Hearty Chili

Makes 8 servings

• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 14 oz cans kidney beans, undrained
• 14 oz can pinto beans
• 14 oz can diced tomatoes
• 2 14 oz cans tomato sauce
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 Tbsp. chili powder, or to taste

1. Brown onion, celery and beef in skillet. Pour into slow cooker.
2. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well.
3. Cover. Cook on low 8 hours.

recipe via Fix-It and Forget-It Recipes for Entertaining --Phyllis Pellman Good & Dawn J. Ranck

Grandma's Casserole

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 can chicken noodle soup
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 can of corn, not drained
• 1/2 cup rice, white long grain
• 1 tbs. soy sauce
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Brown ground beef and onion in skillet
2. Combine all ingredience except rice.
3. Add rice and put all in casserole dish.
4. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Crockpot BBQ Chicken

Ingredients:

• 3 to 4 pounds chicken pieces
• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 bottle barbecue sauce

Preparation:

Put chicken in bottom of slow cooker or crockpot and add onions and barbecue sauce. Cook on LOW for about 6 to 8 hours, or until chicken is tender but not falling apart.
Serves 4 to 6.



Recipe via here

Beef Pot Pie

• Basic Pie Dough
• 3lbs beef tips or steak, cubed
• 3-4 medium potatoes, cubed small
• 3-4 stalks of celery, chopped
• 1/2 bag frozen veggitables
• Gravy
• 2 been bullion cubes
• 3 Tbsp. cornstarch

Make Basic Pie Dough, split in half and store in fridge.

1. Put beef tips in crockpot and add just enough water to cover. Cook on low setting for 6 hours.
2. Remove beef from crockpot and put in skillet. Brown beef.
3. Add potatoes, celery and vegetables to broth left in crockpot. Add 2 additional cups of water and bullion cubes. Cook on high setting for 1 hour.
3. Grease pie dish and line with half basic pie dough. Return to fridge.
4. When vegetables are done cooking, combine with beef and pour entire mixture into waiting pie dish.
5. Pour leftover beef broth into skillet and add cornstarch, one Tbsp at a time, stirring constantly, until gravy thickens. Pour gravy on mixture in pie dish. Preheat oven to 450.
6. Cover pie with remaining pie dough and cut slits in top. Form crust with fingers by pinching dough together.
7. Set pie dish on cookie sheet and place on lowest rack of oven for 20 minutes. Decrease oven temperature to 375 and bake another 30 minutes or until crust is golden and juices are bubbling.
8. Let cool before eating.

Crockpot Pineapple Chicken

• 3-4 boneless skinless Chicken Breasts (about 2 lbs)
• 1 can pineapple in juice (tidbits, rings, chucks…it doesn’t matter)
• 1 medium onion
• 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
• 1/2 cup chicken broth

Cut up onion and place it in the bottom of the crockpot.

Place chicken on top of the onions.

Then dump the pineapple (juice and all) on top of the chicken.

Then add the soy sauce and the chicken broth.

Put the lid on and cook on High for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.

There will be plenty of sauce in the crockpot to serve with the chicken!

Recipe via afewshortcuts.com

Pomegranate Citrus Pork Chops

• 4 pork loin chops (bone in or out)
• 1 cup orange juice
• 2 cups pomegranate juice
• 1 tbsp Ginger
• 1 tbsp Garlic salt
• 1 tbsp Onion powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 TBSP corn starch
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 cup pomegranate arils (Seeds)

These are super easy! Not to mention delicious!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix spices in a small bowl (ginger, garlic salt, onion powder and paprika.)
Rub spices into both sides of the pork chops.

I just sprinkled the spices directly onto the pork chops.

Place about 1 TBSP olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat.

Sear both sides of the pork chops, (About 2 minutes per side), And place in a large baking dish.

Already smelling good!

In the large skillet add 1 cup pomegranate juice and 1 cup orange juice. Heat on medium stirring up the cooked on bits of pork.

After cooking for 1 minute, remove 1 cup of the sauce and pour over pork chops.

