Skyline Cincinatti Chili

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 onions finely chopped (plus more for topping)
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate or 1 Tablespoon cocoa powder (optional)
1 clove garlic minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¾ teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups chicken broth
16 ounces tomato sauce
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds 93/7 ground beef
1 lb thin spaghetti

shredded cheese

finely chopped onions

oyster crackers

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Directions

In a Dutch oven medium-high heat, heat oil until shimmering. Cook onions until softened, about 5 minutes.

Stir in chocolate, garlic, chili powder, oregano, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves until fragrant, about 30 seconds. 

Add broth, tomato sauce, vinegar, tomato paste, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce.

Stir in beef and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, about 20 to 25 minutes. 

Season to taste with salt and pepper (I like 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper).

Serve over cooked spaghetti with desired toppings such as cheese, onions, and crackers.

Ground beef: You won't have a chance to drain the fat from the beef in this recipe. I think 85/15 is ideal for maximum flavor without too much grease, but you can choose something leaner if you want to.

Toppings: Build your bowl with spaghetti, chili, and cheese, then top it off with onions, or oyster crackers. 

Yield: This recipe makes 10 generous servings of Cincinnati Chili.

Nutrition
Calories: 234kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 298mg | Potassium: 417mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 532IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 3mg

{Best Ever} Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds beef chuck roast , cut into 1 to inch cubes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper , to taste
1 pound baby new potatoes , halved
4 medium carrots , peeled and cut into 1/2-inch thick pieces
1 large sweet onion , diced
3 cloves garlic , minced
2 cups low-sodium beef broth
1 cup vegetable juice (such as V8)
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 sprig fresh thyme (or ½ teaspoon dried)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 bay leaves
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ cup frozen peas , thawed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves , for garnish

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Directions:

Warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Season beef with salt and pepper, to taste. Add beef to the skillet and cook until evenly browned, about 2-3 minutes.

Place beef, potatoes, carrots, onion, and garlic into a 6-quart slow cooker.

In a bowl, whisk together the beef broth, vegetable juice, tomato paste, Worcestershire, thyme, oregano, paprika, and mustard seeds until well combined; pour over the the beef and vegetables.

Toss in 2 bay leaves and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Cover and cook on low heat for 7-8 hours.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour and 1/2 cup stew broth to create a slurry. Slowly stir the mixture into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat for an additional 30 minutes, or until thickened.

During the last 5 minutes, stir in the peas.

Discard bay leaves and thyme sprig.

Serve immediately in bowls, garnished with parsley, if desired.

Irish Guiness Beef Stew - Crockpot

Ingredients:

2 ½ pounds beef chuck cut into bite-sized pieces
3 large celery stalks diced
1 large yellow onion diced
3-4 medium yellow potatoes cubed
3 large carrots diced
32 ounces low sodium beef stock
12 ounce Guinness stout
½ cup white flour
3 cloves garlic finely minced
2 medium bay leaves
4 tablespoons olive oil divided
4 sprigs fresh thyme or 2 tablespoons dried

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Directions:

Prepare the celery, onion, and potatoes by washing and dicing them. Keep them somewhat similar in size so they’ll cook evenly. Set aside.

In a large bowl, add the beef pieces and lightly salt. Add in the flour and stir to coat.

To a large frying pan, over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the flour-coated beef and cook until golden brown. Work in batches if needed, to avoid overcrowding the pan. When done, remove the beef from the pan and set aside.

To the same pan, over medium heat, add two more tablespoons of olive oil and the diced onion and minced garlic. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and saute until fragrant.

Add the diced carrots and celery and cook until soft, approximately 10 minutes.

To the bowl of the slow cooker, add the browned meat, the cooked veggies, and the cubed potatoes and mix well.

Pour in the Guinness beer and beef stock. Add the thyme and bay leaves. Salt and pepper to taste.

Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours, or HIGH for 4-5 hours, or until your potatoes are soft and the broth has thickened.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Notes:

Use chuck in your stew. The tougher cut breaks down beautifully in the slow cooker.

Sear the meat. Don’t just brown the beef, let it sit in the hot pan and form a crust before you flip to the next side.

Give it time. Low and slow is the way to go with stew. If possible, cook it on LOW for the best results.

