ENTREES

Crock Pot Beef Burngundy

Be sure to cook with a wine that you would actually serve and drink, avoiding "cooking wine" altogether. There are so many reasonably priced bottles (under $10)available, and you can finish the bottle over this easy to prepare meal.

Ingredients:

2 slices bacon, chopped

2 lbs steak, cut in 1" cubes

1/4 lb. mushrooms, sliced

2 carrots, peeled and sliced

1 shallot (minced) or 1/2 cup pearl onions

1/4 cup flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp seasoning salt

1/4 tsp marjoram, thyme, pepper

1 clove minced garlic

1 beef boullion cube, crushed

1 cup burgundy wine

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

In a skillet, cook bacon. Remove and set aside. Coat beef w/ flour and brown in bacon greased skillet.

Combine steak, bacon, drippings, spices, boullion cube, garlic, wine, carrots and shallot in crock pot. Cover, cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Turn on high, add mushrooms and cook an additional 15 minutes.

Serve over cooked egg noodles.

Lasagna No Probla

This is an adaptation of several recipes I've tried. I find ground turkey to be a better alternative to beef.

Ingredients:

1 package of Barilla lasagna noodles (9oz), uncooked

2 eggs

15 oz container of ricotta cheese

3 cups of shredded italian blend cheese

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 lb ground turkey

sage, garlic powder (or minced), and italian seasoning mix to taste

2 jars of your favorite marinara sauce (1 garlic; 1 with olive/mushrooms)

2-3 tsp parsley

salt, pepper, garlic powder, basil to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

lightly coat a 13 x 9 pan w/ cooking spray

Brown ground turkey, crumbled, adding sage, garlic, pepper, and italian seasoning near end of cook time.  Drain well.

In a bowl, lightly beat eggs. Add ricotta, 1 cup italian cheese, grated parmesan, parsley, and desired amount of  basil, salt, and pepper.

Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce on bottom of pan.

Layer 4 noodles (uncooked), 1/3 ricotta mix, 1/2 meat, 1 cup cheese, and 1 cup of sauce (w/ olive/mushrooms).

Add second layer of 4 noodles, 1/3 ricotta mix, and 1.5 cups sauce.

Add third layer of 4 noodles, remainder of ricotta, meat, and 1 cup of sauce.

Add final layer of 4 noodles, remaining sauce, and cheese on top.

Bake, covered with foil about an hour, until bubbly. Uncover and finish cooking until cheese is melted another five minutes. Let stand about 15 minutes prior to serving.

Mel's Hot Chicken Chili

I adore it when chili has a bite, an extra dose of heat. More importantly, I tend to use a variety of beans and this is unlike the bland, white chili recipe alternatives you'll see using chicken.

Ingredients:

1-2 lbs boneless chicken breast, cut in bite size pieces

1-2 tsp ea curry, cumin, garlic salt, seasoning salt, red pepper (cayenne), chili powder, paprika

1-2 tsp minced garlic

1 10oz can mexican diced tomatoes

5 cans of chili beans (any variety of red, pink, white, black, kidney, garbonzo, pinto)

1 green pepper, diced

1 sorrento chili pepper, diced (remove seeds)

1 jar of salsa (I prefer the Emerald Valley organic in the refrigerated section if you can find it)

14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

Hot sauces to taste

Cook chicken in oil on stove top, adding spices, then set aside. Cook peppers on stove until just tender.

Add beans (not drained), chicken, peppers, garlic, tomatoes, and salsa in large pot.  Bring to low boil, cover and simmer 1-2 hours. I generally add dashes of tapatio, tiger sauce and louisiana hot sauce throughout the cooking time until it hits that perfect level of kick (but not enough to overpower the overall flavor).

Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream or crushed tortilla chips if desired.

Turkey No-Hassle Meatloaf (download)