Zucchini Bread

Ingredients Makes 2 loaves 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon 3 eggs 1 cup vegetable oil 2 1/4 cups white sugar 3 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 cups grated zucchini 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional) Directions 1.Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). 2.Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl. 3.Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans. 4.Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool.

Crockpot Hot Fudge Cake

1 3/4 C. packed light brown sugar, divided 2 C. flour 1/4 C. plus 3 Tbsp. cocoa, divided 2 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. salt 1 C. milk 4 Tbsp. (1/2 stick) butter, melted 1 tsp. vanilla 3 1/2 C. boiling water Coat crockpot with nonstick cooking spray. Mix 1 C. brown sugar, flour, 3 Tbsp. cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Stir in milk, butter, and vanilla. Mix until well-blended. Pour into crockpot. Blend remaining 3/4 C. brown sugar and 1/4 C. cocoa powder in small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over mixture in crockpot. Pour in boiling water, but DO NOT STIR. Cover, cook on high 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Allow cake to rest 10 minutes, then invert onto serving platter or scoop into serving dishes. Serve warm; dust with cocoa powder, if desired. When I made this, it didn't set up all the way cooking the time suggested, but was still pretty tasty, especially served warm with vanilla ice cream (kind of like thick hot fudge sauce poured over top). So maybe cook it longer?

Easy Family Burritos

1 boneless beef chuck shoulder roast (2-3 lbs.) 1 (24-oz) jar salsa flour tortillas, warmed Optional toppings: shredded cheese, sour cream, salsa, shredded lettuce, diced tomato, diced onion or guacamole Place roast in crockpot, top with salsa, cover, cook on low 8-10 hours. Remove beef from crockpot, shred with 2 forks. Return to cooking liquid and mix well. Cover; cook 1-2 hours longer until heated through. Serve shredded beef wrapped in warm tortillas. Top as desired. I know this is virtually identical to Kristin's pork recipe, but with beef, but it's so good it deserves mention twice. Especially because it's easy and everyone will eat it.

Roasted Potatoes

red potatoes, cut in about 3/4 in. chunks olive oil Italian seasoning, or your favorite mix of salt, pepper, rosemary, oregano, basil, etc. diced dried onion to taste Mix all the ingredients in a gallon ziplock bag, making sure to shake to coat all the potatoes. Dump it all in a casserole dish, cover. Cook at 375 degrees for about an hour, until potatoes are tender. This is Andrew's family's go-to side dish. I usually add a bit of water to the bag, to keep the potatoes moist and so I don't need quite as much olive oil. All the amounts are just guesstimates, it's a really forgiving recipe to make for 2 people or 2 dozen.

Easy Cheesy BBQ Chicken

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 lbs.) 1 bottle (26 oz.) barbeque sauce 6 slices bacon 6 slices Swiss cheese Place chicken in crockpot. Cover with barbeque sauce. Cover; cook on low 8-9 hours. If sauce becomes too thick while cooking, add a little water. Before serving, cut bacon slices in half, cook on stovetop or in microwave, keeping bacon flat. Place 2 pieces of cooked bacon on each chicken breast in crockpot. Top with cheese. Cover; cook on high until cheese melts.

Yankee Pot Roast and Vegetables

1 beef chuck pot roast (about 2 1/2 lbs.) salt and pepper 3 unpeeled medium baking potatoes (about 1 lb.) cut in quarters 2 large carrots (we like more) cut into 3/4 in. chunks 2 stalks celery, cut into 3/4 inch slices 1 medium onion, sliced (we use diced, dried onion to taste) 1 large parsnip, but into 3/4 inch slices 2 bay leaves 1 tsp. dried rosemary 1/2 tsp. dried thyme 1/2 C. beef broth Trim excess fat from beef and discard. Cut beef into serving-sized pieces; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Combine potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, parsnip, bay leaves, rosemary, and thyme in crockpot. Place beef over vegetables. Pour broth over beef. Cover; cook on low 8 1/2 to 9 hours, until beef is fork tender. Transfer beef to serving platter. Arrange veggies around beef, discarding bay leaves before serving. To make gravy, ladle cooking liquid into 2-cup measure; let stand 5 minutes. Skim off fat and discard. Measure remaining liquid and heat to a boil in a small saucepan. For each cup of cooking liquid, mix 2 T. flour with 1/4 C. cold water (or milk) until smooth. Stir flour mixture into boiling cooking liquid, stirring constantly 1 minute until thickened.

