Lentil Carrot BBQ Sandwiches

2 C water
1 C dried lentils*
2 T olive oil or vegetable stock
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 C shredded carrots (or however much you have)
2 T brown sugar
1/2 C ketchup
2 t garlic powder
2 T apple cider vinegar
1/4 C water
1/2 t dry mustard
salt and pepper to taste
whole wheat hamburger buns (or whatever bread you like)

Cook lentils according to package directions. Cook onion in oil/stock until golden brown. Add cooked lentils and carrots and simmer for a couple minutes. Add ketchup, spices, vinegar, and water to the mixture. Taste and adjust spices as you like. Serve on bread with red cabbage or other veggies you like.

Adapted from Minimalist Baker

* You can find lentils in your beans/rice aisle of your grocery store.

Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas

1 T vegetable oil
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
3 roma tomatoes, diced
1 T cumin
1 T chili powder
Salt & pepper to taste
Juice from 1 lemon
5 whole wheat tortillas
1 can enchilada sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat a skillet with oil over high heat. Add pepper, onion, tomato, cumin, chili powder, salt, and lemon juice. Cook for 4-5 minutes until vegetables start to carmelize. Scoop vegetables into tortillas, roll, and place into a 9x9 glass pan. Pour enchilada sauce over tortillas. Bake in the oven for 5-10 minutes. You just need to warm it up since nothing requires extra cooking.

Tip: Serve with a side of refried beans for extra protein. Add or substitute whatever veggies you like.

Jamaica Sliders

1 lb ground chuck
1 package Hawaiian sweet rolls
1/2 sweet onion, diced
6 slices cheese
pickle slices
salt and pepper

Flatten ground chuck into 3-4 large patties, as thin as possible. Cook in a large frying pan with onion until well done. Slice package of rolls in half to make one large sandwich. On bottom section of rolls, cover with pickle slices, then cheese slices. Add cooked beef patties and onions. Put the top back on the rolls. Serve as one large sandwich, cutting off smaller sliders when serving.

Jamaica's Chicken French Dip Sandwiches

A quick, easy, and healthier alternative to traditional French dip sandwiches, these are on the menu at our house at least once a month. We typically pair with a chopped salad. Roast beef can easily be substituted for chicken and beef broth for chicken broth.

1 loaf French bread
8 slices of chicken deli meat (sliced medium)
4 thin slices of extra sharp cheddar cheese
1 t olive oil
1 can low sodium chicken broth
1/2 onion, diced
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice baguette length-wise, then into four equal sandwich pieces. Lay all pieces open face on a ungreased baking sheet. On each piece, layer a slice of chicken and half a slice of cheese. Put in oven and bake until cheese starts to turn brown on the edges.

In a small saucepan over low heat, mix the olive oil, onion, and a little salt and pepper. After a couple minutes, once the onion has started to turn clear and aromatic, pour in the chicken broth. Simmer over low heat until hot. Pour into small containers for dipping.

Jamaica's Chicken & Gravy

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 packages dry ranch dressing mix
3 cans cream of chicken soup

Mix all ingredients in the crock pot. Cook on low 6-8 hours. Shred chicken with a fork. Serve with the gravy over mashed potatoes.

Meat Sauce

1 T olive oil

1/2 red onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb. ground Italian sausage

1 large can crushed tomatoes

1/2 t oregano

1/2 t rosemary

salt and pepper (to taste)

Brown sausage in medium sauce pan with olive oil, onion, and garlic. Add tomatoes and spices and simmer over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes or until sauce is heated through. Serve over the pasta of your choice and garnish with cheese if desired.

Jamaica's Thanksgiving Leftovers Soup

Broth

Carcass from one roasted turkey

1 large onion, quartered

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped

4 garlic cloves, smashed

1 bay leaf

10 whole black peppercorns

Add all ingredients to a large stock pot and just cover with cold water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook for 1-2 hours. Strain solids out of broth and set broth aside.

