Crock-pot Pizza Sandwiches

These pizza sandwiches are super easy to throw together, let cook all day and enjoy after a long day of work!!!

Ingredients:
1 lb of ground beef (I used beef sausage)
1 green pepper (chopped)
1 onion (chopped in long thin slices)
1 can of pizza sauce or spaghetti sauce (I used my homemade veggi spaghetti sauce which I'll share tomorrow)
and some Italian seasoning

Throw it all in the crock-pot on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours. Then serve on bread with shredded mozzarella cheese!! Easy to make, delicious and messy!!

Zucchini chips

I made these with our dinner tonight and they were ALL gone...very good!



Zucchini Oven Chips

Ingredients
1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fat-free milk
2 1/2 cups (1/4-inch-thick) slices zucchini (about 2 small)
Cooking spray
Preparation
Preheat oven to 425°.

Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Place milk in a shallow bowl. Dip zucchini slices in milk, and dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Place coated slices on an ovenproof wire rack coated with cooking spray; place rack on a baking sheet. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes or until browned and crisp. Serve immediately.

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1087041&adsqs=

Cheese Nip Chicken

This is the easiest and yummiest recipe!

4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1-2 cups crushed cheese nips (or cheez its)
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup butter

Coat chicken with sour cream. Cover in crushed crackers. Melt butter and place in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Place coated chicken on top and place in 350 oven for 40-45 minutes. When chicken is tender and juices run clear it is finished.

I used white cheddar cheez its and it tasted awesome. You could use goldfish crackers or sour cream and onion potatoe chips...the possibilities are endless. The sour cream keeps the chicken moist and the flavor wasn't too powerful or anything. I didn't use a whole cup of sour cream but you may if you make more than 4 chicken breasts. I didn't measure my crackers but just added more once I ran out.

Enjoy!

Banana Bread

I had three black banans lying around and I figured it would be better to make bread than to throw them away. So, I looked through my million church cookbooks and finally settled on this recipe. This was the only one that I found that did not call for buttermilk or nuts. I know the nuts are optional and I know you can make buttermilk with vinegar but I don't have any vinegar on hand right now. I digress. This was a quick and easy recipe and Naomi had a great time helping me. It turned out really yummy and Naomi and I enjoyed a nice warm piece of banana bread right before her nap!

1 1/2 sticks of butter
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
4 ripe bananas
1 T. lemon juice
2 c flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon (I added more and still can't really taste it)
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Mix all ingredients in large bowl. Spray pan with Pam and pour batter in. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Now, this guy assumes that you know something about baking and I do so I was okay. The top got a little dark but it doesn't taste burnt. I actually prefer the edges a little crispy so this was perfect for me! Enjoy!

Recipe taken from St. Mark Lutheran Church (Omaha, NE) 50th Anniversary Cookbook.
Recipe by Steve Barry.

Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes

We had some friends over last weekend and I decided to try this recipe for Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes. I didn't have any buttermilk but read online how to make my own (add one tablespoon of white vinegar to one cup of milk and let it sit for 10 minutes before using), thanks Erin for the tip! They were obviously a little more involved than the "just add water" pancakes but they were delicious!Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes
makes loads of pancakes, enough for four people
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
heaping 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
healthy pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
2 cups buttermilk
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
4 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup golden raisins
oil or cooking spray (for cooking)
Step 1: In a large bowl beat eggs. Add buttermilk, butter , maple syrup and vanilla and mix well. Add flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt. Mix well until mostly smooth. Fold in raisins and let batter set for a few minutes.Step 2: Heat griddle or pan over medium heat. Add a teaspoon of oil to the pan or spray with cooking spray. You can test to see if the pan is hot enough by adding a few drops of water, when the drops start to dance its hot enough. Step 3: Pour 2 Tablespoons of batter onto the griddle. Cook on the first side until bubbles that form start to pop. You can also gently lift up the pancake to make sure the bottom is not overcooking, if it is the pan may be too hot and you will need to adjust the heat. Flip the pancake over with a spatula and cook until golden brown. Repeat until all the batter is gone. Let cooked pancakes rest on a heat proof plate in a 200 degree F oven until ready to serve

Fiesta Chicken

I just kinda through this together the other night and Jon loved it!!

