#2,813: Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies

Breakfast is the one meal I really struggle to eat sometimes because I don't sit down and eat.  I'm always either eating on the go, or while doing something else (lately it's usually cooking!), so anything that is pre-made for me and quick is what I'll gravitate towards.  I found a recipe for healthy breakfast cookie...all you had to say way "cookie" and my ears would perk up.  Adding the word pumpkin in there makes me listen even harder.  I've got to say, these are a bit strange but I like them.  I'd like them more if they were loaded with chocolate chunks and peanut butter, but I suppose that wouldn't be the same.  I still did like these though, and they are making an easy breakfast for me!  My kids wouldn't even try them, but I really didn't expect them to.  

1/4 cup coconut oil melted

1/4 cup honey

1 cup rolled old-fashioned oats

1 cup quick cooking oats

2/3 cup dried cranberries unsweetened

2/3 cup pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup ground flaxseed

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

2 eggs beaten

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet.

In a small bowl warm coconut oil and honey (either microwave, inside preheating oven or on the stove top).

In a large bowl combine both kinds of oats, cranberries, pumpkin seeds, ground flax, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Add pumpkin puree, eggs and warmed coconut oil and honey. Stir until fully combined.

Drop about 1/8 cup sized scoops of the mixture onto a cookie sheet and flatten (cookies won't spread while baking). Bake for about 15-20 minutes until edges are lightly browned.

Let cookies cool on baking sheet before moving to an airtight storage container.

#2,812: Coffee Cake Banana Bread

Here's another banana bread recipe for you to try!  I LOVED the addition of the cinnamon sugar topping to make this like a coffee cake.  My kids loved this too and devoured a mini loaf after school.  Ok, I maybe helped them eat it, but personally I would have loved to cut off the topping and just eat that!  Maybe I should make these in muffin top pans?!!?  

3-4 medium or large bananas

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

2 Tbsp sour cream (or Greek yogurt)

Crumb Topping

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup flour

1 cup brown sugar

6 Tbsp butter, cold

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease two 8x4 pans.

In a small bowl, mash bananas, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and ground cinnamon.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

Add in eggs and beat until mixed.

To the wet ingredients, sift in flour, baking soda, and salt.

Stir until just combined. Add in sour cream and stir.

Pour in mashed bananas, and mix until combined.

Crumb Topping

Combine cinnamon, flour, and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter, and mix until the topping looks like coarse crumbs. Sprinkle coating evenly over the batter in both pans.

Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs stuck to it. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Move to a wire cooling rack.

#2,808: (GF) Sausage and Cheese Hash Brown Cups

I have enjoyed eating these super simple gluten free sausage, egg, and cheese hash brown cups, that I've literally eaten them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (meals on different days, but still all 3 meal times).  These are great to make ahead of time and freeze.  Then to reheat and have a quick meal, just pop them in the microwave for about a minute and they reheat really well.  My kids actually like these too...but the more cheese I put in it, the more they seem to like it.  LOL 

4 Cups Shredded Hash Browns, thawed

4 Tbsp. Butter, melted

1/2 tsp seasoned salt

1/2 tsp Pepper

8 Eggs
1/2 cup milk

1 ½ Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1 Cup Sausage, cooked and crumbled

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  In a large bowl combine the shredded hash browns, butter, salt and pepper.  Spray your muffin tin VERY well with cooking spray and fill the cups about 3/4 of the way full with the hash browns.  I sued my fingers to mold them to the muffin cups.  It’s okay if they stick out a bit.  Try to make the sides all the same thickness so they will cook evenly.  You’ll also want to make sure there’s plenty of hash browns at the bottom of the muffin cups.

Bake 20-25 minutes, or until they are starting to brown. Let cool slightly.

Reduce oven to 350 degrees.  Take half of the shredded cheese and sprikle it in the bottom of the hash brown cups.  Repeat with half of the sausage crumble.  Whisk the eggs together and fill the cups until almost full.  Top with the second half of the cheese and sausage.

Bake until the eggs are set which takes about 20 – 25 minutes.  