Soup

1 large onion, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and sliced

2 stalks celery, sliced

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tbs olive oil

3 tbs melted butter

6 tbs flour

2 C stuffing

1 tsp rosemary

1-2 C shredded turkey

1 can corn, drained

salt and pepper

Heat oil in stock pot used to create broth (no need to wash). Add onions and garlic and cook until golden brown. Add carrots, celery, rosemary and reserved broth. Bring to a simmer and cook vegetables until soft, about 10 minutes. In a small bowl, mix butter, flour, salt and pepper together until smooth. Add stuffing and mix until well combined. Roll dumpling mixture into small balls and drop into simmering soup. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Gently stir in turkey meat and corn. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Jamaica's Beer Cheese Soup

2 T butter
1 c carrots, diced
1 c celery, diced
1 c onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cans (14 oz.) vegetable broth
1/2 c flour
2 c shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 bottle (12 oz.) beer
freshly ground black pepper

Melt butter in medium sauce pan and add carrots, celery, onions and garlic. Cook on medium until tender (about five minutes). Add vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes. In a bowl, mix cheese and flour then slowly add to sauce pan while stirring until melted. Add beer and pepper. Serve with bread or croutons.

Grandma Jacobs Chicken and Noodles- Yummmm

2 1/2 Cups Flour
1/3 Cup Water
3 Eggs
1 TBLS Oil (any kind, olive, vegetable, canola etc...0
1 Tsp. Salt

Combine flour and remaining ingredients and blend at low speed. Beat 2 minutes. Add enough flour to make a soft dough. Turn dough out onto floured board or counter (Mom used an old tablecloth but I think that is messy and not necessary). Knead in enough flour until to make a soft dough-not too sticky but like a baby's bootyhind. Don't over work the dough - be gentle but firm. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes. Roll out and cut with pizza cutter. Mom liked the noodles as thin as possible- you can roll to your liking. Once rolled use a bench scraper and release any noodles that are sticking and keep them from sticking together by flouring as you go- be sure to be gentle with them. At this point you can cook them or freeze them. This recipe doubles well so while making the mess you might as well make a double batch. Mom would make a double batch and freeze one and cook the other. To cook- use either home made stock(recipe to follow) or buy boxed stock from the store- either way you gotta cook chicken if you want her authentic chicken and noodles. Get the stock to a rolling boil and drop the noodles gently into the liquid. Once you get all the noodles in reduce the heat and simmer gently. Low and slow is the process here- the longer you can cook the better. On average about 2-3 hours. At the end Mom always added a can or two of cream of chicken soup to add richness. I suspect she added a stick of butter also but she would not have admitted it- she did something to make them especially good- mine never turn out as good as hers were. Maybe it was LOVE!

Jamaica's Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Sauce

2 medium onions, diced
1 large red pepper, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 C olive oil
1 t dried rosemary
1 t dried oregano
1/2 t crushed red pepper
1/2 t dried basil
5 large cans crushed tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste

Coat the bottom of a large stock pot in olive oil and heat on medium-low. Add onions, pepper, garlic and spices. Cook until onions are clear and garlic is golden. Add tomatoes. Cook covered for 4-12 hours. Serve immediately. If freezing, cool the entire batch. Fill quart size freezer bags half full (to allow for expansion). To reheat, simply peel off freezer bag and cook covered over medium heat for about ten minutes, stirring occasionally.

Taco Soup

(adapted from http://crockpot365.blogspot.com) large can diced tomatoes
1 small can of tomatoes with chilis
2 cans kidney beans, drained
2 cans pinto beans, drained
2 cans corn
1 packet taco seasoning
1 packet ranch dressing mix

Mix in Crockpot and cook 7-9 hours on low.

Note: This recipe would be good with ground turkey or beef. It is even better the next day. I topped with cheddar cheese and sour cream.

