Some Italians call it sauce - some call it gravy - either way you'll call this delish!  Use a large lined crock and plan to have containers ready as this freezes well.  Also - this actually tastes better if you leave it a day after cooking to let the flavors deepen so great as a make ahead item and then ready to reheat on a busy night over your favorite pasta. 
Step 1:
1 lb. Good quality/Organic ground beef 85/15
2 links (take casings off) Italian Sausage - either mild or hot to suit your taste
1 yellow onion diced 
Brown meat and onion in large skillet, drain off fat, and add to
crock.

Step 2: Then add to crock:
2 cans Italian Style diced tomatoes with garlic/seasonings
2 cans tomato sauce
1 small can tomato paste 
3 cloves garlic – crushed, pressed or cheat like me and squeeze from tube
2 carrots chopped fine (these give a great sweetness to the sauce)
1 red and 1 green bell pepper chopped fine
2 T. Italian Seasoning Herb dry mix
½. C. red wine (optional but deepens the flavor and alcohol cooks off)

Cook on low 6 hours.  Can be served then but better if you park in in fridge and reheat the next day.  Freezes great and makes for a quick meal on a busy night.

I'm calling this breakfast since you can put it all in late night right before bed and have a great breakfast ready in the morning but I gotta tell you this makes a great dessert served over ice cream as well...

In a large lined crock place 4-6 Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced.

In a bowl combine the following: 
1/3 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. flour
3/4 c. granola of choice (plain is fine but there are lots out there so pick what you like!)
1 T. Apple Pie Spice
1/2 pouch from 3.5oz box - butterscotch pudding mix 
Handful of raisins or craisins (optional)
Combine these ingredients and the cut 1/2 c. cold butter into small chunks and cut into dry mix so it looks like coarse crumbles.  Sprinkle this mix over apples.  Cook on low 5-6 hours.

If you are local in Alpharetta/Cumming GA area - please visit my Auburn friend Jenni Hilton's website www.forsythforfamilies.com where she gives you the 411 on all things going on in the area for families. This week we have been partnering to give one of her lucky readers a 4 hour closet clean out session to celebrate Earth Day - remember that donating your items for re-use is the best kind of re-cycling! Go checkout her website, follow her on FB, etc. and if you need help with a closet get registered to win as the entry deadline is tomorrow night at midnight.

It's tax day and whether you paid in or are getting paid out - we could all use a treat today! 
Why not make this yummy chocolate fondue to have for dessert tonight?  Start this in a small 2-4 cup crock as you sit down to dinner so the items can melt while you are eating and will be ready at just the right time.  A liner won't work for this small crock but hey who are we kidding here?  You'll scrape every bit of chocolate goodness out to that crock making clean up a snap :)

Add to crock:  4oz. semisweet chocolate chips (or any variation of chocolate/other chips that you care to - i.e. could do half chocolate and half peanut butter chips) and 1/3 c. heavy whipping cream. Cover and heat til melted, stirring occasionally.  If serving to adults you could finish off by adding a tablespoon of brandy or other liquor to the choco mix to suit.  (lots of great combos here - think Chamboard - raspberry liquor, Kahlua, Creme de Menthe)  and dip whatever makes you happy into the mix - obviously great with all kinds of fruit, pound cake, sugar cookies - even pretzels.  Enjoy!

It's Earth Day later this month and although most of us don't associate Spring Cleaning with Earth day maybe we should.  I had a big "aha!" moment yesterday while working at a client and going through clothes. (FYI:  picture shown is grabbed from the web just to give you an idea of what happens if we don't take the time to clean out periodically!)  We sorted, catalogued items for tax purposes and ended up bagging up 8 bags of clothes for donation.  Donating those clothes is the best kind of recycling!  My client has changed jobs/lost weight so now those clothes can be put to great use by someone else.  Good for her, good for someone else and good for the Earth.  Anytime we can re-use or re-purpose items it's recycling at it's best.  Spring is a great time to do a proper closet cleanout and re-org since you can also change over for the seasons.  It's also a great time to clean out and tidy lots of other areas of the house.  This link has some good resources and lists for getting it done.

https://brightnest.com/todos/spring-cleaning-101

Need some "hands on help" for tackling the projects?  Contact me :)  Every session with me includes taking one load of items (as much as can fit in my SUV) to Goodwill on my way home and I provide the tax reciept to my client.  Some people may get the sorting and bagging done on their own but with their busy schedules sometimes never get around to getting the items out of the house.  I take care of that by loading the items for you to my car and getting them out of the house promptly!

We'll be enjoying these as we watch the big basketball game tonight.  They are easy, kid friendly and delicious!  Serves 4-6 and easily can be doubled.

Use a medium sized crock and as always start with a liner.

In a coffee cup:  dissolve 4 tsp. cornstarch in 4 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce by whisking with fork and add to crock.

Then add to crock:  4 T. seasoned rice vinegar
4 T. honey
1/2 c. Tamarind/Date sauce (a great Indian sweet/sour sauce that can be found in Indian/International food stores)
2 T. Minced Ginger from tube
2 T. Minced Garlic from tube
1/2 c. orange juice
Whisk all together til smooth and then add 2 lb. boneless, skinless, chicken thighs to crock.  Cook on low 6-8 hours.  Remove chicken from crock and shred/pull meat.  Add meat back to crock and stir back into sauce.  Serve on slider buns with either pickle, sliced radish/english cucumbers, or even top with cole slaw. 

You'll need your largest crock for this recipe!  Found this gem in the February issue of Fitness Magazine and then tweaked it to suit our family.  A total winner and oh so good for you too!! As always, start with a lined crock and add the following:
 

3 cans low sodium black beans, rinsed, drained
2 cans no-salt corn, drained
3 T. chopped chipotles in adobo sauce
2 squares unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into small chunks
1 T. Cumin, Dried Oregano, CInnamon and Chili Powder, each
4 cloves garlic chopped fine, or generous squeeze from tube
3 cans dices tomatoes (I used 2 with green pepper/onion blend and one can with green chilis blend)
1 red onion, chopped
1 green pepper chopped
1 package Turkey smoked sausage cut into bite sized pieces

Stir together and cook on low 6-8 hours.  Serve with chili fixings of choice.  Was fantastic as leftovers for lunch!