Spinach Squares

Once again, we have a situation where I do not know where to credit this recipe.
My daughter found it, wanted to make it...and it's been so many years, we don't remember.

We heart spinach and we heart feta. This appetizer was easy to make and super yummy.

We made it and brought it to a family party, people were all over it like white on rice! The biggest compliment we got that day was from my sister in law's ex boyfriend. Her VERY GREEK ex boyfriend (in all the time they were together, I never learned how to say his last name!) said they reminded him so much of his mother's authentic spanakopita.

Ingredients:
1 Package Fillo dough
3 Eggs
1 Tablespoon water
1 Cup feta cheese
1 Package frozen chopped spinach
1 Medium onion, finely chopped

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400
2. Thaw pastry at room temperature
3. Mix 1 egg and water, set aside
4. Mix remaining eggs, cheese, spinach, and onion
5. Cut pastry large enough to fold into triangles
6. Fill, fold, and brush egg mixture over pastry
7. Cook for 15 minutes

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Shepherd's Pie

I can see people questioning this recipe. No, it's not traditional, I know that.
But it's simple, and good.

Personally, I do not believe there is a wrong way to make a Shepherd's Pie...meat, veggie, and potato...good enough.
This was my version when I very first started cooking, and I have stuck to it.

I have made it differently, and have seen some new recipes for it that I will get around to trying, but this is my bare bones basic.

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef, browned
2 Cups frozen mixed vegetables (thawed)
4 Cups mashed potato
Cheddar cheese
Gravy


Directions:
1. Brown hamburger and mix with thawed vegetables
2. Line 9x13 pan with meat mixture
3. Top with mashed potato
4. Bake at 350 until mix potato is golden brown
5. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and bake until cheese is melted
6. Serve with hot gravy

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Pesto Potatoes

We love potato (remember...I am a good part Polish) in any way, shape, or form.
A friend was over one night for dinner and I asked him how he would like his potato with dinner...he simply said "with pesto". OK...ask and ye shall receive.

This shouldn't even qualify as a recipe, but it is a yummy side dish and I felt silly for never thinking of it before.
You can make your own pesto, or get store bought. I met in the middle and used a yummy pesto mix I order here. That way it's always made fresh, but it's always on hand.

Ingredients:
Peeled potatoes, cut into smaller pieces
Pesto


Directions:
1. Peel and cut potatoes
2. Boil until just done (watch them, do not over-cook)
3. Toss potato with pesto

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Cheddar Bay Biscuits (Red Lobster)

I came across this recipe a million years ago. I wish I could pinpoint where so I could give credit...but a quick look on Pinterest shows this coming from EVERYWHERE. So, it's impractical to link to a million sites.


Ingredients:
2 Cups Bisquick
⅔ Cup milk
½ Cup shredded cheddar cheese
½ Cup butter (melted)
¼ Teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 450
2. Mix Bisquick, milk, and cheese until a soft dough forms
3. Drop by spoonfulls onto a baking sheet
4. Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown
5. Mix butter and garlic powder
6. Brush butter mixture over warm biscuits

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Asian Honey Sesame Chicken

I have no idea where this recipe came from.
Darling daughter picked it out once upon a time for us to make. We made it a few times as stated, and once we did it with chicken breasts in the crock pot.
Every time it was successful!

Typing this out made my stomach growl, I think I need to go get the ingredients the next time I hit the grocery store!

Ingredients:
2 ½ Lbs chicken pieces
½ Cup soy sauce
¼ Cup water
2 Tablespoon vegetable oil
2 Tablespoon sesame oil
2 Tablespoon honey
2 Tablespoon sesame seeds
2 Green onions-chopped
2 Garlic cloves-chopped
1 Teaspoon chopped ginger


Directions:
1. Add everything to a large zipper bag
2. Refrigerate overnight, turning once
3. Heat oven to 350
4. In a 9x13 pan, add chicken and half of the marinade
5. Bake 35-45 minutes

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Caboosta (Cabbage Soup)

I am part Italian and part Lithuanian...this means I pretty much LIVE on bread, pasta, and potato. No Atkins diet in my future!

