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Directive Blogs

Directive has been serving the Oneonta area since 1993, providing IT Support such as technical helpdesk support, computer support, and consulting to small and medium-sized businesses.

Here's a collection of recipes and videos for our company's lunch tradition, Crock-Pot Thursday.

Philly Cheesesteak Tortellini Pasta

Indulge in the ultimate comfort food with this Philly Cheesesteak Tortellini Pasta. Juicy beef, tender vegetables, and melted provolone cheese come together in a rich, creamy sauce that will keep them coming back for seconds.

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Real Apple Pie

Looking for a new twist on apple pie? Check out this real recipe.

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CPT: White Cheese Sauce

Looking for a great sauce to compliment your steak or chicken? Then do we have a recipe for you!

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CPT: Satisfy Your Pineapple Craving

Do you like pineapples as much as we do? Let us drop a bit of knowledge on you about this tropical fruit.

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CPT: Creamy, Cheesy Goodness

Here at Directive, We LOVE cheese, so it’s no surprise that macaroni and cheese is a Crock-Pot Thursday dish we just keep coming back to.

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CPT: Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth with This Summer Treat!

Do you ever get a craving for something sweet?

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CPT: Healthy AND Delicious!

With the weather warming up and the layers coming off, everyone starts to think a bit harder about the food that they’re putting into their bodies. Those of us that have difficulty doing this usually struggle because healthy foods don’t always taste quite as good as fatty foods and sweet treats.

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CPT: The Proof is in the Pudding...Cookies?

Want in on a little secret?

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CPT: Put the Lime in the...Chicken!

A little bit of lime in any recipe adds a bit of zest that is hard to get otherwise. Throw a little bit in with some chicken and a couple of other ingredients, and you have a party!

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CPT: Fast Food in Slider Form

Sliders are a wonderful thing. They are great appetizers at any party or get-together, and can make a great addition to any meal. It’s a shame that too few restaurants have caught onto just how great they are.

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CPT: Just a Dip? No...Make it a Meal!

There are some dips that are so good, you could probably eat them by the spoonful without the ‘staple’ food that you usually use as your dipping utensil. One of those is spinach and artichoke dip.

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CPT: Gimme Cheese Please!

One of the best ways to jazz up ANY lunch or dinner recipe is to incorporate some cheese into it. Sharp cheddar, gouda, parmesan, feta, asiago - there are so many choices, and they’re all great!

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CPT: Top O’ the Afternoon To Ya!

Whether you’re Irish or not, St. Patrick’s Day is a day to get together with friends, have fun, and eat a bunch of Irish-themed foods. With that holiday just around the corner, you’ve probably already got your weekend plans figured out.

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CPT: A Cheeseburger You Can Eat With a SPOON?

Unless your meat is burnt to a crisp or too undercooked for your liking, it’s pretty difficult to put together a ‘bad’ cheeseburger. But did you know that you can get the same, delicious taste you would get from biting into a delicious cheeseburger from soup?

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CPT: Cookies So Good, It’s Hard to Stop Eating Them

When it comes to most desserts, it’s hard to go wrong. It’s even better when a delicious dessert recipe is easy to make, only needs a handful of ingredients, and can be made in a short period of time.

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CPT: Eat Your Heart Out This Valentine’s Day with This Recipe!

Today is Valentine’s Day - the day where you show the people you care about why they’re such an important part of your life.

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CPT: The Recipe You Didn’t Know You Needed

The wonderful thing about food is that there are so many different combinations that can be put together to make millions of delicious snacks, sides, and meals. The number of combinations only increase when you consider the many different ways you can cook things: inside of the oven, the stovetop, a slow cooker, and numerous other cooking methods.

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CPT: Good Things - Not Just Bad - Come in Threes

There’s a common superstition out there that bad things (e.g., bad luck, misfortune, or even death) come in threes. We’re here to tell you that there are plenty of good things that come in threes...at least when it comes to food.

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CPT: Cold Weather Comfort Food

When the Winter season passes a certain threshold, it can seem like the sun will never shine again. It’s perpetually cold outside; you have to bundle up in a lot of layers just to feel some sense of warmth. If you work and live in a place that gets a lot of snow like we do, you have to spend time every day brushing off your car and scraping the ice off of your windshield.

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CPT: The Perfect Combo

Today for lunch, we decided that we wanted to put a little spin on an office favorite - Crack Chicken. But, how could we make this already amazing recipe even tastier?

