Old Fashioned Squash Casserole

 

  Every year, I look forward to all the amazing produce Summer has to offer, and that ALWAYS includes zucchini and yellow squash. I swear you can do just about anything with 'em, but one of my absolute favorite things is an old fashioned Southern casserole. You know, the ones with the crushed Ritz crackers on the top. Rich and creamy without being too heavy, buttery and slightly salty from the crackers. Absolutely DELISH! Super easy to throw together too.

Definitely give this one a go, especially if you're wondering what to do with all that squash and zucchini coming from your garden. 

You'll be glad you did! 

 

2 tbs butter

6 medium yellow squash, sliced and then cut into half or quarter rounds

1 large onion, roughly chopped

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream 

1 cup milk

8oz shredded Cheddar cheese 

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed

3 tbs butter, melted

 

Preheat oven to 350º F.

In a large pan or skillet, melt 2 tbs butter. Add the squash and onions and cook until tender. Drain any excess liquid. 

In a large bowl, stir together remaining filling ingredients except the crackers and 3 tbs butter. Add the drained squash and onions, stirring gently until combined. Now fold in half of the crushed Ritz crackers. 

Spray a 9×13 casserole dish with cooking spray. Pour in the squash mixture and spread evenly. Toss the melted butter with the rest of the crushed Ritz crackers. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the casserole. 

Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes, or until top has lightly browned and the casserole is set. 

 

 

Tips:

Whatever you do, don't skip the first step! It may seem easier to just bake the squash in the casserole instead of cooking it first in a skillet, but this step is needed to remove all the excess moisture. Otherwise, you'll end up with a watery casserole and you'll be mortified when you make it for a dinner party and all of your guests are eating a squash soup instead of casserole. Don't ask me how I know...

The squash will cook down quite a bit, so you might use more than you think you will! 

I like to use just the yellow squash, but like I said, it works equally well with zucchini or a combination of the two 

If you don't have RITZ crackers, use any other favorite cracker, Just make sure they're nice and buttery! 

And if you really wanna go for the Old Fashioned vibe, go ahead and add some hot sauce. Now THAT's Southern cooking.

 

 

Joey's Zucchina Pastina

 

 

 I was recently feeling the need for some comfort food, and I figured a summer pasta might be just the thing. I must say, as much as I love it, I don't have pasta very often, so it's always a treat when I do. For this one, I started with a few sliced zucchini, and some chopped onions. From there, the rest of the recipe just sort of fell into place. A few dried herbs, some tiny pasta, and a drizzle of cream later, and I was in heaven! I loved it so much, I had to have a second bowl, which rarely ever happens! Not even kidding. This was literally the comforting something I had in mind. Bonus, it's a great summer pasta because there are no giant pots of boiling water. And it's an easy weeknight meal because it comes together in no time. Perfect, right? 

Oh, and if you're wondering about the name, how could I NOT? I couldn't resist going for the rhyme of it all. It was just sitting right there. Had to do it!

 Anyway, I hope you'll make it. It's just SO good! I just know you'll love it!

  

 

 

 

 Olive oil

4 or 5 small zucchini

1 medium onion

4-5 cloves of garlic

Sprinkle of each: dried oregano, basil, and thyme 

Salt and pepper 

1 cup dry pastina, orzo, or other tiny pasta

3 cups chicken broth

3 tbs butter

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 

Drizzle of cream 

Diced sun dried tomatoes in oil, (optional) 

 

 

In a large skillet, heat a few big glugs of olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onions and sliced zucchini. Stir and saute for about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, dried herbs, salt, and pepper. Continue to stir until fragrant. Add the dry pastina and chicken broth. Stir well, then cover. Reduce heat to medium low. When most of the liquid is absorbed, add the butter, grated cheese, and a little drizzle of cream. Stir well until rich and glossy. Serve with a little more grated cheese. Garnish with a few chopped sun dried tomatoes, if desired. 

 

 

Tips: 

 Most of the ingredients are to taste. If you want more zucchini or onions or cheese, go for it! The only ratio to keep in mind is 1 cup dry tiny pasta to 3 cups broth. That will give you that rich risotto-like texture. 

Instead of chicken broth, use any kind of broth you like, or even just water (in which case, I'd add a little Better Than Bouillon).

Feel free to add yellow squash, or swap out the zucchini for any favorite vegetable. Sky's the limit! 

 

 

 

Seafood Bake

   Lately I've been on a big seafood kick. For me, that usually means lots of shellfish. As far as I'm concerned, you just can't go wrong with shrimp and crab.

  The only problem is they can be quite fiddly, without a big payoff. Peeling shrimp and picking tiny bits of crab out of their shells...not the easy throw-together meal I was thinking of. But then I decided a casserole might be just the thing. Nothing too difficult, nothing too fiddly. Just something that is quick to assemble but still with a big payoff. 

 To make things easy, I used already peeled and deveined shrimp, and imitation crab. The rest of the ingredients were just regular items that you might already have in your pantry. 

 The whole thing came together in a matter of minutes, and guess what? It was DELICIOUS! 

I took inspiration from a recipe on a blog called Food52 but I didn't do it exactly as they had written it. (shocker, I know haha) I'm SO please with how it turned out!

 Now, I will say it does have lots of butter in it which makes it very rich, but you can scale it back and lighten it up a little, if you like. It's your kitchen, you do you! 

Hope you like it! 

 

 

 

1 stick butter, divided
2 ribs celery, finely diced
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
1 small onion, finely diced
1 (10oz) can condensed cream of celery soup
1/2 cup sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Old Bay Seasoning to taste
1 lb raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed
1 lb lump or imitation crab meat
1 sleeve butter crackers, crushed

 

 

Heat oven to 350F. Spray a 9x13 casserole dish. Set aside. 
Melt 4 tbs of butter in a skillet. Add celery, peppers, and onions. Saute until they begin to soften. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, stir together the soup, sour cream, and spices. Add the sautéed veggies. Gently stir in the shrimp and crab. Pour into prepared casserole dish. Cover with foil. Bake for 45 minutes. In a small bowl, melt the remaining butter and stir together with the crushed crackers. Remove casserole from oven, remove cover. Sprinkle the casserole with the buttered cracker crumbs. Place back into the oven, uncovered, for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the crackers are golden brown. Serve with rice or rice pilaf and/or a nice crisp tossed salad.


 

Tips:
Wanna add other types of seafood? Go for it! I think scallops would be a great addition, and definitely lobster, if you’re feeling a little bougie!  I would even add small chunks of cod. By the same token, feel free to omit anything you don’t like. Not a fan of crab? Just use shrimp! Not a fan of shrimp? Just use crab!
,

Shrimp Étouffée

 

 For years and years, I’ve kept a to-do list of classic dishes I want to try, and that brings us to this recipe. Finally! This is my version of shrimp étouffée! Now, you may ask “what is shrimp étouffée?” 