Cream Cheese Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:

4 cups of cooked chopped chicken breast
8 ounces of cream chees at room temerature

2 large cans of mild enchilada sauce

5 cups shredded cheese

2 small cans of diced green chilis

12 soft flour tortillas (8 inch)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Directions:

pre-heat oven to 350

Mix chicken, cream cheese, diced chilis and 1/2 can of enchilada sauce in a large bowl

Add 1 cup of shredded cheese and mix well

Pour some enchilada sauce in 9x13 pan. Roll the mixture into tortillas. Lay seam side down. Repeat until done

Cover with the rest of the shredded cheese and enchilada sauce

Bake 25-30 minutes until hot and bubbling

Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving

This freezes well.

Pork Tenderloin alla Napoli

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 (3/4 pound) pork tenderloins
2 Roma (plum) tomatoes, seeded and chopped
¼ cup chopped green olives
¼ cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
½ cup heavy cream

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Brown pork on all sides in the skillet.

Mix the tomatoes, olives, wine, rosemary and garlic in a bowl. Pour over the pork. Season with salt and pepper.

Place skillet with pork in the preheated oven, and bake 30 minutes, to a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees

Remove pork from skillet, leaving remaining tomato mixture and juices. Place skillet over medium heat, and gradually mix in the cream. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and continue cooking 5 minutes, until thickened. Slice pork, and drizzle with the cream sauce to serve.

Per Serving: 207 calories

Note:  electric skillet doesn’t work

Old Fashioned Meat Loaf

Ingredients:

2 lbs ground beef  (80/20 or 85/15)

2 cups bread crumbs (substitute crumbled crackers)
1 cups finely chopped yellow onion
1 cup milk
2 large eggs beaten
4 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon pepper

For the topping:
½ cup ketchup
4 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350
In a large bowl, combine meatloaf ingredients. Mix with your hands until everything is well combined. Pack tightly into loaf pan. Leave no air gaps.

In a separate bowl, mix topping ingredients.

Bake meatloaf for 50 minutes at 350.  Increase oven temp to 400. Spread topping evenly and bake another 20 minutes until the temperature reaches 150 degrees.  Remove from the oven and let stand 15 minutes. 

Final temperature will be at or near 160 degrees.

Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork

Ingredients:

1 pork butt/pork roast, 4-5 lbs

Salt, pepper and garlic powder

1 onion sliced

1 can Dr. Pepper

¾ cup barbecue sauce

Rolls and coleslaw for serving

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Directons:

Line the crockpot with onion slices

Rub the pork roast with seasoning and add to the slow cooker

Pour Dr. Pepper or Rootbeer on top 

Cook on high 4-5 hours or low for 7-8 hours.

The meat will be very tender, using two forks shred and place back in the juices.

Add the barbecue sauce to taste,  Allow to cook an additional 30-60 minutes if desired.

Serve with crusty rolls and coleslaw.

Notes:  If the pork produces too much juice, remove some before adding the pork back into the juice.

Black Bean Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

4 cups (32 oz) vegetable broth (low sodium)

1 15 oz can refried beans

2 15 oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 15 oz can corn, drained and rinsed

1 10 oz can rotella tomatoes

1 4 oz can diced green chilis

1 10 oz can red enchilada sauce

1 onion, diced

1 green pepper, diced

Salt and pepper to taste

Garnishes for serving

Shredded cheese

Sour cream

Cilantro

Lime wedges

Tortilla chips

Avocado

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Directions:

Add vegetable broth and refried beans to crockpot, mix together until beans are dissolved

Add black beans, corn, rotella tomatoes, green chilis, enchilada sauce, onion and green pepper.  Salt and pepper.  Cook on high 4 hours, reduce to warm until ready to serve.  Serve with garnishes to taste.

Slow Cooker Beer Pulled Pork

Ingredients:

1 (5 pound) pork butt roast
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 (12 ounce) can beer
1 (12 ounce) bottle barbeque sauce

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Directions:

Set the slow cooker to High.
Place the pork in the slow cooker. Season top of pork with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Pour in beer and place the lid on the slow cooker.
Cook on High for 1 hour. Reduce Low and cook for at least 8 hours.
(Alternate: Cook on high for 2 hours and low for 6 hours.)
Remove pork from the slow cooker and shred with two forks. Discard juices. Return shredded pork to slow cooker and stir in barbeque sauce.
Cook on low for 1 hour.

