It's fall- strap on those aprons

I do love to cook fall and winter food.  One can splash in this and that and let one's free cooking spirit out of the summer garden and into the winter kitchen.  Ahhh, the stews and soups and breads and dense sticky cakes; love it all. My crock pots have been having a burble for days now.  I bought whole chickens, buy one get one free, and the stock pots and crock pots having been working over time. There is so much one can do with a chicken and all of its parts.  Not only to strip off the cooked chicken but to simmer the bones with carrots, celery, onions and left overs from the garden making, I don't know what, but it is a good base for nearly every savory dish, such as this lemon chicken with end of garden vegetables.

Beth and I are making a trip to Whole Foods Tuesday night.  Now I don't do this lightly because their prices make me cuss.  I do love the store and most things in it, but the cost blinds me.  Nevertheless, my Otterbein sisters are coming the next day and I am allowed to have the bread portion of the meal that we will have together.  I am also going to slip in pear and apple tarts. Shhh.  Whole Foods have the best cornbread so I will get that as well.  All the ladies will bring salads, but this time there are men too, so I think there should be more of a selection to eat.  I have to stop myself from having a crock pot going, but that may be one sequin too many.  
Since the day is to be beautiful, I think we will dine al fresco Tuscan style, outdoors in the fall sun with wine, good food, and old friends.

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If I were going to be bad, this is what I would fix.  Hey, maybe I could just so happen to have this on hand for our dinner or if the men looked especially hungry then I could pull this out--just to help, don't you know?

SEAFOOD LASAGNA ROLL UPS

12 lasagna noodles 3 slices bacon 1 (16 oz.) jar Alfredo sauce 1/4 c. white wine or chicken broth 1 (15 oz.) carton ricotta cheese 1 (12 oz.) pkg. frozen cooked, peeled and deveined, medium shrimp, thawed, tails removed 1-1/2 c. imitation crabmeat, coarsely chopped 1-1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese, 6 oz. divided 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 c. frozen peas, thawed 1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley 1/4 tsp. garlic powder Additional chopped fresh parsley, optional Cook noodles according to package directions; drain. Meanwhile, in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat cook bacon until crisp, drain on paper towels. Crumble; reserve.Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat 13 x 9 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Combine Alfredo sauce with wine; reserve. In bowl combine ricotta, shrimp, imitation crabmeat, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan, peas, parsley, garlic powder and reserved bacon. Spread 1/2 cup sauce mixture in bottom of pan. Follow steps, below. Step 1: Spread each noodle with heaping 1/3 cup seafood and cheese mixture. Step 2: Beginning at short end, roll up each noodle. Place seam side down in baking dish. Step 3: Spoon remaining sauce mixture over noodles. Cover with foil; bake 50 minutes. Remove foil; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Bake until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly, 5 to 10 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving

Ingredients
3/4 pound kielbasa (turkey or chicken work great if you don't' want to use beef!) I get mine at Carfagna's Italian speciality market. (brown these in an iron skillet.)
2 cups chicken broth (vegetable broth works great in a pinch as well!)
2 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups Cannellini beans (you can use canned if needed make sure you rinse them as well)* see my suggestion above if using dry beans
Two medium sized tomatoes diced up really small, it should come to about 1 cup or more
6 cups baby spinach leaves
Freshly cracked pepper to taste

Buffalo chicken: crock pot

What You’ll Need:

• 4 – 5 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, thawed
• 1 bottle Frank’s RedHot Wings Buffalo Sauce {12 oz.}
• 1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning Mix {1 oz.}
• Green Onions  {check out this green onion trick to grow them again and again!}
• Crockpot

What You’ll Do:

• Cook chicken in crockpot on high for 3 hours {covered}
• After 3 hours, drain juices from crockpot
• Mix together Buffalo Sauce and Ranch Seasoning Mix
• Pour mixture over chicken, and cook on high for 30 more minutes {covered}, or until done.
• Serve as chicken breasts and garnish with green onions, or shred and serve on buns.

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On the hunt for another tasty Crockpot Meal??

You’re going to love Crockpot Apricot Chicken… it’s so easy, and oh-so-yummy!!

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What You’ll Need:

• 4 – 5 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 16 oz. Jar of Smuckers Apricot Preserves
• 8 oz. Kraft Catalina Dressing {Russian Dressing can be substituted}
• 1 packet Lipton Dry Onion Soup Mix
• Crockpot