Parsley Rosemary Pork Ribs

So despite having all the chicken, I found this recipe and desperately wanted to try it as it sounds delicious.

Hardware:

Crockpot
Cutting Board
Veggie peeler
Sharp knife


Ingredients:

Boneless pork ribs
Potatoes
Carrots

Parsley
Garlic powder
Paprika
Rosemary
Salt/pepper

What to do:

It's a very simple prep and recipe

Peel and cut potatoes into bite size pieces. I used 6-7 medium potatoes and covered the bottom of the crockpot with them. Next lay the pork rips on top of the potatoes.

Peel and cut carrots. The original calls for baby carrots -- why spend the money, get regular carrots and chop them into baby carrot sized pieces. I cut the thicker ends in half, and then arrange them around the ribs and potatoes.

Sprinkle the veggies and rips with paprika and garlic powder (be easy with the garlic). Then with chopped parsley and rosemary. I couldn't find fresh rosemary so I used dried and did my best to chop it in with the fresh parsley I was able to get. The dried rosemary tends to "jump" a bit .. but being careful you can do it.

Leave in the crockpot for 8-10 hours on low... you house will smell great.

chicken, pounds and pounds of chicken

I've been hit by a bug to freeze as much as possible, not sure if it's due to my budget or due to the cold weather finally hitting us, but when I saw a sale on chicken breasts -- which is kind of my main staple meat right now, I jumped on it... 20 pounds of it be exact.. and then I had to figure out what to do with it.

Once I took all the fat off I had roughly 18.5 pounds of chicken breasts to freeze. So what I did was divide it up. I had the bowl for the ones that were going to be left as whole breasts, one for what was going to be ground and one for the breasts to be cut up. When de-fatting the chicken there are the "wings", little pieces of meat that are really more fat than meat and it's a royal pain to just take the fat off, generally I just cut them off and discard them, however, for the grinding I would take the ones that didn't have a lot of veins left and throw them into the bowl to be ground with the chunks. Chicken is normally a very dry meat so a little bit of fat is ok with this.

What I ended up with were 3 packages of 4 whole breasts. 2 packages of chunked chicken, and 6 packages of ground chicken. The ground chicken is divided up into 2 different kinds. Plain ground chicken (2 packages) and 4 ranch chicken.

The whole breasts were divided into the three packages of 4 breasts each -- easy division with about 3/4 of a breasts per meal. The the chunked chicken I can use for chicken bites or tenders or whatever -- they are decent sized pieces that will be easy to pound out flat if I want to.

The largest portion of this was the grinding -- yayyy for kitchen tools and my mother's foresight. When I asked for a kitchen aid mixer last year I was certain I wouldn't ever need any of the additional tools that go with it. My mother, being her normal "you'll want it eventually" also got an attachment kit that included the meat grinder, juicer, and slicer/shredder attachments. Never again will I denounce the need for more kitchen gadgets.

The biggest lessons learned with the grinder attachment: use the course grinder die. The fine is way to fine for grinding it up.

Now you may be asking what the heck is ranch chicken. It's simple as you're grinding the chicken add in your homemade dried ranch dressing -- cleanup is a pain as the powdered milk in the mix sticks to the inside of the grinder attachment.

Ranch dressing mix

1 C powdered milk
dried chives
basil
oregano
garlic powder
dried minced onions
salt/pepper

The ground chicken packages are ziploc baggies... about 1 1/2 C of ground chicken, spread out thin with as much air taken out as possible. Lay flat in the freezer to make nice neat packages.

While I'll never reach my mother's capacity to freeze foods (until I have a space where I can have a giant upright freezer like hers) It's a start.

Ranch Chicken Bites w/Red Rice

So it's been awhile since I updated this. I've made a lot of good things, some are failures, mainly I've been repeating a lot of recipes, but this is a new one.

