Brunch Strata

From Taste of Home


(not the best photo, I know...)

Ingredients:
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
3 small zucchini, chopped
2 medium onions, chopped (about 1-1/2 cups)
1 medium green pepper, chopped
2 cups cubed fully cooked ham
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup half-and-half cream
12 eggs, lightly beaten
4 cups cubed day-old bread
3 cups (12 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:
In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the vegetables and ham; cook and stir until vegetables are tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain and pat dry.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and cream until smooth. Gradually beat in eggs. Stir in the remaining ingredients and vegetable mixture.

Transfer to two greased 11-in. x 7-in. baking dishes. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Comments:
I halved this recipe because, good gracious, I don't need that many leftovers! Once again, a good deal of prep work, but yielding a satisfactory result. I do think it needs... something. I'm not altogether sure what that might be. Adam voted for more meat. I'm thinking it just needs a flavor boost with some herbs or something.

Mama's Meat Loaf

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 (1-ounce) slice white bread, torn into small pieces
1 1/2 pounds ground round
Vegetable cooking spray
1/3 cup ketchup

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine first 8 ingredients in a large bowl, tossing to moisten bread. Crumble meat over onion mixture, and stir just until blended. Pack mixture into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Spread ketchup over top of loaf. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until meat loaf registers 160°. Let loaf stand in pan 10 minutes.

Remove meat loaf from pan; cut loaf into 6 slices.

Comments:
I obviously opted to turn these into individual sized meat loaves rather than one big loaf. This cut the cooking time in about half. That was nice, but I think if I do that again the future I'll pre-cook the onions and peppers a little. They were still mighty crunchy. Other than that, I'd deem this a success. Pretty standard meatloaf, but tasty just the same.

Papas Rellenas

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
2-1/2 pounds potatoes (about 8 medium), peeled and cut into wedges
1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
1 small green pepper, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup sliced green olives with pimientos
1/2 cup raisins
1-1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
1-1/4 teaspoons pepper, divided
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
Oil for deep-fat frying

Directions:
Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the beef, green pepper and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomato sauce, olives, raisins, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and paprika; heat through.

Drain potatoes; mash with garlic powder and remaining salt and pepper. Shape 2 tablespoons potatoes into a patty; place a heaping tablespoonful of filling in the center. Shape potatoes around filling, forming a ball. Repeat.

Place eggs and bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls. Dip potato balls in the eggs, then roll in bread crumbs. In an electric skillet or deep fryer, heat oil to 375°. Fry potato balls, a few at a time, for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Comments:
I followed the Editor's Note and baked these for 20 minutes at 450 instead of deep frying them. This definitely results in a dryer end product, which was really Adam's only complaint. They were ok reheated the next day with some ketchup too.

Rice, Black Bean, and Corn Salad

From Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook



Ingredients:
1 cup cold cooked brown rice
1/2 cup cooked corn kernals
1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 tbsp red-wine vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp EVOO
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, combine the rice, corn, bell pepper, celery, beans, onion, cilantro, and jalapeno.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, lime juice, oil, and salt. Pour over the rice mixture and toss to coat. Refrigerate, covered, until the flavors are blended, at least 1 hour.

Serves 4. POINTS Value per serving: 2

Comments:
I really liked this. I had to skip the jalapeno since the ones I had in the fridge jumped the shark on me before I could make this. Adam wasn't too enthused - he thought it was weird that it was cold. I liked the mix of flavors and the crunch the pepper and celery added. Might try it with red pepper too to add some more color contrast. I'd also probably up the ratio of black beans - I love them and there didn't seem to be enough of them.

Cheesesteak Kebabs

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper
1/2 pound sirloin steak, cut into 8 strips
1 green bell pepper, cut into 16 pieces
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 ounces crusty bread, cut into cubes

Directions:
1. Preheat a grill to medium-high. In a medium saucepan, heat half of the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Lower the heat to medium and slowly whisk in the milk until the mixture thickens and starts to boil. Stir in the cheese until smooth; season with salt and pepper. Cover to keep warm.

2. Thread the steak onto 4 skewers. Divide the bell pepper among 4 more skewers. Brush the pepper and beef with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Divide the bread among 4 more skewers and brush with the remaining butter. Arrange the bread and peppers on the grill and cook, turning, until charred on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, arrange the steak on the grill and cook, turning once, for about 3 minutes for medium. Serve the kebabs with the cheese sauce for dipping.

Comments:
This recipe is pretty much for fondue. You cut up the meat, pepper, bread and grill them while making a cheese sauce for dipping. It wasn't bad, just not really what I think of when I hear "cheesesteak."

