Crispy Sriracha Coconut Wings

I bought 2 kilos of chicken wings at one of my favorite place to shop, Rema 1000. They are much more affordable than any other grocery stores I've been. They usually have what I need when it comes to buying meat except for beef. 

 I've made 3 different kinds of wings:

Honey BBQ wings

Sweet and Sour wings

Crispy Sriracha Coconut Wings

Here is my recipe for Crispy Sriracha Coconut Wings

3 eggs

1/3 cup water

1/2 cup Sriracha

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 cup self rising flour

1 cup panko bread cups

1 cup coconut flakes

1 teaspoon pepper

1 kg chicken wings

salt

pepper

garlic powder

paprika

Italian seasoning

seasoning sauce

Sauce

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup Sriracha sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoon fresh lime

In a medium size bowl beat the eggs with water. Add Sriracha to the egg mixture, until mixture is bright orange. 

In another bowl combine flour, panko crumbs, coconut flakes, and pepper.

Next season chicken wings with salt, pepper, garlic powder, seasoning sauce, paprika, Italian seasoning.

Dip the seasoned chicken in the egg mixture and then coat well in the panko/coconut/flour mixture.

Heat oil to 350 degrees F in a deep pot. Do not fill the pot more than 1/2 full with oil.

Fry chicken wings in the oil until golden brown and crisp. I fried 6 at a time and flipping them over so they cook on each side evenly. (These wings I bought were small it took 6-8 minutes to cook through)

For the sauce

Melt butter in a small pot over medium heat. Add the honey, hot sauce, soy sauce, and lime juice. Stir until mixture bubbles gently. Remove from the heat and set a side.

When all the wings have been fried, drained on paper towel to get rid of excess oil. Transfer wings in a large bowl. Pour the sauce over the wings and gently toss to coat. Or use the sauce as dipping sauce. 

Hamburger Sauce

Today's dinner was homemade burger with a sauce that taste almost like the McDonald's Big Mac sauce. Buying McDonald's in Norway is expensive, for a big mac it cost me around 14 US dollars. I read an article while ago about prices around the world and Norway was on top of the list. I made my own Big Macs for my husband and I and mini macs for my kids. The sauce is easy to make. It almost taste like big mac sauce or this similar sauce that I buy when I'm in Sweden, it's in a big pink tube that is called American dressing for burgers. I don't remember what it is called.

Here is the ingredients for the sauce

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons French dressing

2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish

1 tablespoon white onion, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar

2 teaspoons sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon paprika

In a bowl combine all ingredients, mix well, cover, and let it chill in the fridge.

Dessert and Recipe for Creamy Artichoke, Spinach, Chicken, Macaroni Soup

Just for fun. Played dress up with Raspberries. They had offer on Raspberries and blueberries at Meny. 

My son had his class Christmas performance couple days ago. I was very proud of him. He did great even though he smiled so much when he was suppose to be serious. I enjoyed the whole thing. My daughters were very happy to see their big brother sing and act. 

I made these for his classmates and their parents. 

I made mini chocolate pudding tartlets topped with dark chocolate and shredded coconut.

http://sorieyahomemadecooking.blogspot.no/2014/08/homemade-chocolate-chip-cookie.html

I made this too, chocolate chip and Oreo cheesecake. This is my favorite and my kids too. 

My maple glazed ham. I was disappointed with this because of the ham. I thought it was ham just like back home but it wasn't. I wanted that American smoked boned in ham. I asked my husband where can you get the smoked boned in ham....he said, "In Sweden." I didn't have the time and it was last minute. I wish I lived closer to the border because the food and gas is way cheaper. Sometime it is dreadful driving couple hours to buy grocery because so many people and I get car sick easily.

This week my family and I have not been feeling great. It's that time of the year. Ever since I moved to Norway I have been more sick with the flu/virus/common cold. I don't think I was ever this sick when I lived in the States. I really wish I had Vick's vapor rub, NY Quil, and my mom's soup. 

I made 3 different kind of soup. My husband is not a soup person. He love creamy soup and meaty stews. 

