Flashback Friday - Simply Delicious Holiday Side Dishes

Layers of corn, tomatoes, beans, ranch dressing and more...over cornbread.
Keeps well - can be made ahead....and gets better the longer it sets.  Perfect for your next potluck or gathering. 

Kansas Cornbread Salad

This light, fluffy and fruity dish is so easy the kids can make it! 

Ambrosia Salad

This simple dish 'dresses up' pork 'n' beans with onion, bacon,

brown sugar and more!  Trust me, it really IS a winner!! 

Winning Baked Beans

This is a delightful dish that folks will surely dive into.

Buttermilk helps give it a bit of tang. SO tasty. 

Copycat KFC Coleslaw

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Leader Enterprise - October 11, 2017 - Keeping Meals Simple

Easy Crockpot Meatballs

Life can get pretty hectic with all the extra-curricular school activities. It always seems easier to get fast food, but if you can stick with a few simple recipes, everyone can eat (sometimes healthier) at home.  And that's always a good thing. 

It's been proven that sitting down to dinner together creates a strong family bond. I'm here to help you with ideas for some simple meals to add to your menu. 

HAMBURGER CRUNCH 

2 lbs. ground beef
1 T. onion, minced
2 (10.75 ozs) cans tomato soup
1 t. chili powder
4 c. corn chips, slightly crushed
8-oz. pkg. shredded Cheddar cheese

Brown ground beef and onion together in a large skillet over medium heat; drain. Stir in soup and chili powder. Spread corn chips in an ungreased 9" x 13" baking pan; top with ground beef mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until bubbly. Remove from oven; sprinkle with cheese. Bake for an additional 5 minutes, until cheese melts. Serves 6 to 8.

CROCKPOT SLOPPY JOE CHICKEN

2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 (15 ozs.) can sloppy joe sauce (like Hunt's Manwich)

Lightly spray crockpot with nonstick cooking spray.  Place a few tablespoonsful of sauce on bottom of crock. Add chicken; pour remaining sauce over top. Place the lid on; cook on low for 4 hours.  When ready to serve; remove chicken and shred with 2 forks. Return chicken to crockpot; mix with sauce. Serve on buns or over rice. 

EASY CROCKPOT MEATBALLS

1-1/2 lbs. ground beef

2 eggs

1 medium onion, finely chopped  

1/2 c. cracker crumbs

salt and pepper

1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning or a dash of nutmeg

1 (10.75 ozs) can cream of chicken (or mushroom) soup 

flour

1 soup can of water

1 Tb. each: oil and margarine

In large bowl, combine beef, eggs, onion, cracker crumbs and seasonings. Shape into balls.  Roll in flour; brown in oil and margarine; drain.  In small bowl, combine soup with 1 soup can of water; pour over meatballs and simmer in the crockpot on low for 3 - 4 hours. (Or you can simmer on top of stove, covered, for 1 hour.) Serve over mashed potatoes, rice or noodles. 

Quick Chili Mac Skillet

A hearty meal ready in less than 30 minutes.  GO! 

QUICK CHILI MAC SKILLET

1/2 (1#) box elbow pasta 

1/2 - 1# lean ground beef 

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

(or 3 - 4 Tb. dried minced onions)

1 - 2 tsp. chili powder

1 (14 ozs) can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 sm. can tomato paste

1/3 c. water (more as needed)

1 (15 ozs) can kidney or black beans, rinsed and drained

freshly ground salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 c. shredded Mexican cheese blend

In medium pot, cook pasta according to package directions.

Set aside to drain until ready to use. In same pot, brown ground beef and onion; stirring until no pink remains. Add chili powder, then tomatoes, tomato paste and water. Cook 2-3 minutes to blend flavors; add beans; heat through. Season with salt & pepper. Remove pot from stove; toss pasta into beef mixture; stir. Top with cheese just before serving. 

CHICKEN ALFREDO BUBBLE UP 

2 c. cooked chicken, chopped or shredded

2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

1 jar (15 ozs.) Alfredo sauce

1 pkg.(16 ozs.) flaky large biscuits (like Grands - 8 count)

garlic powder, to taste, optional

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9" x 13" baking dish.

Remove biscuits from package and cut each biscuit into 6 pieces. Place biscuit pieces into large bowl. Add Alfredo sauce, 1 cup of cheese and cooked chicken into bowl with cut biscuits. Mix well to combine. Spread mixture evenly into prepared pan. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake 35 minutes or until biscuits are brown and cooked through. Let it sit for 5-8 minutes before serving. Yield: 6 servings

Fall foods are my favorite. Be watching for upcoming fall recipes that you'll enjoy and they'll make your house smell so good too! 

Even if something is left undone, everyone must take time to sit still and watch the leaves turn - Elizabeth Lawrence 

Leader Enterprise - July 12, 2017 - Healthy Summertime Eating

Fresh Tomato Pie

I do hope you're having a great summer. It seems to fly by so quickly - maybe because we stay so busy? For many of us, one of the highlights of summer is the abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables.  

Color, color, color is the rule to live by. Health gurus encourage Americans to eat at least five or more servings of fruits and vegetables daily. The more reds, oranges, greens, blues, and yellows you see on the plate, the more health-promoting properties you are getting. 

