Three Easy, Cheap Meals For When You're Feeding A LOT Of Teens

If you've been reading this blog, you know that my son likes to have his friends over  - a lot. Sometimes it's one or two boys who will eat whatever we're eating for dinner, but often it's up to 11 kids! Try as I might, I cannnot stretch a meal for 4 to encompass 15. 

So how do you feed an army of ravenous teenage boys on a budget?

The obvious answer would be to order pizza, but that gets pricey FAST. To mitigate the cost, I buy either cooked pizza from our local grocery store or an uncooked one from that same store or Costco. Even the cooked pizza is cheaper than Dominos or our local pizzeria. And I never have it delivered! Better the tip remain in my purse than grace even the nicest delivery person's pocket.

Often, I cook, nothing special since I'm not the best cook, but doing so saves a lot of money. My favorites, in no particular order, are:

1. Mac and Cheese – These kids, fortunately, are not picky about the quality of the food offered. Generic macaroni and cheese can be made in bulk, is comfort food, and is a favorite among all. Wanna get a little fancy? Top with generic shredded cheese.
2. Turkey Chili in the crockpot – I just made this last night for a mass of teens and it went over famously! Beans, rice, and corn can be added to make this extra filling. Find my recipe (along with other crockpot recipes here.
3. Fish Tacos – With generic fish sticks as the basis for these, kids find them exotic. Find the recipe here.

The mothers of my son's friends are grateful that we have their teenagers over, since they know their boys are safe and out of trouble. My son is delighted that even though we don't have a large house, his friends feel comfortable here. They're over so often, in fact, that they know where the paper plates, cups, and filtered water are – I tell them to help themselves and they do.

The dishes above make me happy that the kids eat hearty and are a part of our lives. And I love how my son thanks me, after every gathering, for allowing his friends to hang here. Sometime soon they'll all be off to college. I think I'll treasure them now.

A Quick, Easy Happy Family Casserole Your Family Will Adore

Recently, my son, once again, threw me under the bus with my husband. Here's how it played out:

My husband wants me to cook organic meals for the kids from scratch. Unfortunately, the kids don't want those meals – they want crap, like frozen pizza and microwaveable fried chicken. My daughter will settle for pasta (Kraft mac and cheese – as long as REAL cheese is not involved), but Junior is really picky. Half the stuff I make, he won't eat, yet, whenever Daddy's around, the kid becomes a martyr and wails, “Mom, I WANT nutritious food, Mom, but you never make it!!!” SUCH BULLSHIT!! So tonight, I came up with my easy:

Happy Family Casserole

Since it was made on the fly, measurements are approximate.  

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds of ground meat (turkey, beef – whatever the family will eat); I used lean ground turkey
• 2 cups of frozen or fresh veggies (again, whatever the hell they'll eat); I used chopped broccoli because I wanted there to be a lot of small pieces
• ¼ c of Worcestershire sauce
• salt and pepper (to taste)
• 1 cup of diced frozen or fresh onions (if they'll eat them)
• 2 cups of frozen hash brown potatoes
• ¼ cup of butter or margarine
• 1 package of shredded American cheese (again, if they like it)

Instructions:

1. Brown the meat and onions in a skillet and add the Worcestershire sauce.
2. Spray a lasagna pan (approximately 10x14) with non-stick spray.
3. Spoon the mixture into the bottom of the pan; add salt and pepper if you want.
4. Layer your vegetables over the meat and sprinkle with a handful or two of cheese.
5. Spread the two cups of frozen hash browns.
6. Using a teaspoon, drop teaspoons of the margarine over the hash browns and sprinkle the top liberally with the shredded cheese. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

What you have now looks like a pseudo-lasagna. Bake at 400 degrees until the potatoes are brown and the cheese on the top has melted.

That's it!

This dish was popular with the family for several reasons:

1. My husband liked it because it was nutritious.
2. The kids liked it because it involved meat and vegetables COVERED with cheese (always popular here).
3. I LOVED it because of its versatility. 
   
   

You can easily use shredded chicken and whatever veggies your kids will eat (or whatever you can hide among the meat).  In the future, I'll use black beans and some salsa, for a Southwest flavor. If your family is vegetarian, use soy crumbles or tofu. Got fresh veggies from your garden? Throw them in! This dish also freezes really well. 