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CPT: Happy World Pasta Day! Celebrate with This Recipe

It's World Pasta Day today, so we couldn't NOT eat pasta for today's Crock-Pot Thursday lunch. We settled on a little twist on traditional Italian pasta dish - spaghetti, and baked it in the oven with a combination of ingredients that you might not expect to work so well together. This may be your new favorite!

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CPT: Holding Back Tears...

Don’t worry - we’re not sad! Actually, quite the opposite.

When Directive team members entered the kitchen today while today’s Crock-Pot Thursday meal was cooking, it was hard to not let a few tears fall. To make enough of the French Onion Chicken recipe for everyone in the office, we had to slice and cook NINE POUNDS of onions. As you can imagine, entering that room was a bit overwhelming.

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CPT: It’s Taco Time Today!

Did you know that today, October 4th, is National Taco Day? We didn’t either when the day first started. But, the taco-gods smiled down upon us at Directive and made sure that tacos were on the menu for today’s Crock-pot Thursday and we sure appreciated their generosity!

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CPT: You Can Never Go Wrong With Pizza, Especially From Pizza 23 West [VIDEO]

Pizza is one of those foods that is good hot, cold, from the freezer, or freshly made. But, when you taste real pizza that’s made by someone truly passionate about the art of pizza making, you’ll never want to go back to that $5 frozen store-bought pizza ever again.

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CPT: Getting in the Mood for the Fall Season

The days starting to get shorter, the leaves falling and changing color, apple picking. These are all things that are usually associated with Fall (or, Autumn - if you prefer). And, what better way to get in the spirit than with a pumpkin-themed dessert?

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CPT: Phish and Chips [Video]

Since the kids are all going back to school this week, we decided to have a lesson of our own, a phishing lesson.

Phish·ing noun

1. the fraudulent practice of sending emails purporting to be from reputable companies in order to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers.

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CPT: Eating Healthy Doesn't Have To Be A Chore

Looking for a way to incorporate a bit more fruit into your daily life, but struggle to maintain a balanced diet? Then this recipe is for you! These Hawaiian Pineapple Coconut Lush bars incorporate coconut and pineapple (TWO fruits!) so you can eat it and tell yourself that you’re eating healthier. You can even top them off with cherries and incorporate a THIRD fruit in!

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CPT: Ever Heard of ‘Bow Tie Etiquette’? [Video]

There was a bit of a miscommunication today in regards to our Crock-Pot Thursday meal. While the rest of the Directive team was sitting at their desks dying to try the Barbequed Beef and Bow Tie meal they could smell cooking in the kitchen, Sean was putting on his formal attire in preparation for what he thought was a “Bow Tie Event.”

After getting over the initial embarrassment, Sean was able to laugh at the situation. At the end of the day, he is just thankful he managed not to get any of today’s lunch on his nice clothes!

You can get the recipe - and, witness this embarrassing moment - below:

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CPT: Break Time Is Over! [Video]

If you work at a desk all day, you have DEFINITELY thought about running away to the nearest beach and seeing how long it would take for those around you to notice. At Directive we had a member do just that… sort of. Apparently, you don't have to go too far away from the office on Crock-Pot Thursday, especially when the menu features Crack Chicken Sandwiches.

Watch the video below to see how our writer (almost) got away with a vacation, and get the recipe that lured him back!

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CPT: “I'd Do Anything for Love”

For the love of Meatloaf that is! However, when the team requested Grilled Meatloaf for Crock-Pot Thursday, I had my doubts. Nonetheless we prevailed, cranked the 80’s tracks, and went to work on Meatloaf (on the grill). This recipe took the words right out of my mouth, as the entire Directive team never felt so good, never felt so right.

This recipe is worth giving a try, as it truly was paradise by the pilot light.

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CPT: When Faced With a Choice, We Have Twix Up Our Sleeve! [Video]

With all of the debate going on as to whether the left or right TWIX is superior in the media today, we decided to settle this for ourselves. The conclusion is that the Twix Cookie dessert recipe we had today is in fact the top Twix! Don’t get us wrong, the real-deal candybar is great... BUT when you don’t have to choose a side, start a debate, lose friends AND you get the entire gooey cookie to yourself; is there really a comparison?

Find out for yourself with the recipe below and let us know what part of the cookie was your favorite!

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CPT: Freaky Happenings On Friday The 13th [Video]

Our Friday the 13th took some strange turns when two team members learned the hard way about the repercussions of sneaking dessert early at JoomConnect. You could say they had an “out of body experience” while enjoying the double-berry white chocolate crumble bars.

