cranberry bars

1 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar (I used half maple sugar, half white sugar)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 bag cranberries

Warm butter ~20 seconds in the microwave, cream with the sugar.  Add the salt, vanilla then flour.  Spread 2/3 batter into the pan, put cranberries on top, drop small blobs of remaining batter over the cranberries.  Cook ~40 min at 350 until top is golden.

creamed spinach crockpot

fresh spinach (this filled my entire salad spinner)
1/2 block cream cheese
1 small container greek yogurt, plain
cornstarch (~1 tsp)
1/3 cup mozzarella cheese

wash spinach and spin dry.  Chop in large pieces, add spinach, cream cheese and yogurt to the crockpot, cook on high ~1 hr until spinach wilts.  Add mozzarella cheese and cornstarch and cook ~30 mins on low.  Add more cornstarch to thicken to desired consistency and serve.

salmon linguini

2 cans salmon
1/2 cup frozen peas
heavy cream
linguini
1/2 cup grated pecorino

Saute frozen peas in a little butter until crisp/cooked.  Mix in heavy cream, 1/4 cup pecorino and flaked salmon to warm (do not simmer).  Add in cooked/strained linguini, toss with another 1/4 cup pecorino to coat.

salmon patties

crockpot chicken and dumplings

1.5 lbs chicken thighs

3-4 carrots (diced)

1-2 celery ribs (diced)

1/2 can corn

1-2 sweet potatoes (peeled, diced) or any other veggies desired

dumpling:

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp melted butter

1/2 cup milk

Combine the first 5 ingredients, add a little water to just barely cover the chicken/veg.  Cook ~2 hrs on high until chicken is cooked.  Remove chicken and shred/dice.  Mix together dumpling ingredients.  Add chicken back to the crockpot and roll dumpling dough into small balls and add into crockpot.  Cook ~30 mins.

crockpot quinoa and bean dip/chili

1/2 cup quinoa

1/2 cup water

1 can kidney beans

1 small can or ~10 oz of desired sauce (tomato sauce, enchilada sauce, green chili sauce)

1/2 can corn (or 1 small can mushrooms and some pepperoni for pizza theme)

1 small can olives (optional, depends on desired end flavor)

1 cup grated cheese (mozzarella or cheddar depending on the above choices)

Mix quinoa, water, beans, sauce, corn/mushrooms/ect.  Cook on high ~2 hrs until liquids are absorbed.  Mix in half of the cheese, sprinkle remaining cheese over top.  Serve as a dip with tortilla chips.  If pizza themed-saute pepperoni to crisp up as a topping.

crockpot honey chicken thighs

1.5 lbs chicken thighs
soy sauce (barely coat the bottom of the crockpot)
honey (2 scoops)
balsamic vinegar, maybe 1 tsp

Mix the soy sauce, honey and vinegar in the bottom of the crockpot.  Add chicken, cook ~1.5 hrs until chicken is done.  Remove sauce and thicken in a saucepan until reduced by half.  It was still thin, put back in the crockpot with the chicken and keep warm until serving.

Maybe next time add cornstarch for a thicker sauce

quiche

8 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)

1/2 tsp pepper (or to taste)

Herbs if you'd like

Dash onion powder 

10 oz thawed frozen spinach, squeezed dry

1 1/2 cup diced ham or 1/2 lb sausage (cooked)

1 cup grated mozzarella or Swiss cheese - with the 1/2 cup separated 

Heat oven to 350C, mix together eggs and milk then mix in all the other ingredients (except 1/2 cheese).  Put the remaining 1/2 cup cheese on top, bake ~30 mins in a 9 inch pan until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

crockpot lamb bolognese

Can be doubled (double everything, except tomato sauce, see below)

1 lb ground lamb
1 yellow squash (grated)
1 zucchini (grated)
2-3 carrots (grated)
1 small 8 oz can tomato sauce (1 14 oz can for double recipe)
1 tbsp worcheshire sauce (I like the vegan brand at wegmans)
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp herbs de provence (or similar italian herbs)
1/2 lb pasta (prefer linguini/fettuccini)

Saute lamb until brown (meanwhile I grate the veggies).  Add everything to the crockpot and cook on low 4 hrs (you can also add all the ingredients to the sauted lamb and simmer on the stove for 20 mins while starting/cooking the pasta).  Add a little pasta water to the sauce (1/4 cup), mix in the drained pasta, bring to a simmer, turn off heat and let sit 5 mins before serving.

chocolate mousse

6 oz good dark chocolate (1 cup chocolate chips)
3/4 cup milk

Melt chocolate over a double boiler until smooth.  Remove and place bowl over a bowl of ice cubes/water.  Stir in milk and once combined whip the mixture with a hand mixture for 3-5 minutes.  Pour into bowls and chill until serving.

strawberry whipped cream frosting

2 pints strawberries, stems removed
1 pint whipping cream
1 tbsp gelatin
1 tsp vanilla
sugar to taste