 Well, roughly translated, it means “smothered shrimp.” It’s a classic Louisiana dish, rich and saucy and spicy, tomato based, typically served over rice. Very often made with crawfish, but shrimp are easier to find, so here we are. 
 When I first started my search for a recipe that was classic and authentic, I immediately learned that it needed to start with a roux, (pronounced RUE) which is a mixture of fat and flour that is cooked until it’s light brown and nutty. It also includes the so called “holy trinity” of aromatics, which is celery, onions, and bell peppers. It came together in no time and was SO flavorful, I can’t even tell you. Of course, I served it over rice and it was AMAZING. I kept thinking “why did it take me so long to try this?’ I also thought this would be an impressive dish to serve guests because it tastes as fancy as it sounds. LOVE IT. 
 Of course, there are a million versions, all authentic in their own right, but this is mine. If you like a spicy seafood stew, you need to give this one a try!!

 

 

 
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 large onion, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
4 or 5 ribs of celery, chopped
1 15oz can diced tomatoes
2 cups chicken or seafood stock
2 large cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 tsp EACH: salt, dried thyme leaves, dried oregano, smoked paprika, Old Bay seasoning
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Pinch of cayenne pepper
A few shakes of Tabasco sauce
1 lb fresh or frozen shrimp, shelled, deveined, tails removed

 

In a large sauce pan, add the flour and oil over medium heat. Using a whisk, stir constantly for about 5 minutes or until it turns the color of peanut butter. Now add your chopped onions, peppers, and celery. Switch to a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, and continue to stir and sauté until the vegetables begin to soften. Now add the tomatoes, stock, and garlic, then add the remaining ingredients, except the shrimp. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes. (Now would be a good time to start cooking your rice.) After about 10 minutes, taste the sauce and adjust seasonings, if needed. Add the shrimp and give everything a good stir. Continue to simmer until the shrimp are just cooked through. About 3 or 4 minutes, depending on their size. (Don't overcook!) Serve immediately over cooked rice. Garnish with a little chopped fresh parsley or scallions, if desired. 


 

 

Tips:
Although this recipe has some wiggle room when it comes to the spices, the one thing you don’t want to skip is the roux. You can use butter instead of oil, but either way, just let it cook until it’s a nutty brown, somewhere around the color of peanut butter. You can go a little darker, closer to the color of a tarnished penny, but I wouldn’t go any darker than that. You definitely don’t want it to burn. Just as when making home made caramel, it can go from golden to burnt very quickly. So keep an eye on it. Also it's best to have your chopped veggies ready before you start. Btw, I added lots of extra celery, WHY? because I like it!
When simmering your sauce, if it starts to get too thick, just add a little water or some more stock. 
As for the spice levels, it’s meant to have some degree of heat, but you do you. I like just a little warm heat, but if you'd like it to burn your face off, who am I to stop you? Also, I included all three.. the crushed red, the cayenne, and the Tabasco, because I think they all hit differently. Use as much or as little as you want, or completely omit them. Up to you!
Oh.. one other thing… instead of using this list of seasonings, you can just use about a tbs of a Cajun seasoning blend, but I didn’t see the need to buy it since I already had all the individual seasonings on hand.

Slow Cooker Pork Ragout

 

 

  I was recently looking for a “let it cook all day” kind of recipe, so I turned to my big freezer (aka the Snow Miser) to see what I happened to have on hand. Sitting right on top was a pork shoulder that I was lucky enough to get on sale, and I immediately knew that this was the clear winner. 
 But what to make?? I’m sure that when I bought it I was thinking I’d do a BBQ pulled pork in the slow cooker, but now I’m thinking “how ‘bout something different?”
 Enter this recipe. You may be asking what is a ragout? Well a ragout (or ragu) is an Italian dish of braised meat (usually pork) in a tomato sauce with aromatics, herbs, and wine, finely shredded and then served over a hearty wide pasta. Sounds heavenly, right? Yeah, I thought so too. And since I pride myself on keeping a well stocked pantry, I just happened to have all the rest of the ingredients to make it. 
 First and foremost, I have to say this was just about the easiest thing to throw together, and the payoff was AMAZING.  It was only about 15 minutes of prep, and then it cooked all day, low and slow, filling my house with the most intoxicating aromas. It was so good that it could literally be an option for my next dinner party. It’s just that good. (Hmm.. actually, that’s a really good idea.) 
 I made this during the biggest snow storm in the last 10 years, but you don’t have to wait for it to snow to make this recipe. Make it for a Sunday Dinner. Make it for a holiday. Make it for your friends. Make it just for yourself! It’s definitely a good one to keep in your back pocket. I actually already wanna make it again. (Not even kidding!) Good thing I still have another pork in the Snow Miser!



Olive oil
3 or 4 lb pork shoulder
1 onion, minced
2 carrots, peeled and finely diced
1 28oz can tomato puree
1 6oz can tomato paste
A couple sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves removed and stems discarded
1 tsp poultry seasoning 
1 tsp dried basil
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup red wine (such as Chianti or Merlot)
1 heaping tsp chicken Better Than Bouillon 
2 cups water

In a very hot skillet, in a little oil, brown the pork on all sides. Meanwhile, throw everything else into your slow cooker. 
Place the pork in the slow cooker, nestling it down into the sauce. Cover and cook on low for 8 or 9 hours, or until the pork shreds easily. 
Using two forks, pull the pork into fine shreds, removing any fat, stirring until well combined. 

Serve over wide egg noodles, pappardelle, or tagliatelle pasta with warm crusty bread. 



Tips:
When browning the pork, don’t move it around in the skillet. I know you want to, but resist the urge! Just leave it alone, and you’ll get a nice brown sear. Do this one all sides. Conversely, you can certainly just skip this step altogether, and it will be just fine. But I believe it gives a richer deeper flavor with the browning. 
A few things you can substitute:
Crushed tomatoes instead of puree. 
Dried thyme leaves instead of fresh. 
Vermouth or just a splash of red wine vinegar instead of the wine.
2 cup of chicken broth instead of the Better Than Bouillon and water.
Instead of cooking on low for 8 or 9 hours, you can cook it on high for 4 or 5, but I always prefer lower and slower if you have the time. 
Even though pork is the classic choice for this recipe, it also works very well with beef. Just be sure to cook it long enough so the meat shreds easily. 
If you’d prefer to cook this in the oven instead of the slow cooker: Brown the meat in a heavy pot with a lid, throw in all the sauce ingredients, then place in a low-ish oven, around 325ºF, for about 3-4 hours.

Easy Peasy Cheesy Pasta

 

 This recipe was inspired by a short video I recently saw as I was randomly scrolling through my feed. (you do that too, right?) Anyway, I thought, ooo that looks yummy and easy.. lets try it.. but then I thought, wait.. why is he cooking it like that????? I immediately knew of a few things I would do differently, so I decided to test my ideas. (Yes, I could go into what he did, and what I changed, but that's not important here.) The important thing is that I was right! Well, at least for the way I like to cook. 

 So this is my version of Pasta and Peas or rather Pasta e Piselli, which is basically a traditonal Italian peasant sort of comfort food. I'm sure there are many versions of it, but this is where I landed. 

 It comes together SO quickly, you can have dinner ready in less than a half hour, and you won't break the bank in the process. And I'm not even kidding when I tell you I loved it so much I literally ate the entire thing. Now THAT'S the kind of recipe I like! I know you will too! Enjoy!