Sausage & Pepper Sub

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
3 bell peppers (yellow, orange and green), sliced
1 large red onion, sliced
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and black pepper
One 1 1/3-pound piece boneless pork loin, well chilled
1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Four 6-inch whole wheat hoagie rolls, split and toasted

Directions:
1.Preheat a grill to medium. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the bell peppers, onion, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.

2.Cut the pork into 1/3-inch-thick slices, then into quarters, trimming any excess fat. Transfer the meat to a food processor and pulse 5 times to grind the meat. Add the fennel seeds, crushed red pepper and 3/4 teaspoon salt and pulse 2 more times. Divide the mixture into quarters; form each mound into a 5-inch sausage link, then flatten into an oval patty about 1/3 inch thick.

3.Place a cooling rack on one side of the grill grate and lightly oil. Scatter the vegetables on the rack (saving any oil in the bowl); cover and cook for 5 minutes. Turn the vegetables with a spatula and tongs. Rub the sausage patties with the oil left in the bowl and add to the other side of the grill. Cover and cook, turning the patties about halfway through, until grill marks appear, the meat is cooked through and the vegetables are tender, about 7 minutes.

4.Transfer the patties to a plate. Transfer the vegetables to a large bowl and add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and the vinegar; season to taste with salt and black pepper. Arrange half of the vegetables in the rolls and top each with a sausage patty and the remaining vegetables.

Comments:
I cheated and bought pre-made sausage so I could skip over some of the directions. I also made it indoors in a skillet rather than on the grill. That worked just fine. They're good, but really messy to eat. We ended up eating most of the pepper and onion with a fork.

Pasta Primavera with Provolone

From Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook



Ingredients:
1 tsp olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 green or red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 cup coarsely chopped plum tomatoes
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
3 cups cooked short-cut pasta (penne, shells, etc)
1/3 cup shredded provolone cheese
1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Saute the onions, garlic, bell pepper, and zucchini until the onions are golden, about 5 minutes.

2. Stir in the tomatoes, broth, salt, parsley, oregano, and red pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Pour over the pasta, then stir in the provolone and Parmesan.

Serves 4. POINTS Value per serving: 5

Comments:
This was very good. I used the garlic olive oil I'm so crazy about again. Good mix of colors and flavors. The zucchini, pepper, onions, and tomato were all finds at the local farmer's market and we got the provolone from a local dairy store. Yay locally grown food! A very easy dish to make, good to eat, and will make a bunch of leftovers unless you halve the recipe!

Creole Poached Chicken Breasts

From Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook



Ingredients:
2 tsp olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1/2 carrot, chopped
1 (14.5oz) can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp parsley
1 tsp ground thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne
4 (4oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat; saute the onions, pepper, celery, and carrot until tender, 4-5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, broth, parsley, thyme, salt, and cayenne; add the chicken and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and poach, partially covered, until the chicken is cooked through, 8-10 minutes.

2. With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a platter. Simmer the sauce, uncovered, until reduced by half, 4-5 minutes. Spoon the sauce over the chicken.

Serves 4. POINTS Value per serving: 3

Comments:
I omitted the green pepper in this one. I just have to be a mood for green pepper - they tend to overpower other flavors - and I wasn't when I made this. Anyway, Adam liked this one - without the sauce. I liked it with the sauce. The leftovers are good as well.

Baked Sloppy Joe Biscuit Cups

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 clove chopped fresh garlic
1 pound ground round
1 cup no-salt-added tomato sauce
3/4 cup Heinz 57® Sauce
2 tablespoons Heinz ketchup
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon Lea & Perrins® Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons water
1 Pillsbury Grands!® Reduced Fat Buttermilk Biscuits

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat;
add olive oil. Add first 4 ingredients; cook until beef is
browned, stirring to crumble. Remove fat from pan.
Stir in tomato sauce and the next 10 ingredients (Heinz
57® Sauce through water); reduce heat to medium-low.

Cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Refrigerate and chill about 1 hour.

Spray muffin pan lightly with cooking spray. Remove
biscuits from packaging and press dough into each
muffin hole, using your fingers to ensure it’s properly
pressed into each cup.

Fill each cup evenly with chilled sloppy joe mixture.
Bake for 22 minutes and serve hot.

Comments:
These instructions are a little off, I think. Why would you preheat your oven first if you had to let the filling sit in the fridge for an hour after you made it? Doesn't make sense. Good thing I ignored that chilling step! Heh. These were easy enough to make, but weren't "fall off your seat fabulous" or anything.

Andouille and Chicken Creole Pasta

From allrecipes.com



Ingredients:
1/2 pound andouille sausage, diced
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into strips
3 tablespoons Creole seasoning
1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
4 green onions, chopped
1 (14.5 ounce) can fat-free chicken broth
1 cup 2% milk
2 teaspoons lemon pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup cold water
1 (16 ounce) package linguine pasta

Directions:
1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook sausage and chicken with the Creole seasoning until the meat is about halfway done. Add the mushrooms, green onion, green pepper and red pepper. Sautee over medium heat until the mushrooms begin to shrink, about 10 minutes.