The Happy Family Casserole will be on my list of go-to dishes and it looks nice enough to even serve company.

Try it and let me know                                  

what YOUR variations are!

Thanks for reading!

 

EASY Crockpot Crab Chowder

My son and I ate a LOT of crab chowder during our recent visit to Virginia Beach. Why?  Because the crab was fresh and each restaurant's version was better than the last!   Junior loved it so much that upon our return, I embarked on a quest for simple recipe I could make at home. Since we're on the road a lot in the fall, I looked for one I could make in the crockpot. I tried several recipes, modified them, and here's the end result (drumroll, please!): 

Linda's EASY Crockpot Crab Chowder

* Makes about 6 servings.*  Prep time about 10 minutes. * Cooking time 5 hours.   *Calorie content: no idea.

Ingredients:

1 pound of crab meat or imitation crabmeat – diced

1 cup chopped onions (I use frozen ones)

2 cups of diced, unpeeled red potatos

2 10-ounce packages of frozen corn

1 tsp. Worchestershire sauce

1 T paprika

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

2 cups of water

12-oz. can evaporated milk

2 T Old Bay Seasoning

1 T Xanthan Gum (thickener) as needed

½ cup of bacon (I use jarred bacon you find in the salad fixings aisle)

2 T liquid smoke

Here's the EASY part:  

 

1. Load all of the ingredients EXCEPT the evaporated milk and crab meat into your crockpot.
2. Cover and cook on high for 4-1/2 hours.
3. Stir in the crab and evaporated milk. Cover and cook 30 more minutes.
4. If the soup is too watery for your liking, stir in the Xanthan Gum and cook for 20 more minutes; if it's STILL too watery, stir in more of the gum.
   
   
   
   
    That's IT!   
   
   
   
   
   
    

This recipe is going to be a staple of ours this coming Winter. It's easy to make and the crockpot ensures that no matter what time family members come home, they'll have a hot meal ready.

Try it and let me know what YOU think!

As always, thanks for reading!   Come back soon, y'hear!  

The Lazy Mom's BEST Ribollita (Bean) Soup EVER!

If you've been reading this blog, you KNOW that I cannot cook. I burn, I nuke (microwave), and make salads quite well, but cooking is not one of my talents. 

Still, many years ago before kids (BK), I traveled to Tuscany and experienced tried a food that changed my life.  It's called ribollita. 

For those who don't know, ribollita is a Tuscan bean soup. According to Wikipedia, the soup has peasant roots when it was originally made by reheating (or reboiling) leftover minestrone soup from the previous day. Some say the soup dates back to the Middle Ages when servants gathered up the bread from their lords' banquets and used it in their own dinners. Ribollita is made from leftover vegetables you have in your kitchen, beans, stock, perhaps some cheese, and old, crusty bread. It's one of those “throw together” suppers. The ribollita we had at a restaurant was so thick and hearty, you could eat it with a fork. 

Ribollita is a hearty, healthy soup!

Ever since then, I've been trying to re-create that original dish, but to no avail. Either my stock is off or the mix of vegetables isn't right. Until now. On the website Chewnibblenosh.com, they had a recipe adapted from Giada De Laurentis (find her original here). 

Yesterday, I modified the recipe even further to come up with THE BEST version of ribollita I've had since that original experience in Italy years ago!

Before I even list the ingredients, let me preface this by saying that MOST Italian food tastes better when it's had time to gel. By that I mean, make this either in the morning of the evening you're going to serve it, as I did, or the day before. In time, the flavors will coalesce, making it more flavorful the longer you leave it. This recipe supposedly serves 4 to 6 people, but my family had at least 6 servings of it yesterday, and we can easily get three more out of it. 

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

½ c extra-virgin olive oil

2 chopped onions (I used frozen chopped onions since I hate chopping them)

4 small carrots, chopped

4 to 6 ounces of chopped pancetta (I bought this in a package at the grocery store)

2 cloves of garlic, minced

½ teaspoon of salt & pepper (to taste)

1 6 oz. can of tomato paste

1 (14.5 oz.) can of diced tomatos, with the juice

1 (10 oz.) box of frozen, chopped spinach

2 cans of Cannelini beans

1 teaspoon each of dried thyme and rosemary

6 cups of low-sodium chicken broth

1 bay leaf

3 inch piece of Parmesan rind – save the rest of the cheese for grating on top

Any other veggies you might have lying around

1 cup of mozzarella cheese

½ loaf of leftover Italian or French bread (you can also use leftover bagels, matzoh, etc.)

