Caesar Wraps

Be still my beating heart.  Anything with caesar salad in it is like heaven for me, and this brought back lots of memories of a favorite college eatery.  I used to get these delicious Chicken Caesar Wraps for lunch, and they were sooooo yummy, with lots of flavor - and croutons to boot!  Can't go wrong with croutons - but in this wrap they add a nice crunch!  You can also serve this warm or cold, depending on the season.

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
1/2 cup of prepared Caesar  dressing (I suggest Brianna's Asiago Caesar)
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
1 TBS. lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
16 romaine leaves, washed and left in whole pieces
1 c. sliced roma tomatoes
sliced avocado (optional)
8 Whole Grain Tortillas
1 c. caesar salad croutons
additional caesar dressing & parmesan, if desired

1. Place chicken in a 3-4 quart slow cooker with 1 cup of water, cover and cook on low heat for about 5 hours.

2. Remove chicken from cooker using a slotted spoon and drain water.  Shred chicken, discarding any fat, and return to crock pot.
3. Add dressing, Parmesan cheese, parsley, lemon juice and pepper over the top.Stir until mixed evenly. Cover and cook on low for 1 hour.
4. To assemble, place out a tortilla or wrap and cover with 2 long leaves of lettuce, a few slices of tomato and avocado, and then spoon 1/4 cup chicken mixture onto each wrap.  Cover with additional dressing and cheese, if desired, top with croutons, and serve.

Lamb & Mango Slow Cooked Tagine

Sorry no picture! Ate this one too quickly....

1 large onion, sliced thinly
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup less-sodium beef broth
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds boneless leg of lamb, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 bay leaf
2 whole cloves
1/4 c. dried mangoes, chopped 

Spray slow cooker with cooking spray.  Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.  Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Remove bay leaf and whole cloves.

Serve over hot rice or couscous, topped slivered almonds and fresh parsley, along with a side of fresh warm pita or naan bread.

Slow Cooked Brown Sugar Pork Loin

4 lbs. boneless pork loin
1 1/3 c brown sugar
1.5 c. vegetable broth

2 clove garlic, halved

salt and pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Preparation:

Wash pork roast, trim excess fat, pat dry, and rub with garlic halves. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then prick the roast all over with a fork or skewer. In a cup or bowl, combine 1 cup of the brown sugar, the mustard, and vinegar. Rub all over the roast.  Pour vegetable broth in crock pot.  Place rubbed roast on top of broth, cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 9 hours. Pour off the excess juices and set aside for gravy.

Combine the remaining 1/3 cup brown sugar with cinnamon; Spread the mixture over the top of the roast. Cover and continue cooking on LOW for 1 hour longer.

Serves 6 to 8.

Cauliflower, Onion & Cheddar Soup

This soup is another crockpot wonder.  The only prep involved is chopping the vegetables! Perfect for a chilly day, and next time I'll serve it in a bread bowl!

(Picture to come)

1 large head cauliflower, chopped into florets
2 celery ribs
3 large carrots
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 small vidalia onion, finely chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 sweet red pepper, chopped
4 cups vegetable broth (you can substitute with chicken)
1/2 tsp. Worcestshire sauce
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 cups sharp cheddar, shredded
2 cups heavy whipping cream (you can substitute with half and half)

Shoulda' Won The Prize Slow Cooked Chili

In my most humble opinion...this chili SHOULD have won the annual trunk-or-treat/chili cook off last year.  Unfortunately because it did not, I have to believe that either A) the winner paid off the judges (highly likely), or B) the judges must not have tasted my chili.  I believe that this chili has all th components of good chili.  It has a major kick to it, it's chuck-full of hearty meat and beans, while still retaining a full flavor highlighted by tomatoes and a hint of sweetness that can be really hard to find in really spicy chili.

