Meatball Subs

I love a quick, hardy meal - and these meatball subs are just that. Quick and hardy.

I use home-style meatballs from Walmart (or the Evil Place as my friend Linda calls it - ha ha). There are so many things you can do with these pre-cooked, frozen meatballs:

spaghetti and meatballs, easy crock pot meatballs, and meatball subs . . . just to name a few.

1 package frozen home-style meatballs
1 jar/can spaghetti sauce of choice (I use Hunts)
hot dog buns
dill pickle slices
black olives, sliced
mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
Grated Parmesan cheese

Heat meatballs in sauce until well warmed. I usually stick them in the crock pot either on high or low depending on how quickly I need them done.

To make sub: Spread mayonnaise or Miracle Whip on opened hot dog bun. Lay dill pickle slices down one side of the bun. Place 4-5 meatballs with sauce in each bun. Add black olives. Liberally sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Looks fancy, tastes great, fills up empty stomachs, and leaves time to lie out on the trampoline and watch the stars.

Love Me

Swiss Steak Supper

We still have a lot of venison in the freezer - and Joel is already talking about the upcoming hunting season!

We better start eating!

1 1/2 pounds beef top round steak (I am using venison. We are out of flank steak so I am using tenderloin)
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/4 tsp. coarsely ground pepper
1 Tbsp. canola oil
3 med. potatoes
1 1/2 cups fresh baby carrots
1 med. onion, sliced
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) Italian diced tomatoes
1 jar (12 ounces) home-style beef gravy
1 Tbsp. minced parsley

Cut steak into six serving piece sizes. If using flank or round steak flatten to 1/4 in. thickness. Because tenderloin is so tender, I did not flatten it. Rub with seasoned salt and pepper. In a large skillet, brown beef in oil on both sides, drain.

Cut each potato into eight wedges. Unless you use the B grade red potatoes like I do which are already smaller. In a slow cooker, layer the potatoes, carrots, beef and onion. Combine tomatoes and gravy; pour over the top. Cover and cook on low for 5 1/2 to 6 hours or until meat and vegetables are tender. Sprinkle with parsley.

*Recipe from Taste of Home Comfort Food Diet Cookbook (revisions made)

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Slow-cooked pork tacos

We loved pulled pork around here! And this tasty twist on pulled pork helped spice up supper.

1 boneless pork sirloin roast (2 pounds)
1 1/2 cups salsa verde
1 med. onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped dried apricots
2 Tbsp. lime juice
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Dash hot pepper sauce

In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or until the meat is very tender.

Shred the pork with two forks.

1. Serve on flour tortillas, warmed. Place about 1/2 cup pork mixture down center of each tortilla. Serve with shredded cheese and sour cream.

2. Serve on corn tortilla, fried. Place about 1/3 cup pork mixture down center of each tortilla. Serve with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, shredded cheese and sour cream.

*Recipe from Taste of Home Comfort Food Diet Cookbook (revisions made)

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Jambalaya

Considering we live in the Ohio Valley, we don't eat seafood that often. I prefer eating seafood when vacationing on the coast - which doesn't happen very often.

Also, I have a slight shell fish allergy. I guess it is slight because shrimp merely makes my throat feel scratchy and a little funny - I have yet to break out in hives or quit breathing.

Despite all of that, we are having jambalaya for supper tonight. Brian and the boys LOVE shrimp - well not Joel so much. But Joel doesn't really LOVE any food.

I take that back - Joel loves biscuits and sausage gravy. But it is too hot to heat the oven up.

Anyway . . .

It will be a late night supper - Megan works until 8pm, Levi has class until 9pm and Joel has an 8pm basketball game.

But the kitchen is clean (refrigerator too!) and the jambalaya is simmering in the crock pot.

Now if I could only find the Benadryl. lol

1 pound Polish sausage, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) beef broth
1/3 cup tomato paste
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes
1 1/2 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. hot sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 pound cooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 cups cooked rice

In a 5 quart slow cooker, combine the first 12 ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or until chicken is no longer pink.

Stir in shrimp and rice. Cover and cook 15 minutes longer or until heated through.

12 servings of low carb (12 g) high protein (18 g) hearty goodness.

*Recipe from Taste of Home Comfort Food Diet Cookbook (revisions made)

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Brown Sugar BBQ Chicken

A simple sauce makes this is a tasty chicken recipe that can be made either in the crock pot or the oven. I am opting to cook mine in the oven tonight.