Instructions:

1. In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the carrots, onion, pancetta, garlic, salt & pepper. Cook about 10 minutes until the onion browns and the pancetta begins to crisp. Add the tomato paste and stir into the mixture. Then add the tomatos with the juice and the broth, stirring constantly.
2. Add the beans, spinach, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, broth, leftover veggies, mozzarella, and the Parmesan rind. Break the bread into pieces and put it on top of the soup. Bring the soup to a low boil and keep it going for at least 25 minutes. I had it going until it boiled over, then just left it on the stove (sans heat) for a few hours.
3. Discard the bay leaf, stir the bread (which has absorbed the soup) into the ribollita, and spoon the soup into bowls. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
   
   
   
   

   

   I had three bowls of this ribollita and could EASILY have had more!

   
   

Ribollita  is a great dish during cold season and can easily be adapted depending on what vegetables the family likes.

It's nutritious and makes the house smell wonderful!

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to grab another bowl before the family gets to it.  I LOVE this soup!  

Thanks for reading!!!

5 Pumpkin Cockails To Make Your Thanksgiving Sparkle

It seemed like everything was Fall and pumpkin-inspired until just after Halloween. Now society has fast-forwarded to Christmas with nary a thought to Thanksgiving. 

I am taking Thanksgiving back with pumpkin cocktails!

Well, dear reader, I'm taking Thanksgiving back! My mother-in-law is coming for the Feast which means alcohol will be on the menu. Here are my favorite 5 pumpkin-inspired cocktails to help add a bit more spirit to your THANKSGIVING season:

Hot Buttered Pumpkin Spice Rum – I would imagine that this isn't the lowest-calorie drink because it has butter in it, but it's a great drink to warm you up. Sip it before a roaring fire or flickering candle for extra ambiance.

Ingredients: 2 tablespoon of butter (make sure they're at room temperature); 1 tablespoon of softened dark brown sugar, 2 teaspoons of pumpkin-pie spice, 2 ounces of dark rum, and 12 ounces of HOT apple cider.

Directions: In a mixing bowl, use a whisk to whip the butter, brown sugar and pie spice together. Put it in the refrigerator and chill until it's firm. Then halve the mix and the mug and place in two mugs. Stir in the hot cider. Note: you could even top this with whipped cream and sprinkles and add a cinnamon stick to make it even more special.

This glass storage jar would be perfect to make pumpkin flavored vodka in.

Pumpkin Flavored Vodka – Okay, this is more time-intensive, so you might want to start now, but it yields a wonderful Fall take on vodka. Note that you'll need a large, sealable glass container for this, like a recycled glass juice bottle or glass storage jar.

Ingredients: 1-1/2 cups of pumpkin pie filling, vodka.

Directions: Place the pie filling in the container and fill the rest with vodka. Mix them both up and let the concoction sit in the refrigerator for a week to 10 days. Filter the mixture through a coffee filter which you've put in a kitchen strainer. TaDa!

This is out for a limited time only, so get it now!

Kahlua Pumpkin Martini - It doesn't get any easier than this!

Ingredients: Kahlua Pumpkin Spice, vodka

Directions: Mix equal parts of both together with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled glass. Add a bit of orange zest or a cinnamon stick to garnish.

Spiced Pumpkin Cider – Another warm drink you can sip while watching the leaves fall, it reminds me of the Spiced Rum recipe above, but with fewer calories. It also makes the house smell amazing!

Ingredients: 1 cup of pumpkin puree, 2-1/2 cups of apple cider, 1/3 cup of spiced rum, 1-1/2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice, a cinnamon stick, a sprinkle or two of nutmeg.

Directions: In a large pot, whisk together the puree, cider, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon stick. When the mixture begins to boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain it to get rid of any lumps and the cinnamon stick. Add rum and sprinkle with a bit of nutmeg. Serve it

warm. Yummmmmm!

