Melting BBQ Ribs

These things literally melt off the bone… Good luck trying to eat them before they fall apart :)
And yes, I cooked them in the crock pot.

Honey BBQ Ribs

3lbs pork baby back ribs
salt and pepper
1/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon mustard
1/4 cup maple syrup (the real kind… not Aunt Jemima)
1/4 cup apple sauce (I use the cinnamon kind)
1 tablespoon hot sauce

1. Generously salt and pepper the ribs and lay them in the crock pot (I curled mine into a C shape around the edged with the meaty side on the outside.
2. mix all other ingredients together and pour on ribs, completely covering them
3. cook on low for 6-8 hours until meat is done (mine cooked for 7 hours and by then you could see the meat falling off the bone).
4. Remove from crock pot and let set for 5 minutes before eating.
5. Don't forget the napkins and baby wipes :)

*If you want more sauce to stick on the ribs, you can mix either 1/4 cup brown sugar or 1 tablespoon cornstarch into the sauce mixture before pouring it over the ribs*

(Open-Faced Roast) Beef (Sandwiches): It's what's for dinner.

This recipe works for just wanting to cook a beef roast…or if you want to dress it up as a southern favorite :) 

Ingredients: 
Beef roast (whatever size you think will fit in your crock pot)
1 container Campbell's Sweet Onion Soup
1 packet of brown gravy mix
1 packet of powdered ranch dressing mix
1 1/2 cups water
Salt and Pepper


1. Place beef roast in crock pot.
2. Generously season with salt and pepper. (Season to your own taste)
3. Pour onion soup over top of roast.
4. Mix gravy and ranch powders in bowl.
5. Whisk in 1 1/2 cups of water into gravy powder mixture.
6. Pour over roast in crock pot.
7. Lightly whisk gravy mix and onion soup around roast.
8. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. (I cook mine for 10 and the meat falls apart)
9. Serve on toasted bread topped with mashed potatoes.

Bourbon Chicken...without the bourbon

All you need is:

1 cup pineapple juice

1/2 cup soy sauce

1 cup brown sugar

1 lb chicken

Mix all ingredients together in a crock pot for 6-8 hours on low or 2-3 hours on high. Or stove top it and its ready in about 30 minutes :)

Stove top directions:

1. Turn skillet on medium high heat

2. Place chicken in skillet (maybe with a teaspoon of oil so it doesn't stick)

3. After 2 minutes, flip chicken.

4. After another 2 minutes, add other ingredients.

5. Let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes on medium low.

Crockpot BBQ chicken

Ok...so I'm not a big fan of BBQ, but I promise this chicken was delicious :)

What you need:
1 can cherry coke
1 bottle BBQ sauce (I love sweet bubba rays, and garland's)
1 lb chicken breast

What to do:
Mix all together in crockpot and cook
A. High for 2-3 hours
B. low for 5-6 hours

I cooked potatoes, corn, and green beans with ours tonight. I wanted to shred some and make sandwiches it was so good...but Nathan didn't leave any leftovers lol

Easy Peasy Shrimp Scampie

Which of course...I don't eat shrimp. So Nathan is beyond thrilled that I am cooking this for him. (Figured I could since I'm on a fruit only diet today)

Shrimp Scampie

What you need:

1 lb raw shrimp (I found a bag that was peeled, de-tailed and de-veined for $5 at Kroger)

1 regular bottle Italian dressing

2 lemons

2 Tablespoons honey

1/2 cup melted butter

your favorite pasta (I made enough for 2 people to eat)

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon parsley

splash of balsamic vinaigrette 

1 teaspoon sugar

salt and pepper

Two ways to cook it though....

What to do for baking/ stove top cooking:

1. Mix 3/4 italian dressing, honey, and shrimp in a bag and let marinade for at least 1 hour.

2. Slice lemons and layer them on baking pan (save 1/4 of one lemon and set to side)

3. Remove shrimp from marinade and layer them on top of lemons in pan

4. Pour melted butter on top of shrimp in pan

5. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper on top and bake at 350* for about 10-15 minutes (or until shrimp is done)

6. While shrimp is in oven, boil and cook pasta.

7. While pasta is boiling, pour remaining italian dressing into separate pan on stove.

8. Add olive oil, parsley, vinaigrette, and sugar and bring to boil

9. Let boil for about 5 minutes

10. Drain pasta

11. Pour sauce into pasta and stir to coat the noodles and set to side

12. Remove shrimp from oven (when done cooking) and place on top of pasta

What to do for.....Crockpot!! (yes, you can believe it)

1. Mix italian dressing, parsley, 1/4 cup butter, vinaigrette, sugar, salt and pepper into crock pot

2. Add noodles

3. Add shrimp

4. Squeeze 1 1/2 lemons on top

5. Mix it all together

6. Slice the other 1/2 lemon and layer on top of all

7. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours (if cooking on high, stir every 30 to 45 minutes)

Enjoy :)

 

Homemade Cheese Manicotti

Better than any I have ever bought in restaurant or store

What you need:

1 small container ricotta cheese

4 oz cream cheese

1 small container pesto

1 cup italian blend shredded cheese

1 box manicotti noodles

1 jar alfredo sauce (or marinara sauce if you like it better)

What you do:

1. Boil you manicotti noodles until they are half way done or so (bendable without breaking but still firm)

2. In a bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, cream cheese, pesto, and most (hold out a small sprinkle handful) of shredded cheese

3. Pour some of the alfredo sauce in a cassarole dish (or in bottom of crockpot if going that route)

4. Drain noodles

5. Stuff noodles with cheese mixture and lay in alfredo sauce

6. Cover with remaining alfredo sauce and small sprinkle handful of shredded cheese from earlier

7. Bake in oven at 375* for 20-30 minutes (until top starts to brown)

     or cook in crock pot on low for 4-6 hours, or high for 1-2 hours until sides start to brown and sauce 

     is bubbly

Healthy options:

1. Forget the cream cheese, use skim milk ricotta cheese, and 1/2 cup shredded cheese (you wont taste a difference but it takes more to fill the noodles)

2. add veggies (I don't think I need to list them again lol)

3. marinara sauce instead of alfredo sauce (alfredo does taste better)

4. whole wheat noodles instead of regular ones

5. Forget the noodles all together and mix veggies and make a casserole (crockpot casserole) with the shredded cheeses, pesto and veggies (the pesto makes things taste unbelievably delicious)

It's Raining Meatballs!

Ok, it wasn't raining when I made them, but it did start later that night...and these are good for comfort food :)

What you need:

1. 1 lb ground meat

2. 1 egg

3. 1/4 cup milk

4. 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs

5. 1 teaspoon oregano

6. 1 teaspoon onion powder

7. 1 teaspoon garlic powder

8. salt and pepper to taste

What you do:

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl

2. Roll out 1 1/2 inch size balls and place on roaster pan (I like it better because the grease drains away)

3. Make a decision:

            A. bake in oven at 350* for 35-45 minutes (after finished, plate with marinara sauce)

            B. cook in crock pot with marinara sauce on low for 6 hours

Serve with pasta, broccoli and cheese, or eat on a sandwich. (These are great grilled too!)

*These are pretty healthy on their own, just watch what you serve them with and how much salt you add to them. Instead of beef you can use turkey too!*