Pizza Egg Rolls

The Recipe

egg roll wrappers

pepperoni, sliced

mozzarella string cheese

marinara or spaghetti sauce

Lay out an egg roll wrapper and place 4-5 pepperoni slices down the middle from corner to corner.  Place a string cheese on top of the pepperoni.  Fold in the corners and then roll the wrapper up.  We baked these at 375 for about 15 minutes, turning once.

Our Review

They weren't bad.  The kids liked them.

Slow Cooker Ground Beef Lasagna Soup

Review

1 lb. ground beef

1 onion, chopped

10 3/4 oz. tomato soup, canned, condensed

14.5 oz. tomatoes, canned, petite diced

15 oz. tomato sauce, canned

2 chicken bouillon cubes

2 beef bouillon cubes

4 c. water

1 1/2 tsp. oregano

1 1/2 tsp. basil

1 tsp. parsley

2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

8 oz. Ricotta Cheese

8 lasagna noodles, broken into small pieces - UNCOOKED

12 oz. Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Combine all ingredients except for ground beef and mozzarella and ricotta cheeses in the crock pot.  

Recipe said to add RAW ground beef over top, however I added cooked ground beef.

Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours (or high for 4-5 hours).  Half an hour before done, stir in the ricotta cheese.  Serve with the mozzarella cheese on top.

Our Review

This was pretty good.

Source

Pork Chops with Ginger Pear Sauce

Recipe

4 pork chops

salt

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp butter

1/3c minced shallots

2 Tbsp minced ginger (we used fresh)

1 large pear, peeled and diced

1.5c chicken stock

3 Tbsp cider vinegar

2 Tbsp honey

1/4 to 1/2 tsp minced fresh rosemary (we used dry)

fresh ground pepper

Salt the pork chops and let them sit at room temperature while preparing the other ingredients.  Heat the oil in a pan until shimmering.  Add the pork chops to the pan, without crowding, searing one side for 3-5 minutes and the other side for 2-3 minutes.  Then lower the heat and cook for about 15 minutes until cooked through.  Remove to a plate and cover to keep warm.

Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the oil from the pan.  Add the butter, shallots, and ginger and toss to combine.  Cook for 1 minute, then add the chopped pear and toss to combine.  Cook for 1 minute and then add the chicken stock, vinegar and honey.  Bring to a rolling boil and continue boiling until the liquid is reduced by 2/3, about 4-6 minutes.  Turn off the heat and add the rosemary and pepper.  Add salt to taste and serve with the pork chops.

Our Review

Yummy!  We loved this one too.   We had issues with the pear mixture not reducing after about 8 minutes and we were hungry so we just ate it.  Still tasted great.  

Source

Homemade Hot Pockets

Recipe

Pizza crust dough 

Ham

Cheese

Pepperoni

Pizza sauce

Break off a ball of pizza dough about 2 inches in diameter.  Roll out pizza dough, fill with meat and cheese. Fold over, pinch sides to seal.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes.  

To freeze, let them cool completely and then freeze.  Reheat at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Our Review

I made the pizza dough from scratch and then made ham and cheese versions as well as pizza sauce, pepperoni, and cheese versions.  While they are good, they were still too dry.  The next time I make these, I will add more sauce to the pizza versions, perhaps 3-5 tablespoons, and I will also look at adding something moist to the ham and cheese versions, although I haven't decided what would be the best thing to add.

Source

Navy Bean Soup

Recipe

1 lb dried navy beans, soaked overnight and then drained

1/4c bacon, chopped, cooked, and drained

1/2c onion, chopped

1/2c carrots, chopped

1/2c celery, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1lb ham bone or ham hocks (we used the leftover ham from our holiday dinner)

8c water

1/4tsp dried oregano

1/4tsp paprika

2 bay leaves

1 Tbsp parsley, chopped

In a slow cooker, add all ingredients.  Let cook for 8 hours.

Our Review

This recipe was longer and was not cooked in a slow cooker, I put it all in a slow cooker but can not remember if it was on low or high, I'm guessing low.  It was very good.  Next time I may add more bacon, but otherwise it was already good.

Source

Southern Green Beans

Ingredients

6 slices of bacon

3 Tsp butter

1 red onion

2 lb fresh green beans, trimmed and snapped

8 small new potatoes, diced

1 large clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup chicken broth

1 and 1/2 tsp white balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper

Cook bacon, and drain on paper towels.

