The BEST pulled pork tacos

The BEST pulled pork tacos

Bonus: They're also crazy easy!  

You'll need:
3 lb pork roast, this is pretty forgiving - I usually get my hands on a shoulder... I'm confident that whatever you have on hand will suffice.
1 16 oz jar Herdez Mild Verde Salsa
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp granulated garlic
dash each salt and pepper

To serve:
corn tortillas, 3-5 per person
diced tomatoes
diced cilantro
crumbled Cotija cheese

Hardware:
Crock pot
1 large or two smaller cookie sheets
Broiler oven

Pour a little of the salsa in the bottom of your crock pot, place the roast on top, then cover with remainder of salsa.  Sprinkle spices over the top and cook.  4-5 hours on high, 6-8 on low.  Use a thermometer to make sure you're at or above 145F in the middle.

Once the roast is cooked, use two forks to shred it.  Return shredded pork to crock pot and stir it around in the sauce.  Use tongs or a large slotted spoon to move shredded pork to cookie sheet in a nice single layer.  You'll leave a good portion of the liquid behind in the crock pot, that's ok. 

Broil shredded pork on high for 5-7 minutes or until dark and crispy on the edges - just shy of burning, so watch closely!  This creates magic, caramelizing the sauce and the meat together into savory "meat candy".  It's practically irresistible.  I like to use two cookie sheets so that I can start building tacos while the second is in the oven. 

This will serve our hungry family of 4 two meals, generally dinner and lunch.  I like to make cilantro lime rice and a green salad to serve on the side. 

Huge thanks to Erin Woodward who taught me the value of broiling this dish and introducing our family to "meat candy". 

Sweet and Zesty Sesame Chicken

If you aren't familiar with the website epicurious.com yet, you should take this moment to go explore.  They are part of publishing groups like Gourmet, Bon Appetit, and more. So, they draw from lots of great, vetted recipe sources. The inspiration for this recipe came from their "inspiration" email "Not Your Mother's Chicken Skewers."  Of course, I couldn't actually follow their recipe... of course.  Kebabs sounded really interesting, but it was so blazing hot outsize, I couldn't touch the grill with bare hands.  Nix that.  Wok in the comfort of my air-conditioned kitchen! Win!

I started 2 cups of rice in the steamer...

Sweet and Zesty Sesame Chicken



2 lbs chicken, cut into bite size pieces
2 T oil for wok, I used coconut - olive is my other go-to

In small bowl, combine and set aside:
  1 T corn starch
  3 T cool water

Sauce:
Stir together in bowl or measuring cup and set aside.
  1/2 c dark brown sugar
  1/2 c cooking wine (sweet but dry)
  1/2 c light soy sauce
  1/4 c rice vinegar

Sprinkle:
Mix together and set aside (refrigerate any unused since it's not completely dry).
  4 T roasted sesame seeds (you can find these in large quantity, pre-roasted at your local asian foods
  market - much better value than the supermarket)
  2 T parsley, chopped fine
  Zest of 1 medium lemon, about 2 tsp.
  1/2 t red pepper flakes, I used the ones Stan keeps on hand for pizza and picked out the seeds
Mix together and set aside (refrigerate any unused since it's not completely dry).

Heat oil in wok over high heat. When hot, add chicken all at once and toss to coat in oil.  A bamboo spatula with a long handle is really nice about now.  Stir again every minute or two for 10 minutes, you might see a little color on a few pieces. Add sauce and let simmer to finish cooking chicken, about 5 minutes.  Stir in corn starch mixture, return to boil, then reduce heat to low.

Serve over rice, sprinkle with sesame mix. We had a simple green salad to round out the meal.

For the kids plates, I used wooden skewers to pick up 6-8 pieces of chicken to serve.  It was a big hit.  They both cleaned their plates and wanted more!


 Inspired by: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/soy-sauce-chicken-kebabs-with-sesame-lemon-sprinkle

Turkey Meatloaf Muffins

I'm just going to come out and confess:  I created these out of desperation.

