Dorm rats Cookbook

Special Thanks to: CMSgt Martin

MSGT Lundblade A1C Nienaber

A1C Stant

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Basic Food saFety

It can be said that food safety is one of the most important steps in cooking, it can also be said that it is the most ignored. The three types of food safety issues that you’ll run into are biological such as bacteria and micro-organisms, chemical such as cleaning agents, and Physical such as glass shards or metal shavings. The most common of the three is Biological. Some simple ways to prevent this are having clean work areas, clean hands, proper food storage, cooking food to safe temperatures, and preventing cross-contamination. I want to stress that this covers food safety BASICS. For more indepth look into food safety I suggest .gov sites.

The Following are steps you can take to keep yourself and anyone you cook for safe:

-Wash your work surface with anti-bacterial cleaning agent before and after you cook food.

-Wash your hands

-Store foods at the right temps and do not keep them past there expiration date. (See attached illustration for time tables to keep food.)

-Cook Foods to the right temp. Meats should be cooked to 145-165 degrees. (See attached illustration for proper temps.)

-Once possibly hazardous foods have reached their max temp do not leave them in an uncontrolled temperature for more than 4 hours, in other words, once food is done cooking it can’t sit on a countertop or tabletop at room temperature for more than 4 hours. Any cooked food that has been left out for more than 4 hours MUST be thrown away.

-Wash your hands

-Prevent Cross-contamination, the easiest example is when you cut a meat like chicken or steak on a cutting board, then use that same meat contaminated cutting board to cut vegetables or cheese. The potential bacteria on the cutting board from the meat is now on your vegetables. Most kitchens are equipped to have separate designated cutting boards, for meats and veggies, or at least sanitize the cutting board between use, Pro-tip…always use a plastic cutting board for meats or cheese, never a wooden one. Wooden cutting boards are for Bread…and hopes and dreams.

-Thoroughly wash dishes, make sure to not leave food particles behind, the correct way to wash dishes is: first remove large food particles/chunks, wash in detergent water, rinse in 171 degree water, have them sit in sanitizer for a minimum of 30 seconds and lastly air dry. To do this properly you need a professional 3 sink kitchen set up. Most of us only have a basic two sink set up. The best you can hope for in the dorms or with a basic 2-sink is to get all the food off and be sure to switch out your water if your washing many dishes at once. Pro-tip start with any utensils that touch your mouth, such as forks, spoons, cups, machetes, etc.… you want those to be the cleanest.

-wash your hands

-Never thaw out meats on a counter top at room temperature. The best way to thaw meats is to leave the meats in a refrigerator starting the day before for basic smaller portions. Bigger frozen meats such as whole chickens, hams, and turkeys may require 3-5 days of fridge thawing depending on size. Check instructions on packaging for details. If you’re in a pinch and you need to quickly thaw a small portion of meat, such as a pound of hamburger, or a few chicken breasts, keep the meat in its packaging and run it under water in your sink. This is however wasteful and frowned upon, Captain Planet would not approve.

StarterS buying guide.

These are the top 13 tools you need to start your own collection of tools to succeed. All of these can be bought for under $200. If you really buy cheap you can probably buy them all for under $100. You can get by with these basics and expand your collection from here.

1. Cast iron skillets and pans/pots- With pots and pans the sky’s the limit. I’d suggest a decent set of Teflon non-stick pans for a starter, but remember with Teflon, absolutely no metal utensils, these will cut the bottom of the pan.

2. Knives- You don’t need to spend and arm and a leg to get a decent starter set of knives, the commissary has some good starter options. Learning how to sharpen knives will save money in the long run.

3. Mixing bowls- plastic bowls are very cheaper, but I’d suggest glass or Pyrex, there a little more expensive but also microwave safe. If theirs money left over in the budget, look into buying one very large bowl around a 10-15 quart bowl, which is great for liberal mixing of double recipes.

4. Measuring cups and spoons-you don’t need to spend a lot of money on measuring utensils.

5. Cutting board- knives are a must in the kitchen. A cutting board goes hand in hand with them.

6. Wooden spoon/ serving spoon 7. Whisk- again not something that needs huge amounts of money on. 8. Peeler- sometimes it’s hard to find a good peeler, however this is another one I wouldn’t

spend a lot of money on. 9. Thermometer- buy an electric probe thermometer, this is great for roasts, look for one

with a metal attachment cord, so its oven safe for roasts and such. These usually run $20.

10. Oven mitts/ Tupperware. Both of these are incredibly useful, and incredibly cheap. 11. Strainer/ colander- another cheap one. Most dorm/ young folks live off of noodles, this

will come in handy, also very cheap. 12. Kitchen shears 13. Baking sheets- this last one is not as important if you’re not planning on doing much

baking, however if you are, it essential.

*Optional Crockpot- because this book is almost filled with crock recipes, and crockpot cooking gives amazing results with ease and are very time saving. A high-end precise temp control will run $125, a decent crock will cost you $65 but they can be as low as $30.

Tips and Tricks

Living in the dorms, or a remote location, can have its challenges, especially not having a full arsenal of cooking equipment at hand. Sometimes you need to use some makeshift techniques for a quick fix. The following are some general tips and tricks to help you make the most of what you have to work with, and possibly save you some trouble. The bottom unglazed part of an old plate or coffee mug can be used as a wet stone to hone your knives back to perfection. (Be careful…knives tend to be sharp) To do so, hold your knife at a 20 degree angle and draw the whole length of the blade against the exposed ceramic. This is a relatively fine grain to hone a knife against, so knives that are extremely dull, dented, bent or have small chips won’t benefit as much from using ceramics to sharpen. Have a coffee pot? Instead of making coffee you can use the heat element on the bottom to make hotdogs, ramen, or even mac and cheese. Basically the coffee pot on the bottom heat element can make any recipes that use hot water. Put hotdogs in the pot add water, and let the water heat them up like boiled hotdogs, ramen and instant mac and cheese can be made in the same manner. An upside down iron can be used as a makeshift heating element or sandwich press, and what’s better than an iron to heat things? Yes that’s right, two irons! Grab a friend and heat your sandwiches in half the time. If you’re planning on using a single iron for a basic heating element to heat a mug, or get some water boiling. Start by bundling some towels, rags, or shirts on either side of the iron to keep it propped up. Remember that if you don’t secure the iron in place and it tips over…the now rouge iron will have increased potential to start a fire, and possibly ruin your weekend. So pay attention to your upside-down, cloth secured, iron like stovetop during the entirety of the process. Ever wanted a toaster oven, without actually buying an expensive toaster oven? The answer is pretty simple, take a regular toaster and tilt it 90 degrees, so that it’s laying down horizontally, put a thin layer of toppings on a slice of bread, a very thin layer by the way, and toast it like you would regular toast, but sideways. I’d suggest regular cheese slices and pepperoni, or a slice of cheese and thin sliced sandwich meat. For advanced users try toasting two slices at once and putting them together for a truly amazing toasted sandwich. From personal experience I’d stay away from toasting peanut butter and jelly. An upside down brownie pan or cookie sheet can also double as a pizza pan to bake a pizza in the oven. Remember that time you were having a small get together with some old friends, having a glass of wine or six, and upon opening a new bottle of Peach Moscato, you went too far with the corkscrew and small bits of cork got in your wine? Yes that was quite tragic, but fear not, we have an answer for you. Take a simple bendy straw, put it in the bottle neck, position it over the bits of cork, making sure the straw breaks the surface of the wine, and clamp your finger over the end of straw the outside the bottle closest to you, to create a vacuum effect, which will secure the bits of unwanted cork as you pull them out. Nifty eh?

Need a simple way to steam vegetables without a steamer, fill the bottom of a pot with slightly less than one inch of water, roll up 3-4 balls of tinfoil place them in the water at the bottom of the pot, the tin foil balls should be higher than the surface of the water and balance a plate on atop said tinfoil balls. Make sure the plate can hand high temperatures. Place veggies you want steamed on top of the plate, and bring the water to a simmer. Be careful taking the veggies out of the pot when finished. Scissors are a very versatile tool that can be used for more than just cutting out letters of a magazine to hide your hand writing. A pair of scissors can be used to slice a pizza instead of a pizza cutter, or to cut up canned tomatoes, when you buy whole instead of chunky. An upside down muffin pan or an empty carton of eggs can be used as a cooling rack or a trivet. A trivet is any type of flat insulated object that protects your table or counter tops from getting burn, by hot pans or trays. If you can’t afford the fancy steel or copper trivet, an oven mitt works just as well. A shower cap can be used as an any-size fits all cover for bowls. Shower caps covers are great at keeping dust out or moisture in. however there not a very snug fit, so be careful when using them to transport your products. Stale chips don’t have to go to waste, they can be refreshed in the microwave, just give’em a boost for 30-40 seconds. Cover your hands with a Plastic grocery bag to protect them from spicy oils while cutting jalapenos, habaneros, ghost peppers, or other spicy things to protect your skin and prevent you from accidently spreading it to your eyes or nose. Some simple ways to expand your kitchen space are to cool baked goods on cooling racks across your sink top and not on countertops. Another simple space saver is to pull out any drawer and place a cutting board across the top to save on additional space. Lastly for hard to reach items in the back of cupboards, put all your items in a rimmed baking sheet, that way you can pull out the sheet to quick grab what you need instead of negotiating through all the items in the front to get to the ones in the back. Add a little kick to your morning coffee, but not the kind of kick you’re thinking off. To make some quick spiced coffee without the Barista price, add ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon All Spice, or ¼- ground cardamom to your coffee grounds in a drip style coffee maker. Try using frozen fruits as ice cubes, they don’t melt, so your drinks don’t get watered down. Try Raspberries with orange juice, and gin… or freeze lemon slices in your ice cubes for fancy lemon-aid. If Looking for a flavor boost add frozen juice concentrate to your cocktails. A quick way to core an apple or pear, and waste less, is to use a melon baller. Just cut your fruit down the middle, and slice out the unfavorable innards with a melon baller. When getting oil ready for "Merrica" night, drop a kernel of unpopped korn into the oil. It will pop when the oil reaches 350-360 degrees, which is the optimal temperature for deep-frying. Garlic can be a pain to peel, but well worth the work. To make things easier, find any flat kitchen tool and give the garlic a good smash, this will help release the skin surrounding the garlic. Since most likely I’ll be mincing the garlic I already have my knife out. Set the garlic down on a cutting

board, place the flat side of a knife on the garlic, and give it a swat with your palm…don’t cut your hand…if these directions are confusing I suggest you look the process up on YouTube for clarity. Reheating leftover pizza in a microwave gets soggy and not so great. There are two alternate ways to reheat pizza without the soggy after effects of microwaves, if reheating just 1-2 pieces, throw pizza slices in a skillet, cover them, and heat on low setting on your stove top give it a shake minute or so. If reheating 3+ slices, just put them on a pizza tray and bake in an oven at 350 degrees for 5-8 mins. To prevent your ice cream or sorbet from melting so fast on a hot summer day, take the ice cream bowl, that’s going to hold said ice cream, and toss it in the freezer for 10-15 mins prior to adding ice cream to it. This will give you some buffer time, so ice cream doesn’t melt so fast. Ceramic bowls stay colder for longer.

CroCk pot basiCs

Crock pots are easy and convenient and since 70% of the recipes in this cook book are crock based, it would be a good idea to cover some basics. Crock pots are like people, each one is different, each one has different features, such as 5 degree temp intervals, timers, warmer settings, and each has its own ways of working, because of this the same exact rules and recipes can’t be applied to each one. It will take some experimenting on your part to find what works for you and your crock pot. The following are some general ideas and tips to help avoid catastrophe, and achieve excellence in all you cook.

The most noticeable difference between crock pots is how they maintain a temp. Expensive models come with a digital key pad that can change the temp settings by 5 degrees intervals and maintain that temp within a range of keeping something lukewarm to boiling. However most common models have three settings High, Low, and Keep Warm, one crock’s high setting might be closer to another’s low setting. For example If a crock pot can cook a roast on high in 2 hours it might take another crock 3 hours to cook the same roast on the same high setting, so if a recipe says to cook chicken adobo for 4-6 hours on low, your crock pot may run hot and cook that same chicken in 1-2 hours. It’s a guessing game, at first, until you become more familiar with your equipment.

While the food is cooking don’t open the lid to often to check the progress. This is because each time the lid opens, much of the heat built up in the pot leaves and the crock needs to spend an additional 10-15 minutes rebuilding the heat that was just lost in the opening. For example if you open the pot 3-4 times per recipe, you might have to cook it for an additional 40-60 mins, this is especially true with recipes that require the Low setting, as they take longer to heat back to optimal temperatures.

Make sure to leave enough space around the slow cooker, at least 6-8 inches in all directions. This is a safety measure to prevent any easily flammable objects from overheating and catching on fire, thus possible, destroying your crockpot, kitchen, home, and causing you to most likely have a really bad day, the type of bad day might just carry into your weekend.

Never overfill the crockpot, some meats release liquid as they cook, thus if the crock is already full, the newly released fluid may run over the sides of the crock, creating a mess. On that same note of things to not do with a crock pot, don’t put a whole chicken, or other type of animal into the crock, split it into pieces first. The reason for this is that a whole chicken can’t cook evenly, and may move into food safety issues, if the inside of the bird is not cooked to the 165 degree safe zone. The exception to this rule is Cornish hens, a type of mini chicken, these are much smaller and cook through much faster. One last note on crockpot no-no’s is to never put frozen foods directly into the crockpot, make sure everything is fully thawed out before cooking begins.

Appetizers

Regular Heart Healthy

desserts

Regular Heart Healthy

Main Courses

Regular Heart Healthy

Drinks

Regular Heart Healthy

Techniques

Apple And dAte CornbreAd protein bArs Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 20 mins Total time: 30 mins Serves: 8-12 bar

½ Cup Medium Yellow Cornmeal (2.8oz) 2 Tbsp Cornstarch ¼ Cup Vanilla Whey protein powder ¼ tsp Salt ¼ tsp Baking Soda ½ tsp Baking Powder ¾ tsp Cinnamon ⅓ Cup Dried apples, diced ¼ Cup Packed dates, roughly chopped 3 Tbsp Pecans, roughly chopped ¼ Cup Honey 1 Large egg yolk ¼ Cup + 2 Tbsp Unsweetened apple sauce ¼ Cup + 2 Tbsp 2% Plain, Greek yogurt ½ tsp Apple Cider vinegar

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees and generously spray an 8x8 inch baking pan with cooking spray. Place the cornmeal into a small food processor and process until it has a finer texture, and becomes less grainy. About a minute. This will help your cornbread have a nicer texture. In a large bowl, combine the ground cornmeal, cornstarch, protein powder, salt, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon. Stir until well mixed. Add in the dried apples, dates and pecans and mix well. Use your spoon to break up any date that clump together. Make a well in the center of the mixture and add in the ¼ of honey (don't melt it) and egg yolk. Lightly whisk the egg into the honey with a fork. Add in the apple sauce, Greek yogurt and apple cider vinegar and mixture the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until well combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan until the top looks just set, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 20-22 minutes. Let the bread cool and then slice into bars

*Bars stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. After that, store barsin the refrigerator, but note that they will begin to become slightly dry.

Broiled Grapefruit with honey and Bananas

grapefruit

honey

ground ginger (ground cinnamon is a good substitute or addition)

optional: banana slices (strawberries would be nice too)

Prepare oven for broiling. Position oven rack on top. Cut grapefruit(s) in half. Using a small serrated knife or grapefruit knife, loosen the grapefruit sections from the membrane. Place the grapefruit halves on a baking sheet or shallow baking pan. Drizzle grapefruit halves with honey. Place banana slices on top and flip once to coat both sides with honey. Dust with ground ginger (and/or cinnamon). Place under broiler until bubbling and slightly browned in spots, about 4 to 6 minutes. Keep an eye on during broiling to avoid burning. Serve warm.

Coffee Roasted Chestnuts

2 lbs (900g) fresh chestnuts 2 tbsp (28g) butter 3 to 4 cups coffee beans

Wash and drain chestnuts. Wipe dry with paper towels. Melt butter in a large cast iron dutch oven or ceramic. Add chestnuts and stir to coat with butter, about 3 minutes. Add coffee beans and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Cover and allow it to roast on the stove. Give chestnuts a good stir after every 5 to 10 minutes. Chestnuts should be cooked after 30 minutes. Transfer to bowl and cover with a towel until cool enough to handle. Peel and consume while still warm.

Cranberry Tuna Salad on apple SliCeS Calories: 361 Fat: 12.1 Saturated fat: 1.7 Carbohydrates: 37.6 Fiber: 5.5 Protein: 26.5

1 tbsp. mayonnaise (Greek yogurt would also work) 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar ⅛ tsp. salt ⅛ tsp. ground black pepper 1 (5 oz.) can tuna packed in water, well drained 2 tbsp. dried cranberries 1 medium sweet apple (pink lady, honey crisp, etc.)

In a small bowl, add the mayo, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Stir until smooth. Add the drained tuna and cranberries to the bowl. Mix to combine. Slice around the apple core to make about 6 sturdy apple slices. Spoon the tuna salad onto the apple slices.

Creamy Potato Salad

1 1/2 lbs. small Yukon gold potatoes 1 ripe avocado 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons diced red onion 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped 1/2 cup cucumber, diced 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste black pepper, to taste

Scrub the potatoes well, then chop into 1-inch cubes. Add 2 inches of water to a large sauce pot, then arrange the chopped potatoes in a steamer basket inside. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat and cover, allowing to steam for about 10 minutes, or until the potato chunks are just fork-tender. (Be careful not to overcook!)

While the potatoes are cooking, combine the avocado, Dijon mustard, red onion, cucumber, dill, lemon juice and salt in a medium bowl, and mash well with a fork. This mixture will be on the acidic-tasting side, until you mix it with the potatoes, but feel free to adjust any flavors to suit your taste.

*Note: For a more “Southern-style” potato salad, you can try adding a touch of maple syrup forsweetness.

Good oven baked rice

1 ½ Cup uncooked regular rice. 3 ½ Cup boiling water

Combine all in a 2 quart casserole dish. Stir and cover, bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. To serve: Fluff up a little.

oven Baked PumPkin ChiPotle Fries Yield: serves 4 as an appetizer or side

1 small sugar or pie pumpkin (big enough to yield about 1lb 3 oz pumpkin slices) 2 Tbsp olive oil plus more for brushing 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder 1/2 tsp cumin seeds 1/2 tsp sea salt for the dip 1/2 cup of your favorite ranch dressing 1 tsp chipotle powder

-set oven to 425F -Cut the pumpkin i n half and remove all the seeds and the stringy stuff. Scrape the inside of the pumpkin with a spoon to get it smooth. -Peel the pumpkin with a serrated vegetable peeler. Be careful, the pumpkin is slippery. Then cut the halves in half again, and slice up the flesh into thin wedges. Trim the edges if your "fries" are too long for easy hand eating. I was left with about 1 lb 3 oz of pumpkin slices, enough to fill a baking sheet. -Toss the pumpkin with the oil, chipotle powder, salt and cumin seeds in a bowl. Make sure to get the pumpkin well coated. -Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and brush it lightly with oil. Lay out the pumpkin in one layer, with no overlapping. -Bake for about 30 minutes until the pumpkin is tender and browned. -Make the dip by mixing the ranch and the chipotle powder. -Serve the fries hot out of the oven, with the dip. You can sprinkle a little more salt on, to taste. *Make sure your oven is nice and hot before you put in the fries. If you have extra pumpkin, double the recipe, but be sure to cook them in batches, don't over crowd your pan.

Overnight Oatmeal Bars prep time: 10 min total time: 45 min servings: 8

1 container (5.3 oz) Yoplait® Greek blended yogurt (any flavor) 1 cup almonds 1 cup old-fashioned oats 1/2 cup dried fruit (any variety)

1 In food processor, place all ingredients. Cover; process until a ball forms, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl with spatula.

2 Line loaf pan with foil. Empty food processor bowl into loaf pan, pressing down mixture with spatula. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes to firm up; slice into bars, and serve. Can also be covered and refrigerated overnight.

Sichuan cucumberS with Orange and almOndS

21 ounces of salad cucumbers 1 tablespoon fine sea salt 1½ teaspoon dried chili flakes 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns 15 raw unsalted almonds 1 tablespoon sugar 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

1. Peel the cucumbers and trim and discard the ends. Slice them at an angle, ¼-inch thick. Tossthem in a colander with the salt and let them rest over a bowl or in the sink for 20 minutes. Once they give up their copious liquid, rinse them briefly and pat them as dry as possible with a clean kitchen towel, then transfer to a medium bowl.

