Chicken Piccata

4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 pound)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup dry white whine or chicken broth
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp capers, if desired

1. Coat chicken with flour, shaking off excess.
2. Melt butter in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook chicken and garlic in butter 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until juice of chicken is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut.
3. Add wine and lemon juice; sprinkle with pepper.  Heat until hot.  Sprinkle with capers.  Serve with rice, couscous, or quinoa.

Source: Betty Crocker's Good and Easy Cookbook

Try #1 - January 30, 2017
Yummy!  I doubled the amount of chicken (but kept the other amounts the same) and cut the breasts into strips.  There was plenty of flour/sauce even though I doubled the chicken.

Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches

14 oz. can beef broth
1 packet dry onion soup mix
2 lbs chuck roast
Mozzarella cheese (optional)
6 frozen (or fresh) french rolls

1. Put beef broth and soup mix into crock pot and mix it around.
2. Add well-trimmed chuck roast and mix it in with the broth mixture.
3. Cook for 8 hours on low.
4. When it is cooked, shred it with two forks
5. Cut open the rolls and place the meat on the rolls.
6. Top with cheese, if desired.
7. Cook it until the cheese is melted- just a few minutes- in the oven.
8. Serve with a side of the broth mixture.

Source: http://www.yourmodernfamily.com/french-dip-sandwiches-crock-pot/

Try #1 - November 10, 2016

These were super yummy.  I love a good French dip.  I left out the cheese - in my opinion, a French dip sandwich should be naked and unashamed (except for the au jus, of course!).  I toasted the rolls in the oven before adding the meat.  Everyone loved these, and it was so easy to make.  Will definitely do this again!

Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli

2 lbs sirloin steak or boneless beef chuck roast, sliced thin
1 cup beef broth
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 Tbsp. cornstarch
4 Tbsp. water
1 head of broccoli, cut into florets
White rice, cooked

1. In the insert of the crockpot, whisk together beef broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and garlic.
2. Place slices of beef in the liquid and toss to coat. Cover with lid and cook on low heat for 4 hours.
3. After 4 hours, whisk together cornstarch and water in small bowl. Pour into crock pot and stir to mix well. Add the broccoli and gently stir to combine. Cover with lid and cook 30 minutes to cook broccoli and thicken sauce.
4. Serve over warm white rice. Enjoy!

Source: https://www.buzzfeed.com/iristian/this-slow-cooker-beef-and-broccoli-is-the-perfect-dinner-for?bffbtasty&utm_term=.duOXYnMjK#.bqZ19RXA8

Slow Cooker Asian Beef

1 2½ pound boneless bottom round beef roast

2 tablespoons garlic, minced
4 green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 cup beef broth
1 pound baby carrots or 1 pound carrots sliced
1 additional chopped green onion, optional
4 tablespoons chopped peanuts, optional

1. Place the beef roast in the bottom of a slow-cooker.
2. Slather the garlic, onions, hoisin sauce and soy sauce on both sides of the beef roast.
3. Add the beef and the baby carrots on the sides of the slow cooker.
4. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours, or LOW for 6-8 hours or until the beef falls apart using two forks.
5. Serve over cooked rice noodles, cooked rice or use fresh rolls to make sandwiches.  Garnish with green onions and peanuts, if desired

Source: http://familyfoodie.com/slow-cooker-asian-beef-recipe/

Try #1 - November 1, 2016

This was really good.  Really really good.  I followed the recipe as written, except I substituted 1/2 cup white wine and 1/2 cup water for the beef broth.  I will definitely make this again!

Beef Fajitas

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/beef-fajitas/

Try #1 - October 22, 2016
Good, though a bit too sweet.  Would cut down on the sugar the next time.

Cashew Chicken

1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 whole boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into small cubes
Kosher salt to taste
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
1 whole green bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup sherry or chicken broth (I used white whine)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup drained canned water chestnuts, coarsley chopped
1 cup unsalted cashews (be sure to use unsalted)
2 whole green onions, thinly sliced
Cooked rice or noodles, for serving (if desired)

1. In a bowl, mix together the soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, oyster sauce, and sesame oil. Set aside.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat and add the chicken in a single layer. Sprinkle with a small amount of salt, then leave it alone for at least a couple of minutes to give the chicken a chance to brown. When the chicken has turned golden, stir it around so that it can brown on all sides. Throw in the garlic and ginger and stir to combine. Stir in the bell pepper and let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. While the pan is still hot, pour in the sherry. Stir it around, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen all the flavorful bits. Turn the heat to medium-low and pour in the sauce mixture, then mix the cornstarch with 1/4 cup water to make a slurry and pour it in. Stir the sauce for 1 to 2 minutes to thicken, then add the water chestnuts and cashews and stir to coat everything with the sauce, adding a splash of water if the sauce is too thick.
4. Finally, sprinkle on the green onions. Serve with cooked rice or noodles.

Source: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/cashew-chicken/

Try #1 - October 23, 2015
Simple and delicious!  The best part for me was the cashews - I'd consider doubling them next time.

Whole-Wheat Carrot Applesauce Muffins

1½ cups whole-wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter (1 stick), softened (but not melted)
½ cup honey
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
¾ cup carrot shreds (can use a cheese grater)

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with paper, foil, or silicone liners, and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.
3. In a large bowl fitted with an electric whisk (or beaters), mix the butter, honey, egg and vanilla together on medium speed. Turn the speed down and slowly add in the flour mixture until well combined. The batter will be fairly thick at this point.
4. Using a spatula, carefully fold in the applesauce and carrots. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake for 22 to 24 minutes or until a toothpick comes and muffins are beginning to turn golden brown on top.

Source: 100 Days of Real Food