Crock Pot Chicken Parmesan

serves 4

1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
3 oz. tomato paste
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 Tb basil
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 c. breadcrumbs
1 Tb olive oil or avocado oil

Serve with cooked pasta



Slice chicken breasts in half lengthwise
Combine crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, salt, pepper, basil, garlic in the bottom of crock pot and mix well
Add chicken breasts on top of sauce
Cook on high 4 hours or 6 to 8 hours low
Remove chicken from slow cooker and stir sauce   Place chicken back on top of the sauce and top with cheese.
In small pan heat oil and add breadcrumbs with salt.  Cook crumbs in oil
To serve, scoop out a piece of chicken with some sauce undermeath and place on pasta.  Top with breadcrumbs. 

Crockpot Chicken and Noodles

serves 6

2 pounds chicken breasts - boneless, skinless
2 boxes cream of chicken soup (do NOT add water)
1 Tb dry parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sage (or poultry seasoning)
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 stick butter, sliced
3 1/2 c. chicken broth
8 oz. egg noodles, uncooked

Place chicken in bottom of crockpot and top with soup (no water added) and sprinkle with spices.  Add sliced butter on top and pour chicken broth over.
Cook low 5 to 6 hours, or high 3 to 4 hours
Remove chicken from pot and shred  with two forks.
Add shredded chicken back in pot along with dry egg noodles and stir.  Continue cooking 30 - 45 minutes on high. 

Crock Pot Chicken Teriyaki

4 servings

4 chicken breasts - boneless, skinless
1 onion
3 cloves garlic
1 Tb fresh ginger
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/3 c. honey
1/3 c. rice vinegar
1/4 c. scallions, sliced

Serve with rice

Place chicken in crock pot
Top chicken with onion, garlic, ginger
Add soy sauce, honey, vinegar, salt and pepper
Cook low 6 hours.
Shred chicken and serve with rice

Honey Garlic Crock Pot Thighs

4 skinless boneless thighs
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/2 c. ketsup
1/3 c. honey
3 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp. basil

Lay chicken in bottom of crock pot
Whisk remaining ingredients and pour over chicken.
Cook on low 6 hours

Crock Pot Balsamic Chicken

serves 6

1 Tb Avocado Oil
3 garlic cloves - minced
2 pounds chicken breasts - boneless, skinless
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 c. balsamic vinegar
1 large onion sliced
2 bell pepper sliced sliced
1 tsp Italian Seasoning


Grease sides and bottom of crock pot with oil, sprinkle minced garlic over it. 
Season chicken with salt and pepper
Add chicken to crock pot in single layer
Pour vinegar over chicken
Top with vegetables and Italian seasoning
Cover and cook high 3 to 4 hours or low 5 to y6 hours
Shred chicken and serve with rice

Pork Tenderloin with Pan Sauce

Ingredients:
1⁄2 cups olive oil
1⁄3 cup soy sauce
1⁄4 cup red wine vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon
1-2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1-2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 tsp dry mustard
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 1-lb. pork tenderloin (silver skin removed)

Directions:
Combine all marinade ingredients and reserve 2-3 Tbsp. Place the pork
tenderloin and marinade in a Ziplock bag and let marinate for 
at least 3-4 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a hot skillet over medium-high heat,
sear each side of tenderloin for 2-3 minutes. Place in the oven 
and cook for 30-40 minutes or until the meat has reached 160 degrees. 
Let rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing.

Pan Sauce:
Pan scrapings from pork tenderloin
1/2 cup of chicken broth
2-3 tbsp of pork marinade (thoroughly mixed)
1-2 tsp butter

Meanwhile, place the skillet back on the stove over medium heat.
Add the chicken broth and scrape up all the browned pieces from 
the bottom of the pan. Add the marinade and let it boil down for
2-3 minutes. Addthe butter and remove from heat stirring until
butter has melted. Pour over the pork tenderloin.

Source: Adapted from For The Love of Cooking

Raspberry Pie

Pie dough for double pie crust.  (See below)

Filling:
4 c. fresh raspberries.
1/3 c. cornstarch or arrowroot
1 c. sugar
(You can add juice of one lemon for more tartness but I find that the raspberries are tart enough.)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
If using frozen raspberries, let them thaw.  If you measure out the raspberries while they are frozen, you will need to measure 5 to 6 cups of frozen berries.  They condense down as they thaw.
Mix the thawed raspberries, sugar, and cornstarch.  Let them stand 15 minutes while you prepare the pie crust.
Place filling in pie crust.  Top with top crust.  Seal the edges.  Bake at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 30 minutes.

For a 9 inch pie plate I use the following:
3 c. flour
1 tsp salt
1 c. shortening
8 - 10 TB cold water
This will give you plenty for double pie crust and extra for cinnamon rolls.