2. Meanwhile, in a small skillet over high heat, toast the chili flakes and peppercorns for two tothree minutes, until fragrant. Slide the spices into a small bowl to cool. In the same skillet over medium-high heat, toast the almonds, stirring once or twice, until light brown on both sides, about three minutes.

3. In a spice grinder or dedicated coffee mill, grind the spices to a fine powder, then set aside.Grind the almonds finely as well, pulsing them carefully so as not to turn them into nut butter. Add the almonds to the cucumbers, along with the sugar and orange juice. Toss very well to coat evenly. Spread the cucumbers in a shallow dish and sprinkle liberally with the spice powder. Eat immediately, or cover and refrigerate; these will keep for three days.

Spicy HummuS Turkey cHili Prep time10 mins Cook time 35 mins Total time 45 mins Serves: 4

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided 1 pound ground turkey 1 yellow onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 large jalapeno, seeds removed and minced salt and pepper ½ teaspoon coriander ½ teaspoon cumin ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes 15 ounce can diced tomatoes 2 cups chicken broth 15 ounce can white beans (any variety), drained and rinsed 1 10 ounce container Sabra Supremely Spicy Hummus 1 cup grated cheddar cheese ¼ cup chopped cilantro 2 green onions, chopped

-Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. -Add the turkey and cook until browned. Transfer the turkey to a plate and set aside. -Add the remaining tablespoon olive oil to the pot. -Add the onion, garlic and jalapeno. Cook for about 3 minutes until softened. -Transfer the turkey back to the pot and add the salt, pepper, coriander, cumin and red pepper, stir to combine and cook another minute. -Add the diced tomatoes and broth to the pot, stir and let simmer over medium heat uncovered for about 20 minutes until some of the liquid has cooked off and the mixture has thickened. -Add the beans, hummus and cheddar cheese and stir until incorporated and cheese has melted. -Add the cilantro and green onions last and give it one final stir.

**This spicy hummus turkey chili is creamy, comforting and the perfect one-pot dinner for cold winter days.

Bacon cinnamon Rolls

2-3 Tubes instant cinnamon rolls 1 pkg bacon 1 C powdered sugar ½ Tsp vanilla extract 1-2 Tbl Milk

-Carefully unroll instant cinnamon rolls, lay one strip, thawed out bacon on each piece of unrolled instant cinnamon roll. After Bacon has been placed on strips of cinnamon dough, proceed to roll them back up to their original spiral, snug but not tight. Place in a 9 inch cake pan. And bake according to instant cinnamon roll instructions. If rolls didn’t come with instructions on tube, 350 degrees for 10-15 mins should work. Cook until golden brown. Let Bacon Cinnamon rolls cool for 5-10 mins before adding frosting.

*you may substitute pie pan, muffin pan, or any high rimmed baking sheet/ casserole in place ofa 9 inch cake pan.

**Make sure to not undercook these rolls, they have raw bacon in them.

***For extra Icing mix 1 Cup powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1-2 T milk. This will thicken abit as mixture sets.

BarBecue chips

1 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt 1/4 teaspoon sugar 1/4 teaspoon onion powder 1/4 teaspoon chili powder 1/8 teaspoon ground mustard Dash cayenne pepper 1 large potato, peeled 4 cups ice water Oil for deep-fat frying

In a small bowl, combine the first seven ingredients; set aside. Using a vegetable peeler, cut potato into very thin slices. Place in a large bowl; add ice water. Soak for 30 minutes.

Drain potatos; place on paper towels and pat dry. In an electric skillet, heat 1-1/2 in. of oil to 375°. Fry potato slices in batches for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown, turning once. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Immediately sprinkle with seasoning mixture. Store in an airtight container.

CroCk Pot Chex Mix Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time 2 – 2.5 hours

2 Cups each of: Rice cereal Wheat cereal Cheerios Cheez-it crackers Pretzel sticks Nuts of choice

1/4 c butter-Melt (micro or on stove) 1 tsp salt 1 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp onion powder 1/4 tsp sugar 4 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Mix all and cook on low for 2 1/2 - 3 hours, stirring often (I did every 30 minutes)

Homemade Buffalo CHiCken Wings

seasoning mason Jar mix

1 Cup Chili Powder 6 Tablespoons Black Pepper 8 Tablespoons Cayenne Pepper 4 Teaspoons Paprika 6 Teaspoons Onion Powder 6 Teaspoons Garlic Powder 5 Teaspoons Kosher Salt 1 and 1/2 Teaspoons Ground Cumin 1 Teaspoon of Mustard Powder

Preheat oven to 375°F. Place wings in large resealable plastic ziplock bag. Sprinkle homemade buffalo chicken wings seasoning mix over wings from the mason jar. Seal the ziplock bag and shake repeatedly to coat the wings evenly. Arrange seasoned wings in single layer on foil lined cookie sheet pan or casserole baking dish. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until cooked thoroughly.

Loaded SuShi dip 1 8 oz block fat free cream cheese, room temperature 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce 1/3 cup Wasabi Sauce 1 pack imitation crab meat (Really any meat you like in sushi could be used...sushi-grade tuna, smoked -salmon, or shrimp would also be great options!) 2 avocados 2 tbsp lemon juice 2 carrots, peeled 1/2 cucumber, peeled 1/2 cup tempura flakes (I made my own...see recipe below.) 1/4 cup light mayonnaise 1/4 cup Sriracha 1 pack Rice Crackers (In the international food aisle.)

Layer 1: Mix together cream cheese and 1/4 cup soy sauce.

Layer 2: Spread Wasabi Sauce over cream cheese mixture.

Layer 3: Spread crab meat over Wasabi Sauce. (You might want to chop finely before layering...I left mine in chunks, and I think the texture would have been a little better chopped.)

Layer 4: Smash avocados in a bowl and mix in lemon juice & 2 tbsp soy sauce.

Layer 5: Shred carrots (using a grater or vegetable peeler) and layer over avocados.

Layer 6: Shred cucumber (using a vegetable peeler) and pat some of the moisture out with a paper towel. Layer over carrots.

Layer 7: Layer tempura flakes over cucumber. If making your own tempura flakes...

Mix together 4oz beer, 1/2 cup flour, and 1 tbsp soy sauce. Heat about 2" of oil in a sauté pan. When oil is hot, drizzle in batter with a fork. Fry until golden brown and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. (You may have to do this in several batches.) Pulse tempura pieces in a food processor until smooth. (I didn't do this part and wish I had - it would have made the tempura more "sushi-like," if that makes sense.)

Layer 8: Mix together mayo and Sriracha and drizzle over top of tempura flakes.

WaSabi dip

8 oz pkg of cream cheese 1/4 – 1/3 cup wasabi paste, prepared to a “peanut butter/spreadable” consistency (made from powder or buy it where you buy sushi and dilute it) 3 T white sesame seeds 3 T black sesame seeds soy sauce (about 1/3 – 1/2 cup, depending on the size of your serving dish) Ka-Me Wasabi Rice crackers (or regular rice crackers if you can’t find them)

Unwrap the cream cheese and cut it in half horizontally Mix up your wasabi powder to a “peanut butter consistency” and spread the wasabi on top of 1/2 of the cream cheese Place the other half of the cream cheese on top of the wasabi. Press down lightly to make your “sandwich” blend together. Place your “wasabi sandwich” on a serving dish that has a lip and pour soy sauce over the cream cheese/wasabi, allowing it to puddle in the dish. Top with sesame seeds and serve with Ka-Me Wasabi Rice Crackers

Merica Potato exPlosions.

Instant mashed potatoes Cheddar or your favorite cheese Fine crushed bread crumbs Bacon strips Mini kabob skewers (normal size sticks cut in half) Vegetable oil Spices like (salt and pepper chili powder, cumin anything you want to experiment with.)

Make instant potatoes according to box instructions, allow them to cool, cut cheese into small ½ inch by ½ inch cubes, set aside. Form mashed potatoes into small golf ball sized spheres. Insert cheese cube into potato spheres, so that potatoes are completely covering cheese cubes. Set aside, mix together breadcrumbs and optional spices. Roll potato spheres in spices, wrap in thawed bacon strips, secure bacon strips in place with kabob skewers, sprinkle remaining spices over bacon wrapped potato spheres. Heat oil to 350-360 degrees for proper temp use a thermometer, or korn kernel test (see tips and tricks section) deep fry for 2-3 mins until bacon on outside is cooked through and cheese is just starting to melt outward.

Pizza bits

SLOW COOKER ROASTED POTATOES

2 pounds baby red OR Yukon gold potatoes, quartered 1/4 cup Corn Oil 2 teaspoons Steak Seasoning

Wash and cut potatoes and place in slow cooker. Add oil and seasoning; stir to coat.

Cover top of crock pot with a double layer of paper towels and place lid over towels. Cook for 2

hours on HIGH.

*vegetable oil or olive oil can be substituted for Corn oil.

Slow-Cooker Thai PeanuT ChiCken wingS prep time: 10 min total time: 3 hr 10 min servings: 4

3 lb chicken wingettes and drummettes (about 20) 1 bottle (13.5 oz) Thai peanut sauce 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

Spray 4- to 5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Place chicken in slow cooker.

In medium bowl, stir peanut sauce and soy sauce until well combined. Pour sauce mixture over chicken; stir to coat evenly.

Cover; cook on Low heat setting 3 to 3 1/2 hours or until juice of chicken is clear when thickest part is cut to bone (at least 165°F).

Set oven control to broil. Transfer chicken wings to foil-lined baking pan. Broil with tops about 5 inches from heat 4 to 5 minutes or until crispy. Spoon 1/2 cup of the sauce from slow cooker over chicken. Discard remaining sauce.

SouthweStern white Chili

3 chicken breasts cooked and cubed 1/2 cup chopped onion 4 oz can green chilies 2 cans white kidney beans 1/2 tsp cilantro 1/4 cup olive oil 1 1/2 cups chicken broth 2 cloves of garlic-crushed 2 tsp cumin 1 tsp oregano 1/4 tsp ground red pepper 1 1/2 cups Mozzarella cheese

PREP WORK: Chop onion and garlic if necassary. Heat oil and saute garlic and onions, add cubed chicken and brown.

TO PREPARE FOR FREEZING: Combine all ingredients in a freezer bag

TO PREPARE AFTER FREEZING: Warm over med heat on stove top, until heated through.

Spicy Buffalo chicken Soup in your crockpot

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts- - cooked and cut into bite-size pieces 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 sweet onion, diced 1 red bell pepper, diced 4 stalks celery, diced 1 tomato, chopped 1/4 cup cilantro, diced 4 garlic cloves, minced 48 ounces chicken broth 1 cup hot wing sauce ½ cup milk (I used 2%) 2 Tablespoons cornstarch 1/2 cup green onions, diced, for topping 1/2 cup bleu cheese, for topping

-saute garlic, onions and pepper in olive oil in a pan on the stovetop for 6-8 minutes or until onions are browned and translucent

-whisk cornstarch into milk until thickened

-add everything to your crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4

-serve hot, topping with green onions and bleu cheese and/or garnish with sliced avocado, sharp cheddar or a swirl of ranch dressing if you like

* I recommend you cook the chicken, garlic, peppers and onions before adding them to the crockpot tomake the soup more flavorful but if you only have ten minutes you could throw everything into your slow cooker and it will turn out just fine.

banana “nice” cream.

Take 4-5 Ripe Bananas, peel them and cut them into 1/2 inch sections, throw them in a bowl in your freezer for a 2-3 hours or overnight in a plastic bag. Make sure they are completely frozen solid. Next toss them in a food processor, for 40-60 seconds or utill they resemble an ice cream like texture. Don't over process them or the friction from the blades will start to melt the banana ice cream.

Mint chip

Add few drops of peppermint oil, and some dark chocolate chips...add the chips at the last second to not over process them into nothingness you want some texture to them.

Cherry

Add a few drops of vanilla extract, and some frozen cherries...add a few more at the end of the processing to get extra chunky cherries in the mix.

Chocolate Coconut Cream

Add a coconut flakes and a tablespoon or two of choco powder...if you don't like coconut you can substitute chocolate chips or marshmallows.

Peanut Butter Rasin

Add a tablespoon or two of peanut butter and a hand full of rasins. if you don't like rasins, try chocolate chips again, for an almost Resees knock off.

Cinnamon-pecan

Add a teaspoon of cinnamon, 2 teaspoons vanilla, and a handful of pecans...if you want extra chuncky pecans add them at the very last second of processings.

Apple pie Dumplings

1 (21 oz) can of Apple Pie Filling

1 roll crescent rolls

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional.)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Open crescent rolls and cut into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball.

Stir Apple Pie Filling and crescent rolls together to coat the crescents with the sauce.

Pour into a 2 qt casserole dish, ensuring the crescent pieces are on top of the pie filling.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until crescents are completely cooked (baking time on this recipe may vary) flipping crescents after 15 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream.

Banana Bars

Bars

1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (2 medium) 1/3 cup vegetable oil 2 eggs 1 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon salt

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened 1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 cups powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom and sides of rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches, with shortening. In large bowl, mix granulated sugar, bananas, oil and eggs with spoon. Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Spread in pan.

Bake bars 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, in medium bowl, mix cream cheese, butter and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until blended. Gradually beat in powdered sugar with spoon, scraping bowl occasionally, until smooth and spreadable.

Spread cooled bars with Cream Cheese Frosting. For bars, cut into 6 row by 4 rows. Store covered in refrigerator. Note You can tightly cover unfrosted or frosted banana bars and freeze up to 2 months.

Banana Bread CoBBler

For the streusel topping: 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar 1/2 cup self-rising flour 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 cup uncooked regular oats 1/2 cup chopped pecans

For the filling: 1 cup self-rising flour 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup milk 1/2 cup butter, melted 4 medium bananas, sliced

To make the streusel: Stir together brown sugar, flour, and butter until crumbly. Stir in oats and pecans. Set aside. To make the filling: Preheat oven to 375°. Lightly grease an 11″x 7″dish. Whisk flour, sugar, and milk just until blended. Whisk in melted butter. Pour into prepared pan. Top with banana slices and streusel topping. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until brown and bubbly.

Banana CrumBle

For the Topping: 1/4 cup light or dark brown sugar 1/4 cup old fashioned oats 1/4 cup flour 4 Tablespoons cold butter, cut into cubes 3/4 cup pecans, toasted

For the Filling: 2 Tablespoons butter 1/2 cup light or brown sugar 1/4 cup orange juice 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon salt 6 medium size bananas, cut into-

-chunks about an inch long (not thin slices) Vanilla Ice Cream or Whipped Topping

Combine all the topping ingredients ( except pecans) in a medium size bowl and work them together until they become crumbly. Add the toasted pecans to the bowl. stir to mix. Refrigerate the topping while you make the filling.

In a ten inch cast iron skillet or oven safe skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over low heat. Add the brown sugar and stir until it dissolves about 3 minutes. It will become a wet looking mass of sugar that slides around the pan. Stir in the cinnamon and salt. Add the orange juice, be careful it will sizzle up and splatter a little bit. Cook about one minute until it thickens slightly. Add the banana chunks and toss gently until they are coated. Spread the bananas and sauce out evenly in the pan. Remove the skillet from the stove,sprinkle the topping evenly over the bananas. Put the skillet in a 350 degree preheated oven and bake until topping is golden brown about 20 minutes. Let cool in the pan about 10 minutes before topping with vanilla ice cream Or Whipped cream.

Banana Pudding Poke Cake

1 Box Yellow Cake Mix (make according to box directions so you will need eggs, oil and water) 2 (3.4oz) boxes of instant banana pudding 4 cups of milk 1 (8oz) tub of cool whip 20 crushed vanilla wafers

Make cake in a 9 x 13 pan...according to box directions Allow to cool for 2-3 min..Then using the end of a wooden spoon or something similar poke your holes in the cake... be sure to go to the bottom...you are gonna want the holes pretty big so the pudding gets down there. In a med bowl whisk your pudding with 4 cups of milk until all lumps are gone. Pour pudding over cake...use the back of your spoon or spatula to get down in holes. Put in fridge and cool for approx 2 hours Spread cool whip on top Sprinkle crushed vanilla wafers on top of cool whip...its good to have some bigger pieces...don't crush them too much. If desired you can also slice some bananas and place on top before you put the wafers on.

Betty CroCker Nut Bread (Variations such as Banana Bread are listed after this basic recipe for Nut Bread.)

2 1/2 cups Gold Medal Flour* 1 cup sugar 3 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. salt 3 Tbsp. salad oil (canola is what I use) 1 1/4 cups milk (reduce for Banana Bread as instructed in variations) 1 egg 1 cup finely chopped nuts

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 9 X 5 X 3-inch loaf pan or two 8 1/2 X 4 1/2 X 2 1/2-inch loaf pans. Measure all ingredients into large mixer bowl; beat on medium speed 1/2 minute, scraping side and bottom of bowl constantly, or you can use a bowl and spoon.

Pour into pan(s). Bake 55 to 65 minutes or until a pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan; cool thoroughly before slicing. *If using Self-Rising Flour, omit baking powder and salt.

Variations:

Apricot Nut Bread: Decrease milk to 1/2 cup; add 4 tsp. grated orange peel, 3/4 cup orange juice and 1 cup finely chopped dried apricots.

Banana Nut Bread: Decrease milk to 3/4 cup; add 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 to 3 medium).

Date Nut Bread: Add 1 cup cut-up dates.

Orange Nut Bread: Decrease milk to 1/2 cup; add 4 tsp. grated orange peel and 3/4 cup orange juice.

Prune Nut Bread: Decrease milk to 1/2 cup; add 3/4 cup prune juice and 1 cup drained chopped cooked prunes.

Cannoli Poke Cake

1 box white cake mix, plus ingredients on box 1 14 oz cans sweetened condensed milk 1 1/2 cup ricotta cheese 1 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup powdered sugar 1/2 tsp cinnamon, optional 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips powdered sugar, for dusting 1. Bake cake according to directions on box for a 9x13 pan. 2. Allow cake to cool completely. 3. Poke holes all over the top of the cake. (I used a straw) 4. Reserve half a cup of sweetened condensed milk and pour the rest of the sweetened condensed milk over the cake. 5. Put cake in refrigerator for about an hour to absorb milk. 6. Combine ricotta cheese, mascarpone cheese and vanilla extract in a mixer bowl. Beat until smooth. 7. Add powdered sugar and cinnamon, if using and mix until combined. 8. Add reserved sweetened condensed milk and mix until combined. 9. Once cake has absorbed milk, spread cannoli topping evenly over cake. 10. Top with mini chocolate chips and a sprinkling of powdered sugar. 11. Cover cake and allow to set in refrigerator for 2-3 hours. Cake should keep for 4-5 days.

Cinnamon Roll Fudge

1-16oz. container of Cream Cheese Frosting 1 bag of White Chocolate Chips 1 Packet of Duncan Hines- -Cinnamon Roll Frosting Creations mix 1 Cup Brown Sugar 1 tbsp. finely chopped Pecans 1 tsp. Cinnamon 1 tsp. good quality Vanilla Extract approx. 1 tbsp. of water ..or so. A 1 ” round cookie cutter..or shot glass A double boiler A shallow pan with about a 1″ lip

First prepare the Cinnamon Swirl:

In a medium bowl combine the Brown Sugar, Pecans, Cinnamon, Vanilla & water, mix well and set aside.

In a double boiler add the White Chocolate Chips, the Cream Cheese Frosting, and the Frosting Creations flavor packet..stir constantly until it’s melted together and smooth.

Line your pan with parchment paper, set aside, when the fudge is melted together, pour it into the pan.

Swirl the Cinnamon-Brown Sugar-Pecan mixture into the fudge with a fork or chop stick, making swirlies.

Set it aside to harden up for about an hour. When it’s all set up..you can either cut it up, or use a round cutter of some sort to give the fudge that fun “Cinnamon Roll” look!

COCONUT PECAN BOURBON CAKE

FOR THE CAKE: 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix 1/2 cup Argo Corn Starch 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup brown sugar 4 eggs 3/4 cup water 2/3 cup Mazola Corn Oil 1/4 cup bourbon 1 teaspoon Spice Islands Pure Vanilla Extract 3/4 cup toasted flaked coconut, divided use 3/4 cup toasted chopped pecans, divided use FOR THE BOURBON GLAZE: 1/4 cup butter 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup Karo Light Corn Syrup 2 tablespoons bourbon OR orange juice 2 tablespoons orange juice 1/2 teaspoon Spice Islands Pure Vanilla Extract (optional) Reserved toasted coconut and pecans (for garnish) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.* Grease and flour a 12-cup fluted tube pan or 10x4-inch tube pan. Combine cake mix, corn starch, sugar and 1/4 cup brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs, 3/4 cup water, oil, 1/4 cup bourbon and vanilla; beat at low speed of electric mixer until smooth. Increase speed to medium; beat 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup each coconut and pecans. (Reserve remaining coconut and pecans for glaze.) Pour into prepared pan.

Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 20 minutes. Remove; place on wire rack. WHILE CAKE IS STILL WARM, PREPARE GLAZE: Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in 1/4 cup brown sugar and corn syrup. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until sugar dissolves and mixture boils. Remove from heat; stir in 2 tablespoons bourbon, orange juice and vanilla, if desired. Pierce warm cake thoroughly with a fork. Brush with glaze. Let stand 30 minutes. Repeat piercing and brushing with glaze. Stir reserved coconut and pecans into remaining glaze; spoon over top of cake. * If using dark nonstick pan, bake at 325 degrees F.

Dunkaroo Dip

1 box funfetti cake mix (DO NOT add the ingredients that you usually would to actually make the cake - you need just the mix) 2 cups plain yogurt 1/2 container of cool whip Serve with animal crackers or graham crackers.

Fold together all ingredients. (Using a rubber scraper gently pull ingredients from the center of bowl to the side, and scrap edges of bowl, pull to center and repeat until evenly incorporated.)

*Don’t leave out in room temperature for more than 2 hours. Plastic wrap and refrigerate leftovers.

Dutch honey Syrup

1 cup sugar 1 cup light corn syrup 1 cup heavy cream

Place ingredients in a medium sauce pan, bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes or more until caramel colored. Watch it because it boils over very easily.

Eggnog Doughnut Muffins

3 cups all-purpose flour 1 Tbsp baking powder 3/4 tsp salt 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 2/3 cup granulated sugar 1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened 1/4 cup vegetable oil 2 large eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 tsp rum extract 1 cup + 2 Tbsp eggnog (not light) Glaze- 2 cups powdered sugar 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg 3 - 4 Tbsp eggnog 1/4 tsp rum extract

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon for 30 seconds, set aside. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip together granulated sugar, brown sugar, butter and 1 Tbsp of the vegetable oil on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Blend in remaining 3 Tbsp vegetable oil. Mix in eggs one at a time, blending just until combined after each addition and adding in vanilla and rum extract with second egg. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and using a rubber spatula fold into batter just until nearly combined, then add 1/2 of the eggnog and fold just until nearly combined, then repeat process once more and end by adding in last 1/3 of the flour mixture and folding just until combined (batter will be thick). Divide batter among 12 paper lined muffin cups filling each cup full (about 1/3 cup in each). Bake in preheated oven 18 - 21 minutes until toothpick inserted into center of muffin comes out clean. Allow to cool in muffin tin several minutes then transfer to a wire cooling rack. Cool 10 minutes, then dip into glaze while still warm. Return to cooling rack and allow glaze to set at room temperature. Store in an airtight container.

For the glaze:

In a mixing bowl whisk together powdered sugar and 1/4 tsp nutmeg. Add in 3 Tbsp eggnog and rum extract and whisk to combined, mix in an additional tablespoon eggnog as needed (you want glaze to be fairly thick so it doesn't just run off).

Fudge StickS Blitz BrownieS Prep Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 55 minutes Servings: 24

1 box (19.8 oz) chocolate brownie mix, mixed according to package directions

1 package (8.5 oz) Keebler® Fudge Sticks Original cookies

8 oz. marshmallow fluff

1 cup peanut butter

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray bottom of 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

Spread half of prepared brownie mix in bottom of prepared baking pan. Sprinkle evenly with crushed KEEBLER FUDGE SHOPPE Fudge Sticks cookies.

Place marshmallow fluff and peanut butter in medium mixing bowl. Place in microwave for 30 seconds.

Working quickly, stir marshmallow fluff and peanut butter until mixed. Spread evenly over cookies.

Spread remaining brownie mix over mixture. Bake preheated oven 35-40 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool. Cut into 2-inch squares.

Hillbilly Pie

1 cup flour 1 cup sugar 1 T. baking powder 1 cup milk 1 (21 ounce) can pie filling (any kind) 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter Topping 2 T. sugar 1 t. cinnamon 1 T. flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in a 9 by 13-inch pan. In a large bowl, combine the first four ingredients and pour into the pan over the butter. Don't stir! Spoon the pie filling on evenly. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar, cinnamon, and flour for the topping and sprinkle over the pie filling. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes or until a light golden brown. *add a scoop of vanilla ice-cream or some whipped topping

Homemade Pay day Candy Bars

3 cups salted peanuts 3 tsp. butter 2 cups peanut butter chips 2 cups mini marshmallows 1 can sweetened condensed milk Pour half your peanuts into a 11x7 pan and spread so they cover the bottom. In a small pan melt butter and chips until well combined. Add condensed milk and marshmallows and stir until all mixed. Pour over peanut mixture. Top with remaining peanuts and let cool (refrigerate if desired).

Homemade Torrone Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

1/2 pound of honey (use a high grade Italian honey for best results) 2 egg whites 1/2 pound of nuts (I use a mixture of almonds, hazelnuts, and pistachios) 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (I used a white vanilla extract)

1. Cover a loaf pan or small square baking dish (8 inch by 8 inch) with parchment paper. Have another sheet of parchment paper ready to cover the top of the torrone once its done cooking.

2. Place the nuts on a single layer in a baking tray and toast in oven at 350º F, about 8 minutes or until shiny and fragrant. Set aside.

3. Place honey in a double boiler or large bowl over a saucepan of water (bain marie) on the lowest heat. Make sure the bowl is not touching the water. Heat honey until it melts, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.

4. In the meantime, whisk egg whites to stiff peaks in a separate bowl.

5. Add the whites to the bowl of honey, stirring with the wooden spoon to incorporate. It should turn into a caramel-coloured cream. Keep cooking, stirring slowly but continuously over gentle heat for 45 minutes (It's best to just set a timer for this). The mixture should thicken and become pale. A small test should determine that your torrone is at a good stage – a drop of the mixture in a glass of water should solidify into a soft ball, not dissolve immediately.

6. Add the nuts, salt and vanilla to the mixture and continue cooking and stirring for 30 minutes(set the timer again so you make sure to cook for the full 30 minutes). Pour into your prepared baking dish. Top with additional parchment and smooth it down, pressing the torrone gently with your hands.

7. Place in a cool place to set for a couple of hours. When set, cut the torrone into thick slices with a sharp, heavy knife. Wrap in parchment tie with string or tape for the perfect homemade holiday gift. Keeps very well wrapped in parchment and stored somewhere cool.

ImpossIble pumpkIn pIe

3/4 cup white sugar 3 tablespoons butter, softened 2 eggs, beaten 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 3/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground allspice 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease one 9-inch pie pan, and set aside. 2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, allspice, ginger and nutmeg. 3. In a large bowl, beat together the sugar, butter and eggs. Mix in the pumpkin, milk and vanilla. Add the sifted ingredients, and beat until smooth. Pour into the prepared pan. 4. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

IncredIble no bake WhIpped apple pIe

2 cups heavy cream, divided 1/3 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1 cup apple juice, divided 1 packet gelatin (I used Knox Brand) 1 can apple pie filling (20 oz) 1 prepared graham cracker pie crust or baked pie crust 2 tablespoons sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla Place 1/3 cup cold apple juice in a bowl. Sprinkle with gelatin powder and let sit 3 minutes. Bring remaining 2/3 cup apple juice to a boil. Add to gelatin mixture and stir until dissolved. Place in the freezer for 15-20 minutes or just until cooled and slightly thickened. Meanwhile, with mixer on medium-high, beat 1 1/2 cups heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Add sugar and cinnamon and beat just until combined. Pour cooled & slightly thickened apple juice mixture into the cream and whisk until combined. Chop the can of apple pie filling. Set aside 1/2 cup & fold the remaining chopped filling into the cream mixture. Place the cream mixture in the fridge for about 15 minutes or until slightly thickened. Pour/spoon into pie crust and let set 2 hours or overnight. Whip remaining cream on medium high until stiff peaks form. Add sugar & vanilla. Garnish pie with whipped cream and remaining apple pie filling. Serve chilled.

Instant mInI pIes

2 pkgs Pre-baked mini pie crusts 1 can instant pie filling. 1 container whipped cream

Open pkg of mini pie crusts, fill to top with your favorite pre-baked pie crust, and top with whipped cream. Serve.

JACK DANIEL'S FUDGE

5 cups sugar(2 pounds) 2 sticks unsalted butter 1 cup whole milk 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla 25 large marshmallows, ripped in half 11.5 oz Ghiradelli 60% cocoa bittersweet chocolate chips(any chocolate chips will do) 2 1/2 cups confectioner's powdered sugar 3/4 cup Jack Daniels, or a whiskey you really like. You will taste it. 1. Whisk whiskey with confectioner’s sugar, and set aside. 2. Foil and butter a 9 x 13 (or larger) baking pan. 3. Put sugar, butter, milk, and vanilla in a large pot with a heavy bottom. Stirring steadily until mixture boils, continue stirring while letting it boil for 3 minutes (time it, this is important). Remove from heat. 4. Add the marshmallows and chocolate, stirring until all of it is melted and blended into the sugar mix. 5. Give whiskey mixture a quick stir, and add it to the pot, stirring until fully incorporated. 6. Pour into a greased pan, and chill. Let mellow for a day before cutting.

Just in case you missed these…

1/2 gal. chocolate milk 1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand milk 1 (8 oz.) Cool Whip Mix well and freeze. Mixture does not get hard, more like a thick milk shake.

Lazy Cake Cookies

1 box yellow or white cake mix 2 eggs beaten 5 T melted butter 2 Cups M&M’s or mini chocolate chips Mix together, put in a greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for 20 mins

Magic Peach cobbler

3 - cups canned sliced peaches in juice, drained 1/2 - cup butter, softened 3/4 - cup sugar 1 - teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 - cup milk 1 - cup all purpose flour 1/8 - teaspoon salt 1 - teaspoon baking powder 1/3 - cup sugar 1/2 - teaspoon cinnamon 1 - tablespoon cornstarch 1/4 - cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 8x8 inch baking pan with non stick spray. Drain the sliced peaches and arrange them in the bottom of the baking pan. In a large bowl or kitchen aid mixer, cream the butter with 3/4 cup sugar. Add the vanilla extract and mix well. Add the milk, flour, salt and baking powder to the sugar butter mixture. Mix until creamy. Spread the batter over the peaches and smooth. In a separate bowl, mix 1/3 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon with the cornstarch. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the batter. Pour the boiling water over the sugar mixture making sure to cover all of the sugar with the water. This is where the magic happens and what makes the crispy topping. Bake at 375 for 40-45 minutes. Cool slightly before serving. *Fresh peaches can be substituted for canned peaches. About 4 peaches is equal to 3 cups.

MICROWAVE CARAMEL

1 cup butter 1 cup White Sugar 1 cup Brown Sugar 1 cup Light Karo Syrup 1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk

In a large microwave safe bowl melt the butter for 1 minute. Remove from the microwave and add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well. Place back into the microwave and cook on high for 3 minutes. Take the bowl from the microwave and stir well. Continue cooking on high for an additional 3 minutes, remove and stir. Cook for 3 more minutes ( for a total of 9 mins.) Remove from the microwave, stir and pour into a lightly buttered 9 x 13 cookie sheet. Once caramel has set, wrap in wax paper and store in an air tight container.

One BOwl Apple CAke

2 eggs 1 3/4 cups sugar 2 heaping teaspoons cinnamon 1/2 cup oil 6 medium Gala or Fuji or Honey Crisp apples 2 cups flour 2 teaspoons baking powder

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, mix the eggs, sugar, cinnamon and oil. Peel and slice the apples and add to mixture in bowl (coating as you go to keep apples from turning brown.) Mix together the baking powder and flour and add to the ingredients in the bowl. Mix well (best with a fork) until all of the flour is absorbed by the wet ingredients. Pour mixture into a greased one 9x13 or two 9″ round pans. Bake for approximately 55 minutes.

PEACH CAKE

1 large can sliced peaches, drained and mashed (I used 2 regular cans since that is all I had at the time) You could also use fresh peaches. 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups sugar 2 teaspoons baking soda Icing: 3/4 cup sugar 3/4 regular sized can of evaporated milk 1 stick butter or margarine 1 cup coconut (I used a little more than a cup of coconut) 1 cup nuts Drain the peaches and empty into a large bowl. I just used my hands to mash them. Add flour, sugar and soda and mix well. Spray a 9 x 13 inch cake pan and pour in batter. Bake in a preheated 350F degree oven for 35 minutes. See recipe below for icing. For the icing Boil everything but the nuts on top of the stove until thickens, remove from heat, stir in nuts and spread on cooled cake.

Pecan Pie Bark

2 sticks butter 1 cup white sugar 1 & 1/4 cups pecan halves About 2 pkgs (approx. 12 sheets) honey graham crackers Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Lay your graham crackers tightly across the area of a lightly greased rimmed baking sheet. Trim any crackers to fit the sides of the pan if needed. Set aside. In a large saucepan, bring the butter, sugar and pecans to a boil over medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Carefully (and evenly) pour boiled mixture over the entire plane of graham crackers, spreading pecans around evenly. Immediately pop graham crackers into the oven and bake for 8 minutes. Allow graham cracker bark to cool completely before breaking into pieces and storing in an airtight container.

PineaPPle Pretzel salad

8 ounces cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup sugar 8 ounces whipped topping 1 can pineapple, 20 oz. crushed (well drained) 2 cups crushed pretzels sticks (Prefer the skinny sticks and just crush with a rolling pin in a few bags) 1/2 cup butter or margarine , melted 1/2 cup sugar Combine the cream cheese and sugar together in a mixing bowl and beat until the sugar is mixed into the cream cheese. Add the whipped topping and pineapple. Beat just until they are mixed in evenly. Set aside, in the refrigerator to chill. Combine the crushed pretzels, melted butter, and sugar. Stir together until Thoroughly mixed. Spread the pretzel mixture out on a small cookie sheet that has sides. Place in an oven preheated to 425 degrees F. and bake for 5 minutes. Remove and allow pretzels to cool. Spread cooled pretzels over your serving dish, spread cooled cream cheese mixture over pretzels, and serve. *Mix up only the amount that you feel will be eaten because the pretzels will become soggy after a few hours of being mixed in the cream cheese mixture, extra pineapple can be spread on top of final product for extra flavor, make sure if you add extra pineapple it’s well-drained.

PineaPPle UPside down Bread

For the Cake 4 Tbsp pineapple juice 2/3 cup all purpose flour 2 eggs 2/3 cup sugar 1 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt For the Glaze & Topping: 1/4 stick of butter 1/3 cup brown sugar 1-small can pineapple chunks-completely drained 8-10 maraschino cherries Preheat oven to 350F. Spray your loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray or lightly butter the bottom and sides. I used a 8 1/2x4 1/2x2 1/2 loaf pan. In a large bowl combine the eggs, sugar, pineapple juice, flour, baking powder and salt and mix until well incorporated. In a small sauce pan, melt the butter, once melted add in the brown sugar and stir constantly on medium heat for 45 seconds, set aside. Spoon a layer of the hot mixture into the bottom of the loaf pan, then arrange the chunks of pineapple on top of the brown sugar mixture. Add the cherries throughout the chunks. Spoon the cake batter on top. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Once baked, remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Gently run a knife around the edge of the cake to help loosen, because they tend to stick slightly. Place on a wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

PumPkin Pecan cookie Pie ¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup white sugar 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened ½ cup solid-pack pumpkin ¼ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice ½ teaspoon baking soda 1½ cups flour ¾ cup cinnamon chips ¼ cup chopped pecans Cinnamon Buttercream: ½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened ½ teaspoon vanilla extract ½ tablespoon cinnamon 1 cup powdered sugar 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium-size bowl, combine the sugars and butter. Add in the pumpkin and mix well. Add the salt, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and baking soda and mix until combined. Add the flour and mix just until combined. The batter will be thick. Lastly, fold in the cinnamon chips. Spray a 9" round baking pan with cooking spray. Spread the pumpkin batter evenly on the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle the chopped pecans on top of the batter and press down lightly with your hand so they stick in the batter. Bake the cookie for 20-23 minutes, until it is cooked through. As soon as the cookie pie comes out of the oven, use a flat bottomed glass cup to press very lightly on top of the cookie. This will give you an even top. While the cookie pie is cooling, prepare the buttercream. In a small bowl, use a spoon to mix the butter well for 2-3 minutes. It should get creamy and whitish in appearance. Add in the vanilla, cinnamon and powdered sugar and mix. Pour in 1-2 tablespoons of heavy cream, until the buttercream is the texture you would like it. Use a decorating bag with a large tip (Wilton 1M or 2D) to decorate the edges of the cake or just spread the buttercream overtop the whole cookie. If you'd like to do this, I would recommend doubling the buttercream recipe to give you a little bit more frosting to work with.

PumPkin Pie Poke Cake

1 box White Cake Mix 3 Eggs 1/4 cup Vegetable Oil 15 oz Pumpkin Puree 12 oz Evaporated Milk 2 box Vanilla Instant Pudding 1 tsp Pumpkin Spice 12 oz Whipped Topping thawed Bake cake in 13x9 pan according to box directions. Allow to cool. Poke large holes throughout cake. Combine pumpkin, evaporated milk, 1 and 1/2 boxes of pudding mix and pumpkin pie spice in large bowl. Beat until blended. Pour over cake making sure to get into all holes. use a spatula to spread out evenly. Refrigerate 15 minutes to set. Combine remaining 1/2 box of pudding and whipped topping and mix well. Spoon over cake and spread out. Dust with a little pumpkin spice. Refrigerate at least one hour before serving.

Slow-Cooker BourBon Banana Bread Bread 2 2/3 cups original all-purpose baking mix 1 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1/3 cup butter, melted 2 tablespoons bourbon 1 teaspoon vanilla 3 eggs 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips 3/4 cup chopped toasted pecans Glaze 2 tablespoons butter, melted 1 cup powdered sugar 1 tablespoon bourbon 1 teaspoon hot water 1 Grease bottom only of 3 1/2- to 4-quart round slow cooker with shortening or cooking spray. Sprinkle lightly with 2 teaspoons of the baking mix. 2 In large bowl, stir bananas, granulated sugar, 1/3 cup melted butter, 2 tablespoons bourbon, the vanilla and eggs until well blended. Stir in remaining baking mix, the cinnamon, chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of the pecans until well blended. Pour into slow cooker. 3 Cover; cook on High heat setting 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours or until toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean. Turn off slow cooker; uncover, and remove ceramic base from cooker to cooling rack. Let cool 15 minutes. 4 Loosen edge of bread with thin metal spatula. Remove bread from slow cooker to cooling rack. Cool 1 hour. 5 In small bowl, mix glaze ingredients until smooth and consistency of thick syrup. Drizzle over top of bread. Sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/4 cup pecans.

Slow-Cooker Hot CHoColate oatmeal

5 cups water 1 cup steel-cut oats 1/3 cup packed brown sugar 1/3 cup instant cocoa mix 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 Spray 4- to 5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In large bowl, mix water and oats. Pour into slow cooker. 2 Cover; cook on Low heat setting 6 hours or until oats are cooked through and liquid is absorbed. Stir in 1/3 cup brown sugar, the instant cocoa mix and salt just before serving. Serve with chocolate chips and additional brown sugar. *Chocolate chips and additional brown sugar, if desired **this recipe can also be cooked on a stove top or microwave (follow instructions for cooking on oatmeal container)

S'more KriSpy TreaTS

¼ cup butter 1 (10 oz) bag regular marshmallows 1 box of Golden Graham cereal 1-2 cups Chocolate Chips

In a large sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add marshmallows and keep stirring until the marshmallows completely melt and you get a marshmallow sauce. Remove from heat.

Add Golden Grahams and stir until they are all well coated. You can chose to crush some up before adding them if you want some smaller pieces. Next stir in chocolate chips.

Grease a 9x13 pan and press S'mores down evenly in pan. Let cool.

*It is best to use frozen chocolate chips so they hold their shape better. Room temperature chocolate chips will still work, they will just melt.

