Categories
Casseroles Chicken Ham Main Dish Make Ahead Pasta Turkey

Easy Day Before Casserole

7 oz. macaroni (uncooked)
1 can celery soup
1 can mushroom soup
1 small jar pimentos (optional)
4 oz. mushroom pieces
1 small onion, chopped
2 c. milk
1/2 lb Velveeta cheese diced
1/4 c. green pepper diced
2 c. ham, chicken or turkey, cooked and chopped
1 can water chestnuts, sliced
Combine all ingredients. Place in buttered 3 quart or 9×13 inch pan. Refrigerate overnight. Remove from refrigerator 1 hour before baking. Preheat oven to 350. Bake one hour.
8  Servings
Categories
Main Dish Pork Slow Cooker

Crockpot Pulled Pork

5 pound pork loin – fat trimmed off
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup molasses
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
dash of allspice
salt and pepper
Grease the inside of your Crockpot with cooking spray or use a Crockpot liner.  Combine the wet ingredients and pour into the Crockpot. Combine the dry ingredients and rub on the outsides of the pork loin. Place the loin in the Crockpot and cover with the lid. Cook for at least 4 hours or until the pork pulls apart easily with a fork. Remove cooked pork to a large bowl or deep sided platter and pull apart using two forks, or your hands if the meat has had time to cool. Strain the liquids remaining in the Crockpot and pour over the pulled pork. Serve on sandwich rolls or buttered grilled Texas toast.
8  Servings
Categories
Ham Main Dish

Cola Basted Ham

8 pounds ham, spiral cut
1 (12 oz.) can cola
1 (20 oz.) can pineapple, slices
40 whole cloves
10 maraschino cherries
Lightly oil a shallow roasting pan.  Place ham, cut side down, in pan and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.  Heat oven to 350 degrees and place rack in lower third.  Pour cola over ham and cover with foil.  Bake, basting every 30 minutes, until an instant read thermometer inserted 2 inches into center (without touching bone) registers 140 degrees, about 1 1/2 hours.  Drain pineapple slices and arrange on ham, attaching with cloves, and place 1 cherry in center of each; bake 15 minutes more.  Transfer ham in pan to a wire rack and let stand 10 minutes before carving.
12  Servings
Categories
Beef Chicken Main Dish Make Ahead Mexican Pork

Chimichangas

1 lb cooked beef or cooked pork or cooked chicken (3 cups)
1 (16 ounce) jar salsa
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chili peppers
1 (1 1/4 ounce) envelope burrito seasoning mix or taco seasoning mix
16 flour tortillas (7- or 8-inch)
16 ounces monterey jack cheese or cheddar cheese, cut into sixteen 5 x 1/2 inch sticks
salsa (optional)
sour cream (optional)
Using two forks, shred cooked meat or chicken (should have about 3 cups).  In a large skillet combine meat or chicken, salsa, beans, undrained chili peppers, and seasoning mix.    Cook and stir over medium heat until heated through.    In another skillet heat tortillas, one at a time, over medium-low heat about 30 seconds per side.   For each chimichanga, place 1/3cup meat mixture atop a tortilla, near one edge.   Top with a cheese stick.    Fold in sides; roll up, starting with cheese side.   Bake, covered, in 350 degree F oven for 30 minutes.   Uncover and bake 10 minutes more or until heated through.  Serve with salsa, dairy sour cream.    
To prepare, wrap frozen chimichangas individually in foil.   Bake in a 350 degree F oven about 50 minutes or until heated through.  (Or, thaw chimichangas in refrigerator overnight. Bake about 30 minutes.) Unwrap.  Bake 10 minutes more or until tortilla is crisp and brown.  Or, heat about 1/4-inch depth of oil in a skillet.   Cook desired number of frozen chimichangas, uncovered, in hot oil about 25 minutes (about 18 minutes if thawed) over medium-low heat or until golden, turning often.   Make-Ahead Tip: To freeze, place chimichangas in freezercontainers.   Seal, label, and freeze for up to 6 months.
 8  Servings
Categories
Beef Casseroles Main Dish Pork

Barbecue Pot Pie with Cheese Grits Crust

This is a great way to use up leftover BBQ.  This is an awesome dish!

1 large sweet onion, diced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups thick barbecue sauce
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1 pound shredded barbecued pork (1 pound shredded beef may be substituted for pork.)

Sauté onion in hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until golden brown. Stir in flour, and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Gradually stir in barbecue sauce and beef broth; cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken. Stir in pork, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, and spoon mixture into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.

*Cheese Grits Crust Batter*
2 cups water
2 cups milk
1 cup quick-cooking grits
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon seasoned pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Bring water and milk to boil in a large saucepan; add grits, and cook, stirring often, 5 minutes or until thickened. Stir in cheese, salt, and pepper; remove from heat.  Stir about one-fourth of grits mixture gradually into beaten eggs; add to remaining grits mixture, stirring constantly.  Spoon hot grits mixture evenly over hot Barbecue Pot Pie mixture.

