Black eyed peas and collard greens

 tasty! This is also good in a wrap with a bit of hummus!!!

 1 vegetable bullion cube
 liquid smoke
 Texas Pete
 garlic powder
 grated onion
 salt and pepper
 honey Dijon mustard
a bunch of collards
 frozen bag of black eyed peas(16 ounce bag)
 Optional: barbecue sauce or ham
 cooked rice if desired

 Prepare the collards--removing large stems and chopping the greens. Place greens and black eyed peas in large kettle and cover with water. Add a vegetable bullion cube, a bit of liquid smoke (about 1/2 teaspoon), some dashes of Texas Pete, sprinkling of garlic powder, some grated onion and salt and pepper. (you can also add some ham if desired). Boil for 3 minutes and then reduce heat and simmer 40-45 minutes until all is tender. Drain and stir in honey Dijon mustard to taste. Serve over rice. This is also good with barbecue sauce drizzled over it.

Robert Mondovi Meritage 2010

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Very good and as described! "Red blend is a velvety wine revealing notes of dark plum, black cherry and blackberry with a lingering finish"!

ham in the crock pot/ brown sugar and cloves

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crock-Pot Brown Sugar Ham  from the crock pot ladies--see link at end of post! 

This was sooooo good and it just fell apart. I served it with special crockpot mashed potatoes, and home made crock pot applesauce and rosemary brussels sprouts and corn.

Author: Lady Heidi

Recipe type: Entree

Prep time:  5 mins

Cook time:  4 hours (I cooked mine more like 6 hours--I was busy!)

Total time:  4 hours 5 mins

Serves: 6-8

The key to this recipe is to let the ham sit after cooking to let it reabsorb some of the juices.

Ingredients

• 1 (4-5) Pound Ham (I prefer a spiral sliced ham for easy serving) (I used a semi boneless cooked ham about 5 pounds)
• 1 Cup Light Or Dark Brown Sugar
• 1 Teaspoon Ground Cloves

Instructions

1. In a small bowl combine the brown sugar and ground cloves and stir to mix.
2. Spread ½ of the brown sugar mixture on the bottom of a 6-7 quart oval crock-pot.(mine was more like 5 qt)
3. Place ham, cut side down, into crock-pot on top of the brown sugar.
4. Rub the remaining brown sugar mixture all over the rest of the ham.
5. Cover and cook on low 4 hours.(I did it 6 hours)
6. Turn crock-pot off and let sit for 30 minutes so that the ham can reabsorb some of the juices that will come out when cooked for a moister meat.

Notes

Spoon the remaining crock-pot ham juices over the ham when serving. Delish!http://crockpotladies.com/recipe-categories/entrees/crockpot-brown-sugar-ham/

mashed potatoes in the crock pot

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delicious--idea from here: /http://crockpotladies.com/recipe-categories/side-dishes/crockpot-mashed-potatoes/

Ingredients

5 Pounds of Peeled and Cut up one inch Potatoes (Idaho or Russet)

1 1/2 Cups of Chicken Broth (I used a 15 ounce can)

1/4th Cup of Butter Cut into Tablespoons

1 Cup of Sour Cream (I used the light kind)

1 Cup of Parmesan Cheese, shredded (I used more like 1/3 cup)

1 Teaspoon of Garlic Powder

1 Teaspoon of Onion Powder (I didn't have any)

1/2 Teaspoon of Salt

1/4th Teaspoon of Pepper

Dusting of Paprika (didn't use)

3/4th Cup to 1 Cup of Milk (I just poured a bit in at a time)

Reynolds Slow Cooker liner (Optional)

Pam

Instructions

1. Spray liner or crock.
2. If your potatoes have begun to turn a titch red or pink…rinse them well with cold water before placing them in crock*
3. Place potatoes, chicken broth and butter in crock and cover.
4. Cook on high for 4 hours.
5. Carefully pull out potatoes, place in bowl add all remaining ingredients except for milk.
6. With a potato masher mash potatoes well.
7. Add 3/4ths cup of milk and stir.
8. If this is your desired consistency then do not add more milk, if you want it a bit more creamy add more milk.
9. Pour back into the crock.
10. Cover and place on warm setting or low for up to 2 hours.
11. Stir again before serving.

