CROCK POT SHREDDED BEEF TACOS

1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. coriander
2 lb. boneless Beef Roast
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1/2 chipotle chile pepper in adobo sauce, seeded & finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Combine salt, chili powder, cumin & coriander; rub the spices all over the roast.

Warm olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Sear meat on all sides, about 5 minutes total.

Put meat in crockpot.

Mix tomato sauce, chipotle pepper & garlic.

Pour over meat.

Cover & cook on low for about 8 hours, or until fork-tender.

Shred meat with two forks and combine with enough sauce to moisten.

Serve on tortillas with lots of garnish choices: shredded lettuce, diced tomato, avocado and anything else you like.

Note: The longer you cook the roast the tenderer it is. Sometimes I slow cook it on low overnight.

Cook two roast in different crock pots at the same time.

Have one for dinner, and allow the other one to cool, then freeze it in a freezer ziplock bag for another meal.

Crock pot Italian Spaghetti Sauce

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 lb. Italian sausage, remove from casings
1 ½ cups chopped onions
2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
28 oz. canned tomatoes, undrained
29 oz. tomato sauce
12 oz. tomato paste
2 Tbsp. dried basil
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
Cook beef, sausage meat, onions, mushrooms and garlic in a skillet over medium heat until meat is no longer pink.
Drain off any grease.
Spoon meat mixture into a 6-quart slow cooker; add remaining ingredients.
Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours.
Serve over hot buttered spaghetti squash or pasta garnish with Parmesan cheese.
(I doubled the recipe, I’m using some tonight for dinner, and the other batch I’m freezing for next Thursday night’s dinner.
Cook once, eat twice.)

Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs

12 large eggs
1 cup water
ice

1. Place trivet at the bottom of the inner Instant Pot pan.
2. Place eggs on top of trivet, or steamer stacking evenly if necessary.
3. Add one cup of water to the pan.
Close the lid and set Instant Pot for 5 minutes on Manual at HIGH pressure.
4. Allow pot to release the pressure naturally for 5 minutes, then very carefully quick release any remaining steam.
5. Scoop eggs out of pot and place in an ice bath for 5 minutes.
6. Remove from the ice bath and peel or store in the refrigerator until ready to use.Hard Boiled Eggs

Honey Soy Chicken

When I find a bargain on meat I like to cook it in a way it doesn’t taste cheap. This is a great way to cook chicken parts you see on sale. You could also use this marinade for chicken wings or pork chops!

Honey Soy Chicken Recipe

Honey Soy Chicken

Honey Soy Chicken

6-8 chicken thighs, breasts, quarters, or legs
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup soy sauce
½ cup honey
3 tablespoons Montreal Steak Seasoning
2 cloves minced garlic or ½ teaspoon garlic powder
pinch ground ginger
pinch red pepper flakes (optional for heat)

I find sales, buy a few and freeze them until I am ready to make a dish out of them.

I find sales, buy a few and freeze them until I am ready to make a dish out of them.

Preheat oven to 375º F.
Place chicken onto a rimmed baking sheet pan.
Drizzle chicken with olive oil and salt and pepper.
Bake for 20 minutes. (Mine took 40 minutes) I basted them 4 times on both sides.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Salt and Pepper the meat and lay it on a greased baking sheet.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Salt and Pepper the meat and lay it on a greased baking sheet.

While chicken is baking, mix together remaining ingredients for honey soy marinade.

Brush chicken with honey soy marinade and return to oven for about 5 more minutes, or until chicken registers 165º F when checked with an internal temperature probe.
Remove from oven and serve warm.

¼ cup olive oil ¼ cup soy sauce ½ cup honey 3 tablespoons Montreal Steak Seasoning 2 cloves minced garlic or ½ teaspoon garlic powder pinch ground ginger pinch red pepper flakes (optional for heat)

¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup soy sauce
½ cup honey
3 tablespoons Montreal Steak Seasoning
2 cloves minced garlic or ½ teaspoon garlic powder
pinch ground ginger
pinch red pepper flakes (optional for heat)

After 10 minutes I basted the legs all over.

After 10 minutes I basted the legs all over.

After 10 more minutes I basted them again all over. And turned them over.

After 10 more minutes I basted them again all over. And turned them over.

Oh my goodness, don't they look d.e.l.i.c.i.o.u.s.?

Oh my goodness, don’t they look d.e.l.i.c.i.o.u.s.?

