Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas

5-6 large flour tortillas (I used 9)
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled if desired
1/4 cup soy sauce
2/3 cup apple cider vinegar, divided
2 leeks, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp. cumin
1 dried hot chili pepper, crushed (I used 1/2 tsp. crushed red peppers)
1 15-oz. can black beans
3 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided
vegetable or corn oil

Optional:
1/2 lb. chorizo
1-2 cups salsa
1/2-1 cup sour cream
1-2 T. chopped fresh cilantro

Wash and cut the sweet potatoes into bite-sized chunks. Put the potatoes, soy sauce, and 1/3 cup of the cider vinegar into a large pot and boil until the potatoes are very soft and the liquid is mostly absorbed, about 30 minutes.

In the meantime, saute the leeks, chorizo (if using) and garlic over medium-high heat in a little oil with the cumin until you can smell it halfway out the door. Then add the remaining cider vinegar, the chili pepper (crushed red pepper), and the black beans. Turn the heat down to medium, cover the pan, and take a break until the potatoes are done.

When the potatoes are finished, mash them, leaving a fair number of lumps. Fold the beans and 1 cup of the cheese into the potatoes. Fill the tortillas with about a handful of filling, roll and pack tightly into a lightly greased 9x13 baking pan. Top the enchiladas with the remaining cheese, and bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes, or until the cheese starts to bubble. After it's finished baking, broil for about 5 minutes to get the cheese really golden brown and toasty. Serve hot, with lots of salsa, sour  cream, cilantro, and napkins.

Prep time: 15 min.
Cooking time: about 1 hour total
Serves: 3-6

London Broil

I can never find this when I need it, so I'm putting it online.
 

London Broil in Crock Pot

1 London broil or flank steak, cut into 3 or so pieces to fit in crock pot  (I cut it into as many pieces as I have people to serve)

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 envelope Lipton onion soup mix

1 package sliced fresh mushrooms (we've always used canned) (optional but great)

1/2 soup can of water

Put in crock pot and cook all day (on low).  Serve over rice.

Same recipe can be done with chicken.

Pizza in a Pot and Green Chili Stew

Two crockpot favorites:

Green Chili Stew:

2 lbs beef stew meat, cut in 1 in. cubes

2 med onions, chopped

2 T. oil

1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1 can diced tomatoes, undrained

2 cans (4 oz each) chopped green chilis

1 cup water

3 beef boullion cubes

1 (or more) garlic cloves, minced

1 t. sugar

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

Shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

In a skillet or dutch oven, brown beef and onions in oil. Drain if you want. Transfer to crockpot. Combine beans, tomatoes, chilis, water, boullion, garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Pour over beef. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or until beef is tender. Sprinkle with cheese if desired. Serves 8.

Pizza in a Pot

Ingredients

1 1/2

pounds bulk Italian sausage or lean ground beef

1

medium onion, cut into thin wedges

1

15 ounce can pizza sauce with cheese

1

14 1/2 ounce can Italian-style stewed tomatoes

2

cups frozen (yellow, green, and red) peppers and onion stir-fry vegetables

1

4 1/2 ounce jar (drained weight) sliced mushrooms, drained, or one 2.25-ounce can sliced pitted ripe olives, drained

1

16 ounce loaf Italian bread or French baguette, halved lengthwise

1

8 ounce package shredded pizza cheese (2 cups)

Directions

1. In a large skillet cook sausage and onion over medium heat until meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain off fat. Place cooked meat mixture in a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker. Stir in pizza sauce, undrained tomatoes, stir-fry vegetables, and mushrooms.
2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 6 to 8 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 to 4 hours.
3. Arrange bread, cut sides up, on a large baking sheet. Broil 3 to 4 inches from the heat for 1 to 2 minutes or until golden. Spoon meat mixture on top of bread slices. Sprinkle with pizza cheese. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes more or until cheese melts. Cut into 10 pieces.

Chicken with Mushroom Stuffing

From the Better Homes & Gardens cookbook. I love the lemon zest flavor!