Weeknight Chili

1 lb. ground beef 1 pkg. chili seasoning mix 1 can (14 oz.) diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained 1 can (15 oz.) red kidney beans, rinsed and drained 1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce 1 C. shredded cheddar cheese Chopped green onions (opt.) Brown ground beef in large skillet, drain fat. Stir in seasoning mix. Place beef, tomatoes, beans, and tomato sauce in crockpot. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on low 4-6 hours or on high 2-3 hours. Top each serving with cheese and green onions, if desired.

Weeknight Stroganoff

2 lbs. beef for stew, cut in 1-inch cubes 1 can mushrooms 1 envelope dry onion soup mix 1/2 C. beef broth or water 1 can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted Hot Cooked Noodles Combine all ingredients except noodles in crockpot. Cover; cook on low 8-12 hours. Serve over noodles. If you have a bit more time, brown the meat in a large skillet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray before adding it to the crockpot. This will enhance the flavor.

Crockpot Chicken and Gravy

2 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts 1 envelope chicken gravy 1 can cream of mushroom (or chicken) soup 1 can (or a little extra) milk Mix all ingredients in your crockpot, cook on low 5-6 hours. Break apart chicken into bite-size pieces. Serve over rice or mashed potatoes. We also put the leftovers over toast, which was pretty good! And WAY simple.

Crockpot Cashew Chicken

Ingredients: 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thigh tenders or chicken breast tenders 1/4 cup all purpose flour 1/2 tsp black pepper 1 Tbsp canola oil 1/4 cup soy sauce 2 Tbsp vinegar 2 Tbsp ketchup 1 Tbsp brown sugar 1 garlic clove, minced 1/2 tsp ginger 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes 1/2 cup cashews Directions: Combine flour and pepper in large Ziploc bag. Add chicken. Shake to coat with flour mixture. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken about 2 minutes on each side. Place chicken in slow cooker. Combine soy sauce, vinegar, ketchup, sugar, garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes in small bowl; pour over chicken. Cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours. Add cashews and stir. Serve over rice. Makes 4-6 servings. If you want like sauce and want to have some to pour over the chicken and the rice, double the sauce ingredients.

Chicken Tortilla Bake

Ingredients 2 10 3/4oz cans of cream of chicken 1 10oz can of dice tomatoes and green chilies 12 6in corn tortillas 3 cups of cooked chicken 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend Preheat oven to 350 degrees Combine the 3 cans and mix them up, then set aside Chop up the tortillas into bite sized pieces. Layer 1/3 of the tortillas onto the bottom of a 3 quart pan Place half of the chicken on top of the tortillas Then spoon 1/2 the soup mixture on top of the chicken Repeat layers and top with the rest of the tortilla strips. Cover and bake for 40 minutes Top with cheese and bake an additional 5 minutes until the cheese melts ENJOY!