Cora wants to feed herself now, which is great... except for the fact that she has a whole whopping 6 teeth - none of which are molars and she can't effectively use a fork or spoon.  So, when I went searching for "easy toddler foods" and meatloaf popped up, I was inspired!  Stan does not like traditional meatloaf, so I knew I had to get creative if it would be a successful family meal.  I dug out my Joy of Cooking book and read the section on meatloaf.  I used quick cooking oats instead of bread crumbs and followed their suggestions for how much meat/wet/dry ingredients.  Then I tossed them in muffin liners for a fast weeknight meal - only 20 minutes cook time!

These are a HUGE success.  Not only does Cora love them, but so does the rest of the family.  Win!!!  They are savory, with the rosemary and sweet, with the cherries.  Like the perfect bite of Thanksgiving dinner. Hope you enjoy them just as much as we do.

Mini Turkey Meatloaf 


Makes approx. 20, Serving = 3 (adult)

2 lb ground turkey
3 large eggs, beaten
1 c cherry preserves, 1/4 c reserved.
1 c quick cooking oats
3/4 c sliced almonds
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp dried rosemary
dash dried ground mustard

Mix just until blended.  Line muffin pans with liners or spray with oil.  Fill muffins (I used a large ice cream scoop) and bake at 350F for 20 minutes, or until thermometer reads 180F internal temp. Remove and brush with reserved cherry preserves.

Serve hot with some roasted sweet potatoes and peas, and you're in business.

Happy baby! She ate a whole muffin in one sitting with a handful of frozen peas.  (And yes, that's a fork in her hand... she has to hold one so she's just like us!)

Ranch Chicken

And... we're back!  After struggling through the first trimester, (yes, I'm pregnant with baby #2!) I'm finally back to cooking.  Though my sciatic was killing me by the end of dinner AND dessert preparation - it felt so good to be back in the kitchen!  And creating a new recipe to boot.  Love it.  Baby is doing a happy dance too.

Ranch Chicken

1.5 lbs chicken, chopped to bite size (about 1" squares)
2 T olive oil

In bowl or gallon zip-top bag combine:
1 packet ranch seasoning
1 T corn starch
1 T parsley flakes
1 t dill weed
1 t onion powder
1 t salt
1/2 t garlic powder
1/4 t ground pepper

I use a non-stick wok for cooking dishes like these.  I love the wok because you can cook lots of food very rapidly.  I use it for most of my chicken recipes and recommend investing in one.  Pick up a non-stick version, and grab a set of bamboo tools while you're at it.  That angled spatula will be your go-to for the wok.  This is now my second and I've never spent over $30- so even an inexpensive one should last you 5-7 years.  Well worth it to be able to cook chicken in 14 minutes!

Okay - enough about the wok.  Because, you can make this in a traditional pan - just select a big enough pan that you give the pieces plenty of surface room so they can brown up.

Toss chicken in spice mix.

Preheat olive oil on high.  Add chicken and toss to coat, then let sit until browned. This will happen pretty fast due to the corn starch in this recipe, so keep close watch. Stir with a downward thrust into the middle of the pan, shifting the bottom pieces up to the side, and the side pieces down to the bottom.  Allow to brown again, then stir again (same motion).  Once you've reached the browning that you want, just keep stirring.

With the heat on high, you don't want to let it sit very long in one place or it will burn.  If you will not be able to give this pan your attention for 10 solid minutes, you should give your active time to browning and then turn the heat down to medium to continue cooking.  It will just take longer.  I like to check the doneness of my chicken by cutting a piece in half with my spatula.  If it breaks quickly and the juices run clear, it's done.  If I have to really push to get it to cut, or if the juices are still pink/red, it needs more time.

I served this over mashed red potatoes, broccoli, and some fresh pineapple I snagged on sale!  We had enough for dinner and lunch, since the potatoes also helped to fill our tummies.  