Prep: 40 minutes         Cook: 4 to 5 hours (high)
Makes: 8 main-dish servings

Ingredients:
2 T. finely shredded lemon peel
1 T. ground sage
1 T. seasoned salt
1 1/2 tsp. black pepper
8 small chicken legs (drumstick-thigh portion) (about 5 pounds), skinned
4 cups quartered or sliced fresh mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 cup butter
8 cups sourdough baguette cut into 1-inch pieces (about 10 oz.)
1 cup coarsely shredded carrot (2 medium)
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
3 T. snipped fresh Italian parsley

Directions:
1. Lightly coat inside of a 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Reserve 1 tsp. lemon peel. Combine remaining lemon peel, sage, seasoned salt, and pepper. Rub 3 T. sage mixture onto chicken legs. Place legs in cooker.
2. In a large skillet cook mushrooms and garlic in hot butter over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes or just until tender. Stir in the remaining T. sage mixture. Transfer mushroom mixture to a large bowl. Add baguette pieces and combine. Lightly pack stuffing on top of chicken in cooker.
3. Cover and cook on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours. Using a slotted spoon, transfer stuffing and chicken to a serving platter; discard juices in cooker. In a small bowl combine the reserved 1 tsp. lemon peel, the walnuts, and parsley. Before serving, sprinkle nut mixture over chicken and stuffing.

Baked Lasagna with Italian Sausage

This recipe is from Penzey's magazine.

Ingredients:
2 lbs. Italian sausage (or 2 lbs. ground pork mixed with 2 T. Italian Sausage Seasoning)
2 garlic cloves, crusehd
1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
1 6-oz. can tomato paste
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. Turkish Oregano
1 tsp. basil
1/4 - 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 15-oz. containers ricotta cheese
1 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 large eggs
3 cups mozzarella cheese
8 oz. lasagna noodles [Mom says: 3 noodles for 1/2 recipe]

Directions: 
In a large kettle or Dutch oven, cook the sausage and garlic, stirring until the sausage crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain off the fat. Stir in the tomatoes, sauce, paste, salt, sugar, oregano, basil, and pepper.

Simmer for 30 minutes and then set aside to cool.

While the sauce cools, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook the noodles according to package directions. Drain well and toss with a bit of olive oil to prevent sticking. Keep warm and cover until ready to use.

Combine the ricotta cheese, Parmesan and eggs. Spoon 1/2 Cup of the cooled tomato sauce into a 9x13 pan. Add a layer of noodles, half of the ricotta mixture, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese and half of the sauce. Repeat. Top with the remaining cup of mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: one hour 15 minutes plus noodle cooking time.
Serves: 8

Nutritional Information: per 8th = 670 Calories (280 from fat); total fat 31g; cholesterol 180 mg; sodium 940 mg; carbohydrate 42g; fiber 4g; sugars 14g; protein 52g.

Elaine Cannon's Turkey Stuffing

Another favorite family recipe I want access to online.

Elaine Cannon's Turkey Stuffing

Melt 2 cubes butter in large heavy pan.

Add: 2 finely chopped onions
2 to 3 chopped Roman Beauty apples (skins on) [I've never been able to find these and have just substituted other red apples]
4 to 5 chopped celery stalks

Cook on medium heat and stir until tender.

Add: 1 Tablespoon sage leaf (not powder), crumbled finely
1 teaspoon basil
1-2 teaspoons salt

Start adding chopped bread cubes. Add until it looks like the butter is used up (may need a little more butter) (approximately 8 to 10 cups of bread cubes). Then add one egg at a time (Maybe 2-3 eggs total) and stir and fluff (the eggs will make the stuffing stay light and fluffy rather than heavy.). Spread out stuffing on cookie sheet to cool completely.

Thaw turkey. Rinse bird, pat dry with paper towels. Stuff neck pa`rt. Bend wings back so bird will lay flat. Lightly salt the upper inside (breast underside) of turkey. Stuff inside of turkey. Spread room temperature butter on the turkey skin. Salt and paprika. Roast as directed.

OR

Put leftover stuffing in a casserole dish and bake casserole dish 1 hour. (350?)

Chocolate Chip Halfway Cookies

A yummy treat my mom made recently which I want to have access to online.

From SL Trib (Parade Magazine?) Dec. 9, 2012

Makes 24

For bars:

1 cup softened butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

2 egg yolks (slightly beaten with 1 tbsp water)

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups sifted flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 (12-oz) pkg semisweet chocolate chips

For topping:

2 egg whites

1 cup light brown sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 F

2. In a large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter until creamy.  Add sugars and beat well.  Beat in egg yolks and vanilla extract.

3. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Add to creamed mixture.  Dough will be stiff.

4. Press dough flat onto a greased 10 by 14-inch baking sheet, cover with chocolate chips, and bake for 10 minutes.  (I used a 9 x 13 pan)

5. Reduce oven heat to 325 F.  Make meringue topping:  Beat egg whites until very stiff; add brown sugar and beat well.

6. Spread meringue across top of dough (don’t spread all the way to edges).

7. Return to over for 12 to 15 minutes or until meringue is very light brown and dough is set.

8. Let cool; cut into bars.

Per serving:  260 cal., 34g carbs, 2g protein, 12g fat, 40 mg chol, 130 mg sodim, 2g fiber.