My zesty slow cooked hamburger soup

Homemade Chicken Vegetable Noodle Soup

Creamy spinach, artichoke, and chicken macaroni soup

I was looking forward to have this creamy soup for lunch after I got home from work. When I opened the lid, the pot was emptied. My 3 kids looked at me with their sorry eyes and said, "Sorry mom, we ate it all." I ended up having chicken salad.

Ingredients for Creamy Spinach, Artichoke, Chicken macaroni soup:

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, diced
2 clove garlic, chopped
1 package of dried Knorr Cream of Broccoli soup
1 cup low sodium broth
1 can artichoke hearts, chopped
8 oz Philadelphia Cream Cheese
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup måt fløte (food cream) (optional)
1 package ready wash, fresh spinach
1 1/2 cup cooked elbow macaroni
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning (optional)
salt and pepper as desired
cayenne pepper(optional)



In a bowl add in chicken, season with salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne pepper, Worcestershire sauce.

Melt butter in a pan over medium-high heat, add the chopped onion and cook until tender about 5-
7 minutes. Add the garlic, cook about a minute. Add in marinade chicken stir well, cook for 8 minutes.

Add the dried soup package and cook for another minute.

Add the broth and artichokes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer about 10-15minutes.

Add cream cheese and sour cream, let it melt through.

Add in spinach, cooked macaroni, milk and cream. Season with Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste. Let simmer for another 8 minute, stir occasionally so it doesn't stick. Remove from heat and serve. Topped with crisp chopped bacon and toasted sliced baguettes.

Stir fry beef and spinach in oyster sauce

 I love cooking. In the beginning I wasn't good at it. I knew how to make breakfast, noodles, and home fries. I had to learn quick when I moved out of my parents home, it took me months, thanks to watching a lot of food network TV shows, reading cooking magazines, and working in a restaurant. 

 My parents always make great food. My dad used to be a cook when he was younger. As a kid I remember he made great pasta sauce, Chinese steamed bun, and other food. My mom makes great food too. My parents has worked so hard all their life and they still do. They are amazing people and I wish we lived closer to them. I want my kids to be around them as much as I have. I'm a very family person. To me, my kids and my family comes first than anything else. It's hard most of the time being more than 3000 miles away living in another country. I don't have any family here except for my husband's family. I don't get to see my parents, sister, or brother much especially during the holidays. I remember after school I always look forward coming home to see what my mom has made. I wonder how did she had the time to make food when she worked a lot, taking care of her kids, and keeping the house in order. I appreciate everything my parents has done for me. I love my mom Cambodian dishes, like her fried rice, baked Cambodian chicken wings, soups, stews, egg rolls, steaks, fish, etc. Yes, there are some dishes I don't like and she knows that. She also makes great pasta sauce. My kids love her spaghetti and meatballs. The last time we visited my family was back in April. My kids were always in the kitchen wondering what is grandma making. They love her breakfast too. Early in the morning she would make pancakes, eggs, breakfast sausages. Now my kids tells me "Mommy I miss grandma and her kitchen." And I do too.

Yesterday I made two different kind of wok dishes. Simple sweat and sour chicken and stir fry beef and spinach with oyster sauce. I didn't have any broccoli so I used spinach. My kids love spinach especially my oldest son after telling them the story of Popeye.

 I will share my recipe for stir fry beef and spinach.

1 onion, chopped

3 clove garlic, minced

1 shallot, minced

half small red pepper, seeded, minced (optional)

1 package fresh spinach, already washed

Beef marinading

1 1/2 lb flank steak, sliced into thin strips

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 cup seasoning sauce/soy sauce

dash of cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1 tablespoon palm sugar

1 tablespoons coconut oil

Sauce

1/4 cup oyster sauce

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoon palm sugar

• Marinate beef by whisking together all the marinade ingredients in a large bowl, then toss the beef in to coat. Cover and refrigerate for an hour.