Beef Stew

Ingredients:

2 pounds stew beef
2 onions sliced
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 cups beef broth
2 tablespoon Worcester sauce
2 garlic cloves
2-3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon allspice
4 ribs celery chopped
2 tablespoon cornstarch
3 large russet Potatoes cubed
3 large Carrots sliced

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Directions:

Brown beef in hot oil. Add broth, Worcester sauce, garlic, bay leaves, onions, salt, sugar, pepper, paprika, and allspice. Cover and simmer 90 minutes. Remove bay leaves. Add carrots and celery. Cover and cook 15 minutes. Add potatoes.  Cook until tender.

To thicken the gravy, remove 2 cups of hot liquid. In a separate bowl, combine 1/4 cup of water and corn starch. Mix until smith. Add to the hot liquid. Return to th pot and cook until bubbly.

Serves 4-6.

Grilled Pork in Blackberry Sauce

Ingredients:

1 Pound pork tenderloin
1 teaspoon ground cumin
salt & pepper
½ cup blackberry preserves
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
pinch crushed red pepper
2 Tablespoon chopped green onions

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Directions:

Sprinkle all sides of pork with cumin, salt, and pepper.  Let stand 15 minutes

Grill on greeased rack of covered grill for 23-25 minutes or until 145 degrees.  Remove to cutting board, let stand 3 minutes before slicing.  Slice in thin slices to serve

While meat is standing, in a small skillet combine preserves, vinegar and worcestershire sauce with a pinch of crushed red pepper.  Bring to boil, boil gently, uncovered 3 minutes or until slightly thickened.  Serve sauce over pork and sprinkle with green onions.  Makes 4 servings

per serving:  2113 cal, 3 g fat, 7r mg chol, 114 mg sodium, 21g carb, 0 fiber, 24 g protein.

Note:  Made this twice,  we serve the sauce on the side and have forgotten the green onions both times.  This is yummy.  the cumin is a nice touch to the pork.  You could make the sauce with any type of preserves or jam of your tastes.

Serve with lots of fresh, grilled veges and/or grilled peaches.

Skinny Enchilada Stuffed Bell Peppers

Ingredients:

4 bell peppers
1 lb ground turkey (90/10)
1 cup black beans
1 cup cheddar cheese
¾ cup canned or frozen corn
¼ teaspoon salt
⅔ cup enchilada sauce
1 teaspoon cumin

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Directions

Cut the tops off the peppers and remove the seeds
Place in a greased pan that fits them.
Brown turkey until fully cooked.
In a large bowl, mix turkey, beans, corn, cheese, enchilada sauce, cumin, and salt.  Stir until evenly mixed.  Leave 4 teaspoons of cheese to be used later.
Stuff peppers with mixture
Cover the pan with foil and bake at 350 for 60 minutes.  Remove and sprinkle each pepper with 1 teaspoon of grated cheese. Return to the oven uncovered for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

If you like cooked peppers, put the tops you cut off in the pan next to your stuffed peppers.

Entire recipe is 1600 calories
Each pepper is 400 calories
Recipe is in LoseIt

Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

1 ½ Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 lb 93% lean ground Turkey
1 finely chopped onion
1 small finely chopped red pepper
1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon garlic powder
salt & pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne
1 cup black beans, rinsed

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Directions

Cook meat, onion, pepper, spices until meat is no longer pink. Add beans and heat until hot thru.

Serve meat mixture in Romaine leaves, topped with radishes, avocado and tomato. You can also add sour cream and salsa for a true taco.

Notes:

Recipe is in LoseIt
1182 Calories for the entire recipe
Makes 4 servings
Each serving is 295 calories.

I use whatever pepper seasoning that I have

Spicy Cheesey Shrimp & Grits

Ingredients:
1 lb shrimp cleaned and peeled
4 pieces of bacon fried crispy and crumpbled
3 green onions chopped
1/2 red bell pepper chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
1 can fire roasted tomatoes drained
4 envelopes of instant grits
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (more or less to taste)
2 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup shredded monetery jack cheese
1/2 cup shredded chedder cheese (not aged)
1 tablespoon olive oil

Pour chicken broth into a mocrowave save bowl and cook until boiling
add grits and red papper. Mix and set aside.
In a skillet.  Combine EVOO, red pepper. Cook until soft. (3-4 minutes)
Add green onion and garlic. Cook 2-3 more minutes.
Add the shrimp. Cook until they juast start to turn pink. Be careful not to overcook.

Empty the contents of the saucepan in to your bowl of grits.
Add the tomatoes, cheese and bacon
Stir until mixed thouroughly

Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes until cheese is fully melted.

