Crock Pot Chicken Parmesan ~ by Sarah

Why, hello, Richelderfers' Recipes!  Long time no post!  

Tonight I made something worthy of posting, so I want to make sure I can find the recipe again in the future.  I wanted to make something in crock pot, so after searching Pinterest for awhile, I found something that I thought everyone in the family would enjoy.  And we definitely did!  This was super good and super easy.

Here is the recipe and directions and then I'll give my tips:

Ingredients: 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 2 eggs, beaten 1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese 1/2 teaspoon oregano 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1 tablespoon olive oil 4 slices mozzarella cheese 24 oz jar marinara sauce
Directions: Pour olive oil in the bottom of the slow cooker. Place beaten egg in a shallow bowl. Mix bread crumbs, Parmesan, oregano, garlic powder, pepper, and salt in a second shallow bowl. Dip chicken breasts in egg and then in bread crumb mixture, coating both sides. Place breaded chicken in the crockpot and top each with a slice of mozzarella. Pour marinara sauce over chicken. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.

**My two cents:

• Four hours in the crock pot was too long because the chicken basically fell all apart and was a little shredded when I pulled it out.  I'm not sure how to remedy this.  Maybe less time?  I think next time I make it I will use the crumb recipe and then bake it in the oven and will add the sauce before serving.  (First I'll simmer the sauce to heat it up.)
• It's almost not enough sauce, so next time I'll probably use two jars.
• I served it all over spaghetti noodles and it made it even better!

P.S. I can't post a picture because I didn't take one and the website I got it from won't let me steal theirs.  Here's the link to the site if you want to see it: http://www.mostlyhomemademom.com/2013/07/crockpot-chicken-parmesan.html#_a5y_p=1050189

Parmesan Zucchini Crisps~by Kelsey

My new addiction.

Ingredients:
a couple zucchinis or yellow squash
about 1/3 cup bread crumbs
about 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
a little olive oil

Slice the zucchini/squash.  I make them pretty thin so they will cook quickly.  Put them in a bowl with a little olive oil to coat them.  Mix the bread crumbs and cheese.  Mix in to squash.  Line a cookie sheet with foil for easy clean-up.  Line the squash up on the sheet.  Sprinkle whatever crumbs are left in the bowl on top of the squash.  Bake at 350 degrees until cooked as desired.  You can also broil them if you cut them thin enough, or bake first, then end with a little broiling.

Cooked Corn~by Kelsey

Easy, different, and good.

Ingredients:
Bag of frozen corn (around 14-16 oz)
2 tablespoons of butter
Parmesan Cheese (around 1/3 cup)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Melt the butter in a sauce pan.  Add the frozen corn.  Stir and cook for about 6-7 minutes.  Add the seasonings.  Mix.  Add the cheese, stir to melt a little.  Serve warm.

Chicken and Cheese Lasagna Roll-Ups ~ by Sarah

This is a Pinterest recipe I came across, but I modified it some.  Very easy and very delicious!  I definitely recommend!

 
Ingredients:
3 cups chopped cooked chicken (I boiled three chicken breasts and chopped them up)
1/4 cup milk
1/8 teaspoon white pepper (I used black)
1 cup Ricotta cheese
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
8 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
2 cups marinara sauce (I think Barilla is the best...)

My additions:
fresh basil, chopped
mozzarella, shredded

Directions:
In medium bowl, combine chicken, cheeses, milk, and pepper. Spread 1/2 cup mixture on each lasagna noodle; roll jelly-roll fashion. In a 13x9-inch baking dish, spread 1 cup spaghetti sauce. Arrange lasagna rolls, seam-side down in sauce in baking dish. Top with remaining spaghetti sauce. Cover. Bake at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes or until hot.

My modifications:
I warmed up the marinara sauce in a pan and added the fresh basil and let it simmer for a few minutes to get the herb's flavors.

I also baked it (covered) for about 25 minutes, then took off the foil, added the mozzarella, then cooked it until the cheese was bubbly.

Not my picture and not the picture from the website where I got the recipe, but it looks very similar!

Penne With Chicken Thighs ~ by Sarah

I saw this on The Pioneer Woman's website the other day and wanted to try it because it looked quick, easy, and good!  It was delicious--who knew chicken thighs could be so tasty?!?

**Note...make sure you remember that you need to allow for 1 1/2 hours of baking time!

Click here for her step-by-step instructions with pictures all along the way: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/10/penne-with-chicken-thighs/

Ingredients

• 8 whole Chicken Thighs, Bone-in, Skin-on
• Salt And Pepper
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 whole Large Onion, Diced
• 4 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 2 jars (24 Ounces Each) Marinara Sauce
• Fresh Basil - To Taste
• Parmesan Cheese, For Sprinkling
• 16 ounces, weight Penne Or Rigatoni

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Sprinkle chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown chicken thighs quickly on both sides until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove to a separate plate.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon grease/oil. Add onions and garlic to pan and stir around to cook, about 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in marinara sauce and stir to heat. Add chicken thighs back into the sauce. Cover and place pan in the oven for 1 1/2 hours. (You may also simmer on the stovetop on the lowest heat possible.)

