Sweeet 'n Sour Meatballs!

Potluck anyone? Meatballs in Chinese sweet 'n sour sauce is perfect for the occasion! It's so easy, versatile, and incredibly tasty.

Here's my shopping list:

Frozen (pre-cooked) meatballs, sweet & sour sauce (Kikkoman brand works), soy sauce, a red pepper, a can of pineapple, minced garlic, and brown sugar.

The only real work is chopping the red pepper.
Well worth it!

Throw everything in. Yup, that's how I roll.

Put in sweet & sour sauce last for effect...

Okay I forgot spices. Black pepper and cayenne!

Now stop.

Take in the gorgeous color and smell! Did you know a study found people who ate in the dark enjoyed their food much less?

Cook the whole thing 4-6 hours on low or 2-3 hours on high so as not to wilt these gorgeous peppers! Oh and try not to devour it before your family gets home!
It's soooooo luscious!! (Can I say that?)

Garnish with green onions or fresh cilantro. Serve as hors d'oeuvres with toothpicks. For a main dish serve over rice or noodles or lettuce.

Sweeet 'n Sour Meatballs

Into the crockpot:
2 lb meatballs (pre-cooked)
1 20 oz. can of pineapple chunks
1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 Tb chopped garlic
4 Tb soy sauce
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 hefty dash of cayenne pepper
12 oz bottle sweet and sour sauce

Cook 4-6 hours on low heat or 2-3 hours on high heat.

Slow Cooker LASAGNA!!

Lasagna is an old favorite, but it still counts as ethnic, right? It certainly is easy in the crock pot, especially since you don't boil the noodles!!

Start by making a spaghetti sauce, just like normal. Mine goes something like this...

Cook minced mushrooms, onions, pepper, and garlic in a saucepan uncovered.

Add in ground beef or sausage (or both) and brown it. Drain fat if necessary.

Throw in a jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce, plus salt and pepper to taste. Easy.

Here's what's different: add 1 cup extra water to the sauce. I shake it in the jar to catch the last of the sauce (then the jar goes into the recycling!)

Put a little sauce in the crock pot to get started.

Now, the first layer of DRY noodles! Just break them in half -doesn't have to be perfect.

Since this is all about easy, open a 16 oz. package of cottage cheese and put an egg right in. (Ricotta cheese can be used as well).

Let your 3-year old stir in the egg and some parsley. She makes fewer splats if she stirs with a butter knife :)

You can add shredded Parmesan to the cottage cheese too - oh yummy!

Layer the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles. I use about 1 cup or 1/3 of the mixture.

After the cottage cheese layer, sprinkle shredded mozzarella. Definitely the most important ingredient in lasagna!

Add a layer of meat sauce, about 1/3 of the mixture.

Mozzarella after the meat sauce.

Noodles again, and it starts all over!

Keep layering up until sauce and cottage cheese is used.
Top with a final generous layer of mozzarella!

Cover and cook on low heat for 2-4 hours tops! You don't want to the noodles to over cook and become squishy, eeew! It's a great dish to cook while you're at church!

Now serve it up to your man! Ain't he cute?

Slow Cooker LASAGNA!!

1 onion, minced
1 pepper, minced (optional)
1 pkg mushrooms, minced (optional)
1 Tb garlic, minced
1 lb ground beef or sausage
1 jar spaghetti sauce
salt & pepper to taste
1 cup water

Add these ingredients to a saucepan in order, cooking on medium-high. Layer in slow cooker with:

1/2 pkg dry lasagna noodles
1 lb shredded mozzarella
and Cottage cheese mixture:
1 16 oz. pkg cottage cheese
1 egg
1-2 Tb dry parsley (optional)
1 6 oz. pkg shredded Parmesan cheese

Top layers with shredded mozzarella. Cook on low for 3-4 hours.