 

 

 

olive oil

1 onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups vegetable broth, chicken broth, or just water

1 cup ditalini pasta

1 12oz bag frozen peas

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cracked black pepper

 

 

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the minced onion and saute until it begins to soften. Add the minced garlic and continue to saute for another minute. Add the broth and increase heat to bring it up to a boil. Add the pasta. Let it cook, stirring frequently, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the pasta is tender. Add the peas, cheese, and pepper. Stir and saute until the peas are heated through, and the cheese melts into any remaining broth. Add more broth or water if it needs a little more liquid. Serve immediately, 

 

 

Tips:

  Ok, ok, I'll tell you what I did differently. The chef in the video added the peas to the broth before adding the pasta. I thought "wait.., by the time the pasta is cooked, the peas are gonna be overdone!" So I cooked it the other way around, He also blended some of the peas and then added them back in to make a thicker sauce, but I wanted to keep it light. I guess there's no right or wrong way to do it, but this worked for me. 

  This recipe doesn't need any added salt because the Parmesan cheese is quite salty. Speaking of which, adding a whole cup of grated cheese is quite a lot, so you can cut back on it a little, if you like. Then again, I called it Easy Peasy CHEESY for a reason! 

 This dish stands on its own as a delicious meatless main dish, but I think it would be equally delicious served next to a fillet of baked or grilled chicken or fish.  

 

 

 

Slow Cooker Butter Beef

  Have you ever heard of Butter Beef? I must confess I hadn't heard of it, but of course as soon as I saw it, it started popping up on every feed. So I thought, "ok ok, I'll make it!"

 If you've never heard of it, it's literally just three ingredients: beef cubes, onion soup mix, and butter. That's it. Throw it all in a slow cooker, and there's dinner. Super simple, right? You can serve it over rice or wide egg noodles and it's absolutely delicious. SO easy!!! 

 Then I saw that it was wide open for one's own variations. Some people added mushrooms and bell peppers or other veggies. I decided to go with garlic, potatoes, and carrots for a beef stew vibe. It's delicious no matter which direction you choose. And it literally comes together in minutes.  

  Btw, full disclosure, I saw it on several different websites, so I have no idea whose recipe it is. One site called it "buttery beef," but it was basically the same thing. 

 Anyway, whether you serve it over noodles, or add potatoes and veggies, you definitely need to give this one a try! 

 

 

3 lbs beef cubes or stew meat

1 envelope dry onion soup mix

1 stick butter 

 

Place all ingredients in a slow cooker. 

Cook on low for 7 or 8 hours. 

Serve over wide egg noodles or rice.  

 

 

Tips: 

The recipe calls for 3 lbs of beef, but since there's only one of me, I didn't want to cook that much meat. So I added 1 lb of baby carrots, 2 lbs baby potatoes, and some minced garlic. 

If you don't want to add any veggies and you don't want to cook 3 lbs of beef, just cut everything in half, and save the other half of the onion soup mix packet for next time. 

 

 

 

Joey's White Chicken Goulash

 

 
   Very often, when I’m planning a party menu, I like to give options to my guests. I like the idea of a “choose your own adventure” kind of a dinner. I once hosted a dinner with 3 different kinds of pasta and 3 different kinds of sauce, so my guests could mix and match. Last year, I hosted a bonfire with 3 kinds of soup, and 3 kinds of bread to go with them. See what I mean? You get the idea. For another party, I made a crock pot full of home made mashed potatoes as a base, and then offered a choice of 3 different kinds of stew to pour over them. HUGE hit! Not only does it offer a variety, but I must say, I do love it when everyone goes back to try the other flavors. 
 So then I was thinking of Fall and Halloween, and some good hearty “stick to your ribs” kind of comfort foods, and I remembered making my Ghoulish Goulash. If you’re not familiar, it’s a tomato based beef stew with lots of paprika and spices that you serve over egg noodles. And of course there’s the favorite classic American Goulash, which is ground beef and elbow macaroni in a tomato sauce. And I thought, wait… what if I do a white chicken version? That’s gotta be delicious, right? So I started  googling. Oddly enough, just about every version of chicken goulash that I could find still had a tomato based sauce, instead of the creamy version that I was looking for. So, (you know what I’m gonna say, right?), I made my own! 
  I started with ground chicken and elbow macaroni, and since goulash typically includes a lot of paprika (which is made from ground dried peppers), I opted to add chopped red bell peppers. Then I rounded everything out with a few other aromatics and herbs and tied it all together in a creamy sauce. YUM! It turned out exactly as I had pictured in my head and it was just the hearty comfort food I was looking for. It just happens to be the perfect thing to serve on Halloween or any other crisp fall night when you want something warm and comforting. Come to think of it, now I can serve two kinds of goulash at my next bonfire party! Boom. 

 

 

 

 A few glugs olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper
1 tsp fennel seeds or caraway seeds
1 tsp dried oregano
1 lb ground chicken
2 (10oz) cans condensed cream of chicken with herbs soup
1 cup milk
4 oz cream cheese
1 lb elbow macaroni
Sweet paprika for garnish


  In a large pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and peppers. Saute until they begin to soften. Now add the garlic, fennel seeds, and dried oregano. After they become fragrant, (just a minute or two), add the ground chicken. Continue to stir and sauté to break up the chicken. When the chicken is just about cooked through, add remaining sauce ingredients. (The cream cheese will melt through). Reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, boil the elbow macaroni according to package directions. Drain the pasta, reserving a cup of the cooking water. Toss the cooked macaroni with the chicken mixture. If it’s too thick, add a little of the pasta water to desired consistency. Adjust seasoning, if needed. Top with a sprinkle of paprika and serve. 




Tips:
If you don’t have elbow macaroni, you can easily swap out any other kind of cut pasta. You could even just make the chicken and sauce and then pour the whole thing over wide egg noodles. Then you could choose your own sauce to noodle ratio. 
Be careful with the oregano. I find it to be a very strong herb, which can sometimes overpower a dish. Dried marjoram would be good substitution!
I like to bash the fennel seeds around a little with a mortar and pestle, just to get them going, but you can just throw them in.  They add a subtle but distinctive anise flavor, which I think is key. But if you’re not a fan, just leave 'em out. It won’t be exactly the same, but it’ll still be awesome!

Easy Tortellini Pesto Alfredo

                             

 

  This is just about the easiest midweek cheat meal I can think of. Now, you may be thinking "what's a cheat meal?" Well, usually when people use that term, they mean that they're cheating on their diet. But in this case, I'm calling it a cheat meal because you just use store bought ingredients instead of making everything home made from scratch. I mean, it probably fits the other category too, but I digress.
 With school back in session and schedules getting crazier with each extracurricular activity, as far as I'm concerned, any way you can get dinner on the table is a good one. Even if you have to "cheat" and use all store bought ingredients. Dinner is dinner, right?
 So keep this one in your back pocket. It's as easy as can be, your family will thank you for it, and you'll feel better knowing that everyone has a full belly. 
No one needs to know that you didn't make everything from scratch!  

32 oz cheese tortellini
1 (14.5 oz) jar purchased Alfredo sauce
1/2 cup jarred basil pesto sauce
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp sugar
16oz shredded mozzarella cheese

Heat oven to 350ºF.
Boil tortellini 2-3 minutes. Strain and place in a casserole dish.
Meanwhile, stir together Alfredo sauce, pesto, sugar, and cream.
Pour over tortellini. 
Top with half of the mozzarella. Gently stir the tortellini so the cheese gets mixed into the sauce a bit. Top with the other half of the cheese. Bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly.
 

