Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff

This is always a delicious comforting meal! The crock pot takes all of the work out of this meal! I normally prep it the night before then throw everything in the crock pot in the morning and come home to a lovely smelling house!

Ingredients:

1 can of golden mushroom soup
1 can of cream of mushroom with roasted garlic
1 1/2 lbs of stew meat
1 package of sliced mushrooms
1 white onion
1/2 tablespoon of minced garlic
1 tablespoon of beef broth base (this comes in a jar)
8 oz cream cheese
8 oz sour cream
1 package of egg noodles
fresh parsley for garnish
1 tablespoon of butter.

Directions:

In a medium frying pan, melt the 1 tablespoon of butter. Once the butter is all melted, add the stew beef. Allow the beef to sear on one side. Once the side is seared, flip and lightly sear the other side. When both sides are lightly seared, place them into a mixing bowl. Chop up the onion and mushrooms. Add them to the mixing bowl with the 2 soups, minced garlic and add 1/2 tablespoon of the beef broth base. Mix well. Add the mixture to the crock pot and place it on low. Allow this to cook for 8-10 hours. Once the meal is finished cooking, fill a large cooking pot half way with water. Set on high. Once it starts boiling, add the egg noodles and stir occasionally. While your noodles are cooking, cube up the cream cheese and slowly mix into the crock pot. Once all of the cream cheese is melted, add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of beef broth base and all of the sour cream, stirring slowly. At this point, your noodles should be finished cooking. Lightly rinse them with hot water. Plate up the pasta. Once the beef mixture is well mixed, top a generous size portion on top of the noodles and garnish with the fresh parsley. Serving this meal with buttermilk biscuits adds some flare to this meal!

Bread Dip

This recipe is super duper easy and super duper delicious! It's always a hit when I bring it to a party!

Ingredients:

(1) 16oz container of sour cream
1 package of Good Seasons garlic and herb salad dressing packet
1 bread bowl
2 fresh loaves of bread of your choice (I used 1 french bread and and 1 loaf of wheat bread)

Directions:

Mix together the sour cream and salad dressing mix. Let sit for 3 hours. Hollow out the bread bowl as shown in the picture. Fill with the dip. Cut up the breads into bite sized pieces. Serve. Yummy. Easy. Enjoy.

Crabby Bites

My mom used to make this recipe for family gatherings and it was always a great crowd pleaser! It is not an original recipe so I am giving credit where needed! 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of butter soft

1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder

1 1/2 teaspoons of mayonnaise

1 (5oz) jar of Kraft Old English cheese spread

1 (6oz) can of flaked crab meat

1 (6 count) package of English muffins.

Directions:

Pre heat your oven to 400. Mix together the first 5 ingredients. Slice the English muffins in half then quarter them like in the picture. Top the English muffins with the mixture. Place them on a cookie sheet and let them bake at 400 for about 15 minutes or until browned like the above picture. Serve away!

Snow Flake Pie

Who doesn't love pie? It's one of the easiest things to make and it sure is a crowd-pleaser! I thought up this recipe in the grocery store when I was desperate to invent a dessert recipe and surprisingly it came out good!


Ingredients:

2 pre-made graham cracker pie crusts - if you want to make it homemade - go for it. I'm too lazy! (This recipe makes enough for 2 pies.)
1 box of jello instant pudding white chocolate mix
1 box of jello instant pudding cheesecake mix
4 cups of skim milk
1/2 cup of white chocolate chips
1 container of fat free cool whip
12 golden oreos
1/2 cup of shredded coconut
1 can of whipped cream for garnish.

Directions:

Make the jello in 1 big mixing bowl according to the directions on the box and let it sit as directed. Once the pudding is ready, mix in the white chocolate chips. Once they are well incorporated, evenly fill the pie crusts with the mixture (1/2 in each crust.) Next, top each pie with half of a container of the cool whip and smooth at the top. Make a design with the whipped cream around the edges for garnish. Next, sprinkle half of the shredded coconut on each of the pies. Lastly, crush up the oreos and sprinkle on top equally dividing the oreos in 2 for each pie. Serve! Now how easy was that?