Get this tempting recipe and take a look at our “Freaky Friday” Crock Pot video below.

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Don’t You...Forget About The Crockpot Club [Video]

"You see us as you want to see us—in the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain...and an athlete...and a basket case...a princess...and a criminal. Does that answer your question?"

Probably not.

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CPT: Add A Little Spice To Your Life

A little spice never hurt anyone, right? That’s what we believe. Despite its inclusion of chili powder, this chicken-based recipe wasn’t too hot to handle for any of our spice-phobic team members. Yes, we know, a lot of recipes are chicken-based, however, that doesn’t make them any less delicious! Serve it with some salad and buttery salt potatoes (like we did) for the complete package.

This particular recipe is not only easy to make (It shouldn’t take you more than 30 minutes!), but it’s packed with flavor while still being good for you. MAYBE it’s a little less healthy if you drown it in barbeque sauce like some of the Directive team did, but we won’t judge.

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CPT: Celebrating Our Troops with an Outdoor BBQ [VIDEO]

This week’s meal was a bit different from our usual Crock-pot Thursdays. To celebrate the upcoming holiday (thank you to our troops!), the team gathered to enjoy a feast of American staples like cheeseburgers, hot dogs, baked beans, macaroni salad, and more, with strawberry shortcakes for dessert. Thankfully, we lucked out and were able to sit outside while enjoying the beautiful weather. The plethora of food quickly dwindled as plates were piled high. But, we still managed to have leftovers the next day!

Watch the video below to see the delicious food and hear what the Directive team is doing to celebrate this holiday/long weekend.

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CPT: It’s pronounced "tuh" + "HEE" + "nee" Chicken! [VIDEO]

After the Directive team learned how to pronounce today’s crock-pot recipe, tahini marinated chicken thighs with cucumber/tomato salad, everyone went back for seconds! The first time of the year I was able to grill our meal on the deck was a success, and gave us a real taste of summer. What is more “summer” than grilled chicken?? The cucumber/tomato salad was also a hit and the fresh mint that was included had the entire office smelling fresh. Although some team-members had their doubts about today’s meal while seeing it prepped, no one had any complaints when it was served! What is your favorite summer recipe? Check out this recipe and our video and let us know what you think!

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CPT: Mom Always Said Eat Your Veggies [VIDEO]

Working in the information technology industry we get a lot of strange questions regarding the ins and outs of modern technology. The best questions often come from those closest to us….our moms. In honor of the upcoming Mother’s Day, today’s Crock-Pot Thursday video reveals the all too true technical questions we have had to answer from those that raised us. Enjoy the video and try to remember, that although mom’s questions about “the google” are hilarious, she once taught you how to use a fork!

The recipe today is also below, Baked Orange Chicken. This was a tasty meal that we are sure your mom would love to have cooked for her on Sunday!

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CPT: !WARNING! Do NOT Make This Recipe For Your Staff! [VIDEO]

Sometimes the office can have its distractions. On Tuesdays we usually have someone’s dog making their rounds, visiting and patrolling for crumbs. Crock-Pot Thursdays are torturous to have the flavors escaping from the kitchen all morning. Today, was a whole other level! No one could stay on task due to the aroma of sizzling, hot…... BACON. You may have learned about our company’s obsession with bacon from our previous videos, so it should come as no surprise the disarray that ensued within our building.

Watch the video to find out how we got the staff back under control and get the bacon brown sugar garlic chicken recipe for yourself.

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CPT: Food Too Pretty to Eat?

Yeah, we laughed at that thought too! Although, today’s crock-pot recipe, pulled chicken tacos with pineapple salsa, was stunning, no one on our team hesitated to clean their plate! The slow-cooking chicken had our team drooling all morning, and we were certainly not disappointed by how it turned out! The picturesque tacos were definitely a (easy to cook) hit with the Directive team and will surely be making an encore appearance. Check the recipe out for yourself and see if you find it too pretty!

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CPT: It’s A Dog-Eat-Dog World During Crock-Pot Thursdays! [VIDEO]

This Crock-Pot meal was unlike any other. We’ve had our share of attempted tricks at getting to the front of the food line, but the team has become fierce! This week, Pat decided to outsource his duty of defending the treats that lay within the kitchen boundaries to the “Big Dogs.” Watch the video below to see if Pat’s sly-dog plan was a success!

This recipe for Cheesy Taco Bake will have you begging for more! Try it for yourself… we double-dog-dare you!!