2. Place pasta in a large pot of lightly salted water. Boil for 8 to 10 minutes, or until pasta is al dente. Drain.

3. Stir in the chicken broth and milk, season with lemon pepper and garlic powder, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Mix together the cornstarch and cold water until dissolved. Stir into the skillet. Cook, stirring gently, until the sauce returns to a boil. Boil for one minute, then remove from heat and set aside. Serve hot over cooked pasta.

Comments:
I used some Kick'n Chicken seasoning instead of a Creole seasoning since that's what I had here. I also didn't use linguine. We had some Dreamfields spaghetti in the cupboard so I used that.

All in all, a good dish with nice flavors. It makes waaaaaaay too much sauce though. I'd say you could cut both the chicken stock and the milk in half and still be ok. Unless you like your pasta swimming in sauce. I guess that's more of a personal preference thing.

Spicy Jerk Chicken Kebabs with Bell Peppers and Pineapple

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
1 teaspoon whole allspice
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
4 whole cloves
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
8 garlic cloves
3 large shallots, peeled and cut in half
1 (3-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger, thinly sliced
1 jalapeño pepper, halved and seeded
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups (1-inch) cubed pineapple (about 1 medium)
1 1/2 cups (1-inch) pieces red bell pepper (about 1 large)
1 1/2 cups (1-inch) pieces green bell pepper (about 1 large)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Cooking spray

Directions:
Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add first 3 ingredients to pan; cook for 1 minute or until lightly toasted and fragrant.

Place spices, brown sugar, and next 9 ingredients (through jalapeño) in a blender; process until smooth. Combine spice mixture and chicken in a large zip-top plastic bag; seal and marinate in refrigerator 2 hours, turning occasionally.

Prepare grill.

Remove chicken from bag, reserving marinade. Thread chicken, pineapple, and bell peppers alternately onto each of 8 (12-inch) skewers. Brush reserved marinade onto pineapple and bell peppers. Sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. Place kebabs on a grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill 8 minutes or until chicken is done.

Comments:
These were very good. They're spicy, but not too spicy. There's definitely some kick from the jalapeno and pepper, but I could handle it. It helps that the pineapple and peppers have such a light, sweet taste to offset the heat. I'd make this again. We're going to look for some more metal skewers though because the wood ones broke in half when I took the stuff off of them. Yikes!

Skillet Spaghetti

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1/3 cup chopped green pepper
4 to 6 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
3 ounces uncooked spaghetti, broken
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomatoes, green pepper, 4 tablespoons water, salt, chili powder and spaghetti.

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until spaghetti is tender, stirring frequently and adding remaining water if necessary.

Sprinkle with cheese; cover and heat until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

Comments:
I left out the green peppers and skipped the cheese part since I wasn't feeling cheesy. I love spaghetti. This was a standard preparation sauce with the noodles cooked in the same pan rather than in water. Interesting, worked just fine. I'll definitely try this one again.

(Sorry for the crappy picture. It just would not focus!)

Spaghetti Carbonara

Also seen here.



Ingredients:
1 pound spaghetti
1/2 pound bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 green pepper, diced (optional - obviously I opted not to this time)
3 eggs
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)

Directions:
Put a large pot of water on the stove to come to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente. Drain.

Cook the bacon on medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon onto a paper towel line plate. If you're using the green pepper, add it to the bacon drippings and cook until heated through, but not soggy, maybe two minutes. Move the peppers onto the paper towels with the bacon. Discard or save the grease for another use.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl whisk the eggs and Italian seasoning together. Add the hot noodles to the bowl and toss to cook the eggs and distribute the seasoning. Add the bacon (and pepper) and cheese and toss to combine. Serve with additional grated cheese on top.

Comments:
When the going gets tough, the tough... eat a lot of carbs. That's the saying, right? This is one of my favorite meals, right up there with the chicken noodle casserole that I hardly ever make anymore because Adam thinks it's gross. Anyway, it's easy to make, has bacon and cheese, and satisfies a hungry stomach after a rough day. And too much tequila.

Sausage and Pepper Frittata

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings discarded
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
8 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
Salt
1 cup goat cheese crumbles

Directions:
1. In a medium nonstick, ovenproof skillet, cook the sausage and crushed red pepper, breaking up the meat, until browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a medium bowl.

2. In the same skillet, add the bell pepper and onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in the cooked sausage and the butter; reserve the bowl.

