Pulled Pork

Pulled Pork Sandwich

4 lbs pork roast (shoulder or butt)
1 large onions
1 cup ginger ale
1 (18 ounce) bottle favorite barbecue sauce (I like Sweet Baby Ray's)

barbecue sauce, for serving (optional)


Directions:
In a skillet on the stovetop, brown all sides of the roast. Slice one onion. Place in bottom of crock-pot and put roast on top. Pour over the ginger ale. Cover and cook on LOW for about 8 hours.

Remove the meat, strain and save the onions, discard all liquid. With two forks, shred the meat, discarding any remaining fat, bones or skin. Most of the fat will have melted away.

Return the shredded meat and the onions to the crock pot, stir in the barbecue sauce. Continue to cook for another hour or so on LOW. {Can continue to cook/marinate for up to 4 hours}

Serve with hamburger buns or rolls and additional barbecue sauce. Any leftovers freeze very well.

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps {Pinterest}

1 cup cooked rice, warm or at room temperature
1 cup cooked, shredded chicken
1 can black beans, rinsed and drianed
1 green onion, finely sliced (white and green parts)
1/2 red or green pepper, diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
2 cups shredded cheese (I used a combination of monterey jack and sharp cheddar)
Sour cream (optional)
6 burrito-sized flour tortillas

Mix rice together with chili powder, cumin and garlic salt. Add remaining ingredients except for cheese and sour cream. Sprinkle cheese over tortillas, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges, then arrange chicken and rice mixture down the center of each tortilla. (Optional: on some of the wraps, I dotted the cheese with about 1-2 tablespoons of reduced fat sour cream before arranging chicken and rice mixture down the center - it made the wraps delightfully creamy.) Roll stuffed tortillas, leaving edges open. Spray the tortillas all over with cooking spray.

Heat a large non-stick skillet (or griddle) over medium heat for 1 minute. Arrange 2 wraps, seam-side down, in pan and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining wraps. Serve {with sour cream and queso}.

*Makes 6 wraps

{Next time cook chicken in crock-pot}

Crock-Pot Chicken & Rice

Chicken & Rice {Stickaforkinit.com}

Ingredients:
2-4 frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts
8 oz. cream cheese (let sit out to soften)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 pkg. italian dressing seasoning (the dried kind in the packet)
rice

Stir the cream cheese, cream of chicken, and seasoning together in the crock-pot. I actually start it on low and let them sit in there for about 30 min so the cream cheese is softer to stir. Put the frozen chicken in and cover with the mix. Cook on high 4-6 hours or until the chicken is cooked and fall-apart-tender.

Serve over rice. (Rice Cooker, extra easy)

Teriyaki Salmon

Teriyaki Salmon

1/2 - 1 lb Salmon
Veri Veri Teriyaki Sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a casserole dish with aluminum foil. Place salmon in dish and brush Veri Veri Teriyaki sauce over salmon. Bake for 20-25 minutes until salmon flakes easily with a fork. Serve with Rice, Yummy!

Taco Casserole

Taco Casserole

24 Tortilla Chips, plus additional for serving
1 Tbs Chili Oil (or olive oil and red pepper flakes)
1 Onion, chopped
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 pound Ground Chicken/Turkey
2 Tbs Taco Seasoning
1 can Black Beans, drained
1 cup Salsa
1 cup shredded fat free or reduced fat Cheese


Optional: Other toppings such as jalepenios, olives, etc.
Heat oven to 350.

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and garlic and sautee until soft. Add meat and taco seasoning. Cook, breaking up meat with a spatula, for about 5 minutes. Add beans and salsa. Mix well and continue to cook until salsa thickens.

Line the bottom of a large baking dish with tortilla chips, pressing down on them lightly to break them into bite-sized pieces. Spread the meat and bean mixture over the chips and top with cheese. Add sliced jalepenos or other toppings that you ant to be cooked. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and gooey.

Scoop up with additional chips if desired.

Beef Stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff

1 pound beef stew meat
1 cup of water
1 package of Beef Stroganoff Seasoning
1/2 cup sour cream
Noodles or Rice

In crock-pot mix beef, water, and seasoning.
Cover and cook on low heat setting 8 to 10 hours or until beef is very tender.
Stir sour cream into beef mixture. Serve over noodles.

Cheeseburger Flatbread Melts

Cheeseburger Flatbread Melts {Kevin & Amanda}

1/2 lb lean ground beef, browned and drained
1/4 cup water
1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 pkg dry onion soup mix
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tbsp mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
11 oz thin crust pizza dough
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Brown and drain ground beef. Add water, vinegar, onion soup mix, ketchup, mustard and garlic. Stir to combine and simmer over low heat. Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp canola oil over medium heat in a large, heavy bottomed skillet. Divide the pizza dough into six equal portions and roll into a round, tortilla-like shape. Fry the dough for one minute on each side or until golden brown and bubbly. Remove to a paper towel to drain. Top with beef mixture and shredded cheese.
Makes 6 flatbread melts.

