Start this pot roast recipe in a deep sauce pan but then it goes into a crock pot for easy no fuss cooking.
The pureed ingredients make a delicious gravy.

Ingredients:
4LB bottom round beef roast or a similar beef cut
Salt & Pepper
3 TBLS olive oil
2 med onions, sliced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup dry red wine
2 cups beef broth, I use low sodium
1/2oz – 1oz dried Porcini mushrooms(usually in a bag hanging on a rack in the produce aisle)
1 large sprig fresh rosemary

Directions:
Pat the meat dry and sprinkle well with salt and fresh ground pepper. Heat in a deep sauce pot 2 of the TBLS of oil. Brown the meat well on all sides. Remove the meat and place it in a crock pot, set aside. Add the remaining 1 TBLS oil and the onions, scrapping the brown from the pan until the onions are tender. Add the garlic for one minute then add the wine. Boil for about a minute and add the broth and mushrooms. Pour the boiled ingredients into the crock pot with the meat. Cover and cook on hi for 3-4 hours. Or you can cook covered in the oven for the same time at 350.
Remove the beef from the crock pot and cover on a plate. Spoon off any excess fat from the juices. Use a submersible or a regular blender to puree all the juices. Be sure not to fill the blender more than half way as hot ingredients expand. Pour puree into a sauce pot add the rosemary and simmer for about 10 minutes, this will make your gravy. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Slice the meat and top with gravy for serving.

This Pumpkin muffins recipe can be made into loaves or any size muffin. Just adjust the baking time accordingly. Done when a toothpick comes out clean. Very moist and rich.

Ingredients:
3 1/3 cups all purpose unbleached flour
1/2 TSP baking powder
2 TSP baking soda
1 1/2 TSP salt
1 TSP cinnamon
1/2 TSP ground cloves
2/3 cup chopped pecans
2/3 cups golden raisins
2 cups sugar
2/3 cups unsalted butter, at room temp
4 eggs
2 cups canned pumpkin(you can make up to 1/2 cup of this cooked mashed sweet potato)
2/3 cup water

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
Sift the flour with all the dry ingredients except the sugar. Set aside.
Cream butter and sugar and then add one egg at a time until fluffy. Add pumpkin and water. Slowly add in flour mixture and beat for 2 minutes. Stir in raisins and nuts. Pour into loaf pans or muffin pans. A full size loaf takes about 1 hour, mini muffins take about 15 minutes.

Does your corn syrup and honey stick in the measuring cup?? Well a little trick to have it just pour out. Spray the measuring cup with vegetable oil and then add your sticky ingredient. It will pour out like it’s just water !!

This Mexican style chicken dish is tasty and great for the crock pot. Add a jalapeno pepper if you like Mexican chicken spicy.

Ingredients:
1 LB boneless chicken breast, sliced into strips
1 pkg McCormick chicken fiesta or chicken taco seasoning
One 14.5oz can diced tomatoes + 1/2 can water, you can use the seasoned variety like green pepper, celery and onion
1 medium onion, sliced thin
1 TSP cilantro
1 sliced avocado
shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:
Place all ingredients except avocado and the cheese in a crock pot and stir.
Cover and cook for 4 to 6 hours.
Serve with rice or in a taco style shell with the avocado and cheese on top.

Cajun gumbo Ingredients:
4 stalks celery, sliced
1 med onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 TBLS veggie oil
2 TBLS Chef Paul’s Magic salt free all purpose seasoning, a short blue can in the spice aisle
1 14.5oz can stewed tomatoes, chopped
1 bay leaf
2 12oz-14oz cans chicken broth, low sodium is best
1 LB pkg frozen sliced okra
2 halves boneless chicken breasts, cubed
2 links Cajun style andouille sausage, sliced, it’s usually near the hot dogs and bacon in your supermarket
12oz pkg frozen crawfish tail meat (if not available use fresh lump crab meat)
1 LB raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails can be left on

Directions:
Saute the celery, onion and pepper in the oil in a large frying pan. Add the Chef Paul’s seasoning and stir. Add the tomatoes, chicken broth, bay leaf and okra. Bring it to a simmer. Add the chicken and sausage. Continue to simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the crawfish meat and shrimp and simmer for 4-5 minutes. Serve in a bowl alone for a lower carb option or over the rice of your choice.