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CPT: Would You Tell Us About Your First Time? [VIDEO]

There is a first time for everything. And there is no other feeling that can top the very first time you tried something. It is a lasting impression that is hard to compare. So, when we ask you when was the first time you…

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Can We All Just Agree This Recipe Is a Keeper!?

Potluck, dish-to-pass or wherever, you have NEVER had Swedish Meatballs like we had. The pans were licked clean at today’s Crock-Pot Thursday. No left-overs to be had and conversation was destitute for the duration of lunch. Our team just couldn’t get enough of the meatballs and egg noodles smothered in a rich creamy gravy sa...you know what?...you need to try the recipe for yourself (trust us, you will NOT be sharing)!

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CPT: We Struck Gold With Our St. Paddy’s Crock-Pot Thursday!

On a day where everybody is Irish, of course we are going to have corned beef, cabbage and potatoes. However, this braised brisket recipe is sure to make you green with envy! Our dessert was mint chocolate chip cookies that were as green as the Emerald Isle! A feast this plentiful, was sure to have made St. Patrick proud. Sláinte, in other words "Cheers!”

Try your luck with the recipes below!

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Another Easy Chicken Meal, But We Are NOT Complaining!

Do you ever decide what to cook based on how many dishes you will dirty in the process?...Well here is your new favorite meal. It not only tastes great, but you only need to dirty one pan, or in Directive’s case, 4 pans! We could not get enough of today’s Crock-Pot Thursday meal, Pepper Jack Chicken and Stuffing.

To try it out yourself with the recipe below!

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CPT: Love is in the Air… or is it Chicken, Pasta and Bacon? [Video]

It is hard enough to put your deepest personal thoughts to paper, but it’s damn near impossible when there is chicken-pasta with spinach and bacon sizzling in the background. Sean found just how hard it was to write from the heart when his stomach was making googly eyes at the creamy tomato sauce. It is certain that our crew fell head over heels for today’s Crock-Pot Thursday meal.

Eat your heart out with the video and delicious date-night recipe below!

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CPT: Do Blondes Have More Fun?

The Directive team definitely had fun with today’s Crock-Pot Thursday dessert; Cinnamon Blondie Brownies. They added just the right amount of spice to take our minds off this week’s snowy forecast.

Check out the easy recipe below! 

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CPT: When Life Gives You Lemons…[VIDEO]

...you make Lemon Pepper Chicken of course! We all got to enjoy a delicious new chicken recipe today as well as soft lemon cookies for dessert to top-off our lemon-themed meal. When life gives Directive lemons, we have an amazing Crock-Pot Thursday. Find out in the video below how our team handles it!

What’s your favorite lemon recipe? Let us know in the comments below!

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CPT: The Importance of Security [VIDEO]

Maybe you hid a candy bar from your kids, or snuck an extra snack from the break room, we have all been there. We get it, food is important, so we do whatever necessary to protect it. Today, our team enjoyed Philly Cheese Steak Sloppy Joes.

Watch the video below to see how two Directive team members protected Crock-Pot Thursday.

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AS SEEN ON DIRECTIVE: Crock-Pot Lunches Are a CINCH with Pasta Bolognese! [VIDEO]

Lunchtime in the office can be boring, not to mention difficult! Don't you wish that you had the extra room in your schedule to make Pasta Bolognese - the type of interesting, delicious meal that your hardworking team deserves? From cooking the pasta to making the sauce - and beyond, there is no doubt that cooking this mouthwatering dish is easier said than done. Well... have we got the solution for you! 

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Would Your Taste Buds Say Yes to Today’s Crock-Pot Dish? [VIDEO]

Do you ever see some food and just by looking at it you think you won’t like it? Well today we tried a new dish that is a little out-there and had our team try it - BLINDFOLDED. What is it that the team tried? Lasagna Stuffed Meatloaf! This was paired with Veggies, Salad, Garlic Bread, and finished off with amazing Apple Sugar Streusel Bars. Are you ready to see their reactions and try the recipe for yourself? Check it out below!

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Beef Up Your Chili With This New Recipe!

There’s no better cure for chilly weather than...chili! Of course we couldn’t just warm up with a standard and original chili, you know we had to mix it up! So today we tried Three Meat Chili, and you better believe bacon is included. We know what you’re thinking... “Chili with bacon? I NEED this recipe NOW.” Well, you’re in luck! Check out the recipe below to try out this delicious chili for yourself!

