Week 27

*Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich

*Chicken Fajitas

*Instant Pot Country Style Pork Ribs

*Hashbrown Waffles

Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich

• 3 lb chuck roast
• 1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix
• 8 oz. pepperoncini pepper slices + splash of juice
• 8 oz. Giardiniera (Chicago style Italian sandwich mix), drained
• 1 can beef broth
• White American (or provolone) cheese slices
• hoagie buns

Place Chuck roast into the bottom of a crock pot then sprinkle with salad dressing mix. Add pepperoncini peppers plus a splash of juice, Giardiniera, and beef broth then lift up the roast to get broth underneath. Place a lid on top then cook on low for 9 hours or high for 5 or until meat shreds easily with a fork. Shred and place meat back into crock pot and cook on low for 1 more hour.

Split buns in half and put on a large baking sheet with middles face up. Put cheese on one half of the bun. Put in oven on broil and watch them constantly until they are golden brown. Take them out and spoon meat mixture on top and add additional cheese if desired.

Variation: cook meat as above and then drain and spoon off everything else leaving only meat. In a skillet sauté sliced onion in avocado oil until them are cartelized and then add sliced bell peppers (whichever color you prefer) for a few more minutes. Combine with meat and serve same way as above.

Chicken Fajitas (can be made with steak)

• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground pepper
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 3 chicken breasts cut into strips (or steak)

Combine spices in a large ziplock bag and toss and then add chicken (or steak) that has been cut into thin strips and shake and massage the bag until all the meat has been coated with the spices.

• 1 onion sliced
• 1/2 red bell pepper sliced
• 1/2 orange bell pepper sliced
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper sliced (or green if you prefer)
• juice of one lime
• 1 Tbsp flour
• 1/4 cup water or broth

In a medium skillet, heat a Tbsp of avocado oil and add the onions and cook until they becomes translucent and then add peppers just for a couple minutes. Set aside when they are done.

In a large skillet, Heat 2 Tbsp avocado oil and add the contents of the ziplock bag and saute until meat is cooked through. The steak will cook faster than the chicken. Sprinkle the flour over the meat and stir for 1 minute. It should be a little pastey. Add the lime juice (more if you'd like) and the broth and stir until it makes a tiny bit of sauce. Add the onions and peppers to this skillet and toss until mixed together. Serve on fresh tortillas with lime wedges and sour cream and add some cheese if you'd like.

Instant Pot Country Style Pork Ribs

• 1 Tbsp Oil
• 8-10 country style boneless pork ribs
• Spice rub (recipe below)
• 1 cup apple juice
• 1 tsp. liquid smoke
• homemade BBQ sauce (recipe below)

Spice Rub

• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 2 TBSP brown sugar
• 1 TBSP pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 TBSP chili powder
• 1 TBSP smoked paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 pinch nutmeg

Combine in a bowl and mix well. Make this spice rub and rub each rib with the rub. It makes quite a bit, so either cut it in half or put what you don't use in a ziplock for next time. It will keep for a few months.

Turn the instant pot onto the saute mode or heat a pan over medium high heat if you don't have that mode. Add the oil and a few ribs at a time, turning to each side to brown slightly. Remove to plate and repeat until all ribs are seared.

Turn it off Saute mode and add the apple juice and liquid smoke into the bottom of the instant pot and stir, scraping up the remains from frying the ribs. 

Add the trivet and place the ribs on it. Attach the line and set the valve to seal. Turn the instant pot to high pressure and set for 45 minutes. Allow for 10 minutes natural release then turn the valve to do a quick release. 

Carefully, the ribs will be falling apart, remove the ribs to a baking sheet. Drizzle some of the homemade BBQ sauce over them and then serve the rest on the side for those that want more.

BBQ Sauce

• 2 1/2 cups ketchup
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 TBSP honey
• 3 TBSP brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 TBSP mustard (honey mustard if you have it)
• 1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp molasses
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Add all ingredients to a saucepan over medium high heat and stir together. Heat just to a boil and then turn down to a low simmer and allow to cook for 30 min.

