Spicy Pot Roast

Despite the name, it's not actually spicy (I promise), just tasty! I have a crock-pot recipe book and was looking for a good pot roast recipe that's not your typical throw-in-potatoes-and-carrots. Those haven't been turning out well for me lately. This new recipe is great! I recommend it:

3-4 lb beef pot roast

salt & pepper to taste

0.75-oz. pkg. brown gravy mix

1/4 cup ketchup

2 tsp. dijon mustard

1 tsp. worcestershire sauce

1/8-tsp. garlic powder

1 cup water

Directions:

Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper to taste (which means nothing to me, because how to you taste test a raw meat?!). Place in slow cooker. Combine remaining ingredients. Pour over meat. Cover. Cook for 8-10 hrs on low or 4-5 hrs on high. Enjoy!

Spaghetti Squash Supreme

Being a cardiac nurse, I am trying to get my family to eat healthier. This tasted really good and I love that it has olive oil, no added salt, and is mostly vegetables. I am excited for leftovers!

1 medium spaghetti squash (4 lbs)
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp prepared pesto
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 c dry bread crumbs
1/4 c shredded parmesan cheese
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 in cubes
1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp olive oil, divided
1/2 lb sliced fresh mushrooms
1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 c chicken broth
1/3 c shredded cheddar cheese

Cut squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds. Place squash cut side down on a microwave safe plate. Microwave, uncovered on high fo 14-16 minutes or until tender.

Meanwhile, in a blender, combine the tomatoes, pesto, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Cover and process until blended; set aside. In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese;set aside.

In a large skillet, cook chicken in 1 Tbsp oil until no longer pink; remove and keep warm. In the same skillet, saute the mushrooms, onion and garlic in remaining oil until tender. Stir in the broth, chicken and reserved tomato mixture. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.

When squash is cool enough to handle, use a fork to separate strands. In a large ovenproof skillet, layer half of the squash, chicken mixture, and reserved crumb mixture. Repeat layers.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 15 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Broil 3-4 in. from the heat for 5-6 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden brown.

If you have some...

beef, green peppers, and onions, then you can easily whip up three of my favorite dinners. With these three ingredients you can make fajitas, stir fry, or steak sandwiches. Let me tell you how.

Base Ingredients:

Cut beef in to strips and slice the green peppers and onions.

Season the beef with seasoned salt, cayenne pepper, and a dash of onion powder and garlic salt. While that is cooking, sauté the onions and green peppers with butter. Then, just mix it all together.

Now if you want to make stir fry, mix everything together with some soy sauce and serve with rice.

For fajitas, serve with tortillas and rice. Chicken can also be substituted for the beef.

As for steak sandwiches, separate into individual portions (basically what can fit on your sandwich) and melt some cheese on it. Provolone is the best, but Monterey Jack is good too. Really whatever you want. I don't think cheddar would be the right flavor, but you can try it if you want! Anyways, once the cheese is melted put it on a loaf of hoagie bread and eat it right away! Serve it with some au jus sauce for dipping (I use a mix found in the gravy aisle).

And there you have it! Three simple meals with three ingredients. I'm sure there are more uses so if you have a recipe, do share!