Caramel Cheesecake Apple Dip

Ingredients: 12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature 3 Tbs. heavy cream 1/4 cup powdered sugar 1/2 tsp. vanilla Caramel sauce (recipe below) or store bought Heath milk chocolate pieces mini chocolate chips 2-4 Granny Smith or other crisp tart apples, sliced and soaking in lemon juice/water until ready to serve Method: This is the method is to make a layered dip, for a quick method see note below. Line a six inch cake pan or springform pan with plastic wrap. Use enough plastic wrap to hang over the sides of the pan about 2 inches. Place softened cream cheese in a mixing bowl and beat on medium speed until smooth. Scrap down the sides of the bowl. Add the heavy cream and powdered sugar, mix well, until smooth. Place half of the cream cheese mixture in the lined pan and smooth with the back of a spoon. (If you dip the spoon into warm water before you start to smooth the cream cheese, it will be much easier to spread.) Spoon on a layer of caramel. Sprinkle with a layer of chocolate chips and the Health pieces. How much you use is up to you but don't go to overboard or you may have trouble spreading the top layer of cream cheese. Oh yeah, that's the stuff! Place in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes. This will let the caramel set up a bit and make topping it with the remaining cream cheese much easier. Scoop the remaining cream cheese on top and smooth out using the back of a dampened spoon, like you did for the first layer. Fold the overhanging plastic wrap over the top and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to overnight. Pull back the plastic wrap so that the top of the cheesecake is exposed. Place a serving plate on top of the pan and invert. Remove the pan and the plastic wrap. Spoon caramel sauce over the top of you cheese cake and top with more of the Heath pieces and chocolate chips. Place the sliced apples around the dip and serve. *Note: If you want to throw this together super fast, just spread all the cream cheese on a serving platter and top with the caramel, Heath bits, and the mini chocolate chips. Caramel Sauce Ingredients: 1 cup sugar 1/4 cup water 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces 1/2 cup heavy cream 2 teaspoons vanilla (or 1 teaspoon vanilla and 2 teaspoons bourbon) pinch of sea salt Method: Place sugar in a small heavy sauce pan. Pour water evenly over the top. Turn stove top to medium-high heat. Hold sauce pan by the handle and swirl occasionally until sugar has dissolved. Turn heat to high, and boil until syrup turns brown around the edges of the pan, about 6-8 minutes. Swirl the syrup occasionally until it turns a deep amber and just begins to smoke. Remove pan from heat. Add butter and whisk, until all butter is mixed in. Stir in cream. Take care adding the butter and cream as the caramel will boil up and sputter quite a bit. If sauce has any lumps, set pan over low heat and stir until smooth then turn off heat again. Stir in vanilla and salt.

Glazed Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

2 cups all purpose flour 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp kosher salt 1/4 tsp baking soda 1/2 cup Sour Cream 1/2 cup buttermilk 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice 1 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature 1 Tbsp grated lemon zest 2 large eggs 2 tsp poppy seeds Glaze: 1 teaspoon melted butter powdered sugar 4 tsp lemon juice Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk flour, baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and baking soda in medium bowl. Whisk sour cream, buttermilk and lemon juice in small bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, butter, and lemon zest in large bowl to blend. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition until mixture is light and fluffy, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Beat in dry ingredients in 3 additions alternately with sour cream/buttermilk mixture in 2 additions. Mix just until blended. Stir in poppy seeds. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake muffins until tester inserted into center comes out clean, 20 – 22 minutes. Cool in pans 5 minutes. Remove muffins from pans and cool on rack. Mix together melted butter, lemon juice and enough powdered sugar to make a glaze. Drizzle or pipe glaze over tops of warm muffins. Makes 48 mini muffins or 12 large muffins.

Slow cooked cilantro lime chicken

In a slow cooker, mix together: One 24-ounce jar medium or mild salsa (I love Central Markets Organic brand) Juice from one lime 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped One 1.25-oz. package taco seasoning (I used low sodium) 2 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped, optional (I used one and a half) Add 4-6 thawed chicken breasts and coat Cook on low for 6 hours and serve immediately.

