Sloppy Joes for a crowd

No doubt I always seem to have a house full of teenagers lately. Most of the time its not planned. They just seem to show up and multiply...weird how that happens. Did I mention they always show up hungry??? Yes they do especially the boys. Here is a great recipe you can throw together quick, easy, and with what you probably already have in your fridge...

  

2 to 3 pounds lean ground beef  

1 cup chopped onion 

1 cup chopped green bell pepper (optional for picky eaters) 

3 tsp garlic powder 

2 tbl mustard 

2 cup ketchup 

2 tbl brown sugar

1. In a medium skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef, onion, and green pepper; drain off liquids.
2. Stir in the garlic powder, mustard, ketchup, and brown sugar; mix thoroughly. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper

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Easy Pork Chops For Busy Weekdays

This isn't an actual recipe but I'm going to tell you what I did to make these yummy pork chops! You will be surprised how easy and how good these really are!

In a large skillet add the following ingredients, and cook pork chops til done. 1/4 c soy sauce, 1/4 olive oil, 1/4 vinegar, 1/4 brown sugar. Yep that's it! Serve over rice, and your done!

Oriental Chicken Salad

I 

I love the Oriental Chicken Salad from Applebees so much, I decided to come up with my own version. Here is the recipe I used, and it was great! Might have even been better than Applebees.

• FOR THE DRESSING:
• 3 Tablespoons Honey
• 1-½ Tablespoon White Rice Wine Vinegar
• ¼ cups Mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon Grey Poupon Mustard
• ⅛ teaspoons Vegetable Oil
• FOR THE SALAD:
• 4 pieces Crispy Chicken Strips, Cooked According To Package Directions
• 8 cups Chopped Lettuce (I added a handful of spinach)
• 1-½ cup Coleslaw Cabbage Mix With Carrots
• 3 Tablespoon Sliced, Toasted Almonds (found Mine In The Salad Section)
• ½ cups Chow Mein Noodles 

Quick Bisquick Chicken and Dumplings

Trust me this picture does not do these chicken and dumplings justice. This a great recipe, especially for a cold winter night!

3 pieces of boneless chicken breasts
5 or 6 cans of broth
2 cups bisquick
2/3 cup of half and half

Cut up boneless chicken into pieces. Boil  until tender. Bring broth to a bubbling boil. Mix Bisquick according to directions on box.
Drop by spoonfuls into boiling broth.
Cook for 10 mins. Add the remaining ingredients and let simmer about 20 mins.

Shredded Beef Tacos

Here is one of those "how can I make my afternoon less hectic dinners". I love to make my afternoon easier by throwing something in a crock pot, but my family doesn't want pot roast for dinner every night. So I'm always trying new things just for a change. Now....... this is not a recipe, this is just what I threw together in my crock pot, their are many things you could add or change, but this is just what I came up with! I cook 1 pot roast in the crock pot with one can of beef broth on high for 6 hours. Once it was done, I drained the juice (but saved it for later, because it will make a great beef/vegetable soup starter for later this week), then added one small can/cup of tomato sauce ( I use fresh tomato sauce), 2 tbl ground cumin, 1 tbl garlic powder, 1 tbl chili powder, and a big bunch of fresh cilantro. Served it in  taco shell with cheese and fresh tomatoes, and voila yummy shredded beef tacos!!! I will make this again, my family loved it, and it was really easy!

Teriyaki Salmon

This Salmon recipe is so easy, and so good! I'm going to go ahead and say it......It is the best salmon I have ever had. Really it is! Better than most restaurants. Here's the recipe try it I promise you will love it!

1 to 1 1/4 pounds fresh  salmon fillets
1  cup very very teriyaki sauce (I found mine at Tom Thumb or Central Market)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 clove minced garlic (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion (or 1/2 teaspoon onion powder)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoon brown sugar

Instructions: 

1. In a gallon-size ziplock bag, combine the teriyaki sauce, oil, garlic, onion, pepper. Mix everything together.
2. Add the salmon fillets in a single layer. Remove excess air from bag, seal, and make sure fillets are covered on both sides in the marinade.
3. Put salmon in the fridge to marinate for a few hours.
4. When you're ready to cook the salmon, remove the fillets from the bag and place them in a shallow dish
 in a single layer (skin side down if the salmon has skin). Pour 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the marinade over the fillets, and sprinkle the teaspoon of brown sugar over the tops.
5. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, or until salmon flakes with a fork. Don't bake too long, or salmon will be dry!

And that's it!

Roasted Red Peppers

 I sometimes pver buy on my produce, and don't have time to cook it all. If I have some extra peppers I love to roast them, and add them to sauces, soups, and marinades. My hubby loves to just eat them as a side. Here is an easy way to roast them.....

• 4 large red or yellow peppers
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
Place the whole peppers on a cookie sheetand place in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the skins are completely wrinkled and the peppers are charred, turning them twice during roasting. Remove the pan from the oven and immediately cover it tightly with aluminum foil. Set aside for 30 minutes, or until the peppers are cool enough to handle.
Remove the stem from each pepper and cut them in quarters. Remove the peels and seeds and place the peppers in a bowl along with any juices that have collected. Discard the stems, peels, and seeds. Pour the oil over the peppers. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

Moist Cornbread

I love to make a pot of soup or chili on a cold night, but I always feel like I need a really good piece of bread to top it off. Here is a great recipe for a really moist cornbread. It's super easy and really good!

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional add in for heat)
1 1/4 cups half-and-half cream or 1 1/4 cups milk
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
1/3 cup oil (use vegetable or olive oil)
4 tablespoons melted butter
1 (10 ounce) can corn kernels, well drained

Directions:
Set oven to 350 degrees
Set oven rack to second-lowest position. 

Butter an 8 x 8-inch square baking dish.
In a large bowl mix together flour with sugar, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. 

In another bowl whisk together half and half cream or milk, eggs, oil and melted butter; add to the flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined.

Mix in canned corn niblets.

Transfer to baking dish.
Bake for 25 minutes

Black Eyed Peas

Ingredients

• 1 Pkg Dried Black Eyed Peas  - package size doesn't matter
• Pork for seasoning: ham hocks, ham bone, or large piece of ham
• 1 T salt (will need more)
• 1 T pepper
• 1 T cooking oil
• 1 T Sugar

Instructions

1.  Place  beans in a large mixing bowl or pot. Completely cover with water (with a few inches extra over the top) and soak overnight. In morning, pour off soaking water and place in pot they're to be cooked in. Add pork for seasoning. Cover with water and several more inches to ensure that peas don't boil dry. Add all other seasonings. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for several hours. Remove ham and shred, place back in pot. Continue cooking until peas are tender. Total cooking time will take at least three to four hours.