Skillet Macaroni and Beef

Calling all you busy home makers out there... Does the thought of a one pan dinner interest you? Years ago as a new home maker myself I found this recipe for mac. and beef that didn't require precooking the macaroni and of course I had to try this one :) I was pleasantly surprised at how it turned out, and that I could make it in a flash with very little clean up involved. Hooray for that! It reminds me of those box hamburger meals with all those preservatives in them that you add the meat to that I never preferred to serve in our house.(Plus I sampled a bite once somewhere and was not impressed !!!) We like it made strictly with the can tomatoes though recipe says tomato sauce will work too.The green pepper is a MUST too!!!! Pre -cooking the macaroni in the beef drippings first before adding the liquid helps to remove some of the starch as well.


1+1/2 lbs. ground beef
1/2 lb. uncooked macaroni
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup minced onions
1 cup water
1+ 1/2 Tbs. Worcestershire
2 cans whole tomatoes put through a food processor or
2 8oz. cans tomato sauce
1tsp. salt
dash pepper
Parmesan cheese.

Brown ground beef in large deep skillet.
Remove beef and set aside .
Add g. peppers, onions, and the macaroni and cook
on low heat until the macaroni is yellow.
Stir to prevent sticking. If beef is very lean
add a pat of butter or tsp of oil.
Return the beef back to the pan along with all the
rest of ingredients and cover.
Simmer on low heat about 25 mins. or until macaroni is done.
Stir once in awhile.
Serve with the cheese.

Fussy Day Crockpot Chicken

I found this while thumbing through a relative's (Thanks again Teresa)cookbook one day and the simplicity of it intrigued me so much I had to try it. I used a homemade B.B.Q sauce but what ever you fancy will work. This recipe sounds like it may have been created by a poor Mama of some fussy babies who had to come up with ideas to free herself up in the kitchen :)

1 whole chicken
1+1/2 cups B.B.Q sauce
salt
pepper

Preheat a crock pot to low.
Rinse and pat dry chicken.
Place breast side up in crock pot.
Pour B.B.Q sauce over top and in cavity.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.
Don't peek!
The meat will fall off the bones easily.
The fat can be skimmed from sauce and
then you can turn sauce into a gravy.
This can be served with potatoes,rice or noodles.