Hardware:
Large Pot
Frying pan
Tongs or spatula
Wet dish
Dry dish
Plate
Knife
Cutting board
Saran wrap
Meat tenderisor

Ranch Chicken Bites -- this is for 5 servings (lunches)

2 chicken breasts - cleaned and cut into pieces, try for 5 each
Ranch dressing
Seasoned BreadCrumbs
Olive oil

Start my prepping the chicken breasts, clean off the fat and cut into pieces -- depending on size you should be able to get 5 or 6 decent sized pieces out of each. On the clean side of your cutting board lay out a piece of saran wrap, place piece of chicken on one half fold over other half of saran wrap and pound out flatter.

Once all the pieces have been flattened, put ranch dressing in your wet dish and bread crumbs in your dry.. dip in dressing, dip in breadcrumbs and place on plate. Heat your frying pan with olive oil and once hot place chicken pieces in and cook until done, some of the breading will fall off but it's ok.

Red Rice

This is a discovery done quite by accident and may take an extra day of prep if you don't have frozen chopped tomatoes.

Rice --I use brown long cook rice
Frozen tomatoes
Basil

Cook rice according to package for the amount you want.. the directions call to simmer it for 20 minutes, in the last 5 minutes or so drop still frozen tomatoes into the rice -- the head from the rice causes the meat of the tomatoes to burst to they dissolve into the rice, if you didn't peel your tomatoes all you have left is tomatoey rice and the skin from the tomato which you can pick out.

Stir in a teaspoon of basil, salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with a good helping of rice and two pieces of the chicken.

Potato Bread

This is for 1 loaf, I usually double or quadruple it; depending on how I feel

Hardware:
mixer -- with bread attachment
bowl
spatula
pot
loaf pan(s)

Ingredients

1 C whole wheat flour
1 C mashed potatoes
1/2 C lukewarm water
1/2 C water
1 pkg active dry yeast
2 t sugar
3 C bread flour
1 t salt
3 T butter

Make mashed potatoes -- you can either use instant for a creamier potato or use real potatoes your choice

I use rapid rise yeast so I don't do the blooming process, however, if you are using active dry you'll need to: head milk and water in a saucepan to lukewarm, sprinkle with sugar and yeast and set aside for 5 minutes.

I put the flour, potatoes, yeast and milk, salt and butter into mixer and combine until just blended.

Knead for a few minutes until the dough is smooth -- about 8-10 minutes. This will be sticky so you might need extra flour to knead in. Put the ball of dough in a lightly greased (I use a smidge of olive oil on a paper towel) bowl and allow to rise.

Once risen, punch down and divide into loaf pans if doubling the recipe and allow to rise again.

Preheat oven to 400. Once the second rise is done, bake for 45 minutes or until top is golden brown.

March - Lasagna soup

Hardware:

Large soup pot or stock pot
cutting board/knife

Ingredients
1 lb Italian sausage
2 onions chopped -- I only used 1
garlic - pre-minced to taste
oregano
bay leaf
basil
red pepper flakes (optional)
2 T tomato paste
1 can diced tomatoes
1 med bell pepper diced (optional)
8 oz chopped mushrooms
1 C fresh spinich
6 C broth/stock
pasta -- I used a box of rigatoni

brown sausage until throughly cook and drain -- set aside

In stockpot (can do this while sausage is browning) sweat onion, garlic and add oregano and mushrooms (peppers and pepper flakes if using). Once cooked add sausage when browned and tomato paste.

add in tomatoes, broth and bay leaf -- let this simmer for about 30 minutes

add in pasta, spinish and cook until tender (about 10 minutes) remove bay leaf

add in basil and season with salt/pepper to taste

top with ricotta cheese or other cheeses if you desire.

