If anyone has favorite, fail-safe recipes they would like to share with me, I'm looking for some. It's not that I don't have like 10 cookbooks up in the cabinet, but no one has TRIED those. I like cooking stuff that I KNOW to be good and easy before I start. I'm tired of my usual 5-6 recipe rotation.
Now, let me offer MY qualifications for a good recipe: (beggars can be choosers???)
1. You can either do it in the slow-cooker or it can be prepared (not necessarily ready, but at least prepared) within 30-40 minutes.
2. It tastes good, but is not so bad for you that you feel guilty about it for the next two weeks. (I'm okay with using sour cream and mayo... I can just use the lite version... I'm happy with most anything as long as there is a way to modify it to semi-healthy)
3. The list of ingredients would be things you already have around or would be easy to find in the grocery store (and I mean the REAL grocery store, not any of this "go to the health food store" or "they only carry this at Harris Teeter" kind of stuff. No offense, but I'm not interested in another disastrous grocery store trip where I end up wanting to physically hurt someone).
If you want to leave them in the comments, that would be great or you can email me.
Thanks guys!
(Well, more ladies than guys, I'm sure. Not trying to be sexist, just realistic)
13 comments:
Here's an easy roast recipe for the crock pot.
You can pick what kind of beef roast you want. Last time I think I got a shoulder roast. Anyway..
1 roast
1 bag baby carrots (you can use less, Rory just likes carrots)
3-5 potatoes cut up (if you like skins, you can just leave them on)
1 big onion, chopped
1-2 cans of cream of mushroom soup (depending on how much gravy you want)
salt & pepper to taste if you are into that kind of thing
Throw it all in the crockpot and turn it on low for 8 hours or so.
If you don't peel the potatoes, it takes all of 10 minutes to prep. This is something I prep the night before and throw all of the veggies in a ziploc bag. This way in the morning all I have to do is dump that in, dump the soup in, and dump the roast in. I do that for most crock post stuff if I'm cooking it on a weeknight.
Hey Patrice. Don't know if you remember me but this is Mindy (Butler) Doughtie from South Fork in Winston. I found your blog thru LeeAnn.
(( I have been silent, devastated, and encouraged with you thru your journey with Gabe. Your family has been and continues to be in our prayers. ))
I have just recently started a blog to organize my recipes and I only put the recipes on there that we like. There are not many there now but I am slowly getting them all in. Most of them meet your "requirements." :-) I have "requirements" myself for recipes so I understand. The blog is http://mindysrecipes.blogspot.com/ and I have my sister-in-law's (Melissa) recipe blog linked there too and she is doing the same thing. Everything on both of ours we have tried and enjoy. Hope you find some that you like!! Enjoy!
Here is my absolute FAVORITE (but it's got some strong flavors that not everybody likes).
1 package of any kind of ravioli or tortellini (I'm a purist so I go with cheese)
Several tablespoons of butter (real butter, not margarine or oil)
Several tablespoons of balsamic vinegar (I usually go 1:2 with the butter and vinegar, but it depends on how much you like vinegar!)
toasted walnuts and parmesan cheese
Cook the pasta according to package. In a small saucepan or pot, cook the butter until browned (in case you haven't browned butter before--heat it over low-medium until it melts, then foams, and then forms little bits that will turn caramelly-brown in color and will taste FABULOUS). Remove from heat and add the vinegar (be ready for splashing) and then the strained cooked pasta. Top with walnuts and parmesan cheese.
When I want to make it a little healthier, I get the light cheese ravioli (in the refrigerated section), and use the same amount of butter but use a spoon to remove some of the clear part of the butter while leaving the good brown bits. I have made this so many times that I can whip it up in less than 10 minutes. I don't ever measure anything--I just add or pour until it looks right. If you want the real recipe, search on foodtv.com for Brown Butter Balsamic Ravioli from Giada DeLaurentis.
I have another really good, really healthy one, but I'll try to email that one to you later. I don't know it by heart yet!
And in case he hasn't emailed you recently, Andre misses you!
I know how it is to get into a meal rut! Something that has really helped me this summer is grilling. I don't know if you guys have a grill or not, but we use ours at least twice a week. One of our favorite main courses is grilled chicken in Zesty Italian dressing. I let the chicken marinate for a few hours to maximize the flavor. It is great. Pair it up with some potatoes or rice and a green veggie. There are also some good marinades on the market. One that we like is KC Masterpiece Chipotle Lime. We are also fans of Lemon Pepper. While we are on the subject of recipes, I want you to send me your lasagna recipe that uses curry. That was a really good meal!
Creamy Crockpot Chicken
2 chicken breasts
16 oz. sour cream
2 cans cream of mushroom OR cream of chicken soup (whichever you prefer)
Mix sour cream and soup together in crockpot. Add chicken breasts. Cook all day on low. (It doesn't get any easier than this!) I usually throw some sort of seasoning on the chicken such as Italian Seasoning or Lowry's. Use whatever you like best before you throw it in the pot.
