Easter Ham, Slow cooker style

You know how much I love using the Crock Pot to cook with? This recipe is awesome and will give you a ham like you've never tasted before.

Get a nice spiral-cut ham, place it in the crock pot and set it on Low. Take 1 can Dr. Pepper and 1 cup of Grape juice and pour over the top. Take 2 cups brown sugar and pat down over the ham. Cover and cook on low for about 4 hours. The sugar will melt into the ham and blend with the moisture of the soda and juice.

Take the ham out after 4 hours and wrap in foil. Take a 20-ounce can of pineapple rings (with juice) and place them in the juices of the crock pot. Let sit for about 20 minutes, still on low. Remove the pineapple and place with the ham for display. Use cherries to garnish if you like. Take the juices in the pot and serve them as a gravy for the ham. YUM. Gandy

I-HOP cinnastak pancakes and french toast!

I went to IHOP a couple of weeks ago and ordered their cinnastak pancakes. YUM. So I decided to create my own recipe and well, they absolutely destroy IHOPS version. Here you go.

Start with your basic pancake mix. Mix the recipe and add some cinnamon to taste.

Take 2 sticks of softened butter, 1 cup of light brown sugar, and a tablespoon of cinnamon; mix well.

Cook pancakes. The second they come off the grill, spread a generous amount of the butter/brown sugar mix all over the top of the pancakes. Stack 2 per plate. Get some cream cheese frosting (cake decorating aisle) in a squeeze tube and drizzle over the top. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with cinamon flavored chips. (Chocolate chip aisle)

Get ready to be really happy the rest of the day!

French Toast instead of pancakes works well too! Enjoy Gandy

I'm Back!!!

Kind of took a vacation from the blog, and now I am itchin' to get back in the kitchen. Look for more incredible recipies and idea's starting soon.....Rocco

Broccoli Minute rice

I know e that any good cook would never use minute rice in a recipe, but I have a different approach. Sometimes you have to make dinner in a hurry and time is of the essence. Here is a way to use minute rice and come out with some really tasty sides..

Minute rice is measured one part rice one part water. Change it up a bit. I use one part rice and one part Chicken stock instead. the chicken stock gives the rice a rich full flavor that just enhances the meal. Chop up some fresh broccoli or spinach into small pieces and you have a quick easy dish that tastes like you spent an hour or two making it. Throw in a dash of garlic and onion powder and salt and pepper to taste.

Use Pea's, Carrots, Corn, really whatever you have on hand. Enjoy...Gandy

Broccoli Farfale with Garlic

Great side dish with any meal you make. Simple but rich. Enjoy Gandy

1 pound bag Farfalle (Bowtie) Pasta.
3 cups chopped Broccoli
1 stick butter
1.2 cup olive oil
2 TBLS minced garlic
1/4 cup Parmesean cheese
1.2 cup green olives (Mince in food processor)
1.2 cup roasted red peppers

In a large pot, boil your bowtie noodles in Salted water until almost done (5 minutes remaining) throw the Broccoli into the water and finish cooking. If you add the broccoli earlier it will be mushy.
In a saute pan, melt the butter with the olive oil then add the garlic, minced olives and red pepper. Sautee for 3-4 minutes stirring constantly, DO NOT SCORCH.

Drain Pasta and Broccoli, do not cool down, put into a large bowl, pour Butter/Garlic oil mix on top and sprinkle in Parmesean cheese as you stir. Salt and pepper to taste. YUM!

Throw in some slivered almonds if you like for texture.

McDonalds Awesome Oatmeal

McDonalds is now offering hot oatmeal for breakfast. It is surprisingly good and I decided to put my own recipe on the blog. Enjoy Gandy

Start with Steel cut oats, Quaker makes these in a small blue cylinder type package. Boil 3 1/2 cups water then add 1 cup steel cut oats. Reduce your heat to low and stir every 5 minutes until done. (About 25 minutes) While cooking chop up 1 large Apple (skins on) into small 1/2 inch pieces. Once oatmeal is cooked, add apples, 1/2 cup craisins, 1/2 cup raisins, 1/2 cup golden raisins, 1/4 cup chopped nuts, (Walnuts or pecans work best) and 2 TBLS brown sugar. (Save a little of each fruit/nuts for topping.)
I like to put a TBLS of milk or half and half on top to mix in.
This is a hearty flavorful oatmeal that will have you turned off to instand oatmeal forever.

