Let's COOK!

RECIPES

Is it just me or does school bring you more structure?

I got back to my month long meal planning and shopping!

It's a big undertaking for a day or two but I find we save so much in our food budget this way (mainly becuse it keeps me out of the store so many times a month) and for the most part I'm ready for the month!! Whenever I find a good recipe I like I just stick it aside in a pile for the day when I'm planning out the month.  I don't plan what we'll eat on what day - I'm not that insane, I just plan for x amount of meals and then I pick from that list knowing I have what I need for it. The meals range from hamburger helper to spaghetti to new recipes!! You have to allow for days when you don't want to really cook - I have lots of those days!!

Back to the topic -- RECIPES -- here's a few new recipes I tried this month that were a real success! I got a few pics or some of them.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE AND PENNE (CROCKPOT RECIPE)

3/4 lb italian sausage links, cut into bite size (you can use any type)

(I didn't measure my amount of sausage, just put a bunch in)

1 red pepper

1/2 onion chopped

26 oz. jar spaghetti sauce

6 oz. penne pasta - cooked (I used the whole grain kind)

Stir everything together in the crockpot except the pasta.

Cook on low for 7-8 hours. At serving time stir in cooked pasta.

 VERY DELCIOUS and something different from hamburger and chicken recipes.

CROCKPOT CHICKEN W/BLACK BEANS

4-5 chicken breasts, boneless

1 can black beans

1 can corn

1 jar salsa

1 pkg cream cheese

Put frozen chicken, beans (drained), corn (drained), and salsa in crock pot on

HIGH for 4-5 hours or until chicken is cooked.

Add cream cheese and let sit for 1/2 hour!

It was great with rice and chips!

Double Peanut Butter Candy Bites

1 pkg refrigerated penut butter cookie dough (24 inch balls)

24 miniature reeses peanut butter cups

m&m's

Place 1 inch cookie dough ball in greased miniature muffin pan.

Bake 15-18 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

As soon as you remove from oven press the  reeses pb cups into the dough.

Then put 3 m&m's on top.

You could do these with any kind of store bought or home made cookie dough and you could use m&m's or the recipe also suggested granola.  You could try a carmel square in the center too. Options are endless. My kids LOVED these! Kids can help easily with these too.

CREAM CHEESE CHICKEN CRESCENT ROLLS

2 cups cooked chicken shredded or cut really small

1 pkg cream cheese 8oz.

jumbo crescent rolls (12-18)

Mix filling together (can freeze this).

If frozen thaw completly.

Roll crescent rolls out flat, put in spoonfull of mixture, roll up and pinch ends so it's all covered.

Brush melted butter on top.

Bake 350 for 20-30 minutes.

I added to this recipe . . . garlic seasoning, and onion salt. I may add celery or some type of nut next time for some crunch. We all liked these! They were great for Jason out on the tractor . . . he liked them hot or cold.

Tatum enjoyed "painting" on butter!

I'm working on recipes for October this week!

I'd LOVE ideas from you.

Especially crock pot ones!!

Just want to make a note . . . I updated my blogger and it changed some things when I did that. All the changes were great but I can't find spell check!!!!!  I do read through my blogs but this isn't an english paper so the mistakes are there too.