Melt butter in a skillet with a lid over medium-low heat with onion, until onion is translucent.  Stir in the bacon, green beans, potatoes, garlic, and chicken broth.  Bring to a boil, cover and simmer over low heat until the green beans are tender (about 10 minutes.)  Sprinkle with vinegar, salt, and pepper.

Our Review

I'm not sure why I keep finding recipes that claim potatoes will cook quickly.  I ended up cooking it for over 20 minutes and even then, some potatoes weren't done.  Overall, it was good, it just needs to have much smaller potato pieces or to cook longer so they are finished.

Source

Stuffed Zucchini (Zucchini Boats)

Ingredients

4 medium zucchini

1 lb pound ground beef

1 lb Italian sausage

1 small onion, chopped

1/2 cup dried bread crumbs

1 egg, beaten

1 can crushed tomatoes (28 oz)

1 can condensed tomato soup (10.75 oz)

1 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease 13 x 9 baking dish.

Cut zucchini in half lengthwise.  Scoop out the seeds, chop and save about 3/4 of the seeds for the stuffing.  (Feed the rest to your chickens).  In a medium bowl, mix together the ground beef, sausage, onion, bread crumbs, egg, and zucchini seeds.  Place the mixture equally into all of the zucchini boats.  Mixture should be piled up over the top.  Place boats into the baking dish.

In a bowl, stir together the crushed tomatoes, tomato soup, and water.  Spoon the mixture over the zucchini boats, liberally.  Bake for about 45 minutes.

Our Review

There was a lot of liquid in the tray.  We used a cookie sheet, and it overflowed with the juices.  Besides that, it was pretty good.  I did use all of the zucchini seeds and used 5 zucchini's and there was still a lot of stuffing.  In the future I need to either use far less meat (maybe half a pound of each kind) or do 10 zucchini boats.  I also thought the tomato topping was good, but too washed out so next time I won't add the water.

All in all, we'll have it again.

Source

Slow Cooker Chili

Ingredients

2 pounds ground beef, cooked

2 cans (16 oz) kidney beans, rinsed and drained ****

2 cans (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can (8oz) tomato sauce

2 medium onions, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbs chili powder

2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

Garnishes (shredded cheese, corn bread, tortilla chips)

Add all of the ingredients, except for the garnishes, to a crockpot and cook on low for 8-10 hours.  

***I used almost 3 pounds of ground beef and half way through the cooking time I realized there was way too much beef and not enough beans.  I added a HUGE can of kidney beans and 4 more ounces of tomato sauce because I'd originally opened a 12 ounce can.

Our Review

I'm not sure why I make a face and shy away from making and eating chili.  This is the third time that I have made it, and each time I have eaten it and thought it was pretty darn good.  Apparently I have a mental block.  My only other review is that it definitely needed more beans, even if I hadn't used more beef.

Source

Grilled Marinated Flank Steak

Ingredients

1/3 C olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1/3 C soy sauce

1/4 C honey

1/2 Tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 pounds flank steak

kosher salt

ground black pepper

Mix the first six ingredients in a small bowl to create the marinade.  Pour the marinade into a dish or a plastic bag with the steak and seal.  Put in the fridge to marinate.

Our Review

This may be the best flank steak that I have ever had.  I marinated it for almost two days and then grilled it on the George Foreman grill because it was raining outside.  It was very good and I will definitely make it again.

Source

Rosemary Pork Chops

Ingredients

3 garlic cloves

2 Tsp coarsely chopped rosemary

3 Tbsp olive oil

4 bone-in pork chops (1/2 inch thick)

Preheat broiler.  Mince and mash garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt, then stir together with rosemary, oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.  Rub mixture all over chops.  Broil chops about 4 inches from heat, turning once, until cooked through (about 8 minutes.)  Let stand 5 minutes.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/printerfriendly/Rosemary-Pork-Chops-240946#ixzz2HEvGpOYw

Our Review

We weren't impressed.

Source

Grilled Brown Sugar Pork Chops

Ingredients

1/2 C brown sugar, firmly packed

1/2 C apple juice

4 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1/2 Tsp ground ginger

salt and pepper to taste

2 Tsp cornstarch

1/2 C water

6 boneless pork chops

Heat grill on high heat.

In saucepan, combine brown sugar, apple juice, oil, soy sauce, ginger, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil. Combine water and cornstarch in a small bowl and whisk into brown sugar mixture.  Stir until thick.  Brush grill lightly with oil before placing pork chops on.  Cook over hot coals for 10 to 12 minutes, turning once.  Brush with sauce lightly before removing chops from the grill.  Serve with remaining sauce.

Our Review

I forgot to keep notes on this one but if I remember correctly, I think we liked it.