Potato Cakes

One of my favorite Waste Not Want Not recipes.

Homemade Potato Cakes from leftover mash potatoes. I purposely make extra mash potatoes just to make these.

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Potato Cakes
2 cups mashed potatoes, cold
¼ cup flour
1 large egg
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup chives or onions, optional
1/4 cup grated cheese, optional
Flour for dredging
2 Tbsp Butter plus 2 Tbsp oil for frying
Mix cold mashed potatoes with flour, blend in egg, salt and pepper.
Mix in chives or onions if using.
Set aside for a few minutes to set.
Dredge in flour.
Over medium heat, fry in butter.

For Potato pancakes add enough sour cream, heavy cream, whole milk or canned milk to make a batter and fry.

potato cake

Kimmy’s Chicken Parmesan

pic1
I dredged chicken breast in seasoned flour, the egg & milk mixture then seasoned breadcrumbs and fried on both sides until golden brown, then I placed them on a cookie sheet and put them in the oven at 350 degrees and cooked for about 20 minutes.
I boiled a pot of salted water and cooked the angel hair pasta, when done and drained I added a jar of spaghetti sauce to the pasta.
Then topped it with the cooked chicken breast and added shredded mozzarella cheese on top and more sauce.
The kids devoured it
pic2

Friday Favorite Recipe of the day: Apple Muffins

Years ago I tried this recipe. It seemed like a lot of ingredients, and steps to make, but I was in a baking mood that day and had all the ingredients on hand and time on my hands so I went for it.

To my surprise it was the best muffin I had ever made in my life. I made around 48 small muffins that day thinking I would freeze some and use as a “To Go Breakfast” but after my cousin, 4 children and I were done we had eaten all of them up, lol. We honestly couldn’t help ourselves, they were that delicious!

I’m addicted to this recipe, these muffins are my number one most favorite Muffin Recipe. Take the time one day and try them, it’s worth the time, I promise! ~Enjoy~

Apple Muffins

3/4 cup Oil
2 cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla
2 cup unsweetened Applesauce
4 cups All Purpose Flour
2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Allspice
1/2 tsp Cloves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place the sugar in a large mixing bowl.

Pour in the oil and stir until creamy.

Add the egg substitute and the vanilla.

Stir until mixed well.

Gently fold in the applesauce.
In another large mixing bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice and cloves.

Slowly add them to the sugar mixture and mix just until moistened.

Spray the muffin tin with a non stick cooking spray.

Pour each cup 3/4 full of batter.

Bake 20 minutes and test with a toothpick before removing.

Serve them with a glass of milk or juice and a side fresh fruit salad.

Emergency food packets

This could also be made up and be used for vacations, weekend getaways, family/friends staying with someone in a hospital, a train, bus, or plane carry on meal, or for any type of a emergency.

So easy to take to hotels and use the microwave, or if your on the road, you can stop at a Truck Stop or Fuel Station and use their microwave.

We calculated the breakfast packets down to around $0.42 per packet that’s around $2.10 to feed 5 people in the mornings. So much cheaper than going to a drive thru or restaurant to eat.
All this food I found at the Dollar Tree:

2 boxes of instant flavored oatmeal for $2,

2-4 pack of applesauce for $2

2-3 pack of mandarin oranges for $2.

I found a 3 pack of noodle soup for $1. I’ll add to the packets as I buy more.

I had a roll of paper towels and wrapped a disposable spoon in it, added the food to a freezer quart size ziplock bag (also found at the Dollar Tree, 16 bags for $1)

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When I pack the food in the buckets, I’ll add bottle water, and styrofoam cups in it to complete it all. That way I’ll have everything we need right there in the bucket.
Don’t forget to add Flavor to your packets. Save your salt & pepper packets from take out and put them in your food packets. Save ketchup, mustard, mayo, hot sauce jelly, etc and add it to your buckets for sandwiches, or other foods.
Put mints, pickles, and foods your family likes, make it fun and tasteful.
Check the expiration date. I tried looking for 2016 so it would last a bit longer.
Store your buckets of food/supplies in a closet closer to the door of your house you use the most. In case you need it, you can grab, and go and everything you need is in there. No stress, no worries.
If the hurricane/ tornado season has passed and you see you’re not going to use the food before the expiration date then either donate it to your local food pantry, or give it to the homeless. Someone can use it, and appreciate your blessing to them.