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Myrna & Roger, you two can make anyone laugh, don't you think Phil?

Sheperds indeed, Roger!! Might be better than lamb, because that is one meat I do not eat.

Myrna, I think if I lived alone I could be a vegan. I love veggies of all kinds. I have always called it Supper (night meal), lunch/dinner is middle of the day. With my mixed Kansas/Alabama speech it is hard to tell how anything is going to sound!! :-)

Love the new dishes Phil but I am not a crockpot person. I have used them in the past but not now. I am sure your recipes can be used as top of stove meals also. My folks love chicken & dumplings.

Have a great day friends,

Sara

I know what you mean about Lamb. Of course as my wife and I say "It's nothing to do with cute wooly little animals". No, the lamb we have only comes from shops.

Roger

Hi Everyone,

It's so great when all my Friends drop by to visit. Reminds me of those wonderful family Dinners so long ago. Sara, I also prefer doing things the Old Fashioned way, Stove Top and Oven. Generally speaking, two things dictate method of preparation, Time & Temperature. I either don't have time to spend in the kitchen, or it's just too Doggone Hot!

Here's a lovely dish that combines all of the goodies, and should fill up at least 6 of your heartiest eaters.

Bountiful Harvest Stew

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs chicken breast halves, cut into bite sized pieces (about 3 boneless, skinless breast halves)

2 lbs butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, and diced into large bite sized pieces

2 leeks, white part only, sliced into thin rings, and soaked in water to remove sand

2 celery ribs, sliced into 1/8 inch pieces

4 small parsnips, peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch coins

3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch coins

2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 8 pieces each

1 small apple, peeled, cored, and diced (any variety suitable for baking or cooking can be used. I used Honeycrisp)

3/4 cup chicken broth

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon herbes de provence

salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a 4 qt crock pot, stir well.

Cover and Cook on low for 5-6 hours or until vegetables are fork tender and chicken pieces are no longer pink.

Gently stir halfway through cooking.

Serve with fresh, crusty home-made bread and Enjoy!

Have A Terrific Week,

Phil

Phil, I go with the 'too doggone hot' thing because I cook in the evenings mainly - around 4-5 and the temp peaks out here in Kansas about 4 these days. We do not have a/c in the kitchen only a fan and open doors. However, with two hungry men around, both underweight (darn!) that eat like lumberjacks, I have no choice. I am getting some help now which is nice. Honestly, Wilson is about 5'9", weighs maybe 145 - Gus is 6', about 164 now (he is gaining, finally). I will not tell you my weight but I am 5' 4½", because I am not happy with the gain.

Sorry to get so personal here, just wanted to tell why there is always so much cooking going on here. We seldom eat out and rarely have fast food. We are very fortunate to have an ample stock of food to prepare right now.

Still have to come up with Supper for tonight.

Fresh bread sounds good, need to make some.

Have a great day,

Sara

Hello Sara & Friends,

I can empathize with you on much of this. The main reason I cook so much is primarily because I prefer eating healthy. My sister's idea of cooking starts out with opening cans, not her fault, she was just never taught any better. I also prefer mostly fresh Vegetables, instead of so much Meat, so I often fix meals for the family, and then a separate meal for myself. That's another reason I often use a Crockpot, at least for the Family's meals. So much easier.

For example, I threw this together in my Crockpot one day awhile back, and the family really loved it! This one's a little more time consuming, because I sautee the vegetables and brown the meat first, but it's well worth it. Browning the meat first gives it a better flavor. This is really great with mashed potatoes!

Slow Cooker Swiss Steak

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 pounds round steak, cut into small pieces
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 carrots, shredded
• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar, or to taste

Directions

1. In a shallow bowl, mix the flour, salt, and pepper. Lightly coat the round steak pieces in the flour mixture.
2. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat, and saute the celery, onion, and carrots about 5 minutes, until tender. Remove from heat, and set aside. Mix in the round steak pieces, and cook until lightly browned.
3. Place the vegetables and steak in a slow cooker. Mix in the tomatoes with juice, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar.
4. Cover, and cook 8 to 10 hours on Low, until the round steak is very tender.

Have A Wonderful Week,

Phil

Hi Sara,

With this recipe, the roles were reversed. I made my Vegetables in the Crockpot, and fixed the Meat for the rest of the Family in the oven.

I wasn't really in the mood for any Meat one evening last week, and since I wanted a light meal, I just served this with a large salad and it hit the spot. For a more substantial meal you could also add some cooked beans.

Crockpot Cabbage and Potatoes

Ingredients

1/2 head cabbage, cut into chunks

2 potatoes, skins on, cut in large chunks

1 T. balsamic vinegar

2 T. olive oil

1 tsp. caraway seeds

sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

Place everything in slow cooker and cook on low about 6 hrs.