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Fun With Fall Foods and a Little Bit of Philly

 Fall is always a great time for cooking, especially in Upstate, NY. Today was a perfect cool day to open up the oven and try a new fall dish. So, for today’s Crock-Pot Thursday we tried; Philly Cheese Steak Bake, Tangy Broccoli Salad, Lemon Butter Roasted Asparagus, and finished off with Lemon Bar Cupcakes. Yum is an understatement. Want to try this meal out for yourself? Check out the recipes below!

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Trick or Treat, Smell my Feet, Give me Something Good to Eat! [Video]

With Halloween just a few days away, we figured we’d give the team a real treat today; Chicken Pot Pie, Salad, Garlic Green Beans, and Pumpkin Poke Cake -- In honor of National Pumpkin Day today! This might be one of the best treats the team has ever had, but we also dug a little deeper to find out about the worst treats they’ve had. Find out in our video, and try this treat with the recipes below!

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The Perfect Summer to Fall Transition Meal: Honey Garlic Chicken Stir Fry

Fall is finally here, but we’ve still had some warm weather here and there! This meal is perfect for that transition from warm summer days to the cool and crisp days of autumn.

Today the team tried some new items; including: Honey Garlic Chicken Stir Fry, Paleo Fried Rice, Garlic Green Beans, and finished off with a delicious dessert: Pumpkin Bars!

Check out some of the recipes below to try them for yourself!

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What is a Kebab? [Video]

Summer isn’t over yet! Today’s Crock-Pot combined a summer favorite, shish kebabs, and a team favorite, fajitas, with: Fajita Shish Kebabs, and Cherry Turnovers for dessert! Watch as our team gives their own unique definition for shish kebabs in today’s video!

 

Try them for yourself with the recipes below!

 

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CPT Presents: National Chili-Dog Day! [Video]

 Happy National Chili-Dog Day! How lucky are we that such a great holiday fell directly on a Crock-Pot Thursday? Today you’ll watch the techniques of two of our team members in a.....drumroll please........hot dog eating contest! Who will win? Kathy Chupp or Jimmy Mustard? Watch the video to find out!

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Red, White and Blueberry Cobbler!

This week we took a little break from standing over the hot stove and enjoyed some cold wraps with side salads and chips (just incase we didn't get enough on the 4th of July). To cap-off our lunch, we all dove into a Brown Butter Blueberry Cobbler that is too good not to share! We hope everyone had a fantastic 4th of July. Be sure to check out the dessert recipe below for your next outing!

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Take a Walk In Our Shoes on Crock-Pot Thursday: Mexican Stuffed Shells [Video]

This Crock-Pot Thursday dish was an employee suggestion! Today we tried Mexican Stuffed Shells and Cheesy Jalapeno Corn Muffins. Have you ever wondered what it is like to be in our office on Crock-Pot Thursday? Today’s video will take you for a walk in our shoes as we celebrate CPT! See the video and recipes below.

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Pre-Summer Chicken Salad Crock-Pot

The official start of summer is less than a week away now, and we are still working to nail-down the best summer picnic dishes! For today’s Crock-Pot Thursday we tried our hand at Loaded Chicken Salad Wraps, Corn and Cucumber Picnic Salad, and Fresh Pasta Salad. See the recipes below to try them out for your summer celebrations!

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Okay.. We Might Have Fibbed a Little

 On behalf of everyone here at Directive, we wanted to acknowledge the video that was released a few weeks ago that claims we grow our Crock-Pot Thursday meals in what we said was our pizza orchard. These claims were not entirely accurate. See the video.

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It's National Pizza Party Day!

 

Where do we get all the delicious food we eat on Crock-Pot Thursdays? We'll let you in on our little secret -- we grow most of it! For instance, since today is National Pizza Party Day, we took a trip to our orchard for a postponed Crock-Pot Thursday on Friday lunch! Watch as our team plucked pizza, fresh off the vine.

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Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken, Pineapple, and Peppers

It might not seem it from a quick glance at the cooking directions but today's recipe for Sweet and Sour Chicken was one of the most labor-intensive Crock-Pot Thursday Lunches ever. The hard work paid off in the end, as the result was absolutely delicious. Check out today's video to see how these ingredients and a lot of hard work came together to make a truly unique lunch that the team enjoyed.

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Cinco de Mayo - but on the Cuatro

Cinco de Mayo is… Mexico’s Independence Day, right? No? Well, then, why is it celebrated? Simply put, to celebrate Mexican culture as you enjoy the good times with tu familia y tu amigos, and to throw a great party. This made it a perfect fit for our Crock-Pot Thursday meal, even though Thursday was technically Cuatro de Mayo… Check this week’s video to see how we celebrated, y disfrutar.

