Veggie Hash and Couscous

I have been trying to make healthy changes over the past year, and one of my hardest changes is making healthy family meals.  I teeter back and forth between making meals that are healthy (that don't get eaten willingly if at all) and making meals I know they will like but feeling guilty for making less healthy fare.  It's a lose lose situation for my self esteem!  Tonight was the best night for my cooing self esteem in a long time!  Seriously!  Feel free to walk through the evening with me, or just scroll down to the recipe below :).

Kayleigh is testing to see if she has dairy allergies so this week we are doing dairy free family meals.  Anyone who knows me well will know that I LOVE dairy too much.  I have a hard time finding any meal that doesn't use cheese or milk, or something.  And the worst part, I buried myself in the basement working on laundry, and forgot the time (it was nearly 7..)so it had to be fast.

As I stared into the fridge, all I could see staring back at me were the veggies from my sweet neighbor that I didn't want to go bad...  So veggie hash was born.  Then I had to think of a fast side.  All I could remember that we have is brown rice, so I opened the freezer to grab it and hoped I could find a quick way to cook it.  But right there in the door was the couscous I bought six months ago that never got around to making.  Lucky for me I recently saw an America's test kitchen on the best way or I wouldn't have even tried it.

It started out much like other healthier meals(full of groans, complaints, and lists of what they won't eat), but then I made them try it.  It was a total hit!!!  My kids actually liked the veggies, Kayleigh even ate peppers!  So I want to remember it, and of course share too :).


Veggie Hash

Olive oil
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 onion
2 med potatoes
1 head cauliflower plus one really small stalk of broccoli
2 tsp. garlic powder (or a couple of fresh cloves minced)
1/2 tsp. tony chacheries (this is my favorite all purpose seasoning, use any seasoning you like)
Salt and pepper to taste

I diced all of the veggies pretty small (about 1/4 inch) except the broccoli and cauliflower. I was in a hurry so I messily cut up the florets and then cut the stalk in slices.  Heat olive oil in skillet while chopping.  Mix all veggies together divide in two.  I sautéed in two batches so I could get some good brown on the veggies.  After you dump them into the pan, add garlic and other seasonings.  Honestly, the amounts I wrote above are an estimate, I just sprinkled it on till I thought it looked right.  I sautéed till I got a nice brown color on all of them, adding a little olive oil as needed.  While they sautéed I made the cous cous.


Couscous (I used ingredients I had on hand that were quick, but I used the method that America's Test Kitchen uses in their "couscous with shallots, garlic, and almonds")
1-2 Tbsp. olive oil (they used 3tbsp butter, but I had to make it dairy free)
2 cups of couscous
1 cup water
1 cup stock
2 green onions (I also added some fresh chives)
Garlic powder
salt and pepper

While sautéing the hash, start sautéing the onions in a saucepan.  Sprinkle some garlic powder on them too.   Soften them a little, then pour in the couscous (I added the chives with it).  You need to toast it, but you have to watch it close or it will burn, stir it every minute, make sure you pull the toasty brown ones up from the whole bottom of the pan allowing others to get toasted.  You might have to stir more often depending on how hot your unit is.  I had mine just below medium on a small burner.  Have your liquid and a lid ready.  I warmed my liquid a little first in the microwave, but I don't think you have to, the pan is super hot.    When the couscous is toasted, take it off the heat, pour in the liquid, and put on the lid.  Then let it sit for seven minutes.  Finally, add salt, fluff it with a fork and you are done.
You don't have to use green onion, it's just what I had on hand.  Use anything flavorful you like.  Shallots, garlic, etc...  Couscous takes on the flavor of what you cook it in.  I was out of fresh garlic, or I would have added that too!


I served the veggies over the cous cous.  I hope you like it!  We sure did!

Slow Cooker BBQ Beef Brisket

This is another America's test kitchen recipe, and as usual they NEVER disappoint!  We made this for my dad's 60th birthday this week and it was a hit!  I didn't think it was too difficult either.

First, a little tip about where to buy your brisket.  The best price was Walmart's price for their whole brisket, and they were the only place I could find that had a whole brisket.  Every store I called had 5 lb brisket for about 4 bucks a pound, including walmart.  But their whole ones are 2.69 a lb.  You know how I love a deal!  We used two briskets for the big dinner, I just cut them in half and used 4 crock pots to cook them.  I used this recipe for each half sized piece of meat. (the recipe says 4-5 lbs)

One more thing.  You need a metal loaf pan, or two foil loaf pans inside each other to place the brisket on inside the crock pot.

Slow Cooker, BBQ Beef Brisket

INGREDIENTS

SPICE RUB AND BRISKET

1/2cup packed dark brown sugar

2tablespoons minced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

1tablespoon ground cumin

1tablespoon paprika

1teaspoon salt

2teaspoons pepper

1 (4- to 5-pound) brisket roast, fat trimmed to 1/4 inch thick and scored lightly

AROMATICS

3tablespoons vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped fine

2tablespoons tomato paste

1tablespoon chili powder

1tablespoon minced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup water (this is for adding to the crock pot, after you put in your brisket)

SAUCE
(you need your aromatic mixture and the juices from the brisket to make the sauce, so don't dump them)

1/4cup ketchup

1tablespoon cider vinegar

1/4teaspoon liquid smoke

 

The first thing  to do is trim some of the fat off of the brisket.  NOT ALL OF THE FAT, you need some.  They advised trimming it to 1/4 inch.  I am not the best at this, so mine was thicker in some places and slightly thinner in others.  You are going to want to cook it fat side up, so that the fat can get into the meet and make it more tender. 

Before you put the rub on, you have to score the fat on the top at 1/2 inch intervals.  They said this allows the flavors of the rub to get into the meat.  Scoring is to cut into the fat, so when you are done, it will have stripes all across the meat 1/2 inches apart.  I made sure I cut through the fat to the meat to help it get in, then when I was putting on the rub, I made sure I got it down into each cut mark.

I made two versions of this recipe.  I was afraid it would be too spicy for some, so I removed as many seeds and ribs as I could when I was chopping up my chipotle chiles.  I did this same thing for both the rub and the aromatics.  I haven't ever seen them pre chopped, I just buy the whole ones and when I am measuring amounts I add some of the adobo from the can as well as the chiles.  For the other version, I just chopped them as is and even added a few seeds left over from my mild batches as well.  The spicy sauce was too hot for me, but the brisket with the seeds left on the rub, was not spicy at all.  So you can decide which way works best for you.  I thought they were both good.