Fiesta Chicken

Boneless, skinless, Chicken breasts

Corn (I used canned corn and drained the juices out)

Rotel (don't drain)

Fiesta Blend Shredded Cheese

Tortilla Chips (crushed)

Fiesta Seasoning of any kind (taco, fajita)

Directions:
1. Season chicken and grill until fully cooked. (I used my good ole' Foreman grill)

2. Put chicken in a baking dish.

3. Cover chicken with Rotel (I used hot) and corn.
4. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. (the chicken is already cooked so we're just heating the rotel and corn to blend together). Cover the top with cheese and tortilla bits; bake for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Some quick and easy apps!

At book club this past week I made some super simple appetizers to share with everyone!

Triscuits

Muenster Cheese Slice

Raspberry Jalapeno Jam (homemade)

Triscuits

Cheddar Cheese Slice

Salsa

Sour Cream

Broccoli Cheese Soup

I came up with this recipe by combining a few and adding some extra stuff to make it more filling!

Broccoli Cheese Soup
1 c. water
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 pkg. ( 10 oz.) frozen chopped broccoli
1 med. carrot, grated
1 tbsp. minced onion
2 tbsp. butter
3 tbsp. flour
3 1/2 c. milk
2 garlic cloves minced
1 lb. Velveeta cheese
1 ½ c. cooked wild rice
1 c. cooked chicken
Pepper to taste
Few dashes of Garlic Tabasco sauce

Heat water and bouillon cube to boiling. Add broccoli and carrot; cook 10 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat, do not drain. In separate saucepan, melt butter and then slowly stir in flour. Gradually add milk. Cook until thickened. Stir in cheese, garlic, and pepper. Add broccoli and carrot mixture. Add rice and chicken. Heat and serve.

Ginger Pea Soup (Indian)

When we were in San Diego, Matt and I went out to our favorite Indian restaurant in San Diego--Bombay in the Hillcrest area. We shared a soup called Ginger Mutter (Pea) Soup. The description on their menu reads:
Creamy pea soup spiced with fresh ginger, roasted cumin and garlic, topped with fresh cilantro.

This soup was SO good that I decided to try to figure out how to make it myself. I combined a few different recipes, the description above, and my own taste and below is what I came up with today. I think it tastes very similar, but we'll see what Matt thinks when he comes home for dinner!

Ginger Mutter (Pea) Soup
3 ½ cups chicken broth or water
2 medium potatoes
2 ½-3 cups frozen peas
½ onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 t. ginger (or to taste)
1 t. cumin
½ t. black pepper
1 t. garam masala
1 t. salt
1 c. plain yogurt
Cilantro (to taste)

Boil all ingredients except for yogurt until vegetables are tender (12-14 minutes). Let partly cool. Blend in parts, adding yogurt and cilantro. Garnish with additional cilantro on top.

Cheeseburger Chowder

Cheeseburger Chowder
1/2 lb. ground beef
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cheddar cheese soup, undiluted
1 3/4 cup milk
1 cup frozen shredded hash brown potatoes1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Coarsely crushed corn ships, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, and chopped green onions(optional)

Directions

In a large saucepan, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the soup, milk, potatoes, chilies, taco seasoning, onion and chili powder until blended.

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minuted or until heated through. Garnish with corn chips, cheese and green onions if desired.

*I also garnished with pickles.
*This was enough for Jon and I, I would double the recipe if you're making it for more than two people.

Banana Bread

This recipe is from the Cooking Light cookbook my mom gave me for Christmas. I substituted Splenda for half the sugar and it turned out great. I also added in some dried cranberries and chopped pecans. Xavier wouldn't stop eating it!

Classic Banana Bread
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.

3. Place sugar and butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 1 minute). Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt, and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Spoon batter into an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack. Yield: 1 loaf

Winner!

We went to the Super Bowl party for our young adults group at church and they were having a chili cookoff. I brought my taco soup for a little variety--I figured it had ground beef, beans, and tomatoes and was close enough to chili.

