Thai Pork with Rice Noodles - Yummy!

We love pad thai, and while this is not an exact replica, it's a nice alternative to eating out. And even our two-year old liked it!

Thai Pork with Rice Noodles

2 pounds boneless pork, cut into 4 pieces
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
4 tablespoons rice or white wine vinegar
2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Noodles & Garnish
1 pkg rice noodles, cooked according to package
1/2 cup chopped green onions
4 tablespoons chopped dry-roasted peanuts
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 cup bean sprouts
lime wedges

Place pork and next 4 ingredients (through garlic) in slow cooker. Cover with lid, and cook on low setting for 8 hours. Remove pork from slow cooker, and coarsely chop. Add peanut butter to liquid in slow cooker; stir well. Stir in pork.

Add pork on top of noodles. Garnish as desired, and enjoy!

Sunday Pot Roast

This is one of Kevin's favorite meals.
It's a good thing, because I do not eat one bite.

Sunday Pot Roast

Ingredients:

1 pot roast, approx. 2-3 lbs. Trim fat off edges (Kevin violated this meat with a beef rub too)
8 red skinned potatoes, quartered
1 large onion, quartered
1/2 bag of baby carrots
1/4 c. Worcestershire
1 c. water
4 tsp. cooking oil
4 tsp. beef granules
1 tsp. basil
salt
pepper

In a large pot (or dutch oven), heat cooking oil. Add pot roast and brown on either side. Add water, beef granules, basil, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Add potatoes, onions and carrots to boiling mixture. Reduce heat to low, cover and let cook for 3-4 hours.

Please excuse Kevin's half eaten food in this picture.

I forgot to take the picture and I remembered half way through dinner.

Meal Rating: 5 out of 5 stars. Or at least that is what Kevin says...

Yummy Chicken Salad

Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

2 whole boneless skinless chicken breasts cooked and shredded (or 2 cans of Tyson all white meat chicken breast, drained, rinsed and shredded)
1 heaping tablespoon of Hellman's Mayo
3 tbsp. Honey Mustard
40-50 red seedless grapes, quartered
1/4 c. chopped walnuts

In a large bowl, mix shredded chicken breast, mayo, honey mustard, grapes and walnuts. Mix thoroughly. You may need to add a little more mayo depending on how moist you like the chicken salad. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over a bed of lettuce, on toast or on a bagel. To add a little more flavor, chop one apple right before you serve to mix in. The apples get brown very quickly, so only add them right before you serve.

Meal Rating: 5 out of 5 stars. This is a staple for our house. We never get tired of this chicken salad.

Crock Pot Lasagna

This recipe is courtesy of Bob Evans:

Crock Pot Lasagna

Ingredients:
1/2 lb. Bob Evans Sausage
1/2 lb. lean hamburger
2-24 oz jars of pasta sauce (I used Prego)
12 oz. Ricotta cheese (I substituted 2 c. Provolone)
2 cups Mozzarella
1 cup uncooked lasagna noodles broken into small pieces
1 tsp. parsley

Brown sausage and hamburger in a large skillet. Spray crock pot with non stick cooking spray. In a large crock pot, mix pasta sauce, sausage, hamburger, ricotta (or Provolone), 1 c. of the mozzarella, parsley and uncooked noodles. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or until pasta is tender. 5 minutes before serving, sprinkle the remaining 1 c. mozzarella on top and cover.

Meal rating: 4 out of 5. Kevin really liked it, but it's a bit meaty for my liking. If you like meaty lasagna, than you should be happy with the outcome.

Buckeye Bars

As you can tell, we like peanut butter. I fell in love, that's right-L.O.V.E-with this recipe. Thanks to Kim Seifert for sharing!

Buckeye Bars

Ingredients:
1 stick of butter-softened
3/4 c. crunchy peanut butter
22 crushed Nilla Wafers
2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 small tub of frozen cool whip (do not thaw)
3 squares of Baker's Semi Sweet Chocolate Bars

Line a 9x9 pan with foil. Leave the foil hanging over the edges for easy removal from the pan. In a large mixing bowl, use mixer to mix the softened butter and crunchy peanut butter until creamy. Add crushed Nilla Wafers. Mix well. Slowly add the powdered sugar. Press mixture into the foil lined pan. In a small microwavable safe bowl, microwave the frozen Cool Whip and 3 squares of chocolate on high for 1 minute 30 seconds. Stir well until chocolate is melted. Microwave for additional 20 seconds if needed until frosting is smooth and creamy. Spread evenly over the bars. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

I would have taken a picture of the entire pan, but this was all that was left...until I ate it!