Chocolate Cake

The Best Chocolate Cake Ever {Kevin & Amanda}

1 box devil’s food cake mix
1 small pkg Jello instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a very large bowl, mix together everything except chocolate chips. Batter will be thick. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour batter into cake pan of choice (I normally use two 9-inch pie pans). For cooking time, I use the cooking times on the back of the devil’s food cake box as a guide and usually add 10 mins to whatever it says. Then I do the toothpick check, and if it’s not done, I check on it every 5 mins after that. It usually takes around 45 mins for two, 9-inch pie pans.


Buttercream Frosting

1 cup shortening (Crisco)
4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

In a mixing bowl, cream shortening until fluffy. Add sugar and continue creaming until well blended. Add salt, vanilla, and whipping cream. Blend on low speed until moistened. Beat at high speed until frosting is fluffy.

Garlic Chicken Farfalle

Garlic Chicken Farfalle {Kevin & Amanda}

16 oz. Farfalle pasta
1 c. heavy whipping cream
3-4 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
2 to 3 cloves garlic, crushed OR garlic salt (I do a spoonful of crushed garlic)
1 Tbsp. pepper*
1/2 c. butter
1 lb. bacon, crumpled**
1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
1 (12 oz) Lawry’s mesquite marinade with lime juice

*Seems like a lot of pepper, but it has a wonderful flavor when everything mixes together. If you’re apprehensive, do less pepper. I do less.

[ directions ]
Crock pot chicken and bottle of marinade on low for 6 hours. Pull marinated chicken out of the juices, allow to cool a little bit, and shred (I pull it apart). Set this aside. About a half-hour before serving, boil the pasta. In a small saucepan, melt butter, add garlic, whipping cream, pepper, parmesan cheese, and crumpled bacon. Whisk together on low heat for 3-4 minutes. In a large bowl, pour over cooked, drained pasta, add chicken and stir through. Sprinkle a little bit more shredded parmesan cheese on top.

Breakfast Casserole

Breakfast Casserole {Kevin & Amanda}

1 pkg croissant rolls
1 lb mild sausage
6 eggs, beaten
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 9×13 baking dish with Pam. Brown sausage in skillet. Spread croissant dough in bottom of 9×13 dish. Add sausage, then pour eggs over sausage. Generously top with cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Red Beans & Rice

Red Beans & Rice {Kevin & Amanda}

1 cup long grain white rice
2 cups hot water
1 teaspoon salt
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pkg (14 oz) smoked sausage
1 can red beans
Zatarains Creole Seasoning

Add the rice, water and salt to a sauce pan with a lid. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low, then cover & simmer for 15 mins. Meanwhile, thinly slice the sausage and drain the juice from the red beans into the sink. Add 2-3 tbsp olive oil to to a large skillet and begin heating over medium heat. Add the sausage, give a sprinkling of creole seasoning and stir occasionally for about 7 mins until the sausages start to get sizzly on both sides. Add the red beans and stir until warmed through. About this time, your rice should be done too. Serve the beans and sausage over the rice. Add extra creole seasoning as desired at the table. Serves 2-3.

Cheesy Chicken, Bacon, & Avocado Quesadillas

Cheesy Chicken, Bacon, & Avocado Quesadillas {Kevin & Amanda}

4 medium-sized flour tortilla shells
1 lb chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
salt and pepper
1/2 cup scallions, diced
8 strips of bacon, cooked & crumbled
1 avocado, diced
mild cheddar cheese, shredded
2 tbsp butter

Arrange bacon on a cooling rack (like for cookies) and set it on top of sheet pan. If you don’t have a cooling rack, you can just put the bacon straight on the sheet pan. Or in a 9×13 baking dish. Either way will work. Place bacon in a cold oven, turn heat to 400, and cook 15 mins per side.

Add 1/2 tbsp bacon drippings to a skillet over medium heat. Add the scallions and saute about 2-3 mins until softened. Add the chicken in a single layer, season with salt and pepper, and cook for about 5 mins or until chicken is golden and cooked through, flipping just once during cooking. Remove the chicken and scallions to a plate and rinse out the skillet.

Add about 1/2 tbsp butter to the skillet over medium heat. When foamy, add a tortilla and swirl it around to get it nice and buttery. Layer one side of the tortilla with chicken, bacon, avocado, and a little cheese. Use tongs to flip the other half of the tortilla over and press down. Cook the tortilla for about 1-2 mins on each side or until golden brown and crispy.
Repeat with the rest of the tortillas, adding a little more butter for each tortilla as needed. Eat & enjoy!

Makes 4 quesadillas.