2 pounds ground beef, browned

1 packet dry ranch dressing powder

3 (15 ounce) cans pork & beans

1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1.5 large yellow onion, chopped
2 roasted jalapenos, chopped
6 cloves garlic
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 large tomato, finely chopped

1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

6 oz. fried-to-a-crisp bacon, chopped

2.5 C. beef broth

1/8 -1/4 C. chili powder

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons hot sauce

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon paprika 

1/2 lb dried kidney beans (soaked, rinsed, drained)

First, you need to soak (overnight), rinse and drain your kidney beans.  Once they are drained, place them in bottom or crock pot and turn on low.  Add all canned goods, beef broth, cilantro and spices.  Brown ground beef, (seasoned with dry ranch dressing powder, salt & pepper) pepper, tomato, onions, celery, jalapenos, garlic, and bacon in a large pot until cooked through.  Pour into crock pot. Cover, cook on low for at least 15 hours.  I cooked mine 8 hours one day and 10 hours the next, and it was fabulous - EVEN if the judges didn't think so (they obviously didn't have taste buds! booooooo!).

My own cowboy, carrying my chili to the competition.  He told me it's the best he's ever had, and he doesn't ever lie.

Dutch Oven Pork Chops 'n' Onions

Pork chops are hard to do right.  I hear about people's tough pork chops all the time in "the biz", but these ones are done right.  The trick, you ask??  Slow cook the pork chops at a low temperature, and make sure they are covered!  They can be done in your slow cooker, but I really prefer to bake them in my dutch oven, since slow cookers can sometime cook for too long and get a little dried out.  These are flavorful, and aside from baking time, they only take about 10 minutes to throw together.

5-6 pork chops, 1" thick
2 small sweet onions, thinly sliced
2 tsp. black pepper
1-2 tsp. Seasoned Salt
2 tsp. Mrs. Dash (or chicken pork rub) salt-free seasoning
2 tsp. paprika
2 TBS. olive oil
4-6 slices hickory smoked bacon (raw)

Mix paprika, Mrs. Dash, pepper and season salt together.  Cover bottom of dutch oven with olive oil, and place slices of one onion in oil.  Place on stove top on high.  Place 5-6 pork chops (about 1 inch thick) on top of onion.  Sprinkle both sides of pork chops generously with paprika, pepper and Mrs. Dash (about half of spice mixture).  Sear both sides of meat until browned.  Remove from heat.  Top with slices of other onion, and  sprinkle with remaining spice mixture.

Place bacon slices over onions.  Bake in covered dutch oven at 300 degrees for 1 hour and 25 minutes

Remove from oven and make gravy with the drippings (optional).  Serve with sweet potato souffle (recipe coming soon) and seared green vegetables.

Lucky Black Eyed Peas

I am not from the South, but I am in LOVE with the food and people of the South (I just listened to Paula Deen's It Ain't All About the Cookin' and her love affair with plantation cuisine on cd while working out...talk about conflict of interests!).  I've also always wanted to come up with a way to get those really soft, flavor-inflused slow-cooked beans, and THIS IS IT!

Yes, this recipe calls for 1 (washed) American dime, and Southern legend has it that whoever gets the dime on their plate, will have luck for an entire year! My husband has a problem with metal and the potential of damage to teeth, but I'm in favor of the good luck, so I put it in anyway (and maybe that's the secret to the really soft beans).

1 (1 lb.) package of dried black eyed peas
2 cups of white rice cooked
1 package of smoked sausage (I used a low-fat chicken sausage, but use what you want)
1/2 yellow onion
1 jalapeno, seeds/veins removed, finely minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
1 TBS. sugar
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. celery salt
1/4 tsp. turmeric
1/4 tsp. curry powder
1 U.S. Dime (washed)

Soak your peas overnight in cold water then drain. Dice your onion and cut your sausage into 1/2 inch pieces. Saute the onion and sausage for a few minutes. To a slow cooker add the sausage, onion, dime, and peas. Fill the water in the slow cooker until the water is level with the peas. Let cook on high for 5-6 hours or until the peas are soft to the bite. Follow the instructions for the rice. Serve the black eyed peas over the rice.

Serve with a side of pan-cooked carrots, onions and cabbage.

Ancho Chile Beef & Green Bean Stew

2 lbs. cubed stew beef, bite-sized

2 TBS. flour + 1 tsp. season salt

1 large sweet onion

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 large dried ancho chile, rehydrated in 1/2 c. water (water reserved) and chopped into thin strips

3 c. beef broth

1 can diced tomatoes, drained

12 oz. (about 3 cups) fresh or frozen green beans (NOT canned)

salt & pepper to taste

This was a cinch, and a fun twist on traditional crock pot stew.