==
For dessert we had chocolate cupcakes with vanilla italian meringue buttercream.  I'm a big fan of the easier preparation on the italian version, but I like the slightly denser texture of the swiss meringue buttercream.  (Read: I could make myself sick on frosting shots. This from the girl who will scrape traditional buttercream frosting off a cake to avoid it.  I'm a frosting snob. Sigh).
If you've never made a meringue buttercream, I highly recommend it - assuming you have access to a stand mixer, it is well worth the effort.  HERE is the recipe I used for the italian version.  The swiss is out of my Joy of Cooking cookbook.  I used a chocolate cake mix, and added 1 T cocoa powder and 1 t vanilla.  Because you can't go wrong with extra chocolate and vanilla.

Confetti Mac & Cheese

Did you know you can make macaroni and cheese from scratch!?  I grew up on the stuff from a blue box... but after seeing Alton Brown make it - I had to try it out.  I've since modified and modified the recipe.  You'd be amazed at how healthy you can make it and it's SO MUCH YUMMIER! I add chopped cooked chicken most of the time and make this a one-bowl dinner. Yum!

Confetti Mac and Cheese
1 pound elbow macaroni or pipette, cooked according to package directions
1 pound frozen mixed veggies (you know, the cubes of carrots, peas, corn and greenie beenies)
Cook pasta according to package directions.  When you have 1-2 minutes of cook time remaining on the pasta, add the frozen veggies.  Drain and set aside.

Optional: 2 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped

Cheese Sauce:
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon dijon mustard (I like Trader Joe's)
3 cups low fat milk
1 large or 2 small bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/3 c pureed carrots (this gives it that pretty orange color our children have come to expect)
16 oz (4 cups) regular or reduced fat cheese, shredded (sharp cheddar or any mix of cheese you have on-hand)
3 T parmesan cheese
salt and white pepper to taste (black pepper will do, I just like the white because you don't see flecks of black in the pretty orange)

In a large saucepan (or the now empty large pot you cooked the pasta in...) melt butter over medium low heat.  Once it stops bubbling, add the flour, dijon and paprika - whisk together to make a smooth paste, cook until this gets just a little darker, or thicker, or starts bubbling in the thin spots, about 3 minutes.  Slowly whisk in the milk, making sure all the paste dissolves.  Add the bay leaf and carrot puree.  Increase heat to medium and simmer to thicken.  Get some little bubbles going, but don't boil, about 5-10 minutes.  Think the consistency of gravy.

Add cheeses, stirring until all melted.  Salt and pepper to taste.
Add pasta with veggies and chicken. Stir well, serve hot.

Leftovers are especially awesome if you spread them in a casserole dish and top with breadcrumbs tossed in some melted butter and bake at 350F until golden.

Pineapple Chicken with Black Beans and Rice

Here's a new favorite!  Quick and easy - especially when hubby will cook the chicken on the grill, and you make the rice in an electric steamer.

Pineapple Chicken with Black Beans and Rice

2-4 lbs BSCB (boneless, skinless chicken breast)

1 16 oz bottle BBQ sauce
1 22 oz can crushed pineapple, gently drained
1 16 oz can black beans (good additional source of protein)
1/2 t madras curry
2 t cinnamon (I may have been a little more generous with the cinnamon, but 2 t is close enough)
2 t dry ground mustard, or 1 T dijon mustard (like Trader Joe's)

3 c rice, cooked according to directions

Cook chicken and steam rice according to directions.  I used my favorite Calrose with a dash of wild rice blend.

While chicken and rice are cooking, combine all other ingredients in a medium pot. Simmer over low-medium heat for about 10 minutes. Let the flavors mingle. This has a fairly high sugar content, so you'll want to stir often enough you don't scorch the bottom.

Serve by making a bed of rice, with chicken on top, and pour a generous scoop of sauce over both.  We enjoyed a green salad on the side to round the whole thing out.  Yay for protein!

Cheesy Chicken Pot Pie

A twist on the classic (but easier than ever)!  I like to make my own crust, if you have a food processor, it's a snap.  Give it a try, you won't regret the extra effort.

