Baked Ziti with Sausage and Peppers

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb Italian sausage, removed from its casing
2 onions, minced
1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp minced fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 oz ziti
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp peper
1 15-oz can tomato sauce
hot water, as needed
1 cup shredded mozzarella (4 oz)

Line slow cooker with aluminum foil color and coat with vegetable oil spray.  Heat oil in large pot over medium high heat until just smoking.  Brown sausage well, breaking up large pieces with wooden spoon, about 5 minutes.  Add onions, bell peppers, garlic, and oregano and cook 8-10 minutes. stir in tomatoes and heavy cream, scraping up any browned bits, and simmer until thickened slightly, about 5 minutes.  Stir in ziti, salt and peper.  Transfer ziti mixture to prepared sow cooker and spread tomato sauce evenly over pasta.  Cover and cook 3 hours on high. Remove foil colar.  Gently stir pasta, adding hot water as needed to loosen sauce consistency.  Sprinkle with mozzarella, cover and let sit until melted, about 5 minutes.

Creamy Pasta Salad

Salt

1 lb. elbow macaroni
½ small red onion, minced
1 rib celery, minced
¼ c. minced fresh parsley
2 Tbls. lemon juice
1 Tbls. Dijon mustard
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 ½ c. mayonnaise
Black pepper

Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Salt water and add elbow macaroni and cook until nearly tender. Drain in colander and rinse with cold water until cook, then drain briefly so that pasta remains moist. Transfer to large bowl.

Stir in onion, celery, parsley, lemon juice, mustard, garlic powder, and cayenne, and let sit until flavors are absorbed, about 2 minutes. Add mayonnaise and let sit until salad texture is no longer watery, 5 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
NOTES: Don’t drain the pasta too well before adding the other ingredients. A little extra moisture will keep the salad from drying out. If made ahead of time, stir in a little warm water to loosen the texture.
Can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days.

homey chicken stew

3 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
salt and pepper
 1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 onions, minced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 T tomato paste
2 tsp fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup white wie
4 cup chicke broth
3 medium red potatoes, scrubed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
4 carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 bay leaves
1 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

Season chicken wit salt and pepper. Heat 1 T oil in 12 inch skillet over medium high heat and brown the chicken lightly on both sides (5-8 minutes) and transfer to bowl - repeat with remaining chicken.  Heat 1 more T oil in skillet and add onions garlic, tomato paste, and thyme and cook until onions are softened and lghtly browned - 8-10 minutes.  Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in wine, scraping up any browned bits.  Whisk in 1 cupbroth, smoothing out any lumps; transfer to slow cooker. Microwave potatoes and carrots with remaining 1 T oil in covered bowl for 5 minutes and transfer to slow cooker. Stir remaining 3 cups broth and bay leaves intoslow cooker. Nestle browned chicke with any accumulated juice into slow cooker.  Cover and cook until chicken is tender, 4-6 hours on low.  Transfer chicken to cutting bowl, cool sightly, then shred into bite sized pieces.  Discard bay leaves.  Stir shredded chicken and peas into the stew and let sit for 5 minutes.  Stir in parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.

loaded baked potato soup for crockpot.

8 slices bacon, chopped
1 onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1.5 tsp fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried
2 T all purpose flour
4 cups chicken broth
3 lb russet potatoes (about 6 medium), peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese ( 2 cups), plus extra for serving
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper
3 scallions, sliced thin

Cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp, 5-7 minutes.  Transfer to paper towel-lined plate and refrigerate until serving. Pour off all but 2 T bacon fat. Add onion, garlic, and thyme to ksilled and cook over medium high heat until onion is softened and lightly browned - 8-10 minutes.  Stir in flour and cok 1 minute.  Slowly whick in 1 cup broth, scraping up any browned bits; transfer to slow cooker.  Stir remaining 3 cups broth and potatoes into slow cooker.  Cover and cook 6 hours on low. Transfer 2 cups of the potatoes to a bowl and mash smooth.  Stir cheddar into soup until melted, then stir in the cream and mashed potatoes. Reheat bacon in microwave.  Season sop to taste and serve with scallions, bacon and additional cheese.

shredded bbq chicken

2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp sweet paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
salt and pepper
1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
1.5 cups bbq sauce

Mix chili powder, paprika, cayenne, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper together, then rub mixture evenly over the chicken and transfer to slow cooker. Pour 1/2 cup bbq sauce over chicken and toss to coat.  Cover and cook on low, 4-6 hours.

Transfer chicken to bowl and shred into bite-size pieces and cover to keep warm.

Microwave remaining cup of bbq sauce unti hot.  Toss shredded chicken with hot bbq sauce and 1 cup of the braising liquid; add more liquid as needed to keep meat moist.  Serve.

Italian Sunday Gravy

2 onions, minced
1 6-oz can tomato paste
12 garlic cloves, minced
2 T vegetable oil
2 T minced fresh oregano or 2 t dried
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1 28-oz can tomato sauce
1/2 cup dry red wine
1.5 lb bone in country style pork ribs, trimmed
1.5 lb flank steak salt and pepper
1 lb sweet Italian sausage
1 lb hot Italian sausage
3 T minced fresh basil

Microwave onions, tomato paste, garlic,oil, and oregano in bowl for 5 minutes and transfer to the slow cooker. Stir tomatoes, tomato sauce, and wine into slow cooker. Season pork and flank steak with salt and pepper and nestle into slow cooker along with sausages. Cover and cook until meat is tender, 9-11 hours on low or 5-7 hours on high. Transfer pork, steak, and sausages to cutting board, let cool slightly, then shred the pork and flank steak into bite size pieces; slice sausages in half crosswise. Stir shredded meat and sausages into sauce. Before serving, stir in basil and season to taste.

honey mustard drumsticks.