If you are careful you can use the following amount for double pie crust or there is enough for a lattice top:
2 c. flour
3/4 tsp. salt
2/3 c. shortening
5 to 7 TB cold water.

Coconut Flour Breakfast Bars

2 eggs
1 banana
1/4 c. honey
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 c. coconut flour
1 c. unsweetened shredded coconut
4 Tb coconut milk
1/2 c. pecans

Whisk eggs.  Mash banana and add to egg. Add honey and vanilla. Stir.   Add coconut flour and combine.  Add coconut and coconut milk and combine until no lumps.  Place in greased 8 x 8 inch pan.  Sprinkle with chopped pecans.  Bake in 350 oven for 20 minutes.  Cool and cut into bars.

Coconut Flour Pumpkin Bars

15 oz. pumpkin puree (about 1 1/2 cups)
3/4 c. coconut flour
3/4 c. maple syrup (or honey)  I use less
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
3/4 tsp ginger
3/4 tsp baking soda
2 large eggs


Oven 350.  Grease 9 x 9 inch pan.  Combine all ingredients and stir until no lumps.  Bake 40 minutes.  Cool and cut into squares.  Refrigerate up to one week

Coconut Flour Pumpkin Muffins

1/2 c. coconut flour
4 eggs (room temperature)
1/4 c. softened butter, or coconut oil
6 Tb pumpkin puree (or squash or carrot puree)
2 Tb honey or maple syrup
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp. baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 10 muffin cups.  Stir together coconut flour and eggs until smooth.  Stir in Butter, then pumpkin and honey.  Mix in spices and vinegar and baking soda.  Bake 25 minutes.

Apricot Cherry Crumble

I just made this recipe and it was so delicious!  If you come visit me this time next year I will make some for you with the apricots in my backyard.

Apricot-Cherry Crumble  (Tori Ritchie)
Serves 6
 
Prep time: 20 minutes                        Bake time: 35 to 40 minutes
 
1-1/2 pounds firm-ripe apricots
1/2 pound sweet cherries
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons flour
 
topping
3/4 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup rolled oats
 
Preheat an oven to 375°F. Cut each apricot in half and discard the pit, then cut each half into 6 chunks. Cut cherries in half, pulling out the pits as you go. Put pitted apricots and cherries in a bowl and sprinkle with the granulated sugar and flour; stir in the almond extract and mix well. Set aside.
 
To make the topping, in a food processor, pulse the almonds and brown sugar until the almonds are finely chopped (if you don’t have a food processor, see note below). Add butter and pulse until just blended. Spread the apricot-cherry mixture into a 1-1/2 quart (6 cup) gratin dish or 7x9-inch baking dish. Scrape the almond mixture from the food processor into the bowl used for the fruit and stir in the oats, blending in any juices left behind in the bowl. Spread topping over fruit in baking dish.
 
Bake until fruit is bubbly and topping is golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes or so before serving warm or let cool to room temperature.
 
note: you can grind the brown sugar and almonds in a blender, but then transfer to a bowl and blend in the soft butter with a wooden spoon.

Cilantro Line Chicken with Corn and Black Beans

1 to 1-1/2 lb. chicken breasts
 juice of 2 limes
1 bunch fresh cilantro chopped
1 (16 oz) bag frozen corn
2 minced garlic cloves
1/2 red onion chopped
2 cans black beans, drained
1 tsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in gallon size freezer bag.  Mix together.  Freeze until ready to eat.  Thaw 24 hours in fridge.  Cook 6 to 8 hours on low in crock pot. Serve with tortillas or tortilla chips with sour cream, cheese, guacamole, salsa, etc.

Salsa Chicken Tacos

2 cans black beans, drained
2 cans corn, drained (or use frozen corn)
1 package taco seasoning (or use chili powder, garlic, onion, cumin to taste)
1 lb. chicken breasts
1 cup salsa
3/4 c. water

Throw everything into a gallon size freezer bag and give it a shake to mix.  Freeze until ready to eat.  Thaw in fridge 24 hours.  Cook 6 - 8 hours on low in crock pot.

Shred chicken and serve on tacos, nachos, or rice with favorite toppings.

Chicken Cacciatore (Freezer Meal)

1 lb. chicken breasts
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 zucchini, chopped (leave out if not in season)
1 green (or other colored) bell pepper, chopped
1 sweet onion chopped

Throw all ingredients in a gallon size freezer bag and give it a shake to mix.  Freeze until needed.  Thaw 24 hours in fridge.  Cook 6 - 8 hours on low in crock pot.  Serve with spaghetti noodles or other pasta.