Basically you mix up all of the rub ingredients and smear it all over the brisket.  Then you wrap it in plastic wrap.  I actually layered two pieces of heavy duty foil and then laid plastic wrap side by side over that so I could make it overlap and have it all ready to go.  Then when I finished putting on the rub, I dropped it on the plastic wrap, washed my hands and wrapped it all up.  The foil didn't totally wrap the top, but the plastic wrap fully encased it.  I just used the foil as extra protection for my fridge without filling it up with pans.  They say you can either leave it out for an hour or place it in the fridge for up to 24 hours before going to the next step.  I left it in the fridge for 12 hours.

The next step is preparing the aromatics.  Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook onion until softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook until beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Stir in chili powder, chipotle, and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. After it is done, you make a pile of it in the middle of the slow cooker and place the loaf pan over the pile.  Then you place the brisket, fat side up, on the pan, add 1/2 cup water to the cooker and cook till a fork that you insert into the brisket can be removed with no resistance.  They say to cook on high for 7-8 hours or low for 10 to 12 hours.  I opted to have it on low, because in general, I like the texture of roasts on low better.  I pulled them out to rest between 11 1/2-12  hours later, but I should mention, that mine had a short trip over to my sister's house in the middle of cooking, so maybe they would be done faster if that hadn't happened. 

They advised placing it on a 9 by 13 pan to rest and then put it back in the crock after slicing to serve.  I just put it on big trays.  They didn't fill up with water or anything.  Whatever you put them on, cover with foil and let it rest. (basically that means just let it sit there without touching it or cutting into it at all)  You have to let it rest for 30 minutes.  RESTING IS A REALLY IMPORTANT STEP any time you cook meat, from steak to roasts.  They will end up more tender and moist if you do.  If you don't let them rest, the water just runs all over and is lost from the meat, leaving it more dry.  (seriously, I learned all I know from America's test kitchen!  They are great!)

While the meat is resting you make your sauce.  Pour off the drippings from the pan.  They said you should have two cups and if you have less, to add water to get it to two cups.  I had more.  Reserve out one cup of this liquid to pour over your brisket.  Then, one cup to make the sauce.  I actually ended up straining the part I used for the sauce.  I didn't use a fine mesh strainer, so there were still chunks, but it had yucky looking mushy stuff from the meat so I wanted to get that out.  If I had my little immersion blender there, I probably would have just blended it up with that.  Add the sauce ingredients to the liquid and whisk it together.  That is all you need to do.  The sauce is runny, so we thickened it a little with instant mashed potatoes, but you could leave it.

After it rests you slice it across the grain.  They said to slice it thin, but I did probably between 1/4 and 1/2 inch slices.  I just sliced it on the tray and left it there for serving.  Then I poured my reserved liquid from the crock over it.  The barbecue sauce is meant to be passed at the table.

They included a tip for making it ahead, just in case that is of interest to anyone.  After it is fully cooked, but not sliced, wrap tightly in foil and refrigerate for up to 3 days. (Refrigerate juices separately in sealed container)  To reheat, place the whole thing, foil and all in a baking pan in a 350 degree oven.  Cook till heated through, approximately an hour.  Reheat juices in the microwave or saucepan.  Then continue the recipe where you left off, starting off with the resting. 

I used larger sized crock pots, so I didn't have this problem, but if the lid doesn't seem tight, you can cover the whole top of your crock pot with foil to seal it closed.  I did that once with a ham.  I left the lid on even though it was slightly lifted, and covered it with foil and it worked great.

We served this with baked potatoes, broccoli, rolls, and cold shrimp for dad's birthday dinner.  America's test kitchen showed it served with cole slaw.

Chicken Veggie Burritos (Healthy Southwestern Egg Rolls)

This recipe originated from Todd Wilbur's version of Chili's Southwestern Egg rolls that he had made over to make them more healthy.  See my Ode to Todd Wilbur for more information about him.  I have adjusted it both so I can make enough to freeze and so that it is easier and has less waste.  (His calls for 2 Tbsp of red pepper, etc...)

Here is my recipe:
3 large chicken breasts (Between 1-2 lbs chicken, you can use more, I just like to save money and minimize meat)
1 large red bell pepper
1 full bunch minced green onion (about 1 cup)
2 cups frozen corn
1 can black beans rinsed and drained
1 (10 oz) package frozen spinach thawed and drained, or 10 oz of frozen spinach (it looks like a LOT, but it cooks down)
3 tbsp parsley
1 tbsp cumin
1tbsp chili powder
1 ½ teaspoons salt
3 dashes of cayenne pepper
¾ pound pepper jack


You can cook the chicken any way you like, but it is best grilled.  He advises oiling them, then add salt and pepper and grill.  But I have boiled it, and I've browned it on a frying pan too.
After your chicken is cooked you can put it all together.  First cook your onion and peppers in a little oil in your pot for a few minutes (till soft) Then add everything else but the cheese and cook while mixing it all together.  (I have a pampered chef chopping tool that is PERFECT for this.  I think it's called a "mix and chop" but it has an asterisk shaped bottom, and you can chop your spinach and chicken up while mixing it all together with it.  I LOVE it.  When it is all heated through, and the liquid is gone, you can add your cheese.  Then it is ready to fill the burritos. 
Todd gives a great way to heat the tortillas.  You barely dampen a towel (I like to use a flour sack towel) and lay it on a microwave safe plate.  He advises five at a time, but I put 10.  So you lay your tortillas on the plate and wrap the towel around them and microwave for about a minute till they are soft and pliable.  This keeps them from getting dry and tough.  But warming them prevents them from tearing when you fold them.  I usually use a cookie scoop to portion out my filling.  You don't need very much.  My cookie scoop is one ounce, and when I use a regular taco sized tortilla I use two scoops scraped flat on the side of the bowl.  For larger ones I usually use three.  I scoop it on and then spread it in a long thin line about 2 inches from the edge of the line.  Then I fold down my ends, and roll my tortillas into a long round burrito.  I took some photos of this, but they are on my storage hard drive which is unavailable to me at the moment.  I'll post them when I get it back ;).
There are several options to cook them.  You can deep fry them, or fry them on a pan with oil, or for his low fat version, TW advises covering them with cooking spray and baking them.  I did this at first, but I didn't like putting all those chemicals on our food, so then I would baste them with oil, but I like them just as well without the extra oil so I cook them like frozen burritos, (350 degrees for about 25-30 min)  or even better I use my panini pan (Thanks to my mother in law who bought it for me, I LOVE it). I grill them till they are brown on all sides (be careful to use a low enough heat that they heat in the middle by the time they are brown) I've also used a plug in griddle pan too.  I don't even use oil and they get nice looking grill marks on them.
You can dip in ranch, or make his avocado ranch listed here, or the cilantro ranch I've seen posted online (google it)  I've had it and liked it, but I don't know which one so I don't want to post it.  We just use low fat sour cream most of the time.  (Once I mixed sour cream with a little bbq sauce and I liked that too)

