Easy Crockpot Mongolian Beef

This crock pot meal is fabulous when school is in full swing and there are after school activities.

Ingredients:

1 pound stewing meat (I actually use 1.5 pounds and there is plenty of sauce)
2 teaspoon olive oil
1 onion, sliced thickly (I omit this as my children don't like onion)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon fresh minced ginger
1/2 cup hoisin sauce

Directions:

Dump everything in the crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours. If you are going to cook it a bit longer it is advisable to add a little bit more water so it doesn't dry out. This is delicious with rice and a nice green vegetable such as broccoli, peas or green beans.

Freezer directions:

Mix all liquid ingredients and put in a freezer bag. Add your meat and mix up to be sure the beef is covered. Seal and date your bag and place flat in the freezer. Take out of freezer the night before cooking and put in your fridge to thaw. Next morning put in the crockpot and follow directions above.

Source: www.allrecipes.com (adapted from)

Garden Fresh Vegetable Pie

I just made this tonight.  It's a recipe from Trisha Yearwood, in this month's Better Homes and Garden.  

It's yummy if you're a fresh from the garden veggie lover!  Below is the recipe, but I'm sure just about any garden fresh veggie would go great in it.  I tweaked it a bit to please our taste buds!  :)  

* I didn't use onions or water chestnuts. 
*I didn't peel my tomatoes--too hard and BTW Trisha, why??? 
*I was leery of the mayonnaise and cheese mixture, but--YUMMY!  
*Embarrassingly, I, Denise, ate half a pie!  

Garden Fresh Veggie Pie

Ingredients

• 1tablespoon olive oil
• 1clove garlic, minced
• 1cup peeled and chopped sweet onion, such as Vidalia
• 1large zucchini squash, thinly sliced
• 1large yellow squash, thinly sliced
• 1/2teaspoon salt
• 1/2teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1cup mayonnaise
• 1 - 1 1/2cups shredded mozzarella cheese (4 to 6 oz.)
• 1 - 1 1/2cups shredded cheddar cheese (4 to 6 oz.)
• 2large tomatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 29-inch deep-dish pie shells, prebaked as directed
• 18 ounce cansliced water chestnust, drained

directions

1.Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

2.Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add garlic and saute for 2 minutes; don't let it brown. Add onion, zucchini, yellow squash, and1/4 tsp. each of the salt and pepper. Cook until the squash is tender, about 15 minutes. Divide the mixture in half.

3.Mix the mayonnaise and cheeses and set aside. Layer the sliced tomatoes in the bottom of the baked piecrusts. Sprinkle the tomatoes with the remaining salt and pepper. Layer the squash mixture on top of the tomatoes, then layer the water chestnuts. Top each pie with half of the mayonnaise and cheese mixture. Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes. Allow the dish to stand for 15 minutes before cutting into wedges.

nutrition facts (Trisha Yearwood's Vegetable Pies)

• Servings Per Recipe 12,
 
• cal. (kcal) 393,
 
• Fat, total (g) 31,
 
• chol. (mg) 23,
 
• sat. fat (g) 8,
 
• carb. (g) 22,
 
• Monosaturated fat (g) 11,
 
• Polyunsaturated fat (g) 10,
 
• Trans fatty acid (g) 0,
 
• fiber (g)2,
 
• sugar (g) 3,
 
• pro. (g) 8,
 
• vit. A (IU) 500,
 
• vit. C (mg) 10,
 
• Thiamin (mg) 0,
 
• Riboflavin (mg) 0,
• Niacin (mg) 1,
 
• Pyridoxine (Vit. B6) (mg) 0,
 
• Folate (µg) 49,
 
• Cobalamin (Vit. B12) (µg) 0,
• sodium (mg) 472,
 
• Potassium (mg) 210,
 
• calcium (mg) 155,
 
• iron (mg) 1,
 
• Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Pretzel Crusted Chicken

I saw this recipe in a magazine and it looked good and easy---most of the ingredients are staple items in your pantry and refrigerator.  We ate this last night and it was well received!

2 Large Eggs
1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1 1/2 Cups Crushed Pretzels
1 Tablespoon Minced Thyme
1 1/2 Pounds Chicken Cutlets (I cut boneless, skinless breasts in half and pounded them thin)
1/4 Cup Olive Oil, Divided
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour
2 Cups Milk
1 1/2 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese

*In a shallow dish, whisk together egg and mustard until smooth.  In a separate shallow dish, combine pretzels and thyme.

*Dip chicken in egg mixture, letting excess drip off.  Dredge in pretzel mixture to coat.

*In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat.  Add half of chicken, and cook for 5-6 minutes per side or until cooked through.  Remove chicken from skillet and keep warm.  Repeat procedure with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and chicken.  Wipe skillet clean.

*Melt butter over medium heat.  Add flour and cook, whisking constantly for 2 minutes.  Slowly add milk, whisking until smooth.  Cook, whisking constantly, for 6-8 minutes or until thickened and bubbly.  Add cheese melts and mixture is smooth.  Spoon sauce over chicken.

(I used skim milk and 2% cheese, but I'm sure if you used a fattier milk and cheese, it would be creamier---and tastier!)  We ate this with rice and mixed veggies.

