During the chilly winter,  crockpot meals are convenient, a great time saver and can turn less expensive cuts of meat into tender and flavorful dishes.  This recipe calls for chuck roast, however, a bottom round roast or eye of round will work nicely as well.  These cuts of meat have the best result with moist heat cooking methods for a fork tender outcome.  While this dish requires some planning, it can slow cook for 8 or more hours and then be finished quickly by cooking noodles for a tasty, hearty meal.  Add some steamed vegetables and a salad and you are ready to go.  If there happen to be leftovers, they reheat nicely. 

1     4 – 5 pound chuck roast
salt and pepper
1   -  10.5 can of mushroom soup + 1 can of water (If using an organic 15 ounce can of soup, add 1/3 of a can of water)
1   -  1.25 oz.  package of dry onion soup mix
2     tablespoons cornstarch
2     tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4    cup cooking sherry
1/2    teaspoon garlic powder or 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2        teaspoons dried parsley or 2 tablespoons  freshly chopped
1-2    tablespoons creamy horseradish or 1-2 teaspoons grated horseradish
 

1     pound of your favorite egg noodles

Season roast with salt and pepper.  Set aside.  Lightly oil crock pot and  combine mushroom soup through horseradish in crock pot and mix well to combine.  Add chuck roast and cook on low for 8-9 hours.   To serve, bring large  pot of water to boil for noodles.   Remove roast from crock pot, place on plate and cover with foil allowing the beef to rest for 10-15 minutes before cutting.  Place noodles in boiling water and cook according to package directions.  Cut roast into chunks, drain noodles, add roast and noodles to the remaining sauce in crock pot.  Season with additional salt and pepper if desired.  Makes 4-6 Servings.  Enjoy!   

This mac and cheese recipe has a bit of a kick to it. The combination with smoky, spicy peppers offers a bit of variety from everyday boxed mac and cheese.  It is fun served with your favorite grilled chicken or pork or on its own.  Chipotle peppers have gained popularity in the last few years.  A lot of us know them by the restaurant title of gourmet, made to order burritos.  These peppers are actually smoked jalapenos that are dried and have a wrinkled dark brown skin.  They can be found dried, pickled or canned in adobo sauce which is what I use in this recipe.  Adobo sauce from Mexico is made of ground chiles, herbs and vinegar.  It takes on the spicy, smoked flavor of the chipotle peppers once it is canned.  I rarely use a whole can at once.  I freeze the remaining in 1 chile portions with a bit of adobo in a snack sized plastic bag and then place the smaller bags in a container or freezer bag.  It is easy to just take out what I need.  I have found reasonably priced canned chipotles at Super Wal-Mart for about $0.85 for a 7 ounce can which has about 10-12 chiles per can.  So, you get a lot of flavor for a few pennies.  Feel free to double the chipotles in this recipe if you would like to.  I thought it was a nice amount of heat but go for it if you need more.

1   6 – 7.25 ounce package macaroni and cheese dinner, prepared according to package directions
2/3   cup additonal milk
1    cup or 4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese *
1/4   teaspoon each garlic powder and onion powder
1    tablespoon chipotle chile with adobo sauce,  finely chopped

Once the mac and cheese is prepared according to package directions, stir in the remaining ingredients.  Heat through until cheese is melted and sauce is creamy.  Makes about 4 cups or 2-3 servings.  Enjoy!

*Shredded cheese can be expensive if it’s not on sale.  There are a couple of options here.  One, I buy it when it is on sale and freeze it.  For cooked, one dish meals like this, it works great.  The other option is to use the sliced cheese that you may have available, chop it up and while it may take a bit longer to heat through and melt, you can simply use what you already have on hand in the fridge.

You might have second thoughts about the combination of tuna and tomatoes but trust me, it is good.  Deli macaroni salad is the quick and easy base for this recipe.  When it is on sale for $1.00 a pound, it can be a real bargain.  Adding canned tuna and fresh chopped tomatoes with some seasonings makes this a delicious entree for lunch or supper.   Feel free to get creative and add other fresh vegetables like chopped cucumbers or celery if you like.  Serve with your favorite green salad and you have a complete meal. 

