Slow Cooker Refried Beans

This is a great way to use/rotate your food storage. I typically make a big batch and freeze in 1-2 cup containers for future use.

Ingredients
1 onion, peeled and halved
3 cups dry pinto beans, sorted and rinsed
1/2 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
2 Tablespoons minced garlic
5 teaspoons salt
1 3/4 teaspoons ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin, optional
9 cups water

Directions

1. Place the onion, rinsed beans, jalapeno, garlic, salt, pepper, and cumin into a slow cooker. Pour in the water and stir to combine,. Cook on high for 8 hours, adding more water as needed. Do not let it run dry! Note: if more than 1 cup of water has evaporated during cooking turn down the temperature.

2. Once the beans have cooked, strain them and reserve the liquid. Mash the beans with an immersion blender or some other device, adding the reserved water as needed to attain desired consistency. I usually add all the reserved liquid. You want them pretty wet, especially if freezing for later use because they dry out easily when reheated.

Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Enchilada Sauce

Chicken breasts filled with green chilies and cheese with a southwestern crust baked in enchilada sauce and corn is hot to trot! These are from a Trim and Terrific Cookbook so they are also figure friendly.

Makes 6 to 8 Servings.

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, flattened

1 (4 oz.) can green chilies, drained

2 Tbsp minced garlic

4 oz. reduced fat Monterrey Jack cheese, cut into slices

1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs or seasoned breadcrumbs

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup fat-free sour cream

2 cups canned enchilada sauce
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
chopped green onions

Spread each piece of chicken with the green chilies and garlic. Top each breast with a slice of cheese and roll up. Secure with a toothpick if needed. Combine breadcrumbs, chili powder, cumin, and salt and pepper in a bowl. Dip each chicken roll in sour cream and roll in crumb mixture. Chill before baking, time permitted.

To Prepare and Eat Now: Place breasts, seam side down, in a baking dish. Preheat oven to 400. Mix enchilada sauce with corn and pour over the chicken. Bake for 45 minutes or until chicken is done. Sprinkle with green onions before serving.

To Freeze: Wrap individually or together in a baking dish, label, and freeze. Recommended freezing time: up to 3 months.

To Prepare After Freezing: Remove from freezer to defrost. Prepare as above. Bake at 400 for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Feta, Spinach, and Ham

Since having a baby I have learned that the best thing you can do for a new mom is take them food. I usually like to take one meal prepared and ready to eat and one for the freezer for another day. I have tried to find dishes that are nursing and figure friendly. This recipe is healthy yet tasty, inexpensive yet gourmet, and an easy freezer-pleaser. This is now my first choice to take to moms.

Makes 8 Servings

8 Skinless, boneless chicken breasts
salt and pepper to taste
3 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
1/2 cup reduced-fat feta cheese
1/2 cup baby spinach leaves
8 thin slices ham

With a knife, make a split along one side of the chicken breast to form a pocket. Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, mix together the cream cheese and feta with a fork. Stuff each chicken breast with the cheese mixture, spinach, and ham.

To Prepare and Eat Now: Preheat oven to 350. Place the chicken breasts on a baking dish coated with non-stick cooking spray, cover with foil, and bake for 40-45 minutes.

To Freeze: Do not bake before freezing. After chicken breasts are filled, wrap individually or flash freeze, label, and freeze. Recommended freezing time: 4 to 6 months.

To Prepare After Freezing: As directed above. Bake from frozen for 1 hour or thawed for 45-50 minutes.

* I use way more than 1/2 cup spinach. I just stuff them full. ** A tip from Rachel Ray on stuffing chicken breasts - Start cutting from the side that is fatter. When you have it cut open, place the chicken in a bag with a little water (to help it slide around) and pound it out with a fry pan or other heavy object. This is how I did it and it works great. Easier clean up too.

