Slow Cooker Honey Soy Chicken

Slow Cooker Honey Soy Chicken

Serves 4-6

Easy-peasy and tasty too. I served over a brown rice and quinoa blend from Costco, but plain white or brown rice would work well too!
Source: Just a Taste

3 large bone-in, skinless chicken breasts (2 1/2 to 3 pounds total)

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup blackberry jam

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

2 Tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup diced onion

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

Sliced scallions, for garnish

Sesame seeds, for garnish

1. Arrange the chicken breasts in the slow cooker so that they are not overlapping.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, blackberry jam, hoisin, olive oil, garlic, onion and crushed red pepper flakes, and then pour the sauce over the chicken. Cover the slow cooker and cook the chicken on LOW for 4 to 5 hours until the chicken is fully cooked.
3. Using tongs, remove the chicken from the slow cooker (reserving the liquids) and place it on a cutting board. Remove the bones then use two forks to shred the chicken into smaller pieces. Place the shredded chicken in a large bowl.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of cold water to make a slurry.
5. Transfer the liquids from the slow cooker into a small saucepan set over medium-high heat and whisk in the slurry. Bring the sauce to a boil and cook it until it reduces and has thickened slightly, about 3 minutes. Pour the sauce over the chicken, tossing to combine. Serve the chicken topped with sliced scallions and sesame seeds.

Amazing Crock Pot Pork Carnitas

Amazing Crock Pot Pork Carnitas

Serves 10.

These were so so good! Baking in the oven as the last step is key! Don't omit that!
Slightly adapted from: Weary Chef

3-4 lbs. pork shoulder roast
1/2 cup taco sauce
1/2 cup beef broth
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 sweet onion, sliced
1 T. chili powder (optional)
2 t. dried oregano
2 t. cumin
2 t. kosher salt
1/2 t. cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 cup water
1/2 cup milk (do not add to crock pot)
Small tortillas

Cut roast into 3-4 large pieces. Pierce meat all over with a knife.

Stir together taco sauce, garlic, onion, chili powder, oregano, cumin, salt, cayenne, and water. Add pork pieces, and spoon liquid over the meat to coat all sides.   

Cover crockpot and cook on high 6-8 hours or low 8-10 hours, until meat shreds easily.   

When meat is done, preheat oven to 275 degrees. Take pork out of the slow cooker and shred on a large-rimmed baking sheet lined with foil or a baking mat to make cleanup easier. Discard any large pieces of fat. (Leave most of the onion behind, but it’s OK if some is incorporated with the meat.)   

 

Pour ½ cup of cooking liquid and ½ cup of milk over shredded pork. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes until brown and crispy. Remove meat for serving with tongs to leave excess fat behind.   

 

Serve with tortillas, finely shredded cabbage, guacamole or avocado, and green salsa.

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup #1

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup #1

Serves 6-8.

A wonderfully tasty soup made easier with the crock pot!
Adapted from: This Gal Cooks

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 cups of chicken broth
1 cup of Wild Rice Blend
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup diced celery
1 t. dried oregano
1 t. dried rosemary
1 t. dried thyme
1 packet Ranch dressing mix
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup water

For the cream base:
2 T. butter
2 T. cornstarch
1 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream

Place everything but the cream base ingredients into the crockpot.  Cook on low for 7-8 hours.
Shred chicken.

In a saucepan, melt the butter and then whisk in the cornstarch.  Add the milk and heavy cream and bring to a simmer, whisking occasionally.

Add the milk mixture to the soup and mix well.  Serve.

Easy Crockpot Applesauce

Easy Crockpot Applesauce

An easy, delicious applesauce. 
Slightly adapted from: One Organic Mama

15 apples of your choice
2 cups water (approximately)
3 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. ground nutmeg
1/4 t. ground cloves
***I added 1/4 cup brown sugar to sweeten it up a bit

Cut and core apples.  I cut them in half, in half again, and then cored them.  Go ahead and leave the skins on, because it is waaayyy easier, they add nutrition, and you won't be able to taste them in the end.

Cover the bottom of your crock pot with about 1/2-1" of water, add apples and spices (and sugar if using), and mix up.  Cook on high for about 4 hours.

Once your apples are soft, use your immersion blender to puree.  Let cool and serve, store, or can.

Slow Cooker Chicken Phillies

Slow Cooker Chicken Phillies

Serves 4-6.

This is such a simple recipe, but for whatever reason, I loved it!  Having good buns, toasting them with a melty white cheese, and slathering them with mayonnaise is key.  YUM!
Slightly adapted from: Food, Family, & Finds

2 T. butter
1 large onion, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced (I forgot to slice and it still worked out fine)
2 T. Dale's steak seasoning (or any steak seasoning)
sliced mozzarella cheese
hoagie rolls

Spray a 3-4 quart slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray and turn to LOW heat.
Add butter, onion, and green pepper.
Toss chicken with steak seasoning, salt, and pepper, then add to slow cooker.
Cover and cook for 4-5 hours.
Shred chicken.
To serve, toast hoagie buns with mozzarella cheese in oven.  Slather with mayo.  Top with chicken mixture.