Crockpot Hot Spiced Cider

1 gallon apple cider 1 cup brown sugar (or a little more to taste) 1 teaspoon whole cloves 2 cinnamon sticks 1 orange sliced

Crockpot Barbecue Chicken

-6 pieces boneless skinless chicken breasts (i threw them in frozen... even easier!) 1 bottle BBQ sauce (sweet baby ray's all the way!) 1/4 c vinegar 1 tsp. red pepper flakes 1/4 c brown sugar 1/2 - 1 tsp. garlic powder mix BBQ sauce with all ingredients listed under it. place chicken in crockpot. pour sauce over it and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

Ingredients Print This Recipe Print This Recipe •10-12 oz penne pasta •2 cups cooked and chopped chicken •3/4 cup cooked and crumbled bacon •1/4 cup butter •1/4 cup flour •2 cups heavy cream (milk would be fine, too) •1 tsp. onion powder •1 tsp. garlic salt •1/3 cup ranch dressing I used Lite House •3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese Instructions 1.Cook pasta according to its package's directions. Drain. I always add a little olive oil after I drain it and stir in around so the pasta noodles don't stick together or the pot. 2.Toss in cooked and chopped chicken as well as cooked and crumbled bacon into the pasta. 3.TO MAKE RANCH ALFREDO SAUCE: Melt butter in saucepan, add flour and stir to combine. Once you have your roux, add heavy cream (or milk) stir constantly until sauce thickens. Remove from heat and stir in Garlic salt, onion powder and ranch dressing until well combined. 4.Pour ranch alfredo over pasta, chicken and bacon. Stir to evenly combine. 5.Add in shredded cheddar cheese and stir to combine. 6.Pour into a casserole pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes

Creamy Berry Goodness

Frozen mixed berries (I used two smaller bags from Walmart) 1 tub Cool Whip* 1 large container of vanilla yogurt 1 small package of cheesecake pudding mix Pour berries into a large bowl. Add the Cool Whip and yogurt and then sprinkle on the pudding mix. Stir together really well until it's all combined and looks pretty. Chill before serving.

Sweet and Sour Chicken (baked) and Fried Rice

The chicken coating: 3-4 boneless chicken breasts salt + pepper 1 cup cornstarch 2 eggs, beaten 1/4 cup canola oil The sweet and sour sauce: 3/4 cup sugar 4 tbs ketchup 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar 1 tbs soy sauce 1 tsp garlic salt Start by preheating your oven to 325 degrees. Rinse your chicken breasts in water and then cut into cubes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Dip chicken into the cornstarch to coat then dip into the eggs. Heat your 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet and cook your chicken until browned but not cooked through. Place the chicken in a 9x13 greased baking dish. Mix all of your sweet and sour sauce ingredients in a bowl with a whisk and then pour evenly over the chicken. Bake for one hour and during the baking process you will need to turn the chicken every 15 minutes. Fried Rice 3 cups cooked white rice (day old or leftover rice works best!) 3 tbs sesame oil 1 cup frozen peas and carrots (thawed) 1 small onion, chopped 2 tsp minced garlic 2 eggs, slightly beaten 1/4 cup soy sauce On medium high heat, heat the oil in a large skillet or wok. Add the peas/carrots mix, onion and garlic. Stir fry until tender. Lower the heat to medium low and push the mixture off to one side, then pour your eggs on the other side of skillet and stir fry until scrambled. Now add the rice and soy sauce and blend all together well. Stir fry until thoroughly heated! **You could really play around with this rice too! Try adding some diced ham, or green onion :) Yum!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Dessert

•20 chocolate cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies, divided •2 tablespoons butter, softened •1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened •1/2 cup peanut butter •1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, divided •1 carton (16 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided •15 miniature peanut butter cups, chopped •1 cup cold milk •1 package (3.9 ounces) instant chocolate fudge pudding mix Directions •Crush 16 cookies; toss with the butter. Press into an ungreased 9-in. square dish; set aside. •In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, peanut butter and 1 cup confectioners' sugar until smooth. Fold in half of the whipped topping. Spread over crust. Sprinkle with peanut butter cups. •In another large bowl, beat the milk, pudding mix and remaining confectioners' sugar on low speed for 2 minutes Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Fold in remaining whipped topping. •Spread over peanut butter cups. Crush remaining cookies; sprinkle over the top. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours. Yield: 12-16 servings.

