Thai Chicken

Ingredients:

8 chicken thighs (about 2 lb), skin removed

3/4 cup hot salsa

1/4 cup peanut butter

2 Tbsp lime juice

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp grated fresh ginger

1/4 cup chopped peanuts

2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Place chicken in 3 1/2 - 6 quart slow cooker.  Mix remaining ingredients except peanuts and cilantro; pour over chicken.

2.  Cover and cook on Low 8 to 9 hours or until juice of chicken is no longer pink.  Remove chicken from cooker using slotted spoon; place on serving platter.

3.  Remove fat from sauce.  Pour sauce over chicken.  Sprinkle with peanuts and cilantro.

Mocha Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp cocoa

1 cup hot coffee

1 egg

1/4 cup fat-free egg substitute

2 cups low-fat milk

1 cup fat-free milk

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

6 slices dry fir white bread, cubed

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

nonfat whipped topping (optional)

Directions:

1.  Whisk the cocoa into the coffee in a small bowl.

2.  While the coffee is cooling, lightly beat the egg and egg substitute in a large bowl. Stir in the coffee mixture, low-fat milk, fat-free milk, sugar, vanilla and bread.  Pour into the slow cooker. Sprinkle with the cinnamon.

3.  Cover and cook on Low until a knife inserted into the center of the pudding comes out clean, 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hour.  Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled. Top with whipped topping, if using.

Sweet Potatoes with Applesauce

Ingredients:

6 medium sweet potatoes or yams (2 lb), peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 1/2 cups applesauce

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

3 Tbsp margarine or butter, melted

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup chopped nuts, toasted

Directions:

1. Place sweet potatoes in 2 to 3 1/2 qt slow cooker. Mix remaining ingredients except nuts; spoon over potatoes.

2. Cover and cook on Low 6 to 8 hours or until potatoes are very tender.

3. Sprinkle with nuts.

Beef and Sausage Chili

Ingredients:

1 lb Italian or chorizo sausage, removed from casing

1 lb stewing beef, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

2 onions, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp chili powder

1 Tbsp dried oregano

1 Tbsp cumin seeds

1 tsp salt

1 tsp crushed black peppercorns

2 jalapeño peppers, finely chopped

1 habanero pepper, minced, optional

1 can (28 oz) tomatoes, drained and chopped, 1/2 juice reserved

1/2 cup condensed beef broth, undiluted

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 cans (15.5 oz each) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions:

1. In a nonstick skillet, cook sausage over medium-high heat, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer to slow cooker stoneware.  Drain all but 1 Tbsp fat from pan.

2.  Add beef to pan, and cook until no longer pink.  Transfer to slow cooker stoneware.

3. Reduce heat to Medium.  Add onions and cook, stirring, until softened.  Add garlic, chili powder, oregano, cumin seeds, salt, peppercorns, jalapeño peppers and habanero pepper, cooking for one minute. Stir in tomatoes, reserved tomato juice, beef broth, and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a boil.

4.  Pour mixture over meat.  Add beans an stir well.  Cover and cook on High for 4 to 5 hours or on Low for  8 to 10 hours, until beef is very tender.  Add cheese and stir until melted. 

Overnight Oatmeal

Ingredients:

1 cup steel-cut oats

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup dried figs (I don't use these)

4 cups water

1/2 cup half and half

Directions:

In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients and set to Low.  Cover and let cook for 8 to 9 hours  Stir an remove to serving bowls.  Start it before you go to bed and it will be finished by morning!

You can have endless variations with this.  Play with the ingredients and see what you can create!

Pork Chops with Spiced Fruit Stuffing

Ingredients:

1 cup diced dried fruit and raisin mixture

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup apple juice

3 Tbsp butter or margarine

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1 pkg (6 oz) herb-seasoned one-step stuffing mix

4 boneless pork chops (4 oz each, about 2 in thick)

1/8 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, combine dried fruits, broth, 1/4 apple juice, butter, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Bring to a boil. Stir in stuffing mix.  Remove from heat.

2. Arrange pork chops in bottom of 3 1/2 - 4 quart slow cooker. Pour remaining 1/4 cup apple juice over pork.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Top with stuffing mixture.

3.  Cover; cook on low for 5-6 hours.

4.  Remove stuffing from slow cooker; place in serving bowl.  Stir gently; serve with fruit stuffing.

Moroccan Harira

Ingredients:

2 cans (15 oz each) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained

2 1/2 cups reduced sodium fat free chicken broth

8 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast sliced into 3/4 in cubes

1 cup chopped onion

3/4 cup chopped celery

1 tsp minced ginger root

1 tsp ground turmeric

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

1/2 tsp salt

2 oz thin spaghetti, broken into 2 inch pieces

1/4 cup chopped parsley

Directions:

Combine all ingredients, except spaghetti and parsley in slow cooker.  Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.  Stir in spaghetti and parsley; cover and cook on low until spaghetti is tender, about 30 minutes.

Paula's Pot Roast

This is a recipe from Paula Dean that was featured in Woman's Day magazine a while back. I only have the magazine clipping and can't find it on their website anymore. 

Ingredients:

1 boneless chuck roast (3 lbs)

1 1/2 tsp House seasoning (recipe below)

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 onion, thinly slicked

3 bay leaves

3 or 4 beef bouillon cubes, crushed

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of mushrooms soup

1/2 cup Chardonnay

Paula's House Seasoning:

1 cup salt

1/4 cup black pepper

1/4 cup garlic powder

Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Directions:

Sprinkle roast on all sides with House Seasoning.  In a skillet over high heat, add the oil and sear roast until brown.  Place roasts in a slow cooker, and layer onions, bay leaves, crushed bouillon cubes, crushed garlic and cream of mushroom soup.  Add the Chardonnay and pour in enough water to cover all of the ingredients.  Cook on Low for 8 hours.