Brussels Sprouts with rosemary and garlic

Love this. Even the grand kiddies loved it!! (My Grand daughter asked me to make more the next night--she is 6)

2 packages of cook in the bag (10 oz each) Brussels sprouts (cooked in the bag)
olive oil
3 & 1/2 cloves garlic
2 rosemary sprigs (about inches each)
salt to taste

Cook the Brussels Sprouts in the bags according to directions. While it is cooking, place some oil in a non stick pan (such as the ceramic kind). Add the garlic and rosemary and allow this to cook on medium low for 5 -10 minutes to get the oil nice and fragrant. Add the cooked Brussels sprouts and stir them to coat---you can slice some if desired. Add more oil if needed at this time, drizzling over the Veggies.  Turn up heat to brown a bit.


In the picture---this was taken before browning.

Cheese Ball

We like this at Christmas time. We cover it with pecans, but you don't have to.


 (In this picture it does not show the peppers in it because I forgot!

Ingredients

two 8 ounce cream cheese (soften it up before making)
8 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 tb finely chopped bell peppers
a few shakes of Texas Pete (5 or 6 shakes
1-1 1/2 Tbl finely chopped pimentos
chopped pecans

Combine first 5 ingredients. Shape in ball. Roll in pecans.

chicken tostadas

We had these one night at a Hispanic event. I really loved them. They are served with shredded barbecue
chicken, sliced lettuce and you can add shredded cheese, sour cream or whatever you desire.
I cooked the Chicken in the crock pot first.

I placed boneless, skinless chicken thighs in the little crock pot and poured about 3/4 cup of barbecue sauce over them. They did make a ton of liquid as they cooked. I cooked them 6-7 hours on low because I was busy. I had actually cooked them 1 hour on high and then the rest (5 hours) on low. But it doesn't take that long. They just fall nicely apart and are very moist.

 Corn Toastadas
 Boneless, skinless chicken thighs--as much as you want
 Barbecue Sauce (I like Weber Hickory smoked---see picture below--makes it taste like pork!)
 lettuce
 sour cream if desired
 Tomatoes if desired
  Shredded cheese, if desired.
avocados or guacamole sauce (good recipe here)

Cook the chicken in the crockpot with about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of barbecue sauce --depending on how much chicken you use--I just drizzled it over the chicken. It will make a lot of liquid as it cooks. Cook on low 5-6 hours.  (It may be done sooner, but you can cook it that long).

Shred the chicken with a fork--or however--it falls apart. Then just microwave the tostadas --takes about ten seconds to warm 3-4 of them spread out in the microwave. Assemble them with your ingredients.

Lentil garbanzo beans as meatballs or patties/good with spaghetti or plain

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Yummy substitute for meat! Gluten free too. BUT FOR A BETTER VEGAN GF OPTION:  https://nannykimsrecipes.blogspot.com/2019/08/meatballs-vegan-gf.html

• 1/2 c. dried brown lentils, rinsed and picked over
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 c. water
• 8 oz. garbonzo beans from a can (already cooked)
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp. red wine
• 1/2 c. vegetable 
• 1 tbsp. soy sauce (or liquid aminos)(make sure it is gluten free)
• 1/2 c. old-fashioned oats (I used gluten free)
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• salt + pepper to taste
• oil mister or cooking spray

instructions

1. Combine lentils, bay leaf, and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat for 17 minutes. (Yes, the lentils will be undercooked--don't cook them for the time indicated on the package!) Remove from heat, drain, and cool slightly. Discard bay leaf.
2. Add garbanzo and lentils to food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped.
3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds), stirring constantly. Stir in the beans. Cook for about 2 minutes or warmed through, stirring constantly.
4. Add red wine to skillet and cook until evaporated. Stir in broth, soy sauce, oats, and Italian seasoning. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste and allow to cool or just use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to shape them
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
6. Once mixture is cool enough to work with, shape it into 10-12 uniformly-sized meatballs. Place each  on parchment paper on cooking sheet and cook until browed and firm about 20 minutes. Heat with some spaghetti sauce or they are just good as is!

Got this idea here: http://ohmyveggies.com/recipe-lentil-mushroom-meatballs/  but she uses mushrooms instead of lentils and hers takes more time to cook.

Campo Viejo RIOJA 2010

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A very nice wine--surprisingly different!!!  From Spain actually.  The description is so right on: Aromas of ripe red fruit with spices and vanilla. Perfumed, soft and fresh. LOVE IT>