Fall-Off-The-Bone Ribs

I've made these a lot lately--for meals to take to people that have had babies, or just need a hand...and they are quite scrumptious. A little more expensive than your normal casserole, but an unforgettable dinner!

ingredients:
*country-style pork ribs
*barbecue sauce (your favorite, but I LOVE "Sweet Baby Ray's Award Winning Barbecue Sauce")

direction:
1. In a slow-cooker/crock-pot (a larger crock-pot works best, but a slower one will too) put the ribs in and put some (not too much) BBQ sauce over them.

2. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4.

3. About 45 minutes before you want to eat, take the ribs out of the crock pot and put them in a 9x13" rectangular baking pan. Now SLATHER LIBERALLY your ribs in the BBQ sauce.

4. Bake for 40 minutes at 375.

*Serve with ANYTHING! Stuffing, rice-a-roni, broccoli, green beans, rolls, corn-on-the-cob, salad, etc. This meal is so good...and you have a PERFECT main dish!

Chicken Legs with Carrots and Cauliflower

I found this recipe a few years back and it is SO TASTY. I'm visiting my mother and she requested that I make this for her. REALLY simple and VERY yummy. It's a Martha Stewart recipe and is quite delicious. Thanks Martha!!!

ingredients:
1 lb. carrots (peeled and cut into 1 1/2" chunks OR baby carrots)
1 lb. cauliflower, cut into medium-size florets
1 1/2 tsp. coriander
3/4 tsp. cumin
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
4 whole chicken legs, skin on
1 Tbsp. lemon juice

directions:
1. Preheat oven to 475. In a large roasting pan (or roasting stone) combine carrots, cauliflower 1 tsp. coriander, 1/2 tsp. cumin, 3/4 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper; arrange around sides of pan.

2. Place chicken legs along center of pan, and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 tsp. coriander and 1/4 tsp. cumin, season generously with salt and pepper.

3. Roast, stirring vegetables once, until chicken is well browned and crispy and and instant-read thermometer inserted in thigh (not touching bone) reads 180 degrees, 40-45 minutes. Transfer chicken to a platter, and let rest for 5 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, add lemon juice to pan; with a wooden spoon, stir and scrape up drippings, mix in with vegetables. Serve!

Total Time: 1 hour
Serves: 4 adults, or 2 adults and several kids (lots of chicken on this)

Easy Homemade Taquitos

I made these tonight, and I got a lot of "Thank you for the yummy dinner"-s. They were super simple to put together, quick and yummy.

ingredients:
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (I used 2 cans of canned chicken)
1 (10 oz) can mild enchilada sauce (I used 6 small packets of taco sauce from Taco Bell)
1 cup shredded cheese (your choice of type)
2 Tbsp. minced onion
1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies (optional)
1 tsp. garlic salt

3/4 cup vegetable oil
24 corn tortillas
Non-stick cooking spray

directions:
1. In a large bowl, combine first 6 ingredients; mix well. Set aside.

2. In small skillet, heat oil. Using tongs, dip tortillas in oil, about 4 seconds on each side; drain on paper towels. Keep warm.

3. Place 2 tablespoons chicken mixture onto each tortilla; roll jelly roll fashion. Place seam side down on a cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray.

4. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes or until desired crispness. Good dipped in salsa, sour cream, or guacamole.

*Make the mixture to your family's pleasing--I don't think my kids would have liked it as much if I put a lot of enchilada sauce in it--so I put a few Taco Bell packets in it. I like diced green chilies, but left them out for the sake of my kids. It was really simple to make the mixture how we like....just start with the chicken and cheese, and add the rest as desired. This is NO FAIL!!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is a great recipe. I like the variation with the blended oatmeal. It's a nice flavor for sure. Enjoy!

ingredients:

1 cup butter

2 cup flour

1 tsp. soda

1 cup sugar

2 1/2 cups blended oatmeal

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. vanilla

4 Hershey bars, grated

12 oz. chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups nuts (optional)

directions:

1. Cream butter and sugars together. Add eggs.

2. Blend oatmeal in the blender until a powder. Add to wet ingredients and add the rest of the ingredients.

3. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes. Makes 60+ cookies!!

