Vegetarian Cowboy Beans-CrockPot

Vegetarian Cowboy Beans in the Slow Cooker
Estimated Cost: $5.00
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, very finely mined
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 stalks of celery, peeled and chopped
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies
1 small minced jalapeno
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 cups dried pinto beans
2 (14 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
5 cups water
Pour oil into the bottom of the slow cooker. Add all ingredients to the slow cooker; stir, and cook on high for four to six hours, or on low for 8 to 10 hours. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve beans with shredded cheese and corn bread if desired.

Crockpot Egg Casserole

Ingredients:
32 oz. bag frozen hash brown potatoes
1 lb. cooked ham, cubed
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1-1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
12 eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
Preparation:
Spray inside of slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. In small skillet, cook onion and green pepper in olive oil until crisp tender. Let cool about 10 minutes. Place one third of the frozen hash brown potatoes in the slow cooker. Add one third of the ham, onion, green pepper and cheese. Repeat layers, ending with the cheese.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs, milk and seasonings until well mixed. Pour over the ingredients in the slow cooker, cover and turn on low. Cook for 8-10 hours, until casserole is set and eggs are thoroughly cooked. Serves 12

Chili Verde-crockpot

Chili Verde
submitted by Erin

3 pounds pork roast, fat removed as much as possible (*If using a roast any larger than 3 lbs, I always double the remaining ingredients)
1 onion chopped
3 cloves garlic crushed
1 10oz can green enchilada sauce
1 4oz can diced green chilis
1 14oz can diced tomatoes with chilis
2 chicken bouillon cubes
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp oregano
¼ tsp pepper

This is how I made it. I'll include the original instructions too, so you can choose your method. In a large heavy pot, over medium heat, brown meat, then add onion and garlic and saute a few minutes. Place in crockpot. Stir in the rest of the ingredients, cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours. 1 hour before serving, remove roast and set aside. Strain out the onions and tomatoes as much as possible and put with the roast. Pour remaining liquid into a large saucepan. (I place the roast and strained solids back into the crockpot, TURNED OFF, with the lid on to keep warm.) Bring the liquids to a boil on the stove, and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring every now and then, until considerably reduced. The point is to concentrate all the liquids to make a thicker sauce. This is a very important step, because all the flavor is in this liquid, and you want to preserve all that flavor for the meat. Plus, I don't like meat too liquid-y or else it runs out the back of the burritos. (You could also opt to drain the tomatoes at the beginning to make this step go faster.) Mix the thickened sauce into the shredded meat and serve. Serve with warm tortillas, Monterey Jack cheese (monterey pepper jack is good too), cilantro, diced tomatoes, and lettuce. You can also served it with sour cream and chopped red onion.

Original instructions say: Cube roast. In a large heavy pot, over medium heat, brown meat, then add onion, garlic and ½ cup water with the bouillon cubes. Cover for 15-20 minutes then stir, getting all the brown bits off the side of the pan. Stir in the rest of the ingredients, cover and cook on low for 2-4 hours (or in oven at 300°).
Posted by Erin at 7:14 PM 6 comments
Labels: crockpot, Erin, Main dish, mexican

Crockpot Southwestern Chicken

Crockpot Southwestern Chicken
submitted by Erin

1 small bag frozen corn
1 can black beans
2 large frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 16-oz jar medium salsa, such as Pace medium picante sauce
shredded cheddar cheese
tortilla chips
sour cream
chopped cilantro
diced avocado

Pour bag of frozen corn in bottom of crockpot. Place frozen chicken breasts on top of corn and cover with rinsed and drained black beans and jar of medium salsa. Cook on high for 1 hour, and then on low for 4 hours. Shred chicken with forks. Serve with tortilla chips and add toppings to individual servings.
**It is very important that you use MEDIUM salsa in this. Mild simply isn't flavorful enough. Be sure to serve with tortilla chips, and not tortillas. The salty crunchy chips make this so good!
Posted by Erin at 11:10 AM 17 comments
Labels: beans, chicken, crockpot, Erin, Main dish, mexican

Crockpot Peppermint Hot Cocoa

The Ingredients:
serves 10-12 people.