#2,805: Thai Baked Chicken

I personally was so scared of this recipe because I don't love chicken if it's not grilled, or battered and fried.  I am really not a fan of baked chicken, but this recipe got such good reviews I wanted to give it a try.  Even as I was making it, I was thinking I wasn't going to like it because the chicken was too.........chicken-y.  (go ahead....give an eye roll!)  But I was pleasantly surprised that this chicken was so moist and tender.  Although I ate a little bit of it as seen above, I really enjoyed this in a quesadilla instead!  My kids loved this chicken and we even ate it two nights in a row (one as the chicken with a side dish and once as a chicken quesadilla).  I think this would also be good as a chopped up chicken filling for tacos or enchiladas. 

6-8 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves or 12 boneless chicken thighs

1 tbsp oil (for skillet)

Marinade

1-1/2 cups chopped fresh cilantro

3/4 cup canned coconut milk

12 leaves fresh basil

1 large or 2 small jalapeños, seeds removed

3 cloves garlic

1/4 inch slice of fresh ginger

1-1/2 tsp salt

1-1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

3/4 tsp ground coriander

2 tsp packed brown sugar, or coconut palm sugar

2 limes cut into wedges, for garnish

Add marinade ingredients to food processor and purée until smooth.

Arrange chicken parts in a single layer in a large freezer bag. Pour marinade over chicken, seal tightly or vacuum seal and massage the marinade into the chicken a bit. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours, or simply lay it flat in the freezer and freeze for another day.

When ready to cook, thaw completely. The safest way to thaw is in the refrigerator overnight.

To bake: Preheat oven to 375F. Heat a large oven-proof skillet over medium to high heat. Add oil and wait until it ripples or shimmers. Add chicken pieces and sear on each side for 3-4 minutes, then place skillet in oven for 15 - 20 minutes or until it has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Cover with foil and let stand on a platter for 5-10 minutes before serving.

If you want to grill it instead: Place chicken on medium-hot well-oiled grill. Turn when chicken has grill marks (approx. 5-6 min). Cook until internal temperature is 165 degrees at the thickest part (about 7-8 minutes).

Sprinkle with more chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

#2,032: Easy Egg and Sausage Breakfast Taquitos

My family loves breakfast sausage sandwiches (on English muffins) but they do not like eggs.  So I figured I'd give this recipe a try to sneak a bit of scrambled eggs past them.  I was super surprised that two of them actually ate (and enjoyed these!).  Middle child #2, ate it, but claims she didn't enjoy it.  I personally enjoyed this as well.  It certainly isn't my favorite way to eat sausage, eggs, and cheese (I'll take a toasted bagel or English muffin any day!), but it was a nice change for me.  

7 oz box sausage links

5 large eggs (I used 3)

salt and pepper, to taste

1 1/2  cups shredded cheese , cheddar, pepper jack or Monterrey jack

1 cup baby spinach , chopped (optional) (I omitted)

10  white corn tortillas , or use 6'' flour tortillas (I used super soft flour tortillas)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Add the frozen sausage links to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, turning occasionally, until warmed through.  Remove to a plate, leaving a little bit of the sausage grease in the pan.

Crack eggs into a bowl and add a splash of water or milk. Whisk well with a fork and then add to the pan.  Season with salt and pepper. Cook for a few minutes, tossing and scrambling as they cook. (If using spinach, add it to the pan about 2 minutes before the eggs are done cooking.) Remove from heat.

(I didn't need to do this) Warm the tortillas inside of a damp paper towel for 10-15 seconds in the microwave.

Divide the scrambled eggs among the tortillas and top with shredded cheese.  Place a sausage link on top. Roll up and place, seam side down, on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper.

Spray lightly with cooking spray and bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with salsa for dipping, if desired.

To Freeze: Prepare and bake the taquitos as directed. Allow to cool completely and then place in a freezer Ziploc bag. When ready to eat, microwave them until warm.

#1,850: Crackle Cookies

Here's what I love about this recipe....you can make it ahead of time and freeze (yes with the powedered sugar already on it) and it doesn't make a gigantic amount of cookies.