SnoBall BrownieS

1 stick salted butter, melted 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 cup granulated sugar 2 large eggs 2 tsp vanilla extract 2/3 cup flour 3 (1.55 oz) milk chocolate bars, melted in the microwave- -(I'm not trying to tell you your business, but I used Hershey bars) 7 oz jar marshmallow fluff or creme 2/3 cup sweetened, shredded coconut 1 drop pink food coloring 1 Tablespoon cornstarch Preheat oven to 350. Line an 8x8 square pan with foil and spray with nonstick baking spray. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk butter and cocoa powder together until cocoa is dissolved and mixture is thick. Stir in sugar until combined. Stir in eggs, mixing until combined. Add vanilla. Add flour, stirring just until no white streaks remain in batter. Fold in melted candy bars. Pour batter in prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with fudgy crumbs, but not raw batter. Let cool slightly, about 20 minutes. While you wait, combine coconut, cornstarch and pink coloring in a food processor or blender. Pulse several times until coconut is more finely shredded and pink. Spoon marshmallow creme/fluff over the top of the warm brownies and let it sit for a few minutes -- the warm brownies will soften the marshmallow, making it easier to spread. Spread marshmallow evenly over the brownies, then sprinkle the coconut over the surface, pressing gently with your hands. Refrigerate brownies until cool and firm. Keep uneaten brownies in the refrigerator so the marshmallow does not melt.

Strawberry cheeSecake Salad.

Stir together: 1 bag of miniature marshmallows 16 oz of vanilla yogurt 1 regular size tub of cool whip 1 package of no bake cheese cake filling Stir in 1-2 containers of sliced up strawberries 3-4 sliced up bananas Other fruits can be substituted or added as desired Best served chilled and same day due to banana discolouration

The NieNaber SecreT Family chocolaTe chip, Soda,

cookie recipe…or legeNdary cookieS oF aweSomeNeSS

verSioN 3.0

1 C brown sugar 1 C white sugar 1 C Crisco butter flavored shortening ½ C veg oil 2 eggs 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 teaspoon baking soda 4 teaspoon cream of tartar 4 C flour slightly well packed not sifted. 1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips Preheat oven to 350. Combine in a medium to large bowl brown sugar, white sugar, shortening, veg oil, and eggs. Cream or mix extremely well let stand 10 minutes, add in salt, vanilla, soda, and cream of tartar mix well. Add flour mix well, and fold in a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Cookie dough should be relatively dry, and easy to handle. To make cookies, using your hands roll cookie dough into a tube approx. 1.5 inches in diameter and however long you can manage and break off 1 inch sections, place sections on an insulated or "air bake" cookie sheet and bake for 11.5 mins...if you’re using two sheets rotate them half way through. *for these to be legendary and awesome at the same time, you must follow this recipe exactly, no substitutions, you must use Crisco butter flavored shortening, and an insulated baking pan. Also use a Liquid measuring cup for the vegtable oil, not a dry measuring cup.

Whiskey Caramel sauCe

1 cup extra fine granulated sugar 1/4 cup water 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup Irish whiskey 1. Into a large heavy bottom sauce pan add sugar and water. Using a wooden spoon, stir until combined. Cook, stirring continually, over medium-high heat until mixture boils. Then leave alone until mixture turns into a caramel/amber color. Remove pan from heat when color is achieved. 2. WHILE sugar is cooking, into a separate sauce pan add: cream, butter and salt. Cook over medium heat until warmed through and butter has melted. 3. When amber color has been achieved, CAREFULLY and SLOWLY pour cream mixture into pot. Mixture will bubble furiously, gently stir using a silicon spatula and continue to stir until well combined. 4. Once combined, add whiskey and stir to combine. Set aside to cool slightly and then use as desired.

Winter White Cookies

¾ cup melted butter ¾ cup sugar 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract 3 beaten eggs 3 cups graham cracker crumbs 1 cup fine dried coconut 2 ½ cups mini marshmallow Additional graham crackers to line the bottom of the pan 1 1/2 cups whipped cream (or use a whipped topping substitute) 1 tsp vanilla extract 4 tbsp icing sugar (powdered sugar) In a medium saucepan over medium low heat combine the melted butter, sugar and 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. Cook for only a couple of minutes, stirring constantly until hot and the sugar is dissolved. Quickly whisk in the beaten eggs. Cook for only about a minute before removing from the heat and very quickly stirring in the graham crumbs, coconut and mini marshmallows. Lightly grease and line the bottom and sides of a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper. Line the bottom of the pan with graham crackers. Cut as needed to fit. Spread the prepared mixture evenly over the crackers and chill well for a couple of hours or overnight. Beat together the whipping cream, 1 tsp vanilla extract and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Top the chilled cookie bars with whipped cream, cut in squares and serve. These freeze very well but you might like to use a non-dairy whipped topping if you want to freeze them with the cream already on them. If not, freeze them without the whipped cream and just add it before serving.

A-1 SteAk SAuce chuck SteAk Recipe

1 tablespoon olive oil 1 medium onion sliced (I used diced) 2 lbs beef chuck steak, about one-inch thick 1/2 cup bottled steak sauce 2 cups beef broth 3 tablespoons brown sugar 2 tablespoons prepared mustard 1 teaspoon lemon juice 5-6 large mushrooms, thickly sliced

Combine all ingredients in a large freezer safe Ziploc bag. Press out air and seal. Knead contents to thoroughly combine and ensure meat is coated. Press flat and freeze.

When you're ready to eat - thaw overnight. Pour contents into a large non-stick skillet heated over medium-high heat. Bring contents to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer, and cover with a lid. Simmer 2 - 2 1/2 hours or until very tender.

If you want a thicker gravy, remove cover and simmer until sauce reduces to desired thickness, or remove steaks from pan (set aside on a plate, cover to keep warm) and create a slurry (2 TBS Flour to ¼ cup water); whisk briskly to blend slurry thoroughly into sauce. Bring mixture to a boil until desired consistency is reached (if this causes the mixture to become too thick, thin with a little water).

Serving suggestion: serve over mashed potatoes.

AsiAn Grilled Pork ChoPs

12 pork chops 1 1/3 cups low sodium soy sauce 1/2 cup sugar 2/3 cup rice vinegar 1/4 cup toasted sesame oil 3 tablespoons minced ginger 3 tablespoons minced garlic 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 3 one-gallon freezer bags, labeled

Divide chops evenly among bags. In a large bowl or measuring container, combine soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, oil, garlic, ginger and cayenne pepper. Blend the marinade very thoroughly and evenly distribute between the three bags. Seal and massage marinade into meat, lay them flat to freeze.

TO COOK: Thaw completely. Remove chops from marinade and grill as desired, basting with remaining marinade (or use cooking method of choice!)

AsiAn sloppy Joes

1 pound lean ground pork 1/2 onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon shredded fresh ginger 1 red or yellow bell pepper, diced 1 can sliced water chestnuts 2 cups bean sprouts 2 cups fresh coleslaw mix or shredded cabbage sesame seeds & slice scallions for garnish 8 large rolls Sauce: 1 clove garlic, minced 1 teaspoon shredded fresh ginger 1/2 teaspoon sriracha sauce 1 cup low sodium chicken broth 1 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar 1 tablespoon rice vinegar 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce 1 tablespoon cornstarch Combine sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside. In a large pan brown ground pork, onion, garlic and ginger. Drain any fat. Coarsely chop water chestnuts and add to the pork mixture along with peppers. Cook over medium high about 2 minutes. Give the sauce ingredients a quick stir and add to the pork mixture. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium. Let bubble 7-9 minutes or until thickened. To serve, place 1/8 of the cabbage/coleslaw & bean sprouts on each roll. Top with the pork mixture and garnish with sliced scallions and sesame seeds.

Balsamic Roast Beef

1 3-4 pound boneless roast beef (chuck or round roast) 1 cup beef broth ½ cup balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon honey ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes 4 cloves garlic, chopped Place roast beef into the insert of your slow cooker. In a 2-cup measuring cup, mix together all remaining ingredients. Pour over roast beef and set the timer for your slow cooker. (4 hours on High or 6-8 hours on Low) Once roast beef has cooked, remove from slow cooker with tongs into a serving dish. Break apart lightly with two forks and then ladle about ¼ - ½ cup of gravy over roast beef. Store remaining gravy in an airtight container in the refrigerator for another use. *If you prefer a more pronounced flavor, once the roast beef has been removed, use a fat separator on the gravy and then pour the gravy into a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until the gravy has reduced by half.

Bulk Cooking with the Slow Cooker:

4 lbs. chicken breasts, thighs, or a combination 1 large onion, minced 8 cloves garlic, minced 3 cups diced tomatoes with green chiles, like Rotel 6 tbsp. chipotle salsa or blended chipotles (adjust based on spice preference) 1 tsp. salt

Combine everything in the slow cooker. Stir together.

Cook on high for 3-4 hours. Remove the chicken from the cooking liquid and shred. Return to slow cooker and cook for 15 minutes

Meal Idea #1 – Chicken Tinga Tostadas: Bake 8 corn tortillas in a 400 degree oven until crispy, about 10 minutes. Spread each with refried beans and top with corn, lettuce, tomato, cilantro, onion, cheese, and avocado. Top with the chicken tinga for a great meal, perfect for hot weather.

Meal Idea #2 – Chipotle BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches: Believe it or not, adding barbecue sauce to the already shredded chicken creates a whole new flavor profile and no one will believe it’s the same meal. Add 1 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce to the shredded chicken. Layer into soft buns and top with pickles and coleslaw for fantastic summer pulled chicken sandwiches.

Meal Idea #3 – Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta: Sauté 1 diced red onion, 2 diced bell peppers, and 2 garlic cloves in 1 tbsp. butter or olive oil until softened, around 6-8 minutes. Add 1 tbsp. flour and stir until lightly brown. Add 1 cup milk and ½ cup chicken broth. Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer, stirring until it begins to thicken. Add 4 oz. reduced fat cream cheese and season with salt and pepper. Add 8 oz. cooked pasta and 4 servings leftover chicken tinga. Stir together and serve. If needed, add extra Cajun seasoning for more kick!

Meal Idea #4 – Chicken Tinga Enchiladas: This meal is great to prep and then freeze so you have a quick meal ready to go. Cover the bottom of a baking dish with a thin layer of your favorite store bought enchilada sauce. Then warm corn tortillas in the microwave until soft and pliable. Stuff around ¼ cup chicken into each tortilla and wrap, placing seam side down in the baking dish. (Consider sneaking extra veggies (corn, spinach, zucchini) in with the chicken.) Then top with remaining enchilada sauce and shredded cheese. Cover with foil and freeze. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook for 30 minutes with the foil. Then remove foil and cook for 15-20 minutes until everything is bubbling.

Other Meal Ideas: Breakfast burritos, burrito style bowls (like Chiptole’s, quesadillas, salads, tortilla soup, or stuffed peppers!

Cajun ChiCken – For the Freezer

2 ½ to 3lbs chicken pieces (such as legs, thighs or breasts) 1 small onion, chopped ½ green pepper, chopped 2T olive oil 1 t (heaping) minced garlic 1 can (14oz) diced tomatoes 1T red wine vinegar 1t dried basil ½ t salt ½ pepper 1 to 3 teaspoons hot pepper sauce (such as the brand Tabasco), optional

Put chicken pieces in a gallon size zip type bag. chop up veggies. In a small bowl assemble sauce ingredients. Label and freeze. The night before you want to serve this meal take it out of the freezer and let it defrost in the fridge. The chicken will marinate in the seasonings as it defrosts. To cook pour contents of bag into a large pan (11x15 size) and bake at 350 until chicken is done. This can take anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour depending on the type of chicken pieces used. Serve with mashed potatoes or cornbread and a salad.

Assemble the ingredients (the onion I show in the pic is a very large onion so I only used half of it):

Put the chicken pieces in the gallon size zip bag and chop up the veggies…

Put the veggies in the bag with the chicken..

Mix the sauce ingredients in a small bowl..

Pour it over the chicken, seal the bag and squish it around so the sauce covers the chicken. Put in freezer..

Candied GarliC ChiCken

1.5 cups honey 6 TBS soy sauce 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 - 2.5 lbs chicken quarters

Combine marinade ingredients in a large freezer safe Ziploc bag. Add chicken to bag and squeeze out all excess air then seal. Knead marinade into meat and make sure everything is evenly combined. Press flat and freeze.

Thaw overnight.

Place contents in a 9x13 baking dish; cover with foil and bake for 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees or until cooked through (or almost cooked through). Turn heat up to 425, remove foil, and bake another 10-15 minutes or until browned. You can use lo-broil as well, just watch them carefully.

ChiCken RiCe PoRRidge oR Congee

2 cups (400g) rice 2 bone-in chicken breast, skin removed 10 cups (2.4 liters) water, and a little more to dilute 1 inch knob ginger, finely julienned 3 green onions, finely sliced Sesame oil Salt and pepper to taste Soy sauce In a large pot, rinse rice till water runs clear, about 3 to 4 times, drain. Add 10 cups (2.4 liters) water to the rice and set it on the stove to boil. When water comes to boil, remove lid, add chicken breasts. As soon as water comes back to a boil, add salt and pepper and reduce heat to simmer for about 30 minutes. If porridge gets too thick at any point, stir in ½ cup (120ml) water to dilute. Remove chicken breasts from pot with thongs. Shred the chicken breasts and return shredded meat to the pot. Add ginger and one to two teaspoons of sesame oil to the porridge. Turn off heat. Serve immediately with a sprinkling of green onions, pepper, and soy sauce. Add a few drops of sesame oil if desired.

Cranberry-Dijon Pork TenDerloin

1 can whole cranberry sauce (I used jellied)

1 package onion soup mix

1 (2.5 - 3 lb) raw pork tenderloin (or pork roast)

2 TBS Dijon mustard

To assemble: label the Ziploc bag. Combine all ingredients in the bag, knead mixture to thoroughly coat meat. Freeze.

To cook: Thaw overnight in the fridge. The next morning, pour contents into your crock-pot and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

CroCk Pot BourBon ChiCken

Ingredients 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs 3 tablespoons corn starch 1 clove garlic Sauce 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger 4 cloves garlic 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes 1/3 cup apple juice 2 tablespoons honey 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup ketchup 3 tablespoons cider vinegar 1/4 cup water 1/4 cup Bourbon 1/4 cup soy sauce Mix all sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Place chicken in slow cooker, pour sauce over top. Cover and cook on low 6-7 hours or on high 3 hours. Remove chicken and chop into bite sized pieces. Strain liquid and place over medium high heat in a small pot. Combine 3 tablespoons water with 3 tablespoons cornstarch. Whisk into boiling sauce along with 1 clove minced garlic. Stir until thickened. Pour over chicken pieces in the slow cooker and stir. Serve over rice.

CroCk Pot ChiCken CaCCiatore

1 1/2 pounds bones, skinless chicken (breast or thighs) 1 (1 lb. 10 oz.) jar pasta sauce 1 small green bell pepper, sliced 1 small onion, sliced 3 Tbsp. dry sherry (or chicken broth) 1/2 tsp. garlic powder 1/2 tsp. dried parsley 1/4 tsp. black pepper Hot cooked rice (for serving) Arrange chicken in cock pot. Add remaining ingredients, except rice. Cover crock pot and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or on HIGH for 4-6 hours or until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Serve over hot cooked rice.

CroCk Pot Freezer Meals

Dump Pineapple Kielbasa 2 lb.s Kielbasa 1 can chunk pineapple, save 3/4 cup juice and blend 2 tsp. cornstarch into the juice and set aside. 1 can mandarin orange segments, drained Directions: Cut the kielbasa into 1 inch slices and set aside in a large saucepan. Pour the pineapple chunks and the mandarin orange segments over the kielbasa. In another saucepan: combine: 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup vinegar 1 tsp. salt 4tsp. ketchup Bring to a simmer add the pineapple juice/cornstarch mixture. Bring to a full boil. Pour the sauce over the kielbasa and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Can either serve immediately over rice or cool and pour into a gallon size freezer bag. seal and label. Store laying flat in freezer. To Make Dinner from the freezer meal: Thaw bag in fridge overnight. Pour contents of bag into crockpot and heat on warm for 6-8 hours or on low for 3-4 hours. Serve over rice.

Dump Chinese Ribs: 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup orange marmalade 2 Tbsp. ketchup 1 clove garlic, crushed 3-4 lbs. country style spare ribs Directions: Combine all ingredients except ribs in a sauce pan and heat on medium heat stirring constantly until marmalade has melted and all ingredients are well blended. Let sauce cool. Place ribs in gallon sized freezer bag. Pour sauce over ribs in the freezer bag. Seal and label bag. Freeze bag flat. To Make Dinner from the freezer meal: Thaw the bag in the refridgerator overnight. Place contents of bag in crockpot and cook on low 6-8 hours or high 4 hours, or you can bake in oven in a baking dish, 375 degrees until done. Serve with rice. Dump Lemon (or Lime) Pepper Chicken: 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon (or lime) peel 2 cloves minced garlic 1/4 cup lemon (or lime) juice 1 teaspoon pepper 1 Tblspn vegetable oil 1/4 teaspoon salt (or more to taste) 1 1/2 pounds (or 5-6 boneless chicken pieces) chicken Directions: Place chicken into gallon sized freezer bag. Place all ingredients into bag, seal and shake bag gently to blend together. Label and freeze bag laying flat. To Make Dinner from the freezer meal: Thaw the bag in the refrigerator overnight. Chicken maybe baked in oven or grilled. 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until done.

Teriyaki Dump Chicken: 1 clove garlic crushed 1/3 cup soy sauce 2 Tblspns cider vinegar 2 Tblspns brown sugar 1/2 Tblspn minced ginger 1 1/2 lb's chicken pieces (5-6 boneless skinless breasts) Directions: Place all ingredients into a gallon sized freezer bag. seal and gently shake to blend. Label and lay flat in freezer. To Make Dinner from the freezer meal: Thaw in refrigerator overnight. To cook in crockpot, pour contents of freezer bag into crockpot and cook on low 6-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours or until done. To bake in oven: bake at 350 degree's in baking dish 30-45 minutes or until done. (these would be great on the grill!) Caribbean Dump Chicken: 8 oz. can pineapple chunks with juice 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/3 cup orange juice Optional: 1/2 cup golden raisins 1 1/2 pounds chicken pieces (5-6 boneless skinless breasts) Directions: Place all ingredients into a gallon sized freezer bag. Seal and gently shake to blend. Freeze laying flat. To Make Dinner from the freezer meal: Thaw in refrigerator overnight. Place all ingredients in crockpot and cook on low 6-8 hours or on high 4-5 hours or until done. To bake: Bake in oven in baking dish 350 degrees 30-45 minutes or until done.

CROCK POT GREEN CHILE BEEF BURRITOS

2 pounds rump roast 1 cup chopped onion 1/4 cup Mexican seasoning mix (or to taste) 1 tablespoon fresh chopped Mexican Oregano 1 cup fresh diced green chiles, preferably roasted 1 (16 ounce) can tomato sauce For serving: Flour tortillas, warmed Hot cooked rice Sour cream Shredded cheese Chopped tomatoes Shredded lettuce Salsa Layer ingredients, meat first, in crock pot. Cover crock pot and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours. Do not stir for first 5 hours. Shred the beef after 7 hours. Serve in warmed flour tortillas, rice, sour cream, cheese, vegetables and salsa.

CroCk Pot teriyaki Pork for the freezer

2.5 - 3 lbs pork tenderloin (original recipe suggests dicing the tenderloin, I left mine whole) 1 onion, sliced (I used diced) ½ cup soy sauce ½ cup brown sugar 1 tsp minced garlic ½ tsp ground ginger Put all ingredients into a large Ziploc bag. Seal the bag and knead mixture to thoroughly combine and coat meat. Press flat, and freeze. On cooking day, dump contents into crock pot and cook on low for 8 hours, or until meat is cooked and tender. Serve over brown rice if desired.

CROCK POT THAI-SPICED CHICKEN SOUP

2 tablespoons sunflower oil 6 shallots, finely chopped 5 medium carrots, thinly sliced 4 stalks celery, thinly sliced 1 garlic clove, crushed 1 red chile, seeded and finely chopped 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped 1 pound skinless boneless chicken thighs, diced 1 tablespoon Thai 7-spice seasoning 1 cup sliced green beans 3 3/4 cups chicken stock Salt and ground black pepper 1 cup spaghetti, broken into small lengths TO SERVE: 2 or 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro crusty bread (optional) Preheat the slow cooker on HIGH while preparing ingredients. Heat oil in a pan, add shallots, carrots, celery, garlic, chile and ginger, and saute 3 minutes. Add chicken and cook, stirring frequently. Add Thai spice and green beans and cook 1 minute, stirring. Add stock and seasoning and bring to a boil. Transfer to the crock pot insert. Cover, then reduce temperature to LOW and cook 5 hours. Stir in spaghetti, cover, and cook on LOW an additional 1 to 2 hours, or until spaghetti is cooked and tender. When serveing, Stir in the chopped cilantro, and serve with fresh crusty bread if desired.

