Cream of Chicken Soup

Adapted from James Beard’s Fireside Cook Book, this homemade cream of chicken soup is gentle and soothing in its flavor, deeply comforting and satisfying.  While Nourished Kitchen adaptation includes more vegetables and more egg yolks than the original, you’ll find that either version provides that beautiful, filling nourishment that can even satisfy the soul on a chilly, rainy autumn afternoon.

Ingredients:

• 1 whole pasture-raised stewing chicken, about 3 to 4 pounds
• 1 leek
• 2 or three whole cloves
• 5 or 6 stalks of celery, including leaves
• 3 or 4 large carrots, including tops
• 1 medium yellow onion, including top
• 2 tablespoons butter 
• 6 egg pastured yolks, beaten
• 2 cups heavy cream
• unrefined sea salt, to taste (I added in some chicken bullion for added taste...need a bit for flavor -H)
• minced fresh chives or parsley, to serve
• I also added some potato starch to give it some thickness..was too soupy for my likes

Equipment:

• stockpot
• cast-iron skillet
• food processor

Method:

1. Rinse the chicken thoroughly and pat it dry before placing it in your stock pot, covering it completely with fresh, clean and very cold water (about one and one-half gallons).
2. Stud the leek with whole cloves, and place it in the stock pot along side the stewing chicken.  Add the celery leaves, onion top and carrot tops to the water.
3. Slowly simmer the clove-studded leek, celery leaves, onion top and carrot tops in the water, uncovered, until the chicken is completely cooked and tender to the bone, about two hours.
4. Once the chicken is tender, remove it from the the stockpot and allow it to cool.  Remove the bay leaves, celery leaves, onion top and carrot tops from the broth, straining it if necessary.  Discard the vegetable matter, but continue simmering the broth, uncovered, while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
5. As the chicken cools, prepare the vegetables by peeling and mincing the carrots and mincing the onion and celery stalks as well.
6. Melt the butter in a cast iron skillet until it foams, and toss the minced vegetables into the pan.  Fry the vegetables in butter until they become fragrant and tender, about five minutes.  Remove them from the heat and allow them to cool.
7. Once the chicken has cooled, remove its meat, saving the bones to roast for another round of stock.
8. Place the chicken meat and cooled vegetables into a food processor and pulse until they’re finely ground.  If you have no food processor, you can mince the chicken and vegetables finely.
9. Stir the vegetables and chicken meat back into the simmering broth and turn off the stove.
10. Temper the beaten eggs by stirring a spoonful of broth into the eggs, then pouring the mixture of eggs and broth into the simmering soup.
11. Gently stir two cups of heavy cream into the broth and serve, dressed with minced fresh herbs and seasoned with unrefined sea salt.

YIELD: one gallon soup to feed about eight people.

TIME: about two and a half hours.

VARIATION: If you are sensitive to dairy, consider replacing the butter with coconut oil and the heavy cream with coconut milk for an alternative.

From: http://nourishedkitchen.com/homemade-cream-of-chicken-soup/

OLIVE GARDEN® ZUPPA TOSCANA

This is a much requested recipe on the site given its name! Someone who used to work at the Olive Garden sent in the original recipe and I've adapted it to serve just 6-8. Try it since it is really yummy!

It is a very good soup and hits the spot on cold winter days. I've included this and a few other Olive Garden-inspired recipes on the site for all of our visitors that enjoy eating at the restaurant chain. In my opinion, making these recipes at home makes them even better than the ones you eat at the restaurant! :)

Makes: 6-8 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb ground Italian sausage  (I changed this to Hot Italian Sausage)
• 1½ tsp crushed red peppers (skip this step if you use Hot Italian Sausage)
• 1 large diced white onion
• 4 Tbsp bacon pieces
• 2 tsp garlic puree
• 10 cups water
• 5 cubes of chicken bouillon  (you can also make your own stock to use)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 lb sliced Russet potatoes, or about 3 large potatoes
• ¼ of a bunch of kale

1. Sauté Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in a large pot. Drain excess fat, refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.

2. In the same pan, sauté bacon, onions and garlic over low-medium heat for approximately 15 mins. or until the onions are soft.
3. Add chicken bouillon and water to the pot and heat until it starts to boil.