"The ROCCO" official Drink of awesome people

Yes I invented a drink. Pretty complicated recipe, but the advanced mix-master can make this if following the directions perfectly. ....Enjoy...Gandy

Take a large cup
Put Ice in the cup
Pour Diet Pepsi to the halfway mark
Pour Diet Dr. Pepper to the rim.
Let sit for at least 3 seconds to breathe properly.
Enjoy your "ROCCO"

When Life throws cans of soda and ice at you....Make a ROCCO!

Pork Verde Soup

Started with a basic stock and some pork chops and this is what popped into my mind....Enjoy

In a stock pot, chop up 6 medium potatoes, 3 carrots, and 1/4 stalk celery; boil in 2 quarts of water. Add salt and three RAW thick pork chops (or 4 thin ones) cut into 1 inch cubes. When veggies are cooked, add one large can of green enchilada sauce, one can corn drained, and one small can diced green chilies; stir. Add 2 cups of short pasta like Radiatori or Ditalini. Add 1 Tbsp ham base (in bouillon aisle) 2 tsp cumin, 2 tsp chili powder, 2 tsp granulated garlic and 1 tsp granulated onion; mix well. Cook until pasta is al dente. Serve with crumbled tortilla chips, sour cream and crumbled cotija cheese. YUM!

Garlic Aioli Sauce (Garlic Mayo)

Trust me when I tell you that this recipe is a keeper. Simplistic in its ingredients, its versatility makes it so good on so many things. I like to use it on sandwiches, but it can be an awesome salad dressing as well.

In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 Tbsp minced garlic, 1/2 tsp sea salt and 2 tsp lemon juice; mix well. Slowly drip in 1/2 cup olive oil, stirring constantly. The mixture will thicken as you stir. After stirring for about 2-3 minutes, add 1 tsp Italian seasoning and 1 tsp garlic salt. Mix well and refrigerate. Enjoy Gandy.

I made a sandwich on New Year's Eve that was out of this world. Here is the recipe: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Slice open some french bread; place on a baking sheet. Spread garlic aioli on both sides. Cover both sides with your favorite sliced cheese. (I prefer havarti or a smoked gouda.) Bake 4-6 minutes until cheese is melted. Heat sliced chicken breast and place on top of cheese (one side); pour some BBQ sauce on top of the chicken. Cover chicken breast with fresh spinach leaves and drizzle honey on top. Add more of the garlic aioli and finish off the sandwich. YUM!

New Years Fresh Salsa in 5 minutes

Here is a great idea for a quick party. I love any Mexican food and this was featured on KSL studio 5 last week. I made a couple of quick adjustments to make it even tastier. Enjoy Gandy

Take one can black beans with juice, one can mexi-corn (corn with Mexican twist), 2 medium sized tomatoes-diced, 1 bunch cilantro-chopped, 6 scallions (green onions) chopped, 1 medium red onion-diced, 2 avocados-diced, the juice of 2 limes and 1/4 cup rice vinegar. Mix well and salt and pepper to taste. Serve with chips or spread on a tostada shell and munch away. Very simple, fast, fresh and delicious.

Ikes Place San Francisco

I am blogging this from IKE`s place in San Francisco. This is the next stop in the Adam Richman "Man v Food" tour for me. I decided to bring my kids this time. Our lunch started out with us standing outside on line. The sammy's better be awesome if you make me stand outside like that. Once inside, the waiting lasted another hour before we even ordered our food. Forty-five minutes later we were served. It took TWO HOURS AND THIRTY MINUTES to get 5 sandwiches. No apology or "sorry it takes FOREVER." They obviously are this slow all the time.

They specialize in a dressing called "dirty sauce" and do not serve mayo. Their bread was incredible but other than their combinations of flavor which did impress me, the food was simply not worth the wait. The atmosphere was below average and no reason was given for the wait. I swear one guy must have been in the kitchen preparing each sammy by himself. Still wondering if he had both arms.
I liked the food, but would never go back. Gandy

Split Pea with Ham and Bacon soup

Another easy crockpot Sunday lunch that is so easy to make. And probably my favorite winter soup. My two young boys (10 & 11) loved it as well. Enjoy Gandy

In a large crackpot add 6 potatoes (skins on)-diced, 3 large carrots (skins on)-cut up, 1/2 medium onion-diced, 1 pound ham-diced, 1/2 pound bacon-raw and diced and 1 bag dried split peas. Add one quart of chicken stock and set on low for 6 hours. At about 4 hours, stir the peas into the rest of the mixture so they are mixed through all ingredients. The peas will have softened by then and will easily melt into the soup. Add salt and pepper to taste and cook 2 more hours.  If soup is too thick you can add extra water to thin it out a bit, but it should be a little thick.

