Cooking - for a new lifestyle (Our Test Kitchen)

Zesty Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken John is sick of puddings So we are being creative to give him some texture! Original recipe: 6 frozen skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 1 (12 ounce) bottle barbeque sauce 1/2 cup Italian salad dressing 1/4 cup brown sugar 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce Directions: Place chicken in a slow cooker.  In a bowl, mix the barbecue sauce, Italian salad dressing, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour over the chicken. Cover Cook 3 to 4 hours on High (or 6 to 8 hours on Low.) Now for our purposes, we will be dicing the chicken for our toothless member of the family. We served it with mashed potatoes and creamed carrots. BUT It was really yummy as an open faced sandwich when John was not looking! "Bon Appetit!"

8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (I used 3 large chicken breasts) 1 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (I used all my cayenne pepper making  Homemade Chili Powder  . . . so I used 1/8 tsp. of that) 1 tsp. paprika (I used 1 tsp. Homemade Chili Powder) 1 tsp. curry powder 1/2 tsp. ground ginger 3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed 1 onion, chopped 1  cup peach or apricot preserves (I used applesauce) 3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar 1 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce 1/2 cup chicken broth or water 2 tbsp. cornstarch (I was happy with the consistency of the sauce so I didn't thicken it) Place sweet potatoes and onions in a 3-1/2 quart slow cooker.  Sprinkle chicken with salt, cayenne pepper, paprika, curry powder, and ginger. Place chicken on top of potatoes.  Top with peach preserves, vinegar, and soy sauce.  Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours (I went high for 4 hours)  until chicken is thoroughly cooked and sweet potatoes are tender.  Combin...

Its that time of year when you open your fridge and find remnants of cheese and veggie trays! No dip, no cucumbers just the stuff everyone left. What do you do, most of us stick it back in the fridge and find it ready for the garbage 1 week later and throw it out. I just found a recipe that could change that. Pull out the crockpot, and lightly coat with non stick cooking spray. Add: 1-10oz can of cream of ___?___ soup OR 1-10oz can of gravy 1 cup sour cream 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheese ( gruyere, swiss or old cheddar or whatever happens to be left) 1 cup milk 1 tsp italian seasoning 1 tsp black pepper 5-6 cups of cubed red skin new potatoes (we used white - red would have been prettier) This sauce turns out rather yummy! **Note: we used the can of turkey gravy and old cheddar ________________________________________________________ This is the moment when I looked to the veggie tray! Dice up and add any RAW celery, onions, carrots, pars...

So, I am trying to increase the number of veggies we are eating and proportionately decrease the total amount of meat John and Judy eat. We are all very good eaters and I do not doubt they are actually hungry when they sit down, but John's inclination is potatoes and meat and bread. Judy is learning this bad habit. So any chance I get, I "hide" extra veggies in recipes. So if the recipe says 2 cups carrot diced, I will add 1 1/2 of carrot and 1 1/2 of parsnip! also, finely chopped spinach looks like a seasoning! I have completely omitted salt from any recipe as John adds salt and pepper before he even tastes a dish. I am encouraging them to give me feedback BEFORE they eat now, how does it smell?, taste before seasoning, and comment during dinner so I can pass it on to you fellow recipiers . (yes Staci, I made that word up, hahahaha) Prep time is fast as there is placing in crock pot and letting it do the work ! 3 cups carrot ( I used 2 of carrot and 2 of parsn...

What do you do with leftover orange marmalade the last recipe called for???? Well I have one! In a frying pan: 2 tbsp olive oil 1 1/2 lbs of pork cut into 1" cubes Brown meat and transfer to a crock pot. In the used frying pan: 2 cups chicken broth 1/2 cup red wine or another 1/2 cup broth 1/4 cup orange marmalade (I used a small can of drained mandarin oranges that I processed in a food processor) Stir well and pour over meat in crock pot. Add: 1 large can diced tomatoes WITH juices 1 large green pepper diced large 2 cups frozen beans or stir fry blend 2 minced garlic cloves 1 tsp oregano 1/2 tsp fennel seed (omitted) 1 tsp black pepper 1/8 tsp chilli flakes Stir well. Refrigerate if you want for next meal. OR Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours. (I cooked on high 4-6) ***Uncover 1/2 way through if there seems to be a lot of liquid. Combine: 2 tbsp cornstach 2 tbsp cold water Stir until smooth and add gradually to stew to thicken....