It's my mother's side that is Lithuanian, and we eat a LOT of really good Polish food.

This soup (forgive the not-so-specific) has been passed down from generation to generation. It's not fancy, it's not hard...it's just comforting and delicious!

It's so simple to make, even after years of making it, I still feel like I am forgetting something!

There are no extra spices, just salt and pepper to taste.

Ingredients:
Pork
One head of cabbage
One large can of crushed tomato
6 cups of Water
Bayleaf


Directions:
1. Pour water into a soup pot
2. Shred cabbage, add to pot
3. Dice pork, add to pot
4. Add tomato
5. Add bayleaf
6. Cook until pork is cooked and cabbage is tender

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You do want the liquid in the pot to reduce by a few inches...it will make for stronger flavors.

Not pictured: Salt and Pepper to taste

Christmas 2012

Ahhhh Christmas!

I love this time of year...from the day after Thanksgiving to the very last minute of 12/25.
Everything just has an extra sheen of special wrapped around it!

I listen to Christmas carols as early as possible...just for the simple fact that they make me feel good. Well, except for Mariah Carey and Wham, those particular songs (which EVERY STATION seems to love and play on constant repeat) make me want to hurt puppies.

With Christmas falling on a Tuesday this year, we ended up having 3 amazing parties right in a row.
This meant a LOT of kitchen time for me. I love cooking and baking, but wow, what a lot of quality time with my stove and dishwasher.

On Sunday, 12/23 we held a Patriots football party (yes, we beat Jacksonville). Considering how close it was to the big day, we had quite the houseful!
For this party I made:
Junk Salad
Sausage and Peppers
Chili Pizzas
Snickerdoodles

On Monday, 12/24 we hosted Christmas Eve for some friends and my husband's side of the family.
It's a great time, just being with people you do not get to see often. We exchange gifts and eat until we cannot eat any more!
For this party I made:
Spinach Soup
Buffalo Chicken Poppers
Carmel Almond Poke Cake
Carmelized Onion Bruschetta
Holiday Bacon Appetizers
Mozzarella stuffed meatballs

Tuesday, 12/25 was the magic day.
This was a little different sort of a year. My Nana (who is the most awesome person EVER) always spends the night Christmas Eve and spends Christmas morning opening presents with us. Since she is so ill, we all went to her house this year.
We did a Yankee swap (vs. pulling names as in years past) and she got into it. So very, very cute!
For this party I made*:
Biscuits and Gravy
Peanut Butter Pie

It was a special year. Cousins we never see on Christmas came to visit and spend the day with Nana. She loved every minute of having so much family around. It is overwhelming for her; loud and crowded....and it was the best medicine for her.
As tired as she was, she would not have missed a minute!
She is so very proud of her family, and loves so intensely. She is the matriarch of a 4 generation family...high honors.

Merry Christmas to my family, even with our differences, we stand stronger than most!
With an extra dose of love for my amazing Nana.

* I will link to these recipes as they are posted

Pulled Pork

This is one of my fave meals.
There is no 100% set way that I make it, it's slightly different every time. What follows is just a basic shell of a recipe. Play with it, tweak it, make it your own.
As I make it again, I will try to see what variations I use and post them as I come to them.

Serve on potato rolls with a side of slaw...or do it the NC way and put the slaw ON the sandwich!

Ingredients:
Pork shoulder
1 Bottle BBQ sauce
Onions (sliced)


Directions:
1. Put pork shoulder in crock pot
2. Cover with sliced onions
3. Pour BBQ sauce over meat
4. Cook for 8 hours
5. Shred with forks

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Caramel Almond Poke Cake

I have really been trying to rekindle my love of baking. I used to bake so often growing up! This cake sparked the flame for me.
It's so easy, and smells SO amazing!

I had found this recipe on the Betty Crocker site.

This cake is being served to my mother in law, who makes amazing desserts. She fully approves!

