Chell's Italian Pasts Salad

This is literally the easiest and most delicious pasta salad you will ever make! I'm constantly asked to bring this to BBQ's and pot lucks. You can make it ahead of time and is even better made the night before. 

If you have seen my other recipes, I change recipes up quite often, with this recipe you can add any vegetables you like. I sometimes add green pepper instead of olives or add a half red onion. Suit your taste. This is one of my favorite summer recipes! This time I didn't use black olives. Most always it is included but I didn't have any on hand but it was just as tasty!

I forgot to take a picture of the ingredients so I'll jump straight to the recipe. 

Chell's Italian Pasta Salad

1 box of Rotini pasta 

1 8oz. BelGioiso Fresh Mozzarella Pearls. Hint: You can also use a block of cubed Mozzarella. 

1 cucumber skinned and diced.

1 lb. Genoa cubed Salami. - I never...NEVER change my salami choice! 

1 cup shredded carrot

1 can of medium black olives

Zesty Italian dressing

Cook pasta al dente, strain, and run under cold water to cool. In a large bowl, mix the vegetables and cheese, add the pasta, then coat with Zesty Italian dressing. You only need enough dressing to coat everything. Let it sit in the refrigerator for a couple hours. Enjoy!

Crockpot Rancho-Taco Chichen

Delish....

Y'all heard me say this before; this is one of my go recipes! No lie...I cook this just about every other week. I kick off my Sunday routine starting this in the crock pot. I usually start this right after breakfast and cook it slow. My sister introduced me to this recipe. I can't remember the original recipe name but I believe she came across it on Pin.  So I dubbed it the Crock Rancho-Taco chicken.

We eat it through the week; I make tacos with it. This recipe can be done in so many different ways. I've used the tortilla boats (find these at wally-world) and top it with black beans, tomatoes and cheese. Then bake them till cheese is golden. I do this with left overs because it's perfect for lunch.

Crock Rancho-Taco Chicken

• 1.5-2 lb. Chicken thighs (Chicken breasts are good too!)
• 1 pkg Fiesta Ranch season mix - fyi..most times I use regular Ranch season.
• 1 pkg taco season mix
• 1/2 C chicken broth

Place chicken in crock pot; single layer.

Sprinkle Ranch and Taco seasoning over chicken.

Pour chicken broth over. Cover and cook in crock pot on low for 6 hours of high for 3-4 hours. Pull apart and cook on low for a little bit longer; 1/2 hour. I like to pull it and let it cook low and slow while I start the rest of the dinner.

Here is a variation of this recipe I used the next day;

• Rancho-Taco Chicken
• 2 pkg Crescent Rolls
• Colby Jack cheese
• 1 egg

Heat oven to 350. Separate crescent rolls and place a spoon full of the chicken in the center of the dough.

Sprinkle with cheese. Place another crescent roll on top and seal with a fork.

Brush with egg and sprinkle with more cheese. Cook for 12-15 minutes, till golden brown. Its a wonderful thing!

Simple Man's Venison Dinner

Another favorite in our kitchen is a simple dish. It can be the go to meal during the week. We also do this when we camp. I have so many variations of recipes for Venison that I am trying to get together for this blog. I hope you enjoy them.

This recipe can be changed in so many ways to suit your taste. Sometime I use a soy sauce, honey marinade or a spice run marinade like, garlic powder, onion powder, seasoned meat tenderizer and salt & pepper with a little olive oil to coat. But by far the below marinade is our favorite. Again so versatile and good on really any meat. This is my main venison marinade or choice.

Simple Stir-Fry Venison Meal

• 1 C Zesty Italian Dressing 
• 1 T garlic powder
• 1 T onion powder
• 2 T Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 T Red Pepper flakes (add more for a meal with a kick)
• 1 LB Venison Stew cut meat
• 1-2 green peppers 
• 1 yellow onion

Mix all ingredients Italian dressing, garlic, onion, Worcestershire and red pepper flakes together in a small bowl. 

Pour over venison in a zip lock bag and marinade for a couple of hours or over night. 

Slice your onion and green peppers. Over medium-high heat, saute the green peppers and onion until slightly tender. Add the venison and continue to cook until med rare. About 10 min. This is great over rice or egg noodles. Enjoy! 

Sweet-Bacon Wrapped Venison Tenderlion

My husband is great hunter. We harvest a few deer each year to refill our meat stock. We trade meat with neighbors to keep a variety in our stock. I love Venison; it is so versatile and is the red meat of choice in our home. I hear folks say all the time, they don't like venison because of the gameness. It's all about how the meat is prepared. Sure you can soak the meat in water or milk but if you prepare the meat properly, you won't have to go through the soaking process.