Pumpkin Pie Martini – I've been watching quite a bit of Love It Or List It lately and at the end of each episode, the winner buys the loser a martini, so martinis have been on my mind lately. Here's a great one to celebrate with:

Ingredients: 4 ounces of vodka, pumpkin pie spice, 1 ounce of vanilla vodka

Directions: Pour both vodkas into a shaker of ice and, well, shake. Strain into two glasses and add a dash of pumpkin pie spice. 

Oh, and if you want something to go with your drinks, I just discovered these yesterday at Costco:

These go great with pumpkin cocktails!

Sconza Pumpkin Pie Almonds

As the package says, they're roasted almonds wrapped in the creamiest white chocolate with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. I don't want to admit how many of these I've eaten since I bought them last night. 

Despite the fact that the media and marketers have pushed us from Halloween into Christmas, I think Thanksgiving is such a meaningful holiday. Giving thanks is essential in my life and it's something I'm trying to instill in my children. We should be grateful that we have what we have. Enjoy the spirit of Thanksgiving with the cocktails above. 

Now excuse me. MUST...GET...HAND...OUT...OF...THOSE...ALMONDS!

I'm THANKFUL that you're here!  Please come again! 

Because Of His Snarkastic Remarks, Here's What We're Having For Rosh Hashanah Dinner

I fully admit that I am not a good cook. I know it, I laugh about it, and the point has been driven home by my husband who, over the years, has made the following snarky comments about my lack of culinary skills:

• “This kitchen should be called the 'House Of Ptomaine'.”
• “Giving the kids this chicken would be tantamount to child abuse.”
• “You know, this lacks just one thing – flavor.”
• “Buy wraps for Junior. Don't even ATTEMPT to make them.”
• “Oh. You cooked.”
• “What did you burn this time?”
• “Where's the Pepto Bismol? I wanna have it beside me when I eat.”
• “What IS this crap, errr, food?”

With those kinds of comments, when it comes to cooking for hubby, I don't make much of an effort. Honestly, if Purina made Husband Chow, I'd serve it to him seven nights a week. So I was less than enthusiastic when he announced that he wanted a “special” dinner for Rosh Hashanah tonight.

I checked the websites I'd recently written about (read that post here) and thought, “why bother?” So here's what we're having for tonight's “special” dinner:

Matzoh Ball Soup – I bought the mix and this soup is popular with the whole family.  It's a no-brainer that everyone, even my daughter, will eat.

Meat Loaf In The Crock-Pot – I threw together some ground turkey, tomato paste, a jar of sweet potato baby food (for the benefit of my son who doesn't eat enough veggies), and some seasoned whole wheat bread crumbs.  It's cooking as I type.  

Spinach Salad – Pre-bought from the store.

Sauteed Mushrooms With Bread Crumbs – I bought the pre-sliced mushrooms and will saute them in my frying pan with seasoned whole wheat bread crumbs.  Junior likes these.

Pumpkin Bread – Pillsbury's Pumpkin Quick Bread is a staple in my house, especially in the Fall. Junior LOVES it and I sneak in some vegetable baby foods and flax seeds for extra nutrition.

With Lily having gymnastics tonight, the “special dinner” will be brief. I think it will be good. I hope it will be tasty. If not, I'm looking forward to more “snarkasm” from my husband.

Oh, and PS:  No one has died, yet, as a result of tonight's dinner.  Take THAT, dear!

~~

Please note: Hubby approved the use of all of his comments for this post.

Shana Tova! 

3 INCREDIBLE Rosh Hashanah Recipe Sites

Challah - Yummmmm....

If you've been reading this blog for a while, you know that I am Christian while my husband is Jewish. Growing up, I didn't know anything about Jewish culture or holidays until I got to know my future husband. In fact, the first time I cooked for his mother for one of the holidays, I made a meat lasagna. Dairy and meat – a MAJOR no-no! No wonder my mother-in-law isn't fond of me.

Raising the kids interfaith, we celebrate both Christian and Jewish holidays, so I've relied on the Web for much of my holiday information. And with the the Jewish holiday Rosh Hashanah (click here to learn all about it: ) starting next Thursday, September 25^th, I thought it fitting to share three of my favorite online holiday recipe resources.

1. Aish.com (http://www.aish.com/h/hh/r/Easy-to-Make-Rosh-Hashanah-Recipes.html) – This site has simple, freezable recipes to make holiday cooking more manageable.
   
