Homemade pot roast.

Ingredients
1 chuck roast, 3-4 pounds

Salt and ground black pepper
                                                                                         5 tablespoons vegetable oil
                                                                             1 large white or yellow onion (or two medium)
                                                                                                         5 cloves of garlic, smashed
                                                                       1 pound carrots (about 4 medium), cut roughly into 1 1/2-inch pieces
                                                                                1 cup low sodium beef broth (more if you need it to cover roast) 


                                                                                                           2 cups medium-bodied red wine
                                                                                                                  1 tablespoon brown sugar


                                                                                                    5 to 6 sprigs fresh thyme (or tsp dried thyme)

                                                                                                                       Preparation

                                                                                                          1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees
                                                                                                          2. Season roast with salt and pepper.
                                                                                                     3. Heat oil in large oven-safe pot or Dutch oven over high heat.
                                                                                                4. Add the meat slowly and brown well on all sides, about 10 minutes total.
                                                                                                                           5. Remove and set aside on a plate.
                                                                                         6. Lower heat to medium and sauté onions, garlic, and carrots for 5 minutes.
                                                                                                                7. Add the wine slowly and let it reduce for 2-3 minutes.


                                                                                             8. Add the broth, brown sugar, thyme, 1 tsp additional salt and 1 tsp black pepper.
                                                                                                   9. Add the roast back to the pot. Cover pot and transfer to oven.
                                                                                                   10. Bake for 3 hours, turning the meat over twice during that time.
                                                                                                                           11. Cook until the meat is fork-tender.12.

Remove the meat and let sauce sit for 5 minutes, then skim off the fat. You can then thicken the sauce with Wondra flour (I didn't have any so I used corn starch and water.

There you go! I made some mashed potatoes to have with it. Yum!

Plus, Danny says you can use a hand blender to puree some of the carrots and onions if you'd like smaller chunks and it will also thicken the sauce. Enjoy!



 

Mexican shepherd's pie

Ingredients
4 cups instant Mashed Potatoes, made with the recipe on the box
1 pound of taco meat
1 can of Fiesta Corn (corn with red and green peppers) drained
1 small can of sliced olives, drained
1 can chopped tomatoes, whole can
1 cup shredded Colby jack cheese
Non-stick Spray


                                                                 Preparation
                                                                 1. Preheat Oven to 400
                                                                                                                                  2. Make potatoes according to directions on the box
                                                                                                                                   3. Reheat the taco meat in a skillet over medium heat
                                                                                                                               4. Add the corn, olives, and tomatoes and continue to stir until                                                                                                                                                warmed through
                                                                                                                                      5. Spray 11x13 casserole dish with non-stick spray
                                                                                                                                                       6. Pour meat mixture into dish
                                                                                                                                                       7. Spread potatoes over top of the meat


                                                                                                                                                          8. Sprinkle cheese over the potatoes
                                                                                                                                                           9. Bake for 20 minutes
                                                                                                                                                          10. Remove from oven and let stand 5-10 minutes

                                                                That is it! You could top it off with some crushed corn chips or sour cream. Ah heck, top it with both!

Also, my grandma always added a can of refried beans to the meat to stretch it out, so that would be delicious as well. There are a million variations you could add to this filling dish. And the best part is it only took me 15 minutes to put it together and 30 minutes to bake. And it was delish! Enjoy!!!

            Restaurant-style nachos

 

                                                                    Ingredients

                                                                1 bag of Tortilla chips
                                                                  1 lb. Ground Beef
                                                             1 packet of Taco Seasoning
                                                             1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
                                                             1 jar of Queso
                                                             1 block of Queso Fresco Cheese
                                                             1 bag of shredded cheddar cheese
                                                                                                                      1 head of lettuce, shredded
                                                                                                                       1 tomato, chopped


                                                                                                                        1 bunch of green onions, chopped

                                                                                                                                Optional:
                                                                                                                                  1 Can of chopped chilies
                                                                                                                                   1 Jar candied Jalapenos

                                                                                                                                    Preparation
                                                                                                                                           1. Preheat the oven to 500
                                                                                                                                           2. Make taco meat according to instructions
                                                                                                                                           3. Add rinsed beans to meat and heat it up
                                                                                                                                          4. Spread chips on an oven-safe pan, covered with foil


                                                                                                                                            5. Spread taco meat over the beans
                                                                                                                                            6. Pour the jar of Queso over the meat
                                                                                                                               7. Add half the Queso Fresco Cheese and half the shredded cheese.
                                                                                                                               8. Repeat steps 4-7 and put in the oven for 7-8 minutes
                                                                           9. Remove and cover with lettuce. Then spread chopped tomatoes on top with the green onions.

