Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatore



A great dish for fall and for entertaining.  Also good game day food!  This will make your house smell like an Italian restaurant!  And it is super easy!  For my version of Chicken Cacciatore you will need:
1 package of boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 large green pepper, cored and cubed
1/2 large onion, cut in half moons
1 small can of sliced olives
1 medium tomato cored and sliced
1 8 ounce package sliced mushroom
1 can of Hunts prepared spaghetti sauce
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup red wine
Salt and Pepper
1 tablespoon sugar, agave or honey
Small dash of red pepper flakes
1 pound of pasta



1.)  Combine all ingredients (except the pasta) in your slow cooker.
2.)  Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 hours.
3.)  Cook the pasta following the package directions.  Drain the pasta.
4.)  Serve the cacciatore on top of the pasta.

Easy Sliced Steak Sandwich

A friend recently asked me for my Sliced Steak sandwich recipe.  She said it was the best Sliced Steak sandwich she had ever had.  I was kind of surprised because in this recipe I take advantage of so many shortcuts.  But, she is right.  It is really good.  Hope you enjoy it!
5 large garlic cloves
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1-1/2 pounds top-round London Broil, 1 1/4-inch thick 
1 loaf Frozen garlic bread**
Mushroom gravy (recipe below)
1.)  In a heavy-duty resealable plastic bag  combine all marinade ingredients, mixing well to dissolve the salt. Add the London broil to the marinade. Seal bag, pressing out excess air. Marinate, chilled, turning occasionally, for 4 to 6 hours.
2.)  Heat grill to high. Remove steak from marinate, letting excess drip off, and grill on an oiled rack , for 7 to 9 minutes on each side for medium rare.  For medium rare the temperature should not exceed 140 degrees. Transfer steak to a cutting board, cover with foil, and let stand 10 minutes before carving. Cut across the grain. ***See note below***
3.)  Follow the package directions on the garlic bread (or you could put it on the grill with the London broil.
4.)  Cut the garlic bread into servings.  Layer the sliced steak on the bread and ladle some of the gravy on top of the steak.  Serve.

Mushroom Gravy
1 tablespoon butter
1 package sliced mushrooms
1 package McCormick brown gravy
1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup of wine
1.)  In a small saucepan over medium heat.  Melt the butter.  Add the mushrooms and saute until the mushrooms start to brown.
2.)  Add in the rest of the ingredients and whisk until smooth and thickened.

**One girlfriend bought the cheesy garlic bread and loved it!
***I love my steak rare, my husband prefers his well done.  To fix this, pull the meat off for rare, and put slices in the gravy for those that prefer a steak more well done.

Shrimp Scampi in a bread bowl

All I can say is, ohmigod is this good!  Very easy to make too!  This recipe will make 3 or 4 shrimp bread bowls.  Let's cut to the recipe, to make this you will need:
Loaves of frozen bread dough (available in your grocers freezer section)
1 1/2 pound shrimp (large or jumbo) peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon chopped basil, parsley & oregano
Salt and coarse black pepper
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken or fish broth
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest

1.) Early in the day, take out the bread to let it thaw.   Each loaf of bread will make 3 bread bowls.
Once the loaves have defrosted, cut them into 3's.  Put them back in a warm spot to rise again.
2.)  Follow the package directions to bake the bread.  In the meantime.....
3.)  In a large deep saute pan, melt the margarine and the olive oil.  Add the garlic, spices and salt and pepper.  Once you start to really smell the garlic infuse in the oil, you are ready to move on.
4.)  Add the white wine and let it reduce a bit.  Add the chicken or fish broth and let that reduce a bit and thicken. 
5.)  Add the shrimp.  Let the shrimp cook in the mixture until they are pink on all sides.  This takes only a few minutes.
6.)  Cut a hole in the bread.  Remove some of the doughy inside.  Scoop in some shrimp and some of the sauce.  Also make sure you put a little of the garlic sauce on the top of the bread.  Enjoy!