1    pound deli macaroni salad
2 -  5 oz. cans tuna, drained (I like light albacore)
1 1/4  teaspoons  dried dill or 1 1/3 tablespoons  fresh dill, chopped plus extra for garnish
1/2  teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
1/4  teaspoon garlic salt
1      medium tomato cored and chopped, (about 1 cup)

In a medium bowl, combine macaroni salad, tuna, dill, lemon pepper seasoning and garlic salt.  Mix well.  Gently fold in tomatoes.  Garnish with additional dill when serving.  Makes about 3 cups or 3-4 servings.  Enjoy!

Rice a Roni has been around for years. Recently, they added a pasta line and even more recently added Nature’s Way to both the pasta and rice line. Nature’s way is all natural with no preservatives and no artificial flavors. I am a big fan of natural. My friends will tell you that I like foods without the extra junk in it. These packaged items are available for right around a dollar and even less on sale and make great pantry staples. This recipe, like the others on this site can easily be converted to organic if you wish. Combining mushrooms, sauteed ground beef and green beans with this packaged mix makes a complete delicious meal.

1  pound ground beef
1/2  cup chopped onion
1 - 8 oz. package sliced fresh mushrooms, rinsed well
2 - 4.5 oz. packages pasta with mushrooms in cream sauce like Nature’s Way by Pasta Roni
1  additional cup milk
1 - 10 oz. can cream of mushroom soup
2  cups green beans, frozen works great here
1/4  teaspoon each black pepper and garlic salt

In a large skillet, cook the ground beef with chopped onion. At the point where it is about 1/2 way done, add the mushrooms and allow them to cook with the beef. Drain any extra fat. While the beef is cooking, prepare the pasta according to the package directions. Once it is complete, add additional cup of milk, cream of mushroom soup, green beans, black pepper and garlic salt. Stir into beef and mushrooms. Makes 4-6 Servings. Enjoy!

Draining Fat Tip: When ground beef cooked in a skillet needs to be drained, pouring into a colander can be a hassle,the following method saves time. Remove the skillet from the heat onto a padded surface. Slightly tip the pan, pushing the ground beef, onions and mushrooms to high end allowing the fat to collect on the low end. Blot the liquid grease with a few paper towels and dump in the trash. Resume preparation.

The combination of ham or Canadian bacon, pineapple and green peppers on a pizza has been a favorite of mine for years. In this version of mac and cheese, the flavors work very well, you won’t see the pineapple but you will taste it and the crunch from the green peppers is a great contrast. I hope you don’t miss the red sauce too much otherwise garlic bread dipped in marinara might be a good side for this entree.

I am sure you are aware, macaroni and cheese boxed dinners are constantly on sale and are a staple in many a pantry as is canned pineapple. Green peppers are typically the most reasonably priced of all of the peppers and ham, Canadian bacon or smoked turkey can be on sale from time to time. I like to use ham hocks, they are typically under $2.00 a pound and have great flavor. You can find them by the Canadian bacon and ham steaks in your grocery store. This recipe is an easy organic conversion if that is your preference as well as a meatless option if that works better for you.

1  - 6 to 7.25 ounce package of macaroni and cheese, prepared according to package directions
1/2  cup milk, in addition to amount used for package
1 –  8 ounce package shredded cheddar cheese *
1  cup cubed ham or smoked turkey
1 - 8 ounce can pineapple tidbits, drained
1/2  cup diced green pepper
1/4  teaspoon garlic salt

Just after preparing the mac and cheese, add the remaining ingredients and cook over medium heat until the cheese is melted and the ham and pineapple are heated through. Makes 3-4 Servings. Enjoy!

*Shredded cheese can be expensive if it’s not on sale.  There are a couple of options here.  One, I buy it when it is on sale and freeze it.  For cooked, one dish meals like this, it works great.  The other option is to use the sliced cheese that you may have available, chop it up and while it may take a bit longer to heat through and melt, you can simply use what you already have on hand in the fridge (one slice typically weighs 3/4  to 1  ounce ).

