Simply Delicious Ham Loaf

Ingredients:

Mix the ground pork and ham together crackers, milk and saltines.  Form into a 'loaf' and put into a meatloaf (bread pan) or even a round glass baking dish that can be covered.  Set aside (or can be made the night before and kept covered in the fridge if you want to make this for a Sunday dinner and not have too much prep time in the morning!

On the stovetop in a sauce pan bring sugar, vinegar, water and mustard to a boil and stir until all sugar is dissolved.  (If making this ahead - do this part the day of, not the night before).  Once it is dissolved, pour over the ham loaf and bake for 1 hour and around 15 minutes in a 350 degree oven. 

Super Simple Steamed Spinach

Ingredients:

Place enough water into a 3 qt pan.  Turn on and let water start to heat up, add ALL of the spinach - shove it down in there!  Cover and cook over medium high heat for approximately 5 minutes...  I use a clear lid so I can see when the spinach is wilting, but still very deep green.  Stir the spinach around in the pan just enough to be sure it is all 'steamed' -- but CAUTION -- do NOT overcook it! 

Pour off the water or use a skimmer to take out the spinach, placing it into small bowls for each serving.  Place chopped tomatoes on top, then sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.  (Add a little salt if desired)

Next time, you will double this!  I do NOT use a steamer -- too much work, too much mess -- and it takes such a SHORT time to make this - why bother?  If you have a LOT of water in the bottom of the pan - cut back next time - you want just enough to steam, but not to 'cook' the spinach in... You want the nutrients, so go light on the water!

Ingredients:

In a roasting pan, place two 1/2 inch - 3/4 inch slices of cabbage on the bottom of the pan.  Lay the meat on top of the cabbage.  Place all other ingredients around and on top of the meat. Be creative - add your own favorite vegetables.

I like to use a poppy seed or an Italian dressing and drizzle about 1/4 cup all over the top of the meat for additional flavoring.

Refreshing Summertime Beverage

Ingredients:

Squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon plus 1 lime into a 1/2 gallon container or a sun tea jar.  Add 1/2 - 1 cup of White Grape Juice and stir well.  If using Stevia sweetener, sweeten to taste.  Add water and ice to fill container.  Mix Well and drink all day long!  This is a very refreshing beverage and good for you!

Audrey's Mini Muffin Meals

Needed: One Giant Muffin Tin (makes 6 not 12 cupcakes)

Ingredients:

In a medium sized mixing bowl, add the first 7 ingredients. Mix or knead well. Take a palm sized amount at a time and roll in your hands to form a large meatball. When you have 6 evenly divided up, place in the bottom of the muffin pan and flatten to conform.  Top each with ketchup.

Bake in 350 degree preheated oven for 15 minutes.

Open one can of French style green beans and drain well. Top each muffin with equal amounts of green beans.

Make instant potatoes (use real if you want) for 4 servings adding 2 Tbs. extra butter for richness and 1/8 tsp. minced garlic.

Top each muffin with equal amount of mashed potatoes and spread around muffin like frosting.   Place back in oven for another 10 minutes to set up.

Remove pan from oven and allow to cool on counter. When pan is cooled to touch (without removing muffins) place in freeze for 2 hours.  Remove from freezer and take out of muffin pans and place in individual baggies and freeze until a meal is needed. To re-heat I'd place in micro-wave, or toaster oven and cook until heated through. 

You better mark them however or the family will think you made cupcakes!

Ingredients:

In 9 x 12 pan, place skinless chicken pieces over bottom of baking dish.  Lay one slice of cheese on top of each piece of chicken.  Pour soup into small bowl and add 1/2 can of milk and blend together, then pour over chicken.

Prepare stove top stuffing per directions and fluff with fork, then spread over the top of the chicken dish.  Bake covered for 45 minutes @ 350 degrees then uncover for additional 15 minutes (check to be sure chicken is cooked through) and enjoy!

Ingredients:

Brown ground beef until well done, drain.  Add can of mushrooms and onions if desired.  Add can or cream of mushroom soup and mix well and continue to heat until thoroughly heated through.

Serve over toast or mashed potatoes.

Ingredients:

Boil spaghetti (break into thirds) on stovetop until just done - don't over cook! - Drain and set aside.

Brown ground beef and onions (if used) until well done, drain.  Put into a large casserole dish.  Add large jar of spaghetti sauce, spaghetti, mushrooms and cut up chunks of cheddar cheese.  Mix some of the cheese into the mixture, leave some on top.  Cover and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and cook an additional 10 if you want the cheese to be a little 'crisp'. Yummy!

Ingredients:

After removing all of the skin from chicken, rinse and pat it dry.  Place flour, salt, pepper and cinnamon in a zip-lock baggie.  Add chicken and shake well until all are lightly coated.  (Yes, it will be enough -- don't add more flour!)

Ingredients:

Place drained tuna, peas and soup into a large skillet or stovetop wok style pan.  Add 1/2 can of milk and stir until smooth.  Heat over medium heat until hot all the way through.

Ingredients:

Clean and pat pork loins dry.  Place salt, pepper, cinnamon, or other seasonings in plastic zip-lock bag.  Add flour.  Place pork chops in bag and shake until all sides are lightly covered -- it will be enough!

Fry in olive oil over medium low heat until thoroughly cooked through - about 15 minutes per side depending on size (I use 3/4 inch thick loins).  Keep covered and just turn occasionally to be sure each portion of the chops are getting cooked throughout.

Bake sweet potatoes in the microwave (about 6-7 minutes for a medium sized potato.  When baked, slice down the center, and add butter, salt, pepper and a teaspoon of brown sugar... Yummy!

Ingredients:

Crock pot meals are my favorite - I make it early in the day and barely think about it again all day!  I like to remove the skin, but it will be so tender, it will fall off afterwards - you decide what is easier for you!

Place all chicken into crock pot. Add salt, pepper, and some interesting seasons or a prepared mix that you really enjoy.  Add an onion - just cut into quarters and drop them in.  Turn on low (I use the 6-8 hour setting and let it cook all day).  About two hours before dinner, add fresh carrots, peeled and cut just in half, and peeled potatoes, cut into halves or quarters depending on the size. 

This is one of my favorite ways to cook -- My crock pot is my main defense against my chronic fatigue or daily pain -- I can cut up a whole bag of carrots on a good day, then store so they are ready to use.  I can wash up a whole bag of potatoes anytime during the day and place in a bowl of cold water until time to throw them into the crock pot!

Ingredients:

In a very large stock pot or your crock pot, pour in the beans. Fill the jar with cold water and shake it around, and dump into the pot - repeat and add about another 1/2 a jar of water.  Cut up a large onion and add to pot. Add cut up carrots, salt and pepper, and (yes) 1/2 stick of butter!

I like smoked pork hocks, but you may prefer to use cut up ham - bite size pieces if using ham.

Cover and cook and cook and cook all afternoon on medium heat (or 8 hours+ in crock pot) keeping the lid on to keep the moisture in.  About an hour before dinner, take the pork hocks out (use a large spoon to try to keep the pork hock intact) and place on a cutting board.  Cut away the fat and pull out all of the meat you can find -- dig -- there is a lot in there!

Put the meat back into your soup and continue to keep warm while you bake some corn bread or biscuits to go along with this incredibly delicious soup!  You WILL have leftovers!