   
2. About.com (http://kosherfood.about.com/od/roshhashana) – You'll find wonderful recipes plus info about 10 symbolic foods for Rosh Hashanah and a nice section on Kosher basics.
   
   
3. Allrecipes.com (http://allrecipes.com/recipes/holidays-and-events/rosh-hashanah) – You're mouth will start watering the second you visit this site. There are so many recipes here, you'll have trouble choosing which dishes to make!
   
   

   

   Honey Cake

   
   

Sure, I could buy a lot of the holiday food pre-made. But part of celebrating my husband's traditions is taking the time to make the holiday personal and special, plus it's important for my children to know all about Judaism and savor the wonderful foods that are a part of that culture. Now pardon me – I have a shopping list to prepare!

~~

Thanks for reading! Please check back in for some of my favorite Rosh Hashanah resources for kids.

Shalom!

My 2 Favorite Vegetarian Barbeque Dishes

The Weber Gas Grill hubby ordered off Amazon.  DH and son put it together in a snap!

Thanks to our relatively-new Weber gas grill, we've been having fun barbequing this summer. Now, this weekend, we have a dear friend coming over and he happens to be a vegetarian. At first, I was a little flummoxed. I mean, outside of kabobs and salads, what other veggie-only dishes are there, especially ones that can be grilled? I searched files old and new and came up with these two that are sure to please vegetarians and meat-lovers alike:

Portobello Mushroom Burgers

Ingredients:

4 portobello mushroom caps                       

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil 

1 teaspoon each of dried basil & oregano

4 slices provolone cheese (although swiss is fine)

salt & pepper to taste

Place the mushrooms, smooth side up, in large Ziploc bag. In a bowl, mix together the vinegar, oil, and spices. Pour over the mushrooms and let marinate, at room temperature, for about 15 minutes. Make sure you turn the bag every once in a while so the marinade seeps into the mushrooms.

Preheat the grill on medium-high and brush the grate with oil. Place the mushrooms on the grill and save some of the marinate for basting. Grill the caps for between 5 and 8 minutes on each side until they're nice and soft, brushing often with the marinade. Just before you take the caps off the grill, top with the cheese and let it melt for a minute or so.

Winnie's Brussel Sprouts (named for my aunt)

Ingredients:

12 – 15 medium brussel sprouts (I've used frozen ones instead of fresh - see below)

½ teaspoon onion powder (optional)

5 tablespoons parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons salt

Clean and trim the sprouts by cutting the ends back. Score the bottoms by making an X. If using fresh sprouts, place in boiling water for about 4 minutes. If using frozen ones, just prepare according to directions. Drain and place in a bowl; drizzle with oil before tossing with onion powder and salt. Then place them on a hot grill and turn them every 3 minutes for a total of 12. Place back in the bowl and add the parmesan cheese. Honestly, if meat-lovers are present, I'll add some bacon bits(jarred – I'm too lazy to make them) just for them. LOVE the bacon!

Will the kids eat these? Well, my veggie-hating son really likes the portobello burgers while my cheese-loving daughter enjoys the sprouts. I'm also grilling halves of iceberg lettuce which I'll top with blue cheese dressing (with bacon bits, again, for meat eaters). Lastly,a dessert of grilled pineapple topped with vanilla ice cream...or just ice cream since my kids won't touch pineapple.  

These are easy dishes which let me visit with my company, not just serve them. Summer is supposed to be fun for the hosts and well as visitors. These recipes are simple, nutritious and mean we can spend time outside...and with each other. Bring on the weekend!

3 Delicious Ways To Celebrate The Chinese New Year

As I've mentioned before, my darling daughter hails from China and is radiantly proud of her heritage. Celebrating the Chinese New Year consists of making decorations (here's a link to my latest post on that: http://isithotinheremmm.blogspot.com/2014/01/5-chinese-new-year-crafts-with-links-to.html) and, usually, going out to eat. But there are many fine, SIMPLE recipes for Chinese food that even the most inexperienced cook like myself can make at home. Here are three of my favorite:

Fried Rice With Pork (Or Chicken)


Ingredients:


3/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 1/2 tablespoons oil
1 egg white, lightly beaten
5 drops soy sauce (or Bragg Liquid Aminos – a healthier alternative)
3 drops sesame oil
8 ounces cooked lean boneless pork or 8 ounces chicken, chopped (Perdue Shortcuts work well)
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot (used the diced frozen ones if it's easier)
1/2 cup frozen peas (thawed)
4 cups cold cooked rice (I use brown rice)
2 cups bean sprouts