Here's what I hate about this recipe...it only makes 15 cookies!  Pay attention to that when you are making this recipe!  I did not pay attention to this in the original recipe and was shocked that I got so few cookies out of this.  Had I known, I would have doubled the batch (at least).  However, this probably played into my favor because I did not have any leftover batter to eat from the bowl, or to sneak a cookie off the tray here or there.

As soon as these cooled, I put them on a serving tray, wrapped them in plastic wrap AND foil, and stuck them in the freezer until Christmas Eve.  

These have the perfect chocolate flavor and a nice chewy consistency.  I am a huge fan!!  And it doesn't get powdered sugar all over the place when you eat it like some cookies do.  I will definitely be making these again!

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

Confectioners' sugar

In a bowl, beat sugar, oil, chocolate and vanilla until blended. Beat in egg. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into sugar mixture. Refrigerate, covered, 2 hours or until firm enough to handle.

Preheat oven to 350°. With sugared hands (mine were not sugared and they turned out just fine), shape dough into 1-in. balls; roll in confectioners' sugar. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. 

Bake 10-12 minutes or until set. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. 

Yield: about 1-1/2 dozen.

#1,624: Five Minute Granola Bars

Don't make these....I'm warning you if you make these you just might try to eat the whole pan.  These are fantastic!!  I let the kids each have one for lunch and only 2 of them enjoyed it, but I think these are really, really good.  I packed these up in freezer bags and will let Allison take these in her lunch instead of a sandwich.  This is a great recipe to make ahead of time and freeze.  

2 cups quick or rolled oats
1 1/4 cup peanut butter or sunbutter (I used a whole jar of sunbutter)
1/2 cup pepitas or sunflower seeds (I omitted)
1/3 cup maple syrup or honey
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt

In a food processor, combine the oats, peanut butter, pepitas, salt and maple syrup (or honey). Then add in the chips and pulse a few times to get them evenly mixed in.

Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper. Leave enough paper to come out the sides.

Press the mixture down well into the 8x8 pan. You really want to pack it so the bars hold together.

Place the pan in the fridge to set. Should take 30 minutes.

Once set, pull the whole thing out of the pan by the extra ends of parchment paper. Use a pizza cutter to cut them into bars or squares. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. They should last a couple weeks. 

#1,276: Pizza Burger

My family absolutely loved these pizza burgers.  They were so simple to make and really require very minimal ingredients, and most you probably already have on hand.  I ended up eating mine on top of shredded kale and cabbage and more like a salad.  I think we will be eating these again very soon!  

1 lb. lean ground turkey or ground beef

1 sweet onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher or sea salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
6 Whole Wheat Buns

Cook ground turkey, onion and garlic in a large skillet, breaking up meat with a fork up as it cooks.

Drain ground turkey thoroughly and add remaining ingredients, mix well. Bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.

Serve on toasted 100% whole wheat buns or small rolls.

Update 01/18: I made these again, and this time we toasted our rolls and added some mozzarella to it prior to toasting (so it got all melty).  I liked this version even more (tastes more like "pizza" that way too. 

#1,206: Crockpot Meatballs Recipe #2

After last week's crockpot meatballs which we ate as meatball subs, the family enjoyed it so much I decided to make them again.  Of course that gave me another opportunity to try it with a different meatball recipe this time.  (I'm sure my mom and aunt want to kill me for making anything other than our family meatballs!)  These were really good too.  This time we ate them for two meals: once w/spaghetti and meatballs and then leftovers with meatball subs.

I found this recipe somewhere on pinterest and it doesn't link back to an actual website, so I'm not sure who to give credit to.  Here's the recipe though:

1 lb ground beef (I used ground turkey)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 c grated parmesan
1 c panko or breadcrumbs
1/2 onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp oregano
1/4 c fresh basil (I used about 1 tbsp. dried)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

I mixed everything together and formed it into golfball size meatballs.  I placed it on wax paper lined cookie sheet and froze them.  Then, when ready to cook, I put the frozen meatballs into some homemade spaghetti sauce and cooked them in the crockpot for about 5 hours on low. 

