Crockpot Chicken Nuggets

--4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves


--4 T butter or olive oil (I used butter)

--4 eggs

--1 cup breadcrumbs, or a mixture of cracker, cereal, tortilla chip, etc. crumbs.

--1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

--1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

--1 T flax seed meal (optional---I threw it in. They'll never know.)



The Directions.



I used 6 chicken breast halves, and layered the cut up pieces in a 6 quart Smart Set Crock-Pot.



Make sure the chicken is fully thawed. Cut into child-size pieces. I found that the smaller pieces I made cooked better than the larger ones. The larger ones also didn't get crispy on top---stick to about 2 inch pieces.



In a bowl, mix the melted butter or oil with the egg. Blend up the cracker and cereal crumbs to make a fine bread crumb mixture and pour into a pie plate.



Spray your crockpot with cooking spray. I did not. You really should.



Dip each piece of chicken in the egg mixture, and then toss in the crumbs. Put a layer of battered chicken pieces in the bottom of the crock. When the bottom is full, add a piece of aluminum foil. Poke tiny holes in the foil to allow steam to escape. I found that the layer I did with the most holes worked the best, and the layer I skimped on resulted in soggy topping. The holes are important.



I made 4 layers with 6 cut-up chicken breast halves.

Cover your crock, but vent the lid with a wooden spoon or chopstick. Cook on high for 2-4 hours. Melissa's took 2 hours to cook, my batch took 4. After cooking, we both left our crockpots on warm for a few hours before eating

Slow Cooked Chili

2 pounds ground beef


1/2 cup chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cans (16 ounces each) dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

2 cans (16 ounces each) light red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) stewed tomatoes, cut up

1 can (15 ounces) pizza sauce

1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies

4 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions

In a Dutch oven, cook the beef, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker; stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. Yield: 14 servings.

Crockpot Chicken Parmesean

In a crockpot place 2 jars of marinara sauce. Add 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Place the cooker on low and cook for 6-8 hours. Place the chicken on rolls with fresh basil and mozzarella cheese ( I used Dubliner cheddar) .

Mrs. Salter's Peanut Butter Pie

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream


1/4 cup sugar

8 ounces cream cheese

1 cup crunchy peanut butter

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 graham cracker crust, store-bought or premade

Directions

Whip cream with 1/4 cup sugar. Mix all other ingredients until smooth and fold in whipped cream until well blended. Pour mixture into a graham cracker crust and chill for several hours before serving.

Overnight Oatmeal

3 3/4  cup steel cut oats


1 cup rasins

8 cups water

1/2 tsp. salt
4 T butter

Directions

In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients, except butter and set to low heat. Cover and let cook for 8 to 9 hours. Stir in the butter. Serve with cinnamon and cream or milk.





Stir and remove to serving bowls. This method works best if started before you go to bed. This way your oatmeal will be finished by morning.

America'S Test Kitchen Chicken And Dumplings

5 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs


Table salt and ground black pepper

4 teaspoons vegetable oil

4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick)

4 carrots , peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick

2 ribs celery , sliced 1/4 inch thick

1 large onion , minced

6 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 cup dry sherry ( I used a Cabernet)

4 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves

2 bay leaves

1 cup frozen green peas

3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves



Dumplings



2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon table salt

1 cup whole milk

3 tablespoons reserved chicken fat (or unsalted butter)







Chicken Stew





1. For the Stew: Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add half of the chicken and cook until golden on both sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and remove the browned skin. Pour off the chicken fat and reserve. Return the pot to medium-high heat and repeat with the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and the remaining chicken. Pour off and reserve any chicken fat.



2. Add the butter to the Dutch oven and melt over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery, onion, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in the flour. Whisk in the sherry, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in the broth, milk, thyme, and bay leaves. Nestle the chicken, with any accumulated juices, into the pot. Cover and simmer until the chicken is fully cooked and tender, about 1 hour.



3. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Discard the bay leaves. Allow the sauce to settle for a few minutes, then skim the fat from the surface using a wide spoon. Shred the chicken, discarding the bones, then return it to the stew.



4. For the Dumplings: Stir the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Microwave the milk and fat in a microwave-safe bowl on high until just warm (do not over-heat), about 1 minute. Stir the warmed milk mixture into the flour mixture with a wooden spoon until incorporated and smooth.



5. Return the stew to a simmer, stir in the peas and parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Following the photos below, drop golf-ball-sized dumplings over the top of the stew, about 1/4 inch apart (you should have about 18 dumplings). Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the dumplings have doubled in size, 15 to 18 minutes. Serve.

Graham Cracker Crust

This recipe is from allrecipes.com.
1 1/2 cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs 1/3 cup white sugar 6 tablespoons butter, melted 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)


Directions

Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, melted butter or margarine, and cinnamon until well blended . Press mixture into an 8 or 9 inch pie plate.

Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 7 minutes. Cool. If recipe calls for unbaked pie shell, just chill for about 1 hour.

Mary's Birthday Snack Mix

For Mary's Snack Mix; mix together dried cranberries ( for her fruitfulness) , white chocolate chips ( for her purity and sinlessness) and honey roasted peanuts (for the sweetness of God's love)

Blueberry Cheesecake

We made this recipe for the Blessed Mother's birthday on September 8th.
Blueberry Cheesecake Pie






1 9" graham cracker piecrust

1 8oz pkg. cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch salt

2 eggs

8 oz. sour cream

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

1 cup water

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tablespoons sugar

Soften cream cheese. Beat in sugar, beating until fluffy. Add lemon juice, vanilla and salt. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each. Pour into pie shell and bake at 325 degrees until set, about 25 to 30 minutes. Stir sugar and vanilla into sour cream. Spoon on top of pie and bake 10 minutes longer.



In small saucepan, mix cornstarch, cinnamon, and sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring to prevent sticking. Mixture will thicken. Add blueberries.



When pie is slightly cooled, spoon cooled blueberry topping over pie. Refrigerate.

Quick Oatmeal Raisin Pancakes

This recipe is from Taste of Home Magazine.
2 cups quick-cooking oats


2 cups buttermilk

1/2 cup egg substitute

2 tablespoons canola oil

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup raisins

Directions

In a small bowl, combine oats and buttermilk; let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in egg substitute and oil; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Stir in the wet ingredients just until moistened; add raisins.

Pour batter by heaping 1/4 cupfuls onto a hot griddle coated with cooking spray; turn when bubbles form on top. Cook until second side is golden brown.
 

Coconut Macroons

In a bowl mix:
16 oz. shredded coconut
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Drop by teaspoonsfuls  onto generously greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 8  minutes or until golden brown.

Chicken Parm Pizza

1 homemade pizza dough


flour, for dough

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (2 turns of the pan plus a drizzle)

1 pound ground chicken

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

Salt and pepper

Handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Couple pinches crushed red pepper flakes

Couple pinches dried oregano

1 1/2 C tomato sauce

1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1 1/2 cups shredded provolone

5 to 6 leaves basil, torn or shredded

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.



Coat hands and work surface with a little flour. Using your hand or a rolling pin, form a 14-inch round pizza. Place pizza on a baking sheet or pizza stone and poke the top with a few holes. Drizzle a little bit of extra-virgin olive oil down over the dough and place in oven. Bake 10 minutes.



Meanwhile, heat a deep skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil. Add meat and break it up with a wooden spoon. To browned meat, add garlic and onions, then season with salt and pepper. Cook together 5 to 6 minutes then add parsley, red pepper flakes, oregano and the tomatoes to the pan. Heat the sauce through.



Remove pizza from oven after 10 minutes and top with sauce and cheeses. Return to oven and bake until golden and bubbly, another 10 to12 minutes. Top the pizza with basil, cut and serve.

