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Southwestern Bean Medley

1 can (14 oz) vegetable broth *you could use beef or chicken broth as well
1 tbl. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1 can white kidney beans (cannellini), rinsed and drained
1/2 c. dried lentils
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can green chilies

Mix broth, chili powder, cumin, black beans, chickpeas, kidney beans and lentils in a crock pot that has been sprayed with a non-stick spray. Cook on low for 6-7 hours, or on high for 4-5. Add the tomatoes and chilies during the last hour of cooking. Serve over rice.

Golden Mushroom Pork & Apples

2 cans golden cream of mushroom soup
1/2 c. water
1 tbl. packed brown sugar
1 tbl. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. dried thyme
8 boneless, thick cut pork chops (you can cook less if you like)
4 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced
2 large onions, chopped

Mix soup, water, brown sugar, Worcestershire and thyme in a crock pot that has been sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray. Add pork, apples and onion. Cook on low for 8-9 hours, or on high for 5-6.

Nacho Style Beef & Potatoes

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can nacho cheese soup
1 c. milk
1 4 oz. can green chilies
6 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
1/4 tsp. garlic salt

Brown the ground beef with the onion. Stir in nacho cheese soup, milk and chilies. Place the potatoes in a crock pot that has been sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle with garlic salt. Pour meat mixture over the potato wedges. Cook on low for 7-8 hours, or on high for 4-5. Before serving, stir. *Serving: you can serve with sour cream, salsa, chopped green onion, shredded cheese, etc.

Chicken & Rice Pacifica

5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
20 oz. chicken broth
1 c. water
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium green or red pepper, chopped
4 green onions, chopped
1 20 oz. can pineapple chunks in juice
1 c. uncooked, long-grain white rice

Place the chicken in a crock pot that has been sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray. Add remaining ingredients. Cook on high 4-5 hours, or on low for 7-8.

Barley & Lentil Soup

2 32 oz. boxes beef broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried oregano leaves
4 large carrots, peeled & sliced
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 c. dried lentils
1/2 c. uncooked barley

Add all ingredients to a crock pot and cook on low 8-9 hours, or until tender.

Caesar Pork Chops

6 boneless pork chops
1/2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1/4 c. flour
1/2 c. creamy Caesar salad dressing
1 oz. shredded Parmesan cheese

Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with a non-stick cooking spray. In a shallow dish, mix flour and Italian seasoning. Pour Caesar dressing in another shallow dish. Dip both sides of pork chops in flour and then in the dressing, coating well. Place in baking dish and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 35-40 minutes, or until cooked through. *Note: this baking time works for thin cut chops. I usually use thick ones and so my baking time is closer to an hour.

Pork Fried Rice

1/4 lb. ground pork
5 green onions, chopped
5 eggs
soy sauce
About 4 cups of cooked rice

*My sister in law emailed me this recipe ages ago and I've lost track of it. Sorry Ai, if you read this. I know that it's different from the original, but it's how I decided to make it when I couldn't find the recipe. ☺

In a large, deep skillet or wok, heat a small amount of vegetable oil, about 1 tsp. Add the ground pork and stir to break up and brown. You can season with salt and pepper while browning if desired. Remove from pan. If necessary, add another tsp. of oil. Put onions in the pan and stir fry for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from the pan. Add another tsp. of oil if necessary and scramble the eggs. When scrambled, add the meat and onions back to the pan. If it seems like the rice will stick, you can add a little more oil to the pan. Add rice to the pan. Season with soy sauce. Stir fry until cooked through. I'm calling this a side dish, but it's so filling it really works as the main course.

Cheesy Mini Burgers

1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 c. ketchup
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
salt & pepper to taste

Mix the meat, 2/3 c. cheese, 1/4 c. ketchup and garlic powder. Shape into 12 balls. Place on a foil lined cookie sheet that has been sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray. Flatten each ball into a patty, about 1/2 inch thick. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes, or until cooked through. Spread remaining ketchup on patties and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake an additional 5 minutes. Serve with rice.

Bruschetta Chicken Bake

1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, do not drain
1 pkg. chicken stuffing mix
1 tsp. dried basil
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces

Place tomatoes in a medium bowl. Add garlic, stuffing mix and 1/2 c. water. Stir just until stuffing mix is moistened. Set aside. Place the chicken in a 9 x 13 baking dish that has been sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle with basil and cheese. Top with stuffing mixture. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 3o minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Foil Pack Chicken & Mushroom Dinner

1 pkg. chicken stuffing mix
6 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 c. frozen peas
1 3/4 c. water, divided
1 c. sliced, fresh mushrooms
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup

Mix stuffing mix with 1 1/2 cups of the water. Dividing evenly, place stuffing in the center of 6 separate sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Layer 1 chicken breast, mushrooms and peas on top of the stuffing. Dividing the mushroom and peas evenly between each of the 6 foil packs. Mix soup with the remaining 1/4 c. of water. Pour an equal amount over each pack. Bring up foil sides. Double fold top and ends to seal the pack, leaving room for heat circulation inside. Place the packs on a cookie sheet. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 30-35 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Remove from oven and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Place packs directly on dinner plates. As packs are hot, cut slits into foil using a knife in order to release steam before opening.