Hashbrown Waffles

• 2 cartons dehydrated hash browns rehydrated OR 1 Pkg frozen shredded hashbrowns
• 1 egg per waffle stirred with a fork
• shredded cheese
• cooked bacon crumbled or cubed pieces of ham or ground sausage cooked

Heat a waffle iron. Spray it really well. Sprinkle a thin layer of hash browns, then top with a raw scrambled egg and then sprinkle with cheese and meat and salt or seasoning salt and then top with another thin layer of hash browns. Close lid and cook until crispy.

Week 25

*Teriyaki Bowls
*Wingers Sticky Finger Salads
*Frito Stack-ups
*Broccoli Cheddar Soup in Bread Bowls

Teriyaki Bowls

• 3-4 chicken breasts (can substitute steak)
• 1 cup cut up broccoli
• 1/2 cup carrots sliced in pennies
• 1/2 onion chopped
• 2 cups rice cooked

Sauce for chicken

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 tsp fresh ginger
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Place 3-4 chicken breasts in a crockpot. Combine sauce ingredients and pour over chicken. Cook for 3 hours on high. Shred chicken and leave in sauce.

Steam broccoli, carrots and onion in a pan.

Cook 2 cups rice.

Make another batch of sauce in a pan on the stovetop and add 1 TBPS corn starch. Cook just until boiling.

Put 1/2 cup rice in bowl, add veggies, chicken and drizzle sauce over top. Add rice noodles or sesame seeds.

Wingers Sticky Finger Salads

• 3-4 chicken breasts cut into thick strips
• 1/2 cup flour
• 3 eggs + 2 TBSP water
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs

If they are available to you (Costco), you can buy uncooked panko covered chicken pieces that work very well and save you lots of time. 

Sauce

• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1/3 cup Franks hot sauce (Buffalo wings flavor)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 TBSP water

Preheat oven to 425 and grease a baking sheet with cooking spray. 

Add chicken strips and flour to a large ziplock bag. Seal and toss to coat chicken in flour.

Place panko crumbs in a bowl. In another bowl whisk together eggs and water. Dip flour coated chicken strips into egg mixture, then toss in panko crumbs to coat.

Place coated chicken pieces on greased baking sheet. Bake 15-20 minutes until chicken is browned and cooked through.

While chicken is cooking, prepare the sauce in a medium sauce pan and stir over med-high heat until melted and mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat. Dip cooked chicken pieces in sauce.

Salad

Romaine lettuce cup up
Shredded cheddar and monterrey jack cheese
Dried cranberries
Cherry tomatoes
Homemade Ranch Dressing from Hidden valley ranch packet
Sticky Fingers

Frito Stack-ups

• Fritos
• Favorite canned chili
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Romaine lettuce cut up
• Olives
• Homemade Ranch Dressing from Hidden Valley ranch packet

Heat chili in a pan. Put fritos in a bowl and then top with remaining ingredients.


Broccoli Cheddar Soup

• 1 Tbsp butter, melted
• 1/2 med onion chopped
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 cups half and half
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups fresh broccoli cut up
• 1 cup carrots, julienned
• salt and pepper to taste]
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 2 cups grated sharp cheddar

Saute onion in butter. set aside. Cook melted butter and flour using a whisk over medium heat for 3-5 min. Stir constantly and slowly add the half an half. Add the chicken stock whisking all the time. Simmer for 15 min. Add the broccoli, carrots and onions. Cook over low heat until the veggies are tender for 15 min. Add salt and pepper. The soup should be thickened by now. Pour by batches into blender and puree until desired texture. Return to pot over low heat and add the grated cheese; stir until well blended. Stir in the nutmeg and serve. 