• In a small bowl stir together the sauce ingredients and set a side

• Heat about 1 1/2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a wok over medium to high heat. When oil is hot add garlic, onions, shallots, pepper, stir for a minute. Then add in marinaded beef, stir well. Cook for another 4 minutes be careful not to over cook the meat, add in spinach, stir well. Pour sauce on top, stir until sauce thickens. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Mini Pork Spring Rolls

Food I made during the week :)

My kids love minions. Something I did when I had my spare time. 

During the weekend my son's friend and my son had a birthday party. So I made the kids mini pork spring rolls and my famous coconut crispy chicken. I can not give you the recipe for my Coconut Crispy Chicken but I do have other similar coconut crispy chicken recipe in my food blog. For some reason my crispy chicken is always a big hit with the kids and adults too. It's better than eating the McDonald's chicken nuggets or store bought because I really don't know what's in it. I love making my own chicken strips/nuggets my self.

I will share you my recipe for my mini pork spring rolls. My family always love the spring rolls I make. I make different kinds of fillings with chicken, pork, beef, shrimps using different herbs, spices, and techniques all the time.

These ingredients are cheaper to buy at any Asian markets than in the big Norwegians brand name grocery stores. The herbs and vegetables like fresh coriander, Chinese spring onions, fresh bean sprouts are better to buy at the Asian markets because of the price and quality. I'm always disappointed with the quality and the quantity in the regular Norwegian grocery such as Meny, Ultra because they are so expensive and spoiled the next day.

When it comes to grocery shopping, when I don't have the time and having my Norwegian husband do the shopping, sometimes it's not a success. When I need bean sprouts, he comes home with the can version. I hate bean sprouts in the can. It doesn't taste the same. I love bean sprouts when it's fresh and crisp. Fresh coriander, he comes home with the plant in the pot and it's too little of the herb and most of the time it get mushy. At the Asian stores, they have them fresh with the right amount of it in a plastic bag and it's affordable. Every time I'm making Asian dishes I have to buy my grocery at the Asian market and when it comes to meat I have to buy them in Sweden. In Norway I think the quality isn't great, quantity is too small, and it's too expensive, especially for a family with  small kids with a budget.

Mini Pork Spring rolls


2 lb ground pork
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 shallot, minced
1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
2 stalk Chinese green onion, chopped
1 1/2  Tablespoon sugar
2 Tablespoons fish sauce
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
3 Tablespoons oyster sauce
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup shredded Chinese cabbage
250 grams thin rice vermicelli noodles
1 tablespoon knorr chicken powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 package, 50 pieces small spring roll wraps
1 egg mix with 1 tablespoon water

6 cups vegetable oil for deep frying


Bring a large pot of water to a boil. When boiling, turn off the heat and add the vermicelli noodles. Stir to break up and let noodles sit for 2 minutes. Drain noodles and run in cold water to shock them. Then drain in a colander, set a side.

In a large bowl, mix together ground pork, garlic, onion, shallot, green onion, coriander sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, add veggies and vermicelli noodles, knorr chicken powder, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, mix well and set a side.

NOTE: (If you have never made spring rolls before, look at the back of the spring roll pastry package. It has illustrated instruction you could follow.)

Gently pull apart each spring roll wraps to separate from each other. Make sure to cover the wrappers with a damp paper towel so they don't dry out. Take one sheet, lay flat in front of you like a diamond on a cutting board or plate, spoon 1 tablespoon of the filling, not quite in the middle of the wrapper. Fold the corner closest to you up and towards the corner farthest away from you. Pinch to make sure the wrapper is tight around the filling. Fold in the two sides to where it meets the filling. Try to keep the sides straight. Pinch and roll tightly. Lightly dampened the last corner with a big of the egg wash before rolling up all the way.

Fill large wok with several inches of oil just enough for the spring rolls to float. Don't over fill it, just half way. Heat oil in wok on high heat. When oil is hot, turn temperature down to medium and gently add your spring rolls, do not over crowd. It's best to deep fry in batches. The spring rolls should bubble immediately when it hit the hot oil. If they don't your oil isn't hot enough. Deep fry each batch until the skins turn golden brown and crisp about 6-8 minutes. Remove the spring rolls from the oil and drain on paper towel, continue with the rest. Do not lay hot spring rolls on top of each other because they will lose their crisp. Serve with sweet chili sauce.