Rustic Apple tart

Wondering what to do with all the apples your picked?  Try this rustic apple tart recipes.  I cheat and use store bought pie crust.   I know it doesn't taste as well as homemade, but with the rich filling of this tart I don't notice the difference.  To  make this tart you will need:
1 pie shell
3 1/2 ounces of Almond Paste
1/3 cup of light cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon honey
3 medium apples, peeled, cored and sliced into thin wedges
1/4 cup of apricot jam
1.)  Heat oven to 400 degrees
2.)  In the bowl of a food processor, put the almond paste, the cream cheese the vanilla and the honey.  Pulse until the mixture is smooth. 
3.)  On a baking sheet covered with parchment, lay out the pie crust.  If you are making your own, roll the pie crust out into an 11 inch circle and then transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
4.)  Put the almond paste, cream cheese mixture on top of the crust.  Spread out to within 2 inches of the edge.  Arrange the apples slices in a circle on top of the mixture. 
5.)  Crump in the pie dough towards the center.  Melt the apricot jam in the microwave and using a brush, brush this mixture on top of the apples.
6.)   Bake until the crust turns brown, about 40 minutes.  Cool, transfer to a serving plate and serve.
Serve with some nice vanilla ice cream with caramel topping.

Grilled Apple Stuffed Chops with Apple Cider Gravy

This is most definitely a fall food, even though you grill it.  I love a stuffing made with apples and bacon and this is just delicious!  To make this wonderful dish you will need:
4 boneless Pork chops  (can use turkey cutlets)
1 tablespoons butter
4 slices bacon, chopped
1 apple peeled, cored and diced
1/2 medium onion diced
1 clove garlic chopped
1 teaspoon oregano and thyme chopped
1 large corn muffin (from the store bakery)
1/4 to 1/2 cup apple cider
Salt and Pepper
Apple Cider Gravy (recipe below)

1.)  In a medium saute pan over medium heat, cook the bacon.  Add the butter, the apple, the onion and the garlic.  Cook until the onions are translucent.   Add the oregano and the thyme.  Remove from heat.
2.)  Crumble in the corn muffin.  Adding just enough apple cider to make the stuffing moist and able to hold together.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3.)  Between two sheets of wax paper, pound the chops until they are very thin.  Divide the stuffing between the chops.  Roll them up and secure them with a toothpick (or butchers twine).
4.)  Grill over high heat for about 7 minutes on each side, or until an internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.  Remove from heat and let set for 10 minutes covered in foil.  Serve with the apple cider gravy, recipe listed below. 

I also served this with mashed sweet potatoes.  Add a little cayenne and cinnamon to give your mashed sweets a little kick!

Apple Cider Gravy
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups Chicken Stock
1/2 cup Apple Cider
Salt and Black Cracked Pepper (to taste)
Dash of Kitchen Bouquet

1.)  In a small saucepan, over medium heat, melt the butter.  Add in the flour and stir to incorporate.  Let this cook until the mixture becomes a light caramel color. 
2.)  Add in the rest of the ingredients and stir constantly until the mixture thickens, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Spicy Pumpkin Pasta

I don't know why but school starts and I think of all different types of fall dishes.  This one is nice and spicy, yet earthy and delicious!  It's also pretty quick to make which helps on those busy fall nights!  To make this you will need:
2 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 package of Hot Italian Turkey Sausage
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped
6 sprigs of sage leaves, cut in chiffonade
2 stems of thyme, leaves removed
1 cup white wine
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 light half and half
salt and pepper
dash of cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
1 pd pasta (I prefer penne with this dish)
Parmigiana for grating
Basil leaves for garnish