Dip raw beef in flour/salt mixture.  Brown in a medium-high skillet with onion and garlic.  Throw into slow cooker, top with water, broth, chile strips and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours.  Add fresh green beans for the last 30 minutes of cooking.

Serve hot over rice.

Slow Cooked White Chicken Chili

What's better than warm, flavorful and hearty soup on a chilly evening?  Warm, flavorful and hearty soup that is made in a slow cooker!  Try this, it's amazing, simple and will warm your soul as much as it warms your tummy.

5 Frozen Chicken Breasts

1 lb. bag Great Northern Beans (soaked overnight, rinsed and drained)
2 cans (15 ounces each) of white corn, undrained
1/2 envelope taco seasoning (put the entire envelope in if you like it more salty)
1 (4 1/2 ounce) can of chopped green chilies
1 (10 3/4 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth
1/2 cup sour cream
chopped green onion
monterey jack cheese
cilantro

DIRECTIONS:
Place chicken in a 4 quart slow cooker.
Top with beans and corn.
In a medium bowl, combine taco seasoning, chiles, condensed soup, and chicken broth. Pour over top of ingredients in the crock pot.
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

Before serving, stir gently to break up chicken, then stir in the sour cream, cook for 30 minutes more.

Serve topped with cilantro, green onions and jack cheese, if desired.

Sweet Pork & Roasted Corn Green Enchiladas

*Yesterday's Winner from facebook comments: Laura Garn! Laura, email me your mailing info to heidisrecipes {at} hotmail {dot} com. Congrats!*

If you like Mexican food and potent flavor that will leave you drooling over the smell alone, this dish is for you. These enchiladas are sweet, spicy, and have an authentic Mexican flavor that is hard to find north of the border. With the aid of Tortillaland's fresh grilled corn tortillas, homegrown jalapenos, fresh-off-the grill corn, and some delicious Herdez salsa verde...this meal screams fresh and sassy and will not leave you disappointed.

These enchiladas are a mega-crowd pleaser. Make a family-size portion (1 8x8 pan) for dinner, and freeze the other family-size portion (another 8x8 pan) for another night. Or pack it all in one 9x13 pan to feed the masses.

one 3-4 lb. pork butt, prepared this way (or your favorite sweet & spicy pork recipe) - you'll have leftovers for tacos or salads, freeze or use for later in the week.
corn tortillas, cooked (I love Tortillaland)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 cups salsa verde (we like Herdez)
1 1/2 c. chicken broth
1 C. sour cream
1 can chopped green chilies
1 jalapeno, de-veined (optional for less heat), seeds removed, chopped fine
2 ears roasted corn, cut off cob (or use frozen, thawed and drained)
2 green onions, chopped
guacamole for garnish
2 cups monterrey jack or Mexican blend cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix half of your shredded pork (reserve the rest for another meal), salt, pepper, corn, green chilies, jalapeno and green onions.  Add 1 cup of cheese and stir to mix.

In separate bowl, mix sour cream, salsa verde and chicken broth.  Pour half of sauce mixture in bottom of well-greased pan.

Take corn tortillas, fill them with 1/3 cup o f fillling.  Roll tortilla tightly, placing in pan with seam side down.  Fit as many tortillas as you can in the pan.  Cover with remaining sauce.  Top with cheese.  Cover with foil.

Bake for 20 minutes, uncover and bake 15 minutes more or until cheese begins to crisp and bubble.  Serve with guacamole.

9x13 pan - makes at least 20.

To freeze, place tin foil in 8x8 pan before adding any ingredients. Grease well. Continue as directed above, do not top with shredded cheese. Remove from oven. Let cool in pan 20 minutes. Remove foil and let cool 20 more minutes. Cover completely with another layer of foil. Place in gallon sized freezer bag. Place in fridge to cool overnight. Place in freezer. Store up to 3 months. To re-heat - thaw overnight in fridge, or stick in oven for an extra 20 minutes or until heated through.