Ingredients:
2 Boxes pound cake mix
1 ½ Cup water or milk
½ Cup butter (softened)
4 Eggs
2 Cups whipping cream
1 Cup packed dark brown sugar
¼ Cup butter
1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk
¾ Cup unblanched whole almonds (coarsely chopped, toasted)
⅓ Cup vanilla frosting


Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350
2. Grease 9 x 13 inch pan
3. Make cake as directed on box. Spread batter evenly in pan.
4. Bake 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean
5. Cool cake 30 minutes
6. In 2 quart saucepan, heat whipping cream, brown sugar, and ¼ cup butter to boiling over medium high heat.
7. Reduce heat to medium, simmer uncovered, about 15 minutes. Stir frequently until thickened
8. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, cool slightly
9. Poke warm cake every inch with the handle of a wooden spoon.
10. Slowly pour condensed milk over cake. Let stand until milk has been absorbed into cake.
11. Slowly drizzle with most of caramel sauce, pressing slightly into holes.
12. Sprinkle with almonds, drizzle with remaining caramel sauce
13. Cool completely.
14. In microwave safe bowl, microwave frosting on high 10-15 seconds. Drizzle over cake.
15. Cut cake in 6 rows by 3 rows

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Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo

This is one of my favorite go to comfort foods.
Yes, I do know how to make my own Alfredo sauce...but sometimes it's easier to do a semi-homemade meal.

When reheating leftovers, warm in a saucepan with a splash of cream to keep it from being dry and clumpy.

Ingredients:
3-4 Chicken Breasts
1 Bunch broccoli
I box Fettuccine
I jar Alfredo sauce
Minced Garlic
Garlic Powder
Olive Oil

Directions:
1. Cut chicken into bite sized pieces
2. Cook chicken with a tablespoon or two of olive oil, seasoning with garlic powder
3. Warm alfredo sauce, adding minced garlic to taste
4. Cook broccoli for just a couple of minutes, until the color brightens
5. Cook pasta according to directions on box.
6. When all ingredients are cooked, combine all. Season to taste.

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Ingredients: I love using "steam in the bag" broccoli!

A big bowl of comfort food!

Roux

Roux (pronounced roo) is a thickening agent for soups, stews, gravies...anything!

It’s an equal measure of fat and starch. Most commonly made with butter and flour.

Melt butter, add flour and whisk. Cook until it smells slightly nutty and is somewhat brown. It’s important to do this, otherwise you will be able to taste the flour.

Once your roux is completed, slowly add your chosen liquid. Keep whisking and building until you have the amount/consistency you are looking for.

Melt butter (ignore my O-L-D pan)

Add an equal amount of flour

Cook for a few minutes. Mixture will smell nutty.

To Die For Pot Roast

I have had this recipe in my collection forever. I actually have no idea where it came from.
A quick google search...and it came from everywhere! I can't even begin to link to the millions of sites that have this recipe.

I also had this one sent to me by a friend, Lisa M, as one of her go-to classics.

It's super easy, and super yummy!

Ingredients:
1 Beef Roast
1 Package Ranch Dressing Mix
1 Package Brown Gravy Mix
1 Package Italian Dressing Mix
½ Cup Water

Directions:
1. Put roast in crock pot
2. Combine mixes well and sprinkle over roast
3. Pour water into pot

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All set, sitting in the Crockpot ready to cook!

Of course since I cooked low and slow, the meat was so tender it wouldn't stay together for the picture

Come party with me HERE!

Sesame Vegetables

Once upon a time I received a free pack of random recipe cards in the mail. They were probably sent as a sample, to entice me to buy into a whole series of them...but NAH!
This recipe came in the pack, and I have sat on it for years, I think I forgot it existed.

But, that is all behind us now. I have made this recipe, and it received thumbs up all around.
I used green cabbage (as I had it on hand from making Caboosta) and added the Sesame Oil for an extra kick of flavor.

I decided on the sesame oil later while making this...so, that item is missing from the picture. I am sure you can forgive my little improvision, especially since I really think this dish needed it.

The vegetables can be cut for this in advance. I would suggest keeping them refrigerated in cold water. Drain well before using.

