I like to cook Pot Roast slowly all day long so it’s moist and falls apart. In a roaster I will put in some water with minced garlic, salt, and pepper and just let the meat slowly cook all day long.

Serve it up with some mashed potatoes, bean and veggies and your family will be happy and full!

For mashed potatoes, take the desired potatoes and peel them and cut into chunks. Place in boiling water and cook until they are very soft and almost fall apart when you put a fork through them. Once potatoes are done, drain and put back in pot. Mix milk and butter in then add garlic powder, salt and pepper. There you have it, easy mashed potatoes!

You can make gravy with the juice left over from the pot roast by mixing it with flour or corn starch. Make sure to mix it up well so there are no clumps.

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Pot Roast w/ Mashed Potatoes

1/2 c. margarine
1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 can condensed sweetened milk (14 oz.)
1 1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1 c. butterscotch morsels
1 1/3 c. flaked coconut
1 c. chopped nuts

If you do not have graham cracker crumbs handy, just take about a package and half of graham crackers and place them in a Ziploc bag. Seal then go over with rolling pin until all lumps are out, should be fine.

Add margarine and graham cracker crumbs in bowl and mix together well. Spray a 13×9″ pan and take crumb mixture and press onto bottom of pan. Pour milk over that then top evenly with remaining ingredients. Use a fork and press down the top firmly.

Bake for 25-30 minute on 325* degrees.

*325 for glass pans, all others 350.

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Magic Bars

1 1/2 c. sour cream
1 1/2 c. mayo
2 tbsp. parsley
2 tsp. dill seed
2 tbsp. diced onion
1 package of dried beef, cut into pieces
Bread for dipping – rye or breadbowl

Mix together well, refrigerate for one hour before serving.

You can hallow out a breadbowl and place the dip there and use the bread for dipping or cut up pieces of rye bread. Rye tastes quite good with this dip.

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Dried Beef Dip

Rye bread
Corned beef, sliced thin
Swiss cheese
Thousand Island dressing
Sauerkraut
Butter

Heat up griddle, put temperature around 300 degrees.

Butter one side of bread and lay butter side down on the griddle, then place Swiss cheese. Next spread desired amount of Thousand Island dressing and add meat then sauerkraut. Add the other slice of bread closing the sandwich and butter the outer side. Then just let grill on each side until bread is toasted and cheese is melted.

Cut in half and serve with a pickle and chips, yummy!

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Reubens

2 chicken breasts
1 Roma tomato
3 cloves of garlic
1 1/2 c. white wine
1 1/2 c. heavy cream
1 tbsp. basil
Salt & Pepper
1 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese

Boil chicken breasts in separate pan until done, then cut into chunks. In saucepan, combine garlic, cream, wine and spices and cook over low to medium heat. Once it begins to bubble, reduce heat to low and simmer. Slowly add cheese and continuously stir, then add in diced tomato. Mix in chicken and let simmer for three to five minutes.

Toss over some angel hair pasta and that’s it!

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Pasta Primavera

Enchilada sauce
Taco meat
Jalapenos
1/2 brick pepper jack cheese
Mexican cheese – mixture of pepper jack, cheddar, colby
Tortillas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Warm tortilla up and put in a couple spoonfuls of taco meat, then add two slices of cheese and desired amount of jalapenos. Fold up and place in greased glass baking pan.

Once you have all the enchiladas wrapped up and placed in the pan, pour the enchilada sauce over the top. Place the the rest of the pepper jack cheese on top of the enchiladas and add more jalapenos if you wish. Then sprinkle the Mexican cheese on top covering it up.

Cook about 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

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Enchiladas

4 c Sweetened flaked coconut
1 c All purpose flour
3/4 c Beer
3/4 tsp Baking soda
Salt & Papper
1 tsp Cayenne pepper
1 Large egg
1 Bag of Large Shrimp

Spread the coconut out on a plate or a pie pan. Whisk all ingredients except coconut together. Dip shrimp into batter and then dredge in coconut, coating it completely. Press gently to adhere coconut to shrimp.

Heat oil in large pan on stove. Place eight shrimp at a time in the oil and turn after one minute, cook until golden brown (about one minute each side).

Pull out and place on towel to remove any excess grease. Serve with fresh fried rice and veggies. For a dipping sauce, use Sweet Death Plum Sauce or as on the plate, a Dijon Ginger Sauce.