2 T brown sugar
1.5 tsp garlic powder
1.5 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dry mustard
salt and pepper
4 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken drumsticks, trimmed
3/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup honey

Mix brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, dry mustard, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper together, then rub mixture evently over chicken and transfer to slow cooker.  Mix Dijon and honey in a bowl.  Pour 1/2 cup of the mixture over the chicken and toss to coat; reserve remaining mixture separately.  Cover and cook 4-6 hours on low.  Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees.  Place wire rack in aluminum foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and coat with vegetable oil spray.  Transfer chicken to prepared baking sheet; discard braising liquid.  Brush chicken with half of reserved Dijon mixture and broil until lightly charred and crisp, 10-15 minutes.  Flip chicken over, brush with remaining Dijon mixture, and continue to broil until lightly charred and crisp on second side, 10-15 minutes longer.

shredded chicken filling.

1 onion, minced
3 T chili powder
2 T vegetable oil
1 jalapeno chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 t ground coriander
2 t ground cumin
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1.5 t sugar
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
salt and pepper
1 T fresh lime juice

Microve the onion, chili powder, oil, jalapeno, garlic, coriander and cumin in bowl for 5 minutes; transfer to slow cooker.  Stir tomato sauce and sugar into slow cooker.  Season chicken with salt pepper, add to slow cooker, and coat evenly with sauce mixture.  Cover and cook 4-6 hours on low.  Transfer chicken to large bowl, let cool slightly, then shred into bite size pieces and cover to keep warm.  Let braising liquid settle for 5 minutes, then remove fat from surface.  Toss shredded chicken with 1 cup braising liquid, add more as needed to keep meat moist and flavorful.  Stir in lime juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month.

pork pot roast.

2 T vegetable oil
2 onions, minced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 T tomato paste
1 T minced fresh thyme or 1 t dried
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup white wine
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 lb carrots (about 6), peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
1 lb parnips,peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
2 (2.5-3 lb) boneless pork picnic shoulder roasts, trimmed and tied
salt and pepper
2 t white wine vinegar

Heat oil in 12 inch skillet over medium high heat until shimmering. Add onions, garlic, tomato paste, thyme and cook 8-10 minutes. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in wine, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out lumps; transfer to slow cooker. Stir tomatoes, carrots, and parsnips into slow cooker. Season roasts with salt and pepper and nestle into slow cooker. Cover and cook 9-10 hours on low or 5-7 on high. Transfer roasts to cutting board and let rest for 20 minutes. Stir vinegar into braising liquid and season to taste. Remove twine from roasts, slice into 1/2 inch thick slices. Spoon 1 cup sauce over the meat and serve with remaining sauce.

crockpot chili

2 lb ground meat
salt and pepper
3 T canola oil
2 onions, minced
1/4 cup chili powder
1/4 cup tomato paste
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 T ground cumin
1 t dried oregano
1/2 t red pepper flakes
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (28 oz) can tomato puree
2 (15 oz) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
3 T soy sauce
1 T brown sugar
2 t minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce

Season meat with salt and pepper.  Heat oil in 12 inch skilled over medium high heat.  Add onions, chili powder, tomato paste, garlic, cumin, oregano, red pepper flakes and cook 8-10 minutes.  Stir in meat and cook, breaking up large pieces, until no longer pink.  Stir in 1 cup tomato puree, scraping up any browned bits, and transfer to slow cooker.  Stir in remaining puree, diced tomatoes with juice, beans, soy sauce, sugar, chipotles into slow cooker.  Cover and cook 6-8 hours on low or 3-5 hours on high.

guacamole salad

Ina Garten recipe

Ingredients
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and 1/2-inch diced
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup small diced red onion
2 tablespoons minced jalapeno peppers, seeded (2 peppers)
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lime zest
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (2 limes)
1/4 cup good olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
2 ripe Hass avocados, seeded, peeled, and 1/2-inch diced

Directions
Place the tomatoes, yellow pepper, black beans, red onion, jalapeno peppers, and lime zest in a large bowl. Whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, salt, black pepper, garlic, and cayenne pepper and pour over the vegetables. Toss well. Just before you're ready to serve the salad, fold the avocados into the salad. Check the seasoning and serve at room temperature

moo shoo wraps.

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
4 green onions, thinly sliced
4 cups thinly sliced napa cabbage or coleslaw mix
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup hoisin sauce, plus extra for brushing
12 fajita-size flour tortillas

Slice reserved pork (from glazed pork tenderloins recipe), then cut crosswise into thin strips. Place in a bowl and set aside. Cut reserved snow peas and carrots into small pieces; add to pork. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add ginger and green onions, and cook 30 seconds. Stir in cabbage or coleslaw mix and broth, and cook 3 minutes. Stir in hoisin sauce, carrots, snow peas, and pork, and heat through. Warm tortillas in microwave. Brush tortillas with extra hoisin, spoon in pork and vegetables mixture, wrap and eat.

glazed pork tenderloins.

1/4 cup ketchup
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 package pork tenderloins, about 2 lbs (2 pieces)
1 tbsp butter 1 bag (1 lb baby carrots)
1/2 lb snow peas

Heat oven to 400 F. Line baking pan with foil. Combine ketchup, brown sugar, and soy sauce. Brush half on pork. In a skillet, heat butter over high heat. Add pork, and brown. Transfer pork to baking pan, brush with remaining glaze. Roast 35 minutes, or until 155 F. Cook carrots 7 minutes in boiling salted water. Add snow peas for the last 3 minutes. Wrap and refrigerate 1 tenderloin, and reserve half of veggies for another meal (moo shoo wraps).