Thanksgiving in Norway and my Spinach and Mushroom white sauce

This holiday and everyday I'm grateful to have great people in my life far and near. I'm thankful to have a supportive and loving family. This holiday I'm a little depress because I wanted to see my family back in the States, we haven't celebrated Thanksgiving or Christmas for a while together. I thought we would but things didn't turn out what we had planned.

About 11 years ago around this month, when I settled in Norway, it was just me and my other half, our Thanksgiving together, I had the hardest time finding a Turkey. We had to search around outside the city to find good offer on Turkey and we did at a store called Ica Maxi which doesn't exist anymore. But now you can find Turkey offer anywhere during this time of the year.

One of the strangest thing I found this week in a grocery ad in Norway. "Turkey for Thanksgiving" I really don't know what to think about Norwegians celebrating Thanksgiving when they have no history of this holiday, don't know the history, or those who have no connection to American family, etc. 

Now they have started this Black Friday. 

There were some good offers but I really saw no difference with their "Black Friday"SALG" Most that I came across to was 25% off  which is basically what the tax cost on everything around here. Certain stores should of said tax free day. You really don't get those big sales as in the States.

I find Black Friday ridiculous just hours after celebrating a holiday day about being thankful, spending time with family and friends who you haven't seen in a while, instead people just wait in a long line for materialistic things and fighting over it. When there is always a great sale every year until Christmas and so on. 

  

I haven't celebrated Thanksgiving with my side of the family since 2010. I couldn't this year because I had to work, my son had school, couldn't go to Sweden to buy my turkey and things, we had to pack up my husband's sport store and center, and it's an ordinary day in Norway. My husband doesn't know how to make the turkey feast, only me. I do envy other people who travel far to visit their family during the holiday. Christmas is coming up and I do enjoy and love celebrating with my husband's side of the family. They are great but I want to see my family back in the States. The last time I celebrate Christmas with my family was when my parents took a flight to Norway couple years ago. Not celebrating with my family this year either. My brother just started his military career. I would love to see him. I miss my sister and her boyfriend and my parents. My kids miss their grandparents very much. They would of loved to see the American Christmas way and all the snow. 

I didn't have the time to make my famous Thanksgiving dinner so I made this easy and delicious dinner. Roasted chicken with spinach and mushroom white sauce and spicy herb home fries.

Recipe for spinach and mushroom sauce:

Ingredients:

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1 canned small sliced mushrooms

1 bag fresh spinach

2 clove garlic, minced

1 small onion, diced

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup cream cheese

tablespoons of grated Parmesan

1/4 cup cream (måt fløte)

salt, pepper, Knorr seasoning powder, cayenne pepper, and a dash of red pepper flake

crispy English bacon for topping

Heat olive oil in a skillet on medium-high heat. Add garlic, onion, and mushrooms, stir and let cook for 5 mins. Add spinach, stir well for 2 mins, then add sour cream, cream cheese, cream, and grated Parmesan. Stir and mix well. Seasoned with salt, pepper, seasoning powder, cayenne pepper, and a dash of red pepper flakes.

Place mushroom/spinach white sauce on a plate, place roasted chicken on top, add more mushroom/spinach, pour the remaining white sauce over chicken and topped with chopped crispy English bacon.

Food and recipe for my Scandinasian vegetable pork rice soup.

It's been a while since I updated my blog. My husband's sport center and my kitchen at his sport center has come to an end in Norway, all our blood, sweat, and tears. It was great catering for the Karate club. They wanted me to cater for their Christmas event. I wish I could. I'm very disappointed how things turned out. Just certain people don't want to see other succeed and rather ruin it. My family and I have been through a lot and I didn't have the motivation to start blogging again but now I'm here.