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Coconut Shrimp

Thin Sliced Steaks
Green Bell Pepper
Onion
Garlic
Mushrooms
Cheese (Provolone, Pepper Jack, and Mozzarella are good ones to use)
Salt & Pepper

Season the steak as you wish (lemon pepper, pepper, salt, red pepper, etc) and let soak in. These are great on the grill as well … cook them up in a pan, Foreman type grills work well.

In another pan (or on the grill place in tinfoil and add oil on top), add oil, onion, peppers, garlic, and mushrooms. Saute until tender. Once meat is done, slice into thin pieces, top with saute mixture and add cheese. Toss under the broil for a few minutes or until cheese is melted.

This meal is great served easy with baked beans, veggies, and homemade fries.

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Cheesesteak Sandwiches – No Whiz

1 lb. ground beef
1 large onion chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
Mixture of hot peppers, diced
1 16 oz. can kidney beans
1 29 oz. can whole tomatoes, chopped
4 oz. tomato sauce
1 c. water
1 tbsp. chili powder
Salt & Pepper
3/4 tsp. dried cumin
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
Tobasco sauce

Cook ground beef, onion, garlic and peppers in large pot. Once meat is cooked and crumbly, stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer uncovered for 45 minutes to one hour.

Take the breadbowl and cut the top off, which is great for dipping, add the chili, top with cheese and you are done! Mmmmmm……

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Breadbowl Chili

Get a large selection of apples, they can vary in kind. I prefer Macintosh apples but they are only in season during the fall and hard to find out here in Arizona. I can every now and then and they aren’t cheap. So sometimes it’s good to get a mixture of many apples, saves in money and really adds a good taste.

I use my Apple Slicer to make things much easier.

And just push down and it will keep the core separate. Works wonders for $1.99.

Boil water in a large pot. Add as many apples as you wish, however I warn you that to make a decent amount you need about a dozen of apples. It’s worth to make extra as you just store it in the fridge. Is great to send with the kids to school for lunch.

Once they are soft, drain and place back in pot. Mix up well, I use my Braun Hand Blender and still leave some chunks in it. I add cinnamon across the top and mix that up well. Then you are ready to serve. Is delicious with a nice pork loin or shoulder.

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Cinnamon Applesauce

1/2 c Plum marmalade
1/2 kids cup of mandarin oranges (this is all I had for mandarin oranges)
1 large jalapeno
Horseradish
Salt & Pepper
Honey

Mix in blender and there you have it!

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Sweet Death Plum Sauce

adapted from Jim Lahey, Sullivan Street Bakery from the NYTimes 11/08/06

3 cups of flour, all purpose or bread
1/4 tsp. instant yeast
1 1/4 tsp. salt
Cornmeal and extra flour as needed

In a large bowl combine the first 3 ingredients. Add 1 5/8 cup of water and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, 18 is preferable. (should be about 70 degrees but it has been colder here and did fine)

Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface (may need more than light flour depending on how sticky the dough is). Place dough on this and flour the top and fold it over itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap for 15 minutes.

Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface and to your fingers, gently shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6-8 quart heavy covered pot in oven as it heats. ( can be cast iron, ceramic, enamel, pyrex) Whendough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up. It will look like a mess but that’s okay. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed, it will straighten as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake for 30 minutes, remove lid to brown and continue to bakc another 15 to 30 minutes. Cool on a rack.

A couple of notes from me. I placed an extra towel on the granite counter top because it is so cold. I had to use a metal bowl because I made 1 1/2 batches. You need a big bowl and I will be buying a much larger glass or Pyrex bowl. The metal was fine but I prefer the glass.

I also used my Romertopf clay cooker. I soaked top and bottom at least 15 minutes and then placed it into the cold oven; then pre-heated the oven as noted above. Also, you will need to shape the loaf to fit the clay cooker. It is delicious in the clay cooker. I will be buying a cast iron dutch oven to try as well. I also decided to try adding some whole wheat flour. I only replaced 1 cup of flour to see how it tastes. It is heavier but still very tasty. I found I needed a little more flour when I removed it to the counter. It was very sticky and didn’t cooperated much. I found that it comes out great no matter how much of a mess it looks going in.