1.)  Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add the olive oil to the pan and slice open the sausage links and crumble them into the pan (or use a potato masher).  Brown the sausage.   Add in the onions and the garlic and saute until the onions are tender.  About 5 minutes.
2.)  Next add the sage, thyme and white wine to the pan.  Allow this mixture to cook down and the wine to incorporate into the onions and sausage.  Scrap up the brown bits in the pan.
3.)  Cook the pasta to the directions on the pasta.
4.)  Reduce the heat.  Add the chicken stock, the wine, the half and half.  Season with salt and pepper, the cinnamon and the nutmeg.  Allow the mixture to simmer for about 10 minutes.
5.)  Once the pasta is cooked.  Combine the sauce and the pasta.  Allow it to cook for a few more minutes and the flavors to meld.
6.)  Serve garnished with basil and parmigiana.  Enjoy!

Pulled Chicken Tacos and GOOD Refried Beans

This is so easy and such a good meal for a busy weeknight.  You throw it in the crock pot and off you go!  I used to hate refried beans, until I came up with this recipe.  One of my friends tried it on her family and they were digging in for seconds on the beans and skipping the seconds on tacos!  For this you will need:
1 lime, frozen  **
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 jar of salsa
tortillas or taco shells
grated cheese
1 tomato,chopped
1 small onion,chopped
shredded lettuce
1 avocado, chopped
sour cream
Taco sauce
1.)  In the bottom of your crock pot, place the whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts.  Take the lime out of the freezer and zest some (about a tablespoon worth) on top of the chicken breasts.  Pour on the jar of salsa.  Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
2.)  About a half hour before you are ready to eat, using two forks pull the chicken breasts apart.  Cover and let the chicken absorb the salsa.  Option, you could zest a little more lime if desired.
3.)  Heat up your shells or tortillas.  Place all your condiments in bowls or a plate. 
4.)  Spoon some of the pulled chicken into the shells and let everyone finish creating their own taco.

Refried Beans
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 cans of pink beans, drained
1 can of low sodium vegetable broth
1 small can of tomato paste
Salt and pepper
Tabasco sauce to taste


1.)  In a medium fry pan over medium heat, heat up the olive oil.  Add the onions and saute until translucent. 
2.)  Add the beans, the vegetable broth, the tomato paste, the salt/pepper and a few dashed of Tabasco sauce.  Mix well.  Allow this to come to a simmer.  Simmer until the sauce thickens.
3.)  With an immersion blender or a potato masher.  Mash the beans until you get a chunky paste.
4.)  Taste the beans to check for seasonings.  If it isn't hot enough, add a few more dashed of Tabasco sauce.  Enjoy!

** Frozen lemons and limes zested over just about anything add great flavor!

Healthier, Tastier Crock Pot Bolognese - Can be made vegan

I love recipes that I can cook in the crock pot.  Not only do they whip up quickly, the aroma in the house is tantalizing!  This is a great Sunday fall dinner.  For this you will need:

1 large onion

2 large carrots

3 ribs celery

 8 ounces mushrooms (optional)

4 cloves garlic

salt and pepper

1 package of ground turkey (or vegan crumbles)

1 can of Hunts prepared Spaghetti Sauce

1 cup hearty red wine

 1 tablespoon sugar (Agave or Trivia)

 2 tablespoon fresh basil, oregano minced

1 bunch thyme, tied in a bundle

1 pound favorite pasta

1.)  Prepare the onions, carrots, celery mushrooms and garlic by chopping them in your food processor.  Once they are chopped, put them in the bowl of your crock pot.

2.)  Break in the ground turkey, trying to get the chunks as small as possible.

3.)  Add in the rest of the ingredients (minus the pasta). 

4.)  Cook for 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low.

5.)  Follow the directions on your package of pasta to cook the pasta.

6.)  Remove the thyme stems.  Serve the bolognese over the cook pasta. 

