Italian Herb Chicken (Crock-Pot)

1/2 pkg. McCormick Slow Cookers Italian Herb Chicken Seasoning
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts*
1 can sliced mushrooms*
1 can stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 can tomato paste
Bowtie pasta
Grated Parmesan cheese

Place chicken and mushrooms in slow cooker.

Mix seasoning, tomatoes and paste until will blended. Pour over chicken and mushrooms. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4.

Serve over bowtie pasta and top with cheese.

*Chicken can be frozen and mushrooms can be fresh.

Schnitzel and Cream Gravy

2 boneless pork loin chops
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1 tsp. Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. parsley
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
Olive oil
1 Tbsp. flour
2 cups cream
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. rosemary
1/2 tsp. parsley
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Pound pork chops with spiked meat mallet until 1/4 inch thick; set aside.

On a large plate, combine bread crumbs, cheese, parsley, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Press pork into mixture to bread thoroughly on both sides. Fry in olive oil until well browned, remove from pan onto a paper towel to absorb excess oil; set aside.

Leave drippings in pan. Add flour and mix well with a whisk. Whisk in cream and stir until thickened. Add garlic, parsley, salt and pepper.

Serve with spaetzle mashed potatoes

Sweet Potato Fries

1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground coriander
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 sweet potatoes, peeled & cut into fries
Coconut or olive oil
Salt and pepper

Preheat an oven to 350°.

Combine cinnamon, ginger, coriander and brown sugar in large mixing bowl. Add fries and toss with enough olive oil to coat evenly. Spread onto a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Bake until tender, about 30 minutes.

**for a healthier version - omit the brown sugar.  It still tastes great!**

Mint Brownies

1 cup butter
½ cup cocoa
2 Tbsp. honey
2 cups sugar
4 eggs

1 3/4 cup flour
½ Tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 cup chopped walnuts
Mint icing
Chocolate frosting

Preheat oven to 350° and grease a 9x13 baking pan.

Melt butter in medium sauce pan.  Mix in cocoa and cool slightly.  Add honey, sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder and salt. Mix well and add nuts. Pour batter into greased pan. Bake for 25-35 minutes. Cool.

Spread mint icing over brownies. Place brownies in freezer for a short time to stiffen the icing. Remove from freezer. Carefully spread a layer of chocolate icing over top.

Mint Icing
5 Tbsp. butter
Dash of salt
1 Tbsp. light corn syrup
2 1/3 cup powdered sugar
½ tsp. mint extract
1-2 drops green food coloring
3 Tbsp. milk

Soften butter. Add salt, corn syrup, and powdered sugar. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Add mint extract and food coloring. Add milk gradually until the consistency is a little thinner than cake frosting.

Taco Soup (Crock-Pot)

1 15-oz. can chili with beans and meat
1 15-oz. can corn with liquid
1 14-oz. can diced tomatoes with liquid
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
1 15-oz. can black beans with liquid
½ pkg. dry taco seasoning mix
Sour cream
Cheddar Cheese
Tortilla chips

Combine all ingredients in crock-pot except sour cream, cheese & tortilla chips. Cover and Cook on low for 4-6 hours.

Serve with sour cream, cheese and tortilla chips.

Fudge Bars

1 cup margarine
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanlla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
3 cups of oats
2 cups chocolate chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 tsp. margarine
2 tsp. vanilla

Cream together margarine, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Add flour, baking soda salt and oats and mix; set aside.

In medium sauce pan melt chocolate chips with sweetened condensed milk, margarine and vanilla.

Grease a 9x13 casserole dish and spread 2/3 of the cookie batter. Pour melted chocolate mixture on top. Dot with remaining batter.

Bake at 350º for 15 - 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Roasted Chicken

1 roasting chicken, thawed
1 lemon, wedged
1 onion, wedged
Cloves of garlic
Parsley
Poultry seasoning
Olive oil

Preheat oven to 250º.

Rinse out chicken, remove gizzards, etc., pat dry. Place in roasting pan, breast side up.

Squeeze lemon juice from lemon wedges over the top. Fill chicken cavity with lemon rinds, onion, and garlic. Generously sprinkle parsley, poultry seasoning and olive oil over top.

Bake for 5 hours. The last 20 minutes of roasting, turn oven to 425º for a crispy skin.

Remove from oven, cover with foil and let rest for 30 minutes before slicing and serving.