Bow-tie 'Lasagna'

Bow-tie 'Lasagna' {Tasty Kitchen}

Ingredients
1 pound Ground Chuck
5 cups Bow Tie Noodles
3 cups Spaghetti Sauce (or Pizza Sauce, Whatever You Prefer)
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Salt
½ teaspoons Garlic Powder
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning (or More, Make It To Your Taste)
½ cups Mozzarella Cheese
½ cups Sour Cream

Preparation Instructions
Fry ground chuck in small pan. Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions.
After noodles are cooked, drain and drizzle with olive oil. Mix in your spaghetti sauce. Add your fried hamburger, seasonings, cheese, and sour cream. Fold together and allow it all to combine and melt together, over low heat, for about 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Baked Ziti

Baked Ziti

Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) package ziti pasta
15 ounces ricotta cheese
1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 (32 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Optional: 1 lb of browned ground beef


Directions
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and rinse. In a medium bowl, mix ziti, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, egg and 1 1/2 cups spaghetti sauce. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish and spoon in ziti mixture. Top with remaining spaghetti sauce, followed by Parmesan cheese. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes; let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut Butter Cookies

3/4 cup Peanut Butter
1/2 stick Crisco Baking Sticks All-Vegetable Shortening
1 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 3/4 cups All Purpose Flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt


1.HEAT oven to 375°F. Combine peanut butter, shortening, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Add egg. Beat just until blended.

2.COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture at low speed. Mix just until blended. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2-inches apart onto greased baking sheet. Flatten slightly in a crisscross pattern with tines of fork.

3.BAKE one baking sheet at a time 7 to 8 minutes, or until set and just beginning to brown. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet. Remove cookies to cooling racks to cool completely.

Pot Roast

Pot Roast

What You Need
• 1 4-pound pot roast
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 pound carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 5 potatoes, chunked
• Salt
• Pepper

What To Do
1. In a skillet on the stovetop, brown all sides of the roast.
2. Place vegetables in bottom of crockpot and put roast on top.
3. Pour beef broth over roast and add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Cover; cook 8 hours on low.

Cheese & Sausage Crescent Rolls

Cheese & Sausage Crescent Rolls {Tasty Kitchen}

Ingredients
1 pound Breakfast Sausage
2 containers (8 Oz. Container) Crescent Rolls In A Can
2 cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Grated

Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Brown sausage in a skillet and crumble. Separate the crescent rolls into their individual triangular shapes. Layer a spoonful of cooked sausage, followed by a pinch of cheese onto each roll. Carefully roll each up into the famous crescent shape we all have learned to love, and place on a cookie sheet in the oven for 11-13 minutes until golden brown.

Fudge Pie

Old Fashion Fudge Pie {Food Network: Paula Dean}

Ingredients:
2 squares (2-ounces) semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 (9-inch) unbaked pie crust

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Melt the chocolate and butter together in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Remove the pan from the heat and add the sugar, then the eggs; beat well. Pour the filling into the pie crust and bake for 25 minutes or until just set. Serve warm or cold, with ice cream or whipped cream.

Homemade Oreos

Homemade Oreos

1 Chocolate Cake Mix
3/4 shortening
2 eggs

1 Can Cream Cheese Frosting

Mix ingredients well. Roll into 1 inch balls. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Let cool. Spread frosting between cooled cookies like a sandwich.

Taco Salad

Taco Salad

2 lbs of ground beef
2 cans of pinto or chili beans
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 large white onion
1 can Rotel

Brown ground beef over the stovetop. Add 1/2 to 1 pkg of taco seasoning for flavor. Dice the onion and add to beef. Sautee over medium heat. Add beans and Rotel, cover and let simmer for 5 minutes over medium heat.

1 head of lettuce
2-4 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
1 bag corn chips
4 tomatoes cut into small wedges
Italian salad dressing

Mix beef and bean mixture to the following ingredients. Toss and add salad dressing. Let guest add sour cream to their taste and enjoy.

Tortilla Soup

Tortilla Soup {Janelle}

1 Can (16oz) refried beans
1 Can (15 oz) black beans (rinsed and drained)
1 Can (14.5oz) Chicken broth
1 Can (15.5oz) Corn
¾ Cup Salsa
1 Can (10oz) White chicken (rinsed and drained)
½ Cup water
Shredded cheddar cheese – Tortilla chips

Combine all ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Crumble chips into the bottom of soup bowls. Serve soup over chips and add chips and cheese on top. And water if it’s too thick.

Jalapeno Corn

Jalapeno Corn {Mom Stutz}

12 oz. Cream Cheese
1/2 C.. Milk
4 T. Butter
1 tsp. Garlic Salt
3-4 fresh Jalapeno's, seeded and finely diced
4 (12 oz.) cans of Green Giant Shoepeg corn, drained

Melt cream cheese, milk, butter and garlic salt in a saucepan, stirring until mixture is smooth and
cheese is melted. Mix corn and jalapeno's together; add cheese mixture. Bake in a casserole dish
in a *350 oven for 30 minutes, or until bubbly and lightly browned on top.