My husband has his own method of preparing the deer meat before packaging. As with any other avid hunter, each have their own "best" practice that they have learned from their fathers or grandfathers. For mine; he will clean the meat and put it on salt ice for about 10 days before he cuts and packages the meat.  We use a 7 day cooler to pack the meat in ice and salt. The salt pulls the blood out of the meat and in my opinion removes the "gamey" taste.  We check the meat every day and drain and add ice as needed. Then clean all the silver skin away from the meat and cut to our family protons and freeze.

Our Christmas Eve catch yielded Tenderloin, Steaks, Stew meat and Flanks. We use all of the meat, including the heart. Yes, we keep the heart and eat it. We cook the heart on thanksgiving with some onions and green peppers. On Christmas we use the sweet meat (tenderloin) for breakfast biscuits.

Back to the recipe....this recipe is a wonderful on Port as well. I've done it with a large pork tenderloin without the bacon or with. It's a very simple recipe and I bet most folks; like me have all the ingredients in the pantry at any time.

Sweet Bacon wrapped Venison Tenderloin

• 1 1/2 LB of Venison Tenderloin
• 1/2 LB sliced bacon 
• 1 Cup Soy Sauce (not the low sodium)
• 1/2 C Brown Sugar (use as much brown sugar as you like)
• 1 t Cumin
• 1 t Garlic powder
• 1 t black pepper (want a little kick; use red pepper flakes)

In a bowl, mix the Soy sauce, sugar and spices with a whisk till sugar is mostly dissolved. Pour over tenderloins and marinade for 3 hours or over night.

Remove tenderloins from marinade; don't discard the marinade! Wrap the them with bacon. Secure with toothpicks.

Heat your grill to med-high heat. Then baste with the marinade through out the cooking process. We like our meat on the med rare side so cook for 25 minutes, flipping as needed to evenly cook the bacon. Basting the with marinade will allow the bacon to crisp up and have a nice sweet flavor. YUM!

Note: Cook for approximately 35 min for medium/well done meat.

With our meal, i harvested the last of my carrots from the garden.

Clean up the carrots and trim the "hairs" as I call them. Slice them and put them in a sauce pan.

Simmer with water, 1 T of butter and 1 T of brown sugar until they are tender. Very simple yet very tasty. Enjoy!

Rice Krispies with a Twist!!

Who doesn't love Rice Krispy treats! During the Holidays my house sings snap, crackle and pop constantly.

I make these gooey little treats through out the year for birthdays, Easter, Christmas, and any time I need a marshmallow fix. I like any kind but my favorite are the treats made with a added ingredients. The most popular in my house is this recipe. My secret ingredient is;

Yep, Luck Charms marshmallows! The added marshmallow makes this treat so good! The marshmallows don't melt and are perfect for a little extra sweetness! You may be asking, do you really pick the marshmallows out of the cereal??

Yes I do, These treats are the best when you use the Lucky Charms cereal marshmallows. I have used these marshmallows in the past. It's something about the size and quantity of the mallows you get from a box of Lucky Charms that make them the best!

Drizzle some chocolate or make pops out of them; they are so versatile. I hope you enjoy this recipe and will have some more goodies top post as we move closer to the Holidays.

Rice Krispy Treats with a Twist

• 6 cups of Rice Krispies
• 1 bag of regular marshmallows or 6 cups of mini marshmallows
• 3 T of better
• 1 t of vanilla extract
• The Marshmallows from 1 box of Lucky Charms cereal (if you use the cereal mallows mentioned in the link above then use 2 C)

Melt butter in a sauce pan over low heat. Add the marshmallows and continue to melt over low heat. Line a 9x13 pan with wax paper and spray with oil; set aside. 

Once melted, pull from heat and add vanilla and rice krispies and mix well. 

Then add the Lucky Charms mallows and mix well. 

Move mixture to the greased 9x13 pan. spread and let cool completely. 

Once cooled you can pull the formed krispies out of the pan, paper and all. Lay on a flat surface and cut into pieces using a bread knife. I find this knife gives you the cleanest cut. Any other knife and the gooey krispies will end up sticking to the knife. Enjoy!

Fall Harvest Chex mix

Our favorite time of year is here! Cooler temperatures, Halloween, Turkey and the big guy dressed in red! Even with the loss of an hour of day light we still enjoy the outdoors the most. Summer time takes us to the water and the fall time takes us to the farm. Check out my other blog; Just me to see how our Halloween was. Anyway, digressing there....

Holiday season seems to start earlier and earlier every year, or the years just go by faster and faster. Starting with Halloween, we love to spook out the house and get ready to scare the kiddies, I also love making lots of sweets. They are easy to do and I always have something to take to a party or to pull out for our weekend bonfires. This chex mix is a good mix of sweet and salty.