Bake pork chops for about 20 minutes or until done depending on the thickness of the chops.

While pork chops are baking continue to cook sauce in skillet adding the remaining 1 cup pomegranate juice, and ¼ cup pomegranate arils. Stir in the corn starch to thicken the sauce. Once sauce is thick, keep on low heat until pork chops are finished.

Recipe via afewshortcuts.com

Crockpot Tip Roast

• 3-4 lb Sirloin Tip Roast
• 1 Onion Soup Mix Pouch
• 8 oz Mushrooms (canned or fresh)
• 1 cup beef broth or water with 1 tsp of beef bouillon
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tbsp corn starch
  
  

Take Roast and rub in onion soup mix.

Place Roast in Crock Pot.

Pour in Beef Broth or water with bouillon. Then add mushrooms and garlic.

Cover and let cook on High for 4-5 hours or low for 7-8 hours.

You don’t want the roast to fall apart…just be tender.

Pull roast from crock-pot and place on cutting board.

Add 1 tbsp cornstarch or flour to drippings. Wisk in and turn crock-pot up to high. You could also transfer the drippings to a small sauce pot and make the gravy on the stove.

Either way it is delicious!

Serves 6-8 easily!

Recipe via afewshortcuts.com

Crockpot Cranberry Chicken

• 1 Whole Chicken or 4 Chicken Breasts
• 1 Can Cranberry Sauce (whole or Jellied)
• ½ cup orange Juice
• ¼ cup Brown Sugar
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp salt
• 1TBSP Corn Starch or other thickening agent

In a small bowl mix brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.

Rub the mix onto a whole chicken. Make sure you rub it under the skin as well.

Pour ½ cup Orange Juice into Crock pot.

Place Sugar rubbed chicken in the crock-pot with the juice.

Spoon Cranberry sauce over chicken. Cover and cook 5 Hours on High or 8 Hours on Low.

After the Chicken is finished remove it from the Crockpot and let it rest at least 10 minutes before slicing.

Why is it Crockpot Meals are never that Pretty?!

While resting whisk in 1 Tbsp of Corn Starch into the drippins in the crockpot. Crank the crock pot on high until thickened. Makes some awesome gravy to serve the Chicken with!

Recipe via afewshortcuts.com

Caramel Apple Pork Chops

• 4-6 Boneless Pork Chops
• 1 tsp oil
• Salt and Pepper
• ¼ cup Brown Sugar
• ¼ tsp Cinnamon
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• ¼ cup butter or margarine
• 2 Cups Sliced and peeled tart apples like Granny Smith
• 3 Tbsp Chopped Pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large skillet heat oil over medium heat. Sprinkle pork chop with salt and pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes on each side just to brown the pork chop.

Place pork chops in a large baking dish.

In the same skillet add butter, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir until combined.

Add apples to the skillet and cook until softened about 10 minutes.

Dump apple mixture over pork chops and place in oven for 30 minutes or until internal temp of pork is 160 degrees.

You may wish to add more sauce. If so, you can make it with more brown sugar and butter in the skillet.

Serve with sauce and top with chopped pecans if desired.


Recipe via afewshortcuts.com

Mini Meatloaves

• 2 lbs Ground Beef (or half ground beef half ground sausage)
• 1 ½ cup Bread Crumbs
  
• 1 egg
• ¾ cup ketchup
• ¾-1 cup chopped onion
• ½ cup chopped Bell Pepper (optional)
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• Ketchup to top

This couldn’t be easier!

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees

In a large bowl mix all of the above ingredients. You will need to use your hands to make sure it is mixed well!

Shape Meat mixture into small loaves. Place on a Broiler Pan. Drizzle each with Ketchup.

Bake for 30 minutes!

Makes 8 mini meatloaves!


Recipe via afewshortcuts.com

Spanish Rice Dinner

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 green pepper, chopped
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 cup uncooked rice
• 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomato
• 3/4 cup hot water
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• pinch of oregano

DIRECTIONS

1. In a skillet, brown beef, onion, green pepper, garlic.
2. Add rice, Water, Tomatoes, and spices; Mix well!
3. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 20 to 25 minutes or until the rice is tender.
4. Dinner is served!