Cheesy Chicken Pot Pie
1 recipe Cuisinart Pie Crust

2 large cooked chicken breasts, cut into chunks (use leftovers or a small rotisserie chicken)
1 can Campbell's cream of mushroom
1 can Campbell's cream of celery
1 c shredded cheese
1 16oz bag frozen mixed veggies, partially thawed
pepper to taste (I like a healthy dose)

While you precook the crust, chop up the chicken and combine with remaining ingredients in a large bowl.  It will be thick because your veggies will freeze the soup concentrate.  Resist the urge to add liquid.

Carefully remove the pie shell from the oven, fill it, and cover with the other half of the pie crust.  You could also skip the bottom crust altogether, toss all the filling in a 9x13, cover it with the pie crust (tucking it in around the edges) and cook it just the same. For our little family, Stan likes the crust, so I make a traditional pie.

Cook approx. 45 minutes at 350F or until warmed thru and crust is a lovely brown.  (Because you're using pre-cooked chicken in this, you don't have to worry about done-ness for safety).

Allow to cool a bit, then slice up and serve.

Curried Lentil and Butternut Squash Soup

My dear friend Peggy invited me to an Ethiopian restaurant in Overland Park, The Blue Nile. (Let me just say now, for you skimmers, SO YUMMY! And they have a lunch buffet, so you can try a whole bunch of different things.) Anyway.  Since our ministry team returned, over a year ago, I'd been hearing the good (and bad) of Ethiopian food and was braced and very excited for my first exposure.  I love curry, and though I do not handle spicy well, I was ready to suck it up in the name of a wonderful shared experience with a friend.

Well, I loved it. All of it. The richness of the flavors, tenderness of the meat, the unique and yummy injera bread (that I will venture to make some day)... it was all so good.  For me, the thing that stole the show, was the soup!  Soup!  I found myself craving it the following day.  I attempted to ignore it but the craving persisted.  Time for a Google search: "lentil curry butternut squash soup ethiopian" and with a little tweaking, I came up with something close to what warmed us that day.  It probably would have helped if I had red lentils instead of just using the green and yellow that were in my pantry (I had lentils in my pantry! I was rather proud of myself).  And I used frozen butternut squash instead of preparing it fresh (those things are a serious pain in the butt to peel... I'll let the green giant do the work for me.)  If there's some secret, someone please share.

I took a bowl to Peggy and she said she practically inhaled it, so it's passed the 2nd party test!  Here you go - my quick and easy version.

Curried Lentil and Butternut Squash Soup

3 T olive oil
2 T butter (unsalted if you have it)
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 rib celery, finely chopped
16 oz bag frozen butternut squash
2 t crushed garlic from a jar or 2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 t crushed ginger from a jar or minced peeled ginger
1 T curry powder, Madras (yellow)
1 c red lentils, rinsed and picked over
1 quart (box) chicken or vegetable stock
1 T fresh lemon juice
1 t lemon zest (optional, but probably my favorite part)

Cilantro, chopped

Heat oil and butter in large pot over medium head, cook onion, carrot, celery, garlic and ginger until softened and starting to brown 15-20 minutes. Stir in curry powder, stir frequently for 2 minutes to heat curry through, then add stock, lentils, and partially thawed squash (let it thaw on the counter while you prep everything else).  Simmer, covered, until lentils are tender 20-40 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and zest, salt and pepper to taste.

Serve over steamed rice, sprinkle with cilantro and a dollop of sour cream or plain greek yogurt.


Modified from: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Curried-Squash-and-Red-Lentil-Soup-351416#ixzz1BS0BIP00

Tracy's Orange Chicken

This is one of our favorite meals. All the ingredients keep in the pantry or freezer so I always have them on-hand!

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken, cut into pieces (breast or thigh, doesn't matter)
2 T olive oil

Combine in small bowl:
1 jar orange marmalade (8-12oz)
2 T soy sauce
2 T triple sec or other orange liquor (may be omitted)
1 T vinegar (I like rice vinegar)
salt & pepper to taste, sometimes I add some Chinese chili paste too!