Dirty Rice - Small batch

2-3 stalks of Celery
1 medium onion chopped
1 bell pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 hot Italian sausage links
1 3/4 cups of rice
2 cans of chicken or beef broth (14 oz)
1 small can of Green Giant corn (optional)

Cook the sausage in a large skillet. You can squeeze it out of the casing or cut it into bite sized pieces.
While the meat is cooking, cut your vegetables into 1/4 to 1/2 pieces.
Set the meat aside.
Saute the vegetables in the sausage grease until onion is translucent.

Put rice and broth in the rice cooker. Add red pepper flakes. 
Add the meat and vegetables. Do NOT stir it. The rice kernels need to stay in the broth.

Press the cook button!

Recipe is in LoseIt App

Entire recipe is 1021 calories

Makes 2 servings at 510 calories each

Baby Back Ribs

Ingredients:

2 Racks of baby back pork ribs

Salt

Pepper

Wine, Beer, Water

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Directions:

Place the ribs in a broiling pan.
Sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder
Add some liquid. (Wine, beer, moonshine, water.)

Seal the pan tight with aluminum foil
Cook at 225 for 3 hrs
Let the ribs sit for an hour after removing from the oven

Finish on the barbque
Set temp to med - low
place ribs meat side up.
slather with your favorite bbq sauce
turn and slather every 5 minutes for a total of 30-40 minutes until you have a nice coating of bbq sauce.

BLT Pasta

8 oz, penne pasta - cook according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain
6 bacon slices
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 oz spinach
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup grated Romano cheese

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add bacon and cook 6 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon from pan and crumble. Add tomatoes and salt to drippings in pan ( I would drain off some of the grease), Cook 3 minutes or until tomatoes are tender, stirring occasionally. Add spinach and pasta to the pan, cook 1 minute or just until spinach begins to wilt. stirring. sprinkle bacon, pepper and cheese,

Baked Chicken Wings

Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, pressed
2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
onion powder
salt and pepper to taste
10 chicken wings

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Combine olive oil, garlic, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper in a large baggie, seal and shake to combine.  Add chicken wings and shake to coat.
Arrange the chicken on a baking sheet,
Cook the wings in a preheated oven 1 hour or until crisp and cooked through

Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches

INGREDIENTS:

4 pounds rump roast (choice boneless bottom round) See note below
1 (10.5 ounce) can beef broth
1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed French onion soup
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle beer
6 French rolls (I use 2 French Baguettes)

DIRECTIONS:
Sprinkle Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder (season to taste) on bottom of crock pot, then again on top after everything else has been added.

Trim excess fat from the rump roast, and place in a slow cooker. Add the beef broth, onion soup and beer. Cook on Low for 7 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 for step 3. (Optional)

Split French rolls, Bake 10 minutes, or until heated through.

Slice the meat on the diagonal, and place on the rolls. Serve the sauce for dipping.

Serve with chips and dill pickles. Yummmmm!

I use 2 ½ lbs of meat for 4 people. But use full measures as above of everything else.

4/1/17 I've been using Chuck Roast (from Costco, 4.5 lbs) and it works beautifully.

Notes: In my crockpot I cook it on High most of the 7 hours cooking it about 8-9 hours. It doesn't seem to get overcooked. I think on low it would take much longer.

Pork Chops with Apples

Ingredients:
2  - Tablespoons EVOO
1 - small onion coarsely chopped
2 - firm, tart apples (Crispin) cut into large chunks
4 - 1 1/2" thick pork chops with bone in
1/2 - teaspoon fresh rosemary minced
6 - ounces of ginger beer or ginger ale

Directions:

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the EVOO over medium low heat.  Add onions and cook stirring often. When onions are just softened (about 2 minutes) add the apples and continue cooking. Stir occasionally. In about 5 more minutes, the onions should be golden.  Transfer the onion apple mixture to a plate.  Season the pork chops with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the rosemary. Increase the heat to medium high and add the other tablespoon of EVOO. Cook the pork chops until golden brown. Your meat thermometer should be at 130 degrees.  Put the pork chops on another plate.  Return the apple onion mixture to the skillet. Add the ginger ale and stir. Be sure to get the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the pork chops. Cover and cook for 10-12 minutes on medium heat. Cooked pork chops need to be 145 degrees.

Denise notes:
I cooked the onions first until caramelized, I also added a bit of cinnamon to the apples, also cook to apples until consistency you like.