Honey Lime Enchiladas

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

My friend made these a few weeks ago when she had me over to her house. I got the recipe from her and made them for some friends who came over for dinner last night. My husband loved them and my guests went back for more. The kids all loved them too! I will be making these again for sure! Here's the recipe:

This picture doesn't do them justice! We use the recipe for the chicken in quesadillas, too! It is so good!

Ingredients:

Marinade -

6 tablespoons honey

5 tablespoons lime juice (1 large lime)

1 tablespoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded

8-10 flour tortillas (I used whole wheat tortillas)

1 pound monterey jack cheese, shredded

16 ounces green enchilada sauce

1 cup heavy cream

Directions:

1. Whisk the first four ingredients and toss with shredded chicken in a Zip-loc bag.

2. Let it marinate for at least a 1/2 hour, but preferably a half day or so.

3. Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9X13 baking pan.

4. Fill the tortillas with chicken, saving marinade, and shredded cheese, saving about 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top of enchiladas.

5. Put tortillas in 9x13 pan as you go.

6. Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the cream and leftover marinade (if there is any).

7. Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas.

8. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

9. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Yep. Another Paula Deen Magazine recipe! We love Chicken Cordon Bleu in our house, so I was intrigued by this recipe. It was very easy to fix and everyone loved it. The only rice I had on hand was a seasoned packet. I would definitely use plain rice next time due to the salt in the seasoned packet, and I would omit the salt that the recipe calls for. I think the ham adds enough salt to the dish. This would probably be a good freezer dish, too!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups shredded, cooked chicken
3/4 cups prediced ham
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

*Preheat oven to 350. Spray an 11x7-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
*In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook until onion is tender. Add chicken and ham; cook until heated through. Add rice and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in chicken broth, milk, salt and pepper; cook for 2 minutes.
*Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover and bake for 45 minutes or until rice is tender.

Chicken Divan

I initially made this for a fix and freeze but was worried the broccoli would get soggy upon de-thawing so I sent it unfrozen as the first dish to eat (FNF rule breaker, I am). I'm a "sauce" girl and I LOVE the sauce in this dish so much I could drink it. It is a Paula Deen recipe but I've tweaked a few things which I'll noted in parentheses/italics and I think they're pretty necessary otherwise it'll err on the blander side of the tastebud spectrum.

2 (10-ounce) packages frozen broccoli, chopped
6 cups shredded chicken, cooked
2 (10 3/4-ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup mayonnaise (I used cream cheese)
1 cup sour cream
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar (or more~thecheesier, the better)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon curry powder (I double)
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine (I used white cooking wine and added an extra 1/4-1/2 cup)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan (maybe a bit more)
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Remove the outer wrappers from the boxes of broccoli. Open 1 end of each box. Microwave on full power for 2 minutes, until thawed. Drain the broccoli and put into a casserole dish. Add the shredded chicken. (I cut the broccoli into smaller pieces to make a little more kid friendly and make sure the chicken and broccoli are good and mixed).

In a medium bowl, combine the soup, mayonnaise (cream cheese), sour cream, Cheddar (I didn't mix this in sauce but used later), lemon juice, curry powder (again~trust me! DOUBLE!), salt and pepper, to taste, and wine (also trust me~DOUBLE!). Whisk together to make a sauce. Pour the sauce over the broccoli and chicken. Mix well with a spatula.
Place the mixture into an 11 by 7-inch casserole dish or 2 (9-inch) square disposable aluminum foil pans that have been sprayed with vegetable oil cooking spray. Pat down evenly and smooth with a spatula. (This is where I topped it with cheddar cheese). Combine the Parmesan, bread crumbs and butter and sprinkle over the top. (I then sprinkled with a bit of paprika).

Bake for about 30 to 45 minutes.

Enjoy!

Herb and Apple Glazed Roasted Chicken

Whole chickens go on sale quite frequently at the grocery store where I shop. I can get them for very cheap! When this happens, I stock up. This chicken recipe is so good--very moist and flavorful. It feeds a family of four very nicely. If you have a larger family, you may need to make 2.

1 (6 lb) whole chicken, giblets removed
1 Tbsp butter, softened
1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1 1/4 tsp salt, divided
1 1/4 tsp ground black pepper, divided
1 small apple, quartered
1 small onion, quartered
3 Cups unsalted chicken stock, divided
1/3 cup apple jelly
1 tsp spicy brown mustard
2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp water
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp poultry seasoning (I didn't have this, so I just added a little all purpose seasoning I had)

*Preheat oven to 350. Line a roasting pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil; place rack over foil. Spray rack with nonstick cooking spray. Rinse chicken and cavity with cool water; pat dry with paper towels.

*In a small bowl, combine butter, thyme, lemon zest, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Gently loosen skin from breast of chicken, keeping skin intact. Rub butter mixture evenly under skin and over chicken. Place apple and onion in cavity; tie legs with butcher's twine. Tuck wing tips under chicken. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper over chicken. Place chicken, breast side up, on prepared rack. Pour 2 cups chicken stock in bottom of pan. Bake 1 1/2 hours.