Bread Bowls

• 2 TBSP yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 TBSP sugar
• 2 cups hot water
• 2 TBSP sugar
• 1 TBSP kosher salt
• 5 TBSP oil or melted butter
• 6 cups flour

Put warm water in a bowl and dissolve 1 Tbsp sugar in it by stirring. Pour yeast on top of water and mix around just enough to wet yeast. Let sit until yeast is dissolved and expanding. 

In a mixer with the bread hook, combine hot water, 2 Tbsp sugar, salt, oil and 3 cups flour. Mix well, but do NOT knead. Then turn off the mixer and let sit for 10 minutes, then turn it on again and mix for 10-15 seconds. Repeat that 5 times. Turn dough out onto floured surface. Divide dough into 8 pieces or fewer if you'd like bigger bowls. Take the dough and make into a ball by pulling the dough to the underside to make it smooth on top. Place ball onto a greased baking sheet. Let rise for 30 min. Brush tops with melted butter for a crispy crust or beaten egg white for a shiny crust. Bake at 350 for 20 min or until tops are golden brown. Let them cool for 10 min. Cut out a small cone shape out of the middle and pour soup into bowl. 

*This is a great recipe for french bread loaves. Divide dough into 2 pieces and roll out into rectangles and then roll up like a jelly roll.  Everything else do the same.

Week 23

*French Dip Sandwiches 
*Chicken Caeser Pasta Salad 
*Crock pot Honey Sesame Chicken 
*Ham and Swiss Mini Melts 

French Dip Sandwiches

• Beef Shoulder Chuck Roast
• 2 cans Beef Consomme
• 2 onions, sliced
• Au Jus packet
• swiss cheese
• Buns

Melt 3 TBPS butter in a large skillet and sautee onions.  Remove onions and set aside.  Place roast in skillet and sear both sides.  Place roast in crock pot or roaster pan and place onions on top.  Pour both cans of consomme over roast and put on lid.  Cook all day on low in crock pot or 3 1/2 - 4 hours on 275 degrees in oven.  Pull apart meat with fork, removing any excess fat.  Make au jus sauce just before serving.  Put buns open face on a large cookie sheet and melt swiss cheese on them under the broiler until melted.  Pile on the meat and enjoy.


Chicken Caeser Pasta Salad

• Romain lettuce
• 2 chicken breasts grilled and sliced
• 12 oz. bowtie pasta cooked and cooled
• shredded parmesan cheese
• croutons
• Brianna's caesar dressing

Grill chicken breasts and set aside. Cut up lettuce into bite size pieces.  Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and cool on cookie sheet.  Mix it all together in a large bowl.


Crock Pot Honey Sesame Chicken

• 8 boneless, skinless chicken THIGHS (a must)
• salt and pepper
• 1 cup honey
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup onion, diced
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 TBSP canola oil or vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 4 tsps. cornstarch dissolved in 6 TBSP cold water
• 1/2 TBSP sesame seeds
• 3 green onions, chopped

Lightly season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper, put into crock pot. In a medium bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, oil, garlic and pepper flakes.  Pour over chicken.  Cook on low for 4 hours.
Remove chicken from crock pot, leave sauce.  Dissolve 4 tsp. of cornstarch into 6 TBSP of water and pour into crockpot. Stir to combine with sauce.  Replace lid and cook sauce for high for ten more minutes or until slightly thickened.
Shred chicken into bite sized pieces.  Then in individual bowls, place chicken pieces over rice and spoon some sauce on top.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped green onions.


Ham and Swiss Mini Melts

• 2 dozen Kings Hawaiian rolls (sweet dinner rolls)
• 1 1/2 pounds Boars Head Ham
• 1 lb. sliced swiss cheese
• 1 1/2 TBSP poppy seeds
• 1 1/2 TBSP yellow mustard
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 TBSP minced dehydrated onion
• 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Stuff sliced rolls with meat and cheese.  Place sandwiches in two 9x13 baking dishes.  Heat remaining ingredients in a saucepan until butter is melted, stirring often.  Brush tops of sandwiches with sauce and cover pans with foil.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Serve warm.

This recipe is also very good with Turkey and Havartii