CroCkpot ChiCken Burritos

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1 large tomato, chopped ½ medium onion, chopped 1 4oz can of diced green chilis 1 12oz can of beer 2 tbsp taco seasoning 2-3 tbsp cornstarch Salt to taste Cooked brown rice Assorted toppings such as black beans, refried beans, shredded cheese, sour cream salsa, and guacamole. Spray your crockpot with cooking spray. Place the chicken breasts in it. Add the tomatoes and onions. Mix together the beer and taco seasoning and pour it over the chicken and veggies. Top with the diced green chilis. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours. After it's done cooking, gradually whisk in cornstarch until desired thickness is reached. Season with salt, to taste. Serve over rice and top with your favorite toppings.

CroCkpot red pepper ChiCken

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, fat trimmed 1 medium-sized red bell pepper, sliced (about 1.5 cups) 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 4 large garlic cloves, minced 1 small onion, diced (about one cup) 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 teaspoon salt Combine all ingredients in crockpot and cook for 3-6 hours, or until chicken is cooked through and tender. To Freeze: Combine all ingredients in a gallon-sized plastic freezer bag. Remove as much air as possible and freeze for up to three months. To cook, thaw and add to crockpot. Cook on “low” setting for 3-6 hours, or until chicken is cooked through and tender. Serve with brown rice and broccoli or a salad. You can also shred the chicken and serve on a tortilla with cheddar cheese.

Easy CroCk Pot orangE ChiCkEn 4-5 Boneless Chicken Breasts - Thawed 3/4 cup Orange Marmalade 3/4 cup of BBQ sauce 2 tbsp. Soy Sauce Cook the Chicken in the crock pot for 3 hours - covered Drain the Juice from the Crock Pot Mix the BBQ sauce, Orange Marmalade, and Soy Sauce Pour Mix over chicken, cover and cook on high for an additional 30 minutes.

Egg Roll Bowl

1 pound ground pork 3-4 cloves minced garlic 5 scallions chopped 3 Tablespoons Low Sodium Soy Pepper 3 Tablespoons Brown Sugar 1 bag coleslaw mix (not the premixed kind, just the already chopped cabbage and carrots) 2 bags Success® Jasmine Rice Brown the pork with the garlic and scallions. Add in the coleslaw mix, soy and brown sugar. Season with pepper. Cook until the cabbage is cooked down and almost caramelized. Boil your 2 bags Success® Jasmine Rice according to box directions. Serve the pork mixture over the rice. Top with crispy wontons or duck sauce if desired.

Freezer Marinate and CroCkpot Meals (assorted) Chicken with Honey Sauce 3/4 cup honey 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/8 cup chopped onion 1/4 cup ketchup 2 tbsp vegetable oil 3 cloves minced garlic 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts Put all ingredients in freezer bags Toss and knead bag so chicken gets covered evenly in sauce Flatten bag and freeze Thaw for 24 hours fridge in bag (marinating takes place now) To serve: Cook in crock-pot on low for 6-8 hours or on high 3-4 hours. Serve over rice. Slow Cooker BBQ Spareribs 1 lbs of country-style pork ribs 3/4 cup ketchup 3/4 TBS seasoned salt 1/4 tsp liquid smoke 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup white vinegar Place sauce ingredients in resealable gallon-sized freezer bag, combine. Add in pork chops, rotate to coat chops, squeeze out air and seal bag. When ready to eat, remove from freezer and thaw in fridge for 24 hours. Cook on HIGH in crock pot for 3-4 hours or LOW for 6-7 hours.

Slow Cooker Creamy Ranch Pork Chops and Potatoes 2 large pork chops 3 large potatoes, chopped into large pieces (3-4 pieces per potato) 1 (10.75 oz each) can cream of chicken soup 1 (1 oz each) package dry Ranch dressing mix 1/2 cup milk Dried parsley to sprinkle on top for serving (optional) In a large freezer bag add the soup, milk, and ranch dressing mix and combine. Add in pork chops and potatoes - coat with sauce, squeeze out air, and seal. Freeze. When ready to eat, remove from freezer and thaw in fridge for 24 hours. Cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW for 6-7 hours in your slow cooker. Use the extra sauce in the slow cooker as a gravy for the potatoes and the pork chops. Sprinkle with dried parsley before serving, if desired. Simple Steak Marinade 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup red wine 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce 4 cloves garlic, minced, or more to taste 3-4 medium steaks Directions Combine the vegetable oil, soy sauce, red wine, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic in a resealable plastic bag. Place the meat in the bag, coat with the marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Lay flat and freeze. To serve, thaw 24 hours prior to cooking - prepare as desired.

Greek-SeaSoned Grilled Pork ChoPS with lemon and oreGano

4 boneless pork sirloin chops (my pork weighed 1 1/2 pounds before trimming) Marinade: 1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice 2 tsp. red wine vinegar 1 tsp. fresh lemon zest (or use 1/2 tsp. dried lemon peel) 2 tsp. dried Greek oregano (You can also use 2 T minced fresh Greek oregano, but I often use dried herbs in a marinade like this.) 2 tsp. minced fresh garlic (or use 1 tsp. dried granulated garlic) fresh ground black pepper to taste (I used about 1/2 tsp.) In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, Greek oregano, garlic, and black pepper. Trim all visible fat from pork chops and place in large Ziploc bag or flat glass dish. Pour marinade over pork chops and marinate in refrigerator for 4-8 hours, turning a few times if you're home. To cook, remove pork chops from refrigerator and let come to room temperature while you pre-heat gas or charcoal grill or George Foreman grill, or stove-top grill pan. (Preheat outdoor grills about 10 minutes. George Foreman grill or stove-top grill pan only needs to be preheated 4-5 minutes.) For criss-cross grill marks, place pork chops on a diagonal to the grill grids, rotating 45 degrees when the first set of grill marks start to show. (I usually rotate after about 3 minutes on an outdoor grill, and maybe a little sooner on the George Foreman grill or stove-top grill pan. Whatever cooking method you're using, the best way to tell when to rotate things on the grill is to lift a corner of the food and check the grill marks.) Pork chops will take about 10-12 minutes to get done on an outdoor grill or stove-top grill pan, and about 5-6 minutes on a George Foreman grill which cooks both sides at once. Pork chops are done when they feel firm (but not hard) to the touch and look slightly browned. Serve hot.

Herb and Garlic Marinade for cHuck Steak

1/4 cup vegetable oil 2 minced cloves garlic 1 TBS Dijon mustard 1/4 cup white vinegar 1/2 cup minced onion 1 teaspoon crushed, dried thyme 2 teaspoon dried parsley 2 lbs chuck steaks Combine all the marinade ingredients together in a large freezer safe Ziploc bag. Add chuck shoulder steaks to the bag. Press out air and seal the bag; knead marinade into steaks to thoroughly coat each of them. Press flat and freeze. When ready to eat; thaw them overnight in the refrigerator then prepare as usual (suggestion: grill over medium-high heat for about 3-5 minutes per side or until desired doneness is reached).

Honey Glazed CHiCken

1/4 cup + 1 tsp honey 2 Tbs + 1 tsp lemon juice 2 Tbs soy sauce salt and pepper to taste (about 1/4 tsp each) 3 chicken leg quarters with skin on Combine glaze ingredients in a large freezer safe Ziploc bag and add chicken. Press out excess air, seal, and knead ingredients to combine and thoroughly coat meat. Press flat and freeze. Thaw overnight. Place the chicken legs on a baking sheet, skin-side down, cover with aluminum foil, and slow roast at 325 degrees for about 40 minutes. Flip the pieces to have the skin side up, brush some more of the glaze over, cover with aluminum foil again, and continue cooking for another 40-45 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees, remove the aluminum foil and roast until the skin is dark brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

Honey Mustard Pork tenderloin

2 lb pork tenderloin (I used boneless pork roast) 1/4 cup Dijon mustard 1/4 cup honey Optional: 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar and a crushed clove of garlic Combine ingredients in a large freezer safe Ziploc bag. Knead marinade into meat. Seal and freeze. When ready to use thaw, then to cook, empty into a slow cooker, cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours. (I tripled and made 3 servings.)

Korean Spicy chicKen and potatoeS

2 Ibs boneless, skinless chicken thighs and breasts— -- fat trimmed & cut into small pieces 8 ounces of potatoes, cut into large chunks 2 large carrots, cut into large chunks 1 large onion, cut into large chunks Sauce 3 Tbs Korean chili flakes 2 Tbs Korean chili paste 4 Tbs low-sodium soy sauce 2 Tbs mirin 2 Tbs honey or corn syrup 1 Tbs sesame oil 4 garlic cloves, minced To serve: sesame seeds green onion, chopped In a small bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients and mix well. Add prepared chicken and vegetables to crockpot. Stir in sauce and mix well until evenly incorporated. Cover and cook for 4 hours on low or 2 hours on high until the chicken is fully cooked. Once done, stir in chopped green onion. Top with sesame seeds and serve with rice.

OAMC Huge KAluA POrK lOin

8 lbs pork loin ( NOT a pork tenderloin because it is not fatty enough to stand up to long roasting. ) coarse kosher salt

liquid smoke (I used about 2 teaspoons per half a 4lb pork loin)

sandwich buns, any kind plastic wrap aluminum foil Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Cut pork loin in half. Lay out two large sheets of aluminum foil. Lay two large sheets of plastic wrap on top of foil. Place half of pork loin on the plastic wrap Sprinkle generously with kosher salt and liquid smoke, rub all over pork loin. Wrap up plastic wrap tightly around pork loin and then wrap with aluminum foil. Place in large roasting pan. Repeat with other loin half. Bake at 225 degrees 7-10 hours until done. (Internal temp should be 195-200F for pulled pork, check the temperature after 5 1/2 hours.). Serve with soft rolls, cheese, bbq sauce, whatever your family likes. Divide leftovers into zip topped bags and freeze for future meals. *I let it cool to room temperature, then removed the pork from the wrapper and let it rest in the juices in the bottom of the pan for 2 hours, covered

Perfect and SuPer eaSy Pot roaSt

1 (2-3 pound) beef chuck roast 1 large onion, diced into large wedges 1 (1 ounce) package dry Italian salad dressing mix (can substitute 6-8 ounces bottled Italian dressing if desired) 1 (1 ounce) package dry Ranch-style dressing mix 1 (1.2 ounce) package brown gravy mix (can substitute pork or mushroom gravy mix if desired) 1 (14.5 ounce) can beef broth Combine all three seasoning mixes along with beef broth in Ziploc bag, blend. Add in roast and onion wedges; coat contents with sauce mix. Press air from bag and seal. Freeze When ready to cook: Put contents in a crock pot (you can add potatoes and carrots under the roast if desired). Cook over high heat for 4-6 hours or on low for 8-12 hours (or until fork tender). You can use the juices as an au jus, or thicken on the stove with flour or cornstarch to make a gravy.

Shrimp Boil for one, with homemade CoCktail SauCe

For the Boil 1/2 pound large shrimp in the shell, deveined 2 to 3 golf-ball-sized new redskin potatos 1 ear fresh yellow corn, husked and silked 1 lemon or lime, halved 6 tablespoons salt 2 tablespoons Louisiana brand liquid crawfish boil seasoning— -- (if you use anything other than this, use at – --least twice what the directions call for) 3 quarts water 2 teaspoons Louisiana brand powdered shrimp boil seasoning 2 tablespoons melted butter For the Cocktail Sauce 1/4 cup ketchup 1 to 2 teaspoons finely grated horseradish 2 tablespoons lime or lemon juice 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco or other hot sauce, or to taste In large stockpot, bring water, salt, crawfish boil seasoning and halved lime to a boil. Rinse shrimp and set aside. Scrub potatos and add to pot. Boil for 10 minutes. Break corn in half, to make two small ears, and add. Boil for five minutes more. Add shrimp; allow pot to return to boil and boil for exactly one minute. Drain shrimp and vegetables in colander. Separate shrimp from vegetables. Toss potatos and corn with melted butter, and sprinkle with powdered shrimp boil seasoning. For cocktail sauce, while potatos are boiling, mix all ingredients and refrigerate. Keeps for several days, so if you're at the coast and going to be eating seafood for several nights, make plenty! Enjoy with cold beer! (And the avocado on the side is a good touch, as well.)

Slow Cooker ChineSe haCked Pork

1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce ( I always use La Choy) 1/4 cup honey 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce 4 cloves garlic, chopped 2 tablespoons chopped ginger 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder (optional) 2 pounds boneless center-cut pork roast 1 tablespoon cornstarch 3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth or water 2 scallions, thinly sliced 1. Coat slow cooker bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Place soy sauce, honey, hoisin, garlic, ginger, spice in crockpot and stir to mix. Place pork roast in and spoon some sauce over top. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 6 hours. 2. Remove pork to a large baking dish and keep warm. Pour liquid from slow cooker into a saucepan. In a small bowl, stir cornstarch into broth. Bring liquid in saucepan to a boil and whisk in the broth mixture. Cook for 1 minute. 3. Shred pork into large pieces with two forks; stir in sauce.

Slow Cooker Honey GarliC CHiCken 3–3½ lbs bone-in chicken breasts or thighs, skins removed ⅔ cup low-sodium soy sauce ½ cup honey 6 cloves garlic, minced ½ yellow onion, finely diced ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes 1 tsp white vinegar 2 tsp sesame oil 2 Tbsp cornstarch 3 Tbsp water sliced green onion, for garnish sesame seeds, for garnish Place chicken in the slow cooker so pieces overlap as little as possible. In a medium mixing bowl, combine soy sauce, honey, garlic, onion, red pepper flakes, vinegar and sesame oil then stir until the honey is completely dissolved. Pour sauce over the chicken then cover and cook on low setting for 3½–4½ hours, until meat is tender and falling off the bone. Use a slotted spoon to remove chicken from cooking liquid then transfer to a plate to cool slightly. When chicken is cool enough to handle, remove bones then shred chicken into small pieces. Transfer shredded chicken to large mixing bowl then cover to keep warm. Next, pour cooking liquid into a small saucepan then remove pieces of bone or chicken from sauce. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water together until smooth. Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the sauce then place the pan over medium heat. Bring sauce to a bubble, whisking constantly. Once the sauce comes to a bubble, reduce heat to low and let simmer for 1 minute. Coat shredded chicken in the desired amount of sauce, tossing to combine. Start with half the sauce then add more as needed. Serve any leftover sauce on the side. Present chicken piled high atop fresh steamed rice, then garnish with sliced green onion and a sprinkling of sesame seeds.

Stovetop BBQ Country Style pork riBS 1/4 cup steak sauce (such as A1®) 1/4 cup ketchup 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1/4 cup water 4 (6 ounce) country style pork ribs 1 onion, cut into rings Combine steak sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, garlic, and water in a large freezer safe Ziploc bag. Add in pork ribs and onions. Press out excess air, seal, and knead ingredients until thoroughly combined and meat is well coated. Press flat and freeze. Thaw overnight. Pour contents into a non-stick skillet and cover with a lid. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat and simmer the ribs on low for 45 minutes, or until tender. If the sauce simmers off, add additional water or sauce if needed to keep moist.

SWEET & SOUR CHICKEN 4 chicken breast ( cut into bite sized pieces) 1 cup flour 1/2 tsp black pepper 1 tsp seasoning salt. I did BBQ chicken 1 egg ( beaten) 1 red bell pepper, sliced 1 green bell pepper, sliced 1 onion, sliced Mix flour with pepper and seasoning salt. Dip Chicken in eggs and then flour, fry it until nice golden. Place in a 9by13 baking dish. Place veggies onto of chicken. Pour sweet and sour sauce*recipe on bottom* over fried chicken and veggies. Bake for 30 min at 350. Serve over rice Sweet and sour sauce: 1 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup pineapple juice (pineapple fruit with 100% pineapple juice is available at commissary for US folks). 1/2 cup vinegar 6 Tbsp ketchup 2 Tbsp soy sauce 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp black pepper 2 Tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 Tbsp water Place all ingredients in a pot and boil all ingredients till thickened.

Thai Noodle Bowl Oil- 1 tbsp. Sesame Oil- 1 tbsp. Onion, diced- 1 medium Celery, diced- 2 ribs Garlic, minced- 4 cloves Lemon grass (I used a pre-made paste from a tube)- 1 tbsp. Chili powder- 1 tbsp. Dried Chili flakes- 1/8-1/4 tsp. (to taste) Low-sodium Chicken Broth, pre-made or your own- 6 cups/1.5 liter Canned Crushed Tomatoes- 1 cup Chicken Breast, diced into bite size pieces- 2 Fish Sauce (Nam Pla or Nuoc Mam)- 3 tbsp. Cilantro/Coriander leaves- 1 cup Chow Mein Noodles or any other Asian noodles or even spaghetti- 125 gr. Spinach- 150 gr Lime juice- from 1 lime In a large pot heat both oils, then add diced onions, celery, minced garlic, lemon grass paste, chili powder and red chili flakes and cook until soft over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the broth, tomatoes, chicken, fish sauce, cilantro leaves and bring to a boil, simmer for 10 minutes. Add the noodles to the pot and cook according to package directions, mine took 5 minutes. Once the noodles are done, stir in spinach leaves and lime juice and take off the heat.

CAjun Shrimp & QuinoA Skillet CASSerole

1 lb large uncooked shrimp, peeled 4 medium tomatoes, cut into chunks 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced ½ cup chopped onion 2 tsps minced garlic 1 tbsp tomato paste 3 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsps Cajun seasoning 1 cup quinoa 1 cup shredded marble cheese Salt & pepper, to taste

Cook the quinoa in 2 cups of water. When all the liquid is gone, remove from heat. Toss the shrimp and about 1 tsp Cajun seasoning together and set aside. Toss the tomatoes with 1 tbsp olive oil and another 1 tsp of Cajun seasoning and set aside. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat in a cast iron skillet. Cook the shrimp until pink and remove from the pan and set aside. Add the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil to the pan with the onion, jalapeno and garlic. Cook until the onion is translucent. Mix in the quinoa, tomato paste, remaining Cajun seasoning and tomato chunks. When combined, top with the shrimp and then sprinkle with the cheese. Put whole skillet in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. At the end, turn on the broiler to high and broil until the cheese is slightly brown and bubbly (keeping close watch so as not to burn it).

Cheeseburger salad in a Jar

½ lb extra lean ground beef ½ cup ketchup 1 tablespoon yellow mustard ½ cup cherry tomatoes 3 Farmer's Garden by Vlasic Kosher Dill Pickle Spears, chopped 1 small red onion 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 5 romaine lettuce leaves, chopped ⅔ cup Thousand Island Dressing or Special Sauce

Cook ground beef in skillet over medium heat approximately 5 to 7 minutes or until fully cooked and no longer pink. (Add ¼ cup finely chopped onion halfway through if desired.) Stir in ketchup and mustard to cooked beef. Lower heat to medium-low and cook until warmed through. Set aside and cool.

Layer contents into two mason or pickle jar (approximately 26 oz jar) starting with dressing then tomatoes, pickles, onions, cheese, cooled beef mixture and finally lettuce.

Serve immediately (or soon after) or store in refrigerator up to 4 days.

ChiCken Alfredo rAvioli BAke

1 pound boneless skinless chicken diced 1 pound frozen cheese ravioli 3 packets alfredo sauce mix made according to directions (or 3 cups homemade or jarred) 1 cup mozzarella garlic salt pepper Brown off the diced chicken in a skillet, sprinkle with pepper and garlic salt. Saute till cooked all the way through. Set aside. Boil ravioli and drain. Mix ravioli, chicken, sauce and mozzarella. Place in 9x13 baking dish. Bake at 350 till top is slightly browned (about 15 minutes). Serve with salad or garlic bread.

ChiCken and dumpling Casserole

2 lbs. of chicken ( I use all thighs, my preference) 1 C. all purpose flour 1 C. milk 2 T. unsalted butter, melted 1 10.5 oz. can cream of chicken soup 2 C. chicken broth (I use the water my chicken cooked in) 1/4 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. black pepper Place the chicken in a pot and cover with water. Cover and cook over medium heat for 1 hour. Remove chicken from pot, save the water, and let cool. Shred the chicken and place in the bottom of a 11x7 baking dish. Whisk together the flour, milk and butter, pour over the chicken. Whisk together the broth, soup, salt and pepper, pour over the casserole, DO NOT STIR. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes. Let sit for a few minutes before serving.