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or wok (I love my non-stick wok!), cook the chicken, allowing it to brown.

When chicken is nearly cooked, add sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.

Serve over steamed rice with veggie of choice. Serves about 4.

** I won a Smart Chicken recipe contest with this recipe (week 5) and it will be published in a benefit cookbook for St. Jude Children's Hospital! 

Creamy Curry Chicken

Grandmother says this is the best curry she's ever had (and that in her 82 years, she's had a lot of curry).  It's also one of my sister-in-law's favorite dishes.  As a bonus, it's dairy and gluten free (so long as your broth is too).

Creamy Curry Chicken

4 pounds chicken, cut to bite size pieces* 

3-4 T Madras Curry Powder (yellow), divided

(2) 18.5oz can Coconut Cream (look for 70% or more)

(1) 14oz can chicken broth/stock

1 t ginger paste (optional)

1 t lemongrass paste (optional)

2 T olive oil

Salt & pepper to taste

Heat oil in large skillet or wok on high heat. Toss chicken to coat with oil.

Brown chicken with 1 T curry powder, salt & pepper.  When liquid has almost evaporated, pour in broth and return to a boil for approx. 5 minutes (this should finish cooking the chicken).

Add coconut milk, remainder of curry powder, and remaining seasonings.  Simmer on medium heat until thickened.  Serve over steamed rice with vegetable of choice.

When it's too hot for this dish, but you still want curry... check out Joni's Curry Chicken Salad.  It's our "summer curry".

*I recently doubled this for a big family meal.  Instead of attempting to cut up 8 lbs of chicken breast myself, I called to get a price to have it pre-cut and found out they don't charge extra.  $2.99/lb to have it cut up for me!  What a time saver.

Balsamic Glazed Chicken

This is another favorite. Seems I can never make too much, as the leftovers never last long regardless the quantity.  Even our 4 year old gobbles this up!


Balsamic Glazed Chicken
1-1.5 lbs chicken, cut in strips or pieces
1-2 T olive oil
1/2 t salt
1/2 t ground black pepper

3/4 c balsamic vinegar
1/4 c soy sauce (reduced sodium preferred)
2 T brown sugar
1 T butter (unsalted if regular soy sauce used)

Toss chicken in oil, salt & pepper.  Cook in wok until done.

While chicken is cooking, simmer vinegar, soy and sugar in large saucepan or pot.  More surface area is better.  Whisk occasionally, until reduced and slightly thickened, 12-14 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in butter until melted.

Toss chicken with balsamic sauce and stir to coat.  Let stand 5 minutes, then stir again.  Serve over rice with veggie of choice.  Yummy!!

When the weather's really nice and Stan's looking for an excuse to grill, or wings are on super sale, we'll make this like the original.  It's just not necessary to enjoying the full flavor of this simple recipe.

Modified from: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Balsamic-Soy-Glazed-Chicken-Wings-236679

Favorite Teriyaki Chicken

This is the recipe Stan requests most often (and I keep losing the paper copy, now it's in safe hands - the internet.  Whew!)

Favorite Teriyaki Chicken
1-1/2 to 2 pounds chicken, cut in small pieces
1-2 T olive oil (for cooking)

Sauce:
3/4 c water
1/2 c soy sauce (Lite if you have it)
3/4 c brown sugar
1 t crushed garlic
1/4 t ground ginger

1/2 T cornstarch
1/8 c cool water

2 cups rice, steamed.  I use Botan Calrose Rice in a rice cooker.  If you've never used one, I recommend it highly.  They're about $20 at Target, look for one with a non-stick bowl. Rinse your rice first, and then fill the water to about 1" above the rice (about the distance from the tip of your middle finger to the first crease).

Cook chicken in wok or skillet.  Once chicken is browned and partially cooked, add sauce.  Allow to boil to finish cooking chicken.  Mix cornstarch with cool water, add to chicken.  Return to boil and stir occasionally until sauce thickens slightly.  Serve hot over rice with broccoli.  Yum!