4. Add the sliced potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour.
5. Add the heavy cream and just cook until thoroughly heated.
6. Stir in the sausage and the kale, let all heat through and serve. Delicious!

Buon appetito!

http://www.tuscanrecipes.com/recipes/olive-garden-zuppa-toscana.html

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 cup sugar

1 3/4 cups rolled oats

1 egg, beaten

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

optional – 1 cup raisins or chopped nuts

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt.

3. Add softened butter to dry mixture and stir until mixture is crumbly.

4. Stir in egg, pumpkin, oats,  raisins or nuts, if you are using them.

5. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

6. Bake 15 minutes or until done.

from: http://www.justdoingmybest.com/index.php/2009/10/14/pumpkin-oatmeal-cookies/

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Cookie ingredients:

• 1 cup Jen's Gluten-Free Flour Mix
• 1/2 cup certified gluten-free oatmeal
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin spice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/4 cup soft butter
• 1/4 cup butter-flavored shortening
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 slightly beaten egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup pecans

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Combine gluten-free flour mix, gluten-free oatmeal, baking soda, pumpkin spice, salt and xanthan gum; and set aside.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, cream together butter and shortening; slowly add brown sugar and continue mixing until creamy.
3. Add egg and vanilla; stir until well combined.
4. Stir in dry ingredients in thirds, alternating with canned pumpkin, and ending with the flour mixture.
5. Fold in raisins and nuts.
6. Drop by tablespoons (use 2 or 3 tablespoons for larger pumpkin-shaped cookies that you plan to frost and decorate) unto a lightly greased cookie sheet; flatten slightly.
7. Bake in the center of the oven for 10 to 12 minutes (15 to 20 minutes for larger cookies).
8. Allow cookies to cool for a minute or two before removing from the pan.

Read more at Suite101: Gluten-Free Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies: Halloween, Christmas Cookies http://www.suite101.com/content/gluten-free-pumpkin-oatmeal-cookies-halloween-christmas-cookies-a285862#ixzz12SbT5z1R

Healthy Sour Cream Coffee Cake

3/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats, divided (not quick oats)
Cooking spray
1 cup all-purpose flour 
1/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour 
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar (though I'd like to keep this healthy, I'd bump this up next time - maybe double!)
1/3 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (8-ounce) carton light sour cream 
topping:
1/4 cup brown sugar
2.5 tablespoons finely chopped glazed or candied walnuts
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 
1 tablespoon chilled butter, cut into small pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Spread oats in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 6 minutes or until oats are barely fragrant and light brown.

3. Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray; set aside. (I don't have a springform so I used a 9 inch pie pan and lined the bottom with parchment paper and sprayed with cooking spray)

4. Reserve 1/4 cup oats; set aside. Place remaining oats in a food processor; process 4 seconds or until finely ground. Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine processed oats, flours, baking powder, baking soda, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and salt; stir with a whisk.

5. Place granulated sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, and 1/3 cup butter in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at medium speed for 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. (Batter will be slightly lumpy because of oats.) Spoon batter into prepared pan; spread evenly.

6. Combine remaining 1/4 cup oats, remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar, nuts, and cinnamon in a bowl. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until well blended. Sprinkle top of batter evenly with nut mixture. Bake at 350° for 38 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, top is golden, and cake begins to pull away from sides of pan. Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes; remove from pan.

Adapted from Cooking Light March '10

Pineapple Coffee Cake

Pineapple Coffee Cake

Dry Ingredients:1 cup quick or whole oats (not instant)
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup vegan sugar (I used demerara)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons Ener-G Egg Replacer
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients:
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon white or cider vinegar
1 cup crushed pineapple packed in pineapple juice, undrained
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

Topping:
2 tablespoons coarse sugar, such as demerara or raw sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly spray or wipe the bottom and sides of a 8 X 8-inch glass baking pan with oil or cooking spray. (You may use metal, but the baking time will vary.)

Put the oats into a blender and grind until they are fine. Stir a couple of times to make sure that they're uniformly ground.

Mix the oat flour with the other dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients and stir until moistened and completely combined, but don't over-mix. Pour into the prepared pan (batter will be thick). Mix together the sugar and cinnamon topping, and sprinkle it over the top.