 

Italian Style Sausage and Peppers - can be made vegan

I have already posted Street Fair Sausage n Peppers, now we will add in Italian Style Sausage and Peppers.  It's healthier because it's made with Turkey sausage instead of traditional.  To make this you will need:

1/4 cup Olive oil

1 pound sweet Italian turkey sausage (or vegan sausage)

1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced

 1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced

 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced

2 yellow onions, sliced in half moons

1 teaspoon salt and pepper

1/2 teaspoon fresh oregano chopped

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

4 clove of garlic, chopped

 1 small can of tomato paste

1 cup Marsala wine

1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes

up to 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

4 to 6 fresh Italian sandwich rolls or potato rolls

1.)  In a heavy skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil.  Add the sausage and brown the sausage on all sides.  Once browned, remove from pan.

2.)  Add the add the peppers, onions, salt, and pepper and cook until tender.  Add the oregano, garlic and basil.  Cook for a minute or two.

3.)  Add the tomato paste, the Marsala wine, the diced tomatoes.  Add the red pepper flakes to your own taste buds.  Less if you don't like a kick, more if you like it spicy.

4.)  Add back the sausage, bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes to finish cooking the sausage.  Serve in the rolls.

 

Grilled Tenderloin

This is another recipe for grilled tenderloin.  I did not author this recipe (Alton Brown did) but it is so excellent, I had to share it with you.  Tender and absolutely delicious!  I made this as a double (2 tenderloins)  the recipe below is for one. 

1 whole pork tenderloin, 1  to 2 pounds

1 lime, zest finely grated

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

1/4 cup honey

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 chipotle chile pepper in adobo sauce **

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1.)  Trim the pork tenderloin of any excess fat and silver skin.

2.)  Place the lime zest, lime juice, honey, salt, and garlic powder in a small, lidded jar and shake to combine. Pour half of the marinade mixture into a 1-gallon resealable bag, add the chipotle pepper, and move around to combine. Add the pork tenderloin to the bag and seal, removing as much air as possible.  Place the bags in a container.  Marinate in the refrigerator for 6 to 24 hours, rotating the bag a few times. Place the remaining marinade in a covered container and refrigerate until ready to use.
3.)  Heat up your gas grill to high.  Brush the grill with vegetable oil. Remove the tenderloin from the bag and place in the center of grate. Discard bag with marinade. Cover and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, turning every few minutes, until the tenderloin reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.
4.)  Remove the tenderloin from the grill and place on a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil folded at the edges to create a basket, and pour on the reserved marinade. Sprinkle with the cilantro.  Wrap tightly and rest for 10 minutes. Remove to a cutting board and slice.

** Instead of wasting the rest of the can of chipotle chili peppers, put individual peppers in a sandwich bag, divide the adobo sauce amongst the bags, seal and freeze for the next time.

Shrimp Fra Diavolo

This is so good and so easy to make.  It is elegant enough to serve to company!  You can make it very spicy, or sweet depending on your taste.  To make this you will need:

1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined

1 teaspoon salt, plus additional as needed

 up to 1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes

3 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons

1 medium onion, sliced

 1 large green pepper, seeded and cut into small strips

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes

 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

1 cup red wine

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1/4 teaspoon fresh or dried oregano leaves

3 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

3 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves

 Pasta

1.)  In a bowl, mix the shrimp with the salt and the crushed red pepper flakes.  You can control the heat of dish here.  I tend to go for the full teaspoon because I like it spicy.  Heat the olive oil in a large fry pan over medium heat.  Add the shrimp and cook for one minute or so on each side, or until the shrimp turn pink, and remove to a bowl.

2.)  If necessary add some oil.  Add the onion and green pepper.  Saute until translucent (about 5 minutes) then add the wine and let it reduce into the peppers and onions for a minute or two.  Add the tomatoes with their juices, tomato sauce,  garlic, and oregano. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly and reduces, about 10 minutes.  Boil you choice of pasta as per the package instructions.

3.)  Add the herbs and the shrimp.  Let it cook for a few more minutes to allow the flavors to incorporate.