#1,201: Lawnmower Taco

I have no idea how or why this recipe is called Lawnmower Tacos.  I think Taco Casserole would be more appropriate, but I will admit, I did look at the recipe solely based on the name.  :)  I was looking for an easy, ground beef recipe that my kids might enjoy when I stumbled upon this recipe.  It was definitely easy to make. Easy and delicious.  This got big thumbs up from everyone in my crew.  Nothing super special, but still quite yummy!!  Tomorrow is leftover night for dinner....I think we will all be fighting for this one!  (Except for me who will be eating corn beef and cabbage!)

1 pound ground beef or turkey
1-2 Tablespoons Taco Seasoning Mix
1/4 cup flour
2 cups chicken or beef broth
9 ounces tortilla chips, crushed
2 cup grated cheese
For day of serving: shredded lettuce, salsa, sour cream, black olives

In large skillet, brown ground beef. Stir in taco seasoning. Sprinkle flour over top. Stir to combine. Stir in broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer until sauce thickens. Grease 9×13 inch baking pan. Place 1/2 of crushed chips across bottom of dish. Layer with half the meat sauce and then half the cheese. Repeat layers: chips, meat, cheese. If cooking right away, place in 325° oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until bubbly.

If making as a freezer meal, do not bake. Instead, cover with foil, label, cool, and freeze. On serving day, thaw casserole and follow baking directions, adding up to 10 to 15 minutes baking time, depending on how cold or frozen the casserole is at the start.

Serve with desired toppings.

#1,200: Crockpot Meatballs (for Subs)

I totally bypassed the pre-cooking method of this recipe and threw my meatballs into the crockpot uncooked and frozen.  No need to dirty extra dishes and pans if it can cook all day in the crockpot.  Big shout out to my hubby who helped make these and to get me out of the kitchen quicker on a Sunday night.  Honestly, I don't know if I will ever make meatballs in the oven again.  Okay, I probably will because I like the semi-crunchy texture baking meatballs gives them.  But this was THE EASIEST recipe and I have 1 less pan I have to clean (because I use crockpot liners!). And Allison requested this meal again on our dinner menu for next week. 

1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons finely chopped onions or 1/4-1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 egg
1 tablespoon parmesan cheese, grated
1 (32 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce
6 -8 hot dog buns
mozzarella cheese (sliced or shredded)

Place first seven ingredients in large bowl. Mix thoroughly with your hands just until combined. Shape into approximately 30 1-inch balls.

Here's what I did next: Place on a wax paper lined cookie sheet and freeze.  When ready to cook place FROZEN meatballs into the crockpot along with the spaghetti sauce.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours (mine cooked for 9+ hours).  Place meatballs and sauce in sub rolls, top with mozzarella and bake for about 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bread is toasted.

If you are looking to make these right away, or want the original recipe directions they are as follows: 

Bake in an ungreased oblong pan (13x9x2) in a 400°F oven until light brown, 20-25 minutes. OR: microwave meatballs in an ungreased baking dish, 6 minutes on High, turning once. OR: cook over medium heat in frying pan, turning occasionally, until brown, about 20 minutes.
Place cooked meatballs and spaghetti sauce in crock pot. Cook on low for about 2 hours. If you cook longer, stir every hour or so.  Place meatballs and sauce in hot dog buns or sub rolls and top with mozzarella cheese.

#1,015: Barbeque Grilled Pork Chops

Holy cow were these Barbeque Grilled Pork Chops delicious!  Fantastic.  We all loved these.  I wasn't sure my family would love the flavor of these, but no one complained and there wasn't a pork chop left over!  Definitely adding to our family favorite category.  Since you only use half a can of tomato paste for this recipe, I immediately made another batch of the marinade and froze this for a future meal.  Win-win.

4 Bone-in Pork Chops, about 1-inch thick (I used thin cut boneless)
3 oz Tomato Paste
2 T Lime Juice
3 T Apple Cider Vinegar
1 t Salt
1 t Black Pepper
1/2 t Ground Mustard
1 t Cumin
1 t Chili Powder
1/2 c Olive Oil

Whisk together all ingredients for the marinade.  Lay out the pork chops in a dish and pat dry, then spread the marinade over them, covering both sides.  Cover in plastic wrap and marinate for either 30 minutes at room temperature or for at least 2 hours in the fridge.