Taco Pizza!

I love tacos and I love pizza so this recipe is the perfect combination of the two!

Ingredients:

1 pizza shell
1 can of queso cheese
1 lb of ground hamburg
1 package of taco seasoning
2 tomatoes
shredded lettuce
1 avocado
1/2 cup of sour cream


Directions:

In a medium pan, fry up the ground hamburg. When it is done cooking, add 1/2 cup of water and half of the taco seasoning packet. Place on high heat until it starts to boil, then reduce to low heat stirring occasionally. Place your oven on 350. Chop up the tomato and slice the avocado. Take the pizza shell and place an even amount of the queso on it. Make sure there is a smooth even layer. Next, sprinkle the taco meat evenly on top. Place this in the oven for about 12 minutes or until the crust is crispy. While your pizza is cooking, mix the other half of the taco seasoning with the sour cream (this will be your drizzle topping.) When the crust is crispy, take it out of the oven. Now for the toppings part, I find it easiest to cut the pizza first then "dress it." This is nice if someone doesn't like a certain ingredient or would like extra of another ingredient. I want to also add that if you plan on saving some as leftovers, it's best to not dress it until you are ready to eat it - that way the toppings won't get soggy. The way that I "dress up my pizza" is tomatoes, lettuce, avacado and drizzle on top. For the drizzle, I just took the sour cream and taco seasoning mixture that we made earlier, placed it in a ziplock bag, cut the end and applied pressure for it to come out. Feel free to be creative and add other ingredients such as beans, onions, salsa, etc!

Chewy French Toast Cookies

I can't believe I am giving away my secret recipe for the world to see! These are my boyfriend's FAVORITE cookies... "in the world", or so he says! So I guess they are too good not to share with the world! These cookies are perfect for parties, holidays or just because! I usually end up making them as "just because" cookies! They are the perfect mix of soft and chewy cookies which is my favorite! I have considered adding chocolate chips or white chocolate chips to this recipe!

Ingredients:

1 cup butter  softened
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract

½  tsp of almond extract

2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 packets of maple brown sugar instant oatmeal
1 1/2 cup shredded, sweetened coconut
Ground cinnamon for a sprinkle garnish

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350. Mix together the butter, brown sugar and cane sugar in a mixing bowl. Once this is well mixed, add 1 egg and mix. Once the first egg is mixed in, add the second egg, the vanilla and almond extract and mix until everything is incorporated. Next, add the baking soda, baking powder and salt and mix well. Now add ½ of your flour until it is incorporated. Do not over mix. Add the rest of your flour until it is just incorporated.  Next add the oatmeal packets and shredded coconut and do not over mix. Mix until it is just evenly incorporated. Roll the dough into about 1 inch by 1 inch balls. Place on an un-sprayed cookie sheet in a 3x4 rows. Place the cookie sheet in the oven and allow them to cook for 8-10 minutes. These cookies are supposed to be chewy so you don’t want to overcook them. Once the cookies are to your desired chewiness, take them out of the oven and allow them to sit for five minutes. Once they have cooled, allow them to cool for another 5-10 minutes on a cookie cooling rack. Garnish with the ground cinnamon sprinkle and serve warm with a big glass of milk!

Grandma's Apple Crisp Recipe

Just in time for Thanksgiving! I am thankful for family recipes being passed down! My mother makes this recipe that was passed down from my Grandmother Boudreau and it is delicious! I like it served warm with vanilla ice cream of course!

