Crockpot Lasagna

Well my Crock pot lasagna has received 6 vigorous thumbs up, 2 of them from Hip Hop Dot, the team's chef. So I am sharing the recipe. I used just ground beef, no ground turkey and I dispensed with anything low fat. I will use more cream cheese and mozzarella next time. Make it mighty cheesy!

Crock pot Lasagna

1 box lasagna noodles
1/2 lb. low-fat ground beef
1/2 lb. low-fat ground turkey
1 small container low-fat Cream Cheese (not ricotta)
1 small onion
1/2 green bell pepper
1 cup small button mushrooms
2 grated carrots
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 lb. pkg. of mozzarella cheese, low fat
Using a cooking spray, spray your crock pot well (you will be glad you did this). Brown the meat and drain, then run hot water to drain even more of the fat content out. Chop onion, green bell pepper, and mushrooms.


In the crock pot lay a layer of noodles (no need to precook), then layers of meat, cheese, cream cheese, sauce, and veggies until you fill crock pot up. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 1 hour.


Servings: 4
Time: 30 Minutes Preparation Time

Crescent Roll Bread Pudding

My girl pal at work, Crazy Cat Lady Carol, had brought this in on one of our weekends to work and it was to die for. Hers was made with blueberry preserves, I bought cheapie strawberry preserves and it was every bit as good. Here is the recipe:

2 extra large croissants (I squished 11 little ones into the pan)
½ cup Smuckers Blueberry Preserves (any flavor preserves would be delish)
3 large eggs
1-14oz. can sweetened condensed milk (if you're worried about calories, use non-fat sweetened condensed)
¾ cup water (I used milk)
2 Tablespoonful butter
1 teaspoonful vanilla extract
¼ teaspoonful cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 350°. Coat a 9" square baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Cut your croissants lengthwise and spread each half with about 1 Tablespoonful of preserves. Replace tops and cut into strips. Place in your prepared baking dish. Using small spoonfuls, daub remaining preserves on top (I did this last).

Whisk your eggs and then whisking as you add your sweetened condensed milk, water/milk, butter, vanilla and cinnamon until blended, pour over cut-up croissants. Press larger pieces down into the liquid and let stand 5 minutes.

Bake 45-50 minutes or until an inserted knife in the center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes.

I made a glaze of powdered sugar, milk and vanilla to pour over the pudding while it was still warm. Oh my, get ready for a party in your mouth!

Della's Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad

This is absolutely delicious, almost dessert like.  It will hook you.  You want all your broccoli and cauliflower to be small florets.  It is rather time consuming but it really makes for a better salad.



1 head of cauliflower
1-2 bunches of broccoli
1 red onion
1 bag of dried craisins or raisins
1 can cashews
½ cup of sugar
1 cup of real mayo

Mix together the sugar and mayo.
Cup up the cauliflower and broccoli into small flowerettes.
Dice the onion finely.
Add your craisins or raisins.
Mix everything together and chill in the frig for 1 hour.
Add the cashews just before serving because they will go soft rather quickly.

Easy Spanish Rice

Sorry no picture at this time.  My Caribbean Prince ate it all before I thought to get a picture.  I found this recipe on a blog and unfortunately can't provide you the link.  My dearest love wanted "Mexican Rice" like he enjoyed in a Tennessee restaurant, yes you read right, Tennessee.  After going to several Mexican places he was not finding it.  This gal who writes this blog is Hispanic and it is her own recipe.  It is good and flavorful with out spiciness.  The hardest part is grinding up the tomato and onion and then waiting for the fluid to drain out.  I used my hands to help it along.  Hope you try it.

Easy Spanish Rice

1½ cups long grain rice

½ of a small white onion

3 tomatoes

½ teaspoonful garlic powder

1 tablespoonful Caldo de pallo (powdered chicken flavored bouillon)

1 tablespoonful Canola Oil

 

Roughly chop tomatoes and onion and blend in a blender with ½ to ¾ cup water.  Strain and set aside.  Pulp could be frozen for soup or chili.  In a small frying pan heat oil on medium.  Stir in rice and fry until golden brown.  Stir constantly or it will burn and stink up your house...I would know.  Once the rice is golden add the tomato/onion fluid mixture.  Add water to make the liquid 2 times the amount of rice.  Add Caldo de pallo and the garlic.  Stir and taste.  If flavoring is off add more Caldo de pallo or salt.  Bring to a boil and cover and reduce heat to low.  Rice is done when liquid is evaporated.  I tasted mine and I had to add more water because it wasn't tender yet.

 

Don't tell the Professor you are making it or he will be over with fork in hand and napkin tucked in collar...okay not so much the napkin.  

Bob Evans Peanut Butter Pie (Copycat version)

I made this for my girlfriend posse at work.  Hip to the Hop Dot, Krazy Kat Lady Karol, Bodacious Bev all loved it.  I didn't use the pre-baked pie crust.  I took 16 peanut butter Oreo cookies, scooped the peanut butter from the middle and put it in a bowl.  I crushed the chocolate cookies, put 3 Tablespoons of butter in with the peanut butter cookie centers and nuked for about 45 seconds and blended the two together with a ¼ cup of sugar.  Put that in with the crushed cookies and mixed well and then put in in my new square Pyrex glass dish to form the crust.  Wow, as Jen said it was a peanut butter party in her mouth.  Love this will definitely make it again.

1-5oz Jello Instant Vanilla Pudding
2 cups cold skim milk
½ cup whipping cream, whipped
1¼ cup creamy peanut butter
1 pre-baked pie shell of your choice, lightly browned
1-8oz container Cool Whip
Chocolate syrup
Crushed peanut

Whisk together pudding mix and cold milk in bowl until creamy.  Add ½ cup whipped whipping cream and peanut butter.  Whisk until completely blended.  Pour into baked pie shell, cover with a generous layer of Cool Whip.  Put in freezer for 1 hour until set.  Remove from freezer and drizzle with your favorite chocolate syrup and crushed peanuts.  Cover and chill 2 hours.  Serve.

Rick's Cheese Ball

This is a family request each Christmas from my brother Rick.  The picture isn't the most appetizing but then I am not a photographer either.  We love this thing!

2-8oz blocks of cream cheese
1 tsp garlic salt
2 tsp Accent
3 green onions, cut fine
2 pkg of buddig beef

Cut up one package of the beef for the outside and one for the inside. Mix cream cheese, accent, garlic salt, one package of diced beef and half the green onions.  Mix well form into ball and then roll in the other half of the green onions and package of diced beef.  Refrigerate overnight.

Oyster Cracker Snack

This is GOOD stuff.  Hip Hop Dot gave me a Christmas card with a baggie full of this stuff and I loved it.  I went to the store and got the oyster crackers and the Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix packet.  Actually there was a house brand for it and it was 59¢ opposed to the brand which was twice that price.  I think the Professor is gonna love it.

2 lbs oyster crackers
1 cup vegetable oil
1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
3 Tablespoonfuls Parmesan Cheese
1 teaspoonful garlic powder
1 teaspoonful dill weed

Put oyster crackers in 1 gallon or larger zip lock bag and pour oil over crackers.  Close the bag and mix the oil thoroughly through the crackers.  In a paper bag place the remaining ingredients and pour the crackers in and shake, shake, shake.  Let them set overnight and then snack, snack, snack