***If you can't use corn products, you can skip the corn starch: Marinade the chicken in half of the sauce for 2-3 hours, then cook it separate from the sauce.  In another large sauce pan or pot, reduce (boil out the water) from the remainder of the sauce to thicken.  Just be careful not to scorch it, since there is a rather high sugar content.

Joni's Curry Chicken Salad

Our Cousin Joni shared this with us for lunch today.  Yummy!  She was kind enough to share the recipe with me, and I in turn am sharing with you.

Curry Chicken Pitas
2 c cooked chicken, cubed or shredded
1/2 c mayonnaise
1 T honey
1 t curry, yellow or Madras
1 c halved grapes (we had red)
1/2 c chopped pecans
4 green onions, chopped
4 pita breads, warmed, halved
8 lettuce leaves

In bowl, combine mayonnaise, honey and curry powder. Stir in chicken, grapes, pecans and onions.  Line pita halves with lettuce; spoon 1/2 c of salad mixture into each and serve.  4 servings.

From: Taste of Home's 2002 Quick Cooking Annual Recipes

Rosemary-Skewered Artichoke Chicken

This is one Stan found, we always serve it with Pasta with Garlic and Lemon Sauce.  There's something wonderfully yummy about the slightly crispy ends of the artichoke hearts and the silky texture of the squash and tomatoes.  This is also easy to make for a crowd, as so much of the work can be done in advance, and guests can help thread their own skewers for an interactive dinner!

Rosemary Artichoke Chicken
Ingredients

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 t dill weed
• 1 t oregano
• 1 t rosemary
• 2 t lemon peel (fresh lemon zest will burn, due to the oil - stick with dried)
• 1 T crushed garlic
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/4 t pepper
• 1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 can (14 ounces) marinated artichoke hearts
• 2 medium yellow summer squash, cut into 1-inch slices
• 12 cherry tomatoes
• 6 wooden skewers, soaked in water

Directions

• In a large resealable plastic bag or bowl, combine the oil, dill, oregano, rosemary, lemon peel, garlic, salt and pepper; add chicken. Stir to coat; refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Drain and discard marinade. On soaked wooden skewers, alternately thread the chicken, artichokes, squash and tomatoes. 
• Using long-handled tongs, moisten a paper towel with cooking oil and lightly coat the grill rack. Grill, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from the heat for 10-15 minutes on each side or until chicken is no longer pink and vegetables are tender. Yield: 6 servings.

Modified from: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Rosemary-Skewered-Artichoke-Chicken

Chinese Chicken Salad

Get out the biggest bowl you own!  Then be amazed at how fast this disappears...

Chinese Chicken Salad
1 cabbage (nappa if the recipe will be consumed same-day)
2-3 chicken breasts, poached and cut into chunks
2-3 packages ramen noodles (oriental or sesame chicken flavor)
1 c rice vinegar (or 1/2 plain white and 1/2 rice)
1/2 c oil
1-2 c frozen peas
2 cans mandarin oranges, drained
sugar, salt & pepper to taste
1/4 c sliced almonds
1 can water chestnuts (optional)
toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Crunch up noodles in medium bowl, add juice from oranges, oil & vinegar, and seasoning packets from noodles. Stir and let sit.

Chop cabbage, combine in large bowl with chicken, peas, almonds and oranges.  Add noodes and mix.  Serve cold with almonds and sesame seeds sprinkled on top.

Taco Soup

We call this chili in our household.  It's a great addition to a baked potato bar, turns into nachos on day 2, and is super easy to make (you can even freeze it)!