My store didn't have green onions this time so I subbed out with chopped chilies. I also add Candy Krisp Jalapenos to the top of mine, but my wife doesn't like it so they just go on mine. I also like to pour a little red taco sauce on top of mine too.

I know there are a MILLION ways to make nachos, this is the way my family likes. And we don't make this every week, but it's a good once-in-a-while recipe. Hope you enjoy!

                                                             Biscuits and Gravy

 

                                                                                           Ingredients
                                                                                           1 Can refrigerated biscuits
                                                                                           1 lb. breakfast sausage
                                                                                            3 Cups of Whole Milk
                                                                                             3/4 Cup of flour


                                                                                                                                                     3 shakes of seasoned salt

                                                                                                                                                                Preparation

                                                                                                                                                        1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
                                                                                                                                                       2. Put the biscuits in the oven and bake according to instructions.
3. Brown the sausage in a pot over medium-high heat. I've found a non stick pot works best. Also, if you like smaller chunks of sausage, keep breaking the sausage up in the pan as it cooks.
4. Add the flour and stir until it disappears.


5. Add seasoned salt and milk and bring to boil, stirring constantly.
6. Make sure to stir the bottom of the pan or the milk will scorch. Let it boil until it thickens and then remove it from heat.
7. Split the biscuit and cover it with the gravy. I like to add some fresh ground pepper too.

That's it. I will warn you, it's a 'napper.' Eat a big plate of it and you may be ready for nap. And...my kids love this recipe! Hopefully you will too. Good luck and good eating!

                                                               

                      Pierogi Casserole   

 

                                                                            Ingredients

                                                          6 potatoes, peeled and chunked
                                                          1 sweet onion
                                                          1 Tablespoon of butter
                                                                  Pinch of salt
                                                                       Cup Milk

                                                                        stick butter
   (NOTE;    if you're on Keto, this one is not Keto friendly)

                                                                                                                            1 teaspoon of Salt

                                                                                                                            1 pound Velveeta, cubed


                                                                                                                             1 box (12oz) bow-tie pasta
                                                                                                                             1/2 cup of Colby-Jack cheese

                                                                                                                                    Preparation
                                                                                                                                1. Boil potato chunks for 30 minutes.
                                                                                        2. While they are boiling. slice onion and sauté in tablespoon of butter over medium heat.
                                                                                         3. Cook onion for 5-8 minutes until tender. Remove from heat and set aside.
                                                                                         4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
                                                                                          5. Drain potatoes.
                                                                                          6. Add butter, Velveeta, salt. Mash it all together.


                                                                                           7. Add milk and mix until it melts in.
                                                                                           8. Cook pasta according to directions on box, minus 1 minute. Drain.
                                                                                          9. In a casserole dish (I used a 2.5 quart in the video), layer cooked pasta.
                                                                                          10. Cover with potato mixture and add some onion.
                                                                                           11. Make another layer with pasta, add rest of potatoes on top.
                                                                                           12. Add the rest of the onions to top and bake in oven for 20 minutes.
                                                                                          13. Add the Colby Jack cheese on top and put back in oven for 10 more minutes
                                                                                          14. Remove, let stand for 5 minutes and serve.