Grill for about 3-4 minutes on each side until nicely browned and a little crispy around the edges.

#951: Breakfast Sandwiches for the Week

If the title of this post/recipe doesn't get your attention then you must not be a breakfast lover.  I love breakfast sandwiches, but I don't always take time to eat or make breakfast for myself.  However, if I had breakfast sandwiches in my house every day, I can guarantee I would be grabbing one as I walk out the door every morning.  Personally I prefer my breakfast sandwiches with sausage patties, but I love turkey bacon too, so I figured I'd give this recipe a try as is. 

These are fabulous fresh (not reheated).  I wasn't sure I was going to love them but the egg patties were wonderful, especially the peppers.  Reheated these are a little chewy.  Still good, but not fabulous.  I think when I make these again I'm going to freeze bacon cooked and cut in half and keep the eggs frozen too.  Then I'll just pop those in the microwave, toast up some English muffins and it will be ready to go.  Just as easy, but tastes even better.

1/2 lb turkey bacon, cooked
6 whole wheat English muffins
6 American cheese slices
Eggs (5 egg whites and 1 egg) (I used 1 cup of egg substitute)
½ c red bell pepper, diced (I used onion, broccoli and peppers)

Preheat Oven to 350.  Combine eggs and veggies.  Grease a muffin pan (6 count).  Add 1/6 of the egg mixture into each muffin cup.  Bake in the oven for about 20 minute or until eggs are cooked through and set. 

Top one side of each  muffin with a slice of cheese. Place bacon on top of cheese and egg muffin on the other half. 

Preheat your indoor grill to 425 degrees. You do not have to use a grill. You could toast the English muffins in your toaster or toast them in your oven. Depending on how big your grill is, place your muffins on and close it as far as you can. Cook until both sides are golden. (5-6 minutes)

Wrap the sandwiches in wax paper and store in the freezer.  To reheat, microwave for 2-3 minutes.

#868: Slow Cooker Chicken Marsala

Don't judge this recipe by its photo.  No, it does not look pretty.  And no, this photo does not do the recipe justice.  It's much better than it looks.  Personally I enjoyed my chicken cut up into little pieces and mixed into the rice with some mixed vegetables added to it.  The sauce was really good too, and even the girls enjoyed it.  I would make this again for our family. 

Unfortunately though, my husband claims to be allergic to mushrooms so I had to leave them out...even though I know mushrooms are 1 of the 2 ingredients that make a recipe "Marsala" AND it would have made it taste so much better.  Okay I also substituted chicken broth for the Marsala wine.  Basically I made chicken and rice.  :)

I made this recipe on my freezer cooking day, placed it all in a Ziploc bag and froze.  Then I put the entire thing FROZEN in the crock pot and cooked it on low for about 10 hours. 

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tablespoon vegetable oil (I omitted)

8 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 jars (6 oz each) Green Giant® sliced mushrooms, drained (I omitted)

1 cup sweet Marsala wine or Progresso® chicken broth (I used chicken broth since I had it on hand)

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup cornstarch

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (not in photo)

 

Spray 4- to 5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In cooker, place garlic and oil. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper; place in cooker over garlic. Place mushrooms over chicken; pour wine over all.

Cover; cook on Low heat setting 5 to 6 hours.

Remove chicken from cooker; place on plate and cover to keep warm. In small bowl, mix water and cornstarch until smooth; stir into liquid in cooker. Increase heat setting to High; cover and cook about 10 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened.

Return chicken to cooker. Cover; cook on High heat setting 5 minutes longer or until chicken is hot.  To serve, spoon mushroom mixture over chicken breasts; sprinkle with parsley.

#839: Marinated Grilled Pork Chops

I'm having a hate-hate relationship with my grill.  I planned all of these wonderful, easy dinners that can be made ahead of time and then grilled (yes even in January and February in the mid-west), however my grill (which is less than a year old) has decided not to work if it's too cold out.  We are hoping something is frozen and will work once it thaws but I'm really getting tired of using my George Foreman grill...it is NOT the same. 