Taco Soup

In a large pot:
Brown 1 lb ground beef with 1 packet Taco Seasoning, drain excess grease

Add following and simmer for 20 minutes or more:
1 pkg ranch dressing mix
2 28oz cans diced fire roasted tomatoes (I love Muir Glenn brand)
1 can chili and lime Rotel
1 can cream corn (and sometimes some extra corn from a bag of frozen)
1 can dark kidney beans, drained
1 can white kidney beans (cannellini), drained
2 cans black beans, drained
2 cans pinto beans, drained

We like to top this like it's a taco... sour cream, shredded cheese, diced tomatoes, chopped cilantro.  It's a lot of fun to serve buffet style, letting everyone top their own bowl.  You can even make it vegetarian, or add TVP to stretch your meat.

Because I can keep the ground beef frozen and the cans always on hand, this is a go-to recipe, especially in the winter.  I keep all the cans for a single batch tied up in a grocery sack in my pantry and I toss the empty cans back in the bag as I make the recipe for easy clean up.

Tangy Cranberry Meatballs

I love this recipe!  Serve over baked potatoes with your veggie of choice and it makes enough for 2 meals + some leftovers! I've made some modifications from the original recipe, here's my (better) version.  Lovely spooned over baked or mashed potatoes.

Tangy Cranberry Meatballs
400 degrees - 16 minutes

2lbs lean ground beef (or turkey, or a combination)
1 pkg stove top stuffing mix (I like the whole wheat)
1 cup water
2 large eggs

1 bottle (16 oz) barbecue sauce
2 cans whole berry cranberry sauce

In a large bowl, combine meat, stuffing mix, eggs and water.  Roll into 1-1/2" balls and place on foil-lined, greased (spray olive oil) cookie sheet.  You should have about 60 meatballs.  Bake at 400 degrees F for 16 minutes.

While meatballs are baking:
Combine in large pot or saucepan the cranberry sauce and bbq sauce over medium heat, stirring well to melt the cranberry jelly.  When meatballs are cooked, remove from oven and stir into sauce in pot.  Serve hot.

Saving a batch for later: (possibly my favorite part of this recipe)
Reserve half of the sauce and half of the meatballs before combining in sauce.  Put sauce in a quart freezer bag, lay flat.  Place cooled meatballs in gallon freezer bag with sauce bag on top.  To serve: Thaw sauce and meatballs then combine in pot.  Cook over low-medium heat until warm.  Serve.

Enchilada Lasagna

I just shared this recipe with a friend and as I pressed the SEND button it dawned on me that there are probably a lot of friends out there who would love a new recipe. This one is a favorite in our house. No rolling required! :)

Enchilada Lasagna
Preheat oven to 350F
Makes one 9x13 pan

1 19oz can Old El Paso Mild Enchilada Sauce
1 15oz can HyVee Mild Enchilada Sauce
1 10oz can Old El Paso Mild Green Chili Enchilada Sauce
(You'll have some sauce leftover, but they each taste different and blend to make it just right.
If you can't find these brands, just pick any 2 red and 1 green... it's a forgiving recipe!)
4 cups shredded cheese (cheddar or a cheddar blend)
36 +\- white corn tortillas, cut in half
1 lb ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
1 can black olives, sliced
1 can sweet corn (or frozen)
1 small can diced mild green chilies

Brown ground beef, using directions on taco seasoning packet (also yummy as plain cheese enchiladas).

Cut tortillas, slice olives, open & drain green chilies and corn. Use can opener key to open pour spouts in enchilada sauces. Open/prepare cheese.

Begin with a layer of enchilada sauce on bottom of pan, enough to coat the pan bottom (this will keep your tortillas from sticking).

Then the tortillas, with flat edges along outside of pan - arrange 3 along the sides, 1 on each end, and 3-4 down the middle.

Then 1/3 each of all other ingredients, and ~1 cup cheese. Another splash of sauce, tortillas, ingredients... repeat until pan is full - usually about 3 layers. Finish with a final layer of ingredients and cheese. Cover with foil, shiny side down, and bake for 30-40 minutes or until bubbly.

Serve with sour cream, chips & salsa. Enjoy!

It's so easy to double this recipe and make the whole thing assemly-line-style that I usually make 2 pans at a time and freeze generous portions in quart ziplock bags. They reheat beautifully!