Pecan Balls

Ingredients ½ lb. butter 4 Tbsp. sugar 2 C ground pecans 2 C flour 1 tsp. vanilla . Directions Cream sugar and butter, then add other ingredients. Make into small balls and bake at 375º F. 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Shake in powdered sugar just before serving

Chinese Orange Chicken

Ingredients 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless, chicken breast halves, diced into 1 - 1 1/2-inch pieces 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth 1 Tbsp finely grated orange zest (zest of 1 1/2 fairly large oranges) 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice 1/3 cup white vinegar 1/4 cup soy sauce 2/3 cup granulated sugar 1/4 tsp dried ginger 2 Tbsp grated yellow onion (be sure to get some of the juices when measuring) 2 cloves garlic, finely minced 1 tsp Sriracha hot sauce (optional) Freshly ground black or white pepper, to taste 1 1/4 cups + 2 Tbsp cornstarch 2 Tbsp cold water 2 large eggs vegetable or peanut oil, for frying chopped green onions and sesame seeds, for garnish (optional) Directions Place chicken pieces in a gallon size resealable bag, set aside. In a medium saucepan combine chicken broth, orange zest, orange juice, vinegar, soy sauce, granulated sugar, ginger, yellow onion, garlic, Sriracha and pepper. Whisk mixture well, then measure out 2/3 cup of the mixture and pour it over the chicken in resealable bag. Seal bag while pressing excess air out, and press chicken into marinade. Place bag in a bowl or baking dish and refrigerate 30 minutes. Meanwhile, return remaining sauce mixture over medium heat and bring mixture just to a boil, stirring frequently. In a small bowl whisk together 2 Tbsp cornstarch with 2 Tbsp water then stir mixture into sauce. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook 1 - 2 minutes longer, stirring constantly, until thickened, remove from heat. Pour vegetable oil into a large cast iron dutch oven, filling pot about 1 1/2 - 2-inches deep and heat oil to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, whisk eggs in a shallow dish until well blended. Pour remaining 1 1/4 cups cornstarch into a separate shallow dish. Remove chicken from refrigerator and drain and discard marinade from chicken. Dip chicken pieces into egg followed by cornstarch and toss pieces to evenly coat in cornstarch, then carefully place 1/3 of the chicken pieces into preheated oil and cook for 5 - 7 minutes until golden, turning once during cooking. Using skimmer, remove fried chicken from oil and transfer to a paper towel lined cookie sheet to drain excess oil. Repeat process with remaining chicken working in two more batches. Pour drained fried chicken into a bowl and toss with sauce. Serve warm over white or brown rice garnished with green onions and sesame seeds if desired.

Strawberry Cheesecake Chimichangas

Ingredients: 1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, at room temperature 1/4 cup sour cream 1 Tablespoon plus 1/4 cup sugar, divided 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon zest 6 (8-inch) soft flour tortillas 1 3/4 cups sliced strawberries, divided 1 Tablespoon cinnamon Vegetable oil, for frying Equipment: toothpicks; deep-fry thermometer Directions: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese with the sour cream, 1 tablespoon sugar, vanilla extract and lemon zest, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Fold in 3/4 cup of the sliced strawberries. Divide the mixture evenly between the tortillas, slathering each portion in the lower third of each tortilla. Next, fold the two sides of each tortilla toward the center and then roll the tortilla up like a burrito and secure it with a toothpick. Repeat the rolling process with the remaining tortillas. Combine the remaining 1/4 cup sugar with the cinnamon in a shallow bowl and set it aside. Line a large plate with paper towels. Add 3 inches of oil to a large, deep saucepan, leaving a minimum of 2 inches from the top of the oil to the top of the saucepan. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 360ºF on a deep-fry thermometer. Working in batches, fry the chimichangas until golden brown and crispy, about 3 minutes, flipping them as needed. Transfer the chimichangas to the paper towel-lined plate to drain for 1 minute, and then roll them in the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Repeat the frying and rolling process with the remaining chimichangas, returning the oil to 360ºF between batches. Remove all toothpicks from the chimichangas and transfer them to serving plates. Top each with a portion of the remaining 1 cup of sliced strawberries and serve immediately.

Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo Shells

2 1/2 cups (about 8oz) whole wheat medium shells 2 1/2 cups fresh broccoli, cut into small florets (just the head, no stem) 2 cups cooked, diced or shredded chicken 1 (16oz) jar Alfredo Sauce 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (medium cheddar or mozzarella) 1/2 tsp Salt 1/4 tsp Pepper 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder Cook shells according to directions on package. Mine took about 10-11 minutes. Drain. Return shells to the pan & add alfredo sauce. Stir & set aside. Place broccoli florets & a little water in a container with a lid. Leave lid loose & microwave on high for 2-3 minutes depending on how crunchy you like your broccoli; just keep in mind that it will continue to cook in the oven. Cook & dice or shred chicken. I actually used leftover roast chicken & heated it up in the microwave for 1 1/2 minutes to have it hot like my other ingredients. Add the broccoli & chicken to the shells. Stir well. Empty contents into a greased 13x9" baking dish & top with shredded cheese. Bake at 350*F for 20-30 minutes or until bubbly & heated in the center.

Cool Whip Chocolate Pudding Pie

What You Need 1-1/4 cups Oreo Baking Crumbs 1/4 cup non-hydrogenated margarine, melted 1 pkg. (4-serving size) Jell-O Chocolate Instant Pudding 1-1/2 cups cold milk 1-1/2 cups thawed Cool Whip Whipped Topping, divided Make It MIX baking crumbs and margarine in 9-inch pie plate; press onto bottom and up side of pie plate. BEAT pudding mix and milk in medium bowl with whisk 2 min. Stir in 1 cup Cool Whip; spoon into crust. REFRIGERATE 30 min. or until firm. Serve topped with remaining Cool Whip.

Crock Pot Stuffed Bell Peppers

Here is what you need, Makes 6 peppers. - 6 large bell peppers - 1.5 lbs raw ground chuck (or Morning Star Grillers Recipe Crumbles for vegetarian version)- 2 cups cooked wild rice - 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock - 1 (15oz) can of diced tomatoes - 1 medium onion chopped - 2 cloves garlic, minced - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese or cheese blend. (I used Cheddar/Jack blend.) - 1 egg - 1 tsp salt - 1/2 tsp pepper 1. Cut just the tops off the pepper and removed seeds and ribs from inside. 2. In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, cooked rice, 1/2 of the can of chopped tomatoes, onion, garlic, cheese, egg, salt and pepper. 3. Mix well until evenly combined. 4. Stuff peppers with mixture and place into crockpot, stuffed side up. 5. Pour stock over and around peppers. 6. Next, pour the rest of the canned tomatoes in. 7. Cover and cook on HIGH for 5-6 hours or LOW for 8 hours. I topped ours with a little bit of cheese and served right away.

Oreo Cookies and Cream Smoothie

Ingredients 1 cup non-fat milk 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt or vanilla greek yogurt (I used Chobani) 6 tsp. (30 grams) JELLO OREO Cookies and Cream Instant Pudding 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (omit if using vanilla greek yogurt) 1/2 tsp stevia, to taste 1 cup ice Instructions 1.In a blender at all the ingredients and process until smooth.

Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo Lasagna

Ingredients: 10-12 lasagna noodles, uncooked (it just depends on the size and shape of your slow cooker) 2 (16 oz) jars alfredo sauce 1/3 cup water 1 1/2 cups chicken, cooked and diced 1 (16 oz) container cottage cheese (or you could use ricotta cheese) 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese 1 (2.25 oz) can sliced black olives 2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese 1 teaspoon dried parsley Directions: *You will want to use a LARGE slow cooker, such as a 5-6 quart pot. Spray your slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Break 3-4 noodles to fit in the bottom of your slow cooker. Layer a third of the Alfredo sauce, half of the water, and half of the chicken over the noodles. Spread half of the cottage cheese and sprinkle a third of the mozzarella cheese over the chicken layer. Spread half of the olives on top. Add another layer of noodles. Layer a third of Alfredo sauce, remaining chicken, water, and cottage cheese. Sprinkle second third of mozzarella. Layer remaining noodles, sauce, and mozzarella. Top off with the rest of the olives, Parmesan cheese, and dried parsley. Cover and cook on LOW for 4-5 hours (no longer than 5 hours because the noodles go soft and mushy). Makes about 10 servings.

