OAMC-Apple Cider Beef Stew

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Apple Cider Beef Stew

A great recipe that is perfect for fall and you can prep it ahead! Check out my latest creation that I worked with Ziploc to craft!
This blend of sweet apples, seasoned beef and farm fresh vegetables is one of my absolute favorite dishes for welcoming fall. It is so easy, yet tastes like you have slaved over it for hours. (Don’t tell anyone that it was Mrs. Slow Cooker that did all that slaving.)
The meat is quickly browned with thyme, pepper and salt sealing in the marinating the meats natural flavorings. The fresh vegetables ensure that you don’t have to spend extra time working to make sure there are adequate side dishes on the table. And the addition of fall apples makes the dish scream FALL!
This was a family favorite growing up and still is to this day. It is easy to prepare ahead of time and it makes your house smell amazing. And like most recipes found around these parts; it is freezer friendly as well.

Author/Source:

Tricia @ Onceamonthmom.com

Ingredients:

• 0.5    cups    water
• 2    pounds    beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 3    Tablespoons    all-purpose flour
• .75    Tablespoons    salt
• 0.5    teaspoon    pepper
• 0.5    teaspoon    dried thyme
• 3    Tablespoons    cooking oil
• 2    cups    apple cider or apple juice
• 2    Tablespoons    vinegar
• 3    whole    potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 4    whole    carrots, quartered
• 2    whole    onions, sliced
• 1    stalks    celery, sliced
• 2    whole    apples, sliced (or diced)
• 1   gallon-sized Ziploc Brand bag or 4 quart-sized Ziploc Brand Freezer bags

Directions:

1. Place meat in a gallon-sized Ziploc Brand bag and add mixture of flour, salt, pepper and thyme.
2. Shake until well coated.
3. Brown meat in hot oil.
4. Drain off fat.
5. In a 4-6 quart slow cooker add remaining vegetables, apples, juice/cider and water.
6. Add meat on top.
7. Cook on low 10-12 hours or high 6-8 hours

This is a great recipe that you can also make in advance and serve later!

Freezing Directions:

1. Repeat steps 1-4 from above.
2. Divide meat among 4 quart-sized Ziploc Brand Freezer bags
3. Place potatoes in 4 gallon-sized Ziploc Brand Freezer bags on bottom and add remaining vegetables, apples, juice/cider and water
4. Freeze along with meat
5. Thaw and place meat and vegetable mixture in a slow cooker on low 10-12 hours or high 6-8 hours

Servings: 4-6

OAMC- Chicken Broccoli Casserole

Chicken Broccoli Casserole Recipe

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I have just been waiting for the day when my husband would confess to broccoli being a tolerable vegetable. We dated for three years and have been married for nearly 4 years, so I have been waiting for quite awhile. Why was I waiting for him to like broccoli? For this recipe alone. I love it. Have always loved it. Would love to make it often. But alas, it has broccoli.
Then it happened. The moment I had been waiting for. One night at dinner I had served Isaac broccoli and all of a sudden my husband looked at me and declared that he liked broccoli. The skies opened up the sun shone. . . .okay, okay, I am getting carried away now. He did declare that he liked broccoli though despite his attempts to disdain it for so long.
So I dusted off this recipe and went to work. And the verdict from the newly converted broccoli eater? He LOVED it. He kept going on and on about how great it was. And I went on and on about how he had missed out on it for the last 6.5 years. (As only a good wife would do.)
Since this meal contains a vegetable, a protein and a grain I usually just serve a nice salad with it. It is absolutely delicious though. And it looks beautiful too! It is great to take to a large gathering or just to serve for an easy dinner. And PERFECT for when refrigerated biscuits go on sale at the grocery store.

Author/Source:

Tricia @ Onceamonthmom.com

Ingredients:

• 10 ounces cream of chicken soup
• .25 cups onion, diced
• .25 cups mayonnaise
• 1.5 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon curry
• 2 cups chicken, cooked & diced
• 1 cup cooked broccoli, drained & chopped
• .5 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
• 8 ounces refrigerated biscuits

Topping

• .25 cups sour cream
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon celery salt
• .5 teaspooons salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a deep dish 8×8 pan combine chicken, broccoli, soup, onion, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce and curry. Mix well. Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Separate biscuits and each in half (see pictures). Arrange biscuit halves around edge of hot casserole, cut side down (see pictures). Place topping over biscuits. Bake at 375 degrees for an additional 20-30 minutes or until golden brown.

Freezing Directions:

In a deep dish 8×8 pan combine chicken, broccoli, soup, onion, salad dressing, Worcestershire sauce and curry. Mix well. Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top. (DO NOT BAKE as you do above.) Separate biscuits and each in half (see pictures). Arrange biscuit halves around edge of casserole, cut side down (see pictures). Place topping over biscuits. Cover and freeze. To serve: Do NOT thaw. Bake covered with foil at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for another 20 minutes or until biscuits are cooked and golden brown.