Recipe via afewshortcuts.com

Rubbed Down, Slow Cooker Chicken

• Whole Chicken
• 1 Tbsp Seasoned Salt
• 1/2 tsp Pepper
• 1 tsp Chili Powder
• 1 tsp Onion Powder
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp sugar
• Whatever floats you boat!

This could NOT be more simple!

Take chicken and remove gizzards, or whatever awful stuff they put inside.

In a bowl mix all of the above spices. If you see something you don’t like, leave it out. Don’t see something you want? Add it!

I came up with this blend myself, and it was the best roast chicken I think I have ever had in the crockpot!

Rub the spices all over the chicken. I lift the skin and rub it underneath on the breast too! It really absorbs the flavor better!

Now place in crockpot, cover and let cook on high for 4-5 hours, or on low for 8. Remember that you want the meat thermometer to read 170 degrees. That way you know your bird is cooked!

Recipe via afewshortcuts.com

Short Cut Shepherd's Pie

This will make enough for 2 pies! If you only want one…half it!

• 3 lbs Ground Beef
• 2 Cups Chopped Onion
• 8 oz package fresh mushrooms sliced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 2 cups frozen peas
• 8 TBSP Beef Bouillon Granules
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 TBSP flour
• 2 (14 1/2 oz.) Cans stewed tomatoes
• Enough Mashed Potatoes to top 2 pies = a lot of potatoes!
• Shredded Cheese to top (optional)

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1. Here we go. Brown Beef in a LARGE skillet over medium-high heat. Until meat crumbles.
2. Remove Ground Beef from pan using a slotted spoon; reserve;2-3 TBSP dripping in skillet. Reduce Heat to Medium.
3. Saute onion, mushrooms, and garlic in hot drippings over medium heat 10 to 11 minutes or until tender.
4. Stir in Ground beef, peas, beef bullion, salt, and pepper. (If you prefer a different veggie you could substitute corn or carrots. Whatever your heart desires!)
5. Sprinkle flour over meat mixture. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute.
6. Stir in tomatoes breaking up large pieces with a spoon.
7. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring often, 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. It will create it’s own sauce!
8. Transfer half of the mix to a lightly greased 3 qt baking dish or pan. Transfer the other half to another baking dish or to a aluminum pan from the dollar store. (These are perfect for freezer meals…Just bake and toss!)
9. Spoon Mashed Potatoes evenly over each meat mixture. Smoothing with back of spoon. Sprinkle with cheese if you desire!

Now….for the one for today….Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

For the one for later. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Allow to cool! Freeze up to 1 month. Thaw in fridge 24 hours. Bake at 400° for 40 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Leave the aluminum foil cover on for the first 15 minutes of baking. Then remove to allow potatoes to brown.

Each Pie Serves 6


Recipe via afewshortcuts.com

Slow Cooker Pizza Pork Chops

———————

6			Pork loin chops, 1 inch thick (about 2 1/4 lb)
1/2			teaspoon salt
1/4			teaspoon pepper
1			tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1			medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup) Tablespoon minced Garlic
2			cups tomato pasta sauce
4			cups cooked orzo or other pasta
1			cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 oz)

———————————————-

Place oil in Large skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle Pork chops with salt and pepper and cook for about 4 minutes on each side.

Place pork in 3 1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker. Sprinkle onion and garlic over pork. Add pasta sauce.

Cover; cook on Low heat setting 4 to 6 hours.
Place orzo or pasta on platter. Top with pork and sauce. Sprinkle with cheese

Recipe via afewshortcuts.com

Chicken Parmesan

Makes 4 Servings

———————–

• 1 lb Chicken Breasts

• 1 Jar Pasta Sauce
• 1 Cup shredded Mozzarella
  
• Bread Crumbs
  
• Oil for frying
• Egg
• Milk
• Pasta

——————————————–

OK, First things first. Has it been a long day? Did someone make you mad?
Are you frustrated in general?

