Crockpot Sloppy Joes

3lbs hamburger
1 medium onion, chopped
1 c sliced celery
1 c chopped green pepper
1 ½ c ketchup
2 T Worcestershire sauce
1 6oz can tomato paste
¾ c water
2 T apple cider vinegar (or3T if you like a bit more tang)
3 T brown sugar
1 t dry mustard
salt and pepper to taste

In a large frying pan cook hamburger and vegetables.  Put this in crockpot and add remaining ingredients.  Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Serve over sandwich rolls.

VEGETABLE BEEF SOUP

2 pounds stew beef
1 medium to large sized onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
3 large carrots, peeled and sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 potatoes, washed and diced
1 quart green beans, drained
1 cup red wine, optional
1 large can (49.5 oz) beef broth
salt and pepper
thyme


How to:


Heat your pot with some oil on med-high heat. I used lard. Once it's nice and hot, add your stew beef. Brown it on all sides, by stirring occasionally. Next, add your onion and garlic and just a bit of salt and pepper. If you add the salt and pepper in stages, the soup will have a richer flavor because one ingredient won't taste flat.  


Once the onion starts to become translucent, add the wine if you're using it. If not, use 1 cup of your broth. Although the wine is optional, I feel it really adds a depth to the flavor that you won't get otherwise. Turn your heat down to medium and let cook for about 5 minutes while you prepare your other vegetables. As they're cleaned and chopped, add the celery, carrots and potatoes in that order. Add the rest of your broth, cover and simmer until the carrots and potatoes are tender.  


Once your veggies are done, add the green beans. Taste the broth and add bit more salt and pepper and some thyme. I didn't measure the thyme, but I would start with a couple of teaspoons for this amount of soup. Let the soup simmer for about another half hour to marry the flavors. Just before serving, taste the broth and adjust the seasonings again, if necessary.


Notes:


It's better to add seasonings a bit at a time. You can always add more, but can't take it out if you add too much.  


This is a huge batch of soup. I feel it's better to make more and then have extra to freeze for lunches or another dinner because it's no extra work. If that's not your bag, cut the recipe in half.


If you don't have a garden and can your own beans, use two cans of store bought beans instead.


Sometimes I add corn to this. You could also add parsnips, green pepper, mushrooms or any other veggie you love. Also, you could add rice, barley or noodles to the broth at the time you add your green beans.


If you make steak, roasts or ribs - save those bones and make your own beef stock. Not only will it save you $$, it doesn't get any more nutritious than homemade bone broth. We just bought a grass-fed cow and I have a freezer full of bones that I will be using to make lots of broth with with the next week or so. Unfortunately, I didn't have it ready for this pot of soup.

Teriyaki Chicken

8 to 10 pieces skinless chicken – I use legs, thighs, breasts
½ cup soy sauce
2 T.  brown sugar
1 ½ t. ginger
1 or 2 spoonfuls of chopped garlic, I use the kind from the jar

First thing to do is lay your chicken pieces into the crockpot.  Next, mix the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Pour these over chicken pieces.  Cook this on High for 1 hour and then turn down to low and continue cooking for another 6 or 7 hours.  I have served this with rice along with steamed snap peasor sugar peas  and a salad or broccoli.

Spicy Beef and Beans over Brown Rice

This is a recipe i also got from  my friend Crystal ..

 
2 cups dry pinto beans
1lb. beef stew meat
8 cups water
1 T salt
1 onion, chopped
Jalapeno peppers, chopped (as many as you like..  the more you add the spicier it will be)
Olive oil
1 cup of your favorite salsa
Cooked Brown Rice
In a large stock pot combine pinto beans, stew meat, water and salt.  Let cook and simmer for 2 ½ hours or until beans are soft and meat is tender.
 After  beans and meat have finished cooking heat a frying pan and add olive oil, chopped onions and peppers.  Cook until onion is soft.  Add this to the bean/beef mix.  Add salsa and mix and let sit for a little bit so flavors can blend.

Slow Cooker Lasagna

1 lb. ground turkey or hamburger
Italian seasoning

Cook your turkey/hamburger with the Italian seasoning and set aside.

1 4-oz. can mushrooms
1 15-oz. container ricotta (I would only use half of this next time)
1 pkg part-skim shredded mozarrella cheese
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1/3 c. water
Some lasagna noodles.

Spray the cooker with Pam. Mix 1/3 c. water with jar of spaghetti sauce.
Layer four noodles, half the turkey/hamburger, mushrooms, half the spaghetti sauce, the ricotta, and half the mozzarrella. Repeat with the other half of half the turkey/hamburger, mushrooms, half the spaghetti sauce and half the mozzarrella.
Turn on HIGH for one hour.
Turn down to LOW for five hours.
Go do something constructive.
Turn off after hour six and enjoy.
It came out easily. I used a spatula to cut it into pieces like a pie.

