Crock Pot Chinese

I know so many of you are like me and always on the lookout for ways to enjoy restaurant or take out favorites at home, easily and economically. Sure, we can all hit the drive thru or reach for the take-out menu, but if we can enjoy those same favorite dishes, while knowing exactly what goes into them; and easier on the wallet, why not??!!

And this time, I've got even more great news for you. This take out knock off is made even more simple with the addition of our favorite kitchen appliance,..the slow cooker! 

That's right, a little prep work in the morning before work, and you can come home to a delicious Asian inspired meal, mostly done. Fry up some rice and you've got dinner ready. Your family is going to love this one! It's full of flavor and tastes like something that would come out of one of those cute little white take-out boxes!

With the holiday rush just around the corner, we are all going to be relying on simple meals that can feed a crowd that don't break the bank; and don't keep us in the kitchen all day long. This fits all of those needs perfectly! 

Chinese food and the Crock Pot. Who knew they could be such a match made in heaven? If you never thought so, this recipe will make you a believer...and say "yum" at the same time!

Crock Pot Ginger Orange Beef From Midnight Baker

2 lb. round steak, cut into 1/4 inch slices

1 ( 8 oz.) can sliced water chestnuts

1 (11 oz.) can mandarin oranges, juice reserved

8 oz. white button mushrooms, sliced thick

1 small onion, thinly sliced

1 c. beef broth

1/3 c. soy sauce

2 TBS canola oil

1 tsp. ground ginger

2 TBS cornstarch

Sesame Seeds, for garnish

Salt and Pepper to taste

Fried Rice

4 c. cooked brown rice, chilled overnight

12 oz. bag frozen carrots and peas, thawed

2 eggs, beaten

2 TBS canola oil

Soy Sauce

Spray Crock Pot with nonstick spray. Heat 1 TBS canola oil in large skillet over high heat. Add beef slices, in batches if necessary, browning on all sides. Season with salt and pepper. Place beef in slow cooker. Heat other 1 TBS oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, onion and water chestnuts. Saute until onions begin to soften and mushrooms browned. Add soy sauce and scrape bits from bottom of pan. Place mushroom mixture over beef in slow cooker. Mix reserved mandarin orange juice and beef broth together in a small bowl. Add cornstarch. Whisk well until smooth. Pour into slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours. When almost ready to eat, heat 1 TBS oil in large skillet. Add eggs and scramble well. Remove from pan. Heat remaining TBS of oil and  add pre-cooked rice. Stir until starting to brown. Add thawed veggies and soy sauce to taste. Stir and cook until heated through. Add eggs back in. When ready to serve, place beef mixture over fried rice. Top with orange segments and sprinkle with sesame seeds. 

Shared on The Country Cook Nov. 14, 2014

Chinese at Very Good Recipes

Soul Food Saturday

You know the day that you're on turkey and stuffing overload, that you could use a break in the madness before Christmas? Well in comes the little eggplant. With butter, cheese, and bacon who can say no? This side dish idea goes perfect any grilled meat or fish. Grab a fork, and give this one a try.

Eggplant Ragu
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1 large eggplant, chopped
1 small onion, diced
4 strips bacon, diced
1 Anaheim chile, diced
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. granulated garlic
1/2 tsp. salt
1tbs. Olive oil
1 tbs. Butter

In a medium pan add oil and butter, then heat until butter has melted. Add onion, mushrooms and peppers. Add 1/4 tsp. of salt. Stir to combine. Cook until onion has softened and has began to turn clear. Add bacon. Stir to combine. Cook until bacon has began to render and then add eggplant. Along with garlic and 1/4 tsp. salt. Stir to combine. Cover and cook until eggplant is tender. Stirring often. To finish check for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Add 1/4 c of Parmesan to top. Enjoy!