CHICKEN AND PEANUTS WITH NOODLES

1 pound chicken tenders 1 tsp sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch 1 tablespoon minced ginger 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoon low sodium— -- soy sauce, divided use 1/4 tsp hot red pepper sauce 3 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 cup peanut butter 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar 1 cup water 2 teaspoons canola oil (for cooking) 2 cups snow peas, cut in half lengthwise 6 green onions, sliced thin 1/2 pound spaghetti noodles, cooked 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1/2 cup roasted peanuts, shelled In small bowl, mix together sugar, cornstarch, ginger, 1/4 cup soy sauce, hot pepper sauce, garlic, peanut butter, rice wine vinegar and 1 cup water. Whisk until well blended. Pour mixture into a large, plastic zipper bag; add chicken tenders. Close and turn bag to coat the chicken. Refrigerate for at least one hour. WHEN READY TO COOK: Remove chicken from bag, reserving marinade. In large skillet or wok, heat canola oil. Add chicken and saute for about 5 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Add reserved marinade and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook 1 minute. Add snow peas, cook for additional minute. Add green onions, reserving 2 tablespoons for garnish. Stir to combine and remove from heat. In large bowl, combine hot spaghetti noodles, remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce and sesame oil. Stir to blend. Add chicken mixture and peanuts; mix well. Divide among plates; sprinkle with reserved green onions.

ChiCken Fried riCe 4 cups frozen peas and carrots 1/2 small onion, chopped 1 tablespoon parsley flakes 12 cups rice, cooked and cooled 1 1/2 lbs cooked chicken, chopped and cooled ( about 4 cups) 2 tablespoons olive oil 8 eggs 3/4 cup soy sauce 4 dashes pepper In a large bowl, combine the peas and carrots, rice, onion, parsley flakes and chicken. Mix well. Pour into 4 gallon freezer bags (enough serve 4) or less for family size. Seal, lable and freeze. Thaw bag of rice mixture. Heat 1 Tbs oil in a large skillet. Dump rice mixture into the skillet. Cook and stir over medium heat, breaking up any chunks of rice, until hot, about 5 minutes. Push rice mixture to the side of the skillet. Add 1 Tbs oil to the empty side of the skillet and add the eggs. Cook and stir until eggs are thickened but still moist. Combine eggs with the rice mixture. Turn off heat. Stir in soy sauce and pepper.

ChiCken -n- Dressin' Casserole

4 chicken breasts cooked and cubed 1 pan prepared cornbread, cooled and crumbled 4 eggs, boiled, chopped 1 small onion, chopped 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 2 cups chicken broth 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup Combine all ingredients and place in a 13x9 baking dish. Bake at 350 for about 30-45 minutes or until set.

Chili Dog Casserole

2 (15 oz) cans chili with beans (ex Hormel Hot & Spicy) 1 (16 oz) package beef frankfurters (ex Ball Park) 10 (8 inch) flour tortillas (the fajita sized ones) 1 (8 oz) package Cheddar cheese, shredded Preheat oven to 425 degrees Spread 1 can of chili and beans in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Roll up franks inside tortillas and place in baking dish, seam side down, on top of chili and beans. Top with remaining can of chili and beans, and sprinkle with cheese. Cover baking dish with aluminum foil, and bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes.

Creamy Burrito Casserole 1 lb ground beef 1/2 onion, chopped 1 package taco seasoning 6 large flour tortillas 1 can refried beans 2 -3 cups shredded taco cheese or cheddar cheese 1 can cream of mushroom soup 4 ounces sour cream Brown beef and onion; drain. Add taco seasoning and stir in refried beans. Mix soup and sour cream in a separate bowl. Spread 1/2 sour cream mixture in the bottom of a casserole dish. Tear up 3 tortillas and spread over sour cream mixture. Put 1/2 the meat bean mixture over that. Add a layer of cheese. Repeat the layers. Sprinkle cheese over the top and bake, uncovered, at 350°F for 20-30 minutes.

Creamy CroCk Pot maCaroni and Cheese

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (an 8-ounce box isn't quite 2 cups) 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, cut into pieces 2 1/2 cups (about 10 ounces) grated sharp Cheddar cheese 3 eggs, beaten 1/2 cup sour cream 1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed Cheddar cheese soup 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup whole milk or half and half 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard 1/2 teaspoon black pepper Boil the macaroni in a 2 quart saucepan in plenty of water until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain. In a medium saucepan, mix butter and cheese. Stir until the cheese melts. In a slow cooker, combine cheese/butter mixture and add the eggs, sour cream, soup, salt, milk, mustard and pepper and stir well. Add drained macaroni and stir again. Set the slow cooker on LOW setting and cook for 2.5 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally. *be sure to stir the macaroni and cheese a few times so that the cheese mixture stays creamy and does not stick/harden.

CroCk Pot BaCon CheeseBurger DiP

1 lb ground beef 1 tsp salt 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp ground pepper 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 8 strips of bacon (thick cut is best) 1 onion, chopped 3 garlic gloves, chopped 12 oz. whipped cream cheese, softened 1 cup sour cream 2 tbsp ketchup 2 tbsp yellow mustard 10 oz. can diced tomatoes with chilies 1 cup mozzarella, shredded 1½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded Heat a large skillet over medium heat once the pan is hot add the ground beef and break it up as it cooks season the beef with salt, pepper, garlic powder and Worcestershire sauce once fully cooked and no longer pink, remove to a plate and drain off any fat add the bacon to now empty pan and cook to crispy once cool enough to touch chop the bacon drain off excess fat, leaving about a tbsp in the pan add the onion and stir to allow them to pick up the bits on the bottom of the pan, cooking for 1-2 minutes add in the garlic and stir constantly so that it doesn't burn, cooking for 30 seconds to 1 minute remove to a plate in a mixing bowl combine the cream cheese and sour cream until most of the lumps are gone mix in the ketchup, mustard and diced tomatoes add the meat mixture, bacon and onions and garlic into the insert of your crock pot stir the cream cheese mixture into the ground beef mixture add in the mozzarella and 1 cup of the cheddar cheese sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top of the mixture and cover cook on low for 2 to 3 hours until warmed through and bubbly **This can also be cooked in the oven if you're short on time. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 2½ qt. casserole dish with cooking spray and then place the dip mixture into the dish. Top with the ½ cup of cheddar cheese and place the dish into the oven. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until warmed through and cheese on top is melted and bubbly.

CroCk Pot Cheeseburger sandwiChes

1½ lbs Lean Ground Beef 3 Cloves Garlic- Pressed and Divided ¼ tsp Salt ½ tsp Pepper 8 oz Velveeta Cheese- Cubed (or a tad bit more for a cheesier sandwich) 2 Tbsp Milk 1 Onion- Finely Chopped Onion 8 Pretzel Rolls-Split (or Hamburger Buns) Garnish- Mustard, Ketchup, Mayo, Pickles, Tomato, Etc. Brown beef in a skillet with one clove of the garlic and seasonings. Drain and mix with remaining ingredients in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours.

CroCk Pot ChiCken Cordon Bleu Casserole

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes Garlic powder, to taste Salt and pepper, to taste 1 (10 3/4 oz.) can condensed cream of chicken soup 1 cup milk 6 slices deli ham 1 box Chicken Flavored Stovetop Stuffing 2 Tbsp. butter, cut in slices 6 slices Swiss cheese Place the chicken in a slow cooker; season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix the (undiluted) soup with the milk; pour over the chicken. Add a layer of ham slices. Prepare the stuffing according to the package direction. Spread the stuffing evenly over the ham. Place butter slices on top of the stuffing. Cover crock pot and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours. Uncover for about 20 minutes on HIGH to help thicken the liquid. Place Swiss cheese over the top; cover the crock pot and continue to cook on HIGH until the Cheese is melted.

CROCK POT COMPANY CHICKEN CASSEROLE

8 oz noodles, uncooked 3 cups diced cooked chicken 1 (10 3/4 oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup 1 1/2 cups small curd cottage cheese 1 cup sharp grated cheddar 1/2 cup chicken broth 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup diced celery 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper 1/2 cup diced onion 1 (4 oz) can mushrooms, drained 2 tablespoons butter, melted 1/2 teaspoon dried basil Cook noodles according to package directions until barely tender; drain and rinse thoroughly. In large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients with the noodles, making sure the noodles are separated and coated with liquid. Pour mixture into a greased crock pot. Cover crock pot and cook on LOW for 6-10 hours (or on HIGH for 3-4 hours).

CroCk Pot Lasagna 1 pound Ground Beef Lasagna noodles 1 jar spaghetti sauce 1 1/2 cups cottage cheese 1 1/2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese Brown ground beef and drain. Spoon 1 C. spaghetti sauce in bottom of 4 quart crock pot. Mix remaining sauce with beef. Place 2 uncooked lasagna noodles on sauce in crock pot. Spread 1/3 meat mixture on top of noodles. Spread 3/4 C. cottage cheese over meat. Sprinkle 1/2 C. mozzarella cheese over cottage cheese. Add another layer of uncooked noodles, 1/3 meat mixture, the remaining cottage cheese and 1/2 C. mozzarella cheese. Place another layer of uncooked noodles, meat mixture, and mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top. Cook on low for 4 hours. If cooked much longer, it gets a bit well done.

CroCk Pot Pizza Casserole

1 pound of ground Italian sausage, browned and drained ½ pound of ground beef, browned and drained ½ large white onion, chopped 8 ounce box of short pasta (rigatoni, penne or ziti), cooked... but undercooked slightly (3) 14 ounce jars of pizza sauce 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning 2 cloves garlic, chopped 8 ounce package of sliced pepperoni, placed between paper towels and microwaved for a few seconds to remove all the grease 16 ounces of shredded mozzarella cheese In a large bowl mix everything together except for the mozzarella cheese Spray the inside of a 4 - 6 quart Crock-Pot with non-stick spray Layer the mixture alternately with the shredded mozzarella cheese (three layers, ending with the cheese on top) Cover and cook on LOW for 3½ - 4 hours. If cooked for longer than 4 hours or on high it may burn

CroCk Pot ravioli Casserole

1½ lbs. lean ground beef 1 onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce 1 can stewed tomatoes 1 tsp. oregano 1 tsp. Italian seasoning salt/pepper 10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed (I used fresh spinach) (optional) 16 oz. bowtie pasta, cooked ½ cup parmesan cheese, shredded 1½ cup mozzarella, shredded Brown ground beef with onion and garlic. Put in crock-pot and add sauce, tomatoes and seasonings. Cook for 6-7 hours on low. Add the last 4 ingredients during the last 30 minutes of cooking and turn crock-pot to high. I added the fresh spinach, pasta, parmesan and 1 cup of the mozzarella and I mixed it all up really well. Then I added the last 1/2 cup of mozzarella to melt on the top.

CROCK POT TERIYAKI SANDWICHES

1/4 cup soy sauce 1 tbsp. brown sugar 1 tsp. ground ginger 1 garlic clove, minced 1 (2 lb.) boneless chuck steak— --cut into thin bite-size slices FOR THE SAUCE: Water (as needed) 4 tsp. cornstarch FOR SERVING: 8 French rolls, split 1/4 cup butter, melted Pineapple rings Chopped green onions In crock pot or slow cooker, combine soy sauce, sugar, ginger and garlic. Add steak. Cover crock pot and cook on LOW for 7-9 hours. Remove meat with slotted spoon; set aside. Carefully pour liquid into a 2 cup measuring cup; skim fat. Add water to liquid to measure 1 1/2 cups. Pour into saucepan. Combine cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water until smooth; add to pan. Cook and stir till thick and bubbly, about 2 minutes. Add meat to pan and heat through. Brush rolls with melted butter and broil till browned slightly. Fill with meat, pineapple and green onions.

CroCkpot ChiCken and noodles

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (I used frozen) 2 cans cream of chicken soup 1 stick of butter 2 15 oz cans chicken broth 24 oz. frozen egg noodles Cook chicken, soup, butter, and broth in crock-pot on low for 6-7 hours. Take chicken out and shred. Put chicken back in; add noodles and cook on low for 2 hours. Stir a few times while cooking. *Served over mashed potatoes.

CroCkpot Lasagna 1 pound Ground Beef Lasagna noodles 1 jar spaghetti sauce 1 1/2 cups cottage cheese 1 1/2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese Brown ground beef and drain. Spoon 1 Cup spaghetti sauce in bottom of 4 quart crock pot. Mix remaining sauce with beef. Place 2 uncooked lasagna noodles on sauce in crock pot. Spread 1/3 meat mixture on top of noodles. Spread 3/4 Cup cottage cheese over meat. Sprinkle 1/2 Cup mozzarella cheese over cottage cheese. Add another layer of uncooked noodles, 1/3 meat mixture, the remaining cottage cheese and 1/2 Cup mozzarella cheese. Place another layer of uncooked noodles, meat mixture, and mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top. Cook on low for 4 hours. *If cooked much longer, it gets a bit well done.

CroCkpot MaC and Cheese

16 oz. elbow macaroni 4 cups milk 12-oz. can evaporated milk 8 oz. cream cheese, cut into 1-inch pieces 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Place the macaroni, milk, evaporated milk, cream cheese and cheddar cheese into a crockpot. Set heat to Low and cook for 2 to 3 hours, or until pasta is cooked through. Stir occasionally and check for doneness starting at the 1 1/2-hour mark.

CroCkpot kielbasa

Put in crockpot in order, do not stir. 1 Large can of Green beansdo not drain 8 cut up Russet Potatoes 2 Sliced Up Kielbasa Sausage 1 diced up onion Put in enough water to cover the potatoes Drop in 4 Chicken Bouillon Cubes Salt and Pepper to taste! Cook in Crockpot for 4-6 hours on High Then Stir and Serve

Cuban Slider SandwiCheS

1 Pkg. (12 count) Hawaiian Rolls ½ lb. Deli Ham (8 thin slices) ½ lb. Roast Pork, either from the deli or a thinly sliced— -- roasted tenderloin*, I used the tenderloin 5 slices Swiss Cheese 5 oz. Dill Pickle Relish, drained Yellow Mustard Olive oil Line a pan with foil, wrap foil around the outside of a heavier pan like glass or cast iron. Place the pan in the oven and preheat oven to 400˚. Be careful when placing the pan with the foil on the outside, the foil tears easily. Take rolls out of the package as a whole unit. Cut into a top and bottom half with a large serrated knife. On one end (of the bottom half) of the rolls fold 4 ham slices in half and place the folded edge to the 3 outside edges of the rolls and 1 in the middle, the round parts will overlap in the middle. Repeat on the other end of the bottom half of the rolls with the other 4 slices. Add a layer of the tenderloin medallions on top of the Ham slices. Then add the Swiss cheese slices. Place two at each end, the fifth one cut in half and place in the middle. Put 5 oz. of dill relish in a mesh strainer, shake a few times then supporting the mesh with one hand push down with a paper towel to force out the excess liquid. Sprinkle the relish over the cheese. Spread a thin layer of musthe tard over the top half of the rolls and place the 2 halves back together. Take the pans out of the oven and brush the foil with Olive oil. Carefully place the rolls in the pan with the foil on the inside. Place the heavy pan on top to press down on the rolls, give a little push down to help it. Bake at 400˚ until the cheese is melted and the bread is slightly crispy, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool until you can comfortably handle them. Cut into individual sliders and serve hot. *Tenderloin: Rub with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, place in oven at 350˚ until an instant read thermometer reads 145˚, 30-45 minutes. Allow to cool, then refrigerate until ready to slice.

Noodles

DIY Thai Coconut Curry With Shrimp Instant Noodles:

Ingredients 8 teaspoons high quality chicken base such as Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base 8oz 4 teaspoons brown sugar 8 teaspoons red curry paste (see note above) 4 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce (more or less to taste) 4 teaspoons fish sauce 16 to 20 medium cooked shrimp 1 cup thinly sliced button or shiitake mushrooms 1 cup coconut milk 4 small nests rice noodles or pre-cooked ramen or Italian pasta (see note above) 1 cup thinly sliced scallions 1 lime, cut into 4 wedges Divide chicken base, sugar, curry paste, chili-garlic sauce, fish sauce, shrimp, mushrooms, coconut milk, and noodles between 4 resealable glass jars. Divide scallions and lime wedges between 4 small zipper-lock bags and seal bags, squeezing out all of the air. Tuck bags into jars and seal. Refrigerate for up to 4 days. When ready to serve, remove scallion packet and add boiling water to the top of the jar. Seal jar and let sit 2 minutes. Open jar, stir in scallions, squeeze with lime, and serve.

DIY Instant Noodles With Vegetables and Miso-Sesame Broth: 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger 8 teaspoons miso paste 8 teaspoons high quality vegetable base such as Better Than Bouillon 4 tablespoons tahini 4 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds 4 teaspoons soy sauce 1 cup shredded carrots 1 cup thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps 2 cups roughly torn fresh spinach leaves 4 small nests rice noodles or pre-cooked ramen or Italian pasta (see note above) 1 cup minced fresh scallions 1/2 cup pickled ginger Divide ginger, miso, vegetable base, tahinig, sesame seeds, soy sauce, carrots, mushrooms, spinach, and noodles evenly between 4 resealable glass jars. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Divide scallions and ginger between 4 small zipper-lock bags and seal bags, squeezing out all of the air. Tuck bags into jars and seal. Refrigerate for up to 4 days. When ready to serve, remove scallion/ginger packet and add boiling water to the top of the jar. Seal jar and let sit 2 minutes. Open jar, stir in scallions and ginger, and serve.

DIY Spicy Kimchi Beef Instant Noodles: 4 tablespoons high quality beef base such as Better Than Bouilllon 2 cups kimchi with juices 4 tablespoons chili-garlic sauce (more or less to taste) 1 cup thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps 4 ounces beef jerky, cut into 1/2-inch squares 4 small nests rice noodles or pre-cooked ramen or Italian pasta (see note above) 1 cup thinly sliced scallions Divide beef base, kimchi, chili-garlic sauce, mushrooms, beef, and noodles between 4 resealable glass jars. Divide scallions between 4 small zipper-lock bags and seal bags, squeezing out all of the air. Tuck bags into jars and seal. Refrigerate for up to 4 days. When ready to serve, remove scallion packet and add boiling water to the top of the jar. Seal jar and let sit 2 minutes. Open jar, stir in scallions, and serve.

DIY Chicken and Dill Instant Noodles: 4 tablespoons high quality chicken base such as Better Than Bouillon 1 cup frozen peas 1 small onion, thinly sliced 12 ounces shredded chicken meat from 1 rotisserie chicken 4 small nests rice noodles or pre-cooked ramen or Italian pasta (see note above) Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup minced fresh dill leaves Divide chicken base, peas, onion, chicken, and noodles evenly between 4 resealable glass jars. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Divide dill between 4 small zipper-lock bags and seal bags, squeezing out all of the air. Tuck bags into jars and seal. Refrigerate for up to 4 days. When ready to serve, remove dill packet and add boiling water to the top of the jar. Seal jar and let sit 2 minutes. Open jar, stir in dill, and serve.

EASIEST EVER CHICKEN AND PASTA PARMESAN

3 cups (8 oz.) Prince Pasta Rotini, uncooked 1 tablespoon butter or margarine 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 2 chicken bouillon cubes dissolved in 1-3/4 cups hot water* 1 1/2 cups (14 oz. jar) spaghetti sauce 1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese In 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter; add chicken. Cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Add chicken bouillon mixture, spaghetti sauce and seasonings; heat to boiling. Add uncooked pasta, stirring to coat with liquid. Cover; reduce heat. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until pasta is tender and most liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat; stir in Parmesan cheese.

Easy ChiCkEn BakE

Chicken pieces for 8 to 10 people (boneless, skinless breasts) 2 teaspoons paprika 1 Tablespoon of kosher salt 2 teaspoons of garlic salt 1 cup of heavy cream 1 can of cream of mushroom soup Preheat the oven to 350º F. Mix the salt, garlic salt, and paprika together. Pat onto the chicken pieces. Put the chicken in a 9x13-inch baking pan. Mix the cream and soup together. Pour evenly over the chicken, making sure each piece is covered with cream. Bake un-covered for 1 ½ hr. Garnish with chives or scallions and serve.

Easy CroCk Pot ChiCkEn Gyros

2 Tbsp. butter 1 onion, diced 1½ lb. chicken, cut into 1" pieces lemon zest from 1 (small to medium-sized) lemon juice from 1 (small to medium-sized) lemon ½ c. chicken broth 2 tsp. dried oregano salt & pepper to taste 4-6 slices of flatbread diced (or sliced) tomatoes, to taste 1 c. Tzatziki sauce Add butter and onions to crock pot. When butter is melted, stir onions around to coat in butter. Add chicken to the bottom of the crock pot, placing the pieces evenly over the onions. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, chicken broth, oregano, and salt and pepper. Cover and cook on high for appx. 2 hours or on low for 3-4 hours. Serve by placing a little chicken mixture on each flatbread and topping with Tzatziki sauce and diced tomatoes.