Puree strawberries, dissolve gelatin in 2 tbsp boiling water.  Mix strawberries and gelatin and set aside.  Whip cream with vanilla to make whipped cream, mix in the strawberry/gelatin mixture.  Add sugar to taste.  Spread on cake

dense chocolate pudding cake

1 cup softened butter
1 2/3 cup brown sugar (I used 1 cup sucanate 2/3 cup brown sugar)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup bittersweet chocolate chips (melted)
~1/3 cup chocolate chips (to mix in)
1 1/3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup plus 2 tbsp boiling water

Cream together butter and brown sugar.  Add and mix in eggs and vanilla.  Fold in the melted chocolate, stir in the chocolate chips.  Mix the flour and baking soda and alternate adding spoonful of flour with a spoonful of water until all flour and water is added.  Pour into parchment lined 9x5 loaf pan.  Bake 375 30 mins, then turn down to 325 for 15 mins.  Cool completely on wire rack.

Adapted from food52.com http://food52.com/recipes/20091-nigella-lawson-s-dense-chocolate-loaf-cake

cheese-its with no cheese

1 cup flour (plus extra for rolling)
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
pinch onion powder
1/4 tsp tumeric
1/2 tsp salt
a bit of fresh ground pepper
5 tbsp butter (cold, I grated it)
3 tbsp cold water

Mix everything except water together in a bowl to combine, add enough water to form a dough.  Roll out and cut with a knife into small squares.  Bake 375 ~12 mins.

Adapted from http://chefchloe.com/on-the-side/vegan-goldfish-crackers.html?fb_action_ids=10202687134280498&fb_action_types=og.likes

hot buttered rum

4 cups water
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
pinch salt
1 1/2 cinnamon sticks
3 whole cloves
dash nutmeg

mix together in a crockpot and cook for 1-2 hrs.  Add some rum when serving.

mediterranean lamb rice

1 cup rice
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
salt
1/4 tsp tumeric
1/4 tsp cayenne

leftover lamb roast (probably about 1 lb)
2-3 cups chopped spinach/kale/chard mix
1/4 cup leftover gravy from roast

1 package cherry tomatoes
1 6 oz package feta cheese
1/2 a lemon

Cook rice in 1.5 cups water with the cumin, coriander, salt, turmeric and cayenne, ~20 mins.  Meanwhile dice lamb and salute with the gravy and spinach mix until warm and spinach mix is wilted.  When the rice is done, mix together with the lamb/spinach mixture and the tomatoes (diced), cheese and juice of lemon.

french toast loaf

1 loaf bread
8 egg yolks
3.5 cups milk (or creme, ect)
1/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Use a 8x4 bread loaf pan, cut bread into thin slices and layer into the pan.  Mix together the remaining ingredients and pour over the bread.  Refrigerate at least/around 8 hrs (I put this together in the morning and cooked it for dinner), Cook for 1.5 hrs at 325.

Oat apple butter bars

2 cups oatmeal
1 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
12 tbsp butter
1 tbsp honey
~1 cup apple butter

Combine oatmeal, flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt and mix in cold butter either with a pastry blender or by hand.  Blend until crumbly and it sticks together.  Put 3/4 into a greased 8 in x 8in pan and press to an even layer to form the bottom crust.  Spread apple butter on top.  Add 1-2 tbsp honey to remaining batter and crumble over top.

Bake ~30 mins at 350
adapted from food.com

tomatillo black bean and barley

1/2 lb tomatillos (cut in half, probably about 10 medium tomatillos)
1/4 onion (large dice)
1 clove garlic (whole)
large handful of cilantro (maybe 1/2 of a bunch)
1/3 of a Serrano pepper (can omit or add more, next time I'd add 1/2)

1 cup barley
2.25 cups water
1 can black beans (drained)

~1 tsp salt

Make tomatillo salsa by pureeing tomatillos, onion, garlic and cilantro in a food processor.  Add to slow cooker.  Add barley, water and black beans to slow cooker.  Mix and cook on high for 2 hrs.

adapted from http://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/2013/09/recipe-for-slow-cooker-tomatillo-quinoa.html

dirty rice

1/2 lb of chicken livers
1/2 of a large onion (diced)
3 cloves garlic (minced)
2 cups uncooked rice
salt/pepper/cayenne to taste

Saute onion and garlic in a little olive oil.  Puree livers in a food processor, add to onion and garlic and cook until it all turns brown.  Add rice, sauté a minute and addd 4 cups water (or broth of your choice). Cover and cook ~20 mins

recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

easy bread recipe

1 package yeast (2 tsp)
1.25 cups water (heated 100-110)
1 tbsp honey
2 cups flour
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 tsp salt


Add yeast to the water to dissolve and stir in honey.  Let sit ~10 mins to activate.  Meanwhile butter a 8 cup bread pan liberally.  Mix together dry ingredients in a bowl and then add the water/yeast mixture.  Mix and pour into the pan.  Cover and let rise 30 mins.  Preheat oven to 350 and cook for 35 mins

recipe from http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/easy-little-bread-recipe.html