Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese, from Amber

3 cups pasta, uncooked
3 Tbl. butter, unsalted
8 oz. Velveeta cheese, cubed
1 ¼ cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 cup milk
½ cup heavy cream
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper

Cook the pasta in salted boiling water for 5 minutes or until it is just under al dente. Drain and place in the slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients to the pasta and stir until well combined. Cook on high for 2 – 3 hours stirring about every 30 minutes. The pasta should still hold its shape and the cheese is completely creamy. This makes about 6 servings as a side dish.

Butter Chicken, from Amber

Butter chicken is chicken in a tomato-based sauce with spices. It is served in Indian food restaurants. I get a pre-made spice kit from the local Indian market. This is what I did:

Mix together 1/2 c. water, spices and 4 table spoons lemon juice.
Marinate 1 lb of chicken breasts (cut into cubes) in the mixture of an hour.
Boil 2 lbs of tomatoes until soft and then separate the skins and seeds.
Cook chicken in the marinade and tomato puree for 20 minutes.
When it is cooked through turn off the heat and add a 1/2 cup milk and a stick of butter.

It is so yummy!

Pork Chop Potato Casserole, from Karli

Pork Chop Potato Casserole

4 boneless pork chops
4 med-large potatoes, thinly sliced
1/2 onion, sliced into rings
1 can cream of mushroom soup (I doubled the recipe and used one can mushroom and 1 can cream of celery)
1 cup of milk

Lay sliced onions in bottom of 9x13 baking pan. Put potatoes on top of onion layer. Mix together soup and milk and pour over onions and potatoes. Place pork chops on top and season with favorite seasonings. Bake at 425° for 1 hour.

Amber adds: Karli, that is the same recipe my mom used for pork chops and it is how I make them now. Yummy! Sometimes I add sliced mushrooms or carrots to it as well. It is also good with sour cream mixed into the sauce and lots of garlic.

What do do with Corned Beef, an idea from Amber

When I cook corned beef I use the slow cooker. Just add about one inch of water in the bottom, rub the seasoning on the meat and put in in the cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours. It will be so tender and yummy.

My favorite way to eat it is to put the meat into a soft sandwich roll with swiss cheese and mustard. Put it under the broiler for a minutes until cheese it melted and eat. It is ooooh sooo good this way.

Red Curry Chicken, by Amber

It is a recipe inspired from dh's favorite Thai restaurant in San Jose: Krung Thai

2 cans unsweetened coconut milk
1 or 2 tbs red curry paste
1lb chicken breasts cut in cubes
2 or 3 tbs fish sauce
1 tbs sugar
2 cans bamboo shoots or 1lb green beans
1/2 c. fresh sweet basil
3 Thai chilies cut into strips

Pour half of coconut milk into saucepan. Add curry paste and mash and stir until blended. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and cook until coconut milk becomes oily. Add the rest of the coconut milk and cook for 30 minutes. Add chicken and bamboo shoots and cook for 15-20 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Stir in fish sauce and sugar. Add Basil and hot peppers. Stir. Serve with steamed rice. (take the peppers out before eating they are super hot!)

Unusual Chicken, suggested by Amber

Their recipe:

• 1 (3 pound) whole chicken
• 4 medium red potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 6 carrots, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 2/3 cup honey
• 1/3 cup Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
• 2 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
• 12 whole fresh mushrooms
• 2 apples, cored and quartered (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place the chicken breast side down on a rack in a roasting pan, and roast 1 hour in the preheated oven.
3. Place the potatoes and carrots in a pot with enough water to cover, and bring to a boil. Cook 20 minutes, or until tender.
4. In a saucepan, mix the honey, mustard, butter, onion, curry powder, salt, cayenne pepper, ginger, and garlic. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and set aside.
5. Drain the drippings from the roasting pan. Arrange the potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, and apples around the chicken. Drizzle the chicken and vegetables with the honey mixture. Continue roasting 20 minutes, or until the glaze has browned. The chicken meat should reach an internal temperature of 180 degrees F (85 degrees C).

Sometimes I make it with cut up chicken pieces or chicken breasts, this cuts the cooking time in half. I have omitted the ginger and apples and it still comes out delicious!