Sloppy Joes

This recipe came from the pioneer woman...it is delish!
Ingredients
2 Tablespoons Butter
2-½ pounds Ground Beef
½ whole Large Onion, Diced
1 whole Large Green Bell Pepper, Diced
5 cloves Garlic, Minced
1-½ cup Ketchup
1 cup Water
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
2 teaspoons Chili Powder (more To Taste)
1 teaspoon Dry Mustard
½ teaspoons Red Pepper Flakes (more To Taste)
Worcestershire Sauce To Taste
2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste (optional)
Tabasco Sauce (optional; To Taste)
Salt To Taste
Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
Kaiser Rolls
Butter
Preparation Instructions
Add butter to a large skillet or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add ground beef and cook until brown. Drain most of the fat and discard.
Add onions, green pepper, and garlic. Cook for a few minutes, or until vegetables begin to get soft.
Add ketchup, brown sugar, chili pepper, dry mustard, and water. Stir to combine and simmer for 15 minutes, adding salt and pepper to taste. Also add tomato paste, Worcestershire, and Tabasco if desired. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
Spread rolls with butter and brown on a griddle or skillet. Spoon meat mixture over the rolls, topping with a slice of cheese if it makes your skirt fly up.

Summer Garden Vegetable Soup

Summer Garden Vegetable Soup
3 medium zucchini, chopped into bite-size pieces
4 medium tomatoes, chopped into bite-size pieces
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon dried basil (or 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped)
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, chopped
¼ cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk (can use fat-free or low-fat)
1 ½ cups frozen or fresh corn kernels
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the zucchini, basil, parsley and onion and saute, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes. Add the flour, salt and pepper and stir and cook for one minute. Gradually add the chicken broth, whisking or stirring constantly. Add the lemon juice; mix well. Bring the soup to a simmer, stirring to prevent sticking, and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the zucchini is tender but still has some bite to it (it will continue cooking for a few more minutes). Add the tomatoes, evaporated milk, and corn. Bring the soup to a boil and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the soup and simmer until the corn and zucchini are tender. Stir in the cheese just before serving.

Carmel Cobbler

This was delicious! Ryan brought this home last night from the Evans' house, and I about died...I had to get the recipe from Steph because it was delicious and not so nutritious....Ryan and I call it "death by dessert"....

Caramel Cobbler

3 sticks butter at room temp

2 1/4 cup quick oats

2 cups + 2 Tb flour

1 16 or 18 oz jar caramel sauce

1 1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 c chocolate chips

Mix butter and brown sugar together. Add the oats, 2 cups flour, salt and soda. In a greased 9x13 press half the dough mixture in the bottom of pan. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips on top. In a seperate bowl stir caramel sauce and 2 Tb flour together then pour on top of choco chips. Press remaining dough on top then put back in the oven for 20 more minutes.

Yummy served hot over ice cream!

Italian Chicken

This is one of my fav crock pot recipes. Not the healthiest, but sure is the yummiest!
2-3 Chicken Breast
1 block cream cheese
1 can cream of chicken
1 packet itallian seasoning
splash of milk

Throw chicken in crock pot, and mix all other ingredients in bowl then pour over chicken. Cook on low or high, about 6 hours or so. Serve over rice or potatoes.

Cowboy Burgers and Zuchinni Kabobs

This recipe is from picky palate. I would change a few things next time, like make 4 burgers instead of 2 large ones.

1 lb bacon

1 1lb ground beef
2 Tablespoons fresh minced garlic

2 Tablespoons worchestershire sauce

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

1/2 Cup shredded cheddar cheese plus 1/2 Cup for topping burgers

2 seeded onion rolls, split and toasted

4 Tablespoons mayonnaise

1 Cup shredded iceburg lettuce

4 slices tomato, 1/2 inch thick

4 baked onion rings

2-4 Tablespoons BBQ sauce (I used KC Masterpiece)

1. Preheat grill to medium high. Fry bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until browned and crisped. Drain and save drippings. In a large bowl combine the beef, garlic, worchestershire sauce, salt, pepper and cheddar cheese. Form into 2 large patties and grill for 4-5 minutes each side. During the last few minutes, add additional cheddar cheese to melt. Place mayonnaise onto both sides of split rolls and layer lettuce, tomato, burger, onion rings then BBQ sauce on bottom rolls. Place roll on top and serve!

2 LARGE Burgers

Bacon Ranch Zucchini Kebabs

1 large zucchini, sliced into 1/2 inch slices then quartered

1 large yellow squash, also quartered

pinches of kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper

1 1/2 Tablespoons of Bacon drippings

1/2 teaspoon dry Ranch seasoning

1. Place all quartered zucchini and yellow squash into a large bowl. Season with salt, pepper, bacon drippings and Ranch seasoning. Mix to combine then alternate zucchini and yellow squash quarters onto skewers, about 8 total. Place onto grill and grill about 2 minutes per side. Remove and serve.

8 skewers

Red beans and rice

Did miss her.......

So I've been all about the crock pot lately since it's 800 degrees in our house and I don't dare turn on the oven.

3 cans red beans

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

1 pkg Polska Kielbasa

1 small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic

1/2 green pepper, chopped

2 dashes Tabasco sauce

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp thyme

1 tsp dry mustard

1 Tb Worchestershire sauce

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp Cajun spice

(Drain most of the liquid off the beans) Also, you may substitue 1/2 tsp garlic salt for the garlic clove. Place all ingredients directly into the crockpot - Add 3/4 c water. Cook on low for 3-5 hours. I serve it with brown rice in an attempt to be healthy. Sometimes I buy the lowfat Polska Kielbasa too...of course it is not nearly as good!

This recipe came from Sisters Cafe

Mango Chicken & Rice

Rumbi Island Easy Mango Chicken and Rice
4-5 chicken breasts (boneless and skinless)

1 can corn, drained

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

3 cups mango salsa

Cumin to taste

Lemon Pepper to taste

Coconut Jasmine Rice

Put chicken breasts in crock pot. Add spices. Cover and cook chicken until tender. Shred chicken on a plate and return to crock pot. Save juices in separate bowl.

Add corn, beans and salsa. More salsa can be added to taste. If mixture seems dry, add some of reserved juices.

Serve over coconut jasmine rice for that Rumbi Island Grill taste (To make just buy jasmine rice and cook it with coconut milk in place of water) Garnish with cilantro or parsely, if desired.

*You could use regular salsa for a Mexican taste and serve over regular rice or tortilla chips.