Friday, January 23, 2026

Air fryer chicken wings

 

How to Bake Wings So They Get Crispy

  1. Heat oven to 425°F. Place a wire rack over a rimmed sheet pan.
  2. Pat wings completely dry with paper towels.
  3. Toss wings with oil and salt.
  4. Arrange wings skin-side up on the rack.
  5. Bake 25–30 minutes, flipping once halfway through.
  6. For extra crispiness, raise oven to 450°F for the final 5 minutes.
  7. Rest briefly, then sauce.

Monday, November 10, 2025

Pork Chops and Sweet Potatoes

 

  • 4 pork chops

  • salt and pepper to taste

  • 2 onions, sliced into rings

  • 2 sweet potatoes, sliced

  • 2 apples - peeled, cored, and sliced into rings

  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar

  • 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

  2. Season pork chops with salt and pepper to taste, and arrange in a medium oven safe skillet. Top pork chops with onions, sweet potatoes, and apples. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Season with 2 teaspoons pepper and 1 teaspoon salt.

  3. Cover, and bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, until sweet potatoes are tender and pork chops have reached an internal temperature of 145 degrees F (63 degrees C).

For crockpot, add broth and cook on low 8 hours. 

Crock Pot Mac and Cheese

 This slow cooker macaroni and cheese takes less than 10 minutes to get into the Crock Pot and then it’s ready to go!

  1. Boil pasta for about 2 minutes less than the package indicates.
  2. While pasta is boiling, shred the sharp cheddar cheese.
  3. Put all of the ingredients into the slow cooker and cook per the recipe below.

Tips for Perfection

  • Pasta – Do not overcook the pasta, it should be very firm after boiling. Rinsing the pasta stops it from cooking.
  • Cheese – Shred the cheese from a block, pre-shredded cheeses do not work as well.
  • Cooking time – Check the pasta early, slow cookers can vary.
  • Double the recipe – A single batch of this slow-cooker mac is cooked in a 4qt slow cooker. To double this recipe, cook in a 6QT crockpot.  Cook on high for 2 1/2 hours, stirring after 1 hour and 2 hours.  (When stirring, try to do it as quickly as possible to keep the heat inside).
  • Make ahead –  To prepare this ahead of time, mix all of the ingredients except the pasta. The pasta can be cooked ahead, rinsed, and cooled. Combine the pasta and sauce ingredients in the crock pot just before cooking.
  • Baking in the oven –  If you prefer or if you are short on time, you can bake this in the oven (and I have many many times!) Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake 30 minutes covered and 30 minutes uncovered.


Credit: https://www.spendwithpennies.com/ultra-cream-mac-n-cheese-in-the-slow-cooker/

Baked Apples

 

Recipe Ingredients

  • Apples (about four Granny Smith apples fit comfortably into my slow cooker).
  • Dried cranberries (or raisins, or leave these out entirely).
  • Brown sugar 
  • Butter (or margarine)
  • Cinnamon and allspice (you can leave the allspice out if you like but I love how it enhances the cinnamon. Also, if you are a nutmeg lover you can add that as well. I’ve never been a nutmeg fan so I avoid it).
  • You can also add pecans, walnuts, oats, or anything else you come up with! 
  1. Place your brown sugar, dried cranberries or raisins, and cinnamon and allspice (or whatever spices you are using) in a small bowl and stir them up really well.
  2. Now place the cored apples in the bottom of your slow cooker and use a spoon to fill each apple with your sugar mixture.
  3. Top each one with a pat of butter. 
  4. Add in 1/2 cup of water and cover with lid. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours for large apples. I used five small to medium apples, so I cooked mine on high for 2.5 hours, or until tender.

  5. I recommend checking them after 3 to 4 hours on low and after 1 hour on high.

Credit: https://www.southernplate.com/crock-pot-baked-apples/

Sunday, March 5, 2023

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

YIELDS: 8 serving(s)

  • PREP TIME: 
    15 mins
    COOK TIME: 
    4 hrs
    TOTAL TIME: 
    4 hrs 15 mins

    Ingredients

    • 1 lb. 

      Diced Butternut Squash, Peeled And Seeded

    • 5 

      leaves Fresh Sage, Minced

    • 2 tsp. 

      Fresh Thyme Leaves

    • 1 

      Small Onion, Chopped

    • 3 

      cloves Garlic, Chopped

    • 1/2 c. 

      Vegetable Stock

    • 1 lb. 

      Dry Elbow Macaroni, Cooked According To Package Directions

    • 1 tbsp. 

      Salt

    • 8 oz. 

      weight Shredded Cheddar

    • 4 oz. 

      weight Cream Cheese


    • Directions
    • Place butternut squash, sage, thyme, onion, garlic and vegetable stock in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 8 hours. Use an immersion blender or regular blender and puree the vegetables.

      Make sure the slow cooker is set to warm. Add puree, pasta, salt, and cheeses to the slow cooker. Stir until well combined and cheeses have melted. Season with salt to taste and serve.

Thursday, February 2, 2023

Traditional Greek Salad

 

  • 4 Tomatoes, diced
  • 1 Cucumber, peeled & diced
  • 1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
  • 4 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Oregano, Dried or Fresh, season to taste
  • Kosher Salt, season to taste
  • 1/2 cup Feta Cheese (or nondairy cheese like Kite Hill), cut into chunks
  1. Place all of the ingredients in a large bowl and gently mix well.
credit to: https://www.fitfabfodmap.com/traditional-greek-salad/

Sunday, January 8, 2023

Kayla's dinner 1

 Ground chicken

Sweet onion
Water chestnuts
Hoisin sauce
Rice vinegar
Soy sauce
Siracha
Salt/Pepper/Garlic powder

Romaine lettuce, cucumbers, avocado, green onions