Loosemeat Sandwiches

Kind of a Sloppy Joe without tomatoes (or slop). I can't claim credit for this one; it's from recipezaar, but with my modifications. One of our absolute favorites! Use a cast iron skillet if you have one; it makes for a wonderful flavor, even though it's a little more work to clean. This makes about 4 to 6 sandwiches, depending on the size buns you get. Warning: my husband and I regularly eat this in one sitting, alone, when I make the whole recipe, so make sure you make enough! Continue reading

Mom's Three-Bean Salad

My mom always made it this way. She says the recipe calls for 8 oz. cans of beans, but she uses the "soup can sized" cans (about 15 oz.). She also says when there's a lot of dressing left over after a few days but she's running out of beans, she rinses and dumps in another can of garbanzos or kidney beans and lets it marinate another 24 hours to extend the 3-bean salad-eating joy. It's not only a great side or picnic dish, it also makes a good lunch (or even light supper) on a hot day. Continue reading

"Country Style" Onion Soup

A light but surprisingly rich onion soup. Suitable for a simple lunch or dinner if served with a hearty bread (sourdough is best) and a salad and some milk, or use it as the soup course for a big dinner and impress everyone. My dad calls it "country style" because he was served something very like it (although, he thinks, made with chicken or beef stock) while staying with friends in the French countryside. Try to find butter with the ingredients "sweet cream" or "cream, salt"; it will taste much better. Use home-made veggie stock if possible, or, if you must, canned, but taste carefully before salting in that case! About four servings. Continue reading

Crockpot Cranberry Chicken

My husband's favorite– luckily, easy enough for him to make. 😉 I buy family packs of chicken thighs and de-skin them before freezing, then defrost as many as I need to feed whomever I'm feeding. This is my modifications of a recipe from recipezaar.com, which was originally from "Company's Coming Slow-Cooker Recipes" or some such cookbook. The original recipe called for 8-12 chicken thighs. I wouldn't think it would be as good with 12; not enough sauce. I've successfully made it with as few as 3 thighs, and we sop up the extra sauce with bread. Pretty flexible. You could also use other pieces of bone-in skinned chicken; just make sure it's at least part dark meat to keep it moist enough. Excellent with steamed white rice. Continue reading