Servings: 4-6

OAMC- Crockpot Ratatouille

Crockpot Ratatouille
 
onions sliced
1 large eggplant, sliced
4 small zucchini, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 large green bell peppers, de-seeded and cut into thin strips
6 large tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (optional)

Layer half the vegetables in a large crock pot in the following order:
onion, eggplant, zucchini, garlic, green peppers, tomatoes. Repeat layering
process with remaining vegetables. Sprinkle basil, salt, pepper and parsley
over top. Drizzle with olive oil. Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 9 hours.

Cool and chop coarsely. Place in serving bowl and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Refrigerate to store.
May freeze up to 6 weeks.

OAMC- All-Star Muffin Mix

All-Star Muffin Mix 

"I like to keep this mix in a handy place, like the pantry or cupboard, so I mix up muffins quickly for dinner or if a friend is stopping by for coffee." Nancy Mackey - Madison, Ohio

This recipe is:

Quick

• 48 Servings
• Prep/Total Time: 30 min.

Ingredients

• 8 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 cups sugar
• 3 tablespoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
• 
  ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS:
• 1 egg
• 1 cup 2% milk
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 
  FOR BANANA MUFFINS:
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 medium)
• 
  FOR BLUEBERRY MUFFINS:
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
• 
  FOR CRANBERRY-PECAN MUFFINS:
• 1 cup chopped fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 
  FOR APRICOT-CHERRY MUFFINS:
• 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
• 1/2 cup dried cherries
• 
  FOR CAPPUCCINO MUFFINS:
• 1 cup HERSHEY’®S Mini Chips Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
• 
  FOR CARROT-RAISIN MUFFINS:
• 3/4 cup shredded carrots
• 1/3 cup golden raisins
• 
  FOR APPLE-CHEESE MUFFINS:
• 1/2 cup shredded peeled apple
• 1/2 cup shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese
• 
  FOR RHUBARB-ORANGE MUFFINS:
• 3/4 cup diced fresh or frozen rhubarb
• 1/3 cup orange marmalade

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Store in airtight containers in a cool dry place or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Yield: 4 batches (11 cups).
• To prepare plain muffins: Place 2-3/4 cups muffin mix in a large bowl. Whisk the egg, milk and butter; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 400° for 18-21 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Serve warm.
• To prepare Banana Muffins: Place 2-3/4 cups muffin mix in a large bowl. Whisk the egg, milk, butter and bananas; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill muffin cups and bake as directed for plain muffins.
• To prepare Blueberry Muffins: Place 2-3/4 cups muffin mix in a large bowl. Whisk the egg, milk and butter; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups and bake as directed for plain muffins.
• To prepare Cranberry-Pecan Muffins: In a large bowl, combine 2-3/4 cups muffin mix, cranberries, pecans and sugar. Whisk the egg, milk and butter; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill muffin cups and bake as directed for plain muffins.
• To prepare Apricot-Cherry Muffins: In a large bowl, combine 2-3/4 cups muffin mix, apricots and cherries. Whisk the egg, milk and butter; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill muffin cups and bake as directed for plain muffins.
• To prepare Cappuccino Muffins: In a large bowl, combine 2-3/4 cups muffin mix, chocolate chips and coffee granules. Whisk the egg, milk and butter; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill muffin cups and bake as directed for plain muffins.
• To prepare Carrot-Raisin Muffins: In a large bowl, combine 2-3/4 cups muffin mix, carrots and raisins. Whisk the egg, milk and butter; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill muffin cups and bake as directed for plain muffins.
• To prepare Apple-Cheese Muffins: In a large bowl, combine 2-3/4 cups muffin mix, apple and cheese. Whisk the egg, milk and butter; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill muffin cups and bake as directed for plain muffins.
• To prepare Rhubarb-Orange Muffins: In a large bowl, combine 2-3/4 cups muffin mix, rhubarb and marmalade. Whisk the egg, milk and butter; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill muffin cups and bake as directed for plain muffins. Yield: 1 dozen per batch.

Nutrition Facts: 1 plain muffin equals 208 calories, 9 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 39 mg cholesterol, 244 mg sodium, 30 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 3 g protein.

All-Star Muffin Mix published in Simple & Delicious March/April 2010, p41

OAMC(kinda)- Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes

*OK so this is not exactly OAMC, because it probably won't freeze well, but it is make ahead.   Make ahead recipes are still handy when you know you are going to have a particularly busy day coming up, so give it a try.

Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes

5 lbs. potatoes, peeled and quartered
6 oz. cream cheese
1 C. sour cream
1 t. salt
1/2 t. black pepper
2 egg whites, slightly beaten
1 T. butter

Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling water until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain; mash until there are no lumps. Add cream cheese, sour cream, onion powder, salt, pepper and egg whites; blend well. Spray a 9 x 13-inch casserole with nonstick cooking spray. Add potato mixture. Dot with margarine. Cool slightly, cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. Take out of refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake, covered, 40 minutes or until steaming hot in center.

Note: Alternately, potatoes can be reheated in a slow-cooker. Take potatoes out of refrigerator about 3 1/2 hours before you plan to serve them. Place in slow-cooker. Dot with margarine or butter. Cook on low heat for 3 hours, stirring once or twice. They can be held an additional 30 minutes or more.

Makes 12 servings

OAMC-Meatloaf with Sweet and Sour Sauce

Meatloaf with Sweet and Sour Sauce

1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 slice bread (broken or chopped finely)
1 egg
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 tablespoons ketchup
1/2 cup whole milk or half-and-half

Sauce:
4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
4 tablespoons dark brown sugar, packed firm
1/2 cup ketchup

Combine meat loaf ingredients and place into a loaf baking dish. Smooth out top. Combine sauce ingredients and pour on top and sides of meatloaf. Bake at 350F about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes or until done.

Can be formed into a loaf and frozen, add the sauce before cooking.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/a-little-bit-of_everything/

OAMC-Chicken Salsa Chili

 This came from an interesting blog.   Go visit!

Chicken Salsa Chili

Chicken Salsa Chili
1 (16 oz)  jar thick and chunky salsa
1 (15 oz) can yellow hominy or garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz) can dark red kidney beans or black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can chicken broth
2 cups cooked chicken
1 (4 oz) can green chilies
1 T chili powder
2 tsp minced garlic
1/4-1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 c snipped fresh cilantro
2 T lime juice
Mix it all together in a large dutch oven, bring to boiling, reduce heat and simmer covered for 20 minutes. Just before serving stir in cilantro and lime juice. Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, avocado, and red onion, if desired.

We LOVED this. Jared raved about it and is excited to take the leftovers to work for lunch tomorrow. I guess the kids and I will be stuck eating tuna again. LOL. But anyway, I used garbanzo beans and red kidney beans, and shredded chicken. I only had medium salsa so I decided to use half the jar and skip the crushed red pepper. I was glad I did because it was pretty spicy as it was. I added the cilantro and lime at the end right before serving, and it was awesome. They added a freshness to the dish. We squeezed additional lime juice over the top and ate the chili with tortilla chips. Yum. I can’t wait to make this again!

OAMC- Chicken Cordon Bleu

This is the easiest chicken cordon bleu my mind can conjure.
It’s almost so simple I can’t prescribe a recipe. It’s almost so tasty you’d assume it to be a million calories, give or take a trillion.
Ingredients:
Tender and juicy chicken breast.
Smooth and creamy whole milk provolone cheese. 
Smoked ham.
Extra virgin olive oil. 
Paper-thin slices of lemon.
Salt.
Pepper.
Hunger.


It’s easy. It’s not fussy in the slightest. It requires so few ingredients and comes together in no time at all. The result is moist chicken infused with the brightness of lemon and filled with hot ham and melting, creamy cheese. I imagine you could fill the chicken cutlets with anything you like. Give it a try for a fast, easy, and super healthy meal.
Directions for two:
Preheat your oven to 400°F.
Butterfly a thick, 8 ounce chicken breast.


Cut that butterflied breast into two pieces along the seam that holds the two breast halves together. Imagine it as an open book and cut along the spine. Now you have two thin cutlets.

Lay a slice of ham and then a slice of provolone cheese on each cutlet. You may want to tear the cheese and fold the ham so that they do not extend beyond the cutlet, because they’ll just melt or burn in the oven.
Fold each cutlet over to almost seal the ham and cheese inside. Brush the tops and sides of the stuffed chicken cutlets with olive oil. Sprinkle very generously with salt and pepper.
Wrap and freeze at this point.

Cut two thin rounds of lemon and place one on each chicken bundle.

Bake for 17-20 minutes.

Top each baked, stuffed chicken breast with minced fresh parsley to really enhance the fresh flavors.

OAMC- Homemade Cheese Whiz

Homemade Cheese Whiz

Serving Size : 48 Preparation
Categories : Appetizers Cheese
Eggs O.A.M.C.

1 1/2 pounds American Cheese -- (like Velveeta)
13 ounces Evaporated Milk
1 tablespoon Butter or Margarine
2 Egg yolks -- beaten
1 tablespoon Flour

Cube cheese, and set aside. In a double boiler, melt butter and add cheese. When softened, add egg yolks, milk and flour, and stir with a wire whisk to blend well. Cook till thick. Store in a covered air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 30 days.