Eat and enjoy.

Spicy Chicken Soup with Wild Rice

Spicy Chicken Soup with Wild Rice

Serves 4-6.

The original name of this recipe is Chicken and Wild Rice soup, but the soup it made was a far cry from what I was envisioning.  The amount of rice was far too small to be considered a main part of the title.  I need to keep seeking for the soup I'm looking for, but this was still a good soup for a cool day.  And since it's a crock pot recipe, it simmers all day while I'm out and about doing other things.  It packs some heat, so hopefully you like spicy soups!
Adapted from: The Other Side of Fifty

1 TBSP olive oil
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 onion, diced
1-3 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced 
kosher salt and pepper
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 1/2 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken
1 (8 oz) can green enchilada sauce
1 (4 oz) can of diced green chiles
1/3 cup wild rice 
4 cups chicken stock 
1 TBSP cornstarch
2 TBSP milk or water

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add the bell pepper, onion, jalapeno peppers and season with salt and pepper. Saute for 6-7 minutes then add the garlic, cumin and oregano. Saute for another minute or two.

Pour skillet contents into crockpot and add the remaining ingredients, except for the cornstarch and milk/water. Cook on low for 5-7 hours. Shred chicken with two forks. Mix cornstarch into cold milk/water and add to crockpot. Return setting to high and cook for another 30 minutes or until thick and bubbly.

Brown Sugar and Balsamic Glaze Pork Tenderloin

Brown Sugar and Balsamic Glaze Pork Tenderloin

Serves 6.

Follow the link below for more appetizing photos of this dish, because it is fab.  My photo doesn't do it justice (wait, have I said that before?) because I am bad about staging dishes.  When dinner's ready, dinner's ready, and there are hungry mouths to feed!  So I snap one like this.  B-a-d, I know.  But trust me when I say that this recipe is worth your time... and it won't require much of it!  It's tender and juicy and the glaze is just delicious.  Leftovers make great sandwiches, so make the entire recipe!
Slightly adapted from: C&C Marriage Factory

Pork

3 lbs. boneless pork tenderloin (mine was divided into two 1-1/2 lb. tenderloins)

1 teaspoon ground sage

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/2 cup water

Glaze

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons soy sauce

Combine sage, salt, pepper and garlic. Rub over roast. Place in slow cooker with 1/2 cup water. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. 

About 1 hour before roast is done, combine ingredients for glaze in small sauce pan. Heat and stir until mixture thickens. Brush roast with glaze 2 or 3 times during the last hour or two of cooking. 

Serve with remaining glaze on the side.

Crock Pot Chicken Pot Pie

Crock Pot Chicken Pot Pie

Serves 4.

My sauce wasn't as thick as I expected it to be.  Not sure if I did something wrong or if it was supposed to be like that, but this recipe did not offer the thick, creamy sauce of traditional pot pie.  But it's a convenient new option of making chicken pot pie in the crock pot.
Source: Real Simple

8 ounces cremini mushrooms, stems trimmed and halved if large

4 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 medium onion, chopped

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 8)

kosher salt and black pepper
1 package refrigerated biscuits

1 cup frozen peas

1 cup frozen green beans

1/3 cup heavy cream

In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, mix together the mushrooms, carrots, onion, flour, thyme, bay leaf, and ½ cup water. Place the chicken on top; season with 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

Cover and cook until the chicken and vegetables are tender, on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours (this will shorten total recipe time).

Before serving, bake biscuits according to package directions.

Ten minutes before serving, add the peas, green beans, cream, and ½ teaspoon salt to the chicken mixture and stir to combine. Cover and cook on high or low until heated through, 5 to 10 minutes more. To serve, place the chicken mixture in bowls and top with the biscuits.

Chicken Enchilada Soup

Chicken Enchilada Soup

Serves 8-10.

It's soup season, my friends.  I made this on the stovetop and then transferred to the crock pot for continued simmering and for easy serving with guests.  It was great!
Source: Homemade by Holman blog

3 cups chicken stock
2 skinless, chicken breasts (I used 1.3 lbs total between the two)
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ancho chili powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
4-6 jalapeno peppers, minced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups frozen corn
1/2 cup tomato paste
8 oz cotija cheese, crumbled
8 oz pepperjack cheese, divided
1 cup cilantro, chopped
Tortilla chips

In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, add chicken stock and heat over medium heat. Add chicken breasts, cumin, chili powder, and cayenne pepper. Simmer about 20-25 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken, shred into bite-size pieces and set aside.