Several viewers emailed me when I published this in Pittsburgh to say they use Mini-Lasagna Noodles instead of the bow ties for the layers. They are easier, but they were not in stock in my grocery store, so I used the original bow-tie pasta

                                                                     

                     The big sandwich

                                                                    Ingredients

                                                                  1 Tube Refrigerated French Bread
                                                                  8 oz. Deli Ham (thinly sliced)
                                                                  2 C Shredded Mozzarella
                                                                  C Shredded Carrots
                                                                  C Shredded Green Pepper
                                                                   1 T Butter
                                                                    Spray butter


                                                                                                                                    Paprika
                                                                                                                                       Dill

                                                                                                                             Preparation    (Preheat Oven: 350 Degrees)
                                                      1. Saute carrots and green pepper in 1 T butter until they just get tender. In the video, this took 4 minutes.
                2. Unroll dough on whatever surface works for you. I do it on the clean kitchen counter. It may stick a little, so you'll have to be                                                                       patient later. You can also unroll it on a large cookie sheet sprayed with some PAM.
                                                                      3. Place ham across the dough to within 1/2" of edge
                                                                     4. Sprinkle evenly with the carrots and green pepper. Then sprinkle with cheese


                                        5. Roll up jelly-roll style, pinching ends, and placing seam side down on the pan (if you are not already using it.)
                  6. Coat with spray butter and sprinkle with a little Paprika. The original recipe calls for dill too. My wife is not a fan (in this                                                         recipe) but I put some on the end I'm going to eat.
7. With a sharp knife, cut 6-8 slits about an inch apart on the top of loaf
8. Bake at 350 for 26-30 minutes until golden brown
9. Let it rest for about 10 minutes, then slice and serve

I make a variation at the end of my video (in a time-lapse) that substitutes Pepperoni for the ham. Skip the veggies, spread pizza sauce on the dough first. Top with a little garlic salt and Paprika. Makes almost a Stromboli out of it. When my in-laws came to visit, we made a Pastrami and swiss, and some sauerkraut (well-drained) in the middle of the loaf for a German feel. That food'll eat too! Whatever you choose to put in the middle, I hope you like it.

Enjoy!

 Cheerwine Pork

First, the ingredients:
Boston Pork Butt
4 Cabbage Leaves
2 Cups Ketchup (or Catsup, depending on your preference)
6 Chipotle Peppers (I threw an extra one in there)
32 Ounces (4 Cups) Cheerwine (My Crock-Pot only held 3+ a little extra)

                                                                  The prep:


                                                                                                                               1. Trim the Pork Butt. I took some big chunks of fat off.
                                                                                                                                2. Put the cabbage leaves around the bottom of the Crock-Pot.
                                                                                                                                   3. Place the pork butt on top of the cabbage (fat cap side up)
                                                                                                                                    4. Add the ketchup and the chipotle peppers.
                                                                                                 5. Pour the Cheerwine on top and cook on low for 8 hours (or on high for 4-5 hours).
                   Halfway through the cooking time, flip the pork butt over. (I didn't do this step because I was at work, but it turned out fine)
          6. After the cooking time is over, remove the meat and the cabbage leaves from the slow cooker and place on a large cutting board or                   platter.


                    7. Throw away the cabbage leaves and shred the pork by using two forks, pulling the meat and the forks away from each other.
                    8. Place the shredded pork back into the slow cooker and continue to cook for an additional hour.
                     9. Put the shredded pork on a bun with some of the juice. I added some coleslaw on top too because I'm crazy like that.

    

That Strawberry Thing

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups crushed pretzels
  • 3/4 cup melted butter
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tub (9 ounce size) Cool Whip, thawed
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 8 ounces cream cheese
  • 2 packages (3 ounce size) strawberry Jello gelatin
  • 1 package (16 ounce size) frozen sweetened strawberries
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • Pam Spray
  • Directions:

    For Crust:
    1. Combine pretzels, butter and 1/4 cup sugar and mix
    2. Press into 9 x 13 baking dish (that's been sprayed with Pam, I forgot to do this and it's a chore to get it out) and bake at 350F for 10 minutes.
    3. Cool to room temperature.
    4. For Middle Layer, cream together cream cheese and sugar.
    5. Fold in Cool Whip and spread over the cooled pretzel crust.


                                      For the top layer... 
  •                        Dissolve gelatin in boiling water.
    1. Stir in frozen strawberries and chill until partially set for about 1/2 an hour
    2. Spread over white layer. Chill until set and serve.