March - Italian Porkchops

Hardware:
bowl, baking sheet/casserole dish
utensils

Ingredients

1 T mustard - favorite kind
1 T olive oil
Italian seasoning
Pork chops
mozzarella cheese

Mis mustard, olive oil and Italian seasoning. Coat pork chops. Place on greased pan/casserole dish. Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes. Sprinkle cheese on top of chops and then bake for an additional 5-10

I served this with mashed potatoes and steamed veggies

Feb - Sleezy Cheezy Chicken

Hardware
microwave safe bowl and spoon
cutting board and knife
large casserole pan
food processor

Ingredients

2 T butter (might need more depending on the amount of chicken)
2 cloves garlic - minced
1/2 C bread crumbs -- used part of a loaf of bread -- about 4 pieces
1/2 C grated cheddar cheese
2-4 T grated Parmesan cheese (I used more)
Italian seasoning

Preheat oven to 350

In food processor mix bread, Italian seasoning and parm cheese. Once in crumb form add 1/4 C of cheddar cheese and set aside in a bowl.

Melt butter and garlic together

Cut up chicken into strips, dip in butter/garlic and then dredge in bread crumbs and lay in casserole dish.

drizzle any remaining butter/garlic over chicken, I sprinkled more parm cheese over them at this point and then some more bread crumbs.

Bake for 45-60 minutes or until juices are clear

I served this with rice and steamed veggies.

Feb - Honey Mustard Chicken Pasta

Hardware:

Saute pan
Knife, cutting board
Bowls, spoons, spautula

Ingredents

2 C bow-tie pasta (1 box and I used the mini bow-tie)
bacon -- approximately 4 slices off a frozen block and then chopped
mushrooms - 1 can or 8 oz fresh
onion - 1 small diced fine
garlic - I used pre-minced as it's easier
2 C diced chicken -- I used chicken breast cut into strips
frozen peas -- just a handful or two
2/3 C milk, 1/2 C milk - divided
2 T brown mustard -- favorite kind
1T +1t honey
1/8 C flour

Cook Pasta according to directions, drain when noodles are just tender

Cook chicken to done and set to the side (original recipe says to cook bacon at the same time -- bacon becomes soggy) Start bacon in pan after chicken is done cooking. When the bacon is done, remove and sweat onions and add mushrooms.

Mix flour and 1/2 C milk together (this is when I add additional herbs like basil, oregano and thyme). Add milk to onions and mushrooms an stir until just thickened. Ad peas and additional milk and stir. Add mustard and honey -- I tended to go with taste and I know I added more of each; but large squirt of "this" is really subjective.

Simmer until sauce is thickened again. Add pasta, chicken and bacon.

Week 4 Savory Crockpot Chops w/rice

Ok, so I know this one was supposed to have chunky veggies, but I changed it. It's my recipe so I can do that ya know. It's also a recipe completely out of my head (RUN, RUN NOW!!!!) so I'm sure it can be tweaked once I figure out how it tastes; so far smells delicious

sooo...

Savory Crockpot Chops w/rice

Hardware:
Crockpot
Saucepan
Measuring cups/spoons
Wooden spoon
Spatula
Knife
Cutting board

Ingredients

3/4 C diced onion (I used red cause that’s what I had already diced)
1 t dried garlic (I actually did measure this one)
2 C brown rice
1 C chicken broth

1 can cream of mushroom soup
3/4 can of milk
4 pork chops
Basil, oregano, Italian season, salt and pepper to taste
3 bay leaves

1 can corn (with liquid)

Cooking

Sauté onions and garlic in saucepan – I started it with a bit of olive oil, approximately a tablespoon or so. Once the onions are translucent and the garlic looks softened a bit add the rice and mix well. You want the rice to soak up the onion juices along with the olive oil, also while cooking on low heat the rice will brown a bit and get kind of a nutty flavor.

Add the chicken broth, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Let this cook for about 8 minutes to let the flavors meld a bit. You’ll know to take it off when there is still a bit of broth on the bottom of the sauce pan. Pour the rice into the crockpot.

To the rice in the crockpot add the soup, milk and rest of the herbs (the herbs are to taste). Mix this well and add the pork chops that have had the fat removed (tho not all of it.. it’s all about the pork fat -- at least some of it) and been cut into bite sized pieces.