Well isn't this appropriate for most of the authors on this site! LOL I am pretty excited about this one, it has all my favourite veggies in it. I made this whole thing 2 days ahead and refrigerated. Prep: 1/4 cup flour 2 lbs stewing beef  (1" cubes - I buy the prepackaged beef and cut them in 1/2) 2 tbsp oil coat beef in flour and fry on med-high heat until brown....keep scraping browned bits off bottom of pan.  In a large crock pot: 1 can tomato soup undiluted 1 cup water or red wine 2 tsp beef boullion granules *****I substituted with 1L of vegetable cocktail juice 3 tsp italian seasoning 1 bay leaf 1 tsp black pepper Stir well and add fried beef cubes. Add: 4 medium potatoes cut into cubes (I omitted) 3 medium onions cut in rings 3 medium carrots cut into cubes 3 medium parsnips cut into cubes 1 small rhutabaga peeled and cut into cubes 1 cup celery chunks **12 large fresh mushrooms (add just before starting crock pot if you...

Hal loves pork roast and is always asking me to make it.  I'm not usually a fan of pork roast and I definitely do not eat gravy . . . until now . . .  Prep time:  30 minutes Cook time:  8 hours (I cooked this on high for 4 hours) Makes 8 servings 2-3 lb (1.5 kg) boneless pork shoulder roast 2 tbsp real maple syrup or maple-flavoured syrup 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 2 tsp dried sage leaves 1/2 tsp beef bouillon granules or 1 beef bouillon cube 1/2 cup water 2 cups 1-1/2 inch cubes of peeled butternut squash (I used white turnip) 2 cups baby carrots, cut in half lengthwise 2 small onions, cut into wedges 3 tbsp cornstarch 1/2 cup water Spray 4-5 quart slow cooker with cooking spray.  If pork roast comes in netting or is tied, remove netting or strings.  Place pork in cooker.  In small bowl mix syrup, garlic, sage, bouillon and 1/2 cup water.  Spoon over pork.  Arrange squash, carrots and onions aroun...

I have noticed my tastes changing in the last year. I appreciate home cooking more now than before the illness last year. I guess not being able to eat for months on end, makes you appreciate the taste of food more. I took: 6-8 large potatoes 4-6 carrots 1 small turnip Dice all veggies into large pieces and place in layers into a roaster, drizzle with oil and sprinkle (I was heavy handed) with italian seasoning. I served this with fried pork chops and apple sauce. Everyone loved it. Including a fussy little eater named Chloe. Now knowing it is better to cook once and enjoy twice, I puposely made too much! So tonight, I took those leftover potatoes and threw them in the crock pot. I added: 1 can of corn (or frozen) 1 box of beef broth 2 stalks of diced celery 1/2 onion chopped and 4 diced fast fry steaks diced and lightly browned in some of the beef broth. Add to the crock pot and heat for 2-3 hours...... Judy came back for more. "Bon appetit!"

1 lb lean ground beef 1 onion, sliced 6 large mushrooms, sliced (or use no name canned mushrooms) 1 cup chopped celery 1 10 oz can no name dark red kidney beans 1 12 oz can no name corn 1 19 oz can no name beans in tomato sauce 1 14 oz can no name tomato sauce 1 28 oz can no name tomatoes (whole, stewed, diced or whatever) 4 splashes  of no name hot sauce 12 splashes  of no name Worchestershire sauce 1 - 2 tsp (or to your taste) no name chili powder Put all ingredients in a large pot.  Cook slowly over medium or lower heat, stirring frequently for a minimum of 2 hours.  You can also cook in the oven or crock pot.  The longer it is cooked, the better it tastes. You can serve with rice and top with a daub of sour cream and grated cheese. You can use brand name products if you want to . . . LOL . . .

1 large butternut squash - peeled and cubed 1/2 green pepper 1 large onion garlic (I used garlic oil but minced garlic or dry garlic would work) holiday seasoning (sage, italian seasonings, S&P) 1 cup water I baked the above items in a Pampered Chef casserole dish covered with a cookie sheet to keep in the moisture at 350 for about 1 1/2 hours or until quite soft. (*the smell of garlic through the house was awesome! so I must have used quite a bit.) baked squash cubes 1 can evaporated milk 2 cans water 3 tsp chicken boullion Allow to cool, so you don't crack your food processor bowl or blender, for about 1/2 - 3/4 hour. Then process everything into a puree. Pour directly into a crock pot. It took 2 loads to process all of my squash without making a mess. In the bowl of the food processor, pour 1 can evaporated milk, 3 tsp chicken boullion powder and 2 cans of water * the reason I do this is to ensure I get all the spices and vegetable out of the bowl. Blend and then add to the ...