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can (10.75 oz.) condensed tomato soup
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. dried basil

Place chicken in crock pot. Combine remaining ingredients in large bowl and pour over chicken. Mix well to coat all pieces.

Cover. Cook on low 6 to 8 hours.

*Oven directions: Place chicken in 13 x 9 glass pan. Combine remaining ingredients in large bowl and pour over chicken. Mix well to coat all pieces. Cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees 35 minutes or until chicken it no longer pink and juices run clear.

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Crock-Roasted Chicken with Rotisserie Rub

Another super easy chicken recipe.

1 broiler/fryer chicken (3 1/2 - 4 lb)
2 Tbsp. paprika
1 1/2 tsp. onion powder
2 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Rinse and pat chicken dry (discard giblets and neck). Coat crock pot with cooking spray.

Combine paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in bowl. Stir in warm water by the teaspoonful until thick paste forms. Coat chicken inside and out with seasoned paste before placing in cooker, breast side up.

Cover. Cook on low 6 to 7 hours or on high 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours, or until internal temperature at thickest part of thigh is 180 degrees.

Remove chicken from crock pot. When cool enough to handle, remove skin and carve.

Servings: 4 Total carbs: 2 g.

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Steak with mushrooms and onions

In honor of the snow today, I decided we should have steak for supper. After work I went to Walmart and bought a package of six lovely center cut round steaks.

I also bought swiss cake rolls, fudge rounds, fudge stripe cookies, fig nutents, pop tarts, cheese on cheese and peanut butter on cheese snack crackers, cheese puffs, and another bottle of Pepsi Throwback.

I seem to have forgotten about my sugar diabetes as my grandpa would say.

I didn't eat the stuff though - I bought it for the kids. That's it. It was for the kids.

Okay, I had a few fig nutents. But that's all.

Ok, three swigs of the Pepsi Throwback and a package of peanut butter on cheese crackers too.

Now back to the steak.

This little number went together really fast and smelled wonderful while it was cooking. It was a pretty simple meal tonight.

Steak, cottage cheese, the rest of the French bread from the other night, and applesauce.

2 to 2 1/2 lb. boneless beef bottom round steaks, fat trimmed, cut into 6 equal pieces
1/2 cup steak sauce
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
4 cups sliced mushrooms
1 onion, chopped
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Combine steaks and sauce in large ziplock bag. Massage contents to coat evenly. Refrigerate atleast 1 hour, up to 8 hours.

Remove steaks from marinade. Heat vegetable oil over medium high heat in large skillet. Add steaks and brown, turning once, about 2 minutes per side. Remove skillet from heat.

Layer mushrooms, onion, and steaks in 4 quart or larger slow cooker. Deglaze skillet with small amount of water and then add juices from pan to cooker. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Cover. Cook on low 6-8 hours or on high 4-5 hours or until meat is tender and cooked through.

Adjustments I made to this recipe: I only had time to marinate the meat for 15 minutes and I cooked it on high for 3 1/2 hours. The meat was still very tender and full of flavor.

The snow has now been adequately celebrated.

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Crockpot Moist Drumsticks

Can you still have a crockpot meal for supper when it is 3:00 in the afternoon and your thighs are frozen hard as a rock?

Your chicken thighs I mean. It's cold here but not that cold.

The answer to that question is yes - a resounding yes. This is where the Farmer's Daughter ingenuity and perseverance comes in handy.

I ran the chicken thighs under warm water until I could break them apart. Then I defrosted them in the microwave until they were mostly thawed.


I plopped them in the crockpot and set it on high instead of low. Brian called to say he was working a little late, and we are now set to eat supper at 7:00 pm!


Supper at home! It is worth the work.

This is a new recipe for me, but the sauce sounded good so I thought I would give it a try. As I mentioned, I am using chicken thighs instead of drumsticks.

More meat - need I say more.

I will also be using light soy sauce. It's the healthy thing to do. I hate fat fingers - you know, from all the salt.

3 pounds chicken drumsticks (skin removed)
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. minced garlic
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water

Place drumsticks in a 5 quart slow cooker. In a small bowl combine the tomato sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, and garlic; pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until chicken juices run clear.

Remove chicken and keep warm. Strain cooking juices. In a small saucepan, combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth, stir in juices. Bring to a boil, cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with chicken.

We will be having this tonight with cottage cheese, egg noodles, and french style green beans.

And all will be well with the world.

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