I had made a lot of food and wanted to share. I've been told by so many that I should open something up. Honestly, I don't dare too, not in Norway. Maybe someday in New England I might want to cater.

This was so good. I made cronrolls. It is stuffed with cheese and salami and bratwurst. Flaky but tasty.

Here are some pictures of the catering I did back in September for the Samurai Karateklubb in Oslo. I catered around 45 people by myself. 

I have looked around for red hot dogs in the Oslo area. I couldn't believe my eyes when I spotted them, even though it doesn't taste like the real Danish or Maine red hot dogs I just had too buy it. 

I made these just for my kids 

Here are some other food I made during this month.

Scandinasian vegetable pork rice soup.

This soup I made yesterday was really yummy. My husband is not the soup kind of man but he actually loved this too. It's vegetable pork rice soup, just a mix of Norwegian and Asian. Norwegian version is called Autumn soup but I added my Cambodian ingredients into it. I call it the Scandinasian vegetable pork rice soup.

I bought pork hock at my local grocery store (Rimi). I told my husband and he said, "This is one of the most expensive pork hock I've seen because they usually are cheap to buy."

I really didn't want to drive all around the city just to find cheap pork plus the pay toll in Oslo is ridiculous costly. 

Here are the ingredients to the soup:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 onion, minced

2-3 clove garlic, minced

2 potato cut into small cubes

2 carrots cut into small cubes

1/2 tablespoon knorr chicken powder

2 lbs Pork hock cut into 3 inch lengths and ground pork seasoned  with seasoning sauce (Golden Mountain seasoning), seasoning salt, ground black pepper, cayenne, and Knorr Aromat krydderiblanding

1 tablespoon whole black pepper

2 beef bouillon cubes

(I added extra veggies to the soup) 750 grams grønnsaker from Findus perfect til Lapskaus (potatoes, carrots, rutabaga, parsnip, celeriac, leek). In the frozen vegetable section. Any frozen vegetable from Findus is 3 for 2 at any Rimi store and if you live in Norway.

2 liter water

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 or 2 tablespoons sugar

2-3 tablespoons fish sauce

2 stalk green onion, chopped

A handful chopped cilantro

Instructions:

Heat up pan on medium to high heat. When it's hot add in vegetable stir and cook for 4 minutes and then add in chicken powder and stir for another 2 minutes. When vegetables are slightly cooked transfer into soup pot.

In the same pan on high heat add another tablespoon vegetable oil, add in marinade pork/ground pork. Sear for 5 minutes and transfer to the same soup pot with the vegetable. Heat up soup pot on medium to high heat add in whole black pepper, beef bouillon, and the mixed vegetable from Findus. Add in water into soup pot and let it cook until meat is tender. 

Lower heat to medium, seasoned with salt, sugar, and fish sauce to your taste. (I added more for flavor and I added a little more krydderiblanding for my husband because he wants a tasty soup). Stir well and let it simmer for 20 minutes. 

Serve soup in a bowl, topped with green onion and cilantro. Serve hot with rice.

Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars

I made a no bake chocolate chip cookie cheesecake bars. It's simple and quick to make. I didn't use any eggs in this recipe. It doesn't taste like jello when using a little gelatin. It just hold the cheesecake filling together. Make sure after serving, place the rest of the cheesecake bar, far away, so no one will sneak eat. 

Cookie Crust 

2-3 pk rolls of chocolate chip cookies, Oreo cookies, graham crackers, korni, or any biscuit or cookies you prefer. (I made my own chocolate chip cookies)
2 tablespoon butter, melted

Cheesecake Filling
200 gr Philadelphia cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar + 3 tablespoons extra
1 teaspoon vanilla bean from Vanilla pod
1/2 cup krem fløte (heavy cream or half & half)
1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin powder

Toppings
leftover cookie crumbs
Freia chocolate pieces


In a bowl crush cookies into small pieces and then add melted butter, mix well. Then pour the cookie crumb mixture into a 9 x 9 inch pan. Set aside.

In another bowl add cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla bean. Mix well until smooth and set aside.