Directions:

1. In a large frying pan, heat 1 tbsp oil; add chopped onions and stir-fry until the onions turn a nice brown color. This will probably take about 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
   
2. Mix the egg with 3 drops of soy sauce or the substitute and 3 drops of sesame oil; set aside.
   
3. Add about ½ tbsp of oil to the pan and then add the egg mix. Cook, chop into little pieces, and set aside.
   
4. Add about 1 tbsp of the oil to the pan and stir-fry the meat along with the carrots, peas, and cooked onion for 2 minutes.
   
5. Add the rice and bean sprouts and cook for another 3 minutes.
   
6. Add the 2 tbsp of soy sauce or substitute plus the chopped egg white, turn off the heat, and let the entire dish rest for about a minute.
   
7. Serve.
   
   

Beef And Broccoli Stir-Fry  


Ingredients:


3 cups of cooked rice (I use brown)
3 tbsp cornstarch
½ cup of water
1 pound of boneless round steak cut into strips
½ tsp of garlic powder
2 tbsp of vegetable oil
4 cups of broccoli florets (frozen are fine)
1 small onion, diced
1/3 cup of soy sauce or or Bragg Liquid Aminos – a healthier alternative
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp of ground ginger


Directions:

1. Mix 2 tbsp of cornstarch with 2 tbsp of water and the garlic powder. Add the beef strips and toss to coat.
   
2. Fry the beef until it's almost done; then add the broccoli and onion and stir fry for about 4 minutes.
   
3. Mix the soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and the remaining cornstarch and water until it's smooth. Add it to the stir-fry.
   
4. Stir, add the rice, and let the dish sit for about 5 minutes.
   
   
   

Pepper Steak – This is my mother's recipe and it was my first intro to Chinese food. Use red peppers for a sweeter dish. This makes wonderful leftovers, too.


Ingredients:


1-1/2 pounds of sirloin steak – cut into strips
2 peppers – cut into strips
1 small red onion - chopped
1 clove of garlic – peeled and chopped
1 cup of stewed tomatoes
2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp of oil
1-1/2 tbsp water
1 cup of sliced mushrooms
1 tbsp cornstarch
¾ cup of beef broth
1 cup of water chestnuts - drained
¼ cup of soy sauce or Bragg Liquid Aminos
1 14 oz. can of corn - drained


Instructions:

1. Combine the soy sauce with the beef broth in a cup.
   
2. In another cup, mix the cornstarch with the water.
   
3. In a large frying pan, heat the oil and brown the meat.
   
4. Add the onion, garlic, mushrooms, water chestnuts, and corn. Cook for about 5 minutes.
   
5. Add the soy sauce/broth mixture, then stir in the sugar. Bring this all to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat and simmer about 25 minutes until the meat is tender.
   
6. Add the peppers and stewed tomatoes and cook for another 5 minutes.
   
7. Stir in the cornstarch/water and cook another 5 minutes, stirring constantly because this dish is going to get thick and you don't want it to burn.
   
8. Serve over a bed of rice
   

And what would a good Chinese meal be without fortune cookies served at the end?  We have an Asian grocery store nearby, so I haven't made these yet, but I did find what looks to be a nice, easy recipe at allrecipes.com. Here's the link: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/fortune-cookies-so-easy.

--

Thank you for reading!  I am not a fan of the Super Bowl, so I will be playing word games while my husband and son (and probably Diva) watch the big game.  Please check back in with me as I share my favorite ones with you.  Plus, I'll let you in on a website I just discovered which will help you with your vocabulary.  It's prodigious, noteworthy, significant...yep...I'm on that site right now. 

The Crock-Pot Makes Even A Culinary Disaster Like Me Look Good

 
It's snowing...again...for the third time this week. Those cute little signs and whatnot saying, “Let It Snow” are making me see red because clearly, whoever manufactured them in China has never had the dubious pleasure of repeatedly shoveling out a walkway and driveway in that frozen mess. Anyway, it's time to pay homage to my FAVORITE wintertime appliance: the crock-pot.