Mexican Lasagna

We just got back from vacation. Do you know that feeling of "I never want to eat fast food again?" Well, I'm there. Just eating out in general doesn't sound appetizing at all. I was glad to get home and do some home-cooking. None of our "norms" have sounded really that great though. So, I've been on a search of recipes. I tear them out from here and there, and I go online and find new ones. Tonight, it was a HUGE success. Something new, different, and yummy--and I HAD all the ingredients I needed! This is a Rachel Ray recipe, and in her words, it is "Yummo"!

ingredients:
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 lbs. ground meat (I used 1 ground turkey, 1 ground beef)
2 Tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 red onion, chopped (optional)
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained
1 cup medium heat taco sauce OR 1 (14 oz) can mexican stewed tomatoes (I pureed these)
1 cup frozen corn kernels (you can use canned corn, drained)
Salt
8 (8") spinach flour tortillas (I used regular, not spinach)
2 1/2 c. shredded cheddar OR shredded pepper jack
2 scallions, finely chopped (for garnish--I omitted)

directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425. Warm LARGE skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil--twice around the pan. Add the round meat and season with chili powder, cumin, and red onion. Brown the meat.

2. Add taco sauce or mexican stewed tomatoes to meat. Add black beans and corn. Heat the mixture through, 2 to 3 minutes then season with salt, to your taste.

3. Coat a shallow baking dish (I used a Pyrex 9x13") with about 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cut the torotillas in half or quarters to make them easy to layer with. Build lasagna in layers of meat/beans, then tortillas, then cheese. Repeat: meat, tortilla, cheese again.

4. Bake lasagna 12 to 15 minutes until cheese is brown and bubbly. Top with the scallions and serve!

Crock-Pot Chicken Cordon Bleu

My hubby made this for me for Mother's Day and it was superb (maybe because I didn't make it). Either way, it was easy and so tasty.

ingredients:
6 boneless/skinless chicken breasts (or as much as you need)*
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup milk
6 slices of ham (1 for each piece of chicken)
6 slices of swiss cheese (1 for each piece of chicken)
1 pkg stuffing mix (Stove-Top or such--with herb pack tossed with crumbs)
1/4 cup melted butter

directions:
1. In small bowl, mix together soup and milk. Coat the bottom of the crock-pot with mixture.

2. Lay chicken pieces on the bottom of crock pot--covering with ham and then swiss cheese. Pour remaining soup/milk mixture over chicken.

3. Sprinkle stuffing mix on top, and then drizzle melted butter over top this.

4. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or high for 2-3.

*I used chicken breast tenderloins--about 13 fit in, and then just made sure they were all covered with ham and cheese.

Oriental Chicken Salad with Crunchy Noodles

I've had this salad several time throughout my life--and it was even served at one of my bridal showers. Tonight I co-hosted a wedding shower, and decided to serve this--it was well received. It is great to share with others...for showers, luncheons, bbq's, and any kind of entertaining!


ingredients:
for salad...
2-3 cups chopped/shredded cooked chicken breast (more if you want more chicken or less if you want less)
1 head cabbage, chopped or shredded
1 bunch green onions, finely chopped (optional)
1 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
2 packages ramen noodles, oriental flavored
3 tbsp. oil

for dressing...
3/4 cup vegetable oil or canola oil
4 1/2 tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar
4 1/2 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 pkg. ramen noodles oriental seasoning


directions:
1. Smash noodles of ramen and brown over medium heat in 3 tbsp. oil. Once noodles begin browning, add almonds (if you start them at the same time, the almonds will burn before the ramen is brown). Remove from heat and set aside.

2. In large bowl, combine cabbage, green onions, chicken and sunflower seeds.

3. Prepare dressing and set aside until you're ready to serve. When ready to serve, add ramen/almond mixture and dressing. Toss well.

If you prepare the dressing too far in advance, it may get thick and wont remix well if refrigerated. If you plan on eating this as left overs, keep in mind that the noodles will not stay crunchy--keep separate until ready to serve.