Brazilian Brigoderios

My sister Jan's husband and daughter both served LDS missions in Brazil. The Brazilian culture and flavor is a favorite in their home. Enjoy...Gandy

                Janis Gandolph Vogelsberg

Brazilian Brigoderios



One 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk, 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa, 1 Tbsp butter,
1/3 cup chocolate flavored sprinkles OR 1 cup chopped walnuts

In medium-sized saucepan, combine milk, cocoa and butter. Melt over medium heat for about 5 minutes until mixture forms a ball around the spoon and starts to pull away from sides of pan.
Cool on a buttered plate until easy to handle. Butter your hands and roll into 1 inch balls.
Cover in chocolate sprinkles or nuts. Cool completely and enjoy.

Snickerdoodles

My Sister Lauren sent me this recipe for Christmas Snickerdoodles. This is easily one of my favorites, especially when they are warm just out of the oven.

                   Lauren Gandolph Pepin...

Snickerdoodles

1 cup butter, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 2 eggs, 2 3/4 cups flour, 2 tsp cream of tartar, 1 tsp baking soda

Cream butter and sugar, add eggs mix well then add the dry ingredients. Roll into 1 inch balls and then roll the balls in a cinnamon/sugar mix. (An added holiday idea would be to use red and green colored sugar in this mix.) Bake at 400 degree's for 8-10 minutes. Merry Christmas to US!

Shortbread Nuggets

I have asked my Sisters to send me a Christmas recipe that is a favorite of theirs. This one comes from my big Sister Sharon Gandolph Sinclair. It is a favorite of every member of our family. The White frosting and holiday sprinkles give this cookie a winter wonderland feeling. Thanks Sharon and keep them coming. Gandy


               Sharon Gandolph Sinclair...
This recipe is credited to Grandma Gandolph. Where she got it I don't think we will ever know. Having searched the Internet, it would seem as if the recipe was passed down and protected through a direct line of descendants. Although the baked goods have been generously shared with neighbors and friends, the formula has evidently not been divulged - UNTIL NOW!

Shortbread Nugget Family Favorite (secret) Recipe:

1 1/2 cups butter or margarine, softened
1 cup confectioners sugar
2 eggs
4 tsp vanilla
4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
12 oz chocolate chips


1. Beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, mix well. Stir in remaining ingredients.
2. Shape into 1" balls and place 1" apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350°F for 14 minutes or until bottom begins to brown lightly. Allow to cool completely before frosting.


Frosting:
3 cups confectioners sugar
1 tsp cream of tartar
4 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla


1. Beat until stiff peaks form. 
2. Frost cookies. (The easiest way to do this is to hold the cookie upside-down over the bowl of frosting, dip into frosting and twirl back and forth as you lift it slowing back out of the frosting.)
3. Now for the fun part. Before cookies dry, sprinkle with red and green colored sugar or any other edible holiday decor. 


Family tradition holds that the older children frost the cookies while the younger ones have a grand old time adding sprinkles to the iced nuggets, the table, the floor and most especially into their mouths! These nuggets take hours to dry completely. They are usually lined along the kitchen table overnight and magically disappear into numerous and varied shaped containers before young ones awake to gobble them up. Because of their appeal, we make dozens and dozens of nuggets. They freeze well but don't usually last beyond New Year's.

Black Friday Survival

Black Friday is a scary time of year - the shopping, shoving, fighting and all out war that we call the day after Thanksgiving. For those who want to make it through today without serious injury, here is what you do:

1. Shop with a shirt that say's "Police" on it. Not the band, just the word.

2. Shop with really big friends.

3. Act like you are crazy; that scares everyone.

4. Hide what you want to buy today, yesterday. For example. Say Walmart is selling a robotic toy for $25 that is normally $75. The day before the sale, take one and hide it somewhere where no one will ever find it, like under a lawnmower or potting soil.

5. Get a job at the store you want to shop at a week before the sale, then quit. Make sure you hold onto the work shirt though......Yup I do think of stuff like that. Bad I know.

