Cranberry Pork

Ok, so it has been a LONG time since I have blogged, but I am going to try to start again for my cooking friends at work :) This is a recipe that I talk about a lot. It is so good and so easy. I got this recipe from a friend at Making It Count. Mashed potatoes are a MUST with this recipe since there will be sauce to drown them in :)

-One pork tenderloin (doesn't matter what size, there will be enough juice...they ones I buy come in a pack of two...use them both.)

-One packet dry onion soup mix

-One can whole cranberry sauce

-One bottle (the bigger, regular, size) Catalina FREE dressing

Mix all the ingredients except for the pork in the crock pot. Put the pork in and cover it with the sauce. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. Remember...you must have mashed potatoes with it! I usually buy the Bob Evans mashed potatoes. Green beans are good too with this...tonight I just opened the can, but I usually make green bean casserole. Enjoy!

Grandma's 80th Birthday Party!!

My family had a party for my grandma's 80th birthday this weekend. She had a ton of people come, and everyone had a great time. Among the festivities, there was plenty to eat. I am only including what I made so I can share the recipe.

Spinach Dip:

This recipe came from my fiance's family. It is soooo good and was a huge hit!

1 small jar artichokes, blend with juices in food processor

2 packages cream cheese, I used reduced fat

1 package frozen spinach, thawed and drained

1 tbs. onion

1 garlic glove

1/2 cup shredded parmesean cheese

3/4 cup half and half

Mix all ingredients together and cook in crock pot on high for 1-2 hours or low for 2-4. Serve with tortilla chips!

Birthday Cake=Carrot Cake!!

This cake was so good...and I didn't make it...sorry to get your hopes up, don't have a recipe!! I just wanted to include the picture becuase it's pretty...and what's a birthday without the cake!

Taco Ole Soup with Tortilla Chips

This recipe is another one I have adapted from the Crockpot cookbook I have. This is a lot like the salsa chicken I have made before, but I think I like this one better!

3-4 frozen chicken breasts

1 can corn

2 15 oz cans stewed tomatoes

1 10 oz can tomatoes with diced chilies

2 cans ranch style beans

1 packet taco seasoning

1 packet ranch dressing mix

Put it all in a crockpot and cook on low for 8-10 hours!

Tortilla Chips:

I had store bought chips, but I wanted to try this to see how they turned out. They were good! I cut whole wheat tortillas into eighths and placed in a single layer on baking sheets. I sprayed with cooking spray and sprinkled with salt. Bake at 350 for about 10-15 minutes...keep an eye on them!! You could use a lot of different seasonings on these to make them different ways!

Black Eyed Pea Stew and Red Lobster Buscuits!

So, my fiance has found that he really likes split pea soup. I tried making it twice, once it was decent, the other time was awful. I found this recipe in a cookbook I have called Easy Slow Cooker Cookbook. I was thinking slit pea soup the whole time, but it was really black eyed pea soup...and it was too late by the time I realized it. I was already at the store with my grocery list. So, I decided we would try it anyway! It turned out really good!

Here's how I made it...I didn't follow the recipe from the book exactly, but pretty close.

1 1b stew beef

1 onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

3 ribs celery, sliced

3 (15 oz) cans jalapeno black-eyed peas, with liquid

2 (15 oz) cans stewed tomatoes, with liquid

1 tsp salt

1 tsp chicken seasoning (I used 2 tsp of a seasoned pepper mix that I have...it's really good. Next time, I might only use 1 tsp, it was kind of spicy.)

Add everthing to the crockpot and cook on low for about 8 hours.

Red Lobster Biscuits:

I got this idea from mrsbowen on the nest cooking board. I don't have her recipe, so I just googled it and found one. They were fantastic!

2 cups Bisquick (I used lowfat)

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

2/3 cup milk

1/4 cup melted butter

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

few pinches of dried parsley flakes

Mix the Bisquick, milk, and cheese together until dough forms. Mix for about 30 seconds. Form into balls and place on an ungreased cooking sheet. Bake in oven at 450 for 10 minutes. While they are in the oven, combine melted butter, garlic salt, and parsley. Remove from oven and pour melted butter mixture over buscuits while still hot. I turned off the oven and then put the bisbuits back in and let them sit and soak up the butter.

Easy Meatball Hoagies

This meal is super easy and was delicious too!!

I bought frozen meatballs and put them in the crock-pot with spaghetti sauce. You can cook them on low for a long time or on high for just about 2 hours, depending on the amount of food in the crock-pot. I bought a big bag because I always like to have a meal that can last more than one night, so I used to jars of spaghetti sauce. I sautéed onions and green peppers with a little bit of seasoning. I bought some delicious, sweet, Italian bread for the buns.

When ready to assemble, place cheese (I used provolone and muenster) on one half of bread and then green peppers and onions on the other half. Place in the oven at 350 until the cheese is melted and the bread gets a little crunchy. Then, cut the meatballs in half and place on bread, and your sandwich is done! I cut the meatballs in half because I found that using the whole meatball just made it that much harder to eat because they kept falling out.

I have so many meatballs left! We had meatball hoagies for two nights (with the size of the bread, it should have lasted for four nights probably!) We will probably have spaghetti and meatballs or tortellini and meatballs another night this week!

Crockpot Salsa Chicken

This recipe is originally from Sparkpeople.com. It is an easy favorite of the What's Cooking board. It makes plenty, so you'll have leftovers! Here's how I make it, but there's lots of was you can vary the recipe:




4 chicken breasts (I put mine in frozen to make sure they wouldn't overcook)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 packet reduced sodium taco seasoning
1 16 oz jar salsa
1 can corn
1 can rinsed and drained black beans
1 cup reduced fat sour cream






Mix soup, salsa, and taco seasoning together and pour over chicken. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. Before serving, shred the chicken, add corn, beans, and sour cream. Cook for a few more minutes until everything is heated through. This is great served with tortilla chips. I served it tonight rolled up in a tortilla shell with melted cheese and lettuce.

Stew Beef in Crockpot

Due to my less than ideal work schedule right now, I have planned a few more crockpot meals. I remember when my sister and I were younger, we always called it the crap-pot. For some reason we weren't thrilled with what was cooked in there...or maybe one meal we didn't like meant, of course, that we didn't like any of them!! As I look back, it's funny how things change...I would gladly take any meal that my mom ever cooked in the crockpot, and I guarantee there wouldn't be leftovers. Here is one meal that was frequently made. It's very tasty and inexpensive!

1 1b. stew beef (I used about 1.25 lbs)

1 packet dry onion soup mix

1 can cream of mushroom soup and add 1/2 can water

one can diced tomatoes

Start with frozen beef so it won't burn and overcook! Mix together all other ingredients and pour over meat. Cook in crockpot on low for about 8-10 hours...or until you get home from work! :) I served this over whole wheat rotini pasta, but any pasta will do.