Good!

Take it out on the chicken!

Place the Chicken Breast in a gallon Ziploc and beat it until it is between ¼ an ½ inch thick.Nothing wrong with the pic or the chicken. It is in a Green Bag that was on sale a couple of weeks ago.

Depending on how many you are going to feed and the size of the portions you want to serve, you can cut the breasts in half before beating them.

*I recommend that you cut them.
I made whole breasts so you could see how large they would be.
One fed all three kids, with some left!

A whole breast pounded, breaded, and served with pasta is a lot.

**If you are really mad and you have extra chicken you can pound enough for a couple recipes. Place in Freezer bags and then you can skip that step next time.**

Alright, now that we have that taken care of.

Preheat oven to 350°

Place ¼ inch deep oil in skillet.

Turn on Medium to Medium High Heat.
Or, if you have an Ole’ Trusty Electric Skillet, like me. I turn it on 35o °

Wisk together 1 egg and 2 tbsps Milk in bowl.

Pour Bread crumbs in separate bowl, or on plate, because chicken is large.

We are going to “dredge” our chicken.

Dip in egg wash, then in bread crumbs.

Then place in hot oil.

Cook for about 2-3 minutes each side.

Place Chicken in baking dish. This is a 13×9 dish with 2 breasts in it.

Chicken will not be cooked through!

We are just looking to get the Breadcrumbs Fried on, and the cooking process started.

Now while chicken is in pan, cover it with pasta sauce, then sprinkle the mozzarella over the top.

Not too much sauce or the cheese will slide off when it is done.

Place in 350 ° oven for 25 to 30 minutes.

While it is cooking, heat water for pasta, and sauce (in it’s own pot of course!)

Cook pasta (whatever shape you prefer) Drain

When chicken is done serve over pasta with extra sauce.

I topped mine with a little extra mozzarella!

Recipe via afewshortcuts.com

Short Cut Lasagna

• 1 (32 oz) Container Ricotta Cheese
• 2 1/2 cups Shredded Mozzarella
• 1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 2 eggs
• 2-3 Jars Pasta Sauce depending on size
  
• 1 lb of Ground Beef (optional)
• 1 box Lasagna Noodles
• Italian Seasoning

——————————————————

Preheat Oven to 375 degrees

I bought 2 small aluminum pans from the dollar store. Perfect for this recipe. I believe they are 8×6. You could also bake this in a 9×13 pan if you would like just one lasagna. After making this recipe for years and seeing how much lasagna you will get. I recommend making 2, because (1) 9×13 lasagna serves 12 people.

Combine Ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and eggs in bowl.
Mix in about 1 tsp Italian seasoning. Feel free to add garlic, onions, basil, whatever you want to make the dish your own.

Place Pasta sauce in pot on back burner on low heat.

If you would like your lasagna with meat. Brown ground beef in skillet. Drain, and add to sauce.

Spread 1 Cup Sauce in bottom of pan.

Cover with a single layer of uncooked lasagna noodles.

Cover noodle with a layer of sauce

Then ad a layer of the Ricotta mixture.
(Keep in mind that you will need enough for 2 layers of ricotta for each lasagna.)
So if making 1 use 1/2 of the ricotta, if making 2 use 1/4 of the ricotta per layer.

Add one more layer of sauce, ricotta, and noodles.

Reserve any remaining sauce for serving.

Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour.