This banana bread recipe is soft and moist. Be sure the banana’s are nearly rotten for the best flavor.

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups unbleached flour
1 1/4 TSP baking powder
3/4 TSP salt
1/2 TSP baking soda
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter, room temp
2 eggs
2 TBLS milk
1 cup mashed ripe bananas, about 3 med size
dash of nutmeg
1 TSP vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts is optional

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
Stir together flour, nutmeg, salt, baking soda and powder. Set aside. Cream sugar with butter and then add eggs one at a time and beat until fluffy. Add milk and vanilla. Add mashed banana and flour mixture alternating into the butter mixture. Beat well. Add nuts if you like or place them on top of the loaf. Lightly grease a 8x4x2 loaf pan or line 12 muffin cups. Bake for about 30 minutes for muffins and 60 minutes for a loaf or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

This Roasted Garlic and Lemon Chicken recipe is soooo gooood. The oven temp sounds high but the bacon protects the chicken from over browning and sears in the juices. Using fresh herbs is essential for the full flavor.

Ingredients:

1 (5 to 6-pound) roasting chicken
ground black pepper
6 or more springs of fresh thyme, a good hand full
4-6 fresh sage leaves
2-3 fresh rosemary springs
1 lemon, halved
1 head of garlic, cut in 1/2 crosswise
4 slices of thick sliced bacon (can be turkey bacon)
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425.
Remove the chicken parts from inside the chicken. Wash the chicken with cold water and salt. Trim any excess fat. Place the chicken in a large roasting pan. Sprinkle with pepper. Stuff the cavity with the rosemary, thyme, sage, ½ a lemon and ½ a head of garlic. Place the bacon on the top of the breast and legs. Place the remaining lemon and garlic in the roasting pan cut side down.
Roast the chicken for 1 hour. Remove the bacon slices from the top of the chicken and set aside. Continue roasting the chicken for an additional 1/2 hour, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Place on a platter and cover with aluminum foil while you prepare the gravy.
Spoon off the fat from the bottom of the pan leaving the chicken juices and only about 2 tablespoons of the fat. Pour the drippings into a sauce pan and add the wine, ½ cup chicken stock and squeeze the garlic from its husk, bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes, or until reduced by half.
Slice the chicken on a platter. Garnish the chicken platter with the bacon slices, roasted garlic, lemon and herbs. Serve with the gravy.

French Onion soup is suppose to be rich with flavor but so many times in restaurants its rich with too much salt !! Try my version, add salt if you feel you have to but I think the broth with its rich taste and onions do just fine as is.

Ingredients:
**5-6 large onions, halved and sliced, sweet onions if you can get them such as Vidalia
3 TBLS butter
2-3 cans Campbell’s beef consommé + 2-3 cans of water
1 TBLS Kitchen Bouquet Seasoning(optional)
1/4 cup DRY Sherry
4 slices crusty French bread
1 bay leaf
12 slices Gruyere Cheese, if not available use Swiss cheese, use more if you like

Directions:
**The ratio of broth and onions should be 50-50. Adjust the amount of onions to your liking.
In a covered frying pan add the butter and sauté the onions on low heat until soft and translucent, do not brown them. In a sauce pot combine the cooked onions, consommé , water, seasoning, sherry and bay leaf.
Simmer covered for 1-2 hours.
Divide the soup into four oven proof crock type bowls or any oven proof small bowl. Place a slice of crusty bread on the top and top with three slices of cheese on each bowl. Place the bowls on a pan. Broil or bake at 400 until the cheese is melted and bubbled, slightly brown if you wish.

This butternut squash soup recipe is so tasty and easy. It has a smooth creamy taste but has very little cream.

Ingredients:
2LBS butternut squash , cubed( I buy it already cut up in a container in the produce dept. If you choose to buy it whole, you’ll have to peel and seed it)
1 1/2 cups diced onion
2 diced carrots
3 14oz cans chicken broth, low sodium is best
1/2 TSP salt
2 TBLS butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
sour cream, whipped cream or creme fraiche for garnish

Directions:
Combine squash, onion, carrot, broth and salt in a 6qt stock pot. Simmer uncovered for 1 hour. Add butter and pour into a blender only half way full since hot foods expand in the blender. Puree and pour back into stock pot. On low heat add the cream and whisk for a few minutes. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, whipped cream or creme fraiche.