Cook the pasta according to package instructions Serve 1 chicken thigh with sauce over pasta, adding more marinara if needed. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve. (For smaller children, you can cut the meat off the bone for them. Chicken is very tender!)

(Pioneer Woman photo)

Lasagna ~ by Sarah

I have had this recipe for years.  I believe it is Aunt Elaine's that Mom got from her years ago.  I was really surprised when I got my Pioneer Woman cookbook and the same recipe was in there.  The only difference is that PW adds fresh herbs (totally worth it!) and hot breakfast sausage (also totally worth it!).  Grandma Shirley had this on Sunday night and she says it's the best lasagna she's ever had!

Ingredients:
1 T olive oil
salt
10 oz. lasagna noodles
1 lb. mozzarella cheese, grated
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 lb. hot breakfast sausage
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 14.5-oz. cans whole tomatoes (I cut them up with kitchen scissors before using them)
2 6-oz. cans tomato paste
freshly ground black pepper
10-12 fresh basil leaves
1/4 c. chopped flat-leaf parsley
3 c. low-fat cottage cheese
2 eggs, beaten
1 c. grated Parmesan cheese (she uses the finely grated stuff in a can, I always buy the shredded)

Directions:
In a large skillet over medium heat, saute the hamburger, sausage, and garlic until brown.  Drain excess fat.  Add the tomatoes with their juice, tomato paste, salt, and pepper.  Stir together well.  Simmer over low heat, uncovered, for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Chop basil and parsley.  Add half of them to the meat mixture.  (You can use dry herbs, but it's not as good!)

While meat is simmering, combine cottage cheese, eggs, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, and the other half of the herbs.  Also while the meat is simmering, boil the noodles according to package directions.

In a 13x9-inch pan, layer 4 lasagna noodles on the bottom, overlapping them slightly.  Spoon half the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles and spread it out evenly.  Sprinkle half the mozzarella cheese on top of the cottage cheese mixture.  Spoon just under half of the meat mixture on top of the cheese and spread evenly.  Repeat the process beginning with another layer of noodles, then cottage cheese mixture, mozzarella, then meat.  Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes--until bubbly.  Allow to stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

*Pioneer Woman picture. I forgot and it didn't last long!

Vegetable Lasagna (With Meat) ~ by Sarah

It's lasagna--without the carbs! I got most of this recipe from my ground beef cookbook, but I changed it quite a bit to more closely resemble the regular lasagna I make. You can add or subtract vegetables as you wish. My kids don't usually eat spinach, zucchini, or mushrooms, and they ate them in this. They had no clue they were in there! It was really, really good!

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 jar marinara sauce
1 can Italian stewed tomatoes
1 package sliced mushrooms
4 zucchini or 2 zucchini and 2 yellow squashes, sliced lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices
2 T flour
1 to 2 cups fresh spinach
2 T chopped fresh basil
16 oz. small curd cottage cheese
2 eggs, beaten
shredded mozzarella cheese  (I used reduced-fat and it was fine)
shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Brown ground beef and onion over medium-high heat.  Season as desired.  If you have Italian Seasoning, dump some in!  Drain.  Add marinara sauce, stewed tomatoes, and mushrooms.  Mix well (I used the spatula to chop the mushrooms into smaller pieces) and simmer over low heat for 10-15 minutes.

 While the meat is simmering, grease a baking dish and layer the bottom with zucchini and yellow squash.  Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon flour.

In a small bowl, combine cottage cheese with beaten eggs.  Add 1 tablespoon fresh basil.  Pour half of the mixture over the zucchini and squash and spread evenly.  Add a layer of half of the meat sauce, then another layer of zucchini and squash with 1 tablespoon flour.  Spread the second half of the cottage cheese mixture over that.  Sprinkle with as much spinach as desired.

Spread with the last of the meat mixture.  Add as much Parmesan and mozzarella cheese as desired.  Sprinkle with remaining basil.  Bake at 375 degrees about 40 minutes or until cheese is golden and bubbly.  Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

As you can see, it's pretty watery due to all the vegetables.  The flour is to help that, but the more veggies you use, the watery it will be.  It didn't bother us, though!  This is nice because it doesn't require a side dish.  I baked some garlic bread, but that was it!  A meal in one!

Salmon & Pasta Primavera ~ by D'Lynn

1 1/2 tsp Dill Weed
1 tsp Minced Garlic
1 tsp Minced Onion
1/2 tsp Coarse Ground Black Pepper
1/4 tsp Thyme Leaves
8 oz of Linguine Pasta
1 LB of cooked Salmon
4 1/2 Cups assorted cut-up, fresh, vegetables
1 Cup heavy Cream
3/4 Cup of Chicken Broth
1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese
2 TBSP Butter
1/2 tsp salt

Cook Salmon. I put a large fillet on a double layer of foil on the BBQ grill, usually 7 min/inch of Salmon thickness. I shut the grill off and let it sit a bit to cool. Then I flip it onto a plate, peel the fish skin off, and then cut the Salmon into chunks.

