September Recipes

OATMEAL CROCK POT
1 cup steel cut oats
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup dates, chopped
4 cups water
1/2 cup half and half
2 tablespoons honey

Spray inside of slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Combine all ingredients except half and half and honey in the slow cooker, cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours. Stir in half and half and honey, and serve.

If you like more texture in your oatmeal, you can toast the oats before cooking. Place them in a shallow layer on a cookie sheet and toast them at 350 degrees F. for 15-20 minutes, stirring once during cooking time, until oats are a darker gold color. Let cool completely before you combine with the rest of the ingredients in the recipe.

Stir well before serving. 4 servings

BEEF CASSEROLE LAYERED

3 potatoes, peeled and sliced
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup uncooked rice
1 onion, sliced
1 pound ground beef or turkey
1 quart canned tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbs brown sugar
Layer the ingredients as listed, ending with salt and pepper. If desired,
sprinkle with brown sugar.

Bake at 300 degrees for 3 hours.

BEEF AND TOT CASSEROLE

1 pound Ground Beef, lean
1/2 small Onion, minced
1 pound Tater Tots
10 1/2 ounces Cream of anything soup (undiluted) - I prefer cream of celery or mushroom
1 pound Cheddar Cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Brown ground beef with minced onion in a skillet. Drain off any excess fat, and set aside to cool at least 10 minutes. Once beef is cooled, mix cream of chicken soup into mixture, and place into a greased cake pan or small casserole dish. Cover with frozen Tater Tots. Top with cheese. Bake for 30 - 45 minutes.

EASY SUPPER

2 pounds hamburger
1 small onion
4 cups cooked rice
3 Eggs
Worchester sauce

Brown hamburger and onion until done. Drain off fat. Take cooked rice
and brown in butter until somewhat dried. Combine with hamburger. Push
ingredients to edges of pan and make a open pit in the middle. Add eggs
and scramble them, when they are done, mix all ingredients together.
Add Worchester sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Continue to cook until
hot.

SHRIMP FRIED RICE

Rice – 1-2 C uncooked rice (I prefer brown rice) Prepare rice according to package instructions and set aside
1 small onion or several green onions
1 cup frozen peas
2 TBS soy sauce
4 TBS cooking oil
1 egg (beat in a cup and set aside)
1 cup shrimp or other seafood
2 TBS soy sauce
1-2 slices bacon diced or diced ham

In a wok, or large based pan, heat the oil. Add the onions and diced bacon.
Stir fry over a moderate heat for 2-3 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low and add the beaten egg. When it has set, break it up
into small pieces and stir.
Increase heat, add the shrimps, stir-fry until shrimp are cooked. (I prepare my shrimp ahead of time and heat for about 2-3 minutes. Add peas and heat until peas are thawed and warm. Add soy sauce and mix well.
Add the cool boiled rice and heat through, stirring constantly. Additional seasonings can be added, your preference.

CHOCOLATE RICE PUDDING (CROCK POT)
4 cups cooked white rice (I use a combination white and brown rice)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup baking cocoa powder
3 T. butter, melted
1 t. vanilla
2 (12-oz.) cans evaporated milk
Cool Whip for topping (optional)

Combine the first 6 ingredients in greased slow cooker. Cover. Cook on low 2 1/2-3 1/2 hours, or until the liquid is absorbed. Serve warm or chilled. Top with Cool Whip.
NOTE: I have used 1 can evaporated milk and 1 can sweetened condensed milk. Decrease sugar if using sweetened condensed milk.