If you are a regular follower of this blog you will already know I am not a fan or pork chops unless it's grilled or the pork is made in the crockpot.  So when we went to put this on the non-working grill and had to cook this inside I was extremely disappointed.  Brian enjoyed this dinner but the girls and I did not.  Not that it was bad, it just lacked the grilled/charred flavor that would have made this 1000 times better. 

This was also a recipe I put together on my freezer cooking day.  It was so simple to bag up and freeze.  I look forward to trying this again once my grill thaws!! 

PS...this is a picture of Brian's plate.  I ate mine with a spinach salad not french fries.  Not that anyone cares. :)

4 to 6 pork chops on the bone

1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1 tablespoon brown mustard or gourmet mustard blend

2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed

1 clove garlic finely minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

 

Put pork chops in a large food storage bag. Combine the remaining ingredients and pour over the chops. Seal the bag and turn to coat the pork chops. Refrigerate for 3 to 6 hours, turning occasionally.

Grill the chops over high heat for 5 to 7 minutes on each side, or until the chops register about 160° on an instant read thermometer.

#838: Whole Chicken in a Slow Cooker

This was a recipe I put together on a freezer cooking day.  Then I had Brian help me get it into a large Ziploc bag and froze until we were ready to eat it.  I put it in the crockpot still frozen and let it cook all day while we were at work.  When we came home the house smelled wonderfully and the chicken was falling off the bones.  Not only did we enjoy this moist chicken, but we saved the leftovers for another meal later in the week.

By the way, sorry for the bad photo...I always forget to have Brian take a picture of the intact chicken!

Rub Ingredients
4 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper

3 1/2 to 4 1/2 lbs roasting or fryer chicken
1 cup chopped onion, approx 1 medium to large onion
4-5 carrots, scrubbed, no need to peel, chopped in halves or thirds
4 celery stalks, cut in thirds
2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 lemon quartered
 

Combine rub ingredients in a small bowl.  Remove chicken from packaging and remove neck and pouch with organs. Discard or reserve for later use in another recipe. Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels.  (We actually removed a lot of the skin since we don't eat it and it would still give the chicken more flavor).

Rub garlic all over outside of the chicken. Put garlic inside the chicken. Rub the rub all over the outside and inside the chicken. Add quartered lemon to the inside of the chicken.

Place onions, carrots and celery inside the slow cooker. Place chicken on top of the vegetables. Cover slow cooker and cook chicken on low for 4-8 hours. Cook until the internal temperature of the leg is at 160 degrees F or use a pop-up thermometer as the original recipe calls for.

I didn't do this step: Remove chicken and place in a 9x13 glass baking dish. Place baking dish in the oven under the broiler for about 4-5 minutes. Allow chicken to rest after removing it from the broiler for 5-10 minutes.

#837: Crockpot Mexican Fajita Steak

This was a very simple recipe to throw together in the crockpot that uses minimal ingredients and hardly any effort. 

I wasn't sure my family was going to like this, but everyone really did.  I would make this again, not on a regular basis by any means, but I would make it again.  The picture above is the filling that we made.  I figured it would be a better picture so you can see the meat rather than seeing it all wrapped up in a tortilla or on a bed or rice.

2 lbs. Inexpensive thin cuts of steak. We used the steak already cut into strips in the meat department.
1 Packet of Fajita seasoning (I used half of a packet)
1 Cup Red, Yellow and Orange peppers
1 Onion chopped into large pieces
1 Jar of Chunky Salsa
Serve with cooked rice or wrapped in a tortilla

Place the fajita seasoning into a gallon freezer bag with the jar of chunky salsa and squish around until mixed well.

Place the remaining ingredients into the freezer bag. Freeze and remove the night before serving to thaw in the fridge. Cook in crockpot on high for 4 hours and serve over rice.

#836: Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken

This is a meal that was delicious when we were eating it, but I ended up getting a mild form of the flu that night, so we will probably never eat this again.  :(  (Sorry TMI.) 