I am really particular about my kitchen gadgets...(yes pampered chef lady I said it again! GADGETS! Boring back story:  I got scolded at a pampered chef party for using that term instead of tools. It was embarrassing, and I was a little irritated that they feel the need to specify that they are tools to somehow give them more legitimacy.  So now it is my personal vendetta to keep using whatever term I want!  Yes, I am vindictive like that!)  But my favorite cookie scoops are the ones with a solid plastic handle and a thumb lever instead of the metal handle that you squeeze together to release your batter.  I like to use cold cookie batter, and I broke two pampered chef ones before I went on a quest to find one like my mom's.  I got mine from a local restaurant supply here in Utah call Orson Gigi.  This is a link for their scoops  Mine is the purple one (#40,.89 oz).  Last time I was there, they were a couple bucks cheaper in store.

In case you wondered what panini pan I have, this is it.  I use it almost every day.  It replaces my regular plug in griddle, because the plates are flat on one side and have the grill lines on the other.

Crock Pot Refried Beans and my homemade whole grain frozen burritos

This is the easiest, best recipe ever for refried beans!  My brother Steve, taught me how to cook beans in the crock pot years ago, and then my sister Cari told me about crock pot refried beans from pinterest.  I can't remember which recipes I started with, but I ended up changing it for my taste.  (I think one was from 100 days of real food)  It is very little more work than canned and doesn't have any unnatural ingredients or chemicals from the can. :)  I usually fill my crock pot using about 7 cups of beans, but I've included a per pound guideline below.

Per 2-2 1/2 cups (1 lb) of dry thoroughly washed and sorted pinto Beans add
4 cups water (2 to one water to bean ratio)
1 pepper  Either 1sweet red or green pepper or a can of green chilies or a couple on anaheim peppers, or jalapeno, whatever you like.
1 onion
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1-2 tsp minced garlic
Salt to taste approximately a tsp? (I never measure, I just sprinkle it over, and if it needs more, I do it again)
2-4 oz cheese (I use either cheddar alone, or a mixture of cheddar and pepper jack)  When I use pepper jack cheese I sometimes lessen the three spices to about 2/3 of a tsp.  But it shouldn't be overly spicy even if you leave it in.

Add everything but salt and cheese to your crock pot.  THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.  You shouldn't ever add salt to dry beans before they are fully cooked.  Cook for 8 hrs on HIGH.  Make sure they have a creamy texture, that is when you know they are done.  If there appears to be too much water, scoop some out into a bowl and keep it in case you need to add it back in.  Some water is needed.  Blend with an immersion blender.  When I make these, with slightly less water than 2 to one water ratio, I never need to drain out the water.  Sometimes it looks a little too wet at first, but this thickens up a lot when it cools a bit.  And you don't need to pull out the vegetables either.  Just blend with an immersion blender, or regular blender.  (I'm telling you, if you don't have an immersion blender, it is worth the investment!  If you mess up and make lumpy gravy, blend out the lumps, if you make any kind of pureed soup, you just have to put it in there and blend it up, as well as for these beans.  SO much easier than blending them a little at a time.)  Then you salt it to taste, and cheese and stir it up.

I usually do about 3 lbs at a time in my big 7 qt crock pot and it fills it right up.  My favorite mixture is this:  3lbs beans, 3 large sweet red peppers, 2-3 large or 4-5 small onions( note I LOVE onion), 1 scant tbsp each of the cumin, chili powder, and paprika, 2 tbsp minced garlic (I use the big jar you keep in the fridge and it seems less potent.  Be more careful if you use fresh, maybe 3 cloves), Salt, and 1 cup pepper jack, 2 cups cheddar

Then, I make my own frozen homemade burritos with whole grain tortilla shells.  You just warm the shells a little.  (I'll share a little tip I got from todd wilbur for this below)  Then you put a strip of beans about 2 inches from the edge closest to you  across the width of the tortilla. I try and make it about 1 inch wide and about 1/2 inch thick. (I haven't actually measured)  You do not need very much.  I use about 1/4 cup, for the mission whole wheat tortillas.  It took me YEARS to realize that the reason my burritos didn't always go over well is I put WAY to many beans.  Then I realized the ones they love have so few.  This is also the reason I melt the cheese into the beans.  My kids don't like finding a layer of melted cheese.  go figure... :).  Sorry, I digress.  Back to the tutorial.  Spread the beans, only leaving about an inch or 2 on each end.  Then you fold each end with your right and left hands, pick up the side facing you with your thumbs while still holding the sides with your fingertips, and roll it over your strip of beans, continue till it is all rolled up.  I hope this makes sense.  I want to put photos, but knowing me I never will get around to it.  Comment if you want me to, and that might push me to do it :).  Anyway, this makes a really nice, uniform burrito perfect for freezing.  I fill up zip lock bags and then they are ready to go.  You can heat them in the microwave for approximately 2 minutes, or heat them in a 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes, but what I like to do is use my panini pan I got for Christmas last year. (any frying or grill pan would work the same though).  I cook it on medium heat browning all sides, because my family likes crunchy burritos.  I don't even use butter or oil with my panini pan, and it leaves nice grill marks all over.  But like I said, I've even used a regular flat griddle.  That works great too.  I have added butter in the past, but we like them so much this way, so why add all of that unnecessary fat?

So here is todd wilbur's awesome tortilla softening technique.  I read it years ago, so it might have evolved a little over time.  Slightly dampen a flour sack towel.  Lay it across a microwave safe plate, and place your tortillas on it.  (He does five at a time I think, But I just throw in a whole pack of ten)  Fold the sides over the tortillas wrapping them all up.  Then microwave for one minute.  (If they don't seem pliable you can go longer, of course microwaves vary)  This helps soften them up without drying them out.  This is super important for burritos so you don't have them folding or tearing.  It makes them so easy to use!

When I do three lbs of beans, they make a LOT of burritos.  I usually buy five or six bags of tortillas when I buy them, but since we usually use some of it for bean dip and other meals and I use some of the tortillas for other things too, I don't have an exact estimate of how many burritos it makes.  You can freeze refried beans, and reheat them in a little water, if you end up with leftover beans after your tortillas are gone.


