Pork Tostadas are open faced sandwiches made on a crispy fried tortilla. Tostada = toasted. Anything that can go on a taco can also be found on a Tostada. You know I am a wimp when it comes to spicy and to me Mexican food meant spicy. Wrong! How did I find out? Last spring I noticed our local grocery offered cooking sessions. Always looking for new dishes and ways to make our meals healthy and varied, I signed up immediately. I’ve added to our food rotation things like Pork Tostadas and more. I love it! For many reasons! HyVee is a regional, employee owned grocery that opened a few months before we bought our home and was a factor in our choosing where to live. Contrary to what some people think, residents of the Great Plains do not shop at trading posts or dingy general ... [Read More]
slow cooker
Crockpot Apple Crisp
Apple Crisp made in the slowcooker -- sort of a "handed lemons, make lemonade" process that turned out well. Really well, in fact. That bag of apples had been setting in the refrigerator for a few days. When I opened them with the intent of adding them to the bowl on the dining room buffet, I hesitated. Apparently someone had dropped the bag before purchase. Bruises and mushy spots on about half of them – meaning they had to be used. Soon. I didn’t want to be caught in a “can’t quit now” situation with the paint brush to check the oven. Nor did I want to risk not hearing the oven timer. We're still in the moving process. Who knows where the little stick-it-in-your-pocket-ticking-timer is. There are still boxes in the basement and in storage two hours away, so I’m sure it will turn ... [Read More]
Fruit Pork Roast
We had some good eating in the last couple weeks before the freezer left, including this deliciously beautiful Fruit Pork Roast. When the freezer's predecessor died, I almost didn’t buy a replacement. But we just couldn’t do without – in less than a week we gathered up the spare change and went shopping for a freezer. This time we decided to list the little chest on Craigslist and buy a new one to fit the new space once we move. The people who bought it were super nice. Her sister and children were moving from Florida to live with them for the summer (and maybe longer) while the brother in law got settled in his new job and found a house in New York where he’d been transferred. I wouldn’t back down on the price (since I had a list of seven more inquiries after theirs), but when it ... [Read More]
Slow Cooker Apple Dessert
Slow cooker apple dessert is just that – a dessert. It isn’t a cobbler, cake or cookie. Just a nice fruity spicy snack or a not too sweet ending to a meal. This is a perfect dessert to make when you are working on a project at home because it makes the house smell amazing. Wouldn’t want to waste that cinnamon odor!!! The dessert goes together really quickly! Pop it in the crockpot and do what you need to do! Dessert will be ready and waiting for you! The amount of chopped apple does not have to be precise. More apples just means the dessert will be more moist. Depending on your crockpot, check at 2 and a half hours just to make sure that the dessert is not browning too quickly. It is good warm or cold – my preference is cold because the flavors meld. Don’t skip the topping because the ... [Read More]
Maple Bacon Pot Roast — Slowcooker
Maple Bacon Pot Roast -- my Mother's Day Gift. Before Wheels and I were married we talked about the things we wanted for our children. One item on that short list was to teach them how to be self sufficient. Wheels share of that goal was to teach our children things like how to change a tire and how not to get lost. (Neither of which belonged on my side of the list. I still can’t change a tire – don’t tell the kids! I can argue with the GPS, though.) My share was to teach our children things like how to cook a meal and do their own laundry. (Let it be noted that Wheels does a great job at those self sufficiency things.) And that is why, when Mother’s Day rolls around I only want one gift. A homecooked meal that I don’t prepare. This year Bytes selected this dressed ... [Read More]
Creamy Italian Ranch Crockpot Chicken
Creamy and flavorful chicken from the slow cooker served over brown rice, this is a very satisfying meal requiring minimal preparation and easy peasy cooking in the crockpot. Great for those times when your attention is focused on other projects. Cooking during a kitchen remodel has definitely been a challenge!! The stove is out in the garage and the kitchen is full of three guys wielding power tools. My cooking space is one crockpot on a tv tray in the front hallway adjoining the dining room and a second crockpot on the little chest in the dining room. The dining room is stuffed with boxes full of cabinet contents. They were orderly when the project started four days ago. Operative word – “were”. The motto is: “Keep calm and cook on.” Because that keeps the crew fueled ... [Read More]
