Vegetarian Stuffed Potatoes

This was one of the first vegetarian meals I started making for me and Kevin. I found this recipe at a recipe card kiosk in Giant. This one struck me right away because it seemed easy enough and you can make a whole meal out of it. Kevin likes the twice baked potato aspect. The kids like that I can tailor it for them (by making them mashed instead of back in the skin).

To make it easier to scoop out the potato, use a melon baller. The red-wine vinegar gives it a nice taste. If you have the cilantro, that adds something too...but don't drive yourself crazy over the cilantro.

4 (80z) baking potatoes, scrubbed

1 TBSP canola oil

1 cup chopped onion

1 tsp minced garlic (1 clove)

15.5 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed well

14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with juices (try to get no salt added)

1 TBSP red-wine vinegar

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (or more to taste) - optional (I don't use this because the kids don't like it)

1/4 tsp. ground pepper

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup (2 oz) shredded Cheddar cheese

1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional)

Pierce potatoes with a fork or knife and place in oven for one hour (at 350) or until soft. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat oil over medium heat and saute onion and garlic until soft. Stir in drained beans, tomatoes, vinegar and seasonings. Stir occasionally and gently cook until all ingredients are heated through. When potatoes are done, cut down the middle of each potato. Then using a melon baller, scoop out potato. Add potato to a bowl. Mash with sour cream. Then return potato to skins. Top each potato with filling. Then top each potato with shredded cheese. Cook in oven until cheese is melted. Enjoy!

Italian Beef Sandwiches

I made this for my daughter's christening. It was so easy and turned out to be a nice dish to serve afterwards.

1 Beef tip sirloin roast (4 1/2 pounds), cut in half

1 can (14 1/2 oz beef broth

1 can (12 oz.) beer or additional beef broth

1 cup water

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1 envelope onion soup mix

1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix

1 garlic clove, minced

1 1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil

10 Italian sandwich rolls (6 inches), split

Place roast in 5 qt. slow cooker. Combine the broth, beer or additional broth, water, vinegar, soup mix, salad dressing mix, garlic, oregano and basil; pour over roast. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or until meat is tender.

Remove roast. When cool enough to handle, shred meat, using two forks. Return to slow cooker and heat through. Using a slotted spoon, spoon shredded meat onto each roll. Serve juices as dipping sauce.

Edited Raspberry Pork Chops

My friend called me two weeks ago. She was trying to make the raspberry pork chops and she says:

"I went to put everything together and it said something about Worcestershire sauce...but there's no Worcestershire sauce in the recipe!"

Opps...

I've edited the recipe...finally! To include in the ingredients a dash of Worcestershire sauce...sorry!

Jackie's Crock Pot Ribs

My friend Jackie gave me this easy crock pot rib recipe. I make it often when we are in the mood for them. I like using the egg noodles to put the ribs on and the carrots (to sneak in some veggies).

1 package of boneless pork ribs (I've used in bone at times to give my dog, Signal a bone or two)

1-2 bottles of bbq sauce (any flavor, depending on how much you want to cover ribs...I use two)

1 chopped yellow onion

2-4 chopped carrots

1/2 package of egg noodles

Put first four ingredients in a crock pot, cook 6-8 hours. Cook egg noodles according to package directions. Serve ribs over noodles.

Easy Chicken Caccatorie

My mom gave me this crock pot recipe for easy chicken caccatorie. I make it alot for friends of mine that have just had a baby. However, I have heard that tomatoes can be bad for nursing moms (?). This was new to me...but anyway, here is the recipe.

1 package of chicken (tenders, breasts, whichever you'd like)

1 can of diced tomatoes (maybe two if you like alot)

TBS of oregano

1 chopped onion (if you want to cheat, use 2 TBS of Tastefully Simple Onion Onion)

TBS basil

Place everything in the crock pot, cook for 8 hours. Serve with rice and bag salad (if salad is desired). Enjoy!

Picture of Cannoli Cake

Here it is, swimming gummy bears and all...should have gotten a picture of the inside..but trust me, this was awesome!

Almond Feta Cheese - VEGAN recipe

I realized after I had posted the Veggie Wellington recipe that some of you may have been like "what the heck is almond feta cheese?" It's a vegan recipe I came across in Vegetarian times. I've made this quite alot. Especially when Merrick was lactose intolerant. Just FYI…I have only ONCE cooked this. I usually get to the puree stage and find it makes a GREAT spread. I just eat it that way. I would cut down on water a bit and add bit by bit (if needed) and you could even skip the cheesecloth part. Most times I’ve made this, I have not needed to do the cheesecloth bit…just sayin…makes making vegan cheese less intimidating when cheesecloth is taken away.

I think this was the first thing I made in my large food processor. Think it's time to make it again...

Almond Feta Cheese

1 cup of slivered blanched almonds

¼ cup lemon juice

3 TBS. Plus ¼ cup olive oil, divided

1 clove garlic, peeled

1 ¼ tsp salt (or less)

¼ cup cold water

1 TBS. Fresh thyme leaves (opt)

1 tsp. Fresh rosemary leaves (opt)

Place almonds in a medium bowl, and cover with 3 inches cold water. Let soak 24

hours. Drain soaking liquid, rinse almonds under cold running water, and drain

again. Puree almonds, lemon juice, 3 TBS oil, garlic, salt and water in food

processor 6 minutes, or until very smooth and creamy.

Place large strainer over bowl, and line with triple layer of cheese cloth. Spoon almond mixture into cheesecloth. Bring corners and sides of cloth together, and

twist around cheese, forming into orange-size ball and squeezing to help extract

moisture. Secure with rubber band or kitchen twine. Chill 12 hours, or overnight.

Discard excess liquid.

Preheat oven to 200 F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper, unwrap cheese

(it will be soft) and transfer from cheesecloth to prepared baking sheet. Flatten to

form 6-inch round about ¾ inch thick. Bake 40 minutes, or until top is slightly

firm. Cool, then chill.

Combine remaining ingredients in a small saucepan. Warm oil over medium-low

heat 2 minutes or until very hot but not simmering. Cool to room temperature.

Drizzle herb oil over cheese just before serving.