Ingredients:

1 cup of bisquick
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1/2 t of cinamon
1/4 cup of butter softened
1/2 cup of chopped walnuts
5 medium apples

Directions:

Pre-heat the oven to 350. Peel and slice the apples. Place in a medium sized coated casserole dish. Mix the rest of the ingredients together and pour over the apples. Bake for 30 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes. Serve! How easy is that?!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

I'm going to admit - I've never been a fan of Chicken Cordon Bleu. The chicken always ends up tasting dry and chewy - yuck! I do how ever, love stuffing! This twist on Chicken Cordon Bleu will keep you craving more!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 -2 lbs of chicken
1/4 lb of thick sliced deli ham
6 slices of swiss cheese from the deli
1 head of broccoli
1 can cheddar cheese condensed soup
2 cups of stovetop stuffing (you will also need 2 tablespoons of butter according to their recipe)
Non-stick spray

Directions:

Cook the chicken according to your desire. I use the George Foreman grill because it is quick and easy and leaves the chicken juicy! Boil the broccoli until cooked through. Pre-heat your oven to 350. Cube up the ham and cooked chicken into bite sized pieces. Begin cooking the stuffing according to the instructions on the side on the package. While the stuffing is cooking, mix together the cut up chicken, ham, broccoli and can of cheddar cheese condensed soup. Spray a casserole dish with non-stick spray and fill with your mixture. Top your mixture with the swiss cheese. Layout your cooked stuffing evenly on top of the swiss cheese. Place in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until it gets bubbly. Take it out of the oven once it is bubbly and let sit for five minutes. Serve!

Pork Medallions Over Winter Hash

I'm going to start off by saying that I'm not the biggest fan of pork. In the past I have had dry pork and there's nothing worse than chewy dried out pork. I think the biggest trick to cooking pork is to not over cook it and of course to not under cook it. I made this on a cold November night and it hit the spot for comfort food!

Ingredients:

2 lbs of pork tenderloin
1 box of shake and bake extra crispy (only use 1 packet)
1 sweet potato
1/2 purple onion
1 shallot
1 container of cubed butternut squash (because peeling it and cutting it is a pain in the bum!)
2-3 tablespoons of EVOO

Directions:

Pre-heat your oven to 400. Peel the sweet potato. Chop it up into small pieces. Chop up the purple onion and shallot into small pieces as well. Combine the chopped up sweet potato, onion, shallot and cubed butternut squash on a baking tray. Drizzle the EVOO over and mix well. Once the oven is pre-heated, place the tray in the oven. Be sure to mix the mixture about every 10 minutes. Once the vegetables have been in the oven for 20 minutes, reduce the heat to 350 and begin prepping your pork. Slice the raw pork tenderloin into 1-inch thick slices. Once the pork is all sliced up, spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray. Empty the shake and bake into a bowl. Take 1 piece of cut up pork and roll it around in the shake and bake until it is fully coated. Place on the baking tray. Repeat for the rest of the pork. Place the tray in the oven with the vegetables and allow the pork to cook for 25-30 minutes. You may want to use a meat thermometer since ovens vary. The USDA claims that pork should be at least 145 degrees with a three minute rest time. Once the pork is finished cooking, serve over the roasted winter hash!

Homemade Alfredo Sauce

I love love love Alfredo sauce... who doesn't? I know it isn't the healthiest sauce for you but it sure is a nice treat every now and then! I also think that making it at home could be a little healthier than eating out since you will be measuring out your ingredients...hopeful thinking? Regardless of the calories, this sauce is worth an extra trip to the gym!

Ingredients:

1 stick of butter
2 cups of half and half
2 minced garlic cloves
2 cups of fresh grated Parmesan cheese


Directions:

Cube up the 1 stick of butter. Place in a large cooking pot and place on low-medium heat. When the butter is melted, add the 2 cups of half and half, minced garlic and stir. Continue stirring for about 5 minutes. Slowly add in the Parmesan cheese and continue stirring for another 5 minutes or until all of the cheese is melted and the sauce is thick. If the sauce is not to your desired thickness, slowly whisk in 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. I served this sauce over fettuccine, sauteed mushrooms and pan fried chicken. Yumm!

Honey BBQ Pulled Chicken

Nothing beats southern cooking in my mind! I love pulled chicken with coleslaw and mac and cheese! Yum-o! This recipe took little to no effort to make which was awesome!