Tips:
This sauce is great on ravioli or any other kind of pasta. Just sayin'!
For some extra fun, stir in few sliced sun dried tomatoes. 
If you want to make home made pesto or home made Alfredo sauce, who am I to stop you??
The sugar is only included because sometimes the basil in the pesto can have a slight bitterness to it, especially if it's home made. Just omit it if it doesn't need it! 
I didn't add Parmesan cheese because there is already plenty in the Alfredo sauce and in the pesto as well. But if you want more, you do you!
For a little extra zing, add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes! 

Joey’s Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Casserole

 

 

 

So, I have a slight confession to make. 
With all the cooking I do, I’m not really very fond of cooking things that are too fiddly. You know, like, filling dumplings, or rolling wontons, or making small individual appetizers. All those fiddly little things just seem to take forever. And who has the patience for that? Definitely not me. There. I said it. 
 So I was recently watching an old video of Martha Stewart and her mother cooking stuffed cabbage rolls. They were blanching and pulling apart the cabbage leaves, then filling them, then rolling them up like mini burritos. I thought “Looks delicious! Too fiddly. Don’t wanna make it.” 
And then I saw a few other videos where they took all the same ingredients, and then chopped them up together into a casserole, and I thought Yes! THAT’s the one I’m gonna make!” I mean, it’s gonna get chopped up anyway, right? 
 So I started looking at recipes for inspiration. I knew I wanted to add rice, and I knew I wanted to use condensed tomato soup instead of tomato puree because in my mind it’s supposed to have tomato soup. (I have no idea why this lives in my mind, or where I’ve ever had it like that, but I’m running with it.) Everything else just sort of fell into place, and of course there has to be cheese on top because.. well… it’s a casserole for crying out loud. (What kind of casserole doesn’t have cheese?)
 So there we have it. A delicious, hearty, fill you up kind of Sunday Dinner recipe that’ll feed a crowd, without all that fiddly stuff. 
Just exactly what I had in mind! Hope you give it a try!

 

 

 

 2 tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 lbs ground beef
1 tsp sweet paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
1 small head of cabbage, chopped (about 6 cups)
2 cans condensed tomato soup
1 medium fresh tomato, diced
2 tbs brown sugar
1 cup beef stock
1 cup uncooked rice
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

Heat oven to 350ºF.
Heat olive oil in a very large skillet. Saute onions and garlic for a few minutes, then add the ground beef. Break up the ground beef as it cooks, until the meat has browned. Season with paprika, salt, and pepper. Now add the cabbage. Toss slightly, then cover so the cabbage will wilt a bit. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, stir together all remaining ingredients except the cheese. Pour meat mixture and tomato mixture into a large casserole dish, gently tossing to combine. Cover with foil. Bake for about an hour. Remove from oven, remove foil, top with mozzarella cheese. Bake in oven for an additional 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Remove from oven. Let site for 10-15 minutes before serving. 




Tips:
This recipe makes a GIANT casserole. If you don’t have so many mouths to feed, you can easily cut this recipe in half. 
The amounts are just guidelines. If you like a lot of something, add a lot! Want it to be sweeter? Add more brown sugar. Want it to be more savory? Add more paprika. You could even add a splash of soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce for an extra savory note. 
Yes, of course, you can easily use canned tomato sauce or puree instead of the soup. I just like the nostalgia of the slightly sweeter tomato soup in a cabbage roll recipe. You can also use any other kind of cheese instead of mozzarella. You do you!
Don’t have beef broth? Use any other kind you have. You could also do water and a bouillon cube or Better Than Bouillon. If you have nothing else, water is just fine. I just prefer to use broth or stock because it’s an opportunity to add more flavor!
If you want to make this ahead, just go as far as pouring everything into the casserole dish and covering with foil. Then just keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to bake. Easy!

One Pan Dumpling Dinner

 

 

  I'm always browsing recipes and scrolling through the tick tocks to find new easy recipes. Most of the time it's for a party or for an occasion. But this one shouldn't wait for a special occasion. It shouldn't wait for anything! It's so good and so easy, you should just make this for dinner! Like, TONIGHT. 

 If you know me, you know I love to fiddle with a recipe and tweak it to make it the way I like it (which is how I think everyone should cook, tbh.) But this time, it's already perfect as it is and I'm not changing anything! In fact, I liked it so much the first time I made it, I literally made it again the next day. It hits every single note, and it's simple and easy enough for a mid week dinner. Also it's a one pan dinner, and it comes together in a snap! Dinner on the table in a half hour? um, YES. Easy clean up? DOUBLE YES. 

 Now, don't get me wrong.. it's ABSOLUTELY elevated enough to serve to guests for a special dinner, but they don't have to know how simple it was to make. You can tell everyone you fussed about it all day. 

I promise I won't tell!! Enjoy!

 

 

 

2 tsp minced fresh garlic


1 tsp minced fresh ginger


3 tbs soy sauce


1 tbs rice vinegar


2 tsp toasted sesame oil


2 tbs red curry paste


1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk 


1/2 cup water


5 cups chopped bok choy


20 frozen chicken and vegetable or pork and vegetable dumplings


3 tbs chopped fresh parsley


1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion


2 tsp toasted sesame seeds


chili crunch oil (optional)




 

Preheat the oven to 375ºF.


Stir together garlic, ginger, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, curry paste, coconut milk, and water in a casserole dish until well combined. 
Add bok choy and dumplings. (No need to defrost dumplings). Toss lightly and cover casserole with foil.
 

Bake until dumplings are heated through at the center, about 25 minutes. 


To serve, drizzle with sauce from the pan. 

Garnish with sliced green onions, sesame seeds, and a drizzle of chili crunch, if desired.

 

 

Tips:

This is usually the part where I would give recipe tips and tweaks, but like I said, this recipe is perfect as is! Wouldn't change a thing! 

The only thing I would advise is to keep the ingredients on hand so you'll have everything at the ready for when you need to make dinner in a hurry! 

Can't find fresh bok choy? Try Napa cabbage or another leafy green like Swiss chard or even just fresh spinach leaves! 

Btw, usually I'll give credit where credit is due, but I have no idea whose recipe this is. I've seen it on several websites and blogs and reels, so who knows? But since I first saw it on Allrecipes.com, I'll give them the credit! Great then. 

Slow Cooker Creamy Mushroom Chicken and Potatoes

 

 This recipe comes from the category of “what do I have in my pantry to throw into a slow cooker?”
 Do you ever do that? After taking a quick inventory, I realized I had a few Yukon Gold potatoes that needed to be used. I’ve also been working on finishing some of the items in my freezer before they get burnt. So that landed me with a package of boneless chicken thighs. So far so good. Add a few sauce ingredients to the equation, and there we have it! Easy right? (BTW, I must say that having a supply of home canned ingredients such as fresh mushrooms is always a good thing for occasions such as this!)
 It turned out so good that I immediately wrote everything down! This was too good and too easy not to share! Especially at this time of year when kids are starting back to school, schedules are crazy, and you just need to get dinner on the table. All you need is a steamed veggie and maybe some fresh buttered rolls to sop up the delicious sauce. SO good! Definitely keep this one in the rotation!