In the last few years, mac & cheese has become tremendously popular. Chefs all over the country are adding high end ingredients to this All American Classic. I have seen gorgonzola and bacon mac & cheese, lobster mac & cheese, it goes on and on. Now, more than ever, we have become cost conscious. We are buying food items on sale or at a discount to save where we can. Maybe we aren’t eating dinner out as much. I am a believer that we can enjoy some really great meals cooking at home as well. Using “blue box” macaroni and cheese, this is a quick and easy recipe with a little Southwestern flair that tastes great with grilled meat, rotisserie chicken or simply on it’s own.

1  – 6 to 7.25 oz box macaroni and cheese dinner, prepared according to package directions
4  oz. or 1 cup shredded mexican style, taco or nacho cheese *
1 – 4 oz. can diced green chiles
3/4  teaspoon chile powder
1  tablespoon sour cream

Once the mac and cheese is prepared, add remaining ingredients. Stir until heated through and cheese is melted. Enjoy!

*Shredded cheese can be expensive if it’s not on sale.  There are a couple of options here.  One, I buy it when it is on sale and freeze it.  For cooked, one dish meals like this, it works great.  The other option is to use the sliced cheese that you may have available, chop it up and while it may take a bit longer to heat through and melt, you can simply use what you already have on hand in the fridge (one slice typically weighs 3/4  to 1  ounce ).

Growing up in the sixties and seventies, one regular meal at our house was tuna noodle casserole. I used to make this while my mom worked and have fond memories of this dish. Great comfort food. It required a fair amount of prep of the ingredients and then baking. It’s great when there is time, but this version is quick, easy and economical. Canned tuna and boxed mac and cheese are frequently available at bargain prices. They tend to be staples in many pantries and can be purchased organically as well. Since we all need a little comfort now and then, I hope you enjoy this recipe.

1 - 6 to 7.25 oz. box of macaroni and cheese dinner, prepared according to package directions
1  cup (4 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese *
1/3  cup milk
1/4  teaspoon each garlic powder and onion powder
1/4  teaspoon salt
2 – 6 oz. cans tuna, drained
1/2  cup frozen peas

Once the mac and cheese is prepared, stir in remaining ingredients and heat through until cheese is melted. Makes 4 Servings. Enjoy!

*Shredded cheese can be expensive if it’s not on sale.  There are a couple of options here.  One, I buy it when it is on sale and freeze it.  For cooked, one dish meals like this, it works great.  The other option is to use the sliced cheese that you may have available, chop it up and while it may take a bit longer to heat through and melt, you can simply use what you already have on hand in the fridge (one slice typically weighs 3/4  to 1  ounce ).

Pasta is the ultimate comfort food. It is great for weeknight dinners as it is quick, easy and satisfying. Packaged items like Pasta Roni are often on sale and become a pantry staple. Major food companies are doing natural options with these items as well which I really like. Not to mention that more and more convenience products are offered organically too. While these can be a little more costly, they still save time and give families the option without totally breaking the bank. The following recipe is a favorite combination and goes together easily. While it makes a big batch, it is great as leftovers. I like to use chicken thighs not only because they are a less expensive option, but they have a lot of flavor and cook up quickly. However, this recipe will also work well with any cooked chicken you may have on hand.

2  -  5.5 oz. pkgs. butter and herb pasta mix, like Pasta Roni’s Butter and Herb Italiano prepared according to package instructions
1  pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, sauteed and sliced (about 3 cups)
1  cup milk
1  cup grated parmesan cheese
3  cups frozen broccoli florets

Prepare pasta mix according to package directions. At the point that the pasta is just done, stir in remaining ingredients allowing them to heat through and the sauce to thicken. Makes 5-6 Servings. Enjoy!

Tips on Sauteing Chicken: To saute, heat pan to medium high heat, add a small amount of cooking oil or pan spray. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add to the pan and cook until browned on both sides and juices run clear.