Ingredients
2 red bell peppers
2 green bell peppers
2 medium zucchini
4 carrots
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ small head cabbage (red or green)
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
4 teaspoons rice vinegar
¼ cup water
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Dash sesame oil

Directions:
1. Cut vegetables julienne-style
2. Heat large skillet over medium high heat, add oil
3. Add bell peppers, zucchini, and carrots. Stir fry for 5 minutes
4. Add cabbage, salt and pepper to skillet. Stir fry for 1 minute
5. Mix vinegar and water in a measuring cup. Add to skillet. Stir fry for 3 minutes.
6. Add sesame seed and sesame oil. Stir fry for 1 minute.

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Ingredients, minus the last minute sesame oil

Yummy!

Microplane Grater (Fine)

Everyone is familiar with Pampered Chef parties.
We all get talked into either going or having them.
I don't mind, as stated before...I am all about any excuse to get together!

I got this item once upon a time, and now I can't imagine life without it.
I am not sponsored by Pampered Chef, I, in fact, have nothing to gain from this post.

I rely heavily on other people's reviews on everything...so I thought I would share mine!

This one tool is my go-to grater for
1. Parmesan Cheese
2. Zesting
3. Nutmeg
Anything you need to be grated small and fine.

If you don't own one, I suggest you get one!
Click here to shop

Salty Kisses

I remember being in elementary school (not sure what grade, but I am sure Wilma Flintstone was in my class) and someone's mother bringing these in for a Christmas party.

Remember those? Christmas parties...in school?!
Back when it was O.K.?

With the emergence of Pinterest, I saw these again. I didn't even realize I had missed them!

I made a whole bunch last night to give out at work. More than one person mentioned how much they themselves had missed them!

Gather the following ingredients:

I already had my oven on from baking other things, so I kept it at 350.

Place a good sized handful of pretzel squares on a parchment lined baking sheet.
(Don't do too many, you won't be able to get the M&M's on in time)

Place a Kiss on each pretzel.

Bake for 3 minutes.
2= not melted enough to squish
4= Too cooked and starting to separate

Once the kisses are at that perfect melty stage, add one M&M to each.

Put them in the fridge for a bit to "set" the chocolate!

Rudolph Cookies

I was looking for something fun, easy and different to add to my Christmas cookie list for this year.
I came across this recipe and thought it was too cute for words!

If you go by the original directions, it states to freeze the roll. I did not, which is probably why my Rudolph looks a little more bloated than the picture with the original recipe.

Bloated or not, he is dang cute!

Ingredients:
1 roll refrigerated sugar cookie dough
Pretzel twists
Mini chocolate chips
Red cinnamon candies

Directions:
1. Cut dough, about ¼ inch thick
2. Break pretzels to make antlers
3. Squeeze dough round towards the bottom to make a “snout” area
4. Place mini chips for eyes
5. Place cinnamon candy for nose
6. Bake according to package directions

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Love, Love, Love semi homemade recipes!

Rudolph with your nose so bright!

This recipe was shared on: Let's Dish

BLT Bites

I love love love when darling daughter is interested in cooking with me!
She is a teen and waaaaay too cool to hang out with Mom most of the time, so this brings us a little closer.

I had gathered a TON of new recipes I wanted to try. She went thru them and chose this to make for Thanksgiving.
Imagine my giddy excitement for DAYS waiting to make these with my girl!
Imagine my surprise when it was my mother and I making these instead of daughter and I, (Well, at least we still had the mother/daughter theme going)

Before you think she ditched me, she was busy helping me with a ton of other pre-Thanksgiving prep, and it just worked better for my mom to do a lot of this one.

Maybe I can entice her with another recipe at another time...OR...we can always make these again!

I brought them to Thanksgiving and they went FAST. People loved them! The flavor is just a big burst in your mouth. Everyone said we need to make them again, so I see them being made in my mini kitchen again.