The recipe makes 3-4 gallon size zip bags! Please comment and tell me what your favorite Chex mix is. I love seeing all the different varieties and getting great ideas for my next batch!

Sweet & Salty Chex mix

• 1 box Honey Nut Chex
• Any type of nut; I used sliced Almonds for this batch
• Stick pretzels
• Chocolate M&Ms
• Chocolate covers raisins
• White Candy coating 

Start by mixing the dry ingredients. I used 2 really big bowls.

You will need a large surface to lay out the chex mix to dry. I have a flat surface oven so I lay out parchment paper to cover the stove.

Heat up the candy coating per the directions on the package. The coasting I used took approximately 3 min. to heat in the microwave.

Once fully melted, evenly divide the coating between the 2 bowls and coat well. Then pour out over your surface for drying. The mix will be completely dry in 1/2 hour. Then break apart and store in air tight containers. I use gallon size zip bags for my storing,  

Drip Beef!

First off; Sorry for the delay in posting. It has been a busy month. We are enjoying the cooler weather and outside on the farm more. This means i can create more crock pot meals so that i can spend more time outside enjoying nature. I have lots to post to my other blog, Just Me so check it out.

This is a favorite from one of my favorite bloggers and Food Network personalities, Ree Drummond. I found this recipe on her blog, The Pioneer Woman  and have made it multiple times for my family. The recipe is here.

As the weather gets cooler I start using my crock pot more. This is a recipe with a short list of ingredients. It is so easy to put together, you throw all the ingredients in  the crock and forget about it for 6-8 hours. I love the way it smells through the house.

You can put this beef on just about anything you like. I love as a sandwich; add some provolone cheese. Use the dripping from the crock pot as a dipper..mmm..mmm good! I decided this Sunday I would make some of my home made mac & cheese and some Texas toast to finish off this dish. Below are both recipes for your enjoyment.

 Drip Beef

• 2-3lb. Chuck Roast 
• 1 Can of beef consomme OR beef broth
• 1 jar of pepperoncinis
• 2-3TB Italian Seasonings
• Water

Putting this together is not really a exact science. I might use a little more or less of each ingredient. It just depends on the size of the Chuck roast I find. Most cases I use a 3lb chuck; which fits very nicely in my crock. 

Put your chuck in the crock then pour the consomme or broth over the meat. Next add some water. I fill the can about 1/2 way and pour over the beef. Then add half the jar of pepperoncinis and then sprinkle with the Italian seasons. 

Cook on low for 6-8 hours. You'll know when it is done, it will pull apart easily and the stems of the pepperoncinis will fall off the pepper. This alone is delicious! Put on rice or make tacos with it. YUM!

This Sunday I decided to go overboard; just a little and serve it on home made Mac & Cheese and Texas toast. Well, not really Texas toast. I took a loaf of Italian bread and sliced it thick like Texas toast and toasted it in the over with some butter and garlic seasons. 

My Mac & Cheese

• 2 1/2 cups of uncooked elbow macaroni
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 t of pepper
• 3 cup milk 
• 5 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese - divided
• 2 Tb of Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 paprika

Preheat the oven to 350 and cook the pasta according to package directions.

In a large saucepan, heat butter over medium heat. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until smooth; gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir 2-3 minutes or until thickened.

Reduce heat. Stir in 3 cups cheese and Worcestershire sauce until cheese is melted.

Drain macaroni; stir into sauce. Transfer to a greased 10-in. ovenproof skillet. Bake, uncovered, 20 minutes. Top with remaining cheese; sprinkle with paprika. Bake until bubbly and cheese is melted, 5-10 minutes.  This recipe makes enough to feed 8 easily. 

Camp Favorites

We all live hectic, busy life styles. To ease our schedules and help use get through the week I spend my Sundays food preparing for our week. Its no different when we are heading on vacation. If it can be made before hand that is the route I go.

These 2 recipes are so easy and are a staple in our house. Prepping allows us to spend more quality family time together. Throw them in the freezer then grab and go. Nuke them for 45 seconds and enjoy.

When I prep both these recipes for our camp trips. I will load them into the cooler frozen. They will thaw out. I usually put a couple of each in ten foil to heat up over the fire or you can put then in a sauté pan and heat on your camp stove.

Egg & Sausage Burrito

1 package of Sausage. I use Bass Farm Country pork sausage.
12 medium eggs
Garlic powder
1 1lb package of Fiesta Blend cheese
10 pack of flour tortillas

Preheat a medium saute pan over medium-high heat and cook sausage until it is done. Add garlic power.

Drain sausage on paper towels while you cook your eggs. Retain enough grease to scramble your eggs

Remove from heat and add the sausage to eggs and mix well.