*** (see below for crock pot instructions) Add tomatoes, jalapenos, bell pepper, onion, and garlic to the pot. Simmer about 30 minutes, covered until tomatoes have begun to break down. Add black beans, corn, and tomato paste and stir to incorporate. Add cotija cheese and half of the pepperjack cheese and stir to melt. Return chicken to soup and cook about 20 more minutes until desired consistency.

***To cook in a crockpot, add all ingredients (including the chicken stock you used to cook the chicken, but besides the cooked chicken itself and cheese) to the crock pot and cook on low; the longer the better, but at least 3 hours. Add chicken and cheese about 30 minutes before serving.

If soup isn't as thick as desired, you can add strips of flour tortillas. They will dissolve into the soup to thicken the broth. Add cilantro, reserving some to top individual bowls if desired. Ladle into serving bowls and top with crushed tortilla chips, reserved pepperjack cheese and cilantro if desired.

Sloppy Joes

Sloppy Joes

Makes about 8 sandwiches.

Sloppy Joes are easy and fast.  Kids like them; adults like them.  These specifically remind me of my friend, Stacey, who in high school would request these from my mom!

Source: my mom

1-1/2 lbs. ground beef

1 large bottle Open Pit barbeque sauce

1 onion, diced

Salt and pepper, to taste

In a large saucepan, brown ground beef and diced onions.  Cook until beef is cooked through and onions are tender, removing excess grease as you go.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add bottle of Open Pit BBQ sauce and stir to combine.  Allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes (or longer) on the stovetop so that the flavors can combine.  Serve on hamburger buns.

A Note From The Little Lady: You could easily prepare this and then place it in a crockpot for easy serving during a party.

Easy Slow Cooker French Dip

Easy Slow Cooker French Dip

Makes 6 sandwiches.

Everyone should make this... except those vegetarians out there, but I'm doubtful I have many of those readers. This is EASY, this TASTES GREAT, this TAKES 5 MINUTES TO PREPARE (although 7 hours to cook), and this is something YOUR FAMILY WILL LOVE. Do it, do it now.

Slightly adapted from: AllRecipes.com

4-lb. sirloin tip roast

1 (12-oz.) bottle of beer

1 (10.5-oz.) can beef broth

1 (10.5-oz.) can condensed French onion soup

garlic salt

6 French rolls

6 slices Provolone or Muenster cheese

butter

Trim excess fat from sirloin tip roast; place in slow cooker. Season roast with garlic salt, and then add the beer, beef broth, and French onion soup. Cook on low for 7 hours.

Shred meat using two forks (it will pull apart super easily) and let sit in sauce while you prepare rolls.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Split French rolls; spread with butter and top one side with a slice of cheese. With rolls open (buttered sides up, obviously), bake for 5-10 minutes, until cheese is melted and rolls are heated through. Top with meat and serve with sauce for dipping.

Slow-Cooker Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

Slow-Cooker Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

Makes about 5 sandwiches.

These didn't have a strong buffalo flavor, which isn't a bad thing, necessarily, but I think it's worth pointing out. I was expecting a stronger buffalo flavor, reminiscent of buffalo chicken dip, but this was much more subdued, and the crushed tomatoes in the recipe tamed it and gave it a new taste altogether. Don't shy away from the recipe if you're a buffalo fan, but know that you may need to increase the hot-pepper sauce and decrease the crushed tomatoes to reach your desired flavor.

Slightly adapted from: Everyday Food magazine

1 t. extra-virgin olive oil

1 small yellow onion, diced small

2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

1 small red bell pepper, seeded and diced small

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

coarse salt and ground pepper

1/2 can (7 oz.) crushed tomatoes

1/8 c. hot-pepper sauce, such as Frank's

2 T. Worcestershire sauce

1 T. yellow mustard

1 t. unsulfured molasses

5 hamburger buns

Sliced cheese, such as provolone, if desired

Place chicken breasts in slow cooker.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and bell pepper and cook, stirring constantly, until onion is translucent, 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to slow cooker.

To slow cooker, add crushed tomatoes, hot-pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and molasses; stir to combine. Cover and cook on high until chicken is very tender, 4 hours. (You could also cook on low for 7 hours.) Shred chicken and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve on buns with sliced cheese, if desired. Oh, and Ranch dressing is great on these sandwiches, as well!

Pork Loin Roast with Apricot Glaze

Pork Loin Roast with Apricot Glaze

Serves 2-3.

A cozy end-of-winter crock pot meal to take you into spring. Pour some of the extra sauce over the pork and rice before serving.

Adapted From: In the Kitchen with Lily

1 pork loin roast (mine was approximately 2.5 lbs.)