Ingredients:

1 lb of chicken tenderloin
1/2 container of sweet baby Ray's honey barbecue sauce
1 cup of water
1 tablespoon of garlic
1 teaspoon of brown sugar

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in crock pot and stir. Place on high for 3 hours or until the chicken is cooked through. Shred with a fork and serve. I served mine in  a pita pocket with cheese and a side of Annie's organic mac and cheese and my coleslaw recipe found in my post "Honey BBQ Chicken, Coleslaw and Sweet Potato Fries"

Asian Rice Noodle Soup

The pictures say it all :Yum! I love Asian Noodle soup! It costs about $5 a bowl at restaurants though and that can definitely add up! I made this little creation and I love it! It made about 10 bowls of soup and the ingredients are very inexpensive!

Ingredients:

- 1 package of rice noodles (I choose the thin kind)
-1 bunch of green onions
- 1 lb of thinly sliced steak
- 1 tablespoon of freshly grated ginger root
- 1 tablespoon of minced garlic
- 10 cups of beef broth (I prefer the "better than bullion" beef base stock)
- 1 container of fresh mushrooms

Directions:

In a large pot, pour in the beef stock, garlic minced ginger, chopped green onions and sliced mushrooms. Place on high heat and allow to boil. Once it hits a boiling point, reduce to low-medium heat. In a separate large pot, fill half way with water. Place on high and allow the water to boil. Once the water is boiling, add the rice noodles and lower to medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Allow the noodles to cook through (about 8-10 minutes.) Drain the noodles. Coat a medium sized pan with EVOO and place on low-medium heat. Gently fry the steak, flipping half way. Do not over cook your steak, it is thin and will remain cooking once you have set it aside.No one wants tough chewy steak in their soup!Chop up the cooked steak into bite-sized pieces.

Now for the presentation I like to keep all of my ingredients separate for a couple of reasons. One is so that the rice noodles don't get soggy in the broth and the other reason is in case someone doesn't like an ingredient or wants to add extra of an ingredient, they can. I like to add the broth to the bowl first, then place the other ingredients on top.


Feel free to be creative with this recipe and mix things up! Try chicken broth instead of beef broth, shrimp or chicken instead of steak and onions instead of mushrooms!

*UPDATE* - I made this soup again last night and substituted the steak with shrimp and it was just as delicious!

Crock-pot Kielbasa

Kielbasa is so delicious and so dang easy to make! It's perfect for football parties because it doesn't require much work and in the crock pot, it stays hot all day long! Not to mention, it makes your house smell wonderful! Here is my recipe for fool proof Crock-pot Kielbasa!

Ingredients:

2 links of uncooked kielbasa

1 medium white onion

1 jar of grape jelly (32oz)

1 jar of chili sauce(12oz)

Directions:

In your crock-pot, combine the jar of grape jelly and the jar of chili sauce.

Cut up the Kielbasa into slices (about 1/4 inch in thickness) and place on top of the grape jelly and chili sauce mixture. Mix well.

Slice up the onion and place on top. Mix around and place the crock-pot on high for about 3-4 hours or until the Kielbasa is cooked through and looks seared on the edges.

You can keep the crock-pot on the "keep warm" or "low" option until you are ready to serve!

Coconut Shrimp Caesar Salad

Yum yum yum! My boyfriend said this dish was in his "top 5" of the meals I've made him. This is the same Coconut Shrimp that I use in my Coconut Shrimp Over Mango Salsa With Zesty Orange Dressing. 

Ingredients:

1 lb of shrimp cocktail

1/2 cup of all purpose flour

a teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

2/3 cup of water

2 cups of shredded sweetened coconut

1/2 cup of plain breadcrumbs
2 heads of hearts of romaine lettuce
4 Tablespoons of shaved Parmesan cheese
8 tablespoons of Caesar salad dressing

Directions:

Heat up your deep fryer to 325 degrees. Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and water. Let this sit for 15 minutes. In a separate bowl, combine the shredded coconut and bread crumbs and mix together. Butterfly your shrimp and form an assembly line of shrimp, batter, the coconut and break crumb mix, then your deep fryer.

