Pulled Pork Sandwiches

This one is great because you can just throw a bunch of stuff in the crock-pot and whatever you don't use store in a freezer baggie to use a month later.

3 lbs Pork Roast (at Costco this is about 12 dollars, which is a steal!)
5-6 cloves garlic (don't forget that when you smash them with a knife to pull the stem out so that you don't get bad breath-its attached to the root at the bottom)

1 yellow onion chopped small

1 TBSP dried rosemary
2 cups water

You can trim the fat off the roasts before or after you cook it. I prefer after because it gives it some good flavor. Place everything in the crock pot and cook 8-12 hours on low.

Pull the roasts out of the crock pot leaving the juices and cloves. Shred the pork and remove any fat. Pour Sweet Baby Rays BBQ Sauce and a little A-1, salt and pepper to taste.

This is best on hard rolls with Baked Beans

Fajitas

I like this because I marinate the night before and then just put it all together. If I'm on the ball, I'll do all the prep the night before (cutting veggies, guac, etc), and then it's super easy and fast the next day for dinner. I also half the recipe for our little family of 4 (2 adults, 2 pre-K.)

Prep: 30 mins; Marinate: 8hr+; Broil: 16 mins; 6 adult servings

Ingredients:
Fajita Marinade
1/4 C vegetable/olive oil
1/4 C red wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp dried oregano leaves
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Guacomole
1/2 small can diced jalepeno chillies (sometimes I skip this altogether)
2 ripe large avocados
2 Tbsp lime or lemon juice (I squeeze one fresh lime in)
2 Tbsp finely chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp salt
Dash of pepper
1 clove garlic, finely chopped (I use the pre-chopped bottled variety--1/2 tsp)
1 1/2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped (1 1/2 C)
1 medium onion, FINELY chopped (1/2 C)--onion can be overpowering, so go easy--less is more!
Tortilla chips, if desired

Fajitas
1 1/2-pound beef boneless top sirloin steak or chicken (1 1/2 inches thick)
12 flour tortillas
2 Tbsp vegetable/olive oil
2 large onions
2 medium green or red bell peppers, cut into 1/4-inch strips
1 jar salsa
1 C shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese (4oz)
1 1/2 C Guacomole
3/4 C sour cream

Guacomole Recipe:
1. Cut avocados lengthwise in half; remove pit and peel. Mash. (I use my pastry cutter for this.)
2. Mix all ingredients (except chips) in bowl.
3. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour to blend flavors. Serve on fajitas and with chips.

Fajita Recipe:
1. Make marinade in Ziploc bag.
2. Remove fat from meat. Peirce meat with fork. Place in Ziploc bag with marinade. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours but no longer than 24 hours, turning occasionally.
3. Heat oven to 325.
4. Wrap tortillas in aluminum foil. Heat in oven about 15 mins. Remove, but keep wrapped.
5. Set oven to Broil.
6. Remove meat from marinade; reserve marinade. Place meat on rack in broiler pan. (For easy cleanup, line broiler pan with foil before placing meat on rack.) Broil meat with top about 3 inches from heat, about 8 mins or until brown. Turn, brush with marinade. Broil 7-8 mins longer for medium-rare to medium. Discard any remaining marinade.
7. While meat is broiling, heat oil in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook onions and bell peppers in oil 6-8 mins, stirring frequently, until crisp-tender.
8. Cut meat across grain into very thin slices. Fill tortillas with toppings and enjoy!

I planned to take a picture of the finished product, but completely forgot it. I did take a random picture of the veggies cooking, because I seriously think it's so beautiful. That's how much of a food nerd I am. Peppers and onions: art. :)

Chicken Nuggets - YUMMY!

This one is your new favorite. You just don't know it yet.

Shredded Wheat crushed to 1 cup
*1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
*1/2 tsp seasoned salt
*1/4 tsp paprika
*1/8 tsp garlic powder
*1/2 cup mayonaise
*1 T. honey
*2 tsp prepared mustard
(about 2) Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4 x 2" strips (about the size of a regular chicken nugget)

Combine and stir chicken strips in mixture (All *'ed items) to coat.
Roll chicken in cereal to coat evenly.
Place on rack in shallow baking pan.

Bake 12-15 min at 400 or until chicken is no longer pink in the center. (I cook mine longer cause I love crispiness!)
Makes 25-30

Refigerate Leftovers

I realize these look like something you'd happen upon in a horse pasture, but TRUST me, they don't taste like it!