*One last tip about homemade beans, they are SO MUCH better on the second day.  My family gobbles them up even on day one, but when I am tasting them, trying to make sure they are how I want them, they always seem not quite right.  But by the second day, the flavors all mesh together and they are great!  Not to mention, they are fully thickened up.

The Best Homemade Chicken Nuggets

America's test Kitchen you've done it again!!!  I have been trying to cut down on our yucky pressed mystery meat consumption, so I was so happy to be watching cooks country when this recipe was being shown.  These are truly the best!  The breading stays on, the coating is crisp and delicious, even after freezing and reheating.  These are AWESOME!  I usually multiply the batch and freeze the extras, both so that I can make good use of my frying oil since I don't save it, and to have more for future meals.  I think it's easier to cook less often in bulk than to have to cook over and over.  But I must say that this one it is a tiring endeavor.  I don't do it that often since it takes hours of work.  But it feels good to feed them something that at least has ingredients I recognize, though I wouldn't claim they are healthy every day fare.  The flavor is worth the extra effort too.

1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts (4 breasts appx)
2 cups water
1 tablespoon salt
2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 cup flour
1 cup panko bread crumbs
2 teaspoons onion powder
3/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 teaspooon (at least) tony chacherie's...I know, I add it to everything!
3 large egg whites
4 cups peanut or vegetable oil

They said to use crushed panko crumbs.  I thought they were crushed enough, and the crunch it created made me think of mimi's chicken fingers which is always a good thing!  So I just measure them as is...  I bought kikkoman panko bread crumbs from winco, and they were only just over a dollar a box.  I share this because they were considerably more at a couple of other grocery stores.  You might want to have extra breading ingredients, or don't get too carried away breading them.  Usually the recipe amt is enough, but one time, when I made a MONSTER sized batch, I used WAY too much.  I had extra crumbs, so I mixed up extra breading mix, and still ran out.  Some of my nuggets ended up less breaded, but they were still good. 

They have a method for cutting the chicken in uniform sized pieces, look up the recipe for better instructions.  Mine weren't very uniform, but I tried!  You cut the breast into thirds the long way.  Then the thickest top portion of the breast is cut in 1/2 inch slices.  The rest I just tried to cut about that same size...  Maybe someday I'll actually take photos, but I wouldn't count on that in the near future :).  After you cut them, you have to brine them.  Whisk water, 1 tbsp salt, and worcestershire in a bowl large enough to hold your chicken.  Dump in the chicken pieces and put in the fridge for 30 minutes.  They say not to do it any longer than that, but I have left it a little longer while I'm cooking earlier batches.  Next time I'll dump off the brine after the 30 min, so the chicken isn't so hard to pat dry.

Now you are ready to bread them!  Whisk your egg whites till a little foamy in one bowl, just to break them up.  Then mix all of the dry ingredients in a large shallow pan.  I use an 11 by 15 deep baking dish.  Pat your chicken dry with paper towels, dip them in your egg whites and then coat them well with your bread crumbs pressing the crumbs into the nuggets.  They say to press gently, but I actually press hard on the chicken, both to press in the crumbs, and to flatten them a little.  That might be how I used too many crumbs.  Then place them on a plate for ten minutes.  You're not done there!!!  Keep your bread crumbs for a second layer.  Meanwhile, heat your oil to 350.  After ten minutes dip them again, pressing the crumbs gently onto your nuggets again.  And they are ready to fry.  They say to fry 1/2 the batch at a time, for 3 minutes till golden brown, turning half way.  Then place it on a wire cooling rack, placed on a rimmed cookie sheet in a 200 degree oven while you cook the other half of the nuggets.  If you want to freeze them for later.  Wait till they are cool, and place them in a ziplock bag.  They say you can freeze them up to a month.  But ours don't last that long ;).  To reheat, bake at 350 for about 15 minutes till heated through.

So when I make a lot, this is how my assembly line works.  I dip 20 nuggets at a time.  First in the egg wash and then the first bread crumb dip.  Then I set my timer for 10 minutes.  I use two plates, one for the first dip and one for after the second one, so I can easily keep track.  After things get going, it works pretty good, but I am busy the whole time.  While I wait for 10 minutes for one batch, I am frying the one before.  I fry the nuggets 10 at a time for about 4 minutes.  After ten minutes pass, I quickly did the second dip in time to put them in the oil after the batch before was done.  Then in open moments I had to dip the next set of 20 for the first time.  I don't know if this is a good explanation, but once you start doing it, you can kind of see how it works.  I had my whole table set up starting with a spot on the far right with a plate covered in paper towels for the raw chicken.  You can keep your chicken in the fridge and just pull out 20 at a time to place on the paper towels.  Then I threw away the towels and put new ones for each batch.  To the left of that plate was my egg whites and to the left of that was my bread mixture.  I placed the plate for after the first dip above my pan, and the nuggets ready for frying to the left of the pan.  Then next in line was my plug in fry daddy pan and next to that was my cooling rack.  I left them on the cooling rack just long enough to cook the next batch and then moved them into the oven into a big pan I kept in there.  The frying part actually went pretty fast, but I had to MAKE SURE that I had no usual interruptions from my children :).  They were strictly confined to the basement with daddy ;).  A lot of the time is in cutting up the chicken and brining, and then setting it all up.  And then the frying part was very tiring because I was running here and there the whole time multitasking and I had to wash my hands a million times every time I would handle different batches of chicken.  I hope I didn't make it sound so complicated that you won't want to try it.  I promise it is worth it!  And if you don't want the big song and dance, just make a small batch. :)  Or get together with friends so each person can handle one station.  That's what I should have done!  I can't wait till my kids are older hehehehe.  Please feel free to ask questions if some of this doesn't make sense.

Easy Chicken Tacos

 

 The source for this recipe is my FAVORITE cooking experts, America's test kitchen.  I LOVE their shows, I love their explanations of why they added a certain amount of an ingredient, and all the different ways they tried it.  I love the scientific theory behind cooking they share.  I love their food and equipment reviews.  They are the best!  They really do have the best, most well developed recipes in my opinion.  I've never tried any I haven't liked.  This particular recipe was on Cook's Country, and I wouldn't have considered it had it not been from america's test kitchen.  It sounded like a weird combination.  But I am SO glad I saw that episode!  They are now our favorite tacos and Jay chooses this every time its his turn for a favorite meal. On Saturdays, our family takes turns picking a splurgy meal.  I make whatever they want, pizza, chicken nuggets, ramen noodles, whatever).  Every six weeks, when it is Jay's turn, we have this.