For the basic peppermint hot chocolate:


--3 cups nonfat dried milk
--1 cup powdered sugar

--3/4 cup cocoa powder

--1/4 tsp salt

--1/2 cup chocolate syrup

--1 to 2 tsp peppermint extract (my kids thought 2tsp was too strong.)

--7 cups water

--marshmallows and candy canes for garnish


for a "mocha":

--pour the cooked hot chocolate over a shot of espresso or a half-cup of very strong coffee


for an "adult drink":

--omit the peppermint extract and pour the hot chocolate over a shot of Peppermint Schnapps



The Directions.


I used a 4 quart crockpot.


Combine the dry ingredients into your crockpot and stir with a spoon. Squeeze in a half-cup of chocolate sauce, and add the peppermint extract. Add the water, a cup at a time, and stir well. The chocolatey mixture will be bubbly and look powdery. It's okay---it will cook together.


Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours, or until completely hot. Serve with marshmallows and candy canes. If serving to guests, keep the pot on low with the lid off, and provide a ladle. If kept on warm, the hot chocolate will not stay warm enough.

Costa Vida Chicken

Costa Vida Chicken

1 small bottle Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 Tbsp cumin

3 cloves garlic, minced

5 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken breast (this recipe can be easily halved but make a full batch and freeze the leftovers for another meal! Good menu planning!)

Cook all together in a crock pot for 4 hours, shred meat and cook 1 additional hour.

Crookpot Sweet & Spicey Chicken

Sweet and Spicy Slow-Cooker Chicken
from Prudence Pennywise

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (14 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (I used 1/4 teaspoon)

Coat the inside of your crockpot with non-stick cooking spray. Place all ingredients in the crockpot. Cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 8-10 hours, or until chicken shreds very easily with a fork. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Chicken will absorb liquid after it is shredded.) Serve in tacos or however your little heart desires.
Posted by Melanie at 2:07 PM

Crockpot Stew

Trade Secrets: This makes a VERY hearty and thick stew. If you want it a bit "soupier" add another can of water or a cup of beef broth or stock. Also, I use red potatoes and leave the skin on.

Mom's Stew
1 can minestrone soup
1 can tomato soup
1 can water
1 to 1 1/2 pounds stew meat
1 onion, chopped
3-4 carrots, thickly sliced
3-4 potatoes, cut into chunks
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all in a crockpot. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high 4-5 hours. Serves 4-6.

Crockpot Stuffing

1 loaf of bread, lightly toasted in the oven (I used the pink bag of Food Life brown rice bread)
--1 large yellow onion, diced
--1 cup celery, diced
--1 cup tart apple, peeled and diced
--1/4 cup butter, melted
--1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
--1 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth (and maybe 1/4 cup later if needed)
--1 T ground sage
--1 tsp ground marjoram
--1/2 tsp savory
--1/2 tsp thyme
(if you have poultry seasoning in the house, use 1 tablespoon and omit these spices.)
--1 tsp salt
--1 tsp pepper

The Directions.

I used a 6 quart crockpot. I'd recommend a big guy, so you have room to toss. If you only have a 4 quart, toss everything well in a very large mixing bowl, then put into your crockpot.

Toast the bread slices in the oven at 300 degrees. I needed to keep the brown rice bread in for about 30 minutes before it was all toasty. Regular bread will toast much quicker, be aware.

While the bread is toasting, chop up the onion, parsley, celery, and apple. Add to crockpot. Add the seasoning, and add melted butter. Stir well.

When the bread is done, cut into 1/2 inch size-or-so cubes.

Add to the crockpot.

Toss very well with the butter, chopped vegetables, and spices. When the bread is coated nicely, pour in 1 1/2 cups of broth.

Cover and cook on high for 2 hours. Sweep up the bread crumbs.

When finished, the bread will have browned a bit on the top and around the edges, and it will be hot throughout. It can stay on warm for probably another 2 hours before serving, if needed. Stir. If you'd like it a bit more moist, you can add a 1/4 cup more (or as much as you desire) of broth.

If you'd like to start the day ahead---you can do the bread cubes, and seal in zipper bags, and chop the vegetables and keep separate. Combine as directed the day of your dinner.

How to cook beans in a crockpot

Cooking Dried Beans in the CrockPot


Day 292.

It's day 292. And I finally have cracked the cooking-with-dried vs. cooking-with-canned-beans code.

Why did it take me 292 days?

Sheer laziness. I have no other reason.