Jules' Nummy Good Oven Baked Ribs

4-5 lbs. rack of ribs, cut into sections
2 cups onions, sliced
2 cups ketchup
2 cups water OR beer
1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 tsp. dry mustard

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl combine ketchup, water or beer, worcestershire sauce, vinegar , sugar, salt and mustard. Heat a large oven safe dutch oven to high heat. Add some oil and sear the ribs in batches until all are browned. Return all to pot and pour liquid over all - top with a lid and bake for about 2-3 hours. Let sit on stove to rest for awhile . Falling off the bone deliciousness !
Next day - make a BBQ chicken soup with all of the delicious juices, don't you dare waste them!

Jamaica's Meatball Subs

1 lb ground beef
1/4 parsley
1/3 C Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 jar pizza sauce
Swiss cheese slices
Extra virgin olive oil
rolls
salt & pepper, to taste

Mix ground beef, parsley, bread crumbs and salt and pepper in a bowl. Heat a frying pan with olive oil on medium. Once hot, roll beef mixture into balls approximately 1-1/2" in diameter. Fry in oil until cooked through. Drain on paper towels. Mix cooked meatballs into pizza sauce in a small bowl. Serve sauce covered balls on warmed rolls with Swiss cheese.

Breaded Tofu

(Rachael Rogers' recipe)

1 block extra firm tofu
1/2 C Tamari
1/2 C water
1 C Italian seasoned bread crumbs
4 eggs, beaten
1 C flour
vegetable oil for frying

Drain and dry tofu and cut into 2" cubes. Place in glass baking dish and cover with Tamari and water. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours (overnight is best). Heat vegetable oil in frying pan on medium. Dip marinated tofu in flour, egg then bread crumbs and fry until golden brown on the outside. Let cool on paper towels.

Rainy Day Chili (With Meat)

I made this today since it was rainy this morning. I use every excuse on the planet to make chili !
1 lb. ground meat (chicken, turkey or beef)
1 large onion , minced
1 bell pepper, any color
jalapeno to taste
2 teaspoons chili powder (more if you like it a lot)
2 teaspoons of cumin
Salt and Pepper
Beer
2 28 oz. cans diced tomatoes

Get a large pot hot, hot , hot - add oil (I use EVOO) and add onion, bell pepper and ground meat. Break up the meat but also don't mess with it too much - you want it to caramelize and get delicious brown bits in the bottom of the pan. Once the meat is browned drain off excess fat , if necessary. Add beer to pot and scrape up any brown bits on bottom. Add tomatoes, jalapeno,chili powder, cumin , salt and pepper. Let cook for minimum of 15 minutes and serve with cheese, tortilla chips, corn bread, sour cream or whatever chili fixins you like.

Trailer Park Enchiladas

1 bag corn chips
1 C sharp cheddar or casserole cheese
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 small can enchilada sauce

Spray 9"x9" glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray or lightly grease with vegetable oil. Add 1/2 of the chips, 1/2 of the kidney beans, 1/2 of the cheese and 1/2 of the enchilada sauce then repeat to create a layered casserole. Bake in 375 degree oven for 25 minutes or until cheese on top is melted and golden brown.

Note: This would be good with ground beef. I like to top with chives, fresh tomato and sour cream.

Jamaica's Chili

2 large cans whole tomatoes (drain one)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 white onion, diced
2 cans kidney beans
12 oz. cola
4 T cumin
4 T chili powder
1 t black pepper
1 t red pepper flakes

Mix all ingredients and cook on low heat 4-8 hours, stirring occasionally. Do not cover. If liquid reduces too much, add more cola.

Note: I serve over whole wheat pasta and top with sharp cheddar cheese.

Crockpot Broccoli Cheese Soup

(adapted from http://crockpot365.blogspot.com)

20 oz frozen broccoli pieces
3 C shredded cheese
1 qt vegetable broth
1/2 t nutmeg
2 C milk

Mix all ingredients except cheese in Crockpot and cook on low 7-9 hours. Add cheese 20 minutes before serving.

Note: I prefer to use 2 cups of casserole cheese and 1 cup of sharp cheddar.