INGREDIENTS

2-3 tbsp butter

1 heaping tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon chipotle chilies in adobo sauce

1/2cup orange juice (or 2 tbsp orange juice concentrate)

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1 1/2 lbs chicken breast

1 teaspoon yellow mustard

Salt (to taste)

Flour tortillas (we use the raw ones usually)

INSTRUCTIONS

The first thing I do is chop up my chilies.  I pull them out one by one, and scrape all of the ribs and seeds out.  Then I chop them up as small as I can, and measure them, making sure I add some of the adobo sauce as well.  While you are chopping, you can start melting the butter in the pan.  Then add the chilies and garlic and let them cook for just a minute.  Then I add the chicken and everything but the salt and cilantro and let it all cook together.  I usually make Jay and the kids pull off the cilantro leaves while I am cooking it, and we add it in whenever they finish.  I add the salt at the end.  I don't know why, that is how they did it, so I copied.  This recipe is done when all of the liquid is cooked out.  I don't like to pour off any flavor, and usually, by the time the water cooks out the chicken is falling apart and perfect.  A couple of times when it has excess water, I have poured some of it into a little sauce pan and let that reduce while I'm reducing the sauce in the chicken.  If you don't multiply the recipe, you shouldn't have as much problem with too much liquid anyway.  I have tripled or quadrupled the recipe for a crowd, or just when Jay wants to eat leftovers for days!  Part of my problem with excess water is also because I always forget to thaw my chicken and it always goes into the pan partially or completely frozen.  When the chicken is cooked, I use a star chopper from pampered chef to chop it up.  This is one of my favorite things they sell by the way!  It is a black stirring instrument.  If  you look at it from the bottom, it looks like an asterisk.  I use it to chop up spaghetti or ramen for my kids, or hamburger meat, and for these and my southwestern egg rolls it does a great job of both chopping it up and mixing it together.  ( I think it is actually called mix and chop...)

Just an fyi, this is not the exact recipe they have.  We've added extra chipotle chilies over time, we add all of the cilantro at once during the cooking time...  If you want their original recipe, just google cooks country easy chicken tacos.  Tons of people have posted it on blogs.  (In fact, any ATK recipes you want, this is the best way to get them off season.  They let you have their current season of recipes, but make you pay for a membership to see all of their recipes.  Any time I can't access one, I just google it and have always been able to find them.)  Of course I do try to support them financially when I can!  I watch their show, and buy some of their books :).

Crock pot pork chops, potatoes, and onions

I "slow cooker chops" from allrecipes as a starting point for this recipe.  (Allrecipes is almost always my starting place when looking for ideas to use what I have on hand, or looking for a specific type of recipe.  I love the reviews!  They really help you fine tune your recipe.)  I usually use 6-7 chops and 6-7 potatoes.  But I have doubled this recipe in my lg 7 qt crock pot using at least 15 potatoes and 14 chops.  I filled it right to the top layering 1/2 of the potatoes and chops and then the other half.  And it still worked great!  (By the way, when smith's puts their whole pork loin on sale, that is a perfect chance to make your own boneless pork chops.  I just slice the whole thing up and freeze them in the portion sizes I want.  Thanks must go to my sister Candice, for sharing this idea with me.  Thanks Candy!)
So here goes!

Ingredients
6-8 potatoes (8 if they are small)
6 pork chops
1 large onion
2 cans of mushroom soup
1/2 cup water
tony chacherie's and onion powder, any seasoning you usually use when cooking meat.

First, you season your chops and start to brown them at medium heat on the stove.  (I use a deeper pan, but whatever
works for you is fine)  I sprinkle them pretty generously on both sides with tony chacheries, (my favorite all purpose spice), and with a little onion powder.  While browning the meat, or just before, peel and slice your potatoes.  I have a progessive hand held slicer that I LOVE!  It isn't to expensive, just a simple tool with a handle and a slicing blade.  So they slice up thin and even in no time.  Of course you can slice them by hand, just remember, for quick cooking, the thinner the better.  I place the potatoes in the bottom of the crock and stack my chops on top.  After browning your chops, you slice the onion into thin slices and put it in your pan to brown(my slicer works great for onions too).  Onions are the star of the show in this dish.  I sometimes use two.  And if your onion isn't huge I would use two!!  If you don't like onions, you probably won't like this recipe, because it is so bland without them, and of course, being the star, they are the main flavor player here.  The onions are so much better if they get that carmelized cooked flavor and they also help you pull all of the delicious brown bits off the pan from your pork chops.  I am actually a pretty messy cook.  If I'm in a hurry, I just dump my onions on top of the chops, and they fall around them, and start cooking.  As I lift out the chops, more and more onions get brown,  I sometimes turn the heat up too much and some get a little too brown while others don't get cooked at all...It doesn't seem to matter, it always tastes good!  I'm sure a cooking expert could tell you all of the reasons that is the wrong thing to do, but it works for me!  After the onions are brown I pour them over the chops in the pan.  The last step is to pour the mushroom soup and water into the pan you cooked the onions and pork in.  I am obsessive about getting all of the good flavor out of that pan and into my crock.  You don't necessarily have to cook it, just stir it around in there and pick up all of the spices and brown stuff of the pan, then pour it into the crock. Then set it on high and cook for 3-4 hours.  (In fact, it can probably be eaten after 2/1/2, but I like it to get a little brown on the sides, kind of like when you cook it in the oven)

Tater Tot Casserole

1 lb ground beef
2 lb tater tots
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 med chopped onion
steamed vegetables (optional)


Brown and drain ground beef. Mix beef, soups, and vegetables. Pour in 9x13 pan. Top with tater tots. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Teriyaki Chicken

I'm not a big fan of brown meat...but I couldn't resist the 50 cent a pound leg quarters at Winco, so I set out to find a way that I would like them.  I remembered when I was a kid that my mom made teriyaki chicken legs that I liked, so I called her and here is what I ended up doing...

I had about 5 lbs of them.  I brined them in salt water for about 5 hours and then rubbed garlic powder on them under the skin.  I wanted them to have a grilled taste so I put them out on the grill solely to brown the outside.  I am not so good at grilling and they kept flaming up.  So it didn't take long for them to look grilled.  Then I crammed them into a pan and poured the sauce over them and baked them for 1 hour at 350 degrees.  They ended up tasting amazing!!  Very tender, and delicious.

The sauce was simply 1 1/2 cups of soy sauce and 1 1/2 cups brown sugar.  You are supposed to baste them but I used so much sauce and they were so crammed in that it pretty much covered them.  I only basted it once.  I was really glad I had grilled them, because for me it was a necessary flavor.  Hope you enjoy!