Anyway, I didn't even realize that the chili was a cookoff, but my taco soup ended up winning the most votes!

Here's the link to that recipe:
http://onthedinnertable.blogspot.com/2009/01/taco-soup.html

This time, I only used 1 lb. of meat, used fire roasted diced tomatoes instead of stewed tomatoes, and actually used 3 cans of Rotel instead of one. This made it a little spicier than usual. I also added a can of corn and some fresh cilantro.

Baked Spaghetti

Baked Spaghetti
This is a very simple dinner to make. The ingredients are basic and feel free to add anything you would like to it. Peppers would be good!


1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. spaghetti noodles
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 ball fresh mozzarella OR 1 8 oz bag shredded mozzarella
1 can biscuits
Parmesan cheese


Directions:
1. Brown ground beef.
2. Cook noodles.
3. Combine beef, noodles, and spaghetti sauce. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top (if fresh mozzarella put in piles on top of noodle mixture).
4. Put uncooked biscuits over the top of noodle mixture.
5. Bake as according to biscuit instructions on label.
6. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese to serve.

Before baking

Right out of the oven!

On the plate

Crock Pot Chicken Chili

Another one from Kraft Foods website (I'm almost at the end of my two week plan for cooking now...) I added a little water, used chicken breast instead of thigh, and used 2% cheese.

Crock Pot Chicken Chili
Ingredients
1 can (15 oz.) dark red kidney beans, drained, rinsed
1 can (15 oz.) light red kidney beans, drained, rinsed
1-1/2 cups Salsa
1 can (16 oz.) no-salt-added tomato sauce
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1-1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
1 onion, chopped
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup KRAFT Mexican Style Finely Shredded Four Cheese

COMBINE beans, salsa, tomato sauce and chili powder in slow cooker. Top with chicken, onions and corn. (Do not stir.) Cover with lid.

COOK on LOW 6 to 8 hours (or on HIGH 4 to 5 hours).

STIR just before serving. Serve topped with cheese.

Chicken Lo Mein

This is another one from Kraft Foods. It is called Chicken Lo Mein, but to us, it had kind of a Thai taste to it with the peanut butter and cilantro. We used whole wheat noodles and a light version of the same dressing. We also added some chili garlic sauce to the top to add a little kick. Very easy and good!

Chicken Lo Mein
Ingredients
1/2 lb. spaghetti, uncooked
1/4 cup KRAFT Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pkg. (16 oz.) frozen bell pepper and onion strips, thawed, drained
1/2 cup fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 Tbsp. peanut butter
1/4 cup lite soy sauce
2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
2 Tbsp. chopped peanuts

COOK spaghetti in large saucepan as directed on package.

MEANWHILE, heat dressing in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken and garlic; stir-fry 3 min. or until chicken is no longer pink. Add peppers, onions, broth and peanut butter; stir-fry an additional 3 to 4 min. or until chicken is cooked through.

DRAIN spaghetti; return to pan. Add chicken mixture and soy sauce; mix well. Spoon onto serving platter; sprinkle with cilantro and peanuts.

Crock-pot chili

This is a super easy and yummy version of Chili. We always add shredded cheese and sour cream to our chili, not so healthy but oh so yummy! I think we're going to make it again on Super Bowl Sunday! Come on over!!!

Ingredients
1 lb. Extra lean ground beef
1 cup Chopped onion
3 (14.5 oz) cans Diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (14.5 oz) can Tomato sauce
1 (14.5 oz) can Great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 oz) can Red kidney bean, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 oz) can Corn, drained
2 tbsp. Chili powder
1 tbsp. Cumin
1 cup Salsa

Preparation
Brown ground beef and onion in a skillet until cooked through, drain and pour into a crockpot. Dump rest of ingredients in crockpot, stir. Cook on low for 8 hours.

Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta

Greg made the dinner I had planned for tonight (I had a terrible headache) and he said this was pretty easy to make but a little time consuming with having to cook everything seperate and then all together as well. We really enjoyed this though. This is a GREAT alternative to hamburger helper.