Raspberry Custard Cake

This is an old slow cooker recipe I got from Woman's Day magazine I think?

Ingredients:

1 cup granulated sugar, divided

2 Tbsp butter, softened

4 eggs, separated

grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

pinch of salt

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 cup milk

1 1/2 cups raspberries, thawed if frozen

1-2 Tbsp confectioners sugar

Directions:

1. In a bowl, beat 3/4 cup granulated sugar with butter until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks until incorporated.  Stir in lemon zest and juice. Add salt, then four and mix until blended.  Gradually add milk, beating to make a smooth batter.

2. In a separate bowl, with clean beaters, beat egg whiles until soft peaks form.  Add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.  Fold into lemon mixture, then fold in raspberries.

3.  Pour mixture into a 6-cup lightly greased baking or souffle dish.  Cover with foil and tie tightly with a string.  Place dish in large (minimum 5-qt) oval slow cooker stoneware and add boiling water to come 1 in. up on the sides.  Cover and cook on High for 3 hours, until the cake springs back when touched lightly in the center.  Dust lightly with confectioners sugar and serve.

Cheese Fondue

Ingredients:

1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup

1 cup shredded Swiss or cheddar cheese

1/4 cup wine, beer or apple juice

1 small garlic clove, pressed

1/8 tsp Tabasco hot pepper sauce

Assorted dippers such as French bread cubes, bite-size veggies or cooked ham cubes

Directions:

1. Combine soup, cheese, wine, garlic and hot pepper sauce in blow.  Microwave on high 3-4 minutes or until cheese is melted and mixture is smooth, stirring after each minute.

2. Serve immediately.

I think you could probably also make this in a small crockpot. I'll try it that way and let you know!

Sweet n' Saucy Pork Chops Slow Cooker Recipe From Crock-Pot

I just threw this together in the crock-pot and it smells AMAZING! I plan on serving it tonight over brown rice with a side of veggies.

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp Olive oil

4 pork chops

2 cups onions, diced

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 cup water

1 cup ketchup

½ cup cider vinegar

¼ cup soy sauce

1 tsp dry mustard

1 cup brown sugar

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

2. Add pork chops and brown for three minutes on each side.

3. Remove pork chops and place in slow cooker. Add onions to the skillet and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

4. Reduce heat to low. Add garlic, water, ketchup, cider vinegar, soy sauce, mustard, and brown sugar. Stir until the brown sugar is dissolved. Pour sauce over pork chops.

5. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.

Notes:  I started a little late so I am going to cook it for the first hour or so on high and then the rest of the day on low.  Ok, so this recipe made the house smell DELICIOUS!  Seriously, it was fabulous.  The pork was a little dry. Next time I will keep it on low, even if I am short an hour or two.  The sauce was truly amazing though.  We poured it over the pork chop and after we did that we didn't care that the meat was a little on the dry side.  We'll definietly be making this again!

Recommitment to the Crock-Pot

So this week, after stumbling across the official Crock-Pot website, I have decided to use my crockpot for my main dish cooking all week. I'll post recipes after I've tried them.

I am currently putting together this weeks grocery shopping list and menu early because tomorrow is Hubby's birthday and I told him to pick his b-day meal.  Of course, he picked his favorite - grilled cheeseburgers.  I told him that wouldn't be a problem as long as HE was the one outside grilling in the 30 degree weather.

Our menu for the work week will look something like this:

Monday: Pork Chops of some variety I haven't decided on yet, because I found three new recipes and can't decide on which one to try first.

Tuesday: Beef brisket sandwhiches - I make plenty of roasts in my crockpot, but havent tried to make anything like this before.

Wednesday:  No cooking - Hubby works late on Wednesdays so the kids and I grab something easy or leftovers.

Thursday:  Meatloaf - I've made it in the oven, but never in a crocpot. Should be interesting!

Friday:  Leftovers and movie night!

Check Out These Slow Cooker Recipes

I just got an email from Betty Crocker and from there I found their 20 most popular slow cooker recipes!! I can't wait to try some!

Slow Cooker Lasagna

Another recipe from my current favorite cookbook.

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef

2 29 oz cans tomato sauce

8 oz package of lasagna noodles, uncooked

4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 1/2 cups cottage cheese

Directions:

1. Spray interior of the cooker with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Brown the beef.

3. Stir in tomato sauce. Mix well.

4. Spread 1/4 of the meat sauce on the bottom of the slow cooker.

5. Arrange 1/3 of the uncooked noodles over the sauce. (You may need to break them up so they fit nicely).

6. Combine the cheeses in a bowl. Spoon 1/3 of the cheeses over the noodles.

7. Repeat the layers twice.

8. Top with remaining sauce.

9. Cover and cook on low 4 hours.

Makes 6-8 servings

Ideal slow cooker size: 6 quart

I also added onion to my hamburg. Next time I'll also add some Italian seasoning and add a sprinkle of cheese to the top about a 1/2 hour before it's done cooking. For a healthier option, consider using ground turkey. I also used reduced fat mozz and fat free cottage cheese.

Piquant Chuck Roast

From the "Fix-It and Forget-It: Big Cookbook"

Ingredients:

3 lb. chuck roast

1/2 cup orange juice

3 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

1. Put the meat in the slow cooker. Mix the remaining ingredients together and pour them over the meat.

2. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hour, or high for 5 hours.

I served this with snow peas and Potatoes Poupon.