Bake at 425° for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and set.

Yield 8 to 10 servings

Categories
Asparagus Casseroles Ham Main Dish Make Ahead Vegetables

Asparagus and Ham Casserole

Because of the delicate flavors in this dish, we preferred using a mild baked ham to a smoked one. 

1  (1-ounce) slice white bread
3 3/4  cups uncooked extra-broad egg noodles
2 1/2  cups (1 1/2-inch) sliced asparagus
1/4  cup all-purpose flour
1/2  teaspoon dried thyme
1/4  teaspoon salt
1/8  teaspoon black pepper
1  cup whole milk
1  cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1  tablespoon butter
3/4  cup finely chopped onion
1  tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/2  cups (1/2-inch) cubed ham (about 8 ounces)
1/4  cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2  tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450°.

Place bread in a food processor, and pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs form to measure 1/2 cup.

Cook pasta in boiling water 7 minutes, omitting salt and fat. Add asparagus; cook 1 minute. Drain.

Lightly spoon the flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Place flour, thyme, salt, and pepper in medium bowl; gradually add milk and broth, stirring with a whisk until well-blended. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion; saute 4 minutes. Add milk mixture; cook until thick (about 4 minutes), stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in juice. Combine the pasta mixture, milk mixture, ham, and parsley in large bowl; spoon into a 2-quart casserole. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and cheese.

Bake at 450° for 10 minutes or until filling is bubbly and topping is golden.

*Could be made ahead and frozen.  Thaw in refrigerator then bake until bubbly and topping is golden.

6 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Categories
Casseroles Ham Mushrooms Pasta Peas

Ham, Peas & Portabellos in Smoked Cheddar sauce over Bowtie Pasta

1 (12 oz.) package bowtie or farfalle pasta
2 cups ham , cubed
1 cup frozen peas
1 1/2 cups mushrooms, portabella –  cubed
1 cup onions, chopped.
4 ounces cheddar cheese, smoked – shredded
8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons flour, plain
4 tablespoons butter, melted
dash mustard, dry
dash salt

dash pepper
dash cayenne pepper

1 cup bread crumbs
Melt 2 tbs. butter in frying pan, saute onions in butter over med-high heat until transluscent.  Add mushrooms and a splash of red wine, saute until mushrooms are softened.  Meanwhile, boil pasta according to pkg. directions.  Drain, and return pasta to pan.  Add ham, peas and mushroom mixture to pasta – toss.
Pour into oiled casserole dish.
In a saucepan, melt 2 tbs. butter, add flour, dried mustard, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper.  Slowly add in the milk with a whisk.  Stir until slightly thickened.  Whisk in the cheeses.  Stir over low heat until smooth. Pour over pasta-ham-veg. mixture. 
Bake for 20 minutes at 350º .  Sprinkle bread crumbs on top and bake an additional 10 minutes.

8  Servings
Categories
Bacon Main Dish

Tomato Bacon Pie

4 tomatoes, peeled and sliced thinly
10 fresh basil leaves, chopped (optional)
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1 pack of bacon diced & cooked till crispy
1 (9-inch) prebaked deep dish pie shell 
1 cup grated mozzarella 
1 cup grated cheddar 
1 cup mayonnaise 
Salt and pepper 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the tomatoes in a colander in the sink in 1 layer. Sprinkle with salt and allow to drain for 15 minutes. Place sliced tomatoes on layers of paper towels to dry out for an additional 15 minutes. Next, layer the tomato slices, bacon, basil, and onion in pie shell. Season with salt and pepper. Combine the grated cheeses and mayonnaise together (Do not use Miracle Whip). Spread mixture on top of the tomatoes and bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve Immediately!!!
Categories
Beef Chicken Pork Sauces

Sharon’s Marinades

olive oil

balsamic vinegar
liquid smoke

wine 
everglades seasoning
garlic, minced
salt
pepper
Pour a little of each ingredient into a zip-lock bag.  Add meat of your choice, remove air from bag and seal.  Marinate for at least a few hours to overnight in refrigerator.
*For oriental seasoned meat, omit liquid smoke and add Hoisin Sauce ( 2 Tbs), Lime Juice, sliced ginger.
*For Italian seasoned meat, omit liquid smoke and add
Oregano and Basil.  ( if you have dipping seasonings, add that)
*For Mexican seasoned meat, use the liquid smoke, add lime juice, cilantro, cumin powder, chili powder.
Categories
Beef Chicken Pork

Gravy

2 tablespoons meat pan drippings, from roasting or frying pork, poultry or beef 
2 tablespoons flour  
3 cups broth, milk or water
salt and pepper, to taste
After cooking meat, remove all fat except for 2 tablespoons.  Whisk in flour, scraping the bottom of the pan for the baked on goodness.  Slowly whisk in the liquid and simmer until thick.  Season to taste.
Variation:
Combine flour and liquid together until no lumps of flour are visible, then pour into the heated oil.  Whisk while simmering until thickened.  Season to taste.
 8  Servings