Bake for 30-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes. Eat and celebrate!

Makes about 9 pieces. Each piece contains: 155 Calories (kcal); 1 g Total Fat; (4% calories from fat); 3 g Protein; 36 g Carbohydrate; 0 mg Cholesterol; 299 mg Sodium; 3 g Fiber.

Copyright 2006 Susan Voisin and Fatfree Vegan Kitchen
All rights reserved.
If you re-post this recipe, please give credit where it is due and post a link to this page.

Recipe courtesy of:Fatfree Vegan Kitchen

Coconut Flour Cake with Coconut Frosting

Dense, moist, and rich with coconut flavor, coconut flour cake is a remarkable treat. While both its texture and flavor is reminiscent of classic yellow cake, it’s considerably more nourishing thanks to the nutrient profile of both coconut flour and fresh pastured eggs. We serve coconut flour cake for birthdays and special occasions.

Coconut Flour Cake: Ingredients

1 dozen eggs
1 14-ounce can coconut milk
up to 3/4 cup honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
1/2 teaspoon orange extract
2 cups coconut flour, plus extra for greasing the pan
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon unrefined sea salt
coconut oil, for greasing the pan
1 recipe coconut frosting

Coconut Flour Cake: Method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Beat a dozen eggs, a 14-ounce can of full fat coconut milk and up to three-quarters of a cup of honey together with vanilla, coconut and orange extracts until smooth, creamy and uniform in both color and texture.

Dump two cups coconut flour, a half-teaspoon baking soda and a quarter teaspoon unrefined sea salt into the mixture of eggs, honey and extracts, and continue to beat until a smooth batter forms.

Grease and flour two eight-inch cake tins.

Pour, or spoon, the cake batter into the greased and floured tins, shaking them to even out the batter and smoothing it with the back of a spoon or with a rubber spatula.

Bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about forty minutes, or until the cake separates from the sides of the tin and a toothpick inserted into the cake’s center comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool completely before removing from the tin and frosting with the coconut frosting below.

YIELD: two eight-inch cakes

TIME: about five to ten minutes (active time), forty minutes (baking time), forty minutes to one hour (cooling time)

Coconut Frosting: Ingredients

2 cups non-hydrogenated palm shortening
1/2 cup virgin coconut oil
up to 1/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract

Coconut Frosting: Method

Beat all ingredients together until thoroughly combined.

Refrigerate the frosting for five to ten minutes so that it stiffens a bit.

Remove from the refrigerator, beat for about one minute.

Frost your cake.

YIELD: about two and a half cups frosting, or enough for an eight-inch, two-layer cake.

TIME: about ten to fifteen minutes

taken from: http://nourishedkitchen.com/coconut-flour-cake/

*my notes:  this was a very tasty, cake very moist and different...yum yum!

Curried Coconut Chicken

Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 50 Minutes
Ready In: 1 Hour 10 Minutes
Servings: 6
"Curried chicken simmered in coconut milk and tomatoes makes for a mouthwatering hint of the tropics! Goes great with rice and vegetables."
INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken
breasts, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 teaspoon salt and pepper, or to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons curry powder
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed, diced
tomatoes
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
3 tablespoons sugar

DIRECTIONS:
1. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper.

2. Heat oil and curry powder in a large skillet over medium-high heat for two minutes. Stir in onions and garlic, and cook 1 minute more. Add chicken, tossing lightly to coat with curry oil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in center and juices run clear.

3. Pour coconut milk, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and sugar into the pan, and stir to combine. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, approximately 30 to 40 minutes.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2010 Allrecipes.com Printed from Allrecipes.com 10/3/2010

Hoisin Glazed Salmon or Sea Bass

Prep Time: 5 minsTotal Time: 15 mins minServes: 4
Ingredients

4 salmon fillets or 4 sea bass
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon soya sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Directions
Mix together all ingredients except the fish.
Pat fish dry and coat with sauce.
Preheat barbeque or broiler and cook fish for 5 minutes on each side.