    That is it. Now I went a little extra and turned mine into a Flag If you do that,
  •                            you need some blueberries and spray whip cream.

    You can make this low-fat with substitutes for the Cool Whip and cream cheese. And it is supposed to serve 10, but I like my portions big!

    Good luck, good eating, 

                                                                        Broccoli ramen slaw

                                                                               Here are the ingredients:


                                                                  1 (16 ounce) package broccoli coleslaw mix (in the produce section)
                                                                  2 (3 ounce) packages of ramen noodles
                                                                  1 bunch green onions, rinsed and chopped
                                                                 1/2 cup sliced almonds (I toast mine)
                                                                  1 cup sunflower seeds


                                                                                                                1/2 cup white sugar
                                                                                                                1/4 cup vegetable oil
                                                                                                                1/3 cup cider vinegar

                                                                                                               Now lets put it all together:

                                                                                                             1. In a large salad bowl, combine the sugar, oil, vinegar, and green onions.
                                                                                                             2. Whisk them all together.
                                                                                                             3. Add the almonds I toast them and sunflower seeds.
                                                                                                             4. Stir it up with a spatula.
                                                                                                              5. Add the broccoli mix.


                                                                                                              6. Break up the ramen  then add to the bowl.
                                                                                                               7. Put the lid on and give it a shake or two.
                                                                                                               8. Refrigerate until chilled and eat it up!

                                                                                                                                            That's it.

Couple of things you can do differently if you'd like. Some people like to add the ramen seasoning that comes in the packet. I do not, though. I think it makes it too salty.

Also, if you want some extra crunch, wait to add the almonds and sunflower seeds until right before you serve it.

Finally, a nice addition to this would be dried cranberries, .Enjoy!

                            5-minute pie

 

                                                                                 ingredients

                                            1 Ready-Made Graham Cracker pie crust (6 oz.) I bought the reduced-fat version.
                                            1 pkg. (4 oz.) sugar-free Strawberry flavor Jell-O
                                             1/4 cup boiling water
                                             2 containers (6 oz. each) Strawberry flavor (Light Yogurt)


                                              1 tub (8 oz.) low-fat free Cool Whip - thawed

                                                                                                                                                    Preparation:
                                                                                                                                    1. In large heat resistant bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water.
                                                                                                                                    2. Stir in Yogurt with wire whisk
                                                                                                                                    3. Fold in Cool Whip with Spatula. 


                                                                                                                 4. Spread in the crust - refrigerate for, at least, 2 hours. Overnight is better!
                                                                                                                  5. Garnish - sliced strawberry's

 

                                                                        That is it! Literally takes 5 minutes, though I guess I could call it 2 hour and 5-minute pie since you have to refrigerate. Sometimes I freeze mine, instead of the refrigerator, and it gives it a fluffy, crystallized kind of feel. You can also sub out the jello and yogurt with whatever flavor that floats your boat.

I did figure out the calorie content on it. It comes down to 197 calories a slice if you slice it 8 times. It's really good on a warm, summer evening. Enjoy!

 

        Sweet Potato Chili

                                   Ingredients

2 pounds of ground turkey, the leaner the better
4 small sweet potatoes (or 2 big ones) chopped and peeled
1 sweet onion, chopped
6 large cloves of garlic, chopped (the smaller, the better)
1 t paprika
1 t cumin
t chili powder

t ground pepper
1 t salt
2 cans Rotel tomatoes with green chilies, 10oz.
16 oz of tomato sauce
1 Cups of Water
                                                                                                                                   2 Bay Leaves

                                                                                                                               Preparation


                                                                                                                                      1. Chop all your stuff
                                                                                                                                      2. Brown your turkey
                                                                                                                 3. Add Onions and Garlic and stir in. Cook over medium heat for 4 minutes
                                                                                                                4. Add all your spices and cook over medium heat for 1 minute.
                                                   5. Add the tomatoes, sauce, water, and simmer on med low for 30-45 minutes covered. The longer the better.
                                                   6. Serve with low-fat shredded cheese and some fat-free sour cream.

                                                                                                                             That's it.