Santa Fe Chicken

1 tbsp butter in fry pan.
Add one chopped large onion.
Saute till tender.
Add 1-1/4 c. chicken broth to pan with one cup of salsa.
Bring it to a boil.
Add 1 c. long grain rice.
Add 4 boneless chicken breasts and 1/8 tsp. garlic powder.
Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. (I used the already cooked chopped chicken breasts and added it later since it is already cooked).
Simmer for 10 minutes then turn over the chicken breasts, and cook another 10-15 min.
(At this point, add in cooked breast meat if you are taking that route)
Add a cup of pinto and black beans (1/2 c. of each).
Stir it up, turn off the heat. Add green onions, cilantro and 3/4 c. of cheddar cheese. Let rest for 5 minutes. ENJOY!
  You can do this in the crockpot

• 24 oz. (1 1/2 lbs) chicken breast
• 14.4 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies *Or a jar of salsa 
• 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 8 oz frozen corn (*We use canned.)
• 14.4 oz can fat free chicken broth
• 3 onions
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)
• salt to taste
  
  

Directions:

1. Combine chicken broth, beans, corn, tomatoes, onions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, and salt in the crock pot.
   1. Season chicken breast with salt and lay on top.
   2. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours.
   3. A half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred.
   4. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in.
   5. Adjust salt and seasoning. 
   6. Serve over rice with cilantro, sour cream, and shredded cheddar cheese.

Quick and Easy Coca-Cola Chicken

1 large fryer, cut up
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 c. ketchup
1 c. Coca-Cola
1 T. worcestershire

Wash chicken and pat dry. Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste. Place in large fring pan. Combine ketchup, Coca-Cola and worcestershire sauce and pour over chicken. Simmer, covered, 55-60 minutes, turning once. Serve with rice.

Italian Beef

1 3lb beef roast
1 cup water
1 t chopped garlic, or more if you love garlic like we do
½ medium onion, sliced thin
2 t Italian seasonings
1 t salt
½ t pepper
½ t sugar
1 jar (12 to 16 oz) greek pepperoncini’s

The night before you want to serve this meal place roast and water in crockpot and set on low.  In the morning there should be lots of juices.  Using 2 forks shred beef.  Add garlic, onion, seasonings and stir well.  Now add the pepperoncini’s and as much of the juice from the jar as you would like (according to your tastes).

Let this continue to cook on low for the remainder of the day.  Serve on toasted whole wheat hamburger buns or brown rice.

Fabulous Baked Beans

4 cups cooked navy beans (aka small white beans), save liquid from cooking the beans
½ c ketchup,
½ cup  or brown sugar
2 T white vinegar
1 T dried minced onion
½ t dry mustard
1 t minced garlic
Salt, to taste..  if you cook your beans with salt then you may not need to salt them any more
Pepper to taste

Combine all of the above ingredients and add reserved bean liquid to make it soupy.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until the beans are of a desired thickness and the flavors have blended well

Crockpot Macaroni and Cheese

2 ½ cups dry whole wheat elbow macaroni
1 can; 13oz evaporated milk
1 cup milk
¼ cup butter, melted
2 eggs, beat with fork before adding
4 cups cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Begin by cooking the elbow macaroni for until just barely done. I normally cook whole wheat elbows for 11 to 12 minutes and for this recipe I cooked them 8 minutes. Drain and put noodles into crockpot. Add remaining ingredients and stir well. Cook on low for 3 hours

Crockpot Lemonade Chicken

 6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each) *
 3/4 cup thawed lemonade concentrate *
3 tablespoons ketchup *
2 tablespoons brown sugar *
 1 tablespoon cider vinegar *
 2 tablespoons cornstarch *
2 tablespoons cold water

Directions * Place chicken in a 5-qt. slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the lemonade concentrate, ketchup, brown sugar and vinegar; pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 2-1/2 hours or until chicken is tender.(Adjust to 4-5 hours..or perhaps it is supposed to be set on high) * Remove chicken and keep warm. For gravy, combine cornstarch and water until smooth; gradually stir into cooking juices. Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes or until thickened. Return chicken to the slow cooker; heat through. Yield: 6 servings.

Corned Beef and Cabbage for the Crockpot

2 onions, sliced
2 t minced garlic
3 potatoes, chopped into bite size pieces
1 corned beef, 3 to 4lbs
Small head of cabbage or half of a bigger one, cut into slices
1 cup water

In the bottom of a large size crockpot layer onions, garlic and potatoes.  Set corned beef on top and lay cabbage slices on to of the meat.  Pour in 1 cup water. Cover and cook on low for 10 to 11 hours.

Crock Pot Smothered Steak

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• 3 lbs beef round steak
• 1 (10 1/2 ounce) can beef gravy , Franco American* you can make your own*
• 1 (10 1/2 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 (10 1/2 ounce) can water
• 1/2 onion , sliced (thinly)
• 1 (2 ounce) package onion soup mix
• 1 (8 ounce) can  mushrooms (optional)

Directions:

1. 1
   Mix gravy, soup, and water in a bowl. Place all ingredients except mushrooms in crock pot. Cook on low 6 to 8 hours. Add mushrooms during the last half hour. Add Kitchen Bouquet to color if gravy is too pale.
2. 2
   Serve gravy over rice or mashed potatoes.
3. 3
   Variations:
4. 4
   Use 1 can mushroom gravy in place of mushroom soup.
5. 5
   Use cream of celery soup in place of mushroom soup.

Slow Cooked Potatoes and Mushrooms

3 medium-sized red potatoes, cut into eights

4 large brown mushrooms, quartered

1 small white onion, cut into lengthwise chunks

4 cloves garlic, minced

½ t. Seasoned salt

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 t. lemon juice

1 t. olive oil

Place potatoes in bottom of crock pot; sprinkle with seasoned salt and kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Layer vegetables on top. Sprinkle lemon juice and olive oil over the top. Turn slow cooker to low and cook for 4 to 6 hours, until potatoes are soft.