Take 1 piece of shrimp and dip it in the batter, coat in the coconut and breadcrumb mix and then slowly drop it into the deep fryer. These should cook for about 2 minutes in the deep fryer or until they are golden brown. Lay out a paper towel on a plate and place the cooked shrimp on there for about 2 minutes after cooking to allow them to dry out a little bit. While the shrimp is cooling, wash and cut the romaine lettuce. On 4 large plates, top with the lettuce and 1 tablespoon of cheese on each plate. Top each plate with equal amounts shrimp and drizzle 2 tablespoons of the Caesar dressing on top. Serve!

Copycat Panera Bread Broccoli Cheddar Soup

I LOVE Panera Bread's Brocolli Cheddar Soup, however - it can get pricey! $4-$5 for a bowl of soup is a bit steep! This recipe makes about 10 cups so feel free to share ;)

Ingredients:

-2 cups of shredded cheese ( I used a 3-cheese blend of asiago, parmesan and cheddar)

- 2 bunches of brocolli

- 1 white onion

- 1 cup of shredded carrots

- 2 cups of chicken or vegetable broth

- 3 cups of water

-4 tablespoons of butter

-3 tablespoons of flour

- 1 tablespoon of minced garlic

- 1 cup of heavy cream or half and half

Directions:

Chop up the broccoli and carrots.Place in a pot with a steamer on high and let cook until broccoli is a bright green color like pictured below.

Dice up the white onion. In a separate large cooking pot, combine the diced up onion, minced garlic and 1 table spoon of butter and place on medium.

Once all of the butter melts, add in the chicken stock and water and mix.

In a smaller sauce pan, being making your roux and melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Slowly mix in the flour, whisking until it makes a paste-like mixture. 

Add the steamed broccoli and carrots to the big pot with broth. Slowly add in your roux and stir. Slowly add your shredded cheese and mix well. Once the cheese is all melted, add in the 1 cup of cream. Lower the heat to low and continue cooking for 5 minutes.

Serve with your favorite bread. I went and bought a stick of bread from Panera to make it taste more like the real thing!

 

Asian Pasta Salad

My grandmother used to make a dish similar to this and it was one of my favorites! It's a mix between pasta salad and Chinese food - two of my favorites! Feel free to add chicken to this. Sometimes I do but was in the vegetarian mood today!

Ingredients:

- 1 can of diced water chestnuts
- 1 bunch of green onions
- 1 box of bow-tie pasta
- 1 Cup of low fat mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon of low sodium soy sauce

Directions:

Cook pasta as per instructions on box and drain. Slice up scallions and water chestnuts and place in a large mixing bowl.

 In a small mixing bowl, combine mayo and soy sauce and mix until smooth.

Combine the pasta, sauce green onion and water chestnuts in a large bowl and mix well. Let sit in refrigerator for 3 hours and serve cold. Easy enough right?

Nutrition Information for 1 serving - This recipe should make about 10 servings at 1 cup each

Calories - 216
Carbs - 31
Fat - 7
Protein - 7
Sodium - 409
Fiber - 3

Steak and Cheese Egg Rolls

Ingredients:

1 lb Shaved steak
1 white onion
1 package of mushrooms
1/4 lb white american cheese from the deli
Spring roll wrappers
Non-stick spray

Directions:

Slice the onions and mushrooms to desired size. Place in a medium sized frying pan and spray with non-stick spray. Cook on medium.

When they are just about finished cooking, add the shaved steak to the frying pan. Continue cooking until the onions, mushrooms and steak is cooked to your desired liking.

Pre-heat your deep fryer to 365 degrees and make sure it is full with the recommended about of oil. Next, lay out 1 spring roll wrapper. Line with the cheese and fill with the meat and vegetable mixture and fold into a spring roll. Click this link for a useful video on how to roll a egg roll wrapper.  Be sure to lightly wet the edges of the wrapper to create a seal.

