Meals for the week

Crockpot Chicken Cordon Bleu
--4 chicken breast halves, pounded thin
--4-8 slices of ham
--4-8 slices of swiss cheese

--can of your favorite cream-of-something soup
--2 T low fat milk


The Directions.

Spray crockpot with cooking spray.

Pound chicken breasts flat

Put a slice of the ham and a slice of the swiss cheese on the chicken breast and roll it up. Put it into the crockpot, seam side down. If desired, top with another piece of ham and cheese. Continue with the other pieces. It's okay to stagger-stack the chicken. It will still cook nicely for you.

If you are making your own "special soup," make a roux on the stovetop with the butter and flour, and whisk in the broth, milk, and spices. Pour on top of the chicken.

or! open can of cream-of soup. Pour into crockpot. Put the 2T of low fat milk into your empty can and swirl it around to get the remaining stuck on good stuff. Pour that in, too.

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 4-5. This is done when the chicken is cooked through and has begun to brown on top. I took ours out for exactly 4 hours on high. It was cooked through, but could have stayed in longer to gain some color.

Crockpot Chicken Teriyaki
--chicken pieces. I used frozen wings and drumettes, but you can use whatever body parts you have on hand.
--if you have bottled teriyaki sauce, you are done. use about 3/4 of a cup.


The Directions.

--plop your chicken in the crockpot
--cover it up with the sauce

cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 4-5. If you are using frozen pieces, it will take longer than if you are using thawed or fresh chicken. Different pieces of chicken also have different density, and that will also effect cooking time. If you are going to be out of the house, cook on low. You can always switch it to high later.

Crockpot Bacon & Cheese Chicken

--2 T olive oil

--4-6 chicken breast halves, or equivalent bird pieces (I used 8 breast tenders)

--12 pieces cooked and crumbled bacon

--1/4 cup teriyaki sauce

--1/2 cup Ranch salad dressing

--1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

The Directions.

Put the 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the bottom of your crock and spread it around. If you are using thighs or fattier cuts of meat, this step is probably optional.

Put the chicken in the crock on top of the oil.

In a small bowl, combine the teriyaki sauce and the ranch dressing. I kept tasting this---the flavor is so bizarre and tasty; I've never had anything like it.

Pour sauce over the top of the chicken. Add the shredded cheese and the crumbled bacon to the crock, getting between the chicken pieces, if you can.

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4. The cooking time will depend on how thick your chicken pieces are, and if they are fresh or frozen.

Since I used the tiny breast tenders (frozen) our dinner cooked in only 3 hours on high.

Pizza Bread

• 6-7 c. white flour
• 1 T. yeast
• 2 c. milk
• 1/2 c. water
• 1/4 c. butter or margarine
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1/2 t. salt
• 2 t. Italian seasoning
• 3/4 c. pizza sauce
• 20 -25 slices pepperoni, cut into small pieces
• 2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 1/2 c. flour with 1 T. yeast and set aside.

2. Add milk, water, sugar and salt to a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat until warm. Pour into large bowl with the flour and yeast. Stir or beat until well combined. Slowly work in remaining flour and Italian seasoning. Knead (by hand or with an electric mixer) until dough is smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes. Cover and let dough rise for 1 hour in a lightly greased bowl.

3. Divide dough into 2 or 3 portions, depending on how big you want your loaves to be. Roll each ball of dough into a rectangle.
4. Spread about 1/4 c. pizza sauce on each section of dough.
5. Sprinkle the diced pepperoni and cheeses on top of the pizza sauce.
6. Roll dough tightly, jelly-roll style, and pinch the seams shut.
7. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes.


Honeyed Pork Chops

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil 6 boneless pork chops 3 tablespoons honey 1/2 cup water

1/4 cup soy sauce 1 small onion, chopped 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

1.	Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2.	Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat, and brown the pork chops about 5 minutes on each side. Transfer to a baking dish.
3.	In a bowl, mix the honey, water, soy sauce, onion, ginger, and pepper. Pour over the pork chops in the baking dish.
4.	Bake pork chops 1 hour in the preheated oven, to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).