Easy Taco MEaT

1 lb ground beef 1 large onion, diced 1 green pepper, diced 1 can mushrooms, drained (optional) 1/4 cup taco seasoning 1/3 cup water For serving: Tortillas Desired toppings: cheese, lettuce, tomato, sour cream, queso, etc. Brown ground beef in a large non-stick skillet with the onion and green pepper. Cook 10-15 minutes, or until beef is cooked through and vegetables reach desired tenderness. Turn off heat and drain grease. Add in taco seasoning, water, and mushrooms (if using). Stir well to evenly distribute seasonings. Allow meat to cool completely. Place in a labeled Ziploc bag, press flat, seal, and freeze. When ready to use - thaw meat in refrigerator overnight; reheat on the stove top (add a little water if needed) or in the microwave and use to fill tortillas, if desired. Tortilla preparation suggestion: spread a little cheddar cheese on one and microwave for 20-30 seconds until tortilla is warm and cheese begins to melt. Add desired amount of meat and additional toppings.

Garlic chicken with haluski

3 pounds Chicken Breasts cut into bite size piece 1 Pound of Bacon chopped 1 Large Onion sliced thin 1 Head of Cabbage sliced thin 2 Bags of Egg Noodle Garlic Salt Peanut Oil In large pan crisp bacon and remove from pan. Discard fat leaving 2 T of bacon grease in the pan. Add the onion and cabbage to pan and sauté until caramelized. Season chicken with garlic salt and in batches brown in large pan with peanut oil, until all sides are brown. Boil and drain egg noodles and season with butter and pepper and add in the cabbage, bacon and onions and combine. Serve the chicken mixed in, on the side or on top.

Ham SandwicHeS

2 -12 packages of sweet Hawaiian rolls (the small dinner roll looking ones) 1 1/2 lbs of Virginia ham (NOT honey ham) 12 slices Swiss cheese 1 stick of real butter 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder 1 teaspoon Onion Powder 1 teaspoon poppy seeds You will need two 9 x 13 pans. Place the bottoms of 12 rolls in each pan. Place ham (about 2 shaved slices or so) on the rolls. Cut the cheese slices into 4 parts and place 2 small pieces on each sandwich. Put the dinner roll tops on. In a sauce pan, mix butter, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, garlic powder and poppy seeds. Wait until all butter is melted and then brush the melted mixture over the ham sandwiches. Cover with foil and let sit in fridge for 1 hour or overnight. (If you want to bake them right away, you can also.) Preheat oven to 375 and bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve.

Loaded SLow Cooker PotatoeS

10-12 red potatoes, halved 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled 8 oz shredded cheddar cheese (plus more for garnish) 1/2-1 tsp Lawry's Roasted Garlic Salt* 1 large onion, minced 1/2 stick butter, cubed scallions tin foil Line a large slow cooker with tin foil...this keeps the potatoes and cheese from burning. Layer half of the potatoes, salt, bacon, onion, cheese, and butter in the slow cooker. Add a second layer. Cook on low for about 8 hours. When ready to eat, scoop out of slow cooker onto a serving plate and top with a little additional cheese and scallions. Check seasoning and adjust salt to taste. *Don't have Lawry's Roasted Garlic Salt, just use salt and garlic powder or garlic salt.

CroCk Pot Freeze AheAd MeAls

6-8 Chicken Breasts (1 for each family member, doubled) 2 cups of chicken broth 2 small cans of pineapple rings 2 red bell peppers sliced into thin strips 1large onion sliced into strips Provolone cheese Whole wheat buns or lettuce wraps Directions: Divide all contents evenly into two bags except cheese and buns/lettuce. Cook onlow for 8 hours. Serve chicken toppedwith pepper and onions under melted provolone cheese on a bun or lettuce warp. Savory Pepper Steak: 3 pounds of roundsteak but into ½ inch thick strips. ½ cup flour 1 tsp of salt 1 tsp pepper 1 large onion chopped a few garlic cloves—Ilike to put 4-5 crushed into each bag 1 green pepperssliced 1 red peper sliced 2 16oz cans of tomatoes—I prefer Italian style 2 tbsp beef bouillon 4 tsp ofWorcestershire sauce 2 tbsp of steakseasoning 2 tbsp of steak sauce Directions: Toss steak strips in mixture of flour, saltand pepper. Mix together beef boullion,Worcestershire sauce, and steak sauce and divide evenly into two bags. Add remaining ingredients. Cook on low 8 hours. Serve with rice and a side salad.

Scalloped Potatoes andHam: 12 new potatoes and cut into ¼ inch round slices or a large bag of frozen potatoes 2 cans of cream ofyour choice—I used potato 2 cans of water 2 ham steaks, cubed--we used turkey ham 8 oz cheddar cheese 4 cups of broccoli salt and pepper Directions: Divide everything evenly into two containers. Cook on low for 8 hours. *EDIT* People have mentioed the potatoes turing black if frozen. Mine didn't do that, but just to be safe, either use frozen potatoes or add potatoes the day of cooking. Salsa Chicken: 6-8 chicken breasts 2 15 oz. cans of black beans 1 family size frozenbag of corn 2 cans of dicedtomatoes and green chilies 1 jar of salsa 1 packet of tacoseasoning 2 cups of cheddarcheese Directions: Divide everything except cheese evenly intotwo bags. Cook on low for 8 hours. Serve over rice or on corn tortillas withrice as a side.

Chicken Curry: 6-8chicken breasts 2cans of cream of chicken soup 1cup of dry cooking sherry ½cup of butter 8green onions chopped 4tsp of curry powder saltand pepper Directions: Divide everything except butter into two bags evenly. Add butter to crockpot when ready to cook. Cook on low for 8 hours. Serve over rice with a side salad.

Meatball Sandwich caSSerole

1 bag of frozen meatballs 1 jar of marinara sauce or spaghetti sauce if there isn't any marinara on hand 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded 1 cup Italian blend cheese, shredded 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded 1 loaf of fresh Italian bread, sliced Preheat oven to 400. Place entire bag of meatballs in pot with sauce (I also add garlic, onion powder, salt and pepper to taste) and cook over medium heat until warmed completely through, about 10 minutes. Stir as needed to keep meatballs from sticking to pot. Once heated through remove from heat. Place meatballs in the center of a 9x13 baking dish, layer mozzarella and Italian blend cheeses over meatballs topping off with the Parmesan. Take the slices of Italian bread and line the pan all the way around with them so that they are kind of keeping the meatballs toward the center of the pan. The bread slices will be standing up in the pan as shown in the picture. You have creative freedom here with the bread...you can lightly butter and garlic the bread prior to placing it in the pan if you prefer or even brush lightly with olive oil and garlic. Place in oven and bake for approximately 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from oven, serve.

Mississippi sin

16oz sour cream 8oz cream cheese, softened 2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded 1/2 cup chopped ham 1 green onion, chopped 1/4 tsp hot sauce 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce salt pepper 16 oz French bread loaf In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients, except French bread; stirring until well blended. Cut a thin slice from top of bread loaf; set slice aside. Using a gentle sawing motion, cut vertically to, but not through, bottom of the loaf, 1/2 inch from the edge, to cut out center of bread. Lift out center of loaf. Fill hollowed bread loaf with the dip. Wrap loaf with foil. Bake dip at 350° degrees for 1 hour. Serve with reserved bread cubes, crackers, or potato chips.

Ideas for thIngs you can make In a Jar

Burrito In A Jar

It may not sound like it works, but you really can have your Mexican favorite in a mason jar! Just fill it up with your favorite burrito fillings and chow down. Seven layers of healthy benefits and deliciousness all in a jar.

Deconstructed Sushi

This layered lunch looks just as pretty as sushi for a fraction of the cost. Layer white rice, salmon or crab, cream cheese, cucumber, and avocado. Or add your own favorite sushi ingredients. Top it off with a little wasabi and soy sauce.

Corn Dogs

This kids classic just got a whole lot easier. Simply pour the corn bread batter into the jars then add the hot dogs. Bake for twenty minutes and serve.

Bacon And Eggs In A Jar

This one lets you add what you like more of into your breakfast. Start with 2 eggs, and make this your own recipe. You decide on quantities of cheese, fresh spinach, bacon and seasonings. A super simple way to eat your favorite breakfast on the go.

Chicken Pot Pie

Have a home cooked meal in half the time. What better way to heat up on a cold winter day than with a chicken pot pie? Make it in a mason jar ahead of time and freeze it to be ready for those cold temps ahead.

Lazy Lasagna

No pots and pans required for this delicious dish. Satisfy your lasagna craving with this amazing mason jar meal. Simply boil some wide egg noodles and fold a mixture of ricotta, egg, Parmesan, mozzarella, and salt into them. Then put the stuffed noodles into a mason jar, top with more of the cheese mixture and some marinara, and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

Shrimp Feta Salad

This is a wonderful 'create ahead' salad in a jar. When those summer days heat up, simply pull out of refrigerator and enjoy. Shrimp layered with veggies makes a cool summertime treat.

Pizza In A Jar

These pizza jar meals are perfect for kids' parties. Kids love to make their own things, and pizza tops most of their favorite food lists. These are great to make ahead and bake when ready.

Blueberry Pancakes

These delicious pancakes can be cooked in a microwave. The preparation is easy and fast. Minimal utensils, cookware and time makes for a great start to your day.

Caprese Salad

Looking for a simple, quick and no mess salad? Create this caprese salad in a jar. Mix some arugala and basil with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, black pepper, and cherry tomatoes.

Chili And Cornbread

Two all time favorites together in a jar. Chili baked with cornbread on top provides a quick, convenient warm up. Mix a little sweet with a little heat.

Breakfast Casserole

Simple casserole type breakfast in a jar. This casserole contains breakfast favorites of sausage and biscuits. Make the day before and your morning will be that much less stressful.

Wheat Berry Apple Salad

Perfect recipe, balancing sweet and savory in a jar. Measurements not needed. Just add cooked wheat berries, chopped apples, dried cranberries, minced scallions, parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar together to satisfy your tastes.

Asian Noodle Salad

What a perfect lunchtime salad. Veggies stay nice and crunchy for a week in a sealed jar. Layer soba noodles, rice noodles, edamame, bell peppers, carrots, and green onions in a mason jar. Top it wih some spicy peanut dressing for the perfect treat.

Toasted Oats

A crunchy version of oats and nuts with some chocolate added make this mason meal taste like candy. Dried cranberries will add flavor and color. Cinnamon and nutmeg bring in spice, while dry roasted almonds give you crunch and a healthy meal.

Citrus Chicken And Orzo Salad

Counting calories? This jar meal is under 500 calories. Using some left over chicken, veggies, and citrus dressing makes you a healthy lunch favorite.

One POt BurritO BOwls

1 Tablespoon olive oil 1/2 cup red bell pepper 1/2 cup diced sweet onion 1 pound lean hamburger 1/3 cup Old El Paso Medium Thick n' Chunky Salsa 1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained 1 15 oz can corn, drained 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes 1 4 oz can Old El Paso diced green chiles 1 cup jasmine rice (or any long grain) 1 Tablespoon taco seasoning 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 2 1/2 cups chicken stock 1 cup shredded cheddar/jack cheese S & P to taste Optional toppings: Sour cream Cilantro Green Onions Tomatoes Avocado In a large pan heat the olive oil over medium heat. Saute the onions and red peppers. Add in hamburger and cook until browned. Stir in salsa, black beans, corn, tomatoes, green chiles, jasmine rice, taco seasoning and chili powder. Pour in chicken stock and then bring to a light boil. Cover the pan and reduce heat to low. Cook for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the rice is all the way cooked. When rice is done, S&P to taste. Top with your favorite toppings. We like to serve over lettuce in a salad bowl and eat with tortilla chips.

One POt ChiCken AlfredO

3 tablespoons olive oil 1 1/4 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced into 1-inch pieces 2 cloves of garlic, minced salt, pepper, and garlic powder, to taste 1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth 1 cup half and half (I used fat-free) or heavy cream 1/2 pound spaghetti or fettuccine noodles, uncooked 2 cups Parmesan cheese, grated (fresh is best) for garnish: parsley and/or bacon crumbles Warm olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet or pot. Season chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and a sprinkling of garlic powder, and add to warmed oil to brown, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Add pasta, chicken broth and half-and-half. Bring the mixture to a boil; then cover pan and allow the mixture to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the pasta is tender. If the mixture is too thick, add more half-and-half as needed until desired consistency is reached. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle with parsley and bacon crumbles, if desired.

PePPeroni Pizza Cake

Start by finding a pan that has tall sides, like this cake pan. The bottom does not need to be removable like this one. It could even be a square pan, if you can’t find a circular one.

Start by unrolling your pizza dough and pressing it out into an even layer. Cut out three 6-inch circles (or the size needed to fit the bottom of your pan).

Bake the circles on a lightly greased baking sheet for just eight minutes, then remove them from the pan and cool. Open up the second pizza dough and cut two 6-inch circles along the long side of the dough, bake for eight minutes and then cool. Cut a long strip on the opposite side of the remaining pizza dough. Make sure the dough is a half inch taller than the height of your pan, and cut it into a long strip.

Line the round pan with parchment paper, so that parchment paper comes up and over the sides of the pan. Carefully drape the pizza dough inside the pan, to line the sides, leaving that extra half inch of the dough hanging over the outside edge. Take one of the cooked and cooled pizza dough circles and place it in the bottom of the pan.

Now is a great time to let the kids help! Have them spread pizza sauce on the bottom layer, followed by a layer of pepperoni. Place a layer of shredded mozzarella cheese on top, followed by another precooked pizza dough circle.

Repeat the process, until you reach the top layer. Finish the cake by spreading pizza sauce, mozzarella, and then pepperoni. Use the dough that is hanging over the edge of the pan to create a crust, by rolling it over on top of the top layer of pizza.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the sides of the pizza are fully cooked. If the top of the pizza crust is becoming too dark while baking, use a strip of aluminum foil to cover the crust to prevent it from

burning.

Once it’s fully cooked, carefully remove the pizza from the pan by pulling up on the parchment paper. Let the pizza cool for five minutes before using a sharp knife to cut slices, like you would a cake.

Ravioli CasseRole

1 (28 oz) jar spaghetti sauce 1 (25 oz) pkg. frozen cheese ravioli, cooked and drained 2 cups (16 oz) small curd cottage cheese 4 cups (16 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread ½ cup of spaghetti sauce in an ungreased 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking dish. The layer in this order - half the ravioli, 1 ¼ cups of sauce, 1 cup cottage cheese, and 2 cups mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 30 to 40 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving. 6 to 8 servings.

Shredded BBQ ChiCken

5 chicken breasts 1/4 cup water (approximately) 1 chicken bouillon cube 1 28-oz bottle barbecue sauce (we prefer Sweet Baby Rays) Place chicken, bouillon, and water in crock pot on high for 2 - 4 hours or until fork tender. Drain off most of the excess liquid, but leave a little. Shred chicken with spoon (I use a wooden spoon). Add in BBQ sauce and stir until everything is evenly combined. Allow to cool completely. Distribute meat mixture between 3 gallon sized Ziploc bags, press flat, seal, freeze. When ready to use - thaw overnight; heat stove top using a little water, chicken stock, or additional sauce, if needed, or in the microwave. Serve on buns with preferred fixings.

Slow Cooked Cilantro ChiCken FajitaS

2 large chicken breasts 1 cup salsa or pic-ante sauce(I like Pace medium) 1/4 cup Cilantro finely chopped 1/8 cup lime juice 1 cup chicken broth 1/2 package of Fajita seasoning In a crock-pot, add the salsa, Cilantro, lime juice, chicken broth, and fajita seasoning. Mix together. Put uncooked chicken breasts in the crock-pot.Cover and cook for 4 to 6 hours on low. Take two forks and pull apart the chicken. Serve with rice on a warm tortilla, cheese and sour cream.

Simple macaroni and Beef with cheeSe

1 large onion, diced 1 tablespoon canola oil salt to taste optional seasonings: black pepper, oregano, cumin, coriander, chopped garlic, hot smoked paprika, chilli powder—whatever you’re in the mood for (I just used black pepper, garlic and a tablespoon of fish sauce, which gives it depth) one 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, pureed in the can with a hand blender or in a blender blender 2 pounds lean ground beef 1 box macaroni 1 cup each grated cheddar and mozzarella cheeses Sweat the onions in the oil with a three-fingered pinch of salt. Add the beef and cook it, breaking it up as you do. Add another three-fingered pinch of salt or two, along with any dry seasonings you want. Add the tomatoes and any fresh seasonings you may be using, bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cook for an hour. Cook the macaroni in boiling water till it’s half done. Drain it and add it to the tomatoes. (I wanted this to stretch into two meals, so I used the whole box, but if you want your dish to be very tomatoey and beefy, you might want to add only half the macaroni). Stir it into the sauce. Taste it. Add more salt and other seasonings as needed, and cover. When it’s cooled and the pasta has absorbed the tomato juices, transfer it to a large baking dish and cover it with foil. It can sit out for several hours like this, be refrigerated for up to two days, or frozen a few weeks. Bake it in a 400 degree oven till it’s piping hot (about 45 minutes if it’s cold to room temperature). Just before you’re ready to eat, remove the foil, cover macaroni with the cheese and broil till it looks good.

Slow Cooked lamb kebab meat

1lb lamb mince 1tsp oregano 1/2tsp mixed herbs 1tsp garlic powder 1/4tsp cayenne pepper 1tsp salt 1/2tsp pepper Mixed herbs: 1/2 tsp Italian Season. 2 tsp Cumin. 2 Garlic cloves, Crushed then chopped very very finely.(use in place of powdered garlic) 1 sm brown Onion chopped very very finely.(optional) I added everything listed above into a bowl and you need to really mix it with your hands, you want to mush it all together really well and make it into one big mound of meat. Once it’s all mixed, shape it into a rectangle, meatloaf shape. You can add it straight into the slow cooker as it is or wrap it tightly in foil. I went for the foil method. Put into the slow cooker, don’t add any liquid. Cook for around 3-4hrs on high or 5-7hrs on low. I went for 5hrs on low, it smelt lovely as it was cooking and when I unwrapped the foil it had stayed in a solid block of meat and it wasn’t dry. I sliced it as thinly as I could and served in wraps yoghurt & mint dip (natural yoghurt, salad and some oven chips. It was very tasty!

Slow Cooker Beef and MuShrooMS

3 lbs stew meat, cubed 1 (10.75 oz) can cream of mushroom soup 2 (4 oz each) cans mushrooms, with liquid 1/2 cup apple juice 1 (1 oz) packet dry onion soup mix Divide ingredients between two resealable gallon-sized freezer bags. Press out air, zip closed. When ready to eat, remove from freezer and thaw in fridge for 24 hours. Cook on HIGH for 6 hours or LOW for 10 hours. Serve over rice, pasta, or mashed potatoes if desired.

Slow Cooker Beef 'n noodleS

2 lb. beef roast 1 can (14 oz.) reduced-sodium beef broth 1 envelope (from a 2.2 oz. box) beefy onion soup mix 1 can (10.5-10.75 oz.) cream of celery or mushroom soup, undiluted 3-4 cloves garlic, minced 10 cups of water, more if desired 1 pkg. (24 oz.) frozen home-style egg noodles Salt and pepper, to taste Place the roast in a 5-qt. (or larger) slow cooker. Add the beef broth, beefy onion soup mix, cream of celery soup and garlic cloves. Cover and cook on low overnight. In the morning, break beef apart and add 6 cups of water. Cover and continue to cook all day. An hour before you eat, add egg noodles, salt and pepper, and additional water (4 cups or more, depending on how liquidy you would like it). Cover and cook for an additional hour or until noodles are tender. *think you have to cook the meat overnight. I'm sure you would be fine with starting it first thing in the morning, shredding it and adding the noodles to finish the recipe.

Slow Cooker CheeSeSteak Sloppy JoeS

1 lb. ground beef 1 clove garlic black pepper to taste 1 large (or 2 small) onions slivered 1 large green pepper 1 1/2 cups thickly sliced mushrooms (optional) 2 tablespoons flour 1 can low sodium condensed French Onion soup (or beef broth if you can't find French Onion) 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 2 cups shredded provolone or mozzarella (or a combination) Brown ground beef and garlic in a pan. Try not to break the beef up too much, you want to have the pieces a good size. Drain any fat. Place beef, onions, pepper and mushrooms (if using) into a slow cooker. Toss with flour and pepper to taste. Pour soup and Worcestershire sauce over top of mixture and cook on low 4-5 hours. Remove lid, sprinkle with cheese and replace lid for a few minutes until it melts. Serve on rolls or toss with pasta

Slow Cooker Pizza SloPPy JoeS

Ground Beef Mixture 1 pound lean ground beef 1 pound ground pork sausage 1 small onion, chopped ½ medium-size green bell pepper, chopped Sauce 2 cups Spaghetti or Pizza sauce ½ cup water 2 tablespoons cider vinegar 3 tablespoons yellow mustard 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 2 cloves garlic, minced 1-1/2 teaspoons italian seasoning ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional) Toppings 16 slices pepperoni 8 slices mozzarella cheese 8 hamburger buns, toasted in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat, brown beef and sausage with onion and bell pepper stirring 10 minutes or until beef and sausage crumble and are no longer pink. Drain well. Place beef mixture in a slow cooker. Stir in pizza sauce, water, vinegar, mustard, worcestershire, garlic, italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper (if desired). Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Serve on hamburger buns. Top the meat with Mozzarella cheese.

