Dutch Oven Potatoes in the Crock Pot??!?!?!

Okay- I know what you're thinking...

There is NOTHING like Dutch Oven Potatoes...and NOTHING can ever compare to the awesome smoky flavor.

Well, I would say that I agree with you- but these potatoes come close. The best part of this recipe is, once you get it all set up in the crock pot you can forget it for the next 4-5 hours!

You will need:

6 medium red potatoes sliced thin-ish (you can use russet, but I think reds cook better in the crock pot. They get less mushy)

1/4 of a red onion minced

1/2 package of bacon

1/4 cup butter cut into thirds

salt and pepper to taste


Here's how you do it:

Pour 1 and a 1/2 cups water into the bottom of the crock pot. Layer 1/3 of the sliced potatoes in the water, sprinkle with salt and pepper, put 1/3 of the onions on top and then 1/3 of the bacon. Then cut one of the thirds of the butter into small cubes and sprinkle those over that layer- repeat 3 times.

Set your crock pot on high and try to be aware of it for the first hour or so- if it starts to smell like its burning add a little more water and turn it down to low (every crock pot cooks differently. Mine just happens to cook these potatoes very well on high for 4 hours) If your crock pot is anything like mine, you can leave it alone for 4 hours on high and it will be fine.

Enjoy!

Grilled Chicken Primavera Pesto Pasta

It's summer, and we've been grilling A LOT. Its been tough to come up with recipes to keep it from getting boring. I think that tonight, I may have come up with a winner! This recipe can be altered to work for my vegetarian friends without the chicken as well, just brush the marinade over the top of the veggies as you grill them on skewers (for veggies alone it should only take 15-20 minutes to get them nice and juicy and grilled) but for all my carnivore friends, this is a recipe not to be missed.

Here is what you need to do:

cut 3 chicken breast cutlets into cubes that are about an inch in all directions and marinate them for 30 minutes to overnight in the following marinade:

1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 TBS cooking oil (olive, canola...whatever ya got!)
1 Clove garlic minced
2 TBS brown sugar
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder


When you're ready to cook make sure you've sliced the following:

1-2 yellow squash
1-2 zuchinni
1 onion
(make sure you slice them big enough that the skewer can go through the skin as opposed to just the "meat" of the fruit)

Layer your kebabs onto skewers meat first

Grill until done (20-3o minutes- until there is no pink left in the chicken. For best results have the grill heated to about 350 - 400 degrees before you start grilling)

While that is grilling:
boil enough pasta as desired for your family (or yourself) to use as a bed for the veggies and meat.
Add your favorite pesto to the cooked pasta and toss

Put the meat and veggies on top and sprinkle with a little parmesan if desired...and voila! Deliciousness for your mouth to do a happy dance about!

(Pictures to come!)