Peperoncini Roast

1 3-lb. round roast
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 16-oz. jar peperoncini peppers, with juice
2 pkgs. Good Seasonings Italian Dressing Mix
1/2 c. water

Trim roast as needed. Place in Crock Pot along with onion, peppers, dressing mix, and water. Add about 1/2 the peperoncini juice. Cook on HIGH for 6 hours or until roast shreds easily with fork.

Great complement to veggies and crusty bread! Also great on toasted hamburger buns with a slice of melted provolone cheese.

*Chuck roast can be used, but it typically has a large ribbon of fat running through the middle. It's hard work to cut it out; plus, that fat was included in the price. I like something a little leaner, though it may be a little pricier. In the end, I get more for my money.

*Adding too much of the peperoncini juice can make the roast too tangy. If spice is an issue, use half the peppers, less juice, and more water.

Baked Rotini

1 pkg. rotini
1 pkg. ground beef
1 onion, diced
1 jar pasta sauce
1 pkg. fresh mushrooms, quartered
1 can black olives, drained and halved
2 cloves garlic, pressed
Italian seasoning, to taste
brown sugar, to taste
mozzarella cheese, shredded

Cook pasts as directed on package. Brown beef and onions; drain.

In a large saucepan, combine beef and onions, sauce, mushrooms, olives, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Heat thoroughly. Add brown sugar by small handfuls until desired flavor is reached. (If you prefer a less sweet sauce, omit brown sugar.) Simmer 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add pasta to sauce and mix well. Pour into a large casserole dish and top with cheese. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Serve hot.

A fresh garden salad or Caesar salad is a perfect pairing!

Applesauce Meatloaf

The name doesn't sound that great, but this is the best meatloaf recipe I've tasted. Being a First Place weight loss recipe makes it even better!

2 lbs. lean ground meat (Beef or turkey would be good.)
1 c. unsweetened applesauce
1 onion, finely diced
1 bell pepper, finely diced
6 slices whole grain bread, crumbled
1 egg
2 tsp. salt
pepper to taste
1/2 c. tomato sauce, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all ingredients, kneading mixture with hands until well blended. Pack into loaf pan and top with tomato sauce, if desired. Bake for 2 hours.

*If you don't have whole grain bread, you can substitute an equivalent amount of crumbled whole wheat crackers.

*If you're pressed for time, you can pack the meat mixture into a 9x9 baking pan and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

*For a slow cooker, pack meat mixture into the bottom of the pot, cover, and cook on HIGH for one hour. Reduce heat to LOW and cook for another 6-8 hours. Lift from pot, slice, and serve.