Meal Plan Nov. 9-14

Sunday

Baked Breakfast Burritos*

Sliced Peaches

Toast

Monday

Cream of Vegetable Soup*

Rolls

Tuesday

Crock Pot Chicken Teriyaki*

Peanut Noodles

Wednesday

Olive Cheese Bread
Easy Caesar Salad

Thursday

Sloppy Potatoes
Cottage Cheese
Sliced Beets
Pickles

Friday
Spaghetti
Garlic Bread

Another Early One For The Masses

Here I go again. Breaking the rules. Uh oh...right? Wrong! They are my rules, so I guess I can break them if I want. See, I'm talking about the rule of thumb I have for the blog about being approximately two weeks "out" (as I like to call it) when I test recipes. Meaning, when I try something new, it is about 14 days usually before you see it on here. 

But a couple weeks ago when I shared a preview pic of my Cowboy Spaghetti Casserole, so many of you were begging for the recipe, I decided to share it early. Well, if I thought the masses were calling out for that one, it was nothing compared to when I shared a sneak peek picture of this one. Ya'll were coming out of the woodwork loving it, and pleading with me to share it early. Well, I can only take so much peer pressure before I cave, so here you go! 

You've heard me say it before, but for all the new readers out there, let me repeat myself one more time. Casseroles can be a busy mom's best friend! They are hearty meals that require little effort and/or planning, and are always a hit with the crowd. Plus, many times (like this one) they can be made with things from the pantry and on a very low budget. If you have a lot of mouths to feed, this one will fill them up and stretch a buck! 

I love all the extra protein you get in this one with the addition of beans. For me, that means I can use less red meat, and still fill satisfied after eating it. And satisfied we were! We all went back for seconds and ate until we were ready to burst.

I can't guarantee I will always be able to break the rules and share recipes earlier than I planned. After all, I did make those rules with myself for a reason; and I can't be a total rebel. But if there are times I can make your wish my command, I will certainly try! 

Southwest Casserole

From Taste of Home

1 lb. ground beef

1 lb. elbow macaroni

1 (15 oz.) can light red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste

2 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (4 oz.) can green chilies

1 tsp. chili powder

1 1/2 c. Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded

Salt and Pepper to taste

Chopped green onions for garnish

Preheat oven to 375. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish. Cook macaroni to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet brown beef until no longer pink. Drain if necessary. Season with onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir in tomatoes, beans, tomato paste, chilies, and chili powder. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Drain macaroni. Add to beef mixture. Stir well. Transfer to baking dish. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover, add cheese and cook 10 additional minutes until melted and bubbly. Allow to sit 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with green onions. 

Shared at The Country Cook Nov. 7, 2014

Disclaimer: As a Field Editor of Taste of Home, I share my own thoughts and opinions of this recipe. I am not a paid employee.

An Affordable Thanksgiving {Indiana Family of Farmers}

Back in the Spring when I agreed to team up with my good friends over at Indiana Family of Farmers for this incredible Affordability Series, I remember thinking "Wow, the last post is in November. That seems so long away." And wouldn't you know it, forever came very quickly! But in case you need to catch up, check out the first three posts below:

* Stretching Your Grocery Store Budget

* Affordable and Nutritious Options at The Grocery Store

* Out The Door and On The Go

So here we are, Thanksgiving in just 3 weeks, and it's time to look at how we can entertain on a budget. How we can enjoy our big family gatherings without breaking the bank. How we can delight in all of our favorite holiday table staples in an affordable, but still tasty way. So here are a few tips on doing just that, from me to you. Plus, the last tip...it just happens to come with a fantastic recipe too! 

1. Start Planning Early The best way to make sure you stay on budget for a holiday is to start brainstorming early...before most people around you are probably even thinking about the holiday. Start planning that menu so early people might think you're crazy; but you're not. You are the smart one. See, the earlier you plan, the earlier you can adjust it, change it, and finalize it. So what does that mean for your budget? It means you won't be at the mercy of the grocery stores. You won't be shopping at the last minute, having to pay whatever price they want, no matter how high, because you have to have it.