16 Large cherry tomatoes
½ Lb smoked bacon (Cooked and crumbled)
½ Cup mayonnaise
⅓ Cup minced green onions
2 Tablespoons minced romaine lettuce


Directions:
1. Cut a thin slice off the top of the tomato and remove all pulp
2. Mix remaining ingredients
3. Spoon mixture into tomatoes
4. Refrigerate covered for at least one hour

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Since I did not manage to plan ahead, we are looking at a whole bunch of tomatoes in a red dish. :::sigh:::

The original recipe came from the Country Cook

Better than KFC coleslaw

I found this recipe on www.copykat.com and adapted it.

As a devout avoider of any and all coleslaw, I had my doubts, but hubby and darling daughter like it and wanted me to make some.
I tried this recipe...and fell in love!
I still don't like any other, but this one is special.

I brought it to a friend's house for a cookout one sunny day. He had tons of food leftover so brought a bunch down to his parents.
I got a phone call the next day BEGGING for this recipe. Apparently it tastes the same as one his mom used to have as a child.
So glad I could bring her back in time, even just for a meal!

Better than KFC coleslaw

Ingredients:

2 Bags of pre shredded cole slaw mix

2 Cups mayo

1 Cup sugar

¼ Cup white vinegar

¼ Cup vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Mix all of the dressing ingredients
2. Stir until well blended
3. Add cabbage mix
4. Store in refrigerator for at least an hour before serving

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Pecan Pie

My grandparents used to snowbird in Florida every year. New England weather was just too much for them.
One year my Nana sent me up a whole bag of unshelled pecans.
My roomate and I looked at each other and were just like "uuummmm".

Pecan pie was what we decided on. Neither of us had made any before, but we knew it had Karo Syrup in it.
Off to the grocery we went, found a bottle of Karo, and just followed the recipe on the back.

It came out so perfect. Gooey inside, crunchy nut crust, and so sweet it hurt our teeth..you know, like every awesome pecan pie!
To this day, I still swear by this first recipe, it's the my go-to every year.

1 Cup Karo syrup
3 Eggs
1 Cup sugar
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 Teaspoon vanilla
6 oz Pecans
1 Pie crust


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Mix first 5 ingredients
3. Stir in pecans
4. Pour filling into crust
5. Bake for 60-70 minutes
6. Cool before serving

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Here is the original Karo recipe.

Chocolate Toffee Creme Pie

I have made this pie numerous times. Every time I make it, I only manage to try a bite of it before it is GONE!
(Although, to be fair, I was too full to eat the remaining piece at Thanksgiving)
It's silky, chocolaty, crunchy, sweet, and pretty all at the same time.

My husband is a big Heath bar nut, so as soon as I saw this recipe, I knew I had to try it.
The first time I made it, it was SUCH a hit, I had to bring the rest to my Nana to get it out of the house so we didn't eat it all!

It's so easy to make, and a guaranteed crowd pleaser!

2 Packages of Instant Chocolate Pudding
2 Cup cold milk
1 Container (8oz) Whipped Topping
Toffee bits
1 Oreo pie crust
1 Square (1oz) semi sweet baking chocolate, melted

Directions:
1. Mix pudding and milk in bowl with a whisk for 2 minutes
2. Stir in half the whipped topping
3. Mix in a generous handful of toffee bits
4. Pour into crust
5. Top with remaining whipped topping
6. Sprinkle toffee on top
7. Drizzle melted chocolate on top

Printable recipe

I bought the Heath bits in the baking section. I didn't measure them when I made it, we like our candy crunch !

The original recipe was found on the side of a Jell-o Pudding box. You can find it online here.

Come party with me HERE!

Key Lime Pie

From the day she started eating solid foods, my daughter has been a citrus junkie!
Oranges, grapefruit, lemon and lime...she loves it all. She eats lemons like some people eat apples.

Can you believe she does not like key lime pie?
I don't understand, but, who am I to judge.

Hubby dearest and one of my uncles would sell their left kidney in order to get key lime pie. To me, that is worth making it for!

I will say, it is well worth it to find the key lime juice. I tried every store in our area with no luck. I happened to find it at our local Wegman's. We just got our first one last year...and I am addicted!