Cook pasta in a large saucepan as directed on the package, add the fresh vegetables the last 3-4 minutes of cooking. Drain Well.

While Pasta is cooking, add remaining ingredients, except cheese into a saucepan. Heat it slowly to boiling, stirring constantly to make sure cream doesn't scald. Once it reaches boiling, reduce to simmer and add the cheese, continue stirring so that it doesn't all stick to the bottom of the pan, about 5 minutes.

Add pasta and veggies to sauce and fold together until sauce is evenly distributed through the dish. Turn out into a pasta bowl or plate and add the salmon, mix this in evenly.

*I opted for fresh broccoli and marinated artichoke hearts, but carrots, peas, and red bell peppers are nice additives as well. You may also use 1lb of shrimp, scallops, etc. for the seafood portion of the meal.

Creamy Rosemary Potatoes ~ by Sarah

This is a Pioneer Woman recipe. Be careful, you're bound to gain a pound just from reading the ingredient list! They are very, very good, though!

Ingredients:
4 T. (1/2 stick) butter
1 c. half-and-half
5 or 6 medium russet potatoes, unpeeled, sliced thin
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 8-oz. package cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 to 1 t. salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 T minced rosemary leaves (The recipe actually calls for 2, but the rosemary flavor was almost overwhelming, so next time I'm going to half it.)
3 green onions, light green and medium green parts, thinly sliced
1 c. grated Parmesan cheese
3 T minced chives

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.  Rub the bottom of a 9x13-inch pan with softened butter.  (I just sprayed it with Pam, instead.)  Combine the half-and-half and the cream in a large measuring cup.  Using a mandolin or a very sharp knife, slice the potatoes very thinly.  Place the potatoes in a large bowl.  Drizzle with half of the half-and-half/cream mixture and set aside.

In a large skillet over medium-low heat, melt the butter.  Add the garlic and onion and cook until translucent, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes.  Cut the bar of cream cheese in half and add the halves to the skillet, stirring constantly.  Continue stirring until the mixture is smooth and combined, about 3 minutes.  Pour in the remaining half-and-half/cream mixture and stir to combine.  Add salt and pepper and stir.  Taste and adjust the seasonings as necessary.  (I also added seasoning salt.)  Do not undersalt!  Add the rosemary and green onions and stir to combine.

Finally, add 1/2 cup of the grated Parmesan cheese and stir to combine.  Pour the cream-soaked potatoes into the baking dish.  Pour the cream cheese mixture over the top.  Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup grated cheese over the top.

Bake for at least one hour, or until golden brown and bubbly.  Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes.  Sprinkle with the chives, then cut into squares to serve.  So yummy!  (So fattening!)

Ravioli ~ by Sarah

I'm not exactly sure where I came across this recipe, but for the last couple of years, it's been a favorite in our house.  It is SO fast and easy to prepare!

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef, browned
1 jar marinara sauce
18 oz. ravioli, cooked and drained (I used 4-cheese today, but I usually buy spinach and cheese to sneak more nutrients in!)
1 1/2 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
4 T. Parmesan cheese, shredded

Directions:
Mix meat and sauce in large bowl.  Add pasta and 1 cup mozzarella.  Mix.  Spoon into casserole dish.  Top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.  Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until bubbly.

 

 

Spicy Bean Soup ~ by Molly

This is a delicious recipe--but some of the ingredients are a little hard to find in The Dalles. I've used other kinds of beans when I couldn't find cannellini, and used other colors of lentils and it worked just fine.
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis (Food Network)

Prep Time:
20 min
Inactive Prep Time:
--
Cook Time:
45 min
Level:
Intermediate
Serves:
10 servings
Ingredients:
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 carrot, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper, optional
• 2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans diced tomatoes with juices
• 1 (11 1/2-ounce) can tomato juice
• 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 (3-inch) piece Parmesan cheese rind, optional
• 2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
• 8 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 2 (15 1/2-ounce) cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup dried green lentils
• 3 cups broccoli florets
• 2 zucchini, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch thick rounds
• 2 yellow crookneck squash, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch thick rounds
• 1/2 cup freshly shredded Parmesan
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

Directions:
Heat the oil in a heavy large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, celery, carrot, bell pepper, and garlic, and saute until the onions are translucent, about 15 minutes. Add the chili powder, coriander, cumin, oregano and crushed red pepper, and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes with their juices, tomato juice, tomato paste, cheese rind, and 2 teaspoons of salt. Add the broth, garbanzo beans, cannellini beans, and lentils. Stir in the broccoli, zucchini, and yellow squash. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Decrease the heat to medium. Simmer, uncovered, until the lentils are tender and the mixture thickens slightly, stirring often, about 20 minutes. Season the stew to taste with more salt, if desired.

Ladle the stew into bowls. Sprinkle with the shredded cheese and basil, and serve.