Couple of notes. You can add some cayenne pepper if you want to jump up the hot scale. Or you can buy the Rotel tomatoes that aren't mild. Though I like it, my family stays away from heat then I up my own in my bowl. And the longer the better on the simmering. I was amazed how the sweet potatoes aren't really sweet, but how they absorb the spices. So good! Good luck and good eating!!!

 Chicken in a Basket

 

                                             

                INGREDIENTS:

4 T Butter (Room Temperature)
4 T Milk
8oz. Cream Cheese (softened)
2 T diced Onion
1/2t salt
1/4t Pepper
2 T diced Pepper (Red or Green)
3 tubes Crescent Rolls
4 Cups Diced or Shredded Chicken


NOW THE STEPS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Cook the chicken (or use canned if you like) I just bought some breasts and thighs and boiled them on the stove until cooked. I let them cool, then shredded them. If you have extra chicken, you can either put it into the recipe or bag it and throw it in the fridge to put on salads later in the week.
2. Dice half an onion (I like Vidalia) and half a green or red pepper. I used red because they were out of green Pepper.
3. Add the peppers and onions to a mixer. If you don't have one, you can do it by hand; it just takes more work)
4. Add the milk. Add the cream cheese. They were out of the cream cheese blocks, so I bought the spread. It worked just fine.
5. Add the salt and pepper and mix it all up.


6. Stop the mixer and add the chicken. Mix again.
7. Open the crescent rolls. Pinch two of the triangles to make a square. Due to COVID, they were out but had crescent roll sheets, so I cut them into thirds.
8. Add 1/3 cup of mix in the middle of the dough, then pinch it all together.
9. Place on a baking tray after spraying it with non-stick spray. I was out, so I used non-stick aluminum foil.
10. Melt some butter in the microwave then brush the rolls.
11. Put the chicken baskets in the oven for 20-25 minutes and bake until golden brown.
12. Let the cool!!! The insides will be very hot and gooey, and letting it sit for 5 minutes will save your taste buds.

I like to serve with a green veggie, like broccoli or green beans.

A couple of notes about the recipe: first  I accidentally doubled my chicken. It turned out fine, but it was a little dry and not very gooey. I also added half a bag of cheddar cheese. It's not in the ingredient list, I Just Did it.

Also, you may end up with an extra amount of chicken-cheese mixture. You can put it in the fridge and spread it between two tortillas later in the week. I then heated it on a pan on the stove, like a chicken in a basket quesadilla. It was really good with a little sour cream on the side. Finally, change it up. Skip the onions or peppers or both, or change the cheddar cheese out. Or use some Lawry's Seasoned Salt instead of table salt to give it a different twang. It's also a good one to have the kids help out. And I've learned if they help make something new, sometimes they will try something new. Whatever you do, enjoy it!  

                                   

Spicy beans and rice

                                        Ingredients


1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Onion, chopped
1 Green Pepper, chopped
1 Red Pepper, chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, diced
1/2 Cup of Salsa
1 Can of diced tomato, Italian style


1 Can of Light Red Kidney Beans
1 Can of Dark Red Kidney Beans
1 Can Great Northern Beans (or other type of bean)
3/4 tsp of Cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
Minute Rice (I usually make the recipe on the box for 4 Cups)

                                          Preparation

1. Saute the onions, peppers, and garlic in Olive Oil in a pot for about 5 minutes


                                                                                                                          2. Stir in beans and juice, and salsa
                                                                                                                          3. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes stirring occasionally
                                                                                                                          4. Add spices and continue to simmer for 1-2 hours.
                                                                                                                           5. Make rice and serve the beans over rice.
                                                                                                                           6. Enjoy
A couple of notes... After step 4, you can transfer to a crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours for an easy meal later in the day. Also, if you like it more on the spicy side, you can add red pepper flakes or Cayenne Pepper when you add the spices, but my family isn't a spicy family. Also, we try to watch the salt intake so this may need some more salt, depending on your taste preferences.