Creamy Crockpot ITALIAN Chicken
4 chicken breasts
1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix
1/4 c. water
8 oz. cream cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
Put chicken in crockpot and cover with remaining ingredients. Cook on low for up to 6 hours. Serve over rice or noodles.
Parmesan Crusted Chicken
1/2 c. mayo
1/4 c grated parmesan
4 chicken breasts
4 tsp Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs
Combine mayo and cheese. Spread on chicken, then sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake at 425 for 20 minutes.
Cinnamon Roll Casserole
2 long cans crescent rolls
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 c sugar
sugar/cinnamon mixture (1/4 c sugar mixed with 1 tbsp cinnamon)
1/2 c (1 stick) melted butter
Preheat oven to 375. Spray 9x13 dish with Pam. Lay one can of crescents in bottom of pan. Cream together cream cheese and 1/2 c sugar by cooking in microwave for 45 seconds on high, then stir until smooth. Spread evenly on crescent layer. Layer second can of crescents over cream cheese. Sprinkle sugar/cinnamon mixture over this layer. Melt butter in mike for 1 minute, then pour evenly on top. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes.
OPTIONAL: If you like nuts, sprinkle chopped pecans on top before adding butter.
WARNING: This is VERY, VERY sweet. If you don't like sweet things, you won't like this.
Mountain Creek Trail Chicken
4 boiled chicken breasts, cut in strips
8 oz sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 stacks Ritz crackers
1/2 stick butter
Preheat to 350. Lay chicken in strips in bottom of 9x9 pan. In a bowl, mix sour cream and soup. Pour mixture over chicken. Crumble Ritz and sprinkle over top. Dot with butter as desired. Bake for 30 mins at 350.
The Best Chicken Salad in the Whole World
3 large cans chicken
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 c mayo
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 c chopped pecans
red seedless grapes, halved
Mix all ingredients. Refrigerate to serve. Great on sandwiches, crackers and green apples.
I forgot to mention The Crock Pot Lady to you ( http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/ ). It's a mom who decided to cook a crockpot meal every single night in 2008. And she has found a way to cook almost every type of food that exists in the crock pot. Left navigation has categories.
Oh, well I was going to mention this blog: http://crockpot365.blogspot.com but it looks like someone else already beat me to it. I just found it today. I am definitely going to check it out! The pictures of ingredients for each one look so helpful...and easy for Chuck to do too!
I know this is an old post, but I am new to your blog, (found you from Kellys Korner) and I have some quick and easys.
Pizza roll:
1 Ball of dough (can be bought at most grocery stores)
1 8 oz can of tomato sauce
1 c plus or minus to taste cheese of your choice
garlic powder
oregano
bell peppers, pepperoni, mushrooms, whatever you have.
Oven at 400, let dough rise/rest out of bag on floured counter for 15 minutes. stretch, roll, or toss dough flat (doesn't need to be perfect or round or anything, whatever shape you get works)
spread sauce on, add herbs/seasoning, (or use a ragu)
sprinkle cheese
add other toppings if desired
fold sides in.
I use a 9x13 pan, spray with oil spray, sprinkle a little corn meal for extra authenticity, carefully scoop up roll and then oil top.
bake for 15-20 minutes until brown as you like.
I call this one Mexican lasagna
1 tube polenta
1-2 can beans
1 tub salsa or use pasta sauce if you don't want spicy
whatever veggies on hand; sliced squash, spinach, kale, leftover sweet potatoes or cooked butternut squash etc.
a couple handfuls cheddar or pepper jack
oven 375
slice polenta
layer ingredients in baking pan, saving cheese for last
bake until bubbly and cheese is brown. I can't say enough good things about the butternut squash in here. Very healthy as well.
I also have an awesome high protein blueberry muffin recipe, each muffin is supposed to have 15 grams of protein.
1 1/2 C reg flour
1 C wheat flour
1 C quick oats
3/4 C sugar
1 Tab baking powder
1 teas baking soda
1/4 teas salt
2 C yougert
1/2 C milk
3 Tab oil
2 teas vanilla
1 egg
2 C blueberries, also mango chunks are awesome, strawberries work well, ect.
** topping, optional but yummy**
1/4 C flour
1/4 C brown sugar
1/4 C chopped nuts
2 Tab melted butter
mix well and sprinkle over tops before baking.
to make muffins, mix dry ingredients, mix the wet separately, mix together, than add berries.
use muffin papers or greased pan, makes at least 18 muffins
400 for 15 to 20, or until they test done.
I'd like to add that I am now among the many with prayers for you and your sweet Jonah, wishing you all the best
Kathleen
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