Create an assembly line to make this process easier. 

Place into the fryer. Make sure that the egg rolls are not touching in the fryer. Rotate half way with tongs once the egg roll starts to get bubbly looking. Continue to cook until it is golden brown.

Place on a paper towel and allow to dry for about 1-2 minutes.

Serve whole or cut in half!

Coconut Shrimp over Mango Salsa with Zesty Orange Dressing

So tonight I was in the mood for coconut shrimp since I just bought my new deep fryer.I know frying things isn't the healthiest but mixed with healthy ingredients, it's not so bad!  Here is a little twist on the idea inspired by Bobby Dean.

Mango Salsa:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of diced mango

1/4 cup of chopped green onion

1/4 cup chopped purple onion 

1/2 of a limes juices

1/2 of a lemons juices

Directions:

Chop up all of the ingredients as specified. Mix together with the juices of the lemon and lime. Let this sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. 

Zesty Orange Dipping Sauce:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of orange marmalade

2 teaspoons of rice vinegar

1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes

Directions:

Add the marmalade, rice vinegar and red pepper flakes in a small sized pot. Cook on low for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you want to serve this chilled, allow it to sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving.

Coconut Shrimp:

Ingredients:

1 lb of shrimp cocktail

1/2 cup of all purpose flour

a teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

2/3 cup of water

2 cups of shredded sweetened coconut

1/2 cup of plain breadcrumbs

Directions:

Heat up your deep fryer to 325 degrees. Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and water. Let this sit for 15 minutes. In a separate bowl, combine the shredded coconut and bread crumbs and mix together. Butterfly your shrimp and form an assembly line of shrimp, batter, the coconut and break crumb mix, then your deep fryer. Take 1 piece of shrimp and dip it in the batter, coat in the coconut and breadcrumb mix and then slowly drop it into the deep fryer. These should cook for about 2 minutes in the deep fryer or until they are golden brown. Lay out a paper towel on a plate and place the cooked shrimp on there for about 2 minutes after cooking to allow them to dry out a little bit.

Serving:

I placed arugula on top of the plate, topped with the Mango Salsa , put the Zesty Orange Dressing in a ramekin and topped with the Coconut Shrimp. it was definitely a big hit!

Crab Meat Stuffed Mushrooms

These are such a hit whenever I make them! Sadly, there are never any leftovers! I think I'm going to start making a double batch and hide some aside for myself! Definitely a comfort food so I used real butter! It happens! This recipe calls for the same stuffing I use to make my Baked Stuffed Shrimp. You could put this stuffing on anything and make it taste delicious! 

Ingredients:

-30 mushrooms

- 1 stick of butter

- 1/4 cup of white onion

- 2 sticks of celery

- 1 can of crab meat

- 2 sleeves of reduced fat ritz crackers (should equal about 64 crackers)

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350. Chop up the onion and celery into little pieces and put in mixing bowl. Add butter to the bowl. Microwave until the butter is melted. While the butter is melting in the microwave, take a large baking sheet and spray with non-stick spray. Core out the mushrooms (take off the stems) and place on the pan with the round side facing down and the hole where the stem used to be facing up. Once the butter in the mixing bowl is melted, stir well. Add the crab meat to the mixing bowl. In a large ziplock bag, add all of the ritz crackers and seal tightly. Mash the ritz crackers until they look like small breadcrumbs. Pour the Ritz into the mixing bowl and mix together all of the ingredients until it is a thick stuffing-like texture. Begin making 1 tablespoon sized balls and form with your hands. Place firmly on the mushroom and continue until every mushroom has a stuffing ball on top. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the stuffing is crispy looking and the mushrooms are cooked through.

Nutrition Information for 1 Stuffed Mushroom (this recipe should make 30 stuffed mushrooms)

Calories - 62

Carbs - 5

Fat - 4

Protein - 1

Sodium - 98

Fiber - 0