat and set aside.
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In a sauce pan, melt 3 tablespoons butter; add the flour, salt and pepper, stirring quickly. Cook on medium for about a minute (to remove any flour taste). 

Slowly add the milk while you are whisking like a mad woman while (this will eliminate lumps in the sauce). Once the milk and butter-flour mixture are mixed well, cook on medium heat (stirring every once in a while) until it gets nice and thick.

Remove from heat and stir in the cheese and crisp (crumbled) bacon. Add this mixture to the vegetables and stir well (but gently). Place in an lightly greased casserole dish and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until very hot.
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It was really tasty and the leftovers made a mouth watering lunch the next day.

TOASTED ORZO with PARMESAN & BASIL

This simple (and versatile) little side dish is just delightful. The orzo is toasted in butter before boiling, which adds an extra flavor, then it is tossed with Parmesan and fresh basil. Whether you use it as a side dish or a main dish, it is a very nice change.

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup uncooked orzo pasta

2 + 1/4 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

pinch of red pepper flakes

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Melt the butter in a heavy bottomed pan that has a tight fitting lid. Add the UNCOOKED orzo pasta and stir until completely coated with the butter. Cook on medium-high until the pasta turns golden to lightly brown (watch it because once it starts to turn, it turns quickly).

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Stir in the chicken broth, red pepper lakes, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer until the orzo is tender and liquid is (almost) all absorbed. This will take 15 to 20 minutes depending on how fast your simmer is.

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When orzo is tender, remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese and fresh basil. Serve hot.

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NOTE: Just about anything can be added to this recipe, next time I think I'll include a little crisp bacon some mushrooms!!!

ENJOY !!!