Slow-Cooker Thai ChiCken and Shrimp 1 package (1 pound 4 ounces) bone-in skinless chicken thighs 1 can (14 ounces) coconut milk (not cream of coconut) 1 package (3.5 ounces) Thai peanut sauce mix (2 envelopes) 2 medium carrots, sliced (1 cup) 1 medium onion, chopped ( 1/2 cup) 3 cups water 3 cups uncooked instant rice 1 pound uncooked peeled deveined medium shrimp, thawed if frozen and tails removed 1 cup frozen sweet peas (from 1-pound bag) 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1/3 cup chopped peanuts, if desired 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, if desired 1 Place chicken in 3 1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker. Add coconut milk. Stir in both envelopes of sauce mix, carrots and onion. 2 Cover and cook on low heat setting 8 to 10 hours. 3 About 30 minutes before serving, heat water to boiling in 2-quart saucepan over high heat. Remove from heat and stir in rice; cover and let stand about 5 minutes or until water is absorbed. Fluff rice with fork before serving. 4 Remove chicken from cooker; keep warm. Add shrimp and peas to cooker. Increase heat setting to high. Mix 1/4 cup sauce from cooker and the cornstarch in small bowl; stir into mixture in cooker. Cover and cook 5 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until shrimp are pink and firm and sauce has thickened slightly. 5 Meanwhile, remove chicken from bones; coarsely chop chicken and return to cooker. Serve chicken mixture over rice. Garnish with peanuts and cilantro.

Speedy Firecracker chicken

1 1/2-2 pounds frozen popcorn chicken Sauce: 1/3 cup hot sauce (I use Frank’s brand for hot wings since it is thicker) 1 cup packed light brown sugar 1 tablespoon water 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar 1/2 teaspoon salt Place popcorn chicken in a 9x13 Pyrex dish. Mix sauce ingredients together. Pour sauce over chicken. Stir. Place in preheated 325 degree oven. Bake for about one hour, turning the chicken once or twice while cooking to coat evenly with sauce. (Watch very carefully as it can burn) Serve over rice.

Sriracha Salmon

1/2 lemon, juiced and 1/2 lemon sliced for serving with the salmon 1 tablespoon maple syrup 2 tablespoons sriracha 1 tablespoon ginger paste 1 tablespoon olive oil mayonnaise salt and pepper 2 salmon fillets combine lemon juice, sriracha, ginger, mayo and maple syrup sprinkle salt and pepper on salmon fillets in a baking dish and pour marinade over top marinate for a few hours in the fridge (0r overnight) heat oven to 375° sprinkle with more pepper and roast salmon until cooked through and flaky, 15-20 minutes serve with lemon slices *I left off the cilantro and added lemon, ginger and a tiny bit of olive oil mayonnaise so that the sriracha wouldn’t overpower. I served the salmon with roasted brussels and corn for an easy two pan dinner that takes less than 30 minutes.

Steak BomB Sandwich

1 large peeled onion, sliced into five thick slices 1 8-oz package button mushrooms 3 tablespoons butter separated (or less as needed) 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil separated (or less as needed) Pinch of sugar 1/8 cup bourbon Pinch of salt Few grinds of pepper 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1 pound shaved steak ¼ pound sliced provolone cheese Bulkie or Sub rolls Roasted Garlic Aioli In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt one tablespoon of butter with one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Place the onion slices into the pan and slowly sauté for 15-20 minutes until browned and caramelized, stirring and flipping occasionally. Add a pinch of salt, a few grinds of pepper and a large pinch of sugar and stir to combine. Cook on low for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat. While onions are cooking, heat a large skillet over high heat with one tablespoon of butter and one tablespoon of oil. (Mushrooms will be cooked in two batches). Once butter mixture is hot, place half the mushrooms in and stir. Cook for 2-3 minutes and flip each slice and cook for another 2 minutes. Repeat with the last of the oil and butter and second half of mushrooms. (You may not need all of the butter and oil for the second batch.) When the second batch of mushrooms are cooked, add first batch in with second batch and pull pan from burner. Add in bourbon and slowly place back on flame. The mixture should flame up and then burn off the alcohol. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat. At this point you can add cooked mushrooms in with the cooked onions and reuse the large skillet to cook the steak. Heat large skillet over medium high heat and add one tablespoon of olive oil. Add in steak and with two wooden spoons, pull steak apart and turn and cook for 2-3 minutes until cooked through. Season with a little more salt and pepper. Add onions and mushrooms to the steak, stir to combine and turn off heat. Place provolone slices over the steak mixture and cover pan to melt the cheese, about one minute. Spread roasted garlic aioli onto bulkie roll. With a spatula slide a serving of the steak and cheese mixture onto each roll and enjoy. We served ours with Roasted French-Style Potatoes.

RoaSted GaRlic aioli

½ large or one whole small head of garlic 1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 coddled egg yolks Pinch of salt Few grinds of pepper 2 teaspoons lemon juice ½ cup light olive oil (or canola oil, although olive oil is the traditional ingredient in aioli) Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut top off the head of garlic (not root end). Place head in a small ramekin, cut side up. Pour the olive oil over cut top. Cover with foil and place in the oven and roast for 25-35 minutes until the garlic is soft. Once cooked, pinch cooked garlic out of each clove. In a food processor, place roasted garlic, coddled egg yolks, salt, pepper and lemon juice. Process the mixture until smooth. Extremely slowly, dribble oil into the processor with the motor running. It is very important that you pour the oil in very slowly to ensure proper emulsification. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature. This aioli may be kept 5-7 days in the refrigerator.

StepS to making ChiCken Dump mealS:

Get out all ingredients. Label resealable freezer bags(you can use a permanent marker or print labels to stick on) with the name and cooking instructions. Prop the bottom of the bags and fold over the top so that they will stay open. Add chicken into each bag. You can use boneless, skinless thighs or breasts. Once the chicken(4 - 6 chicken breasts) is in all of the bags, dump the ingredients for the recipe into the bag.When all the ingredients are in each bag, remove the excess air, seal the bags, lay flat, and freeze. Chicken Hurry chicken 1/2 cup ketchup 1/4 cup water 1/4 cup packed brown sugar 3 Tbsp. dry onion soup mix Cooking instructions: Thaw. Bake at 350° for an hour or in the crock pot on low for 4-6 hours. Caribbean Chicken chicken 8 oz. can pineapple chunks with juice 1/4 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 tsp. nutmeg 1/3 cup orange juice 1/2 cup raisins 1/2 teaspoon allspice Cooking instructions: Thaw. Bake at 350° for an hour or in the crock pot on low for 4-6 hours. Lemon and Garlic Chicken chicken 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced 4 Tbsp. of olive oil 2 Tbsp. fresh chopped parsley 3 Tbsp. lemon juice 1/4 tsp. pepper Cooking instructions: Thaw. Bake at 350° for 45-55 minutes or in the crock pot on low for 4-6 hours.

Sticky Chicken chicken 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil 1 Tbsp. soya sauce 3 Tbsp. peanut butter 3 Tbsp. ketchup Cooking instructions: Thaw. Bake at 350° for 45-55 minutes. Cantonese Chicken chicken 1/2 cup ketchup 1/4 cup melted honey 1/4 cup soya sauce 2 Tbsp. lemon juice Cooking instructions: Thaw. Bake at 350° for one hour or in the crock pot on low for 4-6 hours.

SWEET HAWAIIAN CROCK-POT CHICKEN

2 lb. Chicken tenderloin chunks 1 cup pineapple juice 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/3 cup soy sauce Combine all together, cook on low in Crock-pot 6-8 hours...that's it! Done! Serve with brown rice and you have a complete, easy meal!!

SWEET ZESTY CHICKEN

6 boned and skinned chicken breast halves 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 2 cups plain spaghetti sauce 1/4 cup soy sauce 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1/2 cup honey 1 cup chopped onion 6 cups cooked white rice Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Place chicken in 3 quart shallow baking dish; sprinkle with garlic powder. Combine spaghetti sauce, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, honey, and onion. Pour over chicken. Bake 1 hour or until chicken is no longer pink when cut. Remove chicken and stir sauce. Serve with rice.

Taco PasTa Bake

1/2-3/4 bag of large pasta like ziti 1 pound(s) ground beef 1 package(s) taco seasoning 1 cup(s) water 1/2 package(s) cream cheese 1 1/2 cup(s) shredded cheese 1. boil pasta until just cooked, drain, run cold water over it 2. brown ground beef 3. mix together taco season and 1C of water, pour over cooked beef and let simmer for about 5 minutes until the liquid has reduced 4. add the 1/2 pkg of cream cheese to the beef mixture, stir until melted and combined, remove from heat 5. put pasta in your casserole dish or pot, mix in 1C of the shredded cheese 6. top pasta and cheese with beef mixture, gently mix until the pasta is coated 7. top with remaining 1/2C of shredded cheese 8. bake at 350 uncovered for approx. 30 minutes

Taco Pie

Refrigerated pie crust 1 pound ground beef 3 Tbsp homemade taco seasoning (below) or 1 pouch commercial seasoning. 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup salsa 1 cup lettuce, shredded 1 medium tomato, diced 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded Sour cream (optional) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pat into pie pan ( preferably glass), sprinkle with a pinch of taco seasoning. Bake 7-10 minutes or until it just begins to brown. In a medium skillet, cook beef and onions until beef is browned and cooked through. Drain. Add salsa and all remaining taco seasoning. Cook 3-4 minutes. Pour into crust and top with cheese. Bake for 15 minutes, or until crust is golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes. Top with sour cream, lettuce and tomato.

The AbsoluTe besT CroCkpoT beef sTrogAnoff 2 pounds cubed stew meat 2 cans Condensed Golden Mushroom Soup 1 largish onion diced 2-3-4 tabls of Worcestershire 1/2 water 8 oz of cream cheese 1 tsp salt couple dashes of Hot Paprika In the slow cooker stir in all the ingredients, except the meat AND the Cream Cheese, together. Once combined add the meat and mix together. Cook on Low for 8 hours. Cut up the cream cheese into cubes just before serving and turn crockpot on high. Stir the cream cheese in until all combined. You might have to put the lid back on and leave for 10 minutes. Serve over egg noodles. Or mashed potatoes.

THREE-WAY CRUMBLED BEEF SANDWICHES

1 pound ground beef 1/2 cup chopped onion 2 teaspoons minced garlic 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 4 soft hoagie rolls (6 to 7 inches long each) TOPPINGS (OPTIONAL): Ketchup, yellow mustard, diced onion, chopped-- --tomatoes, shredded lettuce Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add ground beef, onion and garlic; cook 8 to 10 minutes, breaking into small crumbles and stirring occasionally.* Remove drippings; season with salt and pepper. Split rolls, cutting almost, but not all the way through. Evenly fill rolls with beef mixture. Top with condiments, as desired or prepare using recipe variations below. CONEY ISLAND VARIATION: Prepare recipe as directed through Step 2. Top beef mixture with heated chili or chili beans, chopped onions, shredded Cheddar cheese and yellow mustard, as desired. PHILLY STEAK VARIATION: Prepare recipe as directed above, adding thinly sliced mushrooms with ingredients in Step 1. Remove skillet from heat. Top beef mixture with process cheese dip or sliced Provolone cheese. Cover; let stand 3 to 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Continue as directed in Step 2. ITALIAN VARIATION: Prepare recipe as directed in Step 1. Remove skillet from heat. Sprinkle beef mixture evenly with shredded mozzarella cheese. Cover; turn off the heat and let stand 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese is melted. Continue as directed in step 2. Top with heated marinara sauce and chopped giardiniera.

By: Craig Fabian

9 Eggs 1lb Unfrozen Bacon 1 bag of your favorite shredded cheese Salt Pepper Vegetable Oil Paper Towels Put a few teaspoons of oil into the pan Set the burner to med-high between 7-8 if the stove has numbers While the stove heats up, crack the eggs into the bowl and beat them until they are one consistent color Open the package of bacon and put 3-4 strips in the pan (Depending on the size of the pan) Cook until the bacon to preference and then put it on a few paper towels to soak up the grease Repeat until all bacon has been cooked. Drain 90% of the grease out of the pan (Leave just enough so that the eggs won’t stick) Pour the eggs into the pan. While the eggs begin to cook sprinkle some cheese over the omelet and start breaking the bacon into small pieces(do not crumble) and putting the pieces into the omelet, essentially covering the whole omelet in bacon When the omelet is roughly 75% cooked through attempt to flip the omelet Cover one half of the omelet in cheese and flip the non-cheesy side on top of the cheesy side Allow the cheese to melt for about 45-60 seconds then take the omelet and put it on a plate Now you have an omelet large enough to feed a small family or the creator and Legend himself Craig Fabian

King Ranch chicKen Mac and cheese

1/2 (16-oz.) package cellentani pasta 2 tablespoons butter 1 medium onion, diced 1 green bell pepper, diced 1 (10-oz.) can diced tomatoes and green chiles 1 (8-oz.) package pasteurized prepared cheese product, cubed 3 cups chopped cooked chicken 1 (10 3/4-oz.) can cream of chicken soup 1/2 cup sour cream 1 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1 1/2 cups (6 oz.) shredded Cheddar cheese 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare pasta according to package directions. 2. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper, and sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in tomatoes and green chiles and prepared cheese product; cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes or until cheese melts. Stir in chicken, next 4 ingredients, and hot cooked pasta until blended. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 10-inch cast-iron skillet or 11- x 7-inch baking dish; sprinkle with shredded Cheddar cheese. 3. Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until bubbly

Homemade Vitamin Waters The classical : lemon/cucumber: Mix in a pitcher: 10 cups of water + 1 cucumber and a lemon, thinly sliced + 1/4 cup fresh finely chopped basil leaf + 1/3 of finely chopped fresh mint leaves. Leave in the refrigerator overnight before serving. The granite : Strawberry/Lime Mix in a pitcher : 10 cups of water + 6 strawberries and one thinly sliced lime + 12 finely chopped fresh mint leaves. Leave in the refrigerator overnight before serving. The digestive : Fennel/citrus First: infuse 1 to 3 grams of dried and crushed fennel seeds in 150 ml of boiling water for 5-10 minutes. Allow to cool. Mix in a pitcher: 10 cups of water + lemon juice (put the leftover lemon in the mix) + a small thinly sliced orange + 12 fresh chopped mint leaves + the infusion of fennel seeds. Leave in refrigerator overnight before serving. The antiOX : Blackberry/Sage Note that a part from the berries, sage leafs is the herb that has the highest antioxidant content. Mix in a pitcher : 10 cups of water + 1 cup of blackberries that have been very slightly crushed + 3-4 sage leaves. Leave in refrigerator overnight before serving. WATERmelon : watermelon/Rosemary Mix in a pitcher : 10 cups of water + 1 cup of watermelon cut into cubes + 2 rosemary stems. Leave in refrigerator overnight before serving. (I particularly like this book, it covers all aspects of growing, handling, and cooking with fresh herbs.) The exotic : Pineapple/Mint Mix in a pitcher : 10 cups of water + 1 cup of pineapple cut into cubes + 12 fresh mint leaves finely chopped. Leave in the refrigerator overnight before serving. The traditional : Appel/cinnamon Mix in a pitcher : 10 cups of water + 1 cup of apple cut into cubes + 2 cinnamon sticks + 2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Leave in the refrigerator overnight before serving. The zingibir : Ginger/tea In advance: heat 1 teaspoon of ginger in two cups of tea, let it cool down. Mix in a pitcher: 10 cups of water with two cups of the ginger tea + 4-5 pieces of fresh ginger cut into cubes. Leave in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

Creamy CroCk Pot Hot CHoColate Prep Time: 5 minutes Total Time: 2 hours Yield: 6-8 servings, double recipe for parties

1.5 cups heavy whipping cream 1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk 6 cups milk 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 cups of milk chocolate chips (can also use half semi-sweet) Stir together the whipping cream, milk, vanilla, and chocolate chips in a 5 quart crock pot (if doubling, use a 6-7 quart slow cooker/crock pot).

Cover and cook on low for 2 hours, stirring occasionally with whisk, until mixture is hot and chocolate chips are melted.

Once it is heated through and chocolate is melted, switch the slow cooker to the warm setting. Stir again before serving. (If you have trouble getting the chocolate to melt, turn to high temporarily).

CroCk-Pot APPle Pie Moonshine 1 Gallon Apple Cider 1 Liter Everclear Alcohol(can use Vodka) 3 Cinnamon Sticks Add Apple Cider and Cinnamon Sticks to crock-pot. Cook on low for 8 hours. Turn off crock-pot and allow the cider to cool to room temp. In a large pan (large enough for a 5 quarts), mix cider and the Everclear Alcohol. If your crock-pot is large enough for this, you can do it there once the cider is cooled. Pour into 5 Quart Canning Jars (or bottles of your choice) and put lids and rings on. Let the jars sit in a cool dark place for 30 days to allow the alcohol to take the flavor of the cider. This is shelf stable and can be kept on the counter, or if you prefer it chilled, in the refrigerator. NOTE: this is a strong adult beverage. Serving size is one shot glass.

Banana BourBon

We took these two perfectly ripe bananas like in the pic ture below or even riper, that is with more spots. Then add two cups of bourbon, and infused for just over two weeks. It tastes like sweet bananas and a mellow bourbon. I think this will make for some great cocktails, but it is also great on its own.

Be sure to filter, then strain through cheesecloth and coffee filters.

German ChoColate Cake CoCktail

2 ounces Double Chocolate Vodka (I used 360 Brand) 2 ounces Coconut Vodka 1/2 ounce Smirnoff Caramel Vodka 2 ounces coconut milk (from the Asian food aisle) Chocolate Almond Milk Whipped cream and toasted coconut, to garnish Put vodkas and coconut milk in shaker with ice Shake well to combine. Pour in a low-ball glass. Fill glass with Chocolate Almond Milk.

Hot PumPkin Pie CoCktail

4 cups Almond milk (or regular milk) 2 cups Cinnamon Vanilla Baileys Irish Cream ½ cup vanilla or pumpkin pie vodka (I couldn’t find the pumpkin pie vodka, so I used vanilla instead. Either would work!) 1 can pumpkin puree (not to be confused with pumpkin pie filling) 1½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice Cool Whip or another whipped cream topping Bring the almond milk, Irish cream, and vodka to a boil in a large pot Once boiling, turn down heat to low and stir in pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice. Stir quickly to incorporate. Serve warm, topped with cool whip or whipped cream, and garnish with a little more pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon.

Spiced cranberry cordial.

Spiced Cranberry Cordial 3 cups Cranberries ((or 1 12oz bag of cranberries)) 1 stick Cinnamon 1 piece Star Anise 1 piece Dried Orange Peel 1 pint Vodka Other spices (Ginger, cloves, fennel...anything can go here) Now, this cranberry cordial recipe is quite malleable. I'm mostly sharing a technique with a few simple guidelines, but the variations are endless. Add ginger root, star anise, black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, any other herbs or spices that you think might blend well with the tart, astringent cranberries. You can also play with the sugar syrup to change the end flavor of the cordial - white sugar makes a very neutral, highly sweet simple syrup, while brown sugar adds a depth of flavor from the molasses. Honey simple syrup is more cloying and rich, but gives a great buffer to the tart berries. It is worth it to make this a few times, and try experimenting. Step 1 Wash and pick through cranberries to ensure they are in good shape. Toss out any gross ones or mushy ones and put the cranberries in a quart jar. Step 2 Pour vodka to cover the cranberries - add the cinnamon stick, anise, and orange into the jar. Step 3 Put a cap on the jar and label the jar with the date and ingredients. Wait for at least a few weeks before straining the vodka from the jar. You may wish to mash the berries and let it sit even longer, but the seeds and skins will start to make it quite bitter after too long, so taste often. Step 4 Make a sugar syrup to add to the strained cranberry cordial - sweeten to your taste! Label, bottle, and enjoy throughout the year.

CroCk Pot Cook time Conversions

Kitchen 101 cooKing Methods

Kitchen 101 eggs

Muffin Pan ice cubes Try using lemon-aid or other juice combo’s instead of water.