Mix this well and add the bay leaves, I also sprinkled a bit of dried basil on top.

Cook on low for about 8 hours or until the pork is thoroughly cooked. Part way through the cooking add a can of corn (or other veggie) with liquid.

Desert

I needed something sweet tonight so here we go.. It's still baking so now idea if it will even turn out. I had to much topping for the amount of frut so feel free to halve the topping if you want. Me personally the topping is almost the best part of the crisp.

Pear and Peach Crisp

1 can pears - drained
1 can peaches - drained

1 T flour
1/4 t ground cloves
1 t cinnamon
1/4 C white sugar

topping

1 C oatmeal
1 C flour
1 C packed brown sugar
1 C cold butter
1/2 baking soda
1/2 baking powder


Dran the fruit and put in a baking dish -- keep a little of the liquid from one can you just don't want all of it.

Mix the cloves, cinnamon, flour and white sugar together and sprinkle on top of the fruit.

Combine the oatmeal, flour, brown sugar, baking soda and powder, and butter until well mixed, pour on top of fruit.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until the topping is brown and crispy

Jan Week 3 Bacon/feta stuffed chicken

Bacon feta stuffed chicken is totally a new favorite of mine. I've made if a few times over the last year or so and keep tweaking it as I go. This is the most up to date version and the one I tried to get pics of.

So dinner this week is Bacon/feta stuff chicken, with garlic mashed potatoes and celery.

Chicken:

Hardware:

Cutting board
Frying pan
Knife
Crockpot
Bowl

The bacon -- I tend to used 1/2 pounds of bacon at a time; once it's frozen just take a sharp knife and cut the package in half. The half that isn't being used gets wrapped in saran wrap and then bagged and put back in the freezer. The other half gets cut into small pieces to be cooked.

Ingredients:

1/2 pound bacon
1 container of feta cheese -- I prefer getting the block of feta as it ends up
cheaper and you get more for your money
3 chicken breast -- if you shop at fairway like I do and get the double breasts
it is soooo much easier, otherwise you'll have to butterfly them
1 jar diced tomatoes -- I used home canned things from mom so mine is actually a jar
of canned tomatoes that I add to
basil, oregano, dried onion and garlic, Italian season, salt and pepper

Cut the bacon into small pieces and cook until nicely browned. While it's cooking trim the fat from the chicken breast and butterfly if you have to -- if they are super thick you may need to pound them out a bit. If using chicken breast from fairway it's not necessary to butterfly or pound out just don't disconnect them.

Once the bacon is cooked, remove using a slotted spoon to a plate with paper toweling.

Assembly is easy, put on bacon, put on cheese, fold chicken over to cook. Put some of the tomato on the bottom of the crockpot (if using home canned mix tomatoes, basil, oregano, Italian salt and pepper together). Place stuffed chicken breasts on the bottom and then cover with the rest of the tomato mixture. Cook in crockpot on low for about 8 hours.

Mashed Potatoes -- are easy, really they are lol. This week I'm using the left over potatoes from the soup a couple of weeks ago. I'm just adding garlic to them.

Celery -- heart of celery -- cut up and steamed with basil and oregano.

Jan Week 2 Salmon Burgers w/focaccia bread

I'm not a huge canned salmon person, but this one seems to work well. Yes I leave the bones in -- take them out if you don't like them, I do scrape the skin off cause blech

So the menu was BBQ salmon burgers w/focaccia bread and cheesy cauliflower

Focaccia bread -- it's a recipe in here somewhere lol

Cheesy cauliflower -- cheesy not just cause it's got cheese in it but cause I cheated on the cheese lol

Hardware:

Large pot
Cutting board
Knife

Ingrediants:

1 head of cauliflower
dried onion and garlic
1 can cheddar cheese soup (see I cheated)

Heat water to boiling, cut the florets off the head of cauliflower, trimming to bite size pieces and throw in the water with a handful of dried onion and dried garlic. You want the cauliflower al dente (yeah fancy word hehehe). Once cooked drain them -- I used the slotted part of my steamer to keep the onion and garlic as well. Mix with the can of cheese soup.

