Success!

I made steak and potatoes for dinner the other night.

My husband's words were "This is the best steak I have EVER eaten!"

I'd say that was a success!

I love it when I'm good at what I do.

Apricot Chicken

Just had this for lunch at work.  

Yes, we do have a cook that makes lunch for everyone.  

I know, I'm spoiled.  :0) 

Ingredients

• 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1 1/2 (1 ounce) packages Lipton dry onion soup mix
• 1 (10 fluid ounce) bottle Wishbone Red Russian salad dressing
• 1 cup apricot preserves

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place the chicken pieces in a 4 quart casserole dish. 
3. Mix the soup mix, dressing and jam together, and pour over the chicken.
4. Cover dish and bake for 1 hour in preheated oven.

Architec Gripper

I wanted to tell you about my favorite cutting boards.

These are Architec Gripper cutting boards.  They

come in all different sizes and can be found at most

department stores or online.  I love them because

they have these little "grippers" on the bottom that

keep them in place.  They come in so many fun

colors, are dishwasher safe, AND they are

inexpensive.  I highly recommend trying one! 

You can check out their website here.

French Bread

One of my good friends made us some home-made french bread and it was so good I had to ask for the
recipe.  Here it is!  Enjoy!

2 1/2 c. hot water
2 Tbsp. yeast
1 cube margarine
3 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. salt
7-8 c. flour

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir until all flour is absorbed. Cover and let sit for 20 min. Stir
again. Repeat every twenty minutes for an hour.  Shape into desired rolls or loaves. Let rise 30 minutes. Bake
at 375 until golden brown.

Jiffy Corn Bread with a Twist

This is simply the recipe off of the Jiffy Corn Bread box, with a can of creamed corn thrown in.  The creamed corn makes the bread so moist and yummy!  And best of all, it's super easy.  I like easy.

2 boxes Jiffy Corn Bread mix
2 eggs
2/3 cup milk
1 can creamed corn

Mix all the ingredients together and pour into a greased 8X8 pan.  Bake at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Great with chili!!!

Slow Cooker Venison Chili

This is what is on the menu for tonight!  It smelled so good when I got home from work, I could hardly wait for my husband to get home!  Well, I did snitch some before he got home.  I couldn't resist!  This recipe can be adapted with whatever beans you want.  Also, lean beef can be substituted for the venison.  This recipe totally fills up my slow-cooker, so we will be eating this tomorrow too.  I also made my favorite corn bread recipe to go with it.  I'll share that next.

1 1/4 cup dry pinto beans
1 cup dry black beans
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 cans green chilies
1 can corn
1 can tomato soup
1 medium onion (diced)
1 lb venison stew meat or equivalent
1 tsp El Pato hot sauce
1/2 tsp pepper
3 tsp chili powder
2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
enough water to cover (2-3 cups)

Soak beans overnight, rinse.  Place beans and all the other ingredients in slow-cooker.  Add enough water to cover everything, cook on low for 8-9 hours.  Top with crackers, cheese, or sour cream.  Great served with corn bread.  Enjoy!

Eating from the pantry

I have been trying to cut down on our grocery bill lately and have been wildly successful!  I cut my grocery cost in half for February!  It's been amazing to me how many different things I can cook with what I already have at home.  I'll admit I have had to get a little creative, but meals have still turned out good for the most part.  Since I have most of the basic ingredients at home, the only stuff I have to buy is milk and other dairy products, eggs, and vegetables.  Oh, and don't forget the bananas!  I don't think I could survive without them!  Anyway, I would suggest giving this a try at your house.  Save some money, and probably eat healthier too!  On the menu for tonight:  Elk Chili.  ~mm mm good~

Twice Baked Potatoes

 







Ingredients:

• 4 large potatoes
• 1 teaspoon olive oil (optional, for a softer-skinned potato)
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat ("light") sour cream
• Pinch nutmeg
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• Milk (as desired, for consistency)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425° F. Pierce potatoes with a fork several times. Rub potato skins with olive oil if a softer potato skin is desired. Bake potatoes directly on the middle oven rack for 50 - 60 minutes or until they yield to gentle pressure.
2. While potatoes are still hot (use oven mitt to hold potato), cut them in half lengthwise. Scoop out the interior flesh of the potato into a medium-sized bowl, leaving a shell about 1/4-inch thick all around. Using a potato masher, mash the potato flesh.
3. Add sour cream and seasonings and mash until smooth, adding a little milk if necessary to make a smooth consistency. Stir in add-ins as desired.
4. Turn oven to 400° F. Using a spoon, gently fill the potato shells with the potato mixture, mounding it up high. Place filled potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 18 - 20 minutes or until hot.

Yummy!

So last night I made this.  It is just as good as I remember.  My husband practically licked his plate clean.
Love it!  It also tastes great as left-overs, so we will be eating it again tonight.  Nothing like cooking once
and eating twice!

Slow-Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup low sodium, low fat chicken broth
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. In a bowl, mix the oregano, salt, and pepper. Rub the mixture into chicken. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Brown chicken in butter for 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Place chicken in a slow cooker.
2. Put broth, lemon juice, and garlic over the chicken in the slow cooker.
3. Cover, and cook on High for 3 hours, or Low for 6 hours. Add the parsley to the slow cooker 15 to 30 minutes before the end of the cook time.

Slow-Cooked Orange Chicken

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

• 1 (3 pound) broiler-fryer chicken, cut up and skin removed
• 3 cups orange juice
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped green pepper
• 1 (4 ounce) can mushroom stems and pieces, drained
• 4 teaspoons dried minced onion
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons cold water
• Hot cooked rice

Directions

1. Combine the first nine ingredients in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or until meat juices run clear. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into cooking juices. Cover and cook on high for 30-45 minutes or until thickened. Serve over rice if desired.

Slow-Cooker Homemade Beans

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

• 3 cups dry navy beans, soaked overnight or boiled for one hour
• 1 1/2 cups ketchup
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon dry mustard
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 6 slices thick cut bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 cup brown sugar

Directions

1. Drain soaking liquid from beans, and place them in a Slow Cooker.
2. Stir ketchup, water, molasses, onion, mustard, salt, bacon, and brown sugar into the beans until well mixed.
3. Cover, and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours, stirring occasionally if possible, though not necessary.

Slow-Cooked Baked Beans

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

• 2 cups kidney beans
• 5 cups water
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 4 ounces cured pork
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/4 cup ketchup

Directions

1. In a slow cooker place beans, water, onion, salt and pork. Cover the pot and cook on low for 9 to 10 hours.
2. Drain beans, saving the liquid. Add molasses, brown sugar, dry mustard, ketchup and 1 cup of the bean liquid. Cover and cook on low for 1 hour.

Slow-Cooker Venison BBQ

Ingredients

• 1/4 pound bacon
• 2 pounds venison stew meat
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon prepared Dijon-style mustard
• 1 cup ketchup
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Remove from skillet, crumble and set aside. Brown stew meat in bacon grease for flavor.
2. Put onion, sugar, vinegar, cumin, chili powder, garlic, mustard, ketchup, salt and pepper in slow cooker and mix well. Add bacon and venison and stir together.
3. Cook for a minimum of 8 hours on Low setting. Use a fork to separate the meat.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients

• 1 pound shredded, cooked chicken
• 1 (15 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed
• 1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups water
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• 7 corn tortillas
• vegetable oil

Directions

1. Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chiles, and garlic into a slow cooker. Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
3. Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with oil. Cut tortillas into strips, then spread on a baking sheet.
4. Bake in preheated oven until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. To serve, sprinkle tortilla strips over soup.