2-3 lbs of Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1-2 cups canned button mushrooms, drained
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 can condensed cream of celery soup
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder

Fresh parsley for garnish, if desired


In a large slow cooker, add the potatoes first, then add the chicken pieces on top.
For the sauce, simply stir together all remaining ingredients. 
Pour over the chicken. Cover.
Cook on low, for 4 - 4 1/2 hours, but no longer.
That’s all there is to it!
If you’d like a thicker sauce, remove the chicken and potatoes to a serving plate. 
Make a slurry of 2 tbs corn starch and two tbs water. 
Whisk into sauce, and turn the slow cooker to high. Let it cook for an additional half hour. 

Pour sauce over chicken and potatoes.

Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
Serve with your choice of green veggie for a pretty presentation. 




Tips:
The most important thing with this recipe is your cooking time. Many recipes instruct you to cook chicken in a slow cooker for 7 or 8 hours, or even longer. That’s WAY too long. Poultry just doesn’t take that long to cook. You definitely don’t want to wind up with rubbery and/or dry chicken. 4 hours, 4 1/2 tops. That’s it. If you need the extra time, start with frozen chicken. That’ll buy you another hour…-ish.
Don’t have cream of mushroom or celery soup? Use any kind of condensed cream soup you have! You could also make your own cream sauce, if you feel so compelled. Who am I to stop you? 
Want to make it cheesy? Add a handful or two or shredded Cheddar or Gruyere Swiss cheese over the top for the last hour. 
Want to add veggies? Baby carrots would be great.. add them with the potatoes.. or peas… just add them for the last hour of cooking time. I served mine with steamed green beans on the side and it was the perfect accompaniment. . 
The seasonings are just guidelines. Want to add a lot of black pepper? Go for it. Want to use fresh thyme instead of dried? Definitely. I added a sprinky dink of dried onions too, just for funsies. You could also add a splash of white wine to the sauce. OOOH that’s actually a great idea, come to think of it!
Wanna use boneless pork chops instead? Great! NOW you can increase your cook time to 7 or 8 hours. 
I used my own home canned mushrooms, but you do you. Canned, fresh, whatever you like, and as much as you want. It’ll all work!

Sausage and Cabbage Tortellini Alfredo

 

 

 Now that we're in the blazing heat of summer, I find myself being less gung-ho about cooking a big meal. Does anyone really feel like dealing with a hot oven?? I think not. But then again, how much take out food can we really stand before we get sick of it? (And lets not even talk about how it can break the bank.)
So I started looking for ideas.
Hmm.. I was thinking maybe something for the stove top (no hot oven).. something in one pot (no extra dishes to wash) and something that is quick and easy to throw together. Right.
Then I saw someone on the tick tocks making a Sausage and Cabbage Alfredo. Oooo YUM. That's it! So I gave it a try. Sounds delicious, right? WRONG. I made it exactly as it was written, and it was absolutely terrible! It was so over seasoned, I couldn't even eat it. Crazy, right?? Of course, I should have known better. I knew it seemed like too much seasoning as I was cooking it. Ah well. Live and learn, I suppose. But I still loved the idea, and I knew I could do better, so I started over.
First and foremost, I knew the smoked sausage would have enough spice for the entire dish, so I literally cut out all other additional seasonings. I didn't even add salt. It was all already ready already. 
Second, I knew I could make my own Alfredo sauce, but frankly, I was going for the super easy short cut, so I just used a jar of Prego and called it a day. I'm certainly not above using a jar of marinara sauce for spaghetti, so I'm definitely not above using a jar of Alfredo sauce.
And finally, I decided to add bacon and tortellini, because why not?
Let me just say, OMG it was absolutely delicious!!! THIS, Ladies and Gentleman, was what this dish wanted to be all along. It also fits all the criteria and it came together in a snap.
Bonus, it feeds a crowd and you won't break the bank. Perfect, right?? 
So keep this one in mind the next time you don't really feel like cooking. I promise your family will thank you!


5 or 6 strips bacon, chopped
1 small onion, sliced
1 lb any kind of smoked sausage, spicy or mild, sliced into coins
1/2 of a medium green cabbage, cored and sliced into ribbons
1 14oz jar purchased Alfredo sauce (I like Prego) 
1/2 sauce jar of milk
1 lb cheese tortellini 
Parmesan cheese


Place the bacon in a cold large pan or dutch oven over medium heat, not too high. Let the fat slowly render. Now add your sliced onions and sausage coins. Continue to sauté and stir over medium heat until the meats begin to brown and the onions begin to soften. 
Add your sliced cabbage. Give everything a good toss. Cover. Let it steam for a few minutes, then remove the cover and toss again, making sure to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Continue to wilt the cabbage until crisp tender. Now add the tortellini and jar of Alfredo sauce. Fill the jar halfway with milk to rinse out the remaining sauce and add to the pot. Gently stir everything to combine. It should only take a few minutes to heat through. When the tortellini is done, you're ready to serve. Sprinkle a little grated Parmesan cheese over the top. Garnish with a little chopped fresh parsley, if desired.

Tips:
Be sure to start out with a big pot. I have a big enamel plated cast iron pot that works nicely. 
If your bacon doesn't give you enough fat to sauté the sausage and onions, go ahead and add a little olive oil. 
There's no need to add any extra liquid for cooking the tortellini. The cabbage gives off enough moisture to take care of it. If you find that the sauce is too thick for your liking, add a little drizzle of milk.
Feel like making your own Alfredo sauce? Who am I to stop you???
If you're counting carbs, just cut out the tortellini. 
Don't like tortellini? Pour it over wide egg noodles or rigatoni! Just cook them according to package directions. Easy!  

Slow Cooker Oyster Sauce Chicken

 

 

  Ok, I know I say this all the time, but seriously, this is one of the easiest and tastiest recipes you'll ever make. You just throw everything into a slow cooker and it comes out perfectly every time! I might even go so far as to say it's fool proof. It's just that easy. It also happens to be so delicious, you'll want to add this to your recipe rotation or even serve it for your next dinner party. SO GOOD.

 So lets talk about oyster sauce, shall we? 

Let me be the first to say that oysters are not the first thing I would order from a menu, and NEVER raw on a half shell. No thank you very much. If you like raw oysters, more power to you, but they're just not for me. So I will happily tell you that oyster sauce does not taste fishy or briny in that way. It does, however, have a sweet and savory umami flavor that one might compare to a sweet soy sauce, with a texture that is more like ketchup. It's great as a condiment in Asian cooking, and in this case, it takes center stage as the main sauce ingredient. 

 Now, I could make home made oyster sauce by boiling and straining shucked (or dried) oysters to make a broth and then adding soy sauce, sugar, and corn starch, But who has the time or money for that? Again, it's kind of like ketchup: Yes, you could make it at home, but Heinz has already done it perfectly, so why would you? It's just easier and cheaper to buy a bottle and call it a day. 

 This recipe is the tweaked version of the one I found on Allrecipes.com. and if you're a novice cook, it's definitely the one to try. Just follow the recipe as written and I PROMISE you'll get rave reviews. I just made it last night and I literally already want to make it again! Time to buy another bottle of oyster sauce!

