Saturday, November 12, 2011

Crockpot 7 Layer Dinner




4 potatoes sliced
1/3 cup rice
1 lb raw hamburger
1 onion, chopped
1 small carrot, sliced or chopped
1 lb mushrooms, sliced or chopped
1 tsp sugar
2 (14 oz ) cans of diced tomatoes, undrained
salt and pepper to taste
Mozzarella (or other) cheese. 

Layer each item item in the order listed. Cover and cook on low for 10 hours. Add cheese to individual plates.  

Last time we made this we forgot to add the salt and it still came out great. This is the perfect throw it all in the Crockpot and have dinner waiting for you when you get home from work meal. 

Cream of Spinach and Sweet Potato Soup

Chris does not like sweet potatoes or spinach so we thought he would hate this meal that a neighbor gave us, but one bite and he was hooked. He is still not sure why he likes a dish with so many items that he does not like in it. I think it is great because spinach and sweet potatoes both have a lot of nutrients and we need to keep them in our diet. Also it is beautiful when served.


2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 large bunch of spinach
1 lb mushrooms, diced
1/2 cup rice
1 lb sweet potatoes, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 medium squash, chopped
2 cups beef broth or Better than Bullion
3 bay leafs
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups heavy cream

Cook oil, garlic, onion, and spinach until the spinach is bright green. Add sweet potatoes, mushrooms, rice, broth, bay leaves, salt and pepper.  Simmer for 30 minutes on low. Add the cream and stir until warm, then serve.


The vegetables in this soup are bright and delicious. 


The cream really makes it a comfort food. 

Oriental Pork

Oriental Pork

4-6 tablespoons oil
2 lbs boneless pork, cut in 1 inch cubes
salt and pepper
1 small onions, chopped
2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic (or to taste)
1 teaspoon dried chili flakes (or to taste)
1 (20 ounce) cans pineapple chunks in juice (undrained)
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 tablespoon ketchup
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 red pepper, diced
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
hot cooked rice (any amount)

Directions
In a large skillet, heat oil over med-high heat.
Season the pork with salt and pepper, then brown on all sides.
Add in onions and garlic, stir for 2 minutes.
Add pineapple with juice, vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce; bring to a boil reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally (about 25-30 minutes) or until pork is tender.
Add in chopped red pepper; cook for about 10 minutes.
In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with water; stir into pork mixture; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, over medium heat; boil for 1 minute.
Serve with hot cooked rice.

Garam Masala Chicken

A friend gave us some whole garam masala. We didn't know what to do with it until we found this recipe. I think right now this is my new favorite spice. Since it came whole I processed it in my blender. My husband laughed because after it was ground it looked like dirt, but it sure tastes better than dirt!

Garam Masala Chicken
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 (3 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons garam masala, divided

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken breasts in the hot oil and cook until browned on one side, about 3 minutes. Flip the chicken and add the onions; cook another 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, garlic salt, and water to the chicken; stir and season with 1 1/2 teaspoon garam masala. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir the remaining 1/2 teaspoon garam masala through the mixture. Raise heat to medium and bring mixture to a boil. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 5 minutes more. 




Zucchini, Black Bean and Rice Skillet



This was so good the first time we made it that when it was gone and we discovered we had left over black beans we made it again the next day. You can use canned black beans, but I soaked dried black beans over night and then cooked them in the crock pot with an onion and season salt all day. We cook the rice in a rice cooker while we are waiting for the meal to cook or just use left over rice.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups zucchini, quartered lengthwise
1/2 cup diced red and yellow bell peppers
1 can (15 oz) of black beans drained in rinsed or 2 cups of soaked dried black beans cooked in the crockpot over night.
1 can (15 oz) of diced tomatoes, un-drained
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup of cooked rice
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Heat oil in a frying pan. Cook zucchini, bell pepper and garlic for 5 minutes, constantly stirring. Add beans, tomatoes, and rice. Stir until the rice is warm. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.