Pulled Pork & Sauteed Onion Sandwich by Guest Chef Daisha

This is such a simple and easy recipe that is sure to tickle your taste buds and fill your tummy. It's a huge hit in our home!

The Pork:
(adapted from sistersstuff.blogspot.com)
2 1/2-3 1/2 lbs. pork loin roast
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. powdered ginger
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. dried minced onion

Add all ingredients to a crock pot and cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low all day. Shred meat once done and let sit in the leftover sauce for about 10-15 minutes. Adjust sauce amount to fit the size of your roast. This makes quite a bit of meat and is great used in burritos and salads for left-overs, not to mention left over sandwiches.

The Onions:
Thinly slice 2-3 med onions and sauteed with 2 TBSP olive oil on med/low heat. Move them around in the pan often so they don't burn. They are done once soft, semi-transparent and golden brown.

The Bun:
Use any type of bun or roll you would like. I like to heat and/or toast my buns under the broiler or in the same pan the onions were cooked in. Spread a dab of mayo on your bun.

The Cheese:
Use a slice of Swiss or provolone per bun. Melt it on the bun in the micro or oven.

The Sandwich:
Once you have all your ingredients prepared build your sandwich from the bottom up . . . bun, cheese, pork, onions, bun. Time to eat!

Coke Ribs. Amazing. Easy.

No picture for this one, it got gobbled up too fast.  Great idea for your upcoming 4th of July celebrations.

Coke (this is one of those times you should use Coke brand.) - I used 2 cans
2 lbs. boneless pork ribs or pork roast cut into 1.5 inch cubes
1 c ketchup
1 c brown sugar
2 t. chili powder
4 t. worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper

Place pork cubes in crock pot and pour enough Coke in to cover them. Cook on low all day (about 8 hours). Using slotted spoon, transfer meat into baking dish. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over meat. Make sure meat is well coated. Cover and bake 25 minutes at 375 or until heated through.

Crock Pot White Chicken Chili

(modified from Recipe Zaar) Easy and delicious, just set it, forget it, and serve with some cheese and tortilla chips.

Ingredients

5 Frozen Chicken Breasts

1 lb. bag Great Northern Beans (soaked, rinsed and drained)
2 cans (15 ounces each) of white corn , undrained

1/2 envelope taco seasoning
1 (4 1/2 ounce) can of chopped green chilies
1 (10 3/4 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup

1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth

1/2 cup sour cream

chopped green onion (optional)

monterey jack cheese (optional)

Directions
Place chicken in a 4 quart slow cooker.

Top with beans and corn.

In a medium bowl, combine taco seasoning, chiles, condensed soup, and chicken broth. Pour over top of ingredients in the crock pot.

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

Before serving, stir gently to break up chicken, then stir in the sour cream.

Serve topped with green onions and jack cheese, if desired.

Indian Lamb & Spinach Curry

This was delightful (adapted from Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast: Slow Cooker).  And it didn't hurt that it was in the CROCK POT!!!  Set it and forget it, baby!

1/3 c. oil
2 vidalia onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 inch piece of ginger peeled and grated
2 tsp. cumin
1.5 tsp. cayenne pepper (more or less for heat, this was just right for us)
1.5 tsp. turmeric
2 c. beef broth
3 lbs. boneless leg of lamb, cut into 1 inch cubes
6 cups baby spinach
1 1/3 c. plain yogurt

In large frying pan over medium-high heat, saute onions and garlic in oil.  Stir in ginger, cumin, cayenne, and turmeric and stir until fragrant.  Pour in broth and deglaze pan by scraping browned bits on the bottom.  When broth comes to a boil, remove from heat.

Place lamb in slow cooker, sprinkle with 1 TBS (I used less) of salt.  Add contents of frying pan.  Cover and cook on high heat for 4 hours, or low heat for 8 hours.

Add baby spinach about 5-10 minutes before ready to serve and replace lid on crock pot until spinach wilts.  Just before serving, stir in yogurt.  Serve over rice with naan.