6. Stay home, shop online, eat leftover dinner and eat some pumpkin pie. This is what I suggest.

I know that this post is a day late and you are now a dollar short, but just think of the jump you will get on next year! Gandy

Turkey Bone Soup

This recipe is dedicated to my 11 year old son, Carter "Bones" Gandolph.

Mom used to make turkey soup every year when the bird was all picked over.
Here is a simple and delicious recipe. Enjoy, Gandy

Save that meatless turkey; there is a lot more meat on those bones than you think. Take the whole turkey and put it in the largest pot you have. fill the pot halfway with water. Chop up 3-4 carrots, one small onion and half a stalk of celery. Let this boil for about 2 hours. Let cool and then pull the carcass out. The meat will literally fall off the bones. Shred the meat; skim through the soup to make sure you did not miss any bones. Throw all bones away. You should not need much salt and pepper but add it if you like. Throw in 2 cups minute rice and bring back to a boil for 10 minutes. That's it and wow is it amazing. Throw in corn if you like. I am eating some right now. Happy Black Friday. Stay alive out there!

Happy Thanksgiving

My Favorite day.....Hope everyone has a great day. If you have nowhere to eat, stop by. We would love to have you and yours. Just bring PIE! I am so thankful for all the many blessings in my life. Clarence (Carrie) and I celebrated 23 years together, the kids are geting older and my dog Mookie still thinks I am king of the world. Life is good. Gandy

Brine your Bird!

If a succulent, juicy turkey is what you are looking for tomorrow, brine your bird today. Williams Sanoma has an incredible turkey brine that you mix with liquid and soak your turkey in overnight. Believe me, Clarence does this every year and we have the juiciest, plumpest, mouth-watering turkey ever. Trust Me! Gandy

Here is a recipe you will love....

Ingredients

1 gallon vegetable broth

1 cup sea salt

1 Tbsp crushed, dried rosemary

1 Tbsp dried sage

1 Tbsp dried thyme

1 Tbsp dried savory

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp Lowers perfect blend poultry seasoning

1 gallon ice water

Directions

1.In a large stock pot, combine vegetable broth, sea salt, rosemary, sage, thyme and savory. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently to be sure salt is dissolved. Remove from heat; let cool to room temperature.

2.When the broth mixture is cool pour it into a clean 5 gallon bucket. Stir in ice water.
I use a large storage container that you get at Walmart. Use something big enough yet not too big.
The brine needs to cover the whole bird.

3.Wash and dry your turkey. (This is actually very important) Make sure you have removed the innards. Place the turkey, breast down, into the brine. Make sure the cavity gets filled. Put the lid on and place bucket in the refrigerator overnight. In this weather you can get away with leaving it outside your door - but watch out for cats.

4.In the morning, carefully remove the turkey from the container, draining off excess brine; pat dry. Discard brine as enough has soaked into the bird to make your drippings for the gravy wonderful.
(Use Rocco's gravy recipe below.)

5.Cook the turkey as desired reserving the drippings for gravy. Keep in mind that brined turkeys cook 20 to 30 minutes faster, so watch the temperature gauge. This last step is very very important: cover the bird with foil while cooking. This locks in the juices. Uncover for the final 1/2 hour to crisp up the skin.

Awesome Thanksgiving Gravy

Gravy makes or breaks your Thanksgiving feast. Here is a recipe that I use every year. Enjoy, Gandy

About 15 minutes before your turkey is finished, drain the drippings into a sauce pan. You will need 2 quarts of liquid for this recipe so make up the difference in drippings with chicken stock. Strain out any floating pieces from the drippings and put the pan over medium heat. In a skillet, cook up one medium sized onion, diced small in 2 Tbsp butter (2 Tbsp Marsala wine to deglaze the pan would definitley not hurt) . Cook until onions are clear. The smaller the pieces, the better. In the sauce pan, add 2 tsp each granulated garlic and granulated onion. Add 1/2 cup flour (Wondra flour works best) and whisk immediately. Unlike the potatoes, lumps are not welcome in my gravy. Add the onions to the gravy and mix well. If gravy is not thick enough, mix 1 Tbsp corn starch into 1/2 cup cold water and add to gravy. Make sure to stir gravy constantly. Once boiling, remove from heat. Salt and pepper to your liking.

Mashed Potatoes Rocco Style

Love Thanksgiving.....Really my favorite holiday. No Presents to buy, no stress, and plenty of awesome food to eat. Here is my personal mashed potato recipe. Fat Free? Heavens NO! Enjoy, Gandy

I make alot, so cut this down to as much as you need.