Roasted Vegetable & Beef Stew

2 pounds beef chuck roast, cubed 4 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, chopped 1/4 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced 4 carrots, coarsely chopped 4 large russet potatoes, cut into quarters 2 stalks celery, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 bay leaf 2 cups beef broth 1/2 cup red wine 1/4 cup tomato paste salt and pepper to taste


Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Place beef cubes in a metal roasting pan and stir in 2 tablespoons olive oil. Put in the oven, on the middle rung and cook for 30 minutes, turning occasionally, until brown and tender.

Meanwhile, put onions, mushrooms, carrots, potatoes, celery, and garlic in a roasting pan. Stir in 2 tablespoons olive oil. Place in oven underneath beef. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Remove both beef and vegetable mixture from oven.

Remove beef from roasting pan and set aside. Place roasting pan, on medium high heat. Add wine and bring to a boil, scraping up the bits of drippings, stirring. When the bottom of the pan is clear of all browned pieces, remove from heat.

Put beef and wine mixture in a Dutch oven and stir in beef broth and add bay leaf and tomato paste. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 40 minutes.

Add 2 tablespoons flour to cooked vegetables and toss until all vegetables are coated. Add vegetables to beef stew. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, or until vegetables are heated through and tender. Serve

Ham and Cheese Pinwheels

On a sundried tomato wrap spread a flavored spreadable cheese( I used an herb and garlic) layer on ham. Wrap and slice into pinwheels. Place on a toothpick and serve.

America's Test Kitchen Hearty Chicken noodle Soup

2 lb Chicken, Breast


2 medium Yellow Onion

2 cup Carrots

3 large stalk Raw Celery

8 cups Organic Free Range Chicken Broth - Low Sodium



2 tsp Kosher Salt

1 lb. egg noodles cooked according to package directions

1 lb Ground Chicken

3 tbsp potato starch

1 1/2 C Potato, Red

4 C Chard, Swiss

1/2 tbsp Parsley, Dried

1/2 tsp Spices, Whole Black Pepper

1/2 tbsp Pure Canola Oil

2 Spices, Whole Bay Leaves

In a stock pot, add 1/2 Tbs. canola oil and heat over medium-high heat till oil is shimmering. Once shimmering, add 1/2 lb. ground chicken, 1/2 stalk of celery (chopped), 1/2 yellow onion (chopped), 1/2 cup chopped carrot. Cook 5-10 minutes until chicken is no longer pink and vegetables are soft.



2. Add 1 quart of low-sodium chicken broth, 2 cups of water, 2 dried bay leaves, 1 tsp. kosher salt and 2 bone-in, split chicken breast WITH THE SKIN ON (don't worry, you'll remove it before consuming). Cover and slowly simmer for 30 minutes.



3. Remove poached chicken breasts and set aside to cool.



4. Simmer stock uncovered for 20 more minutes.



5. Strain liquid through a fine mesh sieve. Press on solids in the sieve to extract additional, highly-flavored liquids. Add strained broth back to the pot. Let the broth settle for at least 5 minutes.



6. Meanwhile, slice the remaining  yellow onion.



7. Skim any big pools of fat from the broth and discard. Then bring liquid back to a simmer.



8. Add a slurry of Tbs. potato starch and 1/8 cup water to the broth. Simmer 1-2 minutes.



9. Add rib celery (chopped), cup carrot (chopped), cup red potato (chopped, with skin on), and the already sliced  onion. Poach 10-15 minutes.



10. Meanwhile, remove skin and bones from chicken breasts. Discard bones and skin. Shred the chicken breasts into sizable, but bite-size pieces. Add chicken back to the soup.



11. After tearing 3 cups of Swiss chard leaves into 1-inch pieces, add to soup. The Swiss chard is optional, but highly recommended! Also add 1/2 Tbs. dried parsley and 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper. Simmer 1-2 minutes

12. Serve with egg noodles.