16 oz of Apricot Jam 15.75 oz.

1 can chicken broth

2-3 tablespoons of Dijon-style mustard

1 large onion, chopped

Place pork loin in crock pot. Combine preserves, broth, mustard, and onion; pour over meat.

Cook on low for 9-10 hours; high for 4-5.

Serve over rice.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches For A Crowd

Pulled Pork Sandwiches For A Crowd

Makes about 25 sandwiches.

Need to feed a lot of people? Want something easy that will go over well, stay warm and "at the ready" for a long period of time? Give these sandwiches a try!

6-lb. pork shoulder roast

2 (18-oz.) bottles BBQ sauce

1 can beef broth

Extra bottle of BBQ sauce for serving, if desired

Place pork shoulder roast in a slow cooker. Cover with beef broth and 2 bottles of BBQ sauce. Cook on low for 10 hours.

When cooked through, switch heat to "warm." Shred meat using two forks, and remove shoulder bone and any large pieces of fat.

Serve on sandwich buns and with additional BBQ sauce, if desired.

Crock Pot BBQ Sandwiches

Crock Pot BBQ Sandwiches

Makes about 8-10 sandwiches.

3 lb. beef (brisket, pot roast, rump roast, or tri tip sirloin roast), pork (butt or shoulder), or chicken (boneless, skinless breasts)

1 onion, chopped

1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce

Sandwich buns

Combine all ingredients in a crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

Slow Cooker Sirloin Tip Roast

Slow Cooker Sirloin Tip Roast

Serves 2.

Crock pots can be wonderful time saving tools. They can also be kind of tricky. Soups and stews I've mastered. Pulled BBQ meats I can do. It's the roasts that always throw me for a loop. I toss it in before I leave for work, but all through the day I'm wondering, "Will it work? Or should I start looking for pizza coupons?" THIS one, my friends, was a success. It smelled great when I walked through the door; the meat was tender and flavorful, and we also had a wonderful gravy without any additional work. Pair this with mashed potatoes and you've got an easy meal for a cold night.

Recipe adapted from Fix It and Forget It cookbook.

2-lb. sirloin tip roast

meat rub

all-purpose flour

1 envelope dry onion soup mix

1 envelope brown gravy mix

1 bottle of beer (preferably a full-flavored beer; I used Red Stripe)

1 clove garlic, minced

Coat roast with meat rub, and then follow with flour. Place in slow cooker

In a bowl, combine dry onion soup mix, brown gravy mix, beer, and garlic. Pour over roast.

Cover. Cook on low 7-9 hours.

A Note From The Little Lady: You might be thinking that a 2-lb. roast sounds like a heck of a lot for two people. Keep in mind that the roast cooks down in size over the time it's in the crock pot. Chances are you'll have a helping of leftovers, but I know we were surprised at how much we ate despite feeling like we didn't eat that much. If that makes sense...

Another note: The original recipe calls for ginger ale instead of beer. We didn't have any ginger ale, and I almost substitued Diet Coke, because I know cola roasts are prevalent. I've read, though, that you shouldn't use Diet (I'm not sure why?) so I figured beer would make a good substitute. Considering how much we liked this, I don't think I'll use anything but beer going forward.

Chili

Chili

Serves 14-16.

There are a millions of chili recipes out there. So many, in fact, that I couldn't pick just one. Instead, I pulled from multiple and made up my own basic recipe. Feel free to modify as you like, using the variations I suggest below, or by creating your own version.

3 lb. ground beef

2 onions, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced

salt and pepper, to taste

29 oz. can tomato sauce

(2) 28-oz. cans crushed tomatoes

15 oz. can chili beans

15 oz. can kidney beans

15 oz. can pinto beans

6 oz. can tomato paste

1 T. Worchestershire sauce

1 T. chili powder

2 t. cumin

1 t. dried oregano

1 t. crushed red pepper flakes

2 T. brown sugar

In a large skillet, or a large stock pot, brown ground beef and garlic over medium heat. Drain and crumble. Season with salt and pepper

(If using a crock pot, transfer beef and garlic to crock pot at this time.)

In a large pot over medium-high heat, combine ground beef, garlic, onion and green pepper. Add in remaining ingredients, and allow to simmer for at least 1-1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

In a crock pot, cook on low for 8 hours. The longer it simmers, the better it tastes, which is why using your crock pot is a good option.

Serve with shredded cheddar and sour cream.

Easy Variations: Substitute ground pork/turkey/chicken for half (or all) of the ground beef; stir in a tablespoon of hot sauce; use black beans in place of one of the types suggested above; add a can of diced green chiles; stir in a bottle of your favorite beer, etc.

A Note From The Little Lady: Chili freezes well, and is a great meal to have on hand over the winter months. Freeze in containers with sizes suitable to your needs.