Crescent Roll Casserole

1 lb. ground beef
1 can crescent rolls
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 can green beans, drained
1 14. 5 oz. can tomato sauce
1 egg, beaten
shredded cheddar cheese
salt & pepper to taste

Brown ground beef with the onion. Drain fat. Add cumin, salt & pepper, tomato sauce and green beans. Spread crescent rolls in a pie plate or baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Brush with the beaten egg and sprinkle with cheese. Add the meat mixture. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle more cheese on top. Return to oven and bake for 5 more minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Chicken Enchilada Bake

5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked *Option - 2 12.5 oz. cans cooked chicken
1 4 oz. can green chilies
2 tbl. cumin
13 oz. bag tortilla chips
2 cans Cream of Chicken soup
1 large onion, chopped *Option - 4-5 green onions, chopped
1 c. grated cheddar cheese
1 c. grated Monterrey Jack cheese
8 oz. sour cream

Cut cooked chicken into cubes. If using canned, drain. Mix chicken will all ingredients, except corn chips. Crush 3/4 of the corn chips and mix in with the chicken mixture. Pour mixture into a 9 x 13 baking dish that has been generously sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray. Spread mixture into the baking dish. Crush remaining chips and sprinkle over the top. Cover with foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes.

Polynesian Meatballs

1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1 tsp. onion salt or 1/4 c. dried onions
1 tbl. soy sauce
1 egg
3/4 c. uncooked oatmeal
1/2 tsp. garlic, minced
dash of red pepper
1/2 c. milk

Combine all ingredients together, beat the egg separately first and then add, and mix well. Using about 2 tbl. of mixture, shape into meatballs. Heat a small amount of oil in a large, deep skillet. Cook on medium to medim high heat until cooked through. *Option: you can also bake them on a cookie sheet in a 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes, or until cooked through.* Remove from skillet or frying pan and set aside.

Sauce
1 8 1/2 oz can crushed pineapple
2 tbl. cornstarch
1/2 c. vinegar
1/3 c. green pepper, chopped
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 c. beef broth
2 tsp. soy sauce

Drain and separate the juice from the pineapple. Set aside. In a large saucepan over medium heat, mix together the brown sugar and cornstarch. Add the pineapple juice, beef broth vinegar and soy sauce to the pan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until the sauce becomes thick and translucent. Boil for 1 minute. Add the pineapple and green pepper. Pour over meatballs. Serve with rice.

Chicken Lo Mein

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken strips
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 1/2 c. water
1 tsp. Better Then Bouillon Chicken Base
1 6 oz. pkg. lo mein noodles
1/2 onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
1 broccoli crown, chopped
1 c. cabbage, thinly sliced
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 c. bean sprouts
2 tbl. soy sauce

Heat 1-2 tbl. vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok. Add the chicken and stir-fry over medium-high head for 4-5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, water and bouillon. Bring to a boil. Stir in vegetables and lo mein noodles. Cook 8-10 minutes or until vegetables are tender and noodles are done. Remove 1/2 c. of the liquid from the pan and blend with cornstarch. Return to pan and stir over medium heat until liquid thickens. Stir in soy sauce and serve hot.

Teriyaki Chicken Rolls

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 c. cornstarch
1 c. ketchup
1 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/4-1/2 c. teriyaki sauce (to taste)

Place chicken in a crock pot that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Combine remaining ingredients, except cornstarch, with 1 quart of water and stir well. Pour over chicken. Cook on high 3-4 hours, or on low for 5-6. When chicken is cooked through, remove from crock pot and shred. Add cornstarch and stir well. Cook without lid on until sauce is thickened and bubbly, stirring often. Return shredded chicken to crock pot. Serve on hard rolls.

*Cooking times: I almost always use frozen, straight from the bag chicken breasts. I buy them from Costco and I hate taking the time to defrost them. So, my cooking times are always much longer. For example, with this recipe, I would cook on high for 6-8 hours, or on low for 10-12. Just thought I should share that (finally), in case anyone else cooks with those too. ☺

Ranch Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 c. plain bread crumbs
1/3 c. sour cream
1 pkg. Buttermilk Ranch Dressing mix

Spray a cooking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. In a shallow dish, mix together the bread crumbs and ranch dressing mix. Place the sour cream in a separate, shallow dish. Dip chicken in sour cream, coating well. Roll chicken in bread crumb mixture, cover evenly. Place chicken on the cookie sheet. Bake at 375 got 30-35 minutes. *In my oven, it usually takes 45 minutes to an hour. Just check the center to make sure it's done. Chicken is done when the juices run clear and it's no longer pink.*

Tortilla Stew

2 chicken breasts
2 c. water
1 tsp. Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 16 oz. can Mexican stewed tomatoes
1 4 oz. can green chiles
1/2 onion, chopped
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cumin
tortilla chips
shredded cheese
sour cream

In a large pan, place chicken, water and bouillon. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and shred. Return to pan and add paprika, tomatoes, chiles, onion, chili powder, garlic powder & cumin. Simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Serve with chips, cheese & sour cream.

Garlic Bread Sticks

1 c. warm water
2 tsp. yeast
1/3 c. oil
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
3 c. flour

Stir water, yeast, oil and sugar together. Let rest for 5 minutes. Stir in salt and flour. Turn onto lightly floured surface and knead for 3-4 minutes. Roll out the dough and place on a large, greased cookie sheet. Spread butter over dough. Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning if desired. Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into 2 inch strips and then cut the strips in half. Bake at 450 for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Salsa Chicken

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 16 oz. bottles salsa
1 c. sour cream (optional)
2 c. cheese, shredded

Place chicken breasts in a crock pot that has been sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray. Cook on high 3 hours or until chicken is tender. Remove the chicken from crock pot and shred. Return to crock pot. If desired, spread sour cream over the top and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Cook an additional 30 minutes. Serve over rice, or in tortillas.