Cuban Calzones

Recipe from Pillsbury

INGREDIENTS:

2	Pillsbury® Grands!® frozen buttermilk or southern style biscuits (from 25-oz bag)
1 1/2	teaspoons yellow mustard
1 1/2	teaspoons mayonnaise or salad dressing
2	oz sliced pork (from deli)
2	oz sliced ham (from deli)
4	round dill pickle slices, well drained
2	tablespoons shredded Swiss cheese
1	egg, beaten
1/2	teaspoon dried minced onion

User Rating:

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Heat oven to 350°F. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray.
2.	Place biscuits on microwavable plate. Microwave uncovered on Medium (50%) 30 to 45 seconds, turning over halfway through microwave time. (Biscuits should still be cold for easier handling.) Press and stretch each biscuit into 6-inch round.
3.	In small bowl, stir mustard and mayonnaise until smooth. Spread mustard mixture on each round to within 1/2 inch of edge. Arrange pork and ham slices over mustard mixture to within 1/2 inch of edge, folding if necessary. Top each round with two pickle slices; sprinkle with cheese. Brush egg around edge of biscuit rounds. Fold dough over filling; press edges with fork to seal. Brush with egg; sprinkle with onion.
4.	Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Steak Tostadas with Avocados, Tomatoes & Olives

Recipe from Pampered Chef

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb beef flank steak 2 tbsp olive oil, divided 2 tbsp Crushed Peppercorn & Garlic Rub 2 medium avocados 1 cup grape tomatoes 1 cup pitted kalamata olives		1 lemon 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 1/4 tsp salt 12 tostadas 3/4 cup (3 oz) cotija cheese, crumbled

Directions:
1.	Heat Grill Pan over medium-high heat 5 minutes. Brush both sides of steak with 1 tbsp of the oil and sprinkle with rub. Place steak into pan; top with Grill Press. Cook 4 minutes. Turn; top with press. Reduce heat to medium; cook an additional 4-6 minutes or until Digital Pocket Thermometer registers 140°F for medium-rare doneness. Remove steak from pan; tent with foil and let stand 5 minutes (temperature will rise to 145°F).
2.	Meanwhile, peel and dice avocados using Avocado Peeler. Cut tomatoes in half and coarsely chop olives using Santoku Knife. Zest lemon using Microplane® Adjustable Grater to measure 1 tsp zest. Juice lemon to measure 1 tbsp juice. Combine avocados, tomatoes, olives, zest, juice, parsley, salt and remaining 1 tbsp oil in Classic Batter Bowl; mix well.
3.	Thinly slice steak diagonally against the grain. Cut slices into 1-in. pieces. Divide steak evenly among tostadas; top with avocado mixture and cheese.
Yield: 6 servings Nutrients per serving: (2 tostadas): Calories 530, Total Fat 35 g, Saturated Fat 9 g, Cholesterol 50 mg, Carbohydrate 25 g, Protein 32 g, Sodium 1310 mg, Fiber 3 g Diabetic exchanges per serving: 1 1/2 starch, 4 medium-fat meat, 3 fat (1 1/2 carb) Cook’s Tips: To quickly cut the steak into pieces, carve diagonally against the grain into thin slices; without moving slices apart, cut lengthwise into 1-in. pieces. If desired, 3 garlic cloves, pressed, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper can be substituted for the peppercorn rub.

Slow Cooker Fall Favorites

recipe from: a year of slow cooking

a whole bunch of Fall Favorites that are bound to please the crowds!

Beverages

Holiday (non-alcoholic) Punch (although "Holiday" is in the title, I've been making this a lot. Wednesdays can totally be the new Holiday.)
Pumpkin Spice Latte (yummers)
Chai Tea Latte (I don't actually like this so much, but my mother-in-law loves it, and so do her friends.)

Appetizers

Brie with Balsamic Apricot Topping (just made this again on Saturday, and have been requested to make it on Thursday for my friend Jennifer's jewelry party. Oh! anyone want to buy jewelry? I think there might be an online form.)
Sundried Tomato Dip (one of the very first things I made during my challenge)
Cream Cheese, Sausage, and Rotel Dip (AKA Mommy Crack)
Pizza Fondue (liquid pizza)
Fancy Cheese Fondue