2. Use Sales To Stock Up This goes right along with #1. See, if you're planning early, then you can be watching sale ads and stock up on things you know you will need, long before you actually need them. Now of course, I'm talking about things that have a great shelf life, or can be frozen. (Please don't go buy celery in September and then send me hate mail because it's growing fuzz by November...ha ha.) If you use stuffing mix, some stores have it on sale at the end of summer for really cheap. Or maybe you enjoy Cool Whip on your pumpkin pie. That stuff goes on sale year round, and can last in the freezer forever. So once that menu is set, grab your rewards card and sale ads and figure out those things that can be bought ahead of time and still be yummy come the day of.

3. Don't Be Afraid Of "Off" Brands If you are a shopper who 99% of the time buys name brand products, holiday meal planning is a great time to step out of your comfort zone, if you're looking to stay on budget. Take it from me. The generic, or store brands, taste just as good as their more pricey counter parts. I use them in my every day cooking, and we notice absolutely no difference. For example, the name brand of canned pumpkin (the one most of us would recognize) can run you anywhere between $1.50-$2.00. However, at one of the discount stores I shop at, their brand is currently on "seasonal" special, and only $.89/can!!! That's like finding money!

4. Ask Others To Contribute If you are hosting a huge holiday gathering, there is absolutely nothing wrong with asking others to bring a dish to share. In fact, I am not the one who hosts our family for neither Thanksgiving or Christmas. We are at our parents' houses for both. And while I'm not responsible for the entire meal, I always take something; and the couple times I have hosted, I've others have always done the same for me. Taking the task and cost of the entire spread on yourself, is absolutely daunting, and expensive, so don't be afraid to say to your guests "What dish would you like to bring?"

5. Leftovers Isn't a Dirty Word Sure, we all make the joke about eating leftover turkey every day from Black Friday to Christmas Eve, but in reality, having things left over after a huge holiday meal really isn't that bad, especially if they are items that can be morphed into new, yummy dishes. After all, if you're going to spend the time and money making this huge meal, why not make it even more economical by lasting for meals to come. Remember, the freezer is your friend. Freeze some of those leftovers, until inspiration finds you for ways to use them. In fact, with a little planning ahead, you can even know what kinds of things you will have to work with after the guests have done home and the clean up has begun. Knowing what you're having for the holiday meal, you can easily figure out a few days' meals afterwards working with what's left; and not just the "main" things, but ingredients also...as you'll see below.

And that is exactly what inspired me to share this recipe with you today. I will tell you upfront, when I developed this recipe, I fully intended you to make it with leftover turkey, not chicken. But in  the spirit of affordability, I used chicken because it was what I had in the freezer already. Without a doubt, it would be just as delicious with Thanksgiving turkey!

Plus, it's filled with things you more than likely will have on hand for making all those traditional holiday dishes we love. Celery from stuffing. Cranberries and walnuts from stuffing or pies. You see where I am going. Using every last bit of every last thing you had to buy, and turning all of them into a tasty dish you can enjoy for lunch or a light supper days after the holiday is over.

The holidays and all the food that comes with them, are coming...fast! Be prepared to feed the masses, with these easy, money saving tips...and yummy recipe! 

Cran-Apple Chicken Salad

3 large boneless chicken breasts

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

1/2 c. dried cranberries

1/2 c. chopped walnuts

2 small apples, chopped

3 ribs celery, finely chopped

1 c. mayo

1 TBS lemon juice

Preheat oven to 375. Rub chicken with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place on a foil lined baking sheet. Roast for 45 minutes until juices run clear. Allow to slightly cool. Shred using two forks or a stand mixer. In a large bowl combine chicken, cranberries, walnuts, apples and celery. Mix well. In a small bowl whisk together mayo, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Pour over chicken. Stir very well. Chill until serving, or at least an hour. Serve on bread, croissants, rolls, etc. *NOTE* Leftover turkey would be a perfect substitute for the chicken! 

Shared at The Country Cook Nov. 7, 2014

Chicken at Very Good Recipes

Disclaimer: As an IFOF Ambassador for the  Affordable Food Tips For Your Family, From Our Family Series, I was compensated for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.