Cafe Rio Shredded Chicken (used at Ben & Brook's Wedding)

 2 lbs chicken

1/2 small bottle of zesty Italian dressing (I used kraft)

2 cloves of garlic minced

1/2 TBS Chili Powder

1/2 TBS Cumin

1 pkg dry Ranch mix (3 TBS)

1/2 c water

Cook in crockpot on low 4-6 hours; shred and put back In sauce in crockpot; serve (or can simmer in juices for 30 min to an hour for more flavor).

Ashlyn Holt's Insta Pot Mac & cheese

 In insta pot add:

4 C. chicken broth

16 oz. pkg, uncooked macaroni or other pasta

2T. Butter

1 tsp hot sauce (opt.)

1 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp salt

Put lid on insta pot.  Cook on manual function high pressure for 5 minutes.  Do a quick release

Add 1/2- 1cup milk

Stir in2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup Shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 c parmesan cheese

or use equivalent of any kind of cheese.  Add cheese by handfuls, stirring in between until smooth and creamy.  Season to taste.  Enjoy.  Serves 8

Creamy Tomato Basil Zucchini Linguini

 6-8 servings

                           Use a peeler to thinly slice zucchini into “linguine” noodles.or buy bag of zucchini zoodles. Set aside in a bowl and mix with salt. Let sit for 20 minutes to draw moisture out of the noodles. Drain the zucchini with a clean dish cloth or paper towels.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add in chicken breast, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cook until no longer pink. Add in zucchini noodles, cherry tomatoes, and dried basil. Cook for an additional minute and remove from heat. Set aside in a bowl.

Heat olive oil for for the creamy sauce in the skillet. Add in garlic cloves and cook for about 30 seconds. Add in chicken broth to cool skillet, and reduce heat to low. (This step is important: if skillet is too hot, the Greek yogurt will curdle, so allow it to cool down before adding it in)

Add in Greek yogurt, Parmesan, and dried basil. Mix until well combined. Add in the chicken, zoodles, and tomato mixture. Mix together and then remove from heat.

Serve and garnish with fresh chopped basil, as desired.

• 3 T. olive oil
• 4-5 chicken breast, diced 
• 2 cup
  cherry tomatoes, halved or tomatoes cut up
• 2 teaspoon
  salt
• 2 teaspoon
  pepper
• 2 teaspoon
  garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon
  dried basil

• 6 zucchinis, peeled or  buy 2-3 pkg of zucchini zoodles
• 1 T.salt

Creamy Sauce

• 3 tablespoon
  olive oil
• 5-6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup
  chicken broth
• 2 cup Greek yogurt
• 2 cup
  Parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 teaspoon
  dried basil 
•  

Make ahead Mashed Potatoes

8-10 medium potatoes, peeled ind boiled til tender
1 c. sour cream
1-8oz. cream cheese softened
4 T. butter
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 c. parmeasan cheese
Beat the sour cream and creamed cheese together.  Add hot drained potatoes. beat until smooth.  Add butter, salt and pepper.  Dot with butter and sprinkle with cheese.  Refrigerate 2-3 days.  When ready to serve, bake at 350 for 25 minutes until golden.

meatballs

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1egg
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
1/4 c. bread crumbs
1 t. parsley flakes
2 T. finely chopped onions
1 clove garlic crushed
1 t. salt
1/2 t. oregano
1/2 t. sweet basil
1/8 t. pepper
Combine and shape into 18 meat balls.  Bake in oven at 400 for 18-22 minutes

Nicole's Pepper Steak Sandwiches

Sirloin tip roast ( I have used other cuts)
1 pkg of dry Italian Salad Dressing
1 cup water

Put in crock pot and cook all day.
1 hour before serving shred meat then add 1/2 jar of peperoncinis and liqud

Butter sub-buns, add slice of provolone or swiss cheese, put under broler until brown, add meat and enjoy.