This was a great meal to let cook in the crockpot all day though and was ready to eat when we got home.  All I needed to do was to heat up some rice and mix it together.  Personally it had a lot of teriyaki sauce and I ended up adding some water to it to help dilute the salt/flavor of it.  Next time I would suggest adding 3/4 c + 1/4 c water. 

It was actually really, really good.  We all enjoyed it...at the time.

Medium bag of baby carrots
1 red onion cut into chunks
2 large cans of pineapple (undrained)
4 cloves garlic
4 chicken breasts
1 c teriyaki sauce

Combine all ingredients in a crockpot and cook on low for 6-7 hours.  Serve over hot rice.

#824: Mini Skillet Meatloaves

Once I started making meatloaves in the crockpot, I rarely make them any other way now (unless I'm making super easy meatloaf muffins!).  So when I came across this recipe, I had to seriously debate if I wanted to stand over the stove cooking these or not.  But since we are now into the 800's for number of new recipes tried (shameless pat on the back for myself), I figured we should give this one a go. 

This was definitely easy to make.  I got 6 (unevenly sized) mini meatloaves from this recipe.  All 5 of us enjoyed this, although it wasn't my favorite meatloaf I've ever eaten.  It was still good though.  I liked that it cooked a lot faster than a typical meatloaf in the oven.  It was done in about 25 minutes...a lot more do-able when coming home from work and not having to wait an hour or more for dinner to be done (like regular meatloaf does). 

Would I make this again, yes.  Would I make this again on a regular basis, probably not.
 

1/3 cup breadcrumbs

1/3 cup milk

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 large egg

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 small onion, finely minced

1 teaspoon chili powder

2 cloves garlic, grated or finely minced

1 1/2 pounds meatloaf mix (ground beef, pork and/or veal) (I used ground turkey)

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 cup ketchup

1 to 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

 

Mix the breadcrumbs, milk, parsley, egg, Worcestershire sauce, onion, chili powder and garlic in a large bowl. Add the meat, season with salt and pepper and mix with your hands until combined. Shape into six 3-to-4-inch oval loaves.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add the loaves and brown about 3 minutes per side.

Whisk the ketchup, sugar and vinegar in a bowl and brush a few tablespoonfuls over the meat. Add 1/2 cup water to the skillet, cover and simmer over low heat until cooked through, about 15 minutes.
Transfer the loaves to a plate. Add the remaining ketchup mixture to the skillet and cook over high heat, stirring, until thick, 3 to 5 minutes.

#793: Clean Eating Baked Italian Ziti

If you watch my freezer cooking calendar, we weren't supposed to eat this meal until February.  Such a great thing to do freezer cooking.  Our meals are done for about 6 weeks!  Anyhow, even though I know this would be FINE in our freezer, I don't have a very good lid/top to the container it was in.  So I swapped some meals and decided to make it sooner instead. 

First of all, this needs WAY more sauce added to the top.  Ours was so dry we had to top it with pizza sauce since I was out of spaghetti sauce and didn't feel like rushing to make it at the last minute.  For us this was also enough for 2 dinners.  It makes a lot!

We liked this, it was good, and I'd definitely make it again.  However, after the 2nd meal no one would have wanted to eat it for leftovers again.  2 days in a row was more than enough for us. 

1 lb whole wheat penne pasta, cooked (I used regular penne)
1 1/2 lbs lean, ground turkey (I used 1 lb)
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tablespoons dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tbsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. onion powder
1 tsp. honey
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce, no sodium is best
1 cup Parmesan cheese

While the pasta cooks, in a large skillet, cook the turkey meat in the olive oil.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the basil, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, honey, vinegar, water and tomato sauce.  Add the cooked pasta and the cooked meat to the tomato sauce and mix well.  Transfer to a baking dish and top with Parmesan cheese.  Bake at 350 F. for about 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

I made this on my freezer cooking day and undercooked the noodles by about 2-3 minutes.  I put it all together and froze.  Then I took it out of the freezer 2 days before we planned to eat it so it would be completely defrosted.  Baked as directed.

My version was 8 servings at 7 ww+ pts each.