One pre made graham cracker crust
2 (14 oz) cans sweetened condensed milk
1 Cup key lime juice
2 Large eggs
1 Cup sour cream
2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
Lime Zest

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325
2. Combine condensed milk, lime juice, and eggs,
3. Whisk until blended and place in the pie shell
4. Bake for 15 minutes, and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours
5.Mix powdered sugar and sour cream (frosting)
6. Frost pie and sprinkle with lime zest
7. Serve chilled


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Mixing up the "meat" of the pie

Pie is filled and chilled, ready to frost.

Yes, the frosting still looks like sour cream, but the powdered sugar gives it just the right amount of sweetness.

Frosted, zested, and ready to eat!

I found the original recipe here.

This recipe was shared with: The Tumbleweed Contessa

Come party with me HERE!

Corn Casserole

I had Thanksgiving with a friend many, many moons ago and she served this dish.

Quite comical, she had not read all the way thru the oh-so-easy directions and made this is a smaller, round casserole dish. It took forever to cook and ended up looking like a souffle gone mad!! Luckily, none of this changed the flavor.

When I moved back to MA, I made this for my first (back at home) family Thanksgiving. Everyone went nuts! I had to double the recipe the next year.

I tried looking on the Jiffy website, because I assume that is where the recipe came from, but it wasn't too user friendly.

So...no hyperlink for them! :)

Corn Casserole

1 Can whole corn (drained)

1 Can creamed corn

2 Eggs (beaten)

1 Box corn muffin mix (I use Jiffy)

1 Stick butter (melted)

1 Cup sour cream

1 Onion (diced)

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Combine all ingredients
3. Pour into greased 9 x 13 pan
4. Cook for 30-45 minutes

Add ins:

Cheddar Cheese

Jalapenos

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Can you believe I forgot to put the eggs in this picture! Hello blonde me!

I was going to take a separate picture of eggs and add it, but it just didn't do the same thing. By the time I realized, all the ingredients had been used and I was not going to dig in the trash to get the containers.

I am sure, you, my faithful reader, can use your imagination to put the lonely eggs into this picture!

This recipe was shared with: Let's Dish Recipes and Tumbleweed Contessa

http://gooseberrypatch.typepad.com/blog/2015/11/thanksgiving-holiday-recipe-round-up.html

Olive Garden Toasted Ravioli

I printed this from the web in 2008, since then, the site I printed it from has decided to charge, so I can't link to the original.
I made these as an appetizer one night for me and the family, we turned it into a meal.
They came out yummy, crispy and delish!

Olive Garden Toasted Ravioli

1 (16 oz) package of ravioli (fresh, or frozen and thawed)

2 Eggs (beaten)

¼ Cup water

1 Tsp garlic salt

1 Cup flour

1 Cup plain bread crumbs

1 Tsp Italian Seasoning

1. Mix water with eggs, set aside
2. Mix Italian Seasonings and garlic salt with the breadcrumbs and set aside
3. Measure flour in bowl and set aside
4. Heat vegetable oil in deep fryer or skillet to 350 degrees for deep frying
5. Dip ravioli in flour, then in egg wash, then in bread crumbs and carefully place in hot oil
6. Fry until golden, remove from oil and drain
7. Serve with your favorite marinara sauce

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Shredded chicken

This shouldn't even qualify as a recipe. Maybe I should tag this as a helpful hint. Hm, decisions, decisions.

I make this frequently. Some recipes I have call for it, but I do it plain and simple as well.
I like to make this and have it on hand always. I freeze portions in bags for later use.

Talk about an easy weeknight dinner, pull out one of these bags and make:
1. Chicken Salad
2. Chicken Tacos
3. Chicken Pie
4. Chicken Soup
5. Chicken Quesadillas
6. Chicken Tacos
7. BBQ Pulled Chicken
8. Taco Salads
9. Buffalo Chicken

The list is endless!

Ingredients:
6-8 Chicken breasts

Directions:
1. Spray crock pot with non stick spray
2. Add chicken
3. Cook for 5 hours
4. Shred with fork
5. Mix and cook for 30 more minutes

All shredded and ready for as many recipes as your imagination can come up with!