Chicken Pillows

1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup milk or broth
4 cups shredded cooked chicken
1/2 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1 lb. crescent roll dough

Preheat oven to 375. Mash together the cream cheese and butter. Beat in milk or broth; add the chicken, cheese, and green onion. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to mix.

Unroll crescent dough. Seal diagonal edges to get 4 rectangles. Fill each with 1/4 of the filling. Pull corners up and seal all edges.

Optional: Roll pillow in butter and crushed corn flakes before baking/freezing. Can't miss a chance to get some extra butter in there!

Bake 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. Serves 4.

Try using a different cheese such as pepper jack, or adding bacon bits.

To Freeze: Just filling - Thaw completely, fill croissants, and bake as directed.
Assembled Pillow - Flash freeze on cookie sheet, then transfer to freezer bag or foodsaver. Bake from frozen at 375 until heated through.

Stuffed Peppers

I used to make these in Philly for the family I nannied for. The grandfather liked these so much he said I could make them once a week and wouldn't get tired of them.


1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground pork
2 onions
1/4 cup garlic
1 1/2 Tbsp beef bouillon granular
1 1/2 Tbsp House Seasoning (salt, black pepper, garlic powder)
2 cups cooked rice
1 cup jarred cheese and salsa
1 cup sour cream
2 cups diced tomatoes
1 cup chopped green onion
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 cups hot water
8 bell peppers, any color

Saute meets with onion, garlic, 2 tsp bouillon, and house seasoning. Drain. Add rice, cheese, sour cream, tomatoes, green onion, and soy sauce. Mix and stuff peppers. Cut peppers in half the tall way for smaller portions, or cut the top off and stuff for a larger serving.

Place peppers in a baking dish. Mix hot water with remaining bouillon and pour into the bottom of the baking dish. Bake covered at 350 for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and spoon broth over each pepper. Bake uncovered for another 10-15 minutes.

Filling may be frozen. Thaw completely, stuff peppers, and bake as directed.

Mama Mia Lasagna

My mom's recipe for lasagna is the tastiest and easiest I have found. Whenever I make it for others, I get tons of compliments. It is so easy because you don't have to boil the noodles first. This is also nice because it absorbs the extra liquid so your layers stay stacked when serving. Enjoy!


1 lb. ground beef (I usually do half and half beef and sausage!)
1 onion, chopped
1 qt. canned tomatoes (2 - 14.5 oz cans, don't drain)
6 oz tomato paste
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp parsley flakes
1 tsp basil
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 large carton cottage cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp. parsley flakes
1 tsp oregano
8 oz uncooked lasagna noodles
8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese

Brown beef (and sausage) with chopped onion. Mix first eight ingredients and simmer a few minutes. Mix cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, parsley, and oregano, and set aside. Oil 9x13 pan. Layer half the meat mixture, half the noodles, and spread all the cottage cheese over noodles. Then layer remaining noodles, and meat over all. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour at 350. Remove foil and top with shredded mozzarella and bake another 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Chicken Pot Pie

I have had so many compliments on this dish. I created it in PA while nannying for two girls, one of which was very picky and thin because she didn't eat much. She scarfed this down every time. Kellen requests it often also. It's also a great one to freeze. I freeze just the filling in a bag. On serving day, I thaw it, and pour it into the crust and bake about 10-15 minutes longer because it isn't hot to start with. Or you can pour it into a kettle to warm up first, then bake as directed. Feel free to accommodate this to your family's taste, adding whatever veggies you like. And don't get too caught up on measuring. I just throw in what looks right. Enjoy!