1 bag of dried black beans costs $1.89 at the fancy-pants grocery store, and it costs $0.89 at our local produce stand.

1 can of organic black beans at Trader Joe's costs $0.99.

1 dried bag of black beans (16 oz) = 3 cans (15 oz each).

Which means even if you buy over-priced dried black beans you will save some money making them at home yourself.

The Ingredients.

--bag of black beans (or other beans. but remember that kidney beans have that freaky toxin.)
--water
--crockpot (3 quarts and up)

The Directions.

Pour the entire bag of dried beans into a colander and rinse under cold water. If you see any beans that have broken in half, or skin that floats to the surface, get rid of it. Also pick out any beans that look shriveled and gross.

Dump all the beans into your crockpot. Add enough water to cover all the beans and an additional 2 inches.

Cover. Do not turn on. Let the beans soak for at least 6 hours, or overnight. If you live in a very warm area, and the crockpot won't be in a room that is climate-controlled, put the stoneware in the fridge. You don't want bacteria to have the opportunity to grow.

In the morning, dump the water, and rinse your beans. The water will be bean-colored.

Put the beans back into your crockpot and cover with enough fresh water to completely cover the beans with an extra 2-3 inches.

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

The beans are done when they are bite-tender. Don't worry if the water hasn't all absorbed. You're going to dump it, anyway.

Drain the beans.

When cool, put 1 2/3 cups of beans into storage containers or freezer bags (you're adding this amount because you aren't adding filler-liquid like the cans have). The beans will store nicely in the refrigerator for 1 week, or in the freezer for 6 months.

Use as you would canned beans in your favorite recipe.

Crockpot Pasta E Fagioli

--1 pound lean ground beef, browned and drained
--1/2 large red onion, chopped
--1 cup carrots, chopped
--2 celery stalks, sliced
--2 cans (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes (and juice)
--1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
--1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
--4 cups beef broth (check label for gluten!)
--1 jar (16.5 oz) pasta sauce
--2 tsp oregano
--1 T Tabasco sauce
--1/2 tsp salt
--1/4 tsp black pepper
--1/2 cup dry pasta, to add at end of cooking time (I used TJ's brown rice fusilli)

The Directions.

Use a 6 quart or larger crockpot, or cut the recipe in half. This makes a lot.

Brown the meat on the stovetop, and drain well. Let it cool a bit.

Chop up the carrots, onion, and celery. Add it to the empty crockpot.
Drain and rinse the beans, and add them. Add the whole cans of tomatoes, and the pasta sauce. Add the beef broth. Add the salt, pepper, oregano, and Tobasco sauce. Stir in your meat.

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 4. When the vegetables are tender, stir in the 1/2 cup of dry pasta.

Cover and cook for another hour on low, or until the pasta is tender. It will swell quite a bit.

Serve with a bit of parmesan cheese if you have it.

The Verdict.

Delicious. Amazing. This is a very filling soup, and a great warm-me-up on a chilly evening. The ingredients are everything you'd put in a traditional minestrone, but that bit of Tobasco sauce changes the flavor dramatically. Very yummy. One kid ate a bowl, and the other one fell asleep before dinner. I wasn't about to wake her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I was on the news last night in Oklahoma! At the very end when the newscaster says I have a book on this year coming out in March, she is mistaken. The book is Totally Together: An Organizational Journal for the Busy Household.

Crockpot Breakfast Casserole

Crockpot Breakfast Casserole
32 oz. frozen or freshly grated hashed browns (we baked our own potatoes first, then grated them)
1 cup of your favorite salsa
1 lb. turkey sausage (pre-cooked bacon would work too!)
2 C. shredded cheese
One dozen eggs
1 C. milk
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of pepper
1 teaspoon of dry mustard

Grate/place the hashed browns in the bottom of a lightly sprayed crockpot


Pour salsa on the potatoes


Crumble sausage or bacon on the hash browns; sprinkle cheese on top


Mix the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and dry mustard


Pour eggs over the entire mixture


Cover and cook on low for 10 hours - and ENJOY!

