Good Ol' American Cookin'

1 cup dried lentils 2 bay leaves 1 tbls diced garlic, jar or fresh 1 cinnamon stick(optional) 1/4 teaspoon sea salt (used during the cooking of the lentils) 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup red wine vinegar 3 tablespoons lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced 1 large tomato, fresh and diced 1 small cucumber, diced 1/4 cup green olives, sliced 1/4 cup black olives, sliced 1/2 tsp liquid mint (optional) 3 tablespoons dried parsley optional add feta or goat cheese Rinse the lentils well and place in a saucepan with bay leaves, garlic, oregano and cinnamon stick. Cover with water or broth by 2 inches and a generous pinch of sea salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, add the sea salt and simmer until the lentils are tender, 20-25 minutes. Drain. In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, cumin and salt in a small bowl. Toss the vinaigrette with the lentil...

I really enjoy this lasagna! Have you ever wondered what "lasagna" means? Definition: -a baked Italian dish consisting of wide strips of pasta cooked and layered with meat or vegetables, cheese, and tomato sauce. -can also refer to a dish made with several layers of lasagne sheets alternated with sauces and various other ingredients. I have been changing our way of eating as of late. We have always been vegie eaters with meat. We both have noticed when we eat anything made with flour, we end of feeling poorly. A change was needed. We are not saying to completely take it out but limit it to once in a while.  Mock Lasagna is what I came up with. Recipe: 2 medium zucchini's sliced long ways thinly(use the mandolin slicer, if you have one)  1-15 oz Ricotta cheese 2 eggs 1-container of fresh mushrooms 1- onion, chopped 1lb of cooked ground- 2 lbs if it is chicken or turkey 1 qt of tomato sauce Herbs for seasoning Pep...

 Recipe....so so good! 1 pkg of bacon, cooked 6 boneless chicken breasts, cooked 1 large jug of salsa, 16 oz? 2 cans black beans 1 bundle of green onions, chopped 1 red pepper, chopped 1 can of sliced olives, drained 3 tsp of minced garlic or 3 cloves of garlic chopped 1 pack med size tortillas 1 Large bag of grated cheese I cook my bacon and chicken together then add my vegies and cook for a bit. then add the beans. In your tortillas prepare to fill..what I do it lay in dish/pan you are baking this in...add a couple tablespoons full, add salsa and cheese then roll up moving to one side of the dish and repeat until your dish/pan is full. Bake in a 350* oven for 30 mins.....add cheese and leftover salsa to the top and bake another 5-10 mins or until cheese is good and melted! Let cool for about 10 mins...gives this dish time to set up for ease of serving. Enjoy!  

When my step mom wanted something quick and easy for six kids she made these..... Little Mini Pizzas.... Even us kids would help make these. 1- 6 package english muffins or however many you need for your family   1 can of pizza sauce  1 lb of hamburger, cooked (will have some left over unless you use more muffins) shredded cheese toppings of your choice get creative! I toast my muffins before putting anything on them. Not soggy then. Put a tablespoon of sauce on each one then a large pinch of cheese then your hamburger and toppings.  Broil for about 5 mins or less... just until the cheese is melted! I wouldn't recommend microwaving makes the muffins chewy. So Easy!!!

4-boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped 1 pkg of bacon, chopped 1 onion, chopped 1/2 large green pepper 6 mushrooms, sliced 1 healthy size tsp of diced garlic 3 med heat chili peppers, sliced add all of these to a pan to cook until the meat is done. I love color in my food don't you? 1 pkg of tortillas 1/2 pkg of cream cheese Spread cream cheese in the middle of each tortilla. then add the cooked mixture to each one and roll it like an enchilada....stack next to each other until all tortillas are used. For this one I had 8 to fit in a pan 13x9. *If you have leftover meat then spread over the top of enchilada's. Spread grated cheese lightly over top of this. 1 Jar (Quart Size) Salsa Spread this over the whole pan of enchilada's. Place the pan in a 375* oven for 30 mins. Pull it out and add a healthy layer of grated cheese to the top of this and place back into oven for another 10 mins or until cheese is ...

I have shared a lot of stew recipes such as: Burger Stew ,  Pork Stew . I usually get asked how to make something with Venison. One of my stand bys is Venison Stew in the crock pot or the cast iron bean pot on the wood stove.  Recipe: Add to the crock or stew pot 1 lb. Venison Cubes, fresh or frozen, uncooked and 1 large onion 2 qts of canned potatoes-this is what I have in my pantry but you can use canned from the store or fresh(add to crock and cook until soft) 1 cup of corn, frozen, fresh, canned 1 qt. tomato/okra mix (optional) OR 1 qt green beans OR  1 qt tomato sauce 2 tbls of Montreal Steak Seasoning 3/4-1 qt water-add enough to finish filling the pot  Turn crock on high and cook for about 3-4 hrs..or longer if the meat is tough. ***Idea....put together the night before and turn on before leaving for work then come home for lunch to turn it off or down to low should still be warm upon your return in the evening.Note you cou...

Recipe: 1 lb bacon, 2 large onions, 2 qts of potatoes, 1/2 can evap milk, 1 cube butter, 5-6 carrots, celery(optional), flour, salt & pepper Crockpot or Stew pot Out of my family cook book Boil carrots & potatoes(only if using raw) do not drain   Fry up bacon then chop Cook up chopped onion in bacon grease Add vegies to the crock, draining off the onion from bacon grease Add bacon Melt butter for Rue(thickener) gradually add flour until thick over low heat do not burn! Add Rue, 1/2 can milk and add water until full to the top. Add salt & pepper and stir!   Cook in crockpot for 3-4 hrs it will thicken as it cooks so stir occasionally. If you decide to cook in stew pot keep a eye on it so it won't stick to bottom of pan. Med heat until it boils then simmer for about 45 mins stirring occasionally.

This recipe calls for meat...but I would suppose you could use Tofu or just plain vegies with a little adjustment to the soy sauce. This was very tasty!! Recipe: 1 lb. Meat-sliced into strips 1 large onion cut into strips or chopped 1 large green pepper, chopped (optional) couple small carrots or 1 large carrot, sliced or chopped oil In a pan or wok(chinese cooking pan) add oil. When oil is hot add meat and onions...cook until done then add pepper, carrots cook until a bit soft. Let simmer while you make your soy mix In a bowl mix these ingredients together. 1/4 C Soy sauce 1/2 C Water 2 Tsp red chili flakes 2 tsp Cornstarch Add this mix to your meat mix.then add about a dozen snow peas..simmer until this gets a bit thick then remove from heat. Serve on bed of rice!  

  FRESH GARDEN STIR FRY   Cut up your vegies in bite size pieces. If like meat (precooked) cut some up to add. In a large pan add a bit of oil and heat. Add all your vegies except tomatoes & meat cook until done through. Then add your meat and lastly your tomatoes until heated a bit. Serve on a bed of spaghetti/angel hair noodles.

PARMESAN SQUASH   Slice squash into rounds or cut in half. Add oil to your pan and get hot then add your squash to cook until soft, stirring occasionally. Season with pepper & salt, stir, then add Parmesan ( grated Parmesan works best but imitation will do) to the top and cover to melt.

PORK & BEANS CASSEROLE 2 Large Boneless Pork Steaks Green Bean Casserole   32 oz/1 qt small potatoes or chunks-if canned drain liquid off Bake Pork Steaks for 20 mins by themselves. Add drained potatoes then add green bean casserole. Bake this casserole at 425* for 50-60 mins until meat is cooked through