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Bring Your Child to Crock-Pot Thursday!

Call it luck, but today's Crock-Pot Thursday just so happened to be on National Bring Your Child to Work Day! Joining us for lunch and a full afternoon of activities, our special guests got to have a bit of fun while learning about what it's like to work in our office. Coloring, making videos, and playing with puppies were on the agenda. Everyone had a great time! See for yourself - check out the official video footage. Oh, and... here's the recipe for this week's dessert. No Bake Banana Split is something everyone should try, regardless of their age.

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Today's Weather: Subby with a Chance of Macaroni Salad

Pretty much everyone knows what it is like to have to work while hungry. However, when your job is to accurately report a weather forecast, there is a big difference between a cold cut front and a tomato warning. Check out today's Crock-Pot Lunch which had 100% chance of Milford Corner Store subs.

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Crock-Pot Thursday Turns into a "Peep" Show!

Today's Crock-Pot Thursday lunch was really more of a 'Peep' show - with these adorable Easter Garden Cakes! (Okay, there was a delicious slow cooked ham with a maple brown sugar glaze, with honey glazed carrots and sautéed asparagus and peas, too. They aren't as cute, though.)

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Crock-Pot Thursday Videos are Back with Strawberry Shortcake Lasagna

After a few week hiatus, Crock-Pot Thursday Lunch videos are back with a dessert worthy of a place among our all time favorite Crock-Pot Thursday dishes. We recommend that you try Strawberry Shortcake Lasagna as soon as you get the chance! Even though they didn't make it on to the big screen, the two recipes we used for the main entree *Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole* and veggie *Scrumptious Roasted Veggies* were both absolutely delicious.

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Puppy Love and Meatball Sub Casserole

Today is National Puppy Day. To celebrate, our team not only had the opportunity to bring their pups to work. They even had their own extra special Crock-Pot Thursday lunch. You'll never guess who got to eat lunch first. 

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A School Lunch Classic with a Grown Up Twist!

Crock-Pot Thursday Lunch: Tomato Basil Bisque, Grilled Cheese Bacon Sandwiches on White Bread. Side Salad w/ Choice of Dressing and Apple Peanut Butter Cookies

Is anyone else having flashback to their school lunch period? Close your eyes and you can just imagine walking with your lunch tray, hoping to find a seat at the cool kids table. Today's CrockPot Thursday lunch is a shout-out to old school lunches - except delicious. 

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Pulled Pork or Chicken Sandwiches with Corn Pudding, Baked Beans and Pineapple Upsidedown Cupcakes

Even though the calendar says that it's March, the weather outside is pretty much the opposite of spring. Luckily, we had slow-cooked pulled pork or chicken sandwiches to warm us up! Paired with Corn Pudding (similar to corn bread, and just as delicious), baked beans, coleslaw, and last but not least, pineapple upside-down cupcakes. 

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Bruschetta Stuffed Balsamic Chicken

Today’s Crock-Pot Thursday menu tasted even better than it sounds! We tried our hand at a brief spelling bee, but it turns out that bruschetta chicken is easier to eat than it is to spell. It is perfect for when you LOVE bruschetta but are doing that whole “no carb” thing. Substitute chicken, and hey, it is even better.

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National Pizza Day Has Never Been So Educational!

Sometimes, when you wake up to much more snow than there was before you went to bed, it’s hard to bring yourself to cook. Fortunately, there are restaurants that brave the weather in order to provide their customers with the spoils of their labor, and besides, it is National Pizza Day.

That was why we decided to go with the reliable deep-dish pizza, courtesy of Little Caesar’s.

However, as it turns out, the fact that we could enjoy the cheesy, saucy goodness was a bit more complicated than we had first thought... How could this be? Dough, sauce, and cheese--that’s all there is to pizza, right? Well, not quite. Pizza has much more history behind it than you would think, history that one of our staff members got a little too into teaching us about.

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The First Annual Crock-Pot Bowl

After a grueling regular season, it's time for JoomConnect and Directive to face-off in the first annual Crock-Pot Bowl. Emotions are running high here at Pony Farm Stadium and you can feel the fans' energy as they anxiously await kickoff. It's the moment that both teams have been training for. The championship title is up for grabs and it's anyone's game. Click here to find out who prevails in this battle of the titans.

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Tacos and Limes and Raspberries, Oh My!