Dad's Chili

This is just a guideline, because my dad never makes the same chili twice.  He just dumps a bunch of stuff in that looks good at the moment and usually adds a number of different meats.  But he has won countless chili cook offs so I attempted to get some of his constants :).

This makes a BIG pot of chili.  I doubled it and it filled my big electric roaster pan 2/3 or more.  Worked great for a big family gathering (when Kayleigh was blessed?).

5 Tbsp Chili powder
3 Tbsp cumin?  (I didn't have it written, but I am positive I added this.  And almost positive on the amount.)
2 BIG cans tomato sauce (equals about 8 small cans)
2 BIG cans enchilada sauce ( I use the green Mikayo sauce they sell at walmart) It's about a 30 oz can.  My dad has used any number of kinds.
I use 1 to 2 lbs stew meat.
3 lbs dry beans (I use one each of black, pinto, and kidney)
1/2 of a big can of green chilies. (I used hatch whole chilies)  Its again about a 30 oz can. So about 4 little cans if you rather.
1 Tbsp dried minced garlic
1 Tbsp oregano
2 large onions chopped
1/2-1 lb breakfast sausage (sounds weird I know, I REALLY didn't want to add it the first time, but its good)
Dad adds mace, I didn't have that so I added a little masa harina (1/4 cup).  He said mace tastes like corn meal, so I figured that was an okay substitute...
Dad also said he would have added an entire bottle of green tabasco, but I didn't have that either :).

One other note about the meat, my dad is a carnivore and would add more than I did for sure.  One time when I was down in NV for one of his chili cookoffs, he put hamburger, shredded pork, steak, sausage, and possibly something else...I'm not sure, all in the same pot of chili.  Jay LOVED it.  I don't know if this even lives up to that chili for him (probably because it doesn't have five kinds of meat!) but I love it.

So of course your first step is to soak and cook the beans.  It is very important that you get them fully cooked BEFORE adding to the chili.  See my bean method for my long rambling how to about dry beans :).  While the beans cook you can make the base.  Brown meat and onions in a huge pot, then add the rest of your ingredients and let it stew for a while.  Add your beans and simmer a little longer to mix flavors.  You will want to stir occasionally to make sure it doesn't stick.  If it is getting too thick too early and sticking, just add some water.  It seems like with all of these kind of recipes they are even better the next day because all of the flavors "develop", but I am never prepared enough to do it that early :).  Dad, any comments to improve or correct would be welcome.  It is your chili recipe after all!   I froze the leftovers in two cup portions just like I do my beans.  Again, see bean method for my longer instructions.  Tasted great for months after!  I like to serve it with corn bread or over baked potatoes.

New Orleans Jambalaya

Another southern favorite!  This makes a LOT.  (Claims to make 15 servings.  I would say so! 15 restaurant sized servings!)

Marinade:
1 cup soy sauce
4 Tbsp dried thyme
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp paprika
2 onions, chopped
2 Tbsp ground black pepper
16 chicken breasts

3/4 lbs bacon cut in small pieces
8 onions, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
6 Tbsp flour
3 lbs sausage (italian, chorizo, andouille if you can find it, whatever you like)
3 lbs cooked ham cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3 Tbsp dried thyme
4 tsp cayenne pepper
5 cups chicken stock
6 cans diced tomatoes with juice
1 green pepper, chopped
6 cups uncooked white rice
10 lbs medium shrimp- peeled and deveined

Here is the recipe and my commentary will be at the bottom. 
Chicken marinade:  In a large shallow dish or bowl, mix all marinade ingredients and place the chicken in the marinade.  Refridgerate for at least 3 hours.
Saute bacon in a dutch oven over medium heat till brown.  Add the onion and garlic.  Continue to cook 5 minutes.  Mix in flour and sausage and continue to cook five minutes more, stirring frequently.  Add the ham, thyme cayenne, chicken stock, tomatoes with juice, and green peppers and bring to a boil.  Stir in rice, cover, and cook for 25 minutes.  Remove from heat, cool, and refridgerate.
Two hours before serving, discard marinade and bake chicken breasts at 500 degrees for about 12 minutes or until the flesh feels firm when pressed.  Cool and cut into bite size pieces.  Reduce oven's temperature to 250 degrees.  Place covered jambalaya pot on large baking tray filled with hot water.  Make until warm, about 2 hours.  Just before serving, boil 5 qts of water.  Add the shrimp and cook for 3 minutes until they are firm to the touch.  Drain well, toss shrimp and chicken with jambalaya mixture and serve.

Now if you know me AT ALL, you know I did not put any shrimp in it when I made it.  But since most people will say it's not Jambalaya without it, I reluctantly included it in the recipe.  I also used less meat than it called for, because I am cheap.  Also, I  left out the whole cooling step.  I just cooked the chicken while cooking all of the rest of the jambalaya, stirred it in after the rice had its 25 minutes and served it.  The reason I left the recipe as it was originally written is because it is probably best that way.  I'm sure it developes the best flavor and texture if you wait and do it the way that it directs, as well as adding all the meat, shrimp, etc..  But it was still really good even using my easy method. Love that cajun flavor!!

Steve's Guatamalan Tacos

I am posting first Steve's recipe exactly how he wrote it.  Then at the bottom I am going to write how I make them!

Guatamalan Tacos

Black beans
Water
Cabbage
Cucumber
Tomato
Limes
Onion
Salt
Oil
Corn Tortillas

Okay, I know, I don’t have amounts. That’s mainly due to the fact that the amounts will vary based on how much you want to make. I usually use a whole bag of beans, a head of cabbage 3 to 4 cucumbers, half an onion, 4 or 5 tomatoes, and 3 or 4 limes when I make this for the family. To start, cook the beans in a 2 to 1 ratio of beans to water just like rice. Don’t drain the beans when they are done. In a large skillet/frying pan put a small amount of oil, enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the onion to the oil. This should be cut into strips, but left relatively large. When the onion has started to soften, but before it’s completely done, add the bean/water mixture. Be careful when adding the beans as the oil will be hot. Mash the beans and let them simmer down to a thicker consistency. Add salt to taste. In a separate bowl, combine shredded cabbage, sliced cucumber (I usually quarter the slices as well so that they fit in the tacos better), and diced tomato. Add the juice from the limes, and mix everything well. Prepare the tortillas by frying them in a small amount of oil. Take the tortillas, and put a small amount of beans in the bottom, then top with the salad mixture. If you like, you can top with pico de gallo, or you can also add chicken or beef, but these are great just vegetarian style as well.
 