Chicken Okaboji (Oak-a-boe-jee)

3 c Cooked Rice
3 c Cooked Chicken Chunks
1 c Cornflake Crumbs
2 tbs Butter
1 can Sliced Water Chestnuts
1 tbs Lemon Juice
2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup
1 c Mayonnaise
1 tbs Onions (grated)

Layer rice in bottom of 9x13 pan. Spread chicken evenly over rice. Mix soup, mayonnaise, onion, lemon juice and water chestnuts and spread over chicken. Mix cornflakes and butter and spread over all. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

SUPER SUPER EASY...SUPER SUPER DELICIOUS! Hits the spot everytime!

Crock Pot Beef Stew

I've never been an enthusiastic cook before, but I've decided that I better start, for the benefit of my family and my pocket book :) I'm really happy to say that this one turned out really good. I found it here. Nick said it's the best homemade stew he's every eaten. That's the best compliment I've ever received from him about my cooking :)

2 lbs. stew meat in 1" cubes
1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. beef broth
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic or chopped onion (I did both, mmm)
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. paprika
4 sliced carrots
3 diced potatoes
1 stalk celery, diced

Put meat in crock pot, Mix flour, salt and pepper and add to meat. Add remaining ingredients and stir to mix. Cover and cook on Low for 10 to 12 hours or on High for 4 to 6 hours. Stir well before serving.

I like my stew gravy a little bit thicker than this recipe made, so I added some thickening at the end and let it finish cooking for the last hour.

Cream Cheese Chicken

Cream Cheese Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 pkg. Italian Seasoning Dressing Mix
8oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1 can cream of chicken soup

Put chicken and butter in crock pot, then sprinkle Italian seasoning mix over chicken and cook on high for 2 and 1/2 hours. Beat together cream cheese and soup and pour over top of chicken. Cook on high for another 1/2 hour. Stir when done. This is great over rice!

This is my husband's favorite dish. If you want to make it a little healthier, you can do 1/4 cup butter and the reduced-fat cream cheese. Sometimes I just cook it over the stove by opening two cans of canned chicken and heating all the ingredients in a sauce pan. Yummy!

French Bread Pizza

Super Easy dinner idea, we had it Friday!

Buy a loaf of French Bread ($1.49) cut it down the middle so it opens like a large sandwich. Spread spaghetti sauce (.99) on both halves. Top with whatever you would like (We like Pepperoni and Ham and Pineapple (not all on the same pizza). Top with cheese and put it in the oven until the cheese melts. Yummy!

Sometimes, I precut the french bread into individual slices and let the kids make their own pizza. It is a mess but they love it!!

Old School Hamburger Macaroni

My Grandma's favorite recipe!

Cook 1/2 box elbow macaroni as directed

While macaroni is cooking brown about a pound of hamburger with chopped onions. I like a lot of onions so I do about 1/2 a medium sized onion.

Drain macaroni and then add hamburger and onions.
Now put back on stove at med. heat.
Add two cans tomato sauce and a bunch of ketchup. A cup maybe? Taste it and see if it needs more!

That's it. It is so easy and I love it because Myles will eat it and you can stick the ketchup on the table incase your kids want more.

Serve with Bread, salad, or alone!

Shredded Pork & Creamy Tomatillo Dressing

This is a recipe from a very popular restaurant here. I am pretty sure that it is not Cafe Rio's exact recipe but it is pretty dang close and Yummy!!

Pork:
1 Pork Loin
2 Cups Brown Sugar
1 160z Jar of Pace Picante Sauce

Cook in a crock pot for 8 hours on Low, Shred pork and return to Crock Pot


Creamy Tomatillo Dressing
In a blender add:

1/2 Cup Buttermilk
3 Fresh tomatillos, cut into quarters
Juice of half a lime
1/2 Cup Mayo
1pkg Dry Ranch Buttermilk Dressing
1Cup fresh Cilantro
2 Cloves Garlic, Crushed
1/2 Cup Sour Cream
5 Stalks Green onions
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper

Combine in blender and refrigerate one hour

Add all your favorite salad goodies, Lettuce, Chips, Salsa, beans, rice. ENJOY!

The Best Sloppy Joes!

1 lb ground beef

1/2 cup onion

1 cup Ketchup

1 TBL Vinegar

1 TBL Lemon

1 TBL Worchestershire Sauce

1 tsp Mustard

1 TBL Brown Sugar

Brown Hamburger, add ingredients and simmer for 15 minutes. Place on Buns, that is it!! Top Sloppy Joes with chees, pickles, lettuce whatever! No more Dinner out of a can!