Kristin, I know my grandsons will love this bread. Enjoy.

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No-Knead Bread

Salmon
Pesto sauce
Tomato
Onion
Salt & Pepper

Spread pesto sauce on salmon and add slices of tomato and onion. Sprinkle some salt and pepper and you are good to go!

You can either grill this or broil it, I normally grill it. Depending on the thickness of the fillet will dictate the cooking time. Wrap in tinfoil and cook until fork cuts through it easily and the fish is flaky.

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Pesto Salmon

2 cups fresh basil leaves
1/4 c flax seed
4-5 garlic cloves
1 small hot pepper diced
1/2 c virgin olive oil
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
Salt & Pepper

Put in blender or food processor and blend until its mixed together well.

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Fresh Spicy Pesto

Ricotta cheese mixture (see below)
Box of lasagna (I use the Barilla no-cook lasagna)
Sauce
Mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese

Cheese mixture:

1 15 oz. container low fat ricotta cheese
2 c mozzarella cheese
1/2 c Parmesan cheese
1 eggs
1 tbsp. parsley flakes

Mix together well.

In a 9 x 13 glass pan, spray the bottom lightly and then add a thin layer of sauce on the bottom. Take lasagna piece and spread the cheese mixture on top and lay on the sauce, do this three time to make the bottom layer. Pour sauce on top of the cheese mixture on each layer. Then start the second layer and spread the cheese mixture on top and place on top of sauce of the first layer. Once all three are covered add sauce to each piece of the second layer. Then create a third cheese layer and lay on top of second. This time you will want to use more sauce and cover the entire top of the lasagna. Spread two cups of mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese on top.

Bake at 375 for 30 minutes. If cheese begins to brown too quickly, add tinfoil to the top and continue baking.

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Meat & Cheese Lasagna

First you want to get a pork shoulder loin.

Lightly salt and pepper the pork. Put in tinfoil on Medium Indirect heat for 3-4 hours.

After grilling in foil for 20 minutes, add the sauce.

Sauce:
1 cup vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp. sugar
Tabasco Sauce
Diced hot peppers
Salt & Pepper

Whisk and mix together well, pour over the porn, the tinfoil will hold it all. Cook until internal temperature reaches 185 degrees. You can pull the pork with your hands or two forks.

Add BBQ sauce to pork and put on a fresh roll and you have one heck of a sandwich.

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Pulled Pork Sandwich

4 tbsp. olive oil
Several cloves of minced garlic (I use about six or seven)
1/2 c. diced onion
Several fresh peppers diced
1 12 oz. can of tomato sauce
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. parsley
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
4 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. Italian vinegar

In saucepan, saute garlic, peppers, and onion until tender. Add tomato sauce and then stir in seasonings. I find using a whisk lightly works the best to ensure everything is stirred in completely.

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Pizza Sauce I v2.0 (ie: Pizza Sauce III)

Hard boiled eggs
Celery
Onions
Salt & Pepper
Mayo

Peel the eggs and cut into pieces, add in celery, onions, salt and pepper and mayo to taste.

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Egg Salad

3 tbsp. butter
10 oz. package (or 4 cups) of marshmallows
6 cups Crisped Rice (yes, use the generic!)

Melt butter and marshmallows in large pot, once it begins to bubble stir in crisped rice. Poor into 9×13″ greased pan. You may want to grease your hands up a little bit to pat down and even out the treats in the pan. Let harden a little bit and cover. To ensure freshness, you may want to cut them up and place them in a sealed tupperware container.

These are great for lunches. A pan this size will make around 9-12 good sized squares.

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Rice Crispy Treats

When I get the meats and cheese for this salad, I go to the deli and just ask for an inch thick slab. This allows you to cut it up into cubes rather than slices.

Ingredients:
Macaroni – I use bowtie
Salami
Pepperoni
Mozzarella cheese
Carrots
Green bell pepper
Onion
Italian dressing

Cook the noodles and run cold water over them. You want to be sure your noodles are cool enough for when you add the cheese and such you don’t want it to melt. Once noodles are cool, add the rest of the ingredients and slowly add the Italian dressing. I suggest adding it slowly because if you add too much it can ruin it, so add some, stir, add more, stir, and so on. It’s so simple…

Viola!

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Simple Pasta Salad