Today's Crock-Pot Thursday menu combined a main entree of beef tacos, an old favorite, with a first time recipe for dessert, Mini Lime Cheesecakes with Raspberry Sauce. Well, the cheesecakes became an instant classic. In fact, check out the video to learn how to make these tiny cups of sugary goodness.

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When Life Gives You Lemons, Eat Them for Crock-Pot Thursday!

Why do lemons have such a bad, or should we say sour, reputation? Sure, they might seem a bit tart when you first experience them, but if you treat them right while you prepare them, they'll treat you right, right back. We were able to experience this first-hand for Crock-Pot Thursday this week, as lemony goodness played a starring role in our meal--despite our not having filmed this week.

 

 

 

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Go Behind the Scenes of a Crock-Pot Thursday Video

Today's Crock-Pot Thursday video gives you an inside look at our media department and processes we use when creating our videos. You'll get a quick first-hand look at our equipment, scenes, and setting up the shots! Check out the video below for a unique look behind the scenes!

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Feliz Navidad! A Holiday Lunch with Chicken Tacos

Even though we didn't make a Crock-Pot Thursday video featuring today's lunch, we felt that this recipe was just too delicious not to share!

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Happy Holidays from Directive!

We’ve been hard at work putting together a holiday treat for you. This time of year has long been known as a time of happiness, joy, and togetherness, but it can also be a little... competitive. Who will give the most thoughtful presents? Which house has the best decorations? Who makes the nicest gingerbread house?
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A Good Ol' Fashioned Game of Pictionary...

A picture might paint 1,000 words but it doesn't feed nearly as many mouths... Rather than just telling the team what is for Crock-Pot Thursday lunch, we like to make them work for it a bit. Today, we thought that a good ol' fashioned game of Pictionary would be the best way to figure out what is on the menu. So, what was it? We'll let you DRAW your own conclusions...

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The Most Important Meal of the Day!

Did your Mom ever tell you that breakfast was the most important meal of the day? Well, our team definitely remembers that lesson! This week's Crock-Pot Thursday Lunch was a breakfast feast including bacon, eggs, toast and sausage gravy and biscuits made by Chris Chase! If "All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast." then our team's excitement was completely justified. Check out the video to see the joys of breakfast-for-lunch.

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Can a Burger Be Blueprinted?

Have you ever thought about what makes the perfect burger? We like to think that we are, at least to some extent, the architects of our own ideal burger. We are builders. We were born to create... to construct. And one place that we all get to show off our unbridled creativity, is at the burger bar. So, many ideas. So, many choices. And the truth is... no two burgers are alike. We ask you, "Can a burger be blueprinted?"

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The Crock-Pot Thursday Mannequin Challenge

We had another round of subs from Jake's Deli this week for Crock-Pot Thursday. For this week's video, we thought we'd take on the Mannequin Challenge. These viral videos are all over the internet and feature people frozen in mid-motion - like Mannequins. Our video was a lot of fun to make - and DEFINITELY a challenge! Not moving is hard when there is a Jake's sub in front of you... Check out what it's like mid-lunch on a Crock-Pot Thursday!

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Which is Better... Tacos or Pizza? Or Is There a 3rd Option?

The Yankees or The Red Socks? The East Side or the West Side? Let's face it, the world is full of tough choices. And instead of the festive mood that normally surrounds Crock-Pot Thursday, our team found themselves faced with a marked dilemma: What is better: Pizza or Tacos? After much debate, our brilliant leader, Charlotte Chase proposed a solution that silenced the debate, once and for all... Find out what it was below! .

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Meat Loaf with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans/Brussel Sprouts and Apple Pie Bake

It's official. We've had our first accumulated snowfall. Things are getting cold outside. Luckily, inside... they're heating up! Crock-Pot Thursday videos are back this week featuring a flavorful Meatloaf with Garlic Mashed Potatoes (that seemed to melt faster than the snow...) Then, Charlotte made a truly extraordinary creation: the Apple Pie Bake.

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If I Had a Million-Dollar Manicotti

For this week’s CrockPot Thursday lunch, we made a delectable baked Italian classic, Million Dollar Manicotti. The name of it got us thinking… “What would I do if I had a million dollars?” It’s something practically everyone dreams about. So, we decided to ask the team what they would do if they had a seven figure paycheck. Find out what they came up with.

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Take the Cannolis...

We knew that not every Crock-Pot Thursday recipe we tried would be a hit... Well, today's main entree recipe was a bit lackluster. However, the little cups of delicious that we had for dessert more than made up for it. What was this wonderful dessert?