Now for my little differences...
 
I have my own black bean method that I will include at the bottom.  I never use ANY oil.  I also try to minimize or eliminate the oil when heating the corn tortillas.  My favorite tortillas are Mission white corn tortillas.  I have just heated these on a pan with little or no oil or cooking spray and they taste great.  Then I use cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes and limes, as well as some chopped cilantro.  I put them all in separate bowls.  The lime I put thin slices in a bowl so I can squeeze a little lime juice over the top of my taco.  I do it this way so everyone can take what they want and then if there are left overs they don't get all wilty.  I put a little beans at the bottom then I pile it as high as I can with the vegetables and one squeeze of lime.  I also add a little taco sauce to the top.(my mouth is watering at the thought!)  When I make tacos for jay and the kids (they don't so much like these) I have used a tablespoon or so of meat instead of the beans and that is AWESOME too.)  These are my favorite low fat/calorie meal.  I use a lot less meat and no cheese or sour cream like I would use on a typical taco.  And two corn tortillas are about the same calories as one whole wheat tortilla.  And once they are stuffed with all of the vegetables they really are so flavorful and satisfying.
 
For my black bean method, click here...

General Tso’s Chicken

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch chunks
5 tablespoons dry sherry 
1 tablespoon+2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon Asian(dark) sesame oil
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves minced
3 scallions chopped
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 celery stalks chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1. Combine the chicken 2 tablespoons of the sherry, 1 tbsp of the cornstarch, and the oyster sauce in a medium bowl; set aside to marinate for five minutes.

2. Combine the remaining 3 tablespoons of the sherry, the water, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and the remaining 2 teaspoons of cornstarch in a small bowl, set aside.
3. Heat a nonstick wok or large deep skillet over medium high heat until a drop of water sizzles. Swirl in the oil, and then add the chicken mixture. Stir fry until lightly brown 2-3 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, scallions, and crushed red pepper; stir fry until fragrant about 30 seconds. Add the celery and bell pepper; stir fry until crisp tender, 2-3 minutes. Stir in the sherry mixture and cook, stirring constantly until the mixture boils and thickens, and the chicken is just cooked through 1-2 minutes.
Just an fyi: I used grape juice as a substitute for the sherry and left out the water and oyster sauce to compensate for the liquid in the grape juice.  SO YUMMY :)
Makes 4 servings
Per serving: 207 cal, 6 g fat, 1 g sat fat, 63 mg chol, 413 mg sod, 13 g carb, 1 g fiber, 24 g protein, 34 mg calc Points 4

“homemade” hamburger pizza

I loaf Rhodes bread dough
About ½ can hunts garlic and herb spaghetti sauce
½ -1 lb hamburger
1 onion chopped
1 lb grated mozzarella cheese (or however much you like)

Cook hamburger and onion. Roll out bread dough to fit in a rectangle cookie sheet. Spread Sauce then hamburger on the dough. Cover with cheese and bake at 425 for about 20 minutes till cheese is just a little brown on top.

Our other most popular homemade pizza is Chicken bbq:
Chicken BBQ Pizza

1 lb bread dough
1lb or more shredded mozzarella
1-2 chicken breasts
Bulls Eye Bbq sauce
(optional other toppings: onions, cilantro, pineapple, or bacon)

Chicken Broccoli Roll ups

1-2 lbs chicken breasts
1 lb cooked broccoli chopped up
1 8 oz. Pkg cream cheese
1 small can cream of chicken soup
¼ cup chopped onions, or onion powder to taste
3-4 cans crescent rolls

How much chicken and broccoli to use it based on taste.  I like to use a lot of broccoli to attempt to make them a little more healthy, and 2-3 chicken breasts. :)  If you want them more saucy, use lower amts of chicken and broccoli.  Cook chicken and broccoli and chop into small pieces. Mix in soup and cream cheese (this mixes best when the chicken and broccoli are still warm). Spoon onto crescent rolls (or any other kind of roll). Pinch the two bottom corners of the triangle together over the filling and fold the top corner over the top. Or leave two crescents together making a rectangle and just fold it in half and seal the edges. Bake according to the package directions for whatever rolls you use.
Just an FYI, the recipe also calls for a square of butter.  I never add it, but hey, if you feel that it needs it, go ahead... :)

Roasted Tomatoes with Garlic

I was just trying to use up some grape tomatoes, and they were AWESOME!!  Next time I will add some mushrooms, red peppers, and/or onions and serve over pasta, maybe with alfredo sauce.

INGREDIENTS
4 cups grape tomatoes
4 cloves garlic, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Preheat an oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Place a piece of aluminum foil over a baking sheet.
Place the tomatoes and garlic into a mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, and toss until evenly coated. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then spread evenly onto the prepared baking sheet.
Bake the grape tomatoes in the preheated oven until the skins pop and start to brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

Authentic Louisiana Red Beans and Rice

This was one of my favorite things I tried in the south.  This recipe took me back... YUMMM!  We didn't even put the sausage in (we are poor and cheap)  and it still tasted great!

INGREDIENTS
1 pound dry kidney beans
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 stalks celery, chopped
6 cups water
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning (I use tony chacherie's.  I love it!)
1 pound andouille sausage, sliced
4 cups water
2 cups long grain white rice

DIRECTIONS
Rinse beans, and then soak in a large pot of water overnight.
In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Cook onion, bell pepper, garlic, and celery in olive oil for 3 to 4 minutes.
Rinse beans, and transfer to a large pot with 6 cups water. Stir cooked vegetables into beans. Season with bay leaves, cayenne pepper, thyme, sage, parsley, and Cajun seasoning. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 2 1/2 hours.
Stir sausage into beans, and continue to simmer for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the rice. In a saucepan, bring water and rice to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve beans over steamed white rice.

I made this in the crock pot.  I cooked the vegetables like it says and soaked the beans, then I dumped it all in the crock.  I also cut the water, (I think in half? but you will have to watch it, the beans need to be covered to cook).  I also can't remember how long I cooked it, but I think it was about 5 hours on high...maybe a little more.  The key is to MAKE SURE the beans are done.  They have to have a creamy consistency.  Don't give up and think they won't ever get there, they will eventually lose that sandy crumbly consistency.  Also, this dish will need salt, but don't add it till the end after the beans are done.  I like it even without meat, but we have added a little ham before.  I'm sure it would be great with the sausage, but probably less healthy :).  Also, don't forget to pull out the bay leaves at the end.  Bay leaves are absolutely necessary in this recipe, they really effect the flavor.  If they are small, I have added more than two even.  But be careful, I did add too much once.  You can also use "small red beans", lots of people like them better, I guess they are more authentic.  I like kidney beans better.