To assemble, take spoon full of the sausage & egg mixture and place it in the middle of a flour tortilla. Sprinkle some fiesta cheese on top and then fold into a burrito.


Wrap them individually with saran wrap and place in the freezer.

To heat up, place a frozen burrito still wrapped with saran wrap in the microwave for 45 sec. Be careful when you unwrap it, it will be HOT. If the burrito is thawed, then heat up for approx. 30 seconds in the microwave or throw on in a pan and cook over med. heat flipping it a couple of times.

Ham & Cheese McMuffin

1 package of English Muffins
1/2 lb of Black forest Ham deli sliced
Sliced American Cheese (Switch it up some and try Cheddar or provalone)
6 pre-cooked eggs.

First start with cooking your eggs. Pre-heat your oven to 375. I used medium sized ramekins. Spray each ramekin with cooking spray. Break 1 egg into each ramekin. Use a dash of salt and pepper. Bake 15-18 minutes for soft-cooked yolks, or 20 minutes for hard-cooked yolks. Remove from oven and let them cool. 

Remove the eggs from ramekins and set aside for assembly.

Get the remaining ingredients ready for assembly.

Take a muffin, place 2 slices of ham, then 1 egg and 1 slice of cheese.

Wrap individually with saran wrap and freeze.

To heat up, throw it in the microwave for about 40 seconds and enjoy.

Mama's Home Made Pickles

I love...love...LOVE pickles! The last couple of years my cucumbers haven't done so well in the garden so I would head to the farmers market to buy my cucumbers but not this year!! My plants have exploded and I was so happy to be able to make my pickles with the cucumbers I grew in my garden. It just makes me feel good that I know my cucumbers are fresh and organic. No pesticides, just a wonderful home grown vegetable that I didn't waste. Of course I had to give a few away but what I harvested at the end of my gardening season made 6 full jars that I can provide to my family and enjoy myself.

Because we love pickles so much, I do not do the whole canning process. I give a few jars away and they never last for more then a few weeks in the refrigerator. Even without the canning process they will hold in the fridge for 3-6 months easy.

I can't tell how easy this recipe is. To make things real easy I use the Mrs Wages Kosher Dill Pickles and add my own spices. You can usually find this with the Ball Canning supplies at your local Walmart. 

Here's the recipe:

• 1 package of Mr. Wages Kosher Dill Pickles
• Hand full of Fresh dill - For this recipe I only added fresh dill but I usually add fresh garlic cloves as well. You could add some mustard or celery seeds or spice it up with some red pepper flakes as well. I did that for a special batch for my step-father one year who loves spicy foods.  
• Vinegar
• Sugar
• Salt

Mrs Wages Kosher Dill Pickle seasons.

Put your jars and lids in a warm bath on the stove while you prep the cucumbers and pickle seasons. Follow the instructions on the back of the Mrs Wages season packet. When the seasons are ready, pull your jars and lids and dry them on a clean towel. 

Clean your pickles and then cut your them into spears. 

Add any spices before and after you fill the jars with your cucumber spears. Don't over crowd your jars, I like to give my pickles a little wiggle room so that they are nice and seasoned. 

Then ladle the pickle juice into each jar and seal with lids. I mentioned earlier, I rarely do the whole canning process. I stop at this point and let them cool completely before I put them in the refrigerator. They will last for a few months without being canned. I'd love to hear about your pickle recipes. Please comment. Enjoy!

Old Family Favorite

Sausage & Cheese English Muffins

This is a old time favorite in my house. My husband grew up eating these little breakfast muffins and now I am addicted to them. They are so easy to make and freeze very well.

I make them often just to have on hand during the week and are excellent for vacations. If you are like me, I like to make as much prior to a vacation so I don't have to put much thought into the cooking and preparation and can enjoy my family R & R.

This recipe is so simple and only has 5 steps to prepare. On Sundays I make these for the coming week and it takes about 20 minutes to cook, prep and then freeze. The below recipe will make 12 sausage muffins. You can use 2lb of sausage and 1 large Velveeta cheese block to double it.

1 lb Pork Sausage
1 small block of Velveeta Original Cheese
1 package of English muffins
1/2 tsp of garlic powder

Cook the poke sausage in a saute pan, then drain. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
Cut the Velveeta cheese into cubes and then add to drained sausage and mix till melted
Cut the English muffins in half and place on a baking sheet
Spoon the sausage and cheese mixture evenly over each muffin
Bake for 10 minutes.

You can dive right in and eat a few or let them cool completely before you put them in the freezer. Once frozen, put them in a zip bag for storage and enjoy through the week!

When you need a morning snack, grab one and put it in the microwave for about 40 seconds and enjoy.