Slow Cooker Italian Tortellini Stew
May 10, 2012 By 13 Comments
Spotlight Saturday – Sonya from Parga’s Junkyard!
May 5, 2012 By 8 Comments
Hi There! My name is Sonya Parga and I am the owner/writer for the blogsite Pargas Junkyard! The title “Pargas Junkyard” is actually one I borrowed from my father in law’s junkyard which he owned in Southern California many years ago. Parga’s Junkyard covers various parts of life as it relates to myself, my family and my faith. Throughout my life I have worn many hats. I have been a daughter, sister, mother, wife, grandmother, teacher, cook, chauffeur, coach, banker, housekeeper, cook, laundress, gardener, designer, …….I could go on and on! I worked for many years as a Registered Nurse in ER’s and ICU’s until being diagnosed with Auto-Immune Rheumatoid Arthritis and it became clearthat I needed to retire! I originally started my blog in April of 2011 just for fun and for ‘something to do’. However, over the past year, Parga’s Junkyard has evolved into a way to share not only tidbits about my family and my favorite recipe’s but also has become a way to share about budgeting, couponing, and living life on a shoestring. AtParga’s Junkyard I try to pass on some of the secrets I have learned over the years on how to take your life from just being a little frugal to living large! It is not how much money you make or how much you have in the bank, it is all in how you use (and how you spend) what you have! I love seeing how far I can make my money go! Don’t you just love it when you have something left at the end of the week?
What do you do when you have leftovers? A few days ago we had some leftover pork shoulder blade and I wanted to do something other than the usual with it. This is an easy thing to do…. but you can’t have just the main dish, you have to serve a secondary dish too so this time I made my Homemade Potato Salad to go along with our Bar-B-Q Pork Sandwiches! Here are my recipe’s and I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!
Leftover Bar-B-Q Pork Sandwiches
1. Plug Crock-Pot In.
2. Remove any bones from leftover Pork and place pork into Crock-Pot.
3. Add Any Bar-B-Q Sauce of your choice to cover the Pork.
4. Let cook on High til tender and you can shred the pork easily with a fork.
5. Pile the shredded Pork on a hamburger bun and enjoy!
Homemade Potato Salad
All Ingredients are variable in this recipe….
- Potato’s – (peeled, diced and boiled about 20min til cooked) I used about 10 this time
- Hard Boiled Eggs (I use around 6)
- Miracle Whip – amount varies due to amt of potatoes, etc… but I used about 1 1⁄2 to 1 3⁄4 cup this time (can use regular mayonnaise but if you do you will need to add a tsp or two of sugar to make up for the taste difference)
- Mustard – approx. 2 Tablespoons
- Bar-B-Q Sauce – approx. 2-3 Tablespoons
- Seasoned Salt (use to taste)
- Pepper (use to taste)
- Celery Flakes – approx. 1 1⁄2 Tablespoon (You can dice up regular celery instead and use about 3/4cup but I don’t like it that way myself)
- Diced Onions (optional) 1⁄2 medium onion
- Sweet Pickle Relish – approx. 3/4 cup
- Cajun Seasoning – 1 teaspoon
Mix all ingredients until well blended. Place in covered container and keep in refridgerator. Usually tastes better after allowed to sit for a few hours in the fridge and is always even better the second day!
Slow Cooker Turkey Breast Stuffed with Wild Rice and Cranberries
January 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Slow Cooker Turkey Breast Stuffed with Wild Rice and Cranberries
Serves 10
4 Cups Cooked Wild Rice
3/r Cup Finely Chopped Onion
½ Cup Dried Cranberries
1/3 Cup Slivered Almonds
2 Medium Peeled or Unpeeled Cooking Apples, Coarsely Chopped (2 Cups)
4- to 5-Pound Boneless Whole Turkey Breast, Thawed If Frozen
- Mix all ingredients except turkey. Cut turkey into slices at 1-inch intervals about three-fourths of the way through, forming deep pockets.
- Place turkey in 3 1/2-to 6-quart slow cooker. Stuff pockets with wild rice mixture. Place remaining rice mixture around edge of cooker.
- Cover and cook on low heat setting 8 to 9 hours or until turkey is no longer pink in center.
Do-Ahead:
You’ll be ready to stuff the turkey breast if you cook the wild rice ahead of time. Start with 1 1/3 cups uncooked wild rice, and add 3 cups water. Heat to boiling, reduce heat and simmer over low heat 40 to 50 minutes or until water is absorbed. The cooked wild rice and other stuffing ingredients also can be combined ahead and refrigerated, but for food safety reasons, do not stuff the turkey breast until ready to cook.
Credit: Betty Crocker
Slow Cooker Cheese Dip
January 5, 2012 By 1 Comment
Slow Cooker Cheese Dip
Makes 3 Quarts
1 Pound Ground Beef
½ Pound Bulk Spicy Pork Sausage
2 Pounds Process Cheese (Velveeta), Cubed
2 Cans (10 Ounces Each) Diced Tomatoes and Green Chiles
Tortilla Chips
- In a large skillet, cook beef and sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Transfer to a 5-quart slow cooker. Stir in cheese and tomatoes.
- Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or until cheese is melted, stirring occasionally. Serve with tortilla chips.
Credit: Taste of Home: Simple and Delicious – December/January 2011
Slow Cooked Blueberry Cobbler
January 3, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Slow Cooked Blueberry Cobbler
Serves 6
1 Can (21 Ounces) Blueberry Pie Filling
1 Package (9 Ounces) Yellow Cake Mix
¼ Cup Chopped Pecans
¼ Cup Butter, Melted
Vanilla Ice Cream, Optional
- Place pie filling in a greased 1 ½-quart slow cooker. Sprinkle with cake mix and pecans. Drizzle with butter. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or until topping is golden brown. Serve warm with ice cream if desired.
Credit: Taste of Home: Simple and Delicious – December/January 2011
Slow-Cooked Cabbage Rolls
January 2, 2012 By 2 Comments
Slow-Cooked Cabbage Rolls
Serves 6
1 Large Head Cabbage
1 Can (8 Ounces) Tomato Sauce
¾ Cup Quick-Cooking Rice
½ Cup Chopped Green Pepper
½ Cup Crushed Saltines (About 15 Crackers)
1 Egg, Lightly Beaten
1 Ounce Onion Soup Mix
1 ½ Pounds Lean Ground Beef (90% Lean)
1 Can (46 Ounces) V8 Juice
Salt To Taste
Grated Parmesan Cheese, Optional
- Cook cabbage in boiling water just until leaves fall off head. Set aside 12 large leaves for rolls; drain well. (Refrigerate remaining cabbage for another use.) Cut out the thick vein from the bottom of each reserved leaf, making a V-shaped cut; set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the tomato sauce, rice, green pepper, cracker crumbs, egg and soup mix. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well.
- Place about ⅓ cup meat mixture on each cabbage leaf; overlap cut ends of leaf. Fold in sides, beginning from the cut end. Roll up completely to enclose filling. Secure with toothpicks if desired.
- Place cabbage rolls in a 3-quart slow cooker. Pour V8 juice over rolls. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or until filling reaches 160ºF. Just before serving, sprinkle with salt and cheese if desired.
Recipe Credit: Taste of Home: Simple and Delicious – December/January 2011
Photo Credit: Taste of Home