8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tbs minced garlic
1 bottle purchased oyster sauce

Enough water to rinse bottle
2 tbs corn starch
1/4 cup cold water

Sliced scallions for garnish, if desired


Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Add brown sugar, garlic, and oyster sauce to a slow cooker. Rinse out the bottle with water, and add to the mixture. Stir well. Add chicken thighs and toss to coat well.
Cook for EXACTLY 4 hours on low or 2 hours on high.
Remove chicken pieces to a cutting board.
Make a slurry with corn starch and 1/4 cup cold water. Add to slow cooker. Stir well and let the sauce thicken. Meanwhile, with a very sharp knife, slice the chicken. Serve the chicken slices on a bed of rice. Pour sauce over all. Garnish with sliced scallions, if desired. 

Try not to eat all 8 pieces of chicken in one sitting.


Tips:

  I've also made this recipe with the addition of sliced baby bella mushrooms. It was absolutely AMAZING. If you like mushrooms, DO IT. Just throw about 8oz of sliced mushrooms in with everything else. LOVE.
 The most important part of this recipe is the cooking time. Trust me when I say to just do 4 hours on low, or 2 hours on high. That's it. No more!! Any longer than that and your chicken will turn out rubbery and overcooked. Chicken just doesn't need that much time to cook. And if you see other recipes that tell you to cook chicken on low for 7 or 8 hours, you can tell them I said "Liar liar pants on fire."

  Yes, you can absolutely make this in the oven instead of the slow cooker. And you can use whatever kind of chicken you like. I used boneless thighs (why? because I like them!) but you can use boneless breasts, or even bone in skin on. Just mix together your sauce ingredients, pour over raw chicken pieces, then bake at 350 until chicken is cooked through. Probably about 25-30 minutes, depending on your choice of chicken.
  You can use regular white granulated sugar instead of the brown, if that's what you have, and feel free to adjust the amounts of the sugar and garlic to suit your tastes. For me, the balance of flavors is just perfect as is, but you do you.

  One other thing.. I've noticed that different brands of oyster sauce come in different sized bottles. You might find a 7oz or even a 10oz, but just go with it. It'll be fine. When you rinse out your bottle, it will automatically be the right ratio of water to oyster sauce. Also I have no preference for brands. They all taste pretty fabulous!

Joey' Meatball Stew

 

   So here’s what happened..
 I had just gotten home from work at the end of a long week, and tbh I really didn’t feel like cooking. My first thought was to order Chinese food, but then I thought, no, I have TONS of food in my house, lemme just see what I can throw together and use what I have. I started with a bag of meatballs. 

  Side note.. I was once told that it was SACRILEGE to use store bought meatballs. Yes, That was the word they used. Frankly it doesn’t mean that much to me, but if you want to make your own home made meatballs, who am I to stop you?
 Anyway, I knew I didn’t want to just do meatballs in tomato sauce. Then I thought maybe I’d do a variation on beef stew. So I threw some stew-ish ingredients into the pot, let it simmer, and here we are!
 Guess what?! It turned out great! I thought “why have I never done this before?” It was just basic items from the pantry, but it all came together so easily, ANYONE can make it. And then you can choose your own starch for serving. I did mashed potatoes, but it would be equally delicious over rice or wide egg noodles. So keep this one in your back pocket if you ever need an easy meal after a long week. 

You’ll be glad you did!

 

 

1 lb bag frozen soup-size meatballs, or your own
1 lb bag baby carrots
1 18oz jar beef gravy
1 15oz can tomato sauce
1 15 oz can whole corn, drained
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
Salt and pepper



Simply toss all ingredients into a sauce pot. Bring to a boil, reduce to a low simmer. Let it cook for about 30-45 minutes or until carrots are tender. Give it a good stir from the bottom every now and then so it doesn't burn. Serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or wide egg noodles. 

Another idea:

For a Shepherd's Pie sort of vibe, pour this stew into a large casserole dish. Spread mashed potatoes over the top. Sprinkle shredded Cheddar cheese over all, then bake in a 350º oven until the gravy is bubbly and the cheese is all melted and ooey gooey.


Tips:
Using baby carrots means no peeling. Easy! If you want to speed up the cooking process, just par boil them for a few minutes before you drain and toss them into the stew.

Want to use sausage meatballs? Go for it!

Want to add a splash of red wine, Why not?
You could also cook this in a crock pot. I like to set it up at lunch time and then it’s ready by dinner time. Just toss everything in, and cook it on low for about 5 hours. Simple!

Slow Cooker Mongolian Chicken

 

So, lets talk about slow cookers, want to?
You KNOW how much I love my collection of slow cookers, and you know I use every single one of them. It's kind of one of those things where the more you use it, the more uses you find for it. I've used them for different kinds of beef stew, mac 'n' cheese, lasagna, and an entire 9 lb turkey. I've done soups, baked beans, breakfast casseroles, applesauce, fruit butters, hot dogs and sauerkraut, and even desserts, like bread or rice pudding. But there has always been one elusive thing that never comes out the way I want it.
 And that's CHICKEN. Wait, what??  Yes. Chicken. Specifically boneless chicken. 
 I know. I know. It's crazy, right? You'd think that chicken would be one of the go-to basics, right? Nope. I would see tons and tons of recipes, all saying the same thing:"Place chicken in your crock pot, cook for 8 hours on low." and I'd think to myself, NOOOO! That's too long! It doesn't need that long to cook! But I would try it anyway, because surely this was a tested recipe....and sure enough, it would turn out dry and rubbery and WAY overcooked. 

 Then I started following All Recipes. There's a woman by the name of Nicole McLaughlin who does many of their videos, and (I've said this before) I want to try every single thing she makes. (Seriously, look her up. You won't be disappointed!) So this one night, I'm going down the usual tiktok rabbit hole, and I'm watching her make 5 different slow cooker recipes, and she's talking about this ingredient and that.. 

 And then... lo and behold... as if she were reading my mind.... she states that her one big peeve is that people cook boneless chicken for way too long in the slow cooker. 

WHAT????? Did she just say that?? I was like YES! EXACTLY! THANK YOU! And in that exact moment, I felt so seen and so validated. FINALLY someone stated what I was thinking all along. She went on to say that all you need is 2 hours on high, or 4 hours on low. That's all. No more. Boom. That's it. THIS was the answer I had been wanting for so long. She had cracked the code!
 And then the clouds parted, and glorious rays of golden sunshine came down from The Heavens, with choirs of Angels singing for all joyous souls to hear, and all seemed right with the world.
 And guess what? She was absolutely right!! Since then, I've tried several recipes using this formula, and every single one of them has turned out perfectly. Dontcha just love it when you find something that just ...WORKS?????
 So... finally... that brings us to THIS recipe.
Since I've been on an Asian flavor kick for a while, my original thought was just to make my favorite Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef (it's my go-to entree at P.F. Chang's). But then I thought, why not chicken? So here's a slightly tweaked recipe from a website called Chef Savvy. It's super simple to make, only uses a few readily available ingredients, and it was just the thing I wanted for dinner that night. Side note, it made enough to feed a crowd as well. That ticks all the boxes for me!
 So there we have it. Give this one a try. I know you'll love it. Thanx again to Chef Savvy for the inspo, and BIG thanx to Nicole at All Recipes for cracking the code. GAME CHANGER!
 Now... what's my next slow cooker chicken recipe going to be??? Hmm... 