Taken from:  www.allrecipes.com

Greek Salad

Prep Time: 15 minsTotal Time: 15 mins minServes: 2 -4
Ingredients
200 g feta cheese
1 cucumbers
6 tomatoes
1 large red onions
4 stalks celery
black olives ( with pits)
1 lemons
olive oil
vinegar
pepper
Directions
Start by chopping up the cucumber, tomatoes, red onion and celery.
Make sure they are nice and chunky.
Throw in a large bowl, adding as many olives as you care for.
Roughly slice the feta cheese and mix that in too.
The dressing is roughly half olive oil, one quarter vinegar and one quarter lemon juice with pepper added to taste.
Mix up as much as you feel you need, pour over the salad and enjoy.

Taken from:  www.allrecipes.com

Sour Cream Vanilla Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 CUPS all-purpose flour
• 1/2 TEASPOON baking powder
• 1/4 TEASPOON baking soda
• 1/4 TEASPOON salt
• 2 LARGE eggs
• 1 CUP GRANULATED sugar
• 1/2 CUP (1 STICK) unsalted butter AT ROOM TEMPERATURE
• 1 1/2 TEASPOONS vanilla extract
• 1/2 CUP sour cream
• Frosting:javascript:void(0)
• 1/2 CUP (1 STICK) unsalted butter AT ROOM TEMPERATURE
• 3 CUPS powdered sugar
• 1 TEASPOON vanilla extract
• 3 TO 4 TABLESPOONS milk
• colored sprinkles OF YOUR CHOICE

How to make it
________________________________________
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Line 12 standard muffin cups with paper liners.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt onto a large piece of waxed paper.
• In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the eggs and sugar for about 2 minutes, or until light and creamy. Add the butter and vanilla and beat on low speed for about 1 minute, or until well blended. Beat in the dry ingredients on low speed until blended. Add the sour cream and beat until smooth and well blended.
• Fill each cup with about 2 tablespoons of the batter. Bake for about 23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean and the tops are firm. Let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool to room temperature.
• Meanwhile, make the frosting: In a large bowl, combine the butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Using the electric mixer on low speed, beat until the mixture begins to come together. Add enough milk, beating on low speed, to make a creamy consistency.
• Using a metal spatula, apply 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons frosting to each cupcake, forming tiny peaks while turning the cupcake. Garnish with sprinkles. Place on a pretty platter and serve.

CHOCOLATE MAYONNAISE CUPCAKES

Yield: 24 Servings

3 c Sifted flour
1 1/2 c Sugar
1/3 c Cocoa
2 1/4 ts Baking powder
1 1/4 ts Baking soda
1 1/2 c Mayonnaise
1 1/2 c Water
1 1/2 ts Vanilla

CHOCOLATE FROSTING
3 tb Butter or margarine
2 oz Semisweet chocolate
2 c Powdered sugar
1/8 ts Salt
2 tb Milk (or double this amt.) hot
1/2 ts Vanilla
Chopped nuts or nut halves (optional)

Resift flour with sugar, cocoa, baking powder and soda into bowl. Gradually stir in mayonnaise. Stir in water and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla. Fill 2 dozen greased or paper-lined muffin pans 1/2 full with batter. Bake at 350F 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pans 5 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on rack.
Meanwhile, to make frosting, melt butter and chocolate in top of double boiler over hot water. Sift powdered sugar with salt. Add chocolate mixture and blend. Beat in enough milk to make spreadable. Beat in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Use to frost cupcakes. Garnish tops with nuts, if desired.

Devon's Amazing Green Enchiladas...

* Filling: 1 can cream of chicken soup, 1/2 of a big can (28 oz = big can) of green enchilada sauce, 1 small can of diced green chilies, 1 or 1 1/2 cups of shredded colby jack cheese, about 2 cups of cooked chicken.
* Sauce topping: 1 can of cream of chicken soup, the other 1/2 of the big can of enchilada sauce, 1 small can of green chilies.
- Spread some of the sauce topping on the bottom of the pan. Then fill each tortilla w/ a 1/2 cup of filling (makes about 8-10), spread the rest of the sauce topping on top, then sprinkle another 1 cup of cheese on top. 350 for about 30-35 minutes. Bada-bing!


