Alfredo Sauce for Pasta

1 pkg Pasta of your choice
1 stick of butter
1 clove of minced garlic
1 pint of heavy cream
1 cup of fresh Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp cream cheese
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper

Make Pasta to your liking. In a sauce pan over medium heat – melt butter and add garlic and cook for two minutes, then add in heavy cream and cream cheese and heat until bubbling, but do not boil. Add in Parmesan Cheese and mix until the cheese melts. Sprinkle in salt and pepper to taste (you don;t need to use all of this, do to your liking). Mix the hot sauce into the noodles and serve.

source: Mom's Crazy Cooking

Making Flour Tortillas with Grandma on Cinco de Mayo

for every 4 tortillas...
Mix together:
1 cup of flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cut 1 Tablespoon shortening into the flour.

Add water a little at a time for a soft dough.

Make balls golf ball size (1/4 of the recipe) and roll out.

Fry on a hot griddle until begin to get brown.

Crockpot Corn Chowder

4 potatoes (peeled and diced) 
1 Can of cream corn 
1 Can of whole kernel corn 
2 Cups of broth 
8 Ounces of diced ham (optional)
1 Cup of diced onions 
1/4 Cups of butter 
2 Cups of half and half 

Place potatoes, both cans of corn, chicken broth, ham, and onions into the slow cooker. Cook on low for 7-8 hours. Mash the mixture to your desired consistency and then add the butter and half and half. Cook for an additional 30 minutes on high. Serve with rolls.

source: The Crockin' Girls

Quick and Easy Potatoes Au-Gratin

Simply Potatoes Homestyle Sliced Potatoes
Cheddar Cheese
16 oz of Heavy Cream

Preheat your oven to 425. Spray your pan with non-stick spray or coat it in butter. Then lay down a layer of Simply Potatoes Homestyle Sliced Potatoes. Sprinkle on salt and Pepper, Add a layer of Cheddar Cheese and repeat 2 more times. Lastly you will pour in the Heavy Cream, making sure to pour the heavy cream around the edges. Put it in the oven for 45 minutes.

source: Miss Information

Overnight Slow Cooker Grits

Hodgepodge tells how to make Grits in your slow cooker just by doubling the amount of water called for. Visit Hodgepodge for the full instructions.

Creole Shrimp and Cheese Grits

Shrimp Ingredients:
1 lb. of large shrimp
1 lb. Andouille Sausage, sliced on the diagonal 1/2 inch
1 tbsp. creole seasoning
1 tbsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. onion powder
2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 stick of butter
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 jalapeno, diced (optional)
1 bell pepper, diced
1 small red onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced

Peel and de-vein shrimp, season with all the spices and set aside. In a large saute pan add butter and olive oil over medium high heat, add all the vegetables, except garlic and saute for 5 minutes, add garlic and saute 1 minute more. Add andouille sausage and saute about 10-15 minutes, until browned. Add shrimp and cook about 3-4 minutes are until no longer pink. Serve on top of hot grits and enjoy!

Grits:

1 c. grits
1 c. water
1 c. milk
1 c. beef or chicken broth, low sodium + extra to thin grits as they cook
1 stick of butter
1 c. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 tsp. creole seasoning
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder

In a large pot bring all liquids to boil, add butter and seasonings. Slowly stir in grits while whisking nonstop for about two minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook grits, stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes. Adding extra broth as needed to keep the grits thin. Add cheese and whisk well, add more broth if needed.