It is vegan at this point, but I like to add a little cheddar cheese and/or sour cream when serving. I also like to serve this with some fresh, Italian bread. Yum.
Finally, for my meat eating friends out there, you can brown a pound of ground beef in the pan before you cook the the onions. It comes out almost like a chili, but without the chili powder. I gotta tell you, it tastes pretty good without the meat though. Good luck and good eating!

                            

         Pork chop marinade

                                   

                                            Ingredients


6 to 8 pork chops (bone-in or out, whatever you can find right now)
1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1/4 Cup Lemon Juice (or the juice of 1 large lemon)
1 Tablespoon of Salt
1 teaspoon of Paprika
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and pressed
3 bay leaves, snapped in half
1 One Gallon Ziplock Bag


Preparation
1. Squeeze the juice from one lemon. Add oils to equal 1 cup of liquid.
2. Pour in bowl along with Salt, Paprika, Garlic, and Bay Leaves.
3. Whisk.
4. Pour over pork chops in a marinating box. If you don't have one, use a 1-gallon Ziplock Bag.
5. Put in refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours, I like to put them in overnight.
                                                                                                                           6. Mix them up a few times and flip the bag while marinating.
                                                                                                                            7. Fire up the grill.
                                                                                                                            8. Cook on grill until the internal temperature is 145 degrees.


                                                                                                                             9. Let rest for 3 minutes and enjoy!

                                                                                                                             For my side dishes, I microwaved some broccoli.

                                                                                                                              If grilling scares you, try this one out and let me know how it went.

                                                                                                                              And if you're a Grill-Master, I hope this adds to your grilling arsenal!

                                                                                                                                                                      Enjoy!!!

Garden Fresh Salsa

 

Ingredients

 2 T Olive Oil
 1 t Salt
Juice of 1 lime
1 cup parsley (chopped)
1/2 - 3/4 cup green onions
1 red medium onion chopped
2 green peppers chopped


1 can corn - drained and rinsed
1 can black beans - drained and rinsed
3 tomatoes (any kind work, for me, Romas seem to hold up and not have a ton of juice)

Preparation
1. Chop the green peppers and put in a large bowl.
2. Chop the onion and add to the bowl
3. Chop the green onion and add your preference, I go with more.
4. Add the Corn and Beans


5. Chop the parsley and add to bowl. (You can use cilantro or some other fresh herb for this. Two of my family members have the gene that makes cilantro taste like soap, so I use parsley.)
6. Add the salt, olive oil, and juice of one lime. Stir and let sit, for at least an hour.
7. Chop the tomatoes. Add the tomatoes right before serving. It keeps them from making the salsa too juicy (unless you like that).
8. Stir it up and you're good to go!

     Chicken and Noodles

 

Ingredients:
8 Cups of Chicken Broth
1 Cup Heavy Cream (I don't make it all the time. You can also switch out 1/2 & 1/2)
4 T Butter
1/4 Cup Flour
1 pkg, Reames Egg Noodles, frozen
2 carrots, peeled and julienne
4 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 large onion (I like Vidalia, or a sweet onion) chopped or sliced


1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, ground
1 T dried parsley
1 teaspoon salt

Lets Make It:
1. Let Rotisserie chicken cool then pick it clean, shred chicken, and set aside.
2. Bring the Chicken broth to a boil and add the Bay Leaf.
3. Add the noodles and bring back to a boil then let it boil for 20 minutes, stirring it several times or the noodles will stick to the bottom of the pan.
4. Add the salt, parsley, pepper, thyme, carrots, onions, and celery. Bring to boil again and let it boil, over medium heat, and stir often for 10 more minutes.
5. In a separate pan, make a roux. You do this by melting the butter, adding the flour, and letting it cook and bubble over medium heat for 2 minutes.


6. Add the roux to broth and give it a good stir.
7. Add your Heavy Cream and bring to a boil again. Let it boil for 2 more minutes. (If you see the bay leaf, you can take it out and throw it away. My kids like to see who ends up with it in their bowl.)
8. Add the shredded chicken to the broth, bring it to a boil one more time, and let simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes.