Beer bread - even easier...
* 2 1/2 cups of self-rising flour.
* 3 tb. sugar.
* 12 oz. beer.
- Mix it together, put it in a loaf pan, and 350 for 45 min. Boo ya :)

Sour Cream Chocolate Muffins

5 ounces Semisweet Chocolate

2 Baking Chocolate Squares
1/3 cup Butter or Margarine
3/4 cup Sour Cream
2/3 cup Brown Sugar - packed
1/4 cup Light Corn Syrup
1 Egg
2 teaspoons Vanilla
1 1/2 cups Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup Chocolate Chips - semi-sweet or milk

Mix semisweet chocolate, baking chocolate, and butter together, then melt carefully in microwave or over simmering water in double boiler. Allow to cool to lukewarm. Mix sour cream, sugar, corn syrup, egg and vanilla. Blend with melted chocolates. Blend flour, soda and salt, then add to the chocolate mixture and blend very well. Add the chocolate chips. Pour batter into 12 paper-lined or greased muffin tins. Bake in preheated 400 degree F oven for about 20 minutes. Remove from muffin tins and allow to cool on wire racks.

(When freezing, cool completely, then freeze in individual baggies, removing as much air as possible from each baggie before sealing.

Yield: 12 muffins

http://www.realfood4realpeople.com/oamcrecipes.html

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

• 5
  lb
  yukon gold potatoes
• 1 1⁄2
  c
  low-fat milk
• 2
  3-ounce packages garlic-flavor boursin spiced cheese (or Garlic Powder, butter)

Peel potatoes and cut into 2-inch chunks. Place in 5- to 6-quart pan.

Add water to cover, bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low. Simmer until the potatoes are very tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Drain and return potatoes to the pan.

Mash potatoes with a potato masher until light and dry. Stir in cheese and milk. Mash until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cool potatoes to room temperature. Divide potatoes into 8- to 9-inch oven safe casserole dishes. Cover with foil; freeze.

Reheat covered at 375 degrees, 40 minutes for thawed potatoes, 90 minutes straight from freezer.

http://organizedhome.com/recipes/freezer-cooking/garlic-mashed-potatoes

Bierrocks

Bierrocks - (Another winner from the Busycooks site.) - These pastry pockets filled with beef, cabbage, onions and cheese can go straight from the freezer to the oven. They're great served with a bowl of hot tomato soup.

2 c milk, lukewarm
1/4 c oil
2 eggs, beaten
2 pkg yeast
1/2 c sugar
1 t salt
6 c flour

2 lb ground beef
1/2 head cabbage, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
18 slices American cheese
1 egg, beaten (optional)
sesame seeds, to garnish (optional)

Mix together the lukewarm milk and oil in a large bowl. Add the eggs, yeast, sugar, salt and 5 cups of flour. Mix well and add remaining flour as necessary to to form a kneadable dough. Knead a few minutes. Cover bowl and let dough rise one hour in a warm place.

Meanwhile, brown beef in a large skillet. Do not drain. Add onion and cabbage and continue cooking until onion is soft. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let cool.

After dough has risen, roll out hunks of dough (about the size of a tennis ball) as thin as possible. Place 1/2 slice cheese on dough, top with some filling, then the other half slice of cheese. Fold over and seal like a turnover (moistening the edges with water may help seal them).

Place on a baking sheet, brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds (optional) and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until golden.

Serve immediately or cool and freeze. To reheat frozen, simply bake until hot. Yield: about 18 Bierrocks.

Kim's note: These are delicious, even for non cabbage lovers! The secret is the American cheese; do not substitute other cheeses, they just don't make it taste the same. This dough is rich and wonderful too. It would be great to use for "hot pockets" and calzones.

http://www.fractured.net/article/oamc-hamburger-plan.html

Italian Meatloaf

Italian Meatloaf - (crockpot) This is a wonderful and easy recipe! This keeps well in fridge or freezer. If making a lot, you can cook in the oven at 350 for 1 hour, but I enjoy doing this one in the crockpot. I do this one off of the top of my head, so I hope I get the ingredients right!
2 pounds of ground beef
1 egg
1 onion chopped
1/2 cup spaghetti sauce
1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1 tsp Italian seasoning (or sprinkle in some basil and oregano)
salt and pepper to taste (I think I use 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper)
2 tbsp spaghetti sauce
aluminum foil

Mix together first seven ingredients (everything BUT the 2 tbsp spaghetti sauce and the aluminum foil!)