In a saucepan on low heat, pour and mix 1/2 cup cream and 3 tablespoons sugar. Then sprinkle gelatin over cream. Stir and remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Then on medium/high heat bring cream mixture to a boil for 30 seconds or until cream is hot. Remove from heat, stir well, until gelatin has dissolved.

Add the cream/gelatin mixture into cheesecake mixture, beat until light, fluffy, and smooth. Pour filling over the cookie crust. Then add the remaining cookie crumbs and chocolate pieces on top. Refrigerate until chilled and set.

Slice into bars and serve.

Cambodian Marinade Sirloin Steaks and recipe for another peanut sauce

Cambodian style sirloin steaks. I'm not as into meat as my husband. But I do love to spice and marinade. He prefers beef out of pork or chicken. I'm more into soup, salad, and chicken. Once in a while I'll have steak or pork. He is not into soup as I am. Beef in Norway is so expensive we end up driving to the neighbor country, Sweden just to buy beef. He usually go for the Angus beef. My husband had explained to me how the beef in Norway is so expensive and not as good quality as you get across the Atlantic. I can agree. So I had made a Cambodian dish with steak. 

Mørbradbiff (Sirloin steaks)
1/4 teaspoon chili oil
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup minced lemongrass
1 tablespoon chopped green onions
1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
around 1/4 cup mushroom soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 1/2 tablespoon palm sugar
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 tablespoons all round seasoning
dash salt
1/4 teaspoon chopped red chili
2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Slice beef into thin slices. Place in bowl add all ingredients except sesame seeds and mix well. Let beef marinade for 4 hours or overnight.

You can stir fry beef with veggies and serve with steamed rice or make them into kabob, grill them and serve with peanut sauce.

Peanut sauce

3/4 cup smooth all natural creamy peanut butter
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2-3 tablespoons palm sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons coconut oil
1/2 lime, juice
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon chili pepper, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sriracha sauce for taste
1/3 cup coconut milk

Fresh chopped cilantro and chopped peanuts for garnish

In a mixing bowl, add peanut buttter. Then whisk in garlic, sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, coconut oil, lime juice, curry powder, chili pepper, salt, and sriracha sauce.

Bring coconut milk to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Then pour coconut milk over the peanut mixture. Whisk until smooth.

Then transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with chopped cilantro and peanut.

Sketches and my Pasta E Fagioli Soup in my crockpot

Hi, everyone. It's been awhile since I last posted. I had been busy with my kids, did sketching, and had been sick for almost 2 months with coughing and fever. I'm doing better for now. 


Some of my sketches I've done.

Yesterday, I was craving for soup so I made Pasta E Fagioli Soup in my crock pot. It was delish. Cooked for 8 hours. My kids woke up early this morning and helped themselves and emptied the crock pot. I was looking forward having soup for lunch but it was too late. I will make more of this later on. 

Here is my recipe for Pasta E Fagioli:

2 lbs ground pork or beef (seasoned with salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, all round seasoning)
1 garlic bulb, minced 1/2 cooked with meat and 1/2 in the crock pot
1 onion, chopped
1 zucchini chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 jar pasta sauce of your choice
1 can red kidney beans, drained
1 can white kidney beans, drained
2 beef bouillon cubes
3 1/2 cups beef stock
few tablespoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 or 2 teaspoons pepper
5 teaspoons parsley
1 teaspoon hot sauce (optional) ( I used Louisiana hot sauce)
dry elbow pasta or any pasta you'd prefer I used Penne pasta.

In a nonstick skillet add a tablespoon cooking oil when hot add 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic, stir in meat, cook well until meat is brown. Drain fat from meat and add to crock pot with everything except pasta. Cook on high 4-6 hours then set to low heat. Taste and adjust flavour the way you would like (add little more seasoning, a little salt, pepper). Add pasta the last 30 minutes. Serve with a side salad and some garlic bread!
(I seasoned veggies with chicken powder before putting in crock pot)
(I didn't add pasta in the last hour, I cooked separately. Spoonful of pasta and ladle soup over it and served)