10 pounds yukon gold potatoes. Peel, dice and boil in salted water until done. Drain. While still hot, throw back in cooking pot and add:
     2 8oz packages cream cheese.
     2 sticks butter
Let sit in the middle of the hot potatoes for 5 minutes so they start to melt.

Add:

     2 Tbsp minced garlic

     salt and pepper to taste

     1 cup sour cream

     2 tsp garlic powder

     2 tsp onion powder

Smash and crash these spuds by hand or with your mixer. Remember, don't whip out all the lumps, the best mashed potatoes have texture. This is a simple, but delicious recipe. Stay tuned, more to come as we count down to Turkey Day.

NBA FOODFEST #1

Well, tonight is the first annual NBA Foodfest at my house. The entire family and all friends are invited. One room, three TV's, three games on. Jazz play the Spurs at 7pm, Bulls play the Mavericks at 7:30pm and the Knicks play the Warriors at 8:30pm. All the following teams will be represented by rabid fans.....Stop by. Gandy

Clam Chowder on the slow.

My wife is brutally honest. I always know what is good or not so good when I cook. She is always my first test.... Today I made some clam chowder in the crock pot and it was a huge hit. Clarence (Carrie's nickname) loved it; called this recipe my best chowder EVER! That, my friends, is the best rating in all the world. Enjoy....Gandy

This one is for my niece Brooke. She loves clam chowder and asked me for a recipe last week.
Here you go Brooke!

Start by cutting 1/2 pound of bacon into 1/2 inch pieces and cook in a skillet with 2 Tbsp olive oil. Dice one large onion into small pieces and cook with the bacon (no oil needed) until onions are clear. Using a slotted spoon, place bacon and onion mix on a paper towel lined plate to drain off the grease.

In the crock pot, put 32 ounces chicken broth, 4 large diced potatoes, 1 package frozen corn, 2 tsp paprika, 2 tsp worchestshire sauce, 1 Tbsp salt, 2 tsp pepper, and bacon/onion mix. Set pot to cook for 6-8 hours. Half an hour before it's done, add one large can of Clams with the juice. (These cans are restaurant sized, you can get them at costco, $13 for 2 cans.) I believe that Clam Chowder should be overloaded with clams. Don't be shy with the clams! Add 2 twelve-ounce cans evaporated milk. Stir well. Mix 5 cups of liquid from the crock with two cups cream soup base. (Walmart has this in bulk #10 cans.) If you can't find it, Bear River makes a creamy potato soup mix that will work. Mix all back into the crock. Cook an additional 10 minutes and serve. Let me know how it worked for you.....

Swedish Meatballs, Crock Pot Style

I love meatballs in general. Nothing screams dinner for me like spaghetti with Rocco's Italian meatballs. Having said that, nothing seems better tonight than Swedish meatballs with gravy over egg noodles. So here goes. Enjoy, Gandy.

In a medium sized pan, heat 2 quarts beef broth to a boil. Meanwhile in a skillet, heat 1/4 cup olive oil and 2 Tbsp butter. Add 1 medium sized onion, diced small and 1 Tbsp minced garlic; cook until onions are clear. Pour this mixture into the beef broth.

When broth comes to a full boil, add 2 envelopes PORK gravy mix, stir well to make sure all lumps are dissolved. Add 1 8oz package of Philadelphia cream cheese and 1 cup sour cream. Mix until smooth. Pour entire contents of pan into the crock pot; cover and set for 6 hours.

In a large bowl, mix the following ingredients: 2 lbs ground beef, 4 eggs, 1 1/2 cups rolled oats, 1/2 cup bread crumbs, 1 Tbsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, 1 tsp onion powder. Roll meat mixture into 1 inch balls and drop into crock pot gravy. The meatballs will cook over the next 6 hours.

30 minutes before the meatballs are finished, cook 32 ounces of egg noodles according to package directions. Drain and serve immediately by pouring meatballs and gravy on top of noodles. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired. Serve with your favorite veggie and you have an awesome meal that cooks while you enjoy your day!

Chicken & Rice Soup

This one is for my awesome nephew Andrew Cerrone

In the words of Lightning McQueen, we are cooking this soup..."LOW & SLOW"

Another fantastic crock pot recipe, so easy and so delicious.