Pumpkin Chili

My newest pumpkin recipe:
Pumpkin Chili
1 onion, chopped
1 yellow pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
olive oil
Saute, but don’t over do it. No one likes soggy peppers!
3 c chicken broth
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 1/2 c cooked chicken or turkey, chopped
1 can (15 0z) pumpkin
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
2 T fresh parsley, chopped
2 t chili powder
1 1/2 t oregano
1 1/2 t cumin
1 t curry
Add all ingredients to crock pot, stirring to combine. Cook on low 4-5 hours.
**Whenever a recipe calls for chicken I sprinkle the chicken breasts with Back of the Yards Garlic Pepper (available at thespicehouse.com. It’s a Chicago store with the absolute best spices), brown in olive oil, then simmer with some chicken boullion and enough water to produce the needed amount of broth. If I don’t need the broth I freeze the cooking liquid for future chicken soup.

You can’t live without both the sweet and the savory!

Bajo Style Chicken

Awesome Bajio Style Chicken



5 chicken breasts
1/2 cup salsa
1 Tbsp cumin
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 4oz can diced green chilies
6oz Sprite (1/2 can)


Combine all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. Remove chicken and shred. Return to crock pot and cook 1 more hour. Serve with flour tortillas, lettuce, cheese, black beans, and whatever other taco fixin's your family likes.
Notes:
-This chicken is not real spicy, so you could add some extra green chilies if you like your food with a little more kick.
-It has a lot of juice, so serve it with a slotted spoon.
-Bajio serves the chicken with caramelized onions, I think I might try that next time. Maybe. I don't know if I can handle any more yumminess.

Black Bean Soup

Black Bean Soup

1-1/2 C. Onion, Chopped (or 1/3 C. dehydrated onion)
1 T. Olive Oil
1 C. Red bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves Garlic, minced
1 14.5 oz. can Diced Tomatoes, undrained
1 4 oz. can Diced Green Chiles
¾ C. Dehydrated Carrots
1-1/2 t. Ground cumin
3 C. Chicken Broth
6 C. Cooked Black Beans, drained (or 4 15 oz. cans)
¼ C. Red Wine Vinegar

Heat oil in large, deep saucepan. Sauté onion (if using fresh), bell pepper and garlic until tender. Add remaining ingredients (including dehydrated onions) and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve garnished with sour cream and tortilla chips or corn chips.

Frito Pie-Crockpot

Frito Pie

1/2 pound ground beef, browned and drained
2 (16 oz cans) pork and beans, pork removed
1 (4 oz can) chopped green chilies
1 (8 oz can) tomato sauce
4 to 6 drops Tabasco sauce (I leave this out)
1 bag (15 oz) Fritos Corn Chips

Combine all ingredients except chips in a greased 3 to 4 1/2 quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Scoop over a handful of Fritos. Makes 6 - 8 servings (I think it makes more like 5 servings)
Serve with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sour cream, and grated cheddar cheese.

Crockpot chicken

Recipe from Heather Wilson

Crockpot chicken:

4-6 chicken breast
1/2 bottle salsa
1 package taco seasoning

Cook 4-6 hours in crockpot and shred.

****Make chicken tacos, I like to make chicken nachos with this, burritos or salad. Whatever you are in the mood for!

Cafe Rio Pork

Recipe from Heather Wilson
Cafe Rio Pork:
12 oz. La Victoria Taco Sauce (red)
20 oz. Coke
5-6 lb porkloin
1 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. cumin

place in crockpot and cook

Jen's Pork:
Porkloin
1 bottle salsa
1 bottle small A1 steak sauce
1 can green chilis
juice of 2 limes

place in crockpot and cook 12 hours (or until done)




*****Ive tried both of these and they are both tasty! The first one is a little sweeter while the bottom one is a little spicier. Just depends on what you are in the mood for.

Beef Taco's-Crockpot

5 lb. roast (cross rib or sirloin tip)
2 medium yellow onions, Sliced
1 (4oz.) can chopped green chilies
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cumin
Juices from roast

Place roast in crock-pot the evening before your meal. Put onions on meat. Cover and set on medium and cook all night. (My crock-pot doesn’t have a medium - it’s old, a wedding gift, so I put it on low)

Remove roast the next morning. Put meat and juices in the fridge. The inside of my crock-pot is removable so I just put it in the refrigerator leaving the meat and juices inside.

Before dinner remove the fat and shred the meat and put back into the crock pot with juices and all other remaining ingredients, stirring occasionally over low heat

Would be great in burritos and enchiladas too!