Buckeyes

It's an Ohio tradition to make Buckeyes for the Holidays. They are smooth and creamy!

Buckeyes

Ingredients:
1 1/2 sticks of butter
1 c. Jif peanut butter
4 oz. cream cheese
6 c. powdered sugar
2 lbs. milk chocolate (I prefer Merkens or Ambrosia)

In a large bowl, mix softened butter and cream cheese. Mix on high until creamy. Add vanilla and peanut butter. Slowly add powdered sugar, mixing thoroughly. Roll into balls and place on a cookie sheet and place the balls into the freezer for 30 minutes. Melt chocolate in the microwave stirring every 30 seconds to prevent burning. Use a toothpick to dip the balls into the chocolate leaving just the tops uncovered. Place them back on the same cookie sheet and chill in the refrigerator until they are set.

This recipe makes approximately 80 buckeyes about the size of a large gumball.

Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Monday is our Christmas Cookie Exchange at work. I wanted to make something different and these are great. They taste like chewy brownies.

Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:
2 1/2 sticks of butter
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. cocoa
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
white sugar for garnish

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla, mix until smooth. In a small bowl, mix flour, cocoa and baking soda. Add slowly to the butter mixture. Mix well. Chill dough in the refrigerator for 2 hours or until firm. Roll dough into balls and roll the balls in sugar. Bake for 10-12 minutes @ 350 degrees.

These cookies freeze well for up to 1 month.

Holiday Fudge-Yum!

This is the easiest fudge recipe. It melts in your mouth!

Holiday Fudge

Ingredients:
1 16oz. container of Marshmallow Fluff
5 c. sugar
2 cans of evaporated milk (5 oz. cans)
1/4 lb. butter
1 jar of fudge (16oz)
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
24 oz. milk chocolate chips (or 2 small bags)

Mix the first 4 ingredients together in a large saucepan. Stir over low heat until blended. Bring to a slow boil over medium heat. Be careful not to mistake the air bubbles for a boil. Boil slowly for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in chocolate chips and vanilla (and optional walnuts) until chocolate is melted. Pour into buttered 9x13 pan or 2 9x9 pans. Cool completely.

To make peanut butter fudge, simply substitute peanut butter chips and a heaping tablespoon of Jif for the chocolate chips.

This recipe makes approximately 5 lbs. of fudge.

Homemade Taco Salad Bowls

These homemade bowls are quick and easy.

Makes Mexi-night even more delicious!

Ingredients:

3 large tortilla shells
3 arms length pieces of foil
Pam cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Loosely ball foil into softball sized balls. On a large cookie sheet, spray the tops of the balls with Pam cooking spray. Center the tortillas over the foil balls and gently press down in the center to prevent them from rolling. Spray the tortillas with a light coating of Pam before placing in the over. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

Ideas for serving:

• Fill with lettuce, taco seasoned meat, cheese and ranch dressing for a delicious taco salad.
• While warm, lightly coat with melted butter, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Drizzle chocolate over the bowl and service with a scoop of ice cream. Drizzle extra cinnamon, sugar and chocolate on the ice cream and top with whipped cream and a cherry. Yum!
• Fill with steak, sauteed onions and peppers for a great steak bowl

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pie

This Thanksgiving, I decided to try and make homemade everything and pies were on that list. I am not a fan of pumpkin pie, but Kevin loves it. Oddly enough, these were the only items from scratch that I made. Who has the time, right?

Pumpkin Pie

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 can (15 oz.) Pumpkin
1 can (12 fl. oz.) Evaporated Milk
1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell
Whipped cream (optional)

Mix sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Pour into pie shell. Bake in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving.

Again, I am not a person who likes Pumpkin Pie, but I can tell you that one pie went home with the in laws and the other has been eaten by Kevin. I have heard zero complaints. Maybe Kevin knows better...