Set the crock pot to cook for 8 hours. Throw in 2 quarts chicken stock, 5 medium sized potatoes diced with skins on, 3 medium carrots diced unpeeled, 1 medium onion diced, 1 cup celery chopped with leaves. (I put the veggies on the bottom of the pot so they will cook all the way through); Take 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes and throw in the pot raw. On top of the chicken add 1 Tbsp salt, 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 Tbsp Lawry's perfect blend chicken seasoning, 1 Tbsp chicken base, and 2 Tbsp tomato sauce. Cover and cook all day. 1/2 hour before you eat, throw in 1 1/2 cups dry minute rice. Stir all ingredients well. After 1/2 hour you are good to go. Serve with a bread bowl you can buy at your local bakery or grocery store bakery.
This soup is really healthy as well as awesome. Just another example that I am looking out for all of you! Enjoy Gandy

Uncle Craig and Andrew chillin' in the Florida heat.

Bean And Bacon Soup

When I was a kid, winter was one of my favorite times of year.  I loved curling up next to the heater with a bowl of Campbell's Bean with Bacon soup. We would butter a couple of pieces of bread for dipping and the term comfort food was invented right there in my house. My best friend John Kruger called me one day to tell me if you mixed milk into the soup instead of water, the creaminess was awesome. That is how I've made it ever since.

Yesterday I started creating my own B&B soup in the slow cooker. One word, the Campbell's company might hate me forever. Here you go.....Enjoy Gandy

Take 3 cups Great Northern beans and soak them in 3 cups water overnight. This is a very important step so please do not skip it.  This takes out the acid from the beans and if you skip it.....I take no responsibility.

After soaking, place 2 quarts chicken stock in a large crock pot, set the timer to 8 hours. Drain the excess water from the soaking beans and add to the chicken stock. Throw in 3 medium sized diced carrots, 3 ribs diced celery and 1 medium sized diced onion. Cook 1 lb bacon, dry on a paper towel, crumble and throw into the pot. Add 1 Tbsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, and 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning. Let this cook for 7 hours. Add 2 cups milk for the final hour of cooking and get ready to curl up in front of some sort of heated device and remember to bring buttered bread along for dipping. I think I'm going to call Johnny K and see what he is up too.

And if all else fails, go buy a can of Campbell's.....it still does the trick for me.

The Breakfast Lobby gets a win!

                  Oddly enough, lunch no longer can claim this Soda stalwart as it's own anymore....

Pam Tuft's Hodgepodge Chili

A good friend of mine, Pam Tuft, sent me this recipe on facebook tonight. She even sent a sample over. It is very good. Enjoy....Gandy

HODGEPODGE CHILI
submitted by Pamela Tyler Tuft

1 lb mild Italian sausage
1 lb ground beef
1 lg. onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic
2  jalapeño peppers (optional)
1 Tbsp each chili powder, cumin seed (I use ground)
3/4 tsp. salt
1 can (15 oz.) EACH: kidney beans, great northern beans or any combination
1 can (28 oz.) chopped tomatoes, drained
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
1 can (16 oz.) chicken broth (I make my own)
1/4 c. EACH: cilantro, parsley

In a skillet, cook the sausage and beef in 2 Tbsp oil until browned. Add onion, bell peppers, garlic and jalapeño. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook on medium heat for 20 minutes. Top with shredded cheddar. Thanks Pam....Enjoy.

Crock Pot Beef Stew - Rocco Style

All right, here is the first in the crock pot series of recipes. I made this today and it filled the house with incredible aroma's all day. enjoy..gandy

In a 4 quart crockpot, place 4 cups chicken stock, 5 large potatoes (diced skins on), 3 large carrots (diced and unpeeled), 1 medium onion diced, and 2 pounds stewing beef. (Walmart sells this already chopped for you.) Cover with 10 ounces tomato sauce. Salt & pepper generously. Set on medium for 6 hours. After the six hours, add 1/2 cup steak sauce or Heinz 57 and mix well. Add 2 Tbsp worcestershire sauce and 3 cups frozen peas. Cook for an additional 15 minutes. This is a stick-to-your ribs dinner the whole family will love. If not, you need a new family.

Evie buy's me a Canoli

Visted my big sis Evie on Long Island two weeks ago and we went out to a local pizza joint for some of the best NY pizza ever. She even bought me a chocolate covered canoli.....I did take a small bite! Thanks Ev.