 
 
 
Sauce:
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbs toasted sesame oil, plus more
3 tbs Hoisin sauce
Splash of rice wine (can also use white wine, or just omit)
1-2 tsp minced ginger
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
 
2-3 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
1/2 cup cold water
1 tbs corn starch
3 cups broccoli florets
Sesame seeds and sliced scallions for garnish
 
Place all sauce ingredients in a slow cooker. Whisk well to combine.
Taste the sauce and make adjustments, if needed.
Add chicken pieces, then toss until well coated with sauce.
Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or on low for 4 hours.
 
Remove the chicken pieces to a plate. Set aside.
Turn slow cooker to high. 
In a small bowl, stir together cold water and corn starch to make a slurry. Add to sauce and stir well. Add broccoli florets. Toss to coat with sauce. Cover. Let it cook for another half hour or until the broccoli is tender and the sauce has thickened. Meanwhile, using a very sharp knife, slice the pieces of chicken. When the broccoli is tender, add the chicken back to the slow cooker, toss all to combine. Serve over rice. Garnish with sesame seeds, sliced scallions, and an extra drizzle of toasted sesame oil.
 
 
To make the best rice:
Start by adding half of an onion, minced, to a sauce pot with a few pats of butter. Stir and saute until the onions begin to soften. Now add your dry rice. Stir well until each grain is coated with the butter, then add your liquid.
Now here's the big secret... don't just use water to cook your rice... if you add just water, your rice is gonna taste like just water. Use broth or stock or any other liquid instead. Onion soup, mushroom broth, beef stock, anything you like. For Tex-Mex dishes, I've used tomato juice. I've even made pineapple rice with pineapple juice. It'll make your rice SO much better. In this case, I used my own home made chicken stock. The rule of thumb is one part dry rice to two parts liquid. So I did one cup of rice, and two cups of stock. Bring it to a boil, give it a good stir, then cover and turn the heat to low. Leave it alone and let it cook for 18-20 minutes. Resist the urge to keep removing the lid and stirring it! It'll be fine. Just trust the process. It's finished when the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. 

 

Tips:

 I have to say it again, because it's worth repeating: 4 hours on low or 2 hours on high.  That's literally as much time as you should be slow cooking your chicken. You can use boneless breasts if you like, but I think the thighs have more flavor. 

Be sure to taste the sauce before adding the chicken. That's a biggie. You won't be able to taste it after you add raw chicken, so now is the time. Then you can tweak it to your liking. Does it hit all the right notes for you? Do you want it to be sweeter? Add more brown sugar. Do you want it to be saltier? Add more soy sauce. Do you want more heat? Add more crushed red pepper flakes, some hot sauce, or some minced chili peppers.

 

Baked Pulled Ham

  Lately I've been finding a lot of my cooking inspiration from tiktok videos and FB reels. I'll be the first to admit that it's REALLY easy to go down that rabbit hole and watch video after video. But every so often, I'll see a recipe and IMMEDIATELY know that I want to try it. 

 Such was the case when I saw one of my favorites, Nicole from All Recipes, making a baked pulled ham. What is a pulled ham, you ask? Well, it's just like a BBQ pork that is slowly cooked for several hours until it literally falls apart. But instead of starting with an uncooked pork shoulder, it starts with a fully cooked ham. It's salty to start out, but when you add some sweet and spicy sauce, it's absolutely delish! It's the perfect thing to make if you're feeding a crowd and it would be FABULOUS for your next special event. Are you making a ham for Easter Dinner? Are you having a summer party? Holiday open house? This would be just the thing! And you can do the whole thing a day or two in advance, which gives you the freedom of having an available oven for side dishes and such. Perfect!

 But here's the thing... just as always, I couldn't leave well enough alone, and I kind of tweaked the original recipe. After trying it as written the first time (pictured, lots of BBQ sauce), I went back and swapped out a few ingredients and changed a few of the amounts. Feel free to do the same thing if you feel so inclined. The method stays exactly the same, but make it the way you like it! It'll be a big hit!

 

 

 

1 10-12 LB bone-in ham (not spiral sliced)

Brown mustard

Splash of liquid smoke

Brown sugar rub (recipe follows)
1 cup ginger ale, not diet
1 cup pineapple jam

2 tbs BBQ sauce 

Preheat the oven to 275º F.

Use enough mustard to slather the ham on all sides. I didn't measure, but if I had to guess, it would be maybe 1/2 cup, give or take. Stir mustard and liquid smoke together in a small bowl. Rub mustard mixture evenly over ham and sprinkle barbecue rub all over. Place ham in a large disposable pan or large deep roasting pan. Pour ginger ale around ham. Cover tightly with foil.
Bake for 2 hours. Remove pan from oven.
Increase oven temperature to 300ºF.
Stir pineapple jam and BBQ sauce together in a bowl; pour mixture over ham and spread evenly. Cover tightly with foil.
Bake for another 5 to 6 hours or until a meat thermometer or instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of ham reads 205ºF.  
Let stand until ham is cool enough to handle. Shred ham with 2 forks, making sure to remove bone and excess fat.  Toss pulled meat with pan drippings.

 

 

 

 One other thing.. they didn't specify what spice rub to use, so I just threw this one together. I didn't even measure anything... just threw everything in. If there's a specific rub you like, use it!

 

About 1/2 cup brown sugar

a sprinkle of each:

smoked paprika

garlic powder

onion powder

salt and pepper 

 

 

 

Tips:   

 Full disclosure, the first time I made it, I added chili powder to the rub, so it was definitely a BARBECUE pulled ham, but you can make it however you like it. Do you want it to be sweet? Add more brown sugar and jam.  Do you want it to be more tangy? Choose a tangy BBQ sauce. Do you like it smokey and spicy? Add cayenne pepper or chili powder. Don't like pineapple? Choose another fruit jam. Don't like ginger ale? Use any other kind of soda as long as it's not diet. You can really go in any direction with it! 

Don't have any liquid smoke? Use more smoked paprika! or just leave it out. 

Don't want it to be spicy or smokey? Leave out the spice rub altogether! Just brush it with mustard  and sprinkle a little brown sugar over the top for the first 2 hours, then glaze with the BBQ sauce/ jam mixture for the rest of the baking time. Easy!

Peach Pork Picante

 

  Here’s a fun new recipe I saw bouncing around the tick tocks. As soon as I saw it, I knew I wanted to try it. It’s sweet, tangy, spicy, and only uses a few ingredients. Perfect, right? Give me something sweet and savory, and I’m in heaven!
 It started out as a recipe using cubed pork loin in a skillet. 

The video that I saw used boneless pork chops in a slow cooker. 

And I decided to use boneless pork chops and bake ‘em in the oven. 

Clearly, this is one of those recipes that just works, no matter how you slice it. And It’s REALLY tasty! I just made it last night, and I literally already want to make it again. Not even kidding. 