Baked Macoroni and Cheese

9X13 pan, sprayed

In pan put 3 cups macaroni uncooked
6 T flour
2 1/4 t salt
3 C water
3 C milk  Combine then cut up butterr
6 T. butter

Cover and Bake 350 45 minutes.  Then add  3 cups of cheese and stir.    To make a smaller batch, use 2 c. macoroni, 4 T flour 1 3/4 t. salt, 2 c water, 2 c, milk and 4 T butter and 2 c. cheese

Italian Sausage & Bows

1 16 oz bowtie pasta (cooked & drained)
1 lb bulk Italian sausage (links)
1/2 c chopped onion
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (can add more for hotter flavor or less for more mild)
2 cans Italian stewed tomatoes (14 1/2 oz each)
1 1/2 c heavy whipping cream
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp basil
shredded parmesan cheese

Cook pasta. Cook sausage, onion, garlic, & red pepper flakes on medium heat 4-5 minutes. (meat no longer pink) Drain. Add other ingredients.  Boil over medium heat.  Simmer 6-8 minutes until thickened.  Stirring occasionally.  Drain pasta & toss in meat sauce.  Top with 1 cup parmesan cheese.  Serves 5

hamburger in gravy

 Cook In a crock pot or oven or stove top on low and slow for 5 hours:

Make into patties:

1 1/2 lb ground beef
1 egg
1 onion chopped fine
1/4 c. bread crumbs
1 garlic clove minced
1/4 t. pepper

Put patties into pot.  Add:
6 oz mushrooms
1 1/2 c. beef broth
1 T. Dijon mustard
1 T. Ketchup
2 T. Corn starch
1/2 t. salt.
 Cook slow for 5 hours.
 Serve with mash potatoes or rice. 

Nicole's pepper steak sandwiches

 In crock-pot put

1 Sirloin tip roast
1 pkt. Italian Dressing Mix-dry, sprinkle on top-dry
1 cup water

Cook all day.
1 1/2- 2  hour before eating- shred meat, then add 1/2 jar of pepper rings or peperoncini plus 1/2 jar of juice.  Cook 1 hour.

Take steak rolls, add provolone or swiss cheese and put under broiler until melted.  Spoon on meat and enjoy.

Fajita stuffed chicken breast

Add to a frying pan, 2 tsp oil, 1 chopped green, red, and yellow bell peppers, 1 red onion. 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper.  Saute till tender.  Put in bowl and add 4 oz cream cheese, 1/2 c. cheddar cheese, 1/2 . Monterrey jack cheese.  Stir together.
Take 3 chicken breast and slice in half to form a pocket.Then make a rub with 2 t. salt, 2 tsp. cumin, 2 tsp garlic salt, 2 tsp garlic powder.  and rub on both sides of chicken.  Then fill with mixture and fry in pan with a little oil for 5 minutes and turn and cook another 5 minutes until done.

Aunt Sherrie's Pizza Crust

make pizza crust.  Sprinkle pizza stone with corn meal.  Put dough on pizza stone and spray with olive oil.

Sherrie uses Classico pizza sauce.  Then add Italian seasoning fennel and garlic.
Then cover sauce with thin layer of cheese.  (Cover sauce).  Add pepperoni, sausage, veg. etc.  Cover lightly with cheese. Bake 450 for 15 minutes.

Crock Pot Funeral Potatoes

Crock pot funeral potatoes

2 small packages or 1 large package frozen potatoes
1 c. Sour cream
1/2 c. Chopped green onion (I used half this when I made them)
3 cans cream of chicken soup
1/4 c. Butter
2 c. Shredded cheese

Mix together, put in crock pot on low for 4 hours. Enjoy.

Yummy white sauce chicken for spagetthi or rice ( chicken stroganoff)

What You Need

2-3 chicken breasts
2 tbsp butter
1 packet  Italian salad dressing mix

1 box/ can  cream of chicken
8oz cream cheese


How To Make It

Cut up chicken and put in slower cooker with butter and dry Italian mix.  Cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2.  YES – that is all, do not put in the other ingredients yet.

About 45 minutes before time to eat mix in the cream of chicken and cream cheese.  Turn up to high and let it mix together.  Stir it and you are done!

You can serve it over  pasta and rice.

Turkey

Turkey
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
Sage (optional)
Pam (for inside of paper bag)
Orange and Parsley (for garnish)

Equipment: Mixing Bowl, Paper Grocery Bag (you can use a turkey bag for larger turkeys- you don't need to pam turkey bags), Stapler, Large Stainless Steel Bowl, Aluminum Foil, Hot pads, Oven, & Platter.