Shape into a round loaf to fit into crockpot (or put in loaf pans if baking in the oven).

Take a long length(2 feet) of aluminum foil, folding in half lengthwise, so it is long and thin. Line the crockpot with the foil, making sure the foil sticks out of the crock pot on both sides (you will use this to lift the meatloaf out).

Place meatloaf in crockpot. Top with the remaining 2 tbsp of spaghetti sauce. Cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 2-3 hours. You can also bake this for 1 hour at 350 in the oven. (It is best slow cooked, but good any which way!)

http://www.fractured.net/article/oamc-hamburger-plan.html

Mexican Meatloaf

Mexican Meatloaf - This rich, flavorful meatloaf was another prize winner from the Miami Herald. (I got this from a link on Busycooks)
1 1/2 lb lean ground beef
1 1/2 lb bulk sausage
16 oz can Mexican-Style stewed tomatoes
8 oz canned green chopped chiles
2 eggs
3 tbsp + 2 tsp tapioca
1 1/2 tsp dried minced onions
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups salsa
1 cup shredded jack or Cheddar cheese

Mix all ingredients except salsa and cheese in a large bowl until well combined.

Divide in half and shape into loaves. Place each in a 9" x 4" loaf pan. Top each with 3/4 cup salsa.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. If the sausage makes a lot of grease drain it once or twice while cooking.

Top with cheese and return to oven until cheese melts.

http://www.fractured.net/article/oamc-hamburger-plan.html

Barbecue Eggplant with Couscous

Barbecue Eggplant with Couscous - Serves 2-3.
1 eggplant, sliced into 1/2" rounds.

Place in broiling pan. Brush each slice liberally with barbecue sauce. Cover every exposed area. Broil for approximately 5 minutes, then flip, brush other side with BBQ sauce; then broil another 5 minutes. Meanwhile, boil water for couscous (need box of couscous, make all). Add couscous. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Serve with salad. This is one of those quick meals. I eat this the night I cook.

http://www.fractured.net/article/oamc-vegetarian-plan.html

Simmering CHinese Chicken - (from the Online CookBook, by Dawn Wise)

1 (4 lb) chicken, cut apart (I used thighs and drums)
1 tbsp. oil
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp. catsup
1/4 cup sherry, apple juice or orange juice
1/2 to 3/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 green onion, sliced
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tbsp. water
2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Place the chicken in a 1 gallon freezer bag. In a bowl mix together the oil, water, soy sauce, sugar, catsup, sherry or juice, red peppers, garlic and onions.

Add the sauce to the chicken and seal the bag. Freeze.

To prepare, thaw the chicken overnight in the refrigerator. Place the chicken in a 3 qt. casserole and cover. Microwave on high for 5 minutes then, for 15 minutes on medium high.

Turn the chicken pieces and return to the microwave for 15 to 20 minutes on medium high. Remove the chicken to a platter.

Blend the cornstarch and the water and add to the remaining sauce. Microwave on high for 1 to 2 minutes or until thick. Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the chicken and serve the sauce on the side. Serve with hot cooked rice and steamed broccoli.

Note: This dish may be baked at 350°F for 1 hour, stirring once.

Kim's note: the marinade smelled INCREDIBLE when I made it, I think this one will be a winner.

Update: This was excellent! We decided that next time we make it we would debone the chicken and then throw it in. The marinade would be awesome in stir fries too. I cooked the chicken on a bed of uncooked rice in the oven and covered with foil for an hour. It was wonderful, the rice absorbed the sauce.

http://www.fractured.net/article/oamc-chicken-plan.html

HAM AND SCALLOPED POTATOES (from Betty Crocker's Cookbook)

4 cups peeled and sliced potatoes
3 Tbsp. margarine
3 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 1/2 c. milk
1/4 c. onion - finely chopped
2 c. chopped ham

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt margarine and add flour, salt and pepper all at once. Stirring to make base for white sauce, blend and stir until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in milk. Heat to boiling. Stir constantly and boil 1 minute.

In casserole dish, arrange 1/2 of potatoes in layer. Cover with chopped ham and onion. Top with remaining potatoes. Cover with white sauce. Cover.

Bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake60 minutes or longer until potatoes are tender. Cool and Freeze. (I tripled this recipe and divided it into 4 8x8 pans)