Ingredients
8 ounces Uncooked tube or spiral pasta
1 lb Ground beef
6 Strips bacon, diced
1 can Condensed tomato soup, undiluted
1 cup Cheddar cheese
Preparation
Cook pasta according to directions on packages. Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain and set aside. In the same skillet, cook bacon until crisp; remove with slotted spoon to paper towels. Discard drippings. Drain pasta; add to skillet. Add soup, beef and bacon, stir and heat through. Sprinkle with cheese; cover and cook until the cheese is melted. Serve with BBQ sauce and mustard if desired.
Sandy's Notes: I add 1/2 can water along with the tomato soup, makes it more moist. Definitely serve with BBQ sauce and yellow mustard. It's a strange but delicious taste sensation!
Please excuse the coloring of the photo, I had to use my flash.

Chicken Noodle Soup in the crockpot

We were sick at our house yesterday (and Matt still today), so I made some chicken noodle soup in the crockpot. I cooked this on high so it would not take so long!

Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients:
2 1/2 to 3 1/2 pounds chicken pieces
4 cups water
4 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste, depending on saltiness of broth
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 leek or small onion chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram or basil
1 bay leaf
6 ounces noodles

Preparation:
Place all ingredients except noodles in the Crock Pot. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours. Remove chicken and bay leaf from pot; take meat from bones, dice, and return to broth, and add the noodles. Cook another hour or until noodles are done (about 1/2 hour on high). Or, cook the noodles separately and add them just before serving.

Oven Fried Chicken

This recipe came from Ellie Krieger's page on the Food Network website. I made these with all chicken thighs instead of breasts because I got it for a dollar a pound! Hard to beat that. I used Wheat thins for the crackers and a mixture of cereals instead of corn flakes--just based on what I had in my cabinet already. Matt really liked this chicken--especially with some extra red pepper to simulate his favorite Popeye's :)

To go with the chicken, I sliced sweet potatoes into wedges and added a little sliced red onion, olive oil, salt, and pepper and roasted them at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Very yummy!

Oven Fried Chicken
Ingredients
1/2 sleeve (about 20) whole-grain salted crackers, pulsed in a food processor until fine (about 1/2 cup)
2 1/2 cups corn cereal flakes, pulsed in a food processor to fine crumbs (about 1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 egg whites
1 cup lowfat, plain yogurt
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
Olive oil cooking spray
4 medium sized skinless chicken breasts and 4 skinless chicken thighs, rinsed and patted dry (about 3 1/2 pounds chicken)

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly spray a baking sheet with olive oil.

Combine the crackers and corn cereal crumbs, sesame seeds, cayenne, and garlic powder in a shallow bowl. Reserve.

In a large bowl, combine egg whites, yogurt, Dijon mustard, and salt. Add the chicken pieces and coat thoroughly with the yogurt mixture.

One at a time, dip the chicken pieces in the cracker mixture, packing crumbs onto chicken. Arrange the chicken on a baking sheet and spray lightly with olive oil cooking spray.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a knife.

Quick-fix cheeseburger meatloaf

This is another recipe from Meals Matter. I've got my meals planned out for two weeks and they all come from that website. I've made this meatloaf before and I think it's our favorite. It's yummy and SUPER easy to make. It takes about 5 minutes to throw together and then just let it bake and enjoy the aroma of great food!

Ingredients
1 lb. Lean ground beef (I use 2lbs)
10 PREMIUM Saltine Crackers, crushed (about 1/2 cup) (I use 20 crackers)
2 tbsp. GREY POUPON Dijon Mustard (I use 4 tbsp)
1/4 cup Ketchup
3/4 cup KRAFT Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Preparation
PREHEAT oven to 375°F. Mix meat, cracker crumbs and mustard until well blended.
PAT meat mixture into 8-inch loaf pan. Bake 40 min. or until cooked through (160°F).
SPREAD meat loaf with ketchup; sprinkle with cheese. Bake 5 min. or until cheese is melted.

The first time I made this the meatloaf was very small, so I added more meat, crackers and mustard the next time and it was a better portion for us with leftovers for lunch! We like leftovers of this meatloaf!