Remove foil and sprinkle with shredded mozzarella, bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes.
***(If making 2…do not put the one for the freezer in the oven for the second time!)
We will save that for when we are ready to eat it!***

Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

***OK. Let the Second Lasagna cool. Cover tightly! Place in freezer. When ready to eat take out to defrost the night before in the fridge. Pop in oven at 325 degrees, tightly wrapped for 20 min, or until warm through. Top with shredded mozzarella and bake additional 10 minutes. ***

Recipe via afewshortcuts.com

Peach Chicken

• 2 spray(s) cooking spray

• 10 oz boneless, skinless chicken thigh(s) and/or drums (about 4-5 pieces)

• 1/4 tsp table salt

• 1/4 tsp black pepper

• 6 small peaches, sliced (peeled) *you could use plums instead*

• 1 tbsp ginger root, freshly grated

• 1 medium garlic clove(s), minced

• 1/4 cup(s) canned chicken broth

• 1/4 can(s) frozen apple juice concentrate (undiluted), thawed,

*for sale purposes, you could use one Apple and Eve Juice box* **see matchup at end of post** ————————————————

Instructions

• Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and warm over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper, add to skillet in a single layer and brown chicken 4 minutes per side; remove chicken and set aside.

• Remove skillet from heat and recoat with cooking spray. Warm skillet again and add peaches, ginger and garlic; sauté until peaches lose their firmness, about 2 to 3 minutes.

• Add chicken broth and scrape up browned bits of food on bottom of skillet with a wooden spoon; add apple juice concentrate and stir.

• Return chicken to skillet, cover and simmer until chicken is completely cooked through, about 5 minutes

Recipe via afewshortcuts.com

Quick and Easy Cuban Style Pork Roast

• 1 Pork Tenderloin 3-4 lbs
• 1 Cup Orange Juice
• 1/2 Cup Lemon Juice
• 1 TBSP minced Garlic
• 1 small Sweet Onion
• 1/2 Bell Pepper
• 2 TBSP Olive Oil
• 1 tsp Oregano
• 1 TBSP Garlic salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• small orange (optional)

————————————————–
In a bowl mix juices, Garlic, Oregano, Olive oil, Garlic salt, & pepper.
Wisk together.
Place pork into crockpot.
Use a sharp knife to stab a few holes in the top of roast to let marinade go in.
Pour Juice mix over roast.
Chop up Onion, bell pepper, and orange and throw them in the crock pot.

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4 hours.

Recipe via afewshortcuts.com

"Make Them Your Own BBQ Ribs"

• 1 Slab of Pork Ribs (Baby back or St Louis style)
• 1 bottle of Sweet Baby Rays BBQ (or your preference)
• Seasonings to taste (Salt, Pepper, etc.)

I know that giving away BBQ secrets in the south is crazy talk. Well, I am going to give you an awesome recipe without giving away any secrets. In fact, you can add your own secret ingredient.
Take that slab of ribs and cut it into equal sections (about 3 ribs a section).
Place them in the crock pot.
(We all know you have one….and if you don’t why not?!)
Fill crock pot with enough water to cover the ribs.
You can season the water..I use salt and pepper.

Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours.

About 30 minutes before time to eat tell your hubby to fire up the grill, Or you could.
Totally up to you.

We have a charcoal grill. Again this is one of those things where people will argue what is best.
If you are using propane you will want a medium flame.

Here is where the personalization comes in.
It is all about taste and preference.
Get a medium size bowl and pour the entire bottle of BBQ sauce in.

You could add any of the following

Beer, OJ, Sugar, salt, Pepper, Garlic salt, paprika………you get the idea.

Make your sauce how you like it to taste.

Place your ribs on the grill. They should already be cooked. This is just to bake the sauce on.

Brush with sauce and let grill in. Baste them several time to get a good coat of sauce.

They should be done in about 20-30 minutes.

Recipe via afewshortcuts.com

Mediterranean Eggplant

• 2 Large Eggplants
• (optional) 8 oz. extra firm tofu
• 2 red bell peppers
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• ½ c. pearl barley
• 2 c. baby spinach
• 3 tbs. chopped fresh basil
• Red pepper flakes to taste

1. Skin and chop eggplant into cubes.

2. Coat large nonstick skillet with 2 tbs. olive oil or nonstick cooking spray. Over medium-high heat, cook eggplant, onion, red peppers, garlic, and tofu until veggies have softened.

3. Add tomatoes, stock and barley. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes or until barley is tender.

4. Stir in spinach and basil into mixture.

Recipe via MarthFry.org