Source: Hammock Tracks

Moroccan Chicken, Onions and Olives

1 tbsp. kosher salt
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. ground turmeric
5 tbsp. olive oil
4 skinless bone-in chicken thighs
4 skinless bone-in chicken drumsticks
1 tsp. crushed saffron threads, optional
4 medium yellow onions, cut into 12 wedges each
black pepper, to taste
1 lemon, thinly sliced crosswise, seeds removed
1¼ cups pitted green olives or a mixture of green black olives and green olives
⅓ cup finely chopped cilantro
Cooked white rice, for serving

Make a spice paste with garlic, cumin, paprika, and turmeric.  Stir in 3 tbsp. oil, and then add chicken thighs and drumsticks; toss until evenly coated. Cover bowl with plastic wrap or put in a large Ziploc bag, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
 Heat remaining oil in an 8-qt. Dutch oven or large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add chicken pieces, and cook, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, about 10 minutes; transfer to a plate and set aside. Add saffron and onions to pot, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 15 minutes. Return chicken to pot along with lemon slices and 1 cup water, and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, covered, until chicken is cooked through, about 40 minutes. Remove from heat, and scatter olives and cilantro over chicken; serve with rice.

source:  Saveur

How to Cook Dried Beans in a Crockpot Slow Cooker

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Presoaked Beans:

Pick over the dry beans and discard any broken or shriveled looking ones.  Put 2 cups dried beans into the slow cooker crock and soak overnight in cold water, enough to cover by several inches.  The next day, drain the beans and discard the cooking water.  Put soaked beans back into the slow cooker and add enough water to cover beans by 2 inches.  Turn cooker to HIGH and cook beans until they're tender and cooked through, about 3-4 hours for soaked beans.  You can also cook the soaked beans on low, which would take about twice as long.  Drain beans. 

Unsoaked Beans:

Pick over the dry beans and discard any broken or shriveled looking ones.  Put beans  into the slow cooker and add enough water to cover beans by 2 inches.  Turn cooker to HIGH and cook beans until they're tender and cooked through, about 5-6 hours for unsoaked beans.  You can also cook the unsoaked beans on low, which would take about twice as long.  Drain beans.  (

Whether pre-soaked or unsoaked, 2 cups of dried beans will make about 6 cups of cooked beans.  Beans can be frozen in a plastic container with a tight-fitting lid for several months until you're ready to use them.

Caution about red kidney beans:
Red kidney beans contain a natural toxin which may not be destroyed if your slow cooker doesn't reach a high enough temperature.  To be safe, red kidney beans should be pre-soaked, drained, and then boiled in fresh water for 10 minutes before cooking in the slow cooker.   Read more here about potential toxins from red kidney beans. 

source: Kalyn's Kitchen

Using Leftovers: Mini Egg Casseroles

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Makes six 6 oz. mini egg casseroles

6 eggs
A little milk
Cheeses

butter or margarine
Vegetables such as zucchini, onion, peppers, tomatoes
leftover meats, such as ham, turkey, sausage
herbs such as thyme or basil
bread to cube

Preheat the oven to 350. Cut the bread into cubes and set aside. Chop the whatever vegetables you have on hand. Butter the inside of the ramekins and coat them lightly with Parmesan cheese. Add the bread cubes to each, making sure not to overfill as there will be more additions. Grate and or chop your other ingredients and mix them into the bread in whatever combinations suit your fancy.

Whisk the eggs with enough milk so that they are a bit thinner than the consistency you would use for making a scramble, but not too thin. Pour the egg custard into the ramekins leaving a bit of room at the top. Use a fork to mix the ingredient around and let sit 5-10 minutes to make sure the bread absorbs the eggs. Top each with cheese and bake for 25-35 min. or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center. Allow to cool slightly and serve with a salad.

source: Imagine Childhood

Southern Green Beans

Once we had these, we had to go back out and get some more green beans to make another, double batch. They are so good! Green beans will never look the same again.

1 pound fresh green beans
4 teaspoons of beef bouillon (optional)
3 cups of water

1 cup of dry white wine
1 red onion, chopped
4-6 slices of uncooked bacon or turkey bacon, chopped into small pieces
Couple of glugs of olive oil
1 teaspoon of each: garlic, paprika, pepper, red pepper flakes (if you like some heat!)