Chocolate Lasagna

Ingredients 1 package regular Oreo cookies (Not Double Stuff) - about 36 cookies 6 Tablespoon butter, melted 1 - 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened ¼ cup sugar 2 Tablespoons cold milk 1 - 12 ounce tub Cool Whip, divided 2 - 3.9 ounce packages Chocolate Instant Pudding. 3¼ cups cold milk 1 and ½ cups mini chocolate chips Directions Begin by crushing 36 Oreo cookies. I used my food processor for this, but you could also place them in a large ziplock bag and crush them with a rolling pin. When the Oreos have turned into fine crumbs, you are done. Transfer the Oreo crumbs to a large bowl. Stir in 6 tablespoons melted butter and use a fork to incorporate the butter into the cookie crumbs. When the butter is distributed, transfer the mixture to a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan. Place the pan in the refrigerator while you work on the additional layers. Mix the cream cheese with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add in 2 Tablespoons of milk, and sugar, and mix well. Stir in 1 and 1/4 cups Cool Whip. Spread this mixture over the crust. In a bowl, combine chocolate instant pudding with 3 and 1/4 cups cold milk. Whisk for several minutes until the pudding starts to thicken. Use a spatula to spread the mixture over the previous cream cheese layer. Allow the dessert to rest for about 5 minutes so that the pudding can firm up further. Spread the remaining Cool Whip over the top. Sprinkle mini chocolate chips evenly over the top. Place in the freezer for 1 hour, or the refrigerator for 4 hours before serving.

Mini Swiss Steak Sandwiches

2 Tbsp. flour 1/4 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. black pepper 1 3/4 lbs. boneless beef chuck steak, about 1 inch thick 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil 1 medium onion, sliced 1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced into strips 1 clove garlic, sliced 1 C. stewed tomatoes 3/4 C. condensed beef consommé, undiluted (I used a can of Campbell's Soup) 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 1 bay leaf 2 Tbsp. cornstarch 2 pkgs (12 oz. each) sweet Hawaiian-style dinner rolls Coat crock-pot with nonstick cooking spray. Combine flour, salt, and pepper in large Ziploc bag. Add steak and shake well to coat. Heat oil in large skillet over high heat until hot. Add steak and brown well on both sides. Transfer to crock-pot. Add onion and bell pepper to skillet. Cook and stir over medium-high heat 3 to 4 minutes or until softened but not limp. Add garlic. Cook and stir 30 minutes longer, pour mixture over steak. Add tomatoes, consommé, Worchestershire sauce, and bay leaf. Cover, cook on high 3 1/2 hours or until steak is tender. Transfer steak to cutting board. Remove and discard bay leaf. Blend cornstarch with 2 Tbsp. cooking liquid in small bowl until smooth. Stir into cooking liquid in crock-pot and continue cooking 10 minutes or until thickened. Thinly slice steak against the grain to shred. Return steak to crock-pot. Add salt and pepper as desired. Mix well to combine. To serve, split rolls in half and spoon on steak mixture. Makes 16-18 sandwiches.