3. Preheat the broiler. In the same bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and 1/2 teaspoon salt and pour into the skillet. Cook, scrambling the mixture, until almost set; top with the goat cheese. Broil, leaving the oven door slightly open, until set in the center, about 5 minutes.

Comments:
I really tried to get out of making this last night. I got the wrong kind of sausage, was discouraged when I told Adam what was for dinner and his first response was "I don't like peppers." But I made it anyway. And it was good. And Adam liked it. I wish he'd stop with the "I don't like [fill in the ingredient]" before I make something using it. I mean, he generally eats it and likes it, but it makes me nervous about cooking it. *sigh*

Anyway. Totally easy, very tasty. And I discovered that goat cheese is quite good. Damn this lactose intolerance thing though. Man. I'm missing out on a lot of good stuff. I only left it under the broiler for three minutes or so because it started to brown too much and I didn't want it to burn. I then turned the oven off and left it in for a few more minutes to finish cooking. That worked well.

Chicken Fajitas with Cowpoke Barbecue Sauce

From Slow Cooker Magic in Minutes



Ingredients:
For the sauce:
1 (8oz) can tomato sauce
1/3 cup chopped green onion
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp orange juice
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tbsp chili sauce
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp vegetable oil
dash Worcestershire sauce

For the fajitas:
10oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 x 1/2 inch pieces
2 green or red bell peppers, thinly sliced
1 cup sliced onion
2 cups tomato wedges
warm flour tortillas

Directions:
Combine the sauce ingredients in slow cooker. Cover and cook on high 1 1/2 hours.

Spray large nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Add chicken and cook over medium heat until browned. Reduce slow cooker heat to low. Add cooked chicken, bell peppers, and onion and stir until well coated. Cover and cook 3 to 4 hours or until chicken is no longer pink and vegetables are tender.

Add tomatoes. Cover and cook 30 to 45 minutes or until heated through. Serve with tortillas.

Comments:
I suppose that's the way you could have made this. If you planned ahead at all. Or were not lazy. In my world, this is how it went down: I totally forgot to pull the chicken out of the freezer. So I get to work and remember that I was supposed to prep this before I left. Oops. I run home at lunch to try and throw something together. I put chicken breasts that were still frozen solid in the crockpot. Threw the peppers and onions on top. Mixed the sauce ingredients together, threw that in the crockpot, set it on low for 5 hours and hoped for the best. When I got home I took the chicken out and shredded it up a bit when I added the tomatoes. It all worked out. Crockpots are amazing. And good for the absent-minded, holes in her brain cook. :)

Peachy Barbecue Chicken

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
8 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (5 ounces each)
1/4 cup canola oil
2 cups peach preserves
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup barbecue sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 medium green peppers, julienned
2 cans (8 ounces each) sliced water chestnuts, drained
Hot cooked rice

Directions:
In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the flour, salt and pepper. Add chicken, a few pieces at a time, and shake to coat.

In a large skillet, brown chicken in oil in batches on both sides. Return all to skillet. In a large bowl, combine the preserves, onion, barbecue sauce and soy sauce; pour over chicken. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add green peppers and water chestnuts. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 170°. Serve immediately with rice; or cool chicken and transfer to a freezer container and freeze for up to 3 months.

Comments:
I halved this recipe and left out the peppers and water chestnuts. I also served it with some pre-fab (and not so impressive) scalloped potatoes rather than rice. I wasn't sure if I'd like this dish as it has the "barbecue" right in the name of the recipe. Luckily I ran out of barbecue sauce so it was a little skimpy in that department. I'm talking maybe 1/3 instead of 1/2 cup, so not a huge difference, but in any case the barbecue flavor didn't overwhelm the other flavors and it turned out great.

Pineapple Chicken Kabobs

From Taste of Home Annual Recipes 2008



Ingredients:
Canned pineapple
Worcestershire sauce
boneless, skinless chicken breasts
bacon
onion
green pepper
cherry tomatoes

Comments:
Did a little straying from this recipe (like omitted three ingredients and added one, nixed the marination and bacon-wrapping steps.) I kind of used it for inspiration and then altered it to be quicker and use ingredients we like. I prepped it, Adam cooked it, and we both enjoyed it. :)

Vegetable Chili

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
onions
green pepper
garlic
water
vegetable oil
carrots
potatoes
chicken broth
chili powder
sugar
cumin
oregano
zucchini
squash
crushed tomatoes
ketchup
kidney beans
garbanzo beans
black beans
black-eyed peas

Comments:
Despite the lengthy list of ingredients, this chili is actually pretty easy to make once you get all the veggies chopped and cans opened. It's relatively quick and tastes great. I'm thinking next time I make this I might try and convert it to a crockpot recipe. We'll see how that goes.