Even before I had kids, I marveled at this low-wattage miracle device which allowed me to, literally, throw in a bunch of ingredients (2 points if I get the carrots in) and after a long day at work, come home to a hot, delicious meal. Even if I had errands or chores (shoveling, for example), the food usually didn't burn and if it did, it wasn't a lot. I'd walk in to a house so fragrant, one would swear someone had been cooking all day just for my pleasure.


Now that I have kids and a husband who works long hours, I still rely on the crock-pot for its simplicity and convenience. The devices are fairly inexpensive (in the $20 to $150 range) and the one I have has a 4-quart capacity which is perfect for my family. To learn more about choosing a slow-cooker, visit About.com (http://cookingequipment.about.com/od/slowcooker1/a/Aboutslowcooker.htm). Also, since I'm a renowned culinary disaster, I redeem myself with this appliance.


Here are three of my favorite recipes:


Turkey Chili


I make this at least once a week in the winter because my son loves it and it freezes well. Come to think of it, most of the crock-pot dishes I make freeze well...


Ingredients:


1-1/2 to 2 pounds of ground turkey
2 15.5 cans of drained black beans
1 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes (I'd use diced tomatoes, but the boy can't stand tomato chunks.)
1 or 2 packages of chili mix (depending on how spicy I want it)
1 40 oz. can of drained red kidney beans


Directions:

1. Spray the inside of the pot with cooking spray.
   
2. Add all ingredients and set on the Low setting to cook for about 8 hours.
   
3. Stir periodically.
   

Variations: I've added some canned corn and frozen chopped spinach, served it over brown rice, and thrown a tablespoon or two of sour cream and diced Mexican cheese on top just for fun. To stretch it, add a can of Hormel chili.


–


Turkey Meatloaf


Again, an easy-peasy recipe that yields the filling for an amazing sandwich the next day.


Ingredients:


2 pounds of ground turkey
2 eggs, beaten (or 1/3 cup of liquid egg whites)
¾ cup of milk or water
3/4 cup dry breadcrumbs (I use whole wheat ones)
1 cup of ketchup

Directions:

1. Spray the inside of the pot with cooking spray.
   
2. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, milk or water, breadcrumbs, and meat. Mix thoroughly and shape into a large ball. The ball should be large enough that it won't touch the sides of the pot.
   
3. Place the ball into the pot and add about ½ cup of water.
   
4. Pour the ketchup over the top and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours.
   

Variations: To get extra vegetables into my son, I've added a jar of babyfood – squash or sweet potatos work well. You may need to increase the amount of breadcrumbs by ½ cup if you do this.


–


Chicken Soup


Ingredients:


1 to 2 cups of shredded chicken (I use thighs because they're cheaper than breasts.)
1 cup of water
2 cups of frozen, diced vegetables (Generic ones from the grocery store work fine, just be careful what they have in them. If there's a lima bean in the assortment, my kids won't touch the soup.)
6 cups of chicken broth or 6 chicken bouillon cubes
leftover rice or pasta, if you have any
salt and pepper to taste


Directions:

1. Put all of the ingredients in the slow cooker and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours. Taste periodically and adjust the seasonings to whatever you like.
   

I've served this over rice, added leftover vegetables and had fun with this recipe. Ask a young child to help – they love it.


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For more crock-pot recipes, visit the following sites:


CookingLight.com – Here's the link to a whopping 105 slow-cooker recipes: http://www.cookinglight.com/food/top-rated-recipes/slow-cooker-favorites-00400000038588.


Spoonful.com – This link has 30 recipes: http://spoonful.com/recipes/slow-cooker-recipes
Chef-In-Training.com – Nikki lists 50 recipes here: http://www.chef-in-training.com/2012/08/50-slow-cooker-recipes.


CrockpotLadies.com – They list an Apple Pie Moonshine that sounds compelling. Their link is http://crockpotladies.com.


About.com – Linda Larsen has a great article on 5-ingredient recipes here: http://busycooks.about.com/od/fiveingredientsorles1/a/5ingredient.htm.


Foodnetwork.com – Probably the best cooking site for cooking. Their Slow Cooker Collection can be found at http://www.foodnetwork.com/search/delegate.do?fnSearchString=slow+cooker&fnSearchType=site


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Please check back in with me when I'll be suggesting some Christmas Eve and Christmas Day activities for goys and non-goys alike.