Momof6....aka Marty

What makes my kitchen "perfect"?  Cheerful children cooking and cleaning up while I sit and chat with fiends.

Oh!  This thread is about the truck?  OOOHhhh!  Now I get it! :rofl2:

If you leave bowels on your site, I am walking the other way!  LOL

I will probably leave dh at the site to pass out candy while I take the children ToTing.

Here are two more:

Beans (no pre-soaking needed)

Here is how I cook dried beans in my crockpot without pre-soaking.

Combine the following in a 6 qt. crock pot:

3 pounds of dried beans - I use 2 lbs. black beans and 1 lb. pinto

1 tsp. cumin

3 TBS kosher salt

1 1/2 tsp black pepper

3 TBS olive oil

6 TBS minced, dried onion

Water to within 1 inch of the top of the crock

Set to cook on low. Cook for 8-10 hours.  Add water as necessary.  Use like canned beans.

Crockpot Greek Lemon Chicken

Ingredients

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts, frozen*

1 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon lemon rind, grated (optional)

1 cup chicken broth, divided use ( or 1 cup same amount of water and 4 tsp. chicken bouillon powder)

3 tablespoons lemon juice ( bottled is fine)

2 -3 garlic cloves, pressed

1 teaspoon cornstarch

Directions

Grease crock pot with butter.

Combine lemon rind, 1/2 cup broth (or 1/2 cup water and 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder), garlic and lemon juice. Pour into pot.

Sprinkle both sides of each frozen breast with seasonings, add to pot.

Cover and cook on low 6 - 8 hours.

Remove chicken to plate and keep warm.

Pour liquid from pot into small sauce pan. Combine corn starch with remaining 1/2 cup broth (or remaining 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder and 1/2 cup water); add to sauce pan.

Heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to boil and sauce thickens.

Serve chicken with rice cooked in chicken broth instead of water and top with the sauce. I srve this with homemade pitas, tzatziki sauce, and hummus, with spinach as a side dish.  My kids like the sauce on their spinach as well.

* You can cook as few as 2 breasts with the same quantity of other ingredients

Here are some of my crockpot recipes:

Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:

8 oz. dry macaroni, cooked

2 cans (13 oz. each) evaporated milk

3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (I sometimes use Sargentos Mexican 4 cheese blend)

3 TBSP melted butter (I just put room temp. butter in the crockpot on low when I start to cook the macaroni) 1/4 minced onion

1 1/2 tsp. salt

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in crockpot and mix thoroughly. Cover and cook on Low for 3-4 hours.

Pot Roast

Ingredients:

A hunk of beef - I buy whatever is on sale really cheap

Morton's Nature's Seasons Seasonings Blend (or your favorite seasoning blend)

Dried Minced Onion

1 cup prepared beef broth

Liberally coat beef with seasoning blend and onion on all sides. Put it in crockpot. If desired, add veggies (carrots, potatoes, whatever) and pour in beef broth. Cook on low all day.

Crockpot Stuffing

First thing I do is make Herb Bread.

Place in the bread maker in the order recommended:

1 1/8 cups water

1 egg

2 Tbs. butter

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. thyme

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp. dried parsley

1/8 tsp. celery seed

1/8 tsp. sage

1/4 cup wheat germ

1/4 cup oats

2 1/2 cups bread flour

2 1/2 tsp. yeast

The center always falls on the loaf for me. I'm not sure why, but since I am using it for stuffing, I don't care.

Once the loaf has cooled, I cube it and toast it on low heat for a few hours in the oven to dry it out. The stuffing recipe calls for 12 cups dry bread cubes. I believe I usually add some regular bread to make up that amount.

For stuffing:

1 cup butter

2 cups chopped celery

1 cup chopped onion

1 tsp. poultry seasoning

1 1/2 tsp. sage

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. thyme

2 eggs, beaten

4 cups chicken broth

12 cups dry bread cubes

Saute celery and onions in butter until softened. Mix with spices, eggs, and broth until well blended. Add bread and stir to blend. Cook in crockpot on high for 45 minutes; reduce to low and cook for 6 hours.

"Baked" Potatoes

Wash potatoes and dry thoroughly (otherwise they will get rusty from the foil). Prick with fork. Wrap them in foil. Fill Crock-Pot with 6 to 12 potatoes. Cover. Cook on Low 8 to 10 hours (High: 2 1/2 to 4 hours).

French Dip

Hunk of beef, with fat trimmed

1/2 cup soy sauce

1 beef bouillon cube

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. rosemary

1 tsp. thyme

1 tsp. garlic powder

Put beef in crockpot. In a medium bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients. Pour over beef then add enough water to almost cover meat. Cover and cook on low 10-12 hours, or until beef is very tender. Remove meat from broth and fork shred. Put meat on sandwich rolls and serve with broth for dipping.

Smothered Cube Steak

Cube Steaks (It's a thin steak usually tenderized by poking full of holes. Often used for minute steaks)

Beef Gravy (see below)

Pour gravy over steaks and cook on low 8-10 hours.

Beef Gravy*

1/4 cup butter

1 onion, chopped fine

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups beef bouillon

Melt butter in saute pan. Cook onions in butter until translucent. Stir in flour. Add bouillon and bring to boil. Stir and boil for one minute.

