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 13 -

*Crustless Quiche

*Oven Roast with Potatoes and Carrots
*Chicken Noodle Pasta with Brocolli and Carrots

*Classic Tacos

Crustless Quiche

• 9 - 10 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 cup shredded Swiss or cheddar (or combination)
• 1/4 cup minced green onions
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. pepper

Sprinkle meat, cheese and onions in a greased 9-inch glass pie plate (or non-stick cupcake/muffin tins - for little individual quiches, either regular or mini).  Beat eggs, milk and seasonings in mixing bowl.  Pour over meat mixture. Bake at 350 for approximately 20 minutes or until center is set. (less time if using muffin tins).

Oven Roast with Potatoes and Carrots

• Shoulder Chuck Roast
• 2 onions, sliced
• 5 - 7 Potatoes cut into fourths 
• Bag of Baby Carrots
• 2 Whole Celery stalks (Preferably the ones with leaves still attached. These are for flavor only)
• 2 cans Beef Consomme
• 1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup

Pour 1 can of Beef Consomme into a large Roaster Pan.  In a large skillet, melt 2 TBSP of butter and sear both sides of the roast.  Transfer to roasting pan. Add sliced onions to skillet and sautee until light brown.  Spoon onto top of roast in pan.  Place cut up potatoes and carrots and celery stalks in roaster. Mix other can of beef consomme and cream of mushroom soup in a small bowl and then pour over veggies and roast.  Cover and Bake in oven on 275 for 3 1/2 - 4 hours.  

Chicken Noodle Pasta with Broccoli and Carrots

• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 packet Knorr Leek soup mix
• 1 tsp. Garlic powder
• 2 chicken breasts cooked and shredded
• 1 onion sliced
• 2 TBSP butter
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 4 cups wide egg noodles
• Broccoli and carrots

Chop broccoli and carrots into little pieces. Steam for a couple of minutes. In a skillet, melt butter and sautee onions until limp and slightly browned. Place chicken breasts in a small baking dish and then put the cooked onions covering the top of them. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes. In a large soup pot, bring broth, soup mix and garlic powder to a boil.  Add noodles and boil for 7 minutes. Add heavy cream. Cut chicken into little pieces along with onions. Add to soup. Add veggies to soup. Heat through and serve.

Classic Tacos

• Ground Beef
• Tortillas
• Cheese
• Lettuce
• Sour cream
• Salsa

Brown Ground beef and drain. Add Taco seasoning packet. Shread Cheese, cut up lettuce and serve on tortillas with all the fixings. If you're feeling crazy, fry up some corn tortillas in a little oil in a skillet.

Week 12

*Breakfast Burritos

*Thanksgiving Brined Roasted Turkey 

*Stuffed Shells

*Market Street Clam Chowder

Breakfast Burritos

• 1/2 lb. ground regular/maple sausage (or bacon) (OR BOTH)
• 8 eggs
• shredded hash browns cooked until golden brown
• sharp cheddar cheese
• 8 flour tortillas

Brown the sausage and drain. Set aside. Cook the hash browns according to package directions. Set aside. Scramble the eggs and sprinkle with cheese towards the end. Put sausage and eggs and hash browns in tortilla and roll up. Dip in Salsa or ketchup.


Thanksgiving Brined Roasted Turkey

• 20 lb. unfrozen turkey
• 1 cup table salt to 1 gallon of water
• 2 onions
• 2 celery ribs
• apple
• 3 carrots

Soak the turkey completely covered in salt water for 10-12 hours. Rinse thoroughly and pat dry. Put the onions, celery, apple and carrots in the cavity of the turkey. Rub skin with butter all over. Put on rack in baking pan, pour 3/4 cup water in pan and cover with foil. Bake at 325 for 4 - 4 1/2 hours. Remove foil for the last hour.

Stuffed Shells

• 1 small jar favorite spaghetti sauce
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 cups cheddar cheese
• 2 cups small curd cottage cheese
• 3 beaten eggs
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 box jumbo shells, cooked and drained according to package directions

Spread a small amount of spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 9x13. Combine remaining ingredients and stuff pasta shells with mixture and place in pan. Spoon remaining sauce over each shell perpendicular to the opening. Sprinkle with more parmesan cheese and bake covered at 350 for 30 minutes.

Market Street Clam Chowder

• 1 cup potatoes, diced
• 1 cup celery diced
• 1 cup onion, diced
• 1 cup green pepper, diced
• 1 cup leeks, diced
• 3/4 cup chopped clams, canned or fresh
• 3/4 tsp ground pepper
• 1 1/2 TBSP salt
• 3/4 TBSP whole thyme
• 6 bay leaves
• 1 tsp Tabasco
• 2 cup water
• 3/4 cup clam juice (drained from canned clams or purchased separately)
• 3/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup flour
• 2 quarts half and half

Combine melted butter and flour in oven-proof container and bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. In a large saucepan, combine remaining ingredients except half and half. Simmer until potatoes are thoroughly cooked. Stir butter-flour mixture into chowder and stir until thick.  Mixture will be slightly less thick than cookie dough. Remove chowder from heat.  Stir in half and half until blended. Heat to serving temperature, stirring occasionally. Serve immediately.