1 large cheap pork roast.....a good one does not shred as easy. Boil your roast, this will remove some of the salt and then roast in the oven at 350 for 2 hours with 2 cups of water (for moisture). Pull roast out of oven and let cool to be able to handle by hand. Remove any visible fat, and then with a fork shred the meat off the roast. Place into a crock pot. Add onion, peppers, pineapple, S&P, and 1 bottle of your favourite BBQ sauce. Fill the bottle with water and add to the crock pot too. Stir well, if you feel it is still too thick, add another bottle of water or tomato juice. You can add more spices or chilli's if you'd like. Cook at high for 3 hours. Stirring occaionally. Serve on buns, with a salad. This is lovely at backyard parties. Easy and filling. "Bon Appetit!"

9 lasagna noodles 3 qts boiling water 2 tsp cooking oil 2 tsp salt 1 1/2 lbs ground beef 3/4 cup finely chopped onion 2-14oz cans tomatoes with juice broken up 5 1/2oz tomato paste 1 cup creamed cottage chees 2cups moz cheese grated 2 tsp sugar 1 tsp parsley flakes 1/2 tsp dries whole oregano 1/4 tsp garlic powder 1/4 tsp sweet basil 1 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper Cook noodles in water, oil and salt for 14-16 min until tender but firm. Scramble fry ground beef until browned. Drain well. Turn into slow cooker Add remaining 12 ingredients. Stir well, add noodle pieces. Stir Cover Cook on low for 7-9 hours. or on high 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours. Makes 10 cups

My adaptation. In a large pot bring to a boil: I diced green pepper 1/2 bunch of celery ~large chunks 1 onion ~sliced 1 can tomato juice/vegetable cocktail 1 can diced tomatoes pepper chilli flakes to taste Bring to a good boil and let rest. Add some fresh basil. If this step can be done the day before the flavours intensify. In a large stock pot bring 8 cups water, to a boil with: 5 potatoes ~peeled and cubed 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs ~ cut each into 3 strips 1 bag mini carrots 1/4 bunch of celery ~chopped lots of pepper Cook until potatoes are JUST cooked and drain (reserve liquid for soup stock in another recipe). In a large casserole (or crock pot), pour 1/2 of tomato mixture. Pour potato/chicken mixture on top and finish with the rest of the tomato mixture. Bake at 300 for 1 hour covered. Top with your favourite cheese and broil until cheese is melted. Serve with warm bread on a cold day. "Bon Appetit!"

So everyone has been there. You open the fridge after Thanksgiving or Christmas and find all the bits no one has finished off. This is what I did. 1 cup of gravy or whatever is left over 1 cup parsnips/turnip/carrots 1/2 cup cream/regular corn 1/2 onion 4-6 cups of mashed potatoes 4-6 cups of liquid water/broth/consomme (equal to the amount of potato)OR milk for creamier S&P Now I put everything in the pot on med heat and mashed together (I used a emulsion mixer)be careful if you have used milk as it burns easier! i mixed in: 1/2 head of par cooked cauliflower florets or brocolli florets 1 cup of peas and 2 cups of ham cubes or turkey cubes Stir and pour into a crock pot. Now take the leftover stuffing (if there is any) and cut into cubes. About the size of croutons! Place on a cookie sheet and bake until crispy. Serve your turkey day croutons with your cream of leftovers soup! "Bon Appetit!"

I found this recipe and it is SOOOOOO simple and although it is not asthetically, the most beautiful dish, it tastes really, really good! Boil 3 chicken pieces (I used chicken breasts)thoroughly, and leave to cool. In a pot: 1/4 cup margarine 1 cup of shredded carrot OR 1 cup frozen veggies soften veggies but do not brown. Reduce heat then add: 2 tsp chicken boullion/soup mix 1/4 cup flour optional: 1/2 diced onion stir well till mixture resembles playdoh. Then add 2 cups milk, stir well and often! Bring almost to a boil , then add chicken and 1 cup of the water it was boiled in. Mix together well and stir from the bottom to avoid burning the recipe. Pour mixture into a crock pot on med/low and cook for another 4-6 hours. Serve over tea biscuits or popover rolls or with mashed potatoes! YUMMMMMM! "Bon Appetit!"