Potato Casserole (aka Funeral Potatoes)

I think this recipe was originally Grandma Keetch's, and I found it in Mom's recipe collection. Cook and grate 7 large potatoes. In a saucepan, combine: 1 can cream of mushroom soup 1 can cream of chicken soup 1 cube butter 1 C. grated cheese 2 Tbsp. chopped onion 1 pint sour cream Heat to make a smooth sauce. Put 1/2 potatoes in a 9x13 pan. Cover with sauce, then potatoes, then sauce. End with sauce. Top with 1 C. crushed cornflakes, tossed with 3 Tbsp. melted butter. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Magic Cookie Bars

1/2 C. butter 1 1/2 C. (roughly 1 pkg or a little more) graham cracker crumbs 1 can sweetened condensed milk 1 (6 oz.) pkg of chocolate chips 1/3 C. flaked coconut 1 C. chopped nuts (pecans) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Layer in order in 9x13 pan. Bake 25-30 minutes or until browned. Cool. Chill. Cut into bars. Store loosely covered at room temperature.

Quick Waffles

1/2 C. butter 1 Tbsp. sugar 4 egg yolks 2 C. milk 2 C. flour 4 egg whites, stiffly beaten 4 tsp. baking powder Melt butter, stir in sugar and egg yolks. Beat in milk and sifted flour. Fold in egg whites and baking powder. Bake in greased waffle iron. Store leftovers wrapped in the fridge and reheat in toaster or frying pan. These are so much lighter than the ones made from the baking mix, and they don't have a weird aftertaste. I've also used the batter for pancakes.

Dutch Oven Fudge

Another recipe I got from Mom's collection, but I haven't tried it in the dutch oven. 1 can evaporated milk 5 cups sugar 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla 1/2 lb. butter Mix and boil. After it comes to a boil, add: 1 (12 oz.) pkg. chocolate chips 1 (16 oz.) pkg. mini marshmallows Let boil 8 minutes or until thick. Remove from heat. Leaving in dutch oven, stir until it loses gloss. Pour into large cake pan that has been buttered, cool, and cut.

Lemon Squares

1 C. flour 1/2 C. butter or margarine 1/4 C. powdered icing sugar pinch salt Mix together, press into 8"x8" pan, bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Meanwhile, beat together: 2 eggs dash of salt 1 C. sugar 1/2 tsp. baking powder 2 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice Pour over baked crust and return to oven for 20-25 minutes. Cool, cut, sprinkle with powdered sugar. I don't remember Mom making this much, but I got it from her recipes.

Potato Salad

Bake 8 potatoes in skins. Boil 8 eggs until hard. Dice together in bowl. Add: 1/2 C. chopped onion 1/2 C. chopped sweet pickles 1 tsp. salt Mix with a dressing of: 1 C. Miracle Whip 1 Tbsp. milk 1 Tbsp. sweet pickle juice 1 tsp. prepared mustard 1 Tbsp. sugar Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Apple Pie Bites

2 package crescent rolls 1 large apple cinnamon mixed with a little sugar Peel and core apple. Cut apple into 16 pieces. Pour cinnamon sugar mixture on a crescent roll piece. Take apple piece and roll it up is crescent roll. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top. Bake for 13-15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Homemade Corn Dogs

Makes 10 Corn Dogs 1 cup yellow cornmeal 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup sugar 1 Tablespoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 egg, beaten 1 1/2 cups buttermilk (regular milk works too) 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil 1 Tablespoon honey 1 (10 count) package Hot Dogs 10 wooden skewers or chopsticks 2 Quarts Vegetable Oil, for frying Directions: In a medium or large pot, add the oil. Turn heat to medium and heat oil to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, add the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir together. Then add the beaten egg, buttermilk, oil and honey. Stir until combined. (Batter should be a little thicker than pancake batter) Remove hot dogs from package. Wipe them all dry with a paper towel (this will help the batter stick to them better) Insert one skewer or wooden stick into each hot dog. Pour the batter into a tall drinking glass. Holding by the skewer, take one hot dog and dunk it into the batter, coating all of the hot dog. Slowly remove from batter and let a little excess batter drip back into the cup. Immediately place it into the hot oil, while still holding the stick. Turn as necessary to brown all sides. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until all sides are a deep golden brown. Remove from hot oil and place on paper towels to drain grease. Repeat with all hot dogs.