Follow this palette of color to better health:

• Reds: Deep reds or bright pinks found in strawberries and cherries add a powerful antioxidant called lycopene to your daily diet. Lycopene also is found in tomatoes, red and pink grapefruit, watermelon, and guava and may reduce the risk of selected cancers, including prostate cancer.
• Greens: Spinach, kale, collards and broccoli have antioxidants that protect eyes and keep retinas strong. Cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and turnips may reduce the risk of cancerous tumors.
• Blues/Purples: The pigment in plums, eggplant, and blueberries help defend against harmful carcinogens. Blueberries, in particular, are rich in vitamin C and high in fiber and potassium.
• Oranges: Sweet potatoes, mangoes, carrots, and apricots contain beta carotene, an antioxidant that enhances the immune system. The orange group also is rich in vitamins C and E. Folate is a vitamin B that may help prevent some birth defects.
• Yellows: Bright yellows contain many of the same 'perks' as the orange group. Pineapple is rich with vitamin C, manganese, and the natural enzyme bromelain, which aids digestion. Corn, pears, and squash are high in fiber.

This tasty combo is one of my favorite ways to get my vitamins (wink). 

Peach-Blueberry Crisp

PEACH-BLUEBERRY CRISP

3 - 4 peaches, about 1-1/2#, peeled and sliced into wedges

2 c. blueberries, cleaned

1 hp. TB. cornstarch

2 TB. lemon juice

1/3 c. sugar

TOPPING:

2/3 c. all purpose flour

1/2 c. old-fashioned oats

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 c. light brown sugar

5 TB. (unsalted) butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 350*. Lightly grease a 2.5 qt. baking dish. In a large bowl, combine peaches, blueberries, cornstarch, lemon juice and sugar; set aside. In small bowl, combine flour, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt; stir in brown sugar, then butter, mixing by hand until blended and crumbly. Spread fruit mixture in prepared baking dish and sprinkle with oatmeal mixture. Bake 45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped topping. Yield: 6 - 7 servings

FRESH TOMATO PIE 

4 medium peeled tomatoes

salt

1 pre-baked pie crust, cooled

chopped onions to taste, optional

1 tsp. dried basil 

(or 8 - 10 fresh leaves, chopped)

3/4 c. mayonnaise

2 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/4 c. parmesan cheese

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 - 1 tsp. Frank's hot sauce, optional

fresh ground pepper 

Thinly slice tomatoes then salt them. Place in a strainer or on a cooling rack (I put mine over my sink) to draw out moisture. Preheat oven to 350*. 

In large bowl, combine mayo, mozzarella, parmesan, minced garlic and hot sauce. Stir until well combined. Use paper towels to blot tomatoes to remove the excess moisture. Layer the tomatoes, onions and basil in the pie crust. Spoon the cheese mixture over the top. Top with fresh ground pepper before baking. Bake for about 40 minutes or until the topping is golden brown. 

I recommend placing the pie on a rimmed baking sheet in case the pie spills over.

“If you want to be happy, do not dwell in the past, do not worry about the future, focus on living fully in the present.” 
― Roy T. Bennett,

Cheesey Slow Cooker Stuffed Bell Peppers (Freezer Friendly Link)

I have never cared for green peppers, so we don't eat them often, but after someone gave us a few recently, I wanted to make stuffed peppers since hubby likes them...a lot. 

(hover over image to pin)

I was so tickled to find this recipe at The Recipe Critic...but I adapted it some, and hubby just loved them.  I ate the filling by itself and it was pretty tasty I'd have to say. 

The recipe called for wild rice...all I had was some basmati, so I cooked it in some of the tomato juice from the salsa (I substituted for canned tomatoes), but jazzed the recipe up in other ways. I also added some hot sauce...which hubby loves, so you can certainly adjust that to your own liking. 

She used raw ground beef...I browned and drained mine before stuffing peppers. 

You could add taco seasoning if you wanted to put a Mexican twist on this dish. 

After I made this special dish, and before I typed up the post, I happened upon this awesome idea for Freezer Friendly Slow Cooker Sausage Stuffed Peppers

from Two Maids a Milking...great idea and you can make them ahead! 

I ran to the store at the last minute and bought 1 red pepper so I could fill my crockpot. I think the cheesey topping made extra tasty. 

CHEESEY SLOW COOKER STUFFED BELL PEPPERS 

• 6 medium to large bell peppers
• 1 # lean ground beef, lightly browned, drained
• 1/2 c. onion, chopped
• (It's OK to add add onion to beef while browning) 
• 1-1/4 c. mild (or hot) salsa, undrained 
• (or 1 - 14 ozs. can diced tomatoes)
• 1 cup wild rice, cooked (any kind of rice is fine)
• 2 Tb. worchestershire sauce
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• (I used garlic pepper - we liked more)
• 1-1/4 c. shredded cheese, divided
• 1/4 c. water

Cut off each top of the peppers and scrape out the seeds and membranes. After I cut out the seeds with a knife, I scraped the inside clean with a spoon - it worked great). Set aside.

Combine ground beef, onion, salsa (or tomatoes), rice, worchestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and 1 cup of cheese. Stuff each pepper with mixture. Place in bottom of crockpot. (You can crowd them a little because they get smaller as they cook). Add water to bottom of crockpot...it will help steam and soften the peppers. 

Cook on low for about 5-6 hours or high for 3 hours until peppers are tender.
(The sides of peppers tends to burn on high...I suggest using low)

About 15 minutes before serving, sprinkle remaining cheese; enjoy when cheese is melted.



Fresh Tomato Pie

Quick Chili Mac Skillet

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