I made this last week and left it almost done in a crock pot. Judy's friend HATES veggies, and she ate this last night. Here is what I did. In a large pot: 1 potato diced 1 onion large chunks 1/4 green pepper 2 stalks celery 1/4 cup brick margarine 2 cups water 2 tbsp beef soup mix powder S&P brocolli stems large chunks Boil this concoction well and when brocolli stems are soft, puree the whole pot, liquid and all. Add 2 cups milk 2 heads of brocolli florettes Mix well and pour into a crock pot. Put into refrigerator until ready to use. When ready to cook, add 1 cup milk and stir in well. I let this cook for 8 hour on low. Serve with shredded cheese. "Bon Appetit!"

Want a use for leftover scalloped potatos? Make soup. After a holiday meal I always use up my leftover ham and make scalloped potatoes and ham with brocolli, but this year, I made too much! Now what? Scalloped potato soup... I found this online. 4 cups leftover scalloped potatoes 1 cup cubed ham (optional) **NOTE: I added some leftover bacon(cubed) as well. 4 cups chicken broth 1 tablespoon garlic powder salt and pepper to taste 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese Directions Place the scalloped potatoes and ham into a large pot, and pour in enough chicken broth to cover the potatoes completely. Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, and reduce heat to low. This sticks to the bottom of the pot easily, so I heated well and transfered to a crock pot to keep hot. Stir in the Cheddar and Parmesan cheese, and simmer for about 10 minutes. or In crockpot mix liquid and seasonings, throw the leftovers in the crockpot before work so supper is ready ...

So, Thanksgiving dinner is over. You forgot to cook the squash, there are leftovers everywhere and no-one wants anymore turkey. This is what I did, loosely based on a recipe. Step #1 Ingredients: 1 stalk of celery (leftovers from the veggie tray) 1/2 bag of mini carrots (leftovers from the veggie tray) 3-4 slices of ham (leftovers) ***Grate these three items, I used my food processor, and then add salt & pepper 1-300ml box of Knorr red pepper/tomato soup ***mix well and pour into greased casserole dish. Step #2 Ingredients: 1 chinese eggplant (on its last leg) 1 zucchini (use it or toss it) 1 purple pepper (or green, red, orange) 1 red onion 1 green onion 1 peeled butternut squash (par cooked in microwave) ***I would in the future add 3-4 potatoes thinly sliced too! I used my food processor to thinly slice these veggies. Layer one veggie at a time on top of the ham/carrot mixture in the casserole dish. Step #3 Ingredients: 1 can of diced tomatoes (or fresh leftovers) Cover the top ...

This is a great freezer recipe.....because I can NEVER just cook small, I have given in and accepted my overcooking issues. So now I prepare one to eat and one to freeze. Step #1 2 flank steaks (fast fry is fine) cut into small bite size pieces 6 (breakfast) sausages cut into small pieces flour salt and pepper garlic powder Mix dry ingredients in a large ziploc bag. After the meat is cut up, dredge in flour mixture, remove from bag and set aside. Step #2 Prepare these items and set aside, ready for step #4 6 medium potatoes peeled and diced 1 red onion sliced into pieces appropriate to family tastes 1 cooking onion sliced into pieces appropriate to family tastes 1 cup corn (frozen or canned) **creamed corn will work in a pinch 1 cup green beans (frozen) or peas (frozen) 2 cups of thinly sliced carrots 1 cup of diced turnip 1/2 of a diced green pepper 2 celery stalks sliced into pieces appropriate to family tastes OPTIONAL: 1 cup mushrooms (fresh or canned) Make this stew your own...ad...

First this could be chicken tortilla soup just as easy. I made our tortilla soup with leftover turkey breast from our weekend meals. Shred or dice up turkey 1 can corn 1 quart tomatoes (canned by me) 1 can tomato paste plus 3/4c water 1/2 quart jarred salsa (or small jar) 2 cups beans (I used navy beans but you can use canned ones too) I put in all ingredients in the slowcooker added some cumin and garlic to taste. Cooked on high for 5 hour. I served it with shredded cheese, dollop of sour cream on top with tortilla chips (homemade) but you can use store bought. UPDATE: Since I am getting asked about the chips in the soup... I thought I would let you all know how I did them... I took a tortilla and cut it into slices with my pizza cutter... put some oil in a pan... and put the tortilla in the oil to brown them up... I think it might be easier to brown the tortilla up first before cutting next time... but is turned out well and EVERYONE at my house loved this soup! it was even better t...