* I double this recipe to use with Cube Steak recipe.

Tropical Chicken

4 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings

2 8 oz. cans pineapple chucks

6 Tablespoons teriyaki sauce

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon grated ginger

Place first three ingredients in crockpot. Combine last three and pour over chicken. Cook on low 8-10 hours. Serve over rice, if desired.

Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken

4 chicken breasts

1 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup vinegar

1/4 cup soda - Sprite, 7-up, whatever

3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

2 tablespoons soy sauce

salt and pepper

Place chicken in crockpot. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. Cook on low 8-10 hours. Serve over rice, mashed potatoes, or pasta, if desired.

We are about 30 minutes from I-26.  We went that way last November - I-385 to I-26 to I-95.  It was okay.  Thought we might try going through Atlanta this year just for something different, esp. if i can get dh to leave early enough in the AM to avoid traffic in Atlanta.  Last year, we got up at 3AM to leave by 4AM and didn't get on the road until 7AM.  This year, I want to pack everything but the food the night before.

and then Lou you have to come to our site, where you'll be greeted by 5 more little house critters all wanting to know what you do, they have dubbed you "uncle Lou" and they havent even met you yet.

You have five, Loretta has five, and I believe Marty is bringing only five and you'll all be at the Fort at the same time, wow.

we are conspiring to take over the 1500 loop.. :D If I get nothing else out of this trip, I hope to get a group picture of all our little fiend children, priceless!

Can we dress them all in purple??  Talk about a picture!!  ;D

Wouldn't that look great?  Maybe gathered around a snarky?

and then Lou you have to come to our site, where you'll be greeted by 5 more little house critters all wanting to know what you do, they have dubbed you "uncle Lou" and they havent even met you yet.

You have five, Loretta has five, and I believe Marty is bringing only five and you'll all be at the Fort at the same time, wow.

Nope, all six!  Nobody will volunteer to stay behind. :parrot:

:D

Thanks!  Now I am official!  :D

Actually, I am in the NW part of SC, so sometimes we go through Atlanta and come down I-75.

Muttering to self: Thou shalt not covet.  Thou shalt not covet.  Thou shalt not covet.

:parrot:Praying y'all  have a blast! :banana:

Thou shalt not covet.  Thou shalt not covet.  Thou shalt not covet.

OK, should I ask someone to post the Western Way now, or wait, knowing that I will lose it between now and Halloween.  But if I wait, will I forget to ask by then.

This getting old thing is tougher than it looks. :parrot:

Also, would they be eligible to ride Disney transportation?  I'm thinking not, but thought I would ask.

There is a new family at my church planning a trip to WDW.  They have booked at the Wyndham through bookit.com(? - not sure that is the name) for $89 per night!!  Great rate!!

Anyway, I am trying to give them some inside info for the trip.  I wondered if they can do EMH is they are at the Wyndham.  I thought I would type up some info, including this site, and give it to them next Sunday.

TIA!

I didn't make the list either, Lou. :rofl2:  You can hang out at my site for plenty of free food. :banana:

Will I be number 6 or 7 in the food line Marty?

Lou, you will be number 1!  However, the children will be lining up right behind you. :banana:  Actually, they will probably be busy pestering you with questions about being a bus driver for The Mouse.  Except for the youngest, who will be shy at first, and then will adopt you as her new best friend. :argh:

I didn't make the list either, Lou. :banana:  You can hang out at my site for plenty of free food. :banana:

Wow.  I'm not feeling the love here, ladies.  Not at all.  :parrot:

Y'all owe me some MAJOR hugs now!  :rofl2:

Yeah, like you won't be getting (and giving) major hugs to that sweet baby girl!

I am hoping to get the best of holidays and off-times by arriving on halloween and staying into the next week.  At least that is the plan.  Everytime I try to figure out how much to save for gas, the prices go up.

I heard, although I didn't personally see, that there was a AFR in the pool last year

AFR?

That looks so cool!!!

Funny Momoffive and MomofsixinSC both with ties to Allentown Pa.  Maybe of we can get a GG at Knoebels (J&D campground) you both could make it.  Have either of you been to Knoebels?

I haven't been but would love to try it.  These days, traveling far from SC is hard in camping season, as dh does organic  lawncare and needs to be close to home all week.

Marty, We were probably in College the same time.  I graduated in '93.  DH finished with his Masters in Chem from Lehigh in '94 or '95.  Were you ever in the Ho when Senatra guy was there?  He would put like $100 in the juke box and play NOTHING BUT Sinatra all night. Thought we would die those nights!  Oh brings back memories!  Damn I'm old too!

Oh, you are so very sweet.  No, I graduated in '85.  I'm not quite this old, :barf: but getting close fast!

Go to their FB page and click like to register for a free sample of duct tape sheets.  Compact way to bring some duct tape on a trip. :rofl2:

http://www.facebook.com/ducktape?sk=app_136277683111702

I wish Undercover Tourist sold one day/one park tickets for cheapskates like me.  Is there any bargain way to buy those, or am I stuck with full price?