Recipes - Pittsburgh, PA

What about chili? You could even make it vegetarian if you wanted to. I just made some this week & it was SO easy!
You'd need:
1-2 lbs of ground beef (or TVP if you wanted to make it vegetarian)
1 lb can of diced tomatoes
1 large onion, chopped/diced
diced veggies (ie: carrots, corn, celery, 1-2 green or red bell peppers)
1 Tb of Chili Powder

I browned the beef first & then threw everything in the crock pot & let it cook all day. Then I served it w/ brown rice & we salted the chile a little bit to taste. That was it! VERY easy & really good (and healthy if you use TVP or drain all the fat off of the ground beef!)

Good luck!

meat balls go over well here

Yep--I've gotta agree that there aren't many easier things than a bag of frozen meatballs and 2 cans of tomato sauce in the crock pot--just get some yummy rolls and make a salad.
Also, get a beef chuck roast, some chopped onions, a bottle of BBQ sauce and (here's the secret) a jar of apricot preserves and cook all day. Shred the beef when finished and serve on those little knot dinner rolls--super yummy!
I can also send you the recipe for some awesome cocktail meatballs which are a legend in my family (oven made though) and the recipe makes a TON (4 lbs of meat) or you can always halve the recipe. We like them 'cause they're great for a snack, lunch or dinner.
Good luck!

I like doing the make your own taco/burrito or taco salad party. That way you don't really have to 'cook' You can have beans, cheese, tomatoes, salsa, lettuce etc. and everyone can assemble their own.

You could also make or buy a veggie lasagna. I'm also vegetarian and find most meat eaters are happy with the veg. option and don't really miss the meat. Have some salad and bread, its not alot of work.

Good luck!

I am also a vegetarian and I make "Fantastic" Chili in the crock pot for winter events . It is super simple and everyone seems to like it. No one notices that it is vegetarian until they see me eat it. (I add more beans than called for on the box and use a variety of different ones, sometimes I'll add corn too). I usually make corn bread to accompany it, with some toppings such as sour cream, shredded cheese, chopped tomatoes and hot peppers for guests to chose from. One party I included a salad and tortilla chips with different salsas. Guests made taco salads or put chili on tortilla chips.

Meatballs are a good option, but chili is simple (you can open cans, right?) and you can offer more options for your guests.

D.,

I have a good friend who is a raw food chef. She can make all kinds of "regular" food out of raw fruits, veggies, nuts and grains. You wouldn't believe how flavorful and healthful and filling the food is, and everyone will love it. She "cooks" for our church functions and makes refreshments for a local chiropractor who has health talks on some evenings, and everyone raves about the food and can't believe that it's raw. It is also incredibly fast and easy (so she says) and takes only the right ingredients and a food processor, no cooking or baking required. Plus, you'll be able to eat everything, too!

If you are interested, email me and I will give you her contact info. She can turn you on to some cookbooks or some recipes or other resources that I don't know.

L.
____@____.com

I assume from your post that you are wiling to make meat. If so a super simple recipe is salsa chicken. Dump a jar of salsa into your slow cooker and add a couple of fresh ( not frozen) chicken breasts. Cook on high for about 2 hours. You can pull them apart (shredded and chunks, whatever) and make a taco bar... Empty the chicken and the salsa juices to a bowl and fill other bowls with shreaded cheese, sour cream, chopped scallions, rice and beans. Don't forget tortillas,too. That way the vegetarians can eat rice and bean tortillas. For the rice and beans, chop up 1 onion, 1 green pepper, 5 cloves of garlic and cilantro pretty small (alternatively, go to the Goya section of the supermarket, which is usually in the Mexican or the bean section, and get a jar of the green sofrito-- while you are there pick up some Adobo, too). Sauté in about 2 tablespoon of olive oil for a few mintues (don't let the garlic burn) add can of black beans, add some vegtable stock if you drain the beans-- about a 1/2 cup, and cook on low till warmed thru. Add some Goya Adobo seasoning, sqeeze in lime juice towards end (if you don't have lime, add vinegar-- about half a capful) If you want pink beans instead,throw in green olivesat any time, and also add tomato sauce (a small can, I use Goya for my beans) when you put the beans in, and don't use vinegar I'd lime-- the tomatoes provide enough acid. Have fun!

One thing I always do that is so easy and a favorite is meatballs in the crock pot. Use can use frozen ones from the store, they have so many different kinds, even veggie ones. Get some good rolls and shredded cheese, maybe some marinara or sweet and sour sauces for on the side. Always a hit. Hope this helps. Happy holidays!

I would go with vegetarian chili, its easy and noone will miss the meat. Corn pudding is our favorite side for chili. 1 pkg jiffy corn bread, 1 stick butter, 1 cup sour cream, 16 ounce can cream corn, 16 ounce can kernel corn - drained, 2 eggs. mix everthing together, place in a greased casserole dish (like corningware) bake 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve warm and enjoy !

Good luck and have fun.

BBQ pulled pork sandwiches. Rigatoni. Sausage with peppers and onion served on rolls or over pasta. Pot roast with carrots and potatoes. Chili. Hot roast beef, ham or turkey sandwiches. Add a salad and bread for a "complete" meal. Buy a pie for dessert.

I like meatballs, you can buy a big bag divide them up and flavor them with bbq sauce, cream of mushroom soup with milk, brown gravy and have a few flavors, I also like pulled pork. I buy a whole loin and put it right into my crockpot with some thin sliced onions, salt, pepper honey bbq and regular bbq sauce, as it cooks I shred it with my fork and add more sauce and spice as needed.

Hi, D.,

I had some small get-togethers that included young kids recently, and at one we "made" pizza from store-bought crusts and fixings (including Ives "pepperoni"). Whoever wanted to help could. There was a mini salad bar for the moms, too. Another day we had cheese fondue with bread and apple chunks; another time scrambled eggs and m&m pancakes for brunch. Again, any kids who wanted to (and esp. the moms!) could help. Depends who your guests are, really. There are those packages of frozen appetizers, too, teeny mushroom popovers, mini quiches and such. Good luck!

Not sure if you wanted to stick with vegetarian, since you mentioned roast beef, so here's some ideas that have been hits in the past:

1. Fruit salsa (can get from allrecipes.com) served with cinnamon graham crackers.
2. French bread, sliced in 1/2" slices, brushed with olive oil, baked at 350 for 2 (two) mins, topped with chopped gorgonzola cheese, baked for another 2 (two) minutes.
3. Ham & cheese on onion rolls, drizzled with mixture of half melted butter and half mustard, then baked at 350 for about 15mins until melted.

I also like the chili idea and/or tortilla soup (you can make it thin or hearty).

Good luck1

One easy thing I've made in the past is tortilla rolls. Take a flour tortilla, spread soft cream cheese (flavored ones are great--one of my friends mixes jalapeno peppers into his for a surprise), roll up & toss in fridge for an hour, then remove and slice thin (about 1/2 inch), laying slices on a platter. You can also use store-bought pimento cheese spread. They're a pretty addition to the traditional "bla bla blah!" you mentioned in your request!

I've also taken store-bought "fancy" breads, spread with flavored cream cheese, sandwich with another slice of bread, then cut into little "finger" sandwiches. I used a strawberry cream cheese with pumpernickel/rye swirl bread--it looked beautiful, and I didn't have any leftovers. I'm sure you could also open-face and add some coordinating fresh fruits or veggie slices.