Wash and chop off the stem of the green beans.
Place a pot or dutch oven on the stove and warm to medium heat.
Take the oil and pour it around the pan.
Add the bacon and cook until crispy, then add the onions and spices and cook until golden brown.
Add the water and wine, beef bouillon, if you are using it, and green beans.
Stir and cook on low heat for one hour so all the flavors meld together.

source: Inner Child Food

Braised Zucchini and Sun Gold Cherry Tomatoes

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4 zucchini, washed and sliced lengthwise
1/2 c. sun gold cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
3 cloves garlic, sliced
olive oil
salt & pepper
1 small bunch basil, torn or cut into large pieces

Heat olive oil in large skillet and add zucchini and cook until almost browned. Add garlic. Saute briefly, 30 seconds-1 minute, then add cherry tomatoes. When tomatoes begin to soften and release juices, season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Add basil, toss again, and serve hot or at room temperature.

source: Farmhouse Delivery Blog

How to Cook a Salmon Filet

Take a salmon filet. Drizzle with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. Put it in a cold oven, then turned on the heat to 400 degrees. Twenty-five minutes later, the salmon is absolutely perfect. Tender, moist, flaky. A no-fail method!

source: The Pioneer Woman

Thai Chicken Tacos

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
3 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
salt and pepper
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4-6 small tortillas
2 cups shredded cabbage
1 cup bean sprouts
1/2 cup Thai peanut sauce, homemade or storebought
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions

In a large bowl or a Ziplock bag, toss the bite-sized chicken pieces with the rice vinegar and soy sauce until evenly coated. Let marinate for anywhere from 15 minutes to 4 hours.

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade with a slotted spoon, and add to pan. Season immediately with salt and pepper. Saute for 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

Lay out tortillas on a work surface. Portion out the shredded cabbage, bean sprouts and cooked chicken into the center of each tortilla. Drizzle the chicken in each tortilla with Thai peanut sauce. Then top with cilantro and green onions.

source: Gimme Some Oven

Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta

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I mostly try to cook as much from scratch as I can, because it is healthier and cheaper. However, every once in awhile you need a quick and easy meal to prepare, and this is one of them.

1 Pkg. Crispy Chicken Strips
1 Pkg. Penne or Pasta of your choice
1 Bottle Alfredo Sauce with Garlic
1 Pkg. Oscar Meyer Carving Board Ham

Cook chicken strips according to directions on package. While the chicken is cooking, boil pasta as directed. Cut up ham into bite-size pieces. After chicken is done cooking, cut up into bite-size pieces and combine in a large mixing bowl with pasta, sauce and ham. Sprinkle fresh Parmesan cheese on top, if desired.

source: Six Sister's Stuff

Beef-Stuffed Crescent Rolls

1 pound ground beef
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, cubed
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
3 tubes (8 ounces each) refrigerated crescent rolls

In a large skillet, cook beef and chilies over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the cream cheese, cumin and chili powder. Cool slightly.
Separate crescent dough into 24 triangles. Place 1 tablespoon of beef mixture along the short end of each triangle; carefully roll up.
Place point side down 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 11-14 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

source: Six Sisters' Stuff

Funny Cake for Breakfast

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" It is a vanilla breakfast cake baked in a pie crust with a chocolate sauce on the bottom. When you add the cake batter it settles on the bottom, the chocolate sauce is on top, and as it bakes, it reverses."

Cake batter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Chocolate sauce
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup hot water

Preheat oven 350 degrees
Use your favorite pie crust recipe or store bought pie crust. This recipe makes 2 pies.
In a large bowl, cream together sugar, oil and eggs.
Mix the flour and the baking powder together in a small bowl and add it to the sugar mixture.
Beat in the Milk and vanilla.
Beat until nice and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
For the chocolate sauce
Mix 1 cup of sugar with 1/2 cup of cocoa and dissolve in 1 cup hot water.
Pour the cake batter into the pie shells. Add the chocolate sauce over the top over of the cake batter.
Bake for 1 hour.

source: The Springmount 6 Pack