*This may be used in any recipe calling for jar cheese, such as Cheeze Whiz or alone as a dip for nachos.

OAMC-Make-Ahead Italian Meatballs

Make-Ahead Italian Meatballs

1 pound lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1/3 cup Progresso® dry bread crumbs (any flavor)
1/4 cup milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 cup chili sauce
1/2 cup cold water
1 jar (12 ounces) tomato pasta sauce (any variety)
1 teaspoon yellow mustard

1. Heat oven to 400ºF.
2. Mix ground beef, onion, bread crumbs, milk, egg, salt and pepper. Shape mixture into thirty 1-inch balls. Place in ungreased rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches.
3. Bake uncovered about 15 minutes or until no longer pink in center and juice is clear. (To serve immediately, continue as directed in step 5--except decrease simmer time to 15 minutes.)
4. Place meatballs on ungreased cookie sheet. Freeze uncovered about 20 minutes or until firm. Place partially frozen meatballs in heavy plastic bag or freezer container. Seal, label and freeze no longer than 3 months.
5. About 25 minutes before serving, mix chili sauce, water, pasta sauce and mustard in 2-quart saucepan. Add meatballs. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 20 minutes or until meatballs are hot.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/a-little-bit-of_everything/

OAMC-Spicy Sausage and Pepper Penne

Spicy Sausage and Pepper Penne

Spicy Sausage and Pepper Penne

Author/Source:

Pam @ Onceamonthmom.com

Ingredients:

• 1 pound smoked sausage, sliced
• 12 ounces frozen pepper and onion mix (or use fresh)
• 26 ounces pasta sauce
• .25 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (more or less depending on preferred spiciness)
• 12 ounces penne
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Cook pasta in salted, boiling water according to package directions. In a large skillet, brown sausage, peppers, and onion until golden brown. Add pasta sauce and crushed red pepper. Drain pasta and mix with sauce. 

Freezing Directions:

After mixing with sauce, portion into freezer containers and sprinkle with cheese. Cover, label, and freeze. To serve: Thaw. Reheat in oven or microwave until heated through.

Servings: 4-6

OAMC White Vegetarian Lasagna

This dish took about an hour to prepare and assemble but I made it ahead and put it back in the oven to reheat and it turned out very well. This recipe is not as “wet” as many lasagna recipes because I wanted it to stand pretty on the plate. The first notch in my vegetarian-dinner-party-recipes belt!
White Vegetarian Lasagna
Makes 8-10 servings
1 package thin, no-cook lasagna noodles
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup vegetable broth
6 cloves garlic, cut in quarters
3 Tablespoons butter
5 Tablespoons flour
1 cup quality Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Pepper and Salt
4 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large zucchini, cut in 1/4 inch slices
1 summer squash, cut in 1/4 inch slices
1 bag of baby spinach
4 oz (about 1 cup) sliced mushrooms
1 small yellow onion, diced
Place the no-cook noodles in hot water and set aside to soften. Be careful that they don’t stick to each other. Heat milk and vegetable broth in a sauce pan until simmering. Add the garlic, cover and remove from heat. Let stand for at least 10 minutes.
To prepare for the layering of the vegetables, I sauteed each one by one and then put them in bowls to create a mise en place for easy assembly. Heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet. Add the zucchini and saute a few minutes, turning with a spatula until al dente. Remove from pan. Add another tablespoon of oil and saute the summer squash in the same way. If needed, add additional olive oil and then spinach. Toss with a spatula until just slightly wilted. Remove from pan. Finally, add additional oil if needed and add onion and mushroom cooking for just a few minutes.
Remove the garlic pieces from the milk and broth mixture with a slotted spoon. In another sauce pan, melt butter. When melted, whisk in the flour. Slowly whisk the garlic-infused milk mixture into the roux. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and stir in nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. (Don’t be shy with the salt, I think it usually needs about a few teaspoons)
Assembly time! I used a 10 inch square pan but a 9 x 13 should also work. Spread about 1/2 cup of sauce over the bottom of the pan. Place a layer of noodles on the bottom. Spread the zucchini over the layer of noodles. Drizzle about 1 cup of sauce over it. Add another layer of noodles. Add the mushroom and onion mixture and 1/3 cup of the Parmesan cheese. Add the next layer of noodles. Add the spinach and 1 cup of white sauce. Another layer of noodles. Finally, the spinach layer and 1/3 cup of Parmesan. Top with a final layer of noodles, the rest of the sauce and a sprinkling of the remaining 1/3 cup of cheese.  Can freeze at this point.
Cover pan with foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10 or 15 minutes until top is browned. Let cool before slicing and serving. If you are making ahead, decrease cooking time by 15 minutes and reheat in the oven before serving