6 1/2 cups chicken broth
6 (6 oz.) boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced
1 stick butter
2 1/2 cups onion, diced
2 1/4 cups carrot, diced
1 3/4 cups celery, diced
OPT - mushrooms, corn, peas, potatoes, broccoli, parsley, garlic, thyme
1 cup flour
1 bay leaf
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper (1/2 tsp black pepper)
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 store bought pie shells, I like Pillsbury in a box that you unroll, or homemade!
egg wash

Bring the broth to a simmer. Add chicken and cook through. In another pan, melt the butter. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Saute til crisp tender. Add other veggies now if using. Add flour and gently mix. Cook over low heat for 6-8 minutes. Increase heat and add the chicken broth, 1 cup at a time until desired thickness (about half the broth), whisking continually so to not get clumps. Add the bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Add the chicken and warmed whipping cream. Flavor to taste with salt, pepper and chicken bouillon. Stir well. Place in pie shell. Top with another pie crust and seal edges and poke holes to vent. Bake on a cookie sheet (to protect boiling over), at 350 for 45 min, until brown. Let cool 5-10 minutes before serving.

I am making this in the next couple days so will fine tune the recipe then.

To Freeze: Just freeze filling. Thaw completely and reheat in saucepan. Pour into pie crust and bake as directed above.

Mom Gardner's Chicken Enchiladas

I really adore these enchiladas. They are simple, yet satisfying. If you are looking for something creamy and goo-ey, these are them!

2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 small can chopped green chilies
¼ cup green onions
1 cup shredded cheese (or more)
One chicken, shredded
1 can milk
1 can chicken broth
Flour tortillas

Mix the cream of chicken soup, milk, and broth and reserve some for the top of the enchiladas. To the remainder, add the shredded chicken, chilies, green onions, and cheese. Stuff the tortillas with this mixture, and line them in a pre-sprayed 9x13 pan. To the top, add the reserved sauce, along with cheese—to taste. Bake at 350* for 35 minutes.

Cheryl's Buttermilk Syrup

Cheryl got this recipe from The Royal Fork restaurant in Sioux Falls. Knowing her I'm sure this recipe has her adjustments and improvements added. It is so good I could eat it with a spoon (and sometimes do)! This makes a huge amount of syrup so make sure you have a big enough pot, and plan on sharing! It also freezes well. Just thaw and reheat before serving.

Yield: 1 1/2 gallons

3 1/2 quarts sugar
2 quarts buttermilk
2 pounds butter
2 cups corn syrup
3 tablespoons baking soda
1/2 cup vanilla -- I used Mexican vanilla

It is a must to use a very large, even huge pot for this recipe.

Melt butter over a low flame. Add sugar, buttermilk, and corn syrup, mix well.

Bring to a boil. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until thickens, stirring occasionally

Put the pot in your sink, add baking soda and stir. Add vanilla and stir.

Remove from heat and place in serving size containers.

Store in the refrigerator or freezer. Separation will occur. Reheat and stir before serving.

*An urgent message - use a large enough kettle. I can't tell you how much it boils up and over after adding the soda. You will loose so much of the syrup and make such a HUGE mess if your kettle isn't large enough. You should put the kettle in the sink when adding soda so that if you do have a boil over, it will not be a huge mess to clean nor mess up your stove with all that sweet and sticky syrup. I added 1 Tbsp at a time and this helped! I'm warning you and not exaggerating at all when I talk about the boil over, I couldn't believe it!

Spicy Sloppy Joes

This is a fun Crockpot recipe that has proven to excite the taste buds. I have cut back on the spice level in the past, and am sure it would be simple to crank up the heat if that's what you want.


1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (6 oz) can hot-style tomato juice
1/2 cup catsup
1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp chopped canned jalapeño chili peppers (optional)
1 Tbsp prepared mustard
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
8 Kaiser rolls or hamburger buns
Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

In a large skillet brown beef, onion, and garlic. Drain. Meanwhile, in a 3 1/2 to 4 quart slow cooker combine tomato juice, catsup, water, brown sugar, jalapeño peppers, mustard, chili powder, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir in meat mixture. Cover; cook on low heat setting for 6 to 8 hours or on high heat setting for 3 to 4 hours. Broil open-face rolls 3 inches from heat for 1 to 2 minutes, or until toasted. Spoon meat mixture onto toasted roll bottoms. Sprinkle with cheese, if desired. Makes 8 servings.