Main Courses

Apricot Chicken (the kids LOVE this)
Pomegranate Beef (from Karina's Kitchen, the Gluten Free Goddess. She is wonderful.)
Pizza Soup (because you need more liquid pizza)
Cowboy Stew (from Headless Mom)
Pasta Fagioli (copy cat(ish) from the Olive Garden. We eat this monthly.)
Coq au Vin (red wine for purple, white wine for not-purple)
Azorean Stew (from Sean at Hedonia)
Salsa Chicken and Black Bean Soup (I get the nicest thank you notes about this one)
Java Roast (doesn't taste like coffee. I promise.)
Chile Verde (I make this for guests. Often.)
Margarita Chicken (from Alanna, of Kitchen Parade)
Mongolian Beef (lots of ingredients, but totally worth it)
Korean Ribs (from Stefania, of City Mama)
Orange Apricot Pork Chops (a favorite with kids)
Cranberry Pork Tenderloin (my little buddy Austin's review is priceless on this one)
Asian Peanut Butter Pork (mmm. peanut butter.)
Sausage Vegetable Medley (we eat this an awful lot. super easy.)
Autumn Sausage Casserole (C. Beth reminded me to add this!)
Jamaican Pumpkin Soup (amazingly delicious)

Desserts

Cheesecake (I was crazily ecstatic at how this turned out. I think the neighbors could hear my squealing)
Crustless Pumpkin Pie (exactly what it sounds like!)
Apple Crisp (the people in the audience at GMA liked this)
Peach (or whatever fruit you'd like) Pie (I had canned peaches in the house)
Pumpkin Pie Dip (fondue-y)
5 Layer Brownies (use a small slow cooker for this, or your middle won't set)
Pound Cake (I can't believe I ate the whole thing)
Rice Krispies Treats (the kids can do this alone. while I nap. It's a good thing.)
Caramel Apples (great surprise as an after school snack)
Brownie-in-a-Mug (So. Much. Fun.)

Taco Pockets

I am using the leftover Taco Salad ingredients to make these.

hamburger (you can add taco seasoning to this, but I just add salsa to my salad later)
lettuce
tomatoes
cheese
sour cream
kidney beans
black olives
Dorothy Lynch dressing (or French Dressing)
salsa
corn (optional)

Pita Pockets

Carefully open pita and place all ingredients inside.

Taco Salad

I'm sure it seems funny to have a "recipe" for Taco Salad, but this is so I don't forget any ingredients when I'm running to the store!

hamburger (you can add taco seasoning to this, but I just add salsa to my salad later)
tortilla chips
lettuce
tomatoes
cheese
sour cream
kidney beans
black olives
Dorothy Lynch dressing (or French Dressing)
salsa
corn (optional)

**Lil Mama's Note**
I always have leftovers. This time I am going to try using the leftover ingredients to make nachos and Taco Pockets.

Robyn's Roast - crockpot

(from Dinner's On Me!)

This pot-roast makes its own gravy!

2 cans Cream of Mushroom soup
1 (1oz.) package dry onion soup mix
1 ¼ cups water
3-5 pound roast

In the crock-pot, mix cream of mushroom soup, dry onion soup mix and water. Place pot roast in crock-pot and coat with soup mixture. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 8-9 hours.

When done I like to take the roast out and shred it up and add it back to the gravy so that I’m not spending my whole meal cutting up meat for the kids. We serve this over rice or baked potatoes. The kids even love it!

Slow-Cooked Steak Fajitas (crockpot)

(from Dinner's On Me!)

1 1/2 lbs beef steak (I just chose a cut that was on sale that week and the slow cooker does the magic)
1 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes w/ garlic & onion, undrained
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 medium onion, sliced
1/2 red pepper, sliced
1/2 yellow pepper, sliced
2 tsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp water
flour tortillas
sour cream
cilantro
salsa

Place steak in freezer for 30 minutes. Remove from freezer and slice thinly across the grain into strips. Place in slow cooker. Add tomatoes, garlic, coriander, cumin, chili powder and salt. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours. Add onion and peppers. Cover and cook 1 hour longer or until meat and veggies are tender.

Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; gradually stir into slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes or until slightly thickened. Using a slotted spoon, spoon about 1/2 cup meat mixture down the center of each tortilla. Add toppings and enjoy!


**A note from Mama**
If I made these again, I would leave out the coriander and chili powder. The house smelled more like chili than fajitas. The meat, however, was falling apart and super moist and tasty! I also like my fajitas with cheese, so we added cheese, sour cream, and salsa.

Robyn's Meatloaf

(from Dinner's On Me!)

2 lb hamburger
2 eggs
1 Tbsp dry onion flakes
1 cup oatmeal
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp Mrs. Dash (I used 1/2 tsp)
1/2 cup milk

Combine all ingredients except milk. Mix well, then add milk. Put into loaf pan (I really like using a skillet, but any baking dish will do.)

In a separate bowl mix:
1/4 cup ketchup
1 Tbsp dry mustard
3 Tbsp brown sugar

Mix and spread over meatloaf. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour to 1 hr 15 min.

Robyn's tip is to wrap some baking potatoes in foil and toss them in with the meatloaf. Dinner is done!