Burgers

Hardware:

Large bowl
Measuring cups
Baking sheet
Oven at 375

2 C soft bread crumbs (I had a loaf of potato bread I needed to use so it got whirred
up in the food processor)
2 egg whites
1/4 C bbq sauce I used a Jack Daniels bbq sauce for the flavor, but use your favorite
1 T lemon juice (I just used a healthy squirt so didn't really measure)
1 T Teriyaki sauce (again I just squirted it in lol)
large handful of shredded cheese -- I used mozzarella this time
1/2 C diced onion
1 can of salmon
basil, oregano, salt and pepper to taste

Put everything into a bowl, with your hands lightly mix -- kind of fluffing until it's all mixed well. Divide the mixture into 6 parts and pat them into rough loaf shapes and put them on the baking sheet. Put into the oven for approximately 10 minutes -- or until they are cook through.

Dishing for lunches is a piece of the bread on the bottom, salmon on one end, cauliflower on the other and pop in the fridge

Jan. Week 1 Smashed potato soup

Smashed Potato Soup -- This was supposed to be a variation of a crispy smashed potato that I saw on the food network and potato soup. I really dislike potato soups that are mushy so I wanted to make sure what I made was chunky and I thought the smashed potatoes were an interesting twist. It failed for the original concept, but sailed for the overall taste and what it ended up being in the end. I'm going to post the recipe for the original concept -- it will be made again, oh yes it will hehe.

Equipment:

Stockpot (used my 12-qt for the potatoes and then the 5-qt for the soup itself)
Good cutting board -- will need both sides; one for meat, one for veggies
Good knife
whisk
bench scrapper (optional but I used one lol)

Crispy Potatoes

1 lb new potatoes

Cook: Boil potatoes until fork tender. Take out and let cook slightly. On a clean cutting board individually press down on each potato until it just smashes. Crisp up in a frying pan with a smudge of olive oil

* I learned that red skin and new are NOT the same thing and so this is where the soup ended in a failure for the concept lol*

Soup

Rue:

3 T butter
3 T flour
1.5 C milk

Other ingredients

1 heart of celery chopped (I even used the leaves)
2 carrots
3/4 C chopped onions (I used red)
1 kielbasa
1/2 lb bacon -- oven cooked and then crumbled in towards the end)
basil, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper to taste

Cook:

While the potatoes are boiling. Start the rue by melting the butter in the smaller stockpot, add the flour and once combined for a few minutes add the milk while whisking to combine completely. Once combined add the herbs. Leave this to simmer and thicken slightly while working on the rest of the ingredients

Chop up the celery into smaller bite size pieces -- you actually do want to see them -- and throw into the pot

Peel and chop carrots and throw in the pot

Flip the cutting board and cut the kielbasa into small bite size rounds -- no need to quarter or anything else -- throw in pot

Once the potatoes are out -- if using the redskin like I did, I just smashed them with the bottom of a plate and tossed them in so it was chunky

Let cook together for approximately an hour on the stove top -- set at a simmer you don't want it to boil at this point.

before dishing up crumble bacon into it and stir in. Dish out into lunch dishes and pop into the fridge -- or if serving right away do as normal

** This does turn out really thick so ass more milk if you want more of a basic soup than more of a stew

Back again

I've had so many family members and friends ask for my recipes that I'm going to try and keep this updated more with what I make. I'm even going to try for pictures but don't hold your breath on that one lol

Menu for January

Week 1 - Smashed Potato soup
Week 2 - BBQ Salmon Burgers w/focaccia bread and cheesy cauliflower
Week 3 - Bacon/feta stuffed Chicken with Garlic mashed potatoes
Week 4 - Crockpot Chops with Chunky Veggies
Week 4 - Maple Turkey w/brown rice and veggies