I’ve listed the recipe as it was originally written on Allrecipes.com, but feel free to use whatever cooking method you like.
 If you’re all about sweet and spicy and quick and easy, this one’s for you!


1 packet taco seasoning mix
1 pound boneless pork loin, cubed
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup salsa
1/4 cup peach preserves


Sprinkle taco seasoning over pork.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add pork and saute until browned, 5 to 7 minutes.
Add salsa and peach preserves and mix well.
Cover the skillet and reduce the heat.
Let simmer gently for about 10 minutes.
Serve over rice.

 

 

 Tips:
As I said, you can choose whatever cooking method is most convenient for you. Small group? Use a skillet. Larger group? Use a sheet tray and bake at 350. And you KNOW how much I love a slow cooker. Actually, I was thinking this would make a great summer pulled pork using a pork shoulder and slow cooking it on low for 8 or 9 hours.
I bet this recipe would also be pretty fabulous on chicken or even a fillet of cod.
Want to make it REALLY spicy? Choose your favorite spicy salsa. Add some chopped jalapeños. Add some Sriracha. Or crushed red pepper flakes. How hot do you like it? You do you!
Also, for the best tasting rice, sauté a little bit of chopped onion before adding dry rice. Then use chicken broth instead of water. 2 cups broth for one cup of dry rice. Boom.

Hot Dog Stew

 

 Ok, I know this might sound weird, but just go with me on this one. 

I was in the mood to make something homey and comforting, so I did a quick inventory of my fridge and pantry. The first thing I noticed was a package of ground beef. That's a good start. I continued browsing my pantry and found cans of baked beans, which made me think of Trisha Yearwood's Baked Bean Casserole. Great! I'll make that. But that calls for bacon. Hmm... I'm out of bacon.. what else do I have? AHA! a package of hot dogs! I thought "well, it's not very likely that I'll be grilling hot dogs any time soon, and you can't go wrong with franks and beans." Perfect. From there, I just sort of used Miss Trisha's recipe as a guide, while not really using exactly the same ingredients. I didn't want it to be too sweet or too spicy, so I omitted the brown sugar, and kept the seasonings simple. And this is where I landed!

 After it was finished, I thought, "ok, now, how am I gonna serve this?" Cheddar cheese and sour cream on top? Well, I had it in my mind that it should be a stew, (NOT a chili), which made me think of my Mother's chicken stew that we used to pour over mashed potatoes. Great idea!

 The result was exactly what I wanted. It was simple and warm and hearty and satisfying. It also makes for great leftovers. It's a great mid-week meal, and it easily feeds a crowd. And it was easy as throwing things into a pan.

 Sometimes the best recipes are the ones you just come up with on the spot, dontcha think? Feel free to take this one in any direction with whatever you have in your pantry! Enjoy!

A few glugs of oil
1 onion, chopped
2 bell peppers, any color, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb ground beef
1 pkg 8 hot dogs, sliced into coins
1 can pork and beans
1 small can Rotel tomatoes
1-2 fresh tomatoes, diced
2 tbs ketchup
2 tbs mustard
Splash of Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Chili powder to taste
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cold water

Mashed potatoes for serving


In a large pan, heat oil over medium heat, then sauté onions, peppers, and garlic until they soften.
Add ground beef, breaking it up as it cooks. After it browns, add the hot dog slices. Stir and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients except flour and water, and gently stir until well combined. Simmer for a  good 15-20 minutes.
To thicken it, make a slurry with the flour and cold water. Add to pan and gently stir to combine. Simmer for another few minutes until thickened.
Serve over a big pile of fluffy mashed potatoes. 

 

 

Tips:

As stated above, you can clearly go in any direction with whatever you have in your pantry. You can also play around with the flavors. Want it to be more like a soup? Add some chicken broth. Want it to be more like a chili?  Add some tomato sauce and ground cumin. Want some heat? Add some chopped jalapeno peppers. Or crushed red pepper flakes. Or cayenne pepper. And for a serving variation, instead of mashed potatoes, serve it over a pile of rice, or just in a bowl as it is! It will all work!

 

Perfect Slow Cooker Boneless Turkey Breast

   Every year, when Autumn starts creeping in, I'm always searching for different recipes and methods of cooking all of our holiday favorites. This year, my new favorite thing is cooking a boneless turkey breast in the slow cooker. Now, if you know me, you know about my love of slow cookers and the fact that I have an entire collection of them, (only 10, but who's counting?)
 Anyway, I first tried this method with a tik tok Cranberry Turkey recipe, and I loved the method so much that I thought "ok now lets try this with your usual traditional herbs and spices." I mean, you just can't beat the aroma of a Thanksgiving turkey cooking all day, am I right?
 The result was AMAZING! It's literally fall apart tender, flavorful and juicy as can be, and it absolutely smells and tastes like Thanksgiving. And the good news is, you can customize it for the amount of people you're serving. If you only have 3 or 4 people, you're good to go. If you have 6 or 7 people, just use a larger slow cooker and make two! And so forth. Oh! And here's the kicker: I wondered whether you even have to defrost the turkey, and guess what? You don't! You can literally take it out of the freezer, frozen solid, and throw it into the crock pot. Who knew? The only thawing I did was I held it under running COLD water until I could detach the frozen gravysickle packet. That was it! You do have to cook it for a longer stretch of time, but that seemed to be a worthwhile trade off. And it comes out exactly the same! Game changer.
Bonus: It also frees up your oven for all of your other casseroles and side dishes. Actually, come to think of it.. now that all the worry and stress about your turkey is sorted, what other side dishes are you gonna make??? Make lots, invite friends, and enjoy!

 

 

 

 

1 (3lb) Butterball frozen boneless turkey breast
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning blend
1/2 tsp ground sage
Salt and pepper to taste
4 pats of butter (about 1/2 stick)
1/4 cup white wine

Simply throw all ingredients into a crock pot, leaving the webbed netting on the turkey breast. 

Cover and set your slow cooker to low.
If your turkey breast is completely thawed, cook it for 6 hours.
If it's frozen, cook it for 8 hours.
Remove from slow cooker to a cutting board. Use scissors to remove the netting. Be careful! It's hot! Using a very sharp knife, slice into nice thick slices and serve.

For the gravy;
After removing the turkey from the crock pot, add a slurry made of 1/2 cup COLD water or chicken broth and a 1/4 cup flour to the slow cooker. Whisk to combine until it thickens. 

Pour gravy over everything!

Tips:
 Gravy- Be careful not to add too much wine. Once I just eyeballed it and it came out tasting much too winey for me. I found that measuring 1/4 cup was just the right amount.
 Seasoning- If you'd like to use fresh herbs instead of dry, go for it! You definitely can't go wrong with sage and thyme!
 Slicing- I found that using a really sharp knife will help you to make cleaner slices. That sounds kind of obvious, but if your knife is dull, the meat will just fall apart instead of making nice pretty slices. Presentation is everything! Also, making thicker slices helps to that end as well!
 And lastly, this recipe also works really well with a whole oven-stuffer roaster chicken. My biggest crockpot literally fits a whole 9 lb bird. Crazy, right? Just be sure to completely thaw it, remove the bundle from inside the cavity, rinse and dry it, then add a jar of chicken gravy to the listed recipe since it doesn't come with a gravy packet. Boom.