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Chicken Taquitos

It's no secret that we are big fans of Crock-Pot Thursday dishes that have a Mexican flare to them. Today's lunch went above and beyond! Our main dish was baked chicken taquitos served with Tex-Mex coleslaw and Mexican-style guacamole. For dessert, chocolate chip cookies covered with chocolate and shredded coconut.

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Spiedies: Central New York's Amazing Contribution to Cuisine

Buffalo has their wings. Philadelphia has their cheese steaks. Boston has their cream pies. Regional food dishes are commonplace and normally quite tasty. Believe it or not, Upstate New York is the origin to several different culinary wonders. Arguably the most beloved and delicious of these dishes are 'spiedies'.

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Hawaiian Slider Sandwiches & Garlic and Parmesan Fries

Hawaiian Slider Sandwiches made with ham or turkey and swiss cheese on a slider roll goes with homemade coleslaw, sliced pineapples, and crispy Garlic Parmesan French fries. And for a little something sweet - chocolate chunk cookies. 

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BBQ Chicken Sliders

This delicious spin on BBQ Chicken Sliders went perfectly with homemade coleslaw, sliced pineapples, and crispy French fries. Not to mention, cookies for dessert. 

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The Great Crock-Pot Thursday Mystery

As soon as the smell of this week’s Crock-Pot Thursday lunch found its way out of the kitchen and into the office, our team began to speculate what was on the menu for today. Was it an Italian feast? Was it chicken? Was it tacos? Was it chili? Or perhaps a delicious combination of these? There was heated debate, growing in intensity as lunch time neared. Then it happened, the call they’d been waiting for... “Lunch is Ready”.  Find out what culinary wonder awaited them here:

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Pizza, Garlic Knots and Oneonta's Contribution to American Cuisine

To most people, Oneonta, NY is just a small blip on their GPS that they pass by on the way to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. That is, if they have ever heard of Oneonta at all. That’s why for this week’s Crock-Pot Thursday video, we are looking to give our little hamlet the recognition it deserves. Oneonta’s claim to fame is the invention of COLD CHEESE PIZZA. (Oh, and our employees talk about their favorite pizza toppings!) Check out our video:

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4th of July Picnic

This week, we took Crock-Pot Thursday to the Great Outdoors. A delicious barbeque and picnic with the team that included hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, salads, and ice cold beverages! Oh, did we mention the amazing red, white and blue cupcakes? Watch as our company enjoys a wonderful 4th of July celebration and talks about their plans for the long holiday weekend. 

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Rigatoni with Ricotta (Modified)

For this week's Crock-Pot Thursday, we added a "twist" to a Rachael Ray recipie for vegetarian rigatoni with ricotta by including sausage. Along with this dish, we had a tossed salad and Texas toast.

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Chili Lime Chicken Tacos

For this week's Crock-Pot Thursday lunch, we fired up our grill for the first time this year! We had BBQed Lime Chicken in a soft taco shell with Grilled Pineapple Salsa, Mexican Street Corn Salad and Jalapeño Popper Cheese Muffins! 

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Smoky Tex-Mex Sloppy Josés

After taking a week off, we're back with a new Crock-Pot Thursday video. For today's Crock-Pot Thursday lunch, we're trying a few recipes for the first time. We're going to try Smoky Tex-Mex Sloppy Josés with Tomato Corn and Avocado Salad, Creamy Coleslaw, Red Pepper Relish and Grilled Pineapple.

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Iron Chef Buffet

b2ap3_thumbnail_ChineseFoodBuffet.pngFor today's Crock-Pot Thursday lunch, we took the team out for Chinese food at the Iron Chef Buffet. We've been having company lunch and staff meetings there for years! It's crazy how the company has grown. We've gone from just needing a few tables pushed together to filling an entire half of the restaurant. 

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Cinco de Mayo Crock-Pot Thursday Celebration!

b2ap3_thumbnail_SquareBurritoBowl400.pngThis week's Crock-Pot Thursday lunch is a celebration of Cinco de Mayo featuring Burrito Bowls, Salsa Fresca, and Mexican Brownies! 

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Chris' Chili and Charlotte's BLTs.

b2ap3_thumbnail_BLTsandChili400.pngTwo of the team's all-time favorites made up this week's Crock-Pot Thursday lunch: Chris' Chili and Charlotte's BLTs.

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Chicken Parmesan Subs

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The team really enjoyed this sub sandwich version of the Italian favorite dinner Chicken Parmesan. Don't take our word for it, check out the video!

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