*In a small saucepan, combine jelly, mustard, soy sauce, and water. Cook over low heat 3 minutes or until smooth, stirring with a whisk. Bake chicken 30 minutes longer or until a meat thermometer inserted in thigh registers 170, basting occasionally with apple jelly mixture. Remove from oven. Place chicken on a serving platter. Reserve pan drippings.

*Skim fat from pan drippings. Place pan drippings in a 2-cup measuring cup; add enough of the remaining 1 cup chicken stock to equal 2 cups. In a medium saucepan, combine remaining 1/4 tsp salt, remaining 1/4 tsp pepper, flour and poultry seasoning. Whisk in stock mixture; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook 2 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Serve chicken with gravy.

Scrumdillylish Beef Stew

The stew we had tonight was soooo good. I kinda winged it combined w/ an online recipe and it's the best beef stew I've ever had. I think I've made it too peppery in the past but the sauce in this is so DELISH that you'll wanna drink it! Don't leave out the cooking wine b/c it makes it!

-1 1/2 lb beef cut in 1 inch pieces
-1 onion cut really small (I only had 1/2 red and 1/2 white so I combined and they were good)
-4 carrots-sliced/diced/however you like em but not too small
-4 small-med. potatoes-cut in bigger chunks and don't cut too small or will get mushy
-1 carton mushrooms-cut in bigger pieces
-1/4 tsp pepper
-1/4 tsp salt
-1 tsp paprika
-1 tsp salt
-1 tsp garlic
-1 tsp worcestershire
-1-1 1/2 cup red cooking wine (this is KEY b/c it gives GREAT flavor)
-1 1/2-2 cups beef broth (or bouillon cubes w/ water)--depending on how soupy you like it--maybe start w/ 1 1/2 and work way up

-Toss beef in flour, salt and pepper.
-Brown beef in olive oil in pan
-Put broth, cooking wine, garlic, paprika, worcestershire in crockpot.
-Add vegetables and beef to crockpot and stir.
-cooked on low for 5ish hours and was perfecto!

Chicken Chesapeake

I made this recipe for dinner tonight and it was enjoyed! The ingredients intrigued me. I don't normally cook with crab meat, and although the meat was a little pricey, it was worth it. Don't use artificial crab meat...go with the real thing!


8 oz. lump crab meat
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper, divided
1/4 cup butter, divided
1 (8 oz) package sliced baby bella mushrooms
1/2 cup minced green onion
1 cup dry white wine (I had cooking wine, so I used a little less due to the sodium)
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
hot cooked rice


*Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 13x9 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray., Sprinkle crab meat over baking dish.

*Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper.

*In a large skillet, melt 2 Tbsp butter over medium-high heat. Add chicken, in batches if necessary, and cook for 4-5 minutes per side or until golden brown. Remove from pan and place over crab in baking dish.

*Melt remaining butter in skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and green onion; cook for 5-6 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Add wine and cook for 5-6 minutes or until reduced by half. Stir in chicken broth and cream and cook for 10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add cream cheese, stirring until melted. Add remaining 1/2 tsp salt and pepper (I omitted the salt due to the white wine).

*Pour mixture over chicken and bake for 25-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Server over rice. Sprinkle with black pepper before serving, if desired.

-taken from Paula Deen's magazine

Chili Relleno Bake

This is a recipe from Paula Deen's magazine. I made it last night out of curiosity and it's pretty good. It's like a nice, warm Mexican casserole...perfect for a cold night. I had never had sausage in a Mexican dish before, and it gave it a sort of breakfast feel. My family told me I could make this again....ALWAYS a good sign:)

*Note: it calls for 5 cans of whole chilies. I knew my family wouldn't go for this, so I just bought two and placed them at the bottom of the dish (and not in the middle). I enjoyed them and they did add flavor to the dish. The recipe also calls for 1/4 tsp of hot sauce. As I was pouring, the cap came off and probably close to 1/4 CUP came out. It did not affect the taste, though, at all. In fact, I think the more hot sauce, the better. I omitted the salt, due to this, too!*


Chili Relleno Bake
1 pound ground chuck
1 pound ground sausage
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup salsa
5 (4-ounce) cans whole chilies, drained
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese with peppers
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
4 large eggs
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 ½ cup milk
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp hot sauce
Garnish: sour cream, chopped fresh cilantro

*Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease 13x9-inch baking dish

*In a large skillet, combine ground chuck, ground sausage, onion and garlic. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until meat it browned and crumbly. Drain well. Stir in salsa.

*Cut chilies in half lengthwise; remove seeds. Place half of chilies evenly over bottom of baking dish. Spoon half of meat mixture over chilies. Sprinkle evenly with half of cheese. Place remaining chilies in an even layer over cheese. Spoon remaining meat mixture over chilies. Top evenly with remaining cheese. Sprinkle cornmeal evenly over cheese.

*In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and flour until smooth. Whisk in milk, salt and hot sauce. Pour over cornmeal. Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until set. Let cool 10 minutes. Cut into squares to serve. Garnish with sour cream and chopped fresh cilantro, if desired.