Several notes:
1. Let it cool in the bowl you serve it in. It feels like it's the temperature of lava right off the stove and you WILL burn your tongue.
2. My mom always likes to serve it over mashed potatoes. It really is amazing and hey, if you're using heavy cream, why not go all the way.
3. When I have time, I like to make my own chicken broth by boiling chicken pieces in water. You do have to let it cool though and scoop the fat off the top, but it REALLY adds to the flavor.
4. If you have a pepper grinder, fresh ground pepper kicks it up a notch, plus you might like to add more for an extra kick. You do you.
5. You may find this needs salt. The reason I keep the salt content down is because of the pre-made chicken broth. Depending on which one you use, you may have some high salt levels. Plus, we try to watch our salt intake as we get older. Yay.
6. If you can find Reames noodles, feel free to swap them out with whatever you can find. Egg noodles are pretty good. Just use the thickest noodles you can find!

I hope you like this family recipe from my mom. If you choose to double it and/or you have leftovers, my kids insist the leftovers are even better the next day. Enjoy!

4 Ingredient Sloppy Joes

 

Ingredients


3 lbs. Ground Beef (or Chuck or whatever is on sale)
2 packets of Onion Soup Mix
1/2 Cup Grape Jelly
1 Cup of Ketchup

Preparation


1. Put beef in a pan and start cooking it.
2. Add the soup mix and about 2 cups of water.
3. Mix it together and put a lid on it. My grandma added water to keep the meat from burning.
4. When completely browned, drain the fat and water.
5. Add the grape jelly and mix it in until it disappears.


6. Add the Ketchup and mix it in.
7. Spoon on bun and gobble it up!

It's so easy and yummy. Three pounds feeds my family with lots of leftovers. If you choose a higher fat ground beef there won't be as much, just a heads up. Also, on this one, grandma always used three brand names, because that's what she had in the pantry. Lipton's Onion Soup MixWelch's Grape Jelly, and Heinz Ketchup. Use whatever you have. And don't be afraid to add other toppings. I like some mustard and dill pickles, though plain is pretty yummy too. You do you! I hope you like the easiest recipe I have thanks to my grandma. Next week we head to the crock pot and in two weeks, we go meatless again. Enjoy!

Slow cooker pork chops

 

Ingredients


4-6 pork chops
4-6 potatoes
1 packet of Lipton's Onion Soup mix
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 teaspoon of olive oil

Preparation


1. Peel potatoes and place in bottom of Crock-Pot.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium-high heat
3. Brown pork chops on both sides (2 minutes per side).
4. Place pork chops on top of potatoes.
5. Sprinkle onion soup mix over the chops
6. Spoon both cans of soup over the chops.
7. Put cover on and cook for 4-6 hours on high, or 8-10 hours on low.


You can do all the prep the night before and just throw it on when you leave. If you do put it in the refrigerator the night before, add an hour                                                                                                                                                                                   cook time.

                                                                                                                   Plus, you don't HAVE to brown the chops, but I think it adds a great flavor.

To keep dinner easy, I will open a can of vegetables and heat it on the stove top right before serving. The kids like corn, so I usually open green beans.

Also, if you dissolve a tablespoon of cornstarch in a little bit of warm water, then mix it with the drippings in a separate pan on the stove and heat until boiling, it will make a much thicker gravy. I just used the juices as is! Good luck and good eating!

         Zucchini bread

 

Ingredients:


DRY
3 cups flour
1 t. cinnamon ground
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. nutmeg ground

WET


2 c. sugar
2 c. shredded zucchini
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 eggs
Zest of 1 Lemon
1 c. chopped walnuts - optional

Directions:


                                                                                                  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
                                                     2. In a large bowl combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, baking soda and nutmeg. Mix and set aside.
                                                     3. In another bowl combine sugar, zucchini, oil, eggs, & lemon zest. Mix well.
                                                     4. Mix wet into dry - then add nuts & fold in if you are using.
                                                      5. Pour into 2 loaf pans, greased, and bake for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean.
                                                      6. If the toothpick comes out wet, I put it back in for 5 minute increments.

It's so good. BTW, I looked up why the sugar is always a 'wet' ingredient. It's so the sugar can dissolve into the wet ingredients and distribute more evenly in the batter. So, we both learned something this week. Hope you like this