1. Thaw turkey several days in advance in the refrigerator. A 10-22 lb. turkey takes 2-3 days to defrost, larger turkeys take longer.
2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
3.Remove wrapper, giblets, and neck from inside cavity.
4. Wash turkey inside and out. Wash turkey in the sink that same way you would wash a baby.
5. Prepare spices and mix together in a bowl. Be generous with spices. A large handful (about 1/4 cup) of salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Many people like to add a little sage.
6. Rub spices inside & out.
7. Pam the inside of the paper bag. Make sure to saturate the bag with pam.
8. Place the turkey in the bag. Make sure that the breast of the turkey is facing towards the side of the bag without print on it.
9. Close the bag by folding the mouth and staple closed.  Cooking the turkey in the bag helps keep the moisture in the meat.
10. Place bagged turkey (with breast side down) in a large stainless steel bowl. The bowl helps keep the juices up around the turkey.
11. Cover securely with tin foil.
12. Roast the turkey for 30-45 minutes at 450*. The purpose is to  heat the bird thoroughly to eliminate the chances of salmonella poisoning.
13. Reduce the heat to 250* and roast the remainder of the time. A 10-12 lb bird roasts for 8-10 hrs. a 20 lbs turkey for 12 hrs. Longer cooking time at a lower temperature make for a more moist bird.
14. Remove from oven with enough time to debone and arrange on a platter. Garnish with parsley and an orange rose.

Cafe Rio

Café Rio Creamy Dressing:

1 pkg Ranch Dip Mix

1 1/3 Cups Sour Cream

3/4 Cup Mayo

1 Bunch Cilantro

4 Tbs Salsa Verde

2 Cloves Garlic

1/8 tsp Tabasco

Juice of 1 Lime

Blend in Blender

Pork Barbacoa

4-7 lbs Boneless pork roast

5- 8 oz cans tomato sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar

4 cups Dr. Pepper

3 tsp. Pressed Garlic Cloves (or garlic powder)

4 tsp. Cumin

2-4 Tbsp Molasses

Pepper (to taste)

Combine all ingredients in bowl and mix.

Put roast in crock pot and pour sauce over.  Cook on high 6-7 hours.  Shred meat, return to crock pot with sauce and cook on low 1 hour.

Tamara's Meatballs

1 can  Jellied Cranberry Sauce (16 oz.) Put on top and it melts during cooking
1 jar Chili Sauce (12 oz)
1 lg onion sliced
1 green pepper sliced
1 can pineapple chunks (20 oz)
35-50 meatballs
 Place in crock pot.  Heat on low for 3 hours.  Eat as appetizer or over rice or noodles. 

Hawaiian Haystacks

Cook Rice
Make a chicken gravy.  Mix 1 can of cream of  chicken, 1/2 c. chicken broth, 1 t. basil, 1 t. parsley  Add can of chicken or cooked chicken.

Put Rice and then gravy and then top with whatever you like:  tomatoes chopped, peppers, onions, peas, slivered almonds, pineapple, mandrin oranges, coconut, cheese, crasins, etc.  Enjoy.

Quick and easy sloppy Joes

1 pound hamburger 1/4 cup green pepper finely chopped 1/2 cup finely chopped celery ,1/2 cup finely chopped onion,  1 T. fl our, 1 cup catsup ,1/2 cup water, 1/2 can tomato soup, 1/2 t. salt ,1/8 t. pepper Brown meat, add vegetables. Cook until tender about 5 minutes. Stir in flour. Add rest of ingredients.Simmer a little bit .(10 minutes or whatever you want) Serve on hamburger buns.

Cheesy Ham and Potatoe Casserole

1 to 1-1/2 lbs cubed ham
8 red potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 small onion, diced
2 cups grated cheddar
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Directions:Layer in this order: 1/2 ham, 1/2 potatoes, 1/2 cheese, all the onion, rest of ham, rest of potatoes, rest of cheese, pour soup on top.Cook on low heat 7-8 hours.

Crock Pot: cook on low 3-4 hours