Candy's Mac 'n' Cheese

Have you ever had something so good, and yet so bad?  This is one of those things.  Courtesy of one of my favorite Southern belle's momma, Candy.  This stuff is so good you can't just have one bite.  But beware, don't try it if you're already got clogged arteries.  It's a great dish to serve plain, as a side, or just when you need some comfort food (all food is comfort food in my book).

10 oz. macaroni noodles, cooked and drained

1.5 cups milk

1 c. evaporated milk

2 eggs

1/2 stick margarine (recipe calls for a full stick, but completely unnecessary)

3 cups sharp cheddar cheese, divided

salt & pepper to taste

Mix milks, eggs, melted margarine, s&p, and 2 cups of shredded cheddar until well blended.  Layer half noodles in greased crock pot, cover w/ half of remaining cheddar, and repeat.  Pour milk mixture on top and cook in crock pot on low for 3-4 hours.

Cheddar Cheese Fondue

2 cans cheddar cheese soup
1 8oz. block of velveeta (or any other brand of block processed cheese), cut in cubes
1 Tbs. worcestshire sauce
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 TBS. dried snipped chives (optional)
2 cups extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Mix all ingredients EXCEPT shredded cheddar in greased crock pot, heat on low for 2 hours. One hour before serving, add shredded cheddar, stir until incorporated, and keep on low until time to serve. Serve with cubed bread, roasted baby potatoes, blanched broccoli, cubed cooked chicken, or whatever other crudites you like!

Cafe Rio Pork - Another Version

*FYI - These have a bit more spice/kick to them than the authentic cafe rio pork.

3-4 lb. pork roast (I used the Boston Boneless Shoulder Blade)
1 20 oz. bottle Dr. Pepper
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
7 oz. can chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 tsp prepared mustard
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Place roast in crock-pot, cover half-way with water and cook on low for 8 hours.

I started mine at noon, shredded the pork and removed the fat around 8:30 p.m.

Mix remaining ingredients until sugar dissolves. I didn’t keep the actual chilies, I dumped the can into a bowl and added enough Dr. Pepper to get all the sauce off of the chilies - use all the sauce you can, but throw out the chilies. Pour the sauce over the shredded pork and stick in the fridge to marinate overnight.

In the morning, cook for 2-4 more hours on low. Serve with tacos or on salad. Great with tomatillo dressing - I'll post that recipe later.

Split Pea Soup w/ Ham

Found this gem on Southernfood...


1 (16 oz.) pkg. dried green split peas, rinsed
1 meaty hambone (you can usually get these for under $8 at Honeybaked Ham, and they are delicious, with tons of extra meat left on)
5 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 chopped vidalia onion
3 ribs of celery plus leaves, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped, or 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
1 tsp. seasoned salt (or to taste)
1/2 tsp. fresh pepper
1 1/2 qts. hot water (that's 6 cups, people...)

Layer ingredients in slow cooker in the order given; pour in water. Do not stir ingredients. Cover and cook on HIGH 4 to 5 hours or on low 8 to 10 hours until peas are very soft and ham falls off bone. Remove bones and bay leaf, shred meat, and return shredded ham to soup. Mash peas to thicken more, if desired. Serve garnished with croutons or crusty bread. Freezes well.Serves 8.

Best Roast Marinade

We had this on pork roast (thanks Audra), but I am sure it would be divine on beef roast, or even chicken or fish. It's delicious and easy.

1/2 cup light vegetable oil (Canola)
1/4 c red wine vinegar
2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp. coarsely ground pepper
1 c. soy sauce
3 tbsp. lemon juice
2 to 3 cloves garlic minced or pressed
1 tbsp mustard
1 tsp. fresh ground ginger

Combine with a whisk. Add roast in ziploc bag refrigerate for several hours or overnight, turning once or twice to cover well. We cooked our roast in the crock pot all day on low and it was tender and tasty!

Tangy BBQ Sandwiches by Guest Chef Amy

1 boneless beef chuck roast (3 ½ - 4 lb.)
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp ground mustard
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1/3 cup vinegar
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 ¾ cups ketchup
Oval shaped buns/hoagies

In slow cooker, mix all ingredients except buns. Cover; cook on low for 5 hours, stirring occasionally. To serve, fill buns with beef mixture.