Crock pot roast

I am only including my general way of making a roast.  I do it at least somewhat different each time.  Here are my constants.

I usually use about a 3-4 lb roast.  My grandpa told me that to make a good roast, you have to completely coat the outside of it with salt.  So that is what I do.  I pour a little oil in a skillet and set it on a med high heat.  Then I pour salt over the whole surface of the roast.  I use my big salt container and let it fall all around, then I spread the salt and rub it onto the sides with my hand.  I throw it on the oil (make sure the oil is not too hot) and sear all sides to seal in the juices and richen the flavor.  Once it is in the crock pot my only constant is garlic.  I like fresh garlic best: I press 5-8 cloves onto it.  If I am feeling lazy, I just shake a LOT of dehydrated minced garlic all over it (I'm sure garlic powder would be fine too).  Other that that I use a number of different things.  Again, my favorite is to use two gravy packets, either brown or mushroom, but I have even used a chicken gravy packet in an emergency.  I have also used a packet of onion soup instead, or 4-6 beef bouillion cubes.  If my roast is larger, I just add a little more stuff.  I heat it 6-8 hours on high, or 12 or more on low.  I have put a large roast in the crock pot late on a Saturday night and then eaten it after 11 o' clock church(2pm) and it was good.  I do like it falling apart though.  I know you aren't supposed to take the lid off at all, but I usually turn it at least once during cooking so it stews in the juices.  Also, toward the end, I often check to make sure it is not getting too done.

After it's cooked, I pull it out onto a plate and cover it with foil.  I take all of the juices and strain them into a pan.  Add a little water and thicken for gravy.

Grandma Brown's Barbecued Spare Ribs

This is not your typical sweet barbecue sauce.  When I was a kid, this was the only bbq sauce I even liked!  It has a very different, but AMAZING flavor.

1st I will list her original recipe, then I will write how I make them for my convenience :)

2 lbs boneless country style pork ribs
1 onion, sliced
1 lemon, sliced
1 cup ketchup
1/3 cup worcestershire
2 cups water (1 cup if using crock pot method)
1 tbsp salt (I use half or less than this much salt)
1 tbsp chili powder
1 shake of hot sauce (frank's etc.)

Slice onion and lemon over ribs.  Bake uncovered for 45 minutes at 450.  Make sauce with rest of ingredients.  Pour over and bake at 350 one hour, basting often.

My method...
I love the crock pot for meat so I changed this recipe slightly.  I also have used chicken breasts interchangeably with the pork and they are AMAZING and I assume lower fat.  First, I brown the meat, onions and lemons on the stove.  (The meat doesn't need to be fully cooked, just brown on the outside, I usually use med-med high heat)  I Place the meat in a skillet with just a little oil and then pour the onions and lemon slices over the top,  squeezing as much lemon juice as I can over the meat.  I brown the meat and then if necessary, I brown the onions after. (it's usually not since they fall all over and get brown with the meat.  And I usually have to fill the skillet more than once with meat.)  While the meat is cooking, I dump the sauce ingredients in the crock pot with ONE IMPORTANT CHANGE:  Make sure you cut the water to one cup.  Double the sauce recipe if necessary to cover your meat.  If you do not cut the water, they will not be flavorful enough when cooked.  Turn on the pot to start heating while you mix the ingredients together.  Then when the meat is cooked, place in crock pot.  One more important tip.  Pull most of the lemon slices out after browning and discard them.  One or two are okay, but you will be sorry if you leave more than that.  The sauce gets way too lemony.  After discarding the lemons, dump the rest of that yummy carmelized onion into the crock pot.  Put the lid on and cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for double that.  We usually serve them with funeral potatoes or mashed potatoes.

Tara's recipe for Lasagna

I came up with this, by combining a recipe I learned in a high school cooking class and one my room mates made.  I took my favorite parts and then added a few of my own changes and voila!

I usually make this in a 9x13 pan, but I will admit it overflows half of the time! It works better in a deeper foil pans, or larger dripper/lasagna pan.  If you do use a 9x13 and don't want a lava filled oven, put a cookie sheet on the lower rack to catch drips.

sauce:
1 jar/can of spaghetti sauce (26 oz) (I've used everything from Hunts to Prego)
1-2 lbs hamburger (I usually just use one..or less even, to save money)
1 medium onion chopped
1/2 tablespoon oregano
1/2 tablespoon basil
1/2 tsp of garlic salt (I just shake a little in, I don't measure)
2 (8oz) cans tomato sauce
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1 cup of water

Brown beef and onion in large pan, add everything else and simmer for 30 minutes. If you don't want to simmer it that long, just add a little less water.  If I don't have paste, I just add another can of tomato sauce and cut out a little of the water. In fact, you can chuck ALL of the ingredients beside the hamburger and onion and just use 2 bottles of premade sauce if you want to. I would add a little extra water (about 1/2 cup) for the noodles to absorb. The reason I add extra water is because I don't cook the noodles before I put them in the lasagna. If you do cook your noodles first, you don't need to add any extra water.

1 full package of Lasagna Noodles (16 noodles)
1-2 lbs grated mozzarella
1 (24 oz) pkg cottage cheese (the larger size)
2 eggs
1/2 cup parmesan cheese (overflowing)
1 tablespoon dried parsley

While the sauce is simmering, Mix cottage cheese, eggs, parmesan cheese and parsley. To layer lasagna, start by spreading sauce on the bottom of the pan. Then lay 4 noodles on it. (I usually have to break up the 4th noodle to make it fit.) On top of the noodles put 1/3 of the cottage cheese mixture, then I sprinkle some mozzarella cheese on that, then the sauce and again with the noodles, and so on. On the top layer you just put sauce directly over the noodles and then more mozzarella. I use all of the sauce by the end. Make sure the noodles are thoroughly covered with sauce, so that they will cook completely. Put foil over the pan, but dome it so it doesn't touch the cheese. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes, then take off the foil and bake for another 20 till the cheese is starting to brown on top. Take it out of the oven and let it sit for 10-15 minutes (this just helps the noodles absorb more liquid, not to mention necessary cooling and setting up of the cheese) and then serve! If you do cook your noodles first, you can also cut baking time to 40 minutes. Just take off the foil 20 minutes earlier or don't use the foil at all.

Variation:  We have also made this with spinach, mushrooms, and/ or Zucchini.  It is AWESOME with vegetables, but if you add them (particularly zucchini)  DO NOT ADD ANY WATER!!!