Crock Pot Recipe Exchange

Crock Pot Pinterest Finds

2012-02-26T08:15:00.001-05:00

I have been absolutely obsessed with Pinterest. These virtual pin boards are perfect for someone like me who loves the visual aspect of bookmarking things on the web.

These are just a few of the crock pot recipe finds that I've found and pinned for trying later. I hope y'all enjoy. If you haven't joined Pinterest yet (no judgement here, but what in the world are you waiting on?!?) You can click on the name of the site (Source) to the left of the photo to be taken directly to the crock pot recipe.

Sweet Potato and Bacon Crock Pot Breakfast

Source: sweetcheekshq.com via Ginger on Pinterest

Crock Pot Chicken Ceasar Salad for Sandwiches

Source: sixsistersstuff.blogspot.com via Ginger on Pinterest

Crock Pot Bacon and Cheese Potatoes

Source: momswithcrockpots.com via Ginger on Pinterest

Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Lasagna

Source: domesticatedmomma.com via Ginger on Pinterest

Cinnamon Bun White Hot Chocolate

2012-02-17T11:49:00.003-05:00

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Source: sugarhero.com via Ginger on Pinterest

I saw this decadent cinnamon bun white hot chocolate some time ago. I wanted to make it in the crock pot and I couldn't find the time (or cool enough weather) to make it immediately. Man how I wish I would've found an excuse earlier! This stuff was to die for delicious. I mean TO DIE FOR DELICIOUS!

I tweaked the recipe a bit and made a much larger batch than the original.

Here is how I did it:

1/2 gallon of milk (I used skim, lactose free milk.... any would work though)
8 cinnamon sticks
2 1/4 cups of premium white chocolate chips
1/4 cup of dark brown sugar
4 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
4 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
pinch of sea salt
marshmallow fluff, chopped pecans and caramel dip for garnishing

Pour the milk into a 3 quart crock pot. Add the cinnamon sticks.

Cover and turn to low. Cook for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. You are infusing the milk with the cinnamon flavor DON'T SKIP THIS STEP!

Remove the cinnamon sticks and add the chocolate chips, brown sugar, vanilla extract and grond cinnamon. Let cook for 30 - 45 minutes covered. When chocolate chips start to melt whisk to incorporate and add the sea salt.

Let cook for an additional 30 minutes covered.

Whisk again and ladle into heatproof mugs and garnish each mug full with a dollop of marshmallow fluff, pecans and drizzled caramel.

I definitely will be making this again and again and again. Everyone loved it! It probably should have served 8 people a 1 cup serving, but my mugs were ginormous so it served 5 people perfect.

Crock Pot Cinnamon Bun White Hot Chocolate

This decadent hot chocolate is a crowd pleaser. Not to mention perfect for warming you up from the inside out.

See Crock Pot Cinnamon Bun White Hot Chocolate on Key Ingredient.

Crock Pot Star Crunch® Snack Cakes

2012-02-15T13:35:00.004-05:00

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Source: bakespace.com via Ginger on Pinterest

When I first saw this on Pinterest it immediately took me back to my childhood. We thought it was such a big deal to get Little Debbie snacks. Needless to say, it wasn't often that we got these treats, but when we did it was pretty darn special.

I tweaked the original recipe a little bit and they turned out wonderful.

Here is how I did it:

2 jars of crock pot caramel (easy peasy recipe can be found here)
1 1/2 cups of semi sweet chocolate chips
1 3/4 cups of a crispy rice cereal

Pour the caramel and chocolate chips into a 1 1 /2 - 2 quart crock pot.

Place the lid on and turn to low.

Cook for 1 - 2 hours until chocolate chips start melting well. Stir to incorporate as they're melting. I checked after about 40 minutes.

Once it's completely melted turn the heat off and stir in the crispy rice cereal. Make sure the cereal is completely coated.

You can either pour onto a wax paper lined cookie sheet or drop by the spoonfuls into lined muffin tins. I put cupcake liners in my muffin tin and it was perfect for portion control (not that it stopped me from eating 3 at one time.... just sayin'!).

These were delicious and very reminiscent of the Little Debbie snacks that I remembered. These will definitely make it into my rotation of snackables for the hubs lunch and of course for me and Miss Maddy.

Crock Pot Star Crunch® ~ Like Little Debbie's

Very reminiscent of the Little Debbie snack cakes I had as a kid. The crock pot just makes them easy and cheaper to make. A definite keeper!

See Crock Pot Star Crunch® ~ Like Little Debbie's on Key Ingredient.

Sausage and Beef Crock Pot Chili Beans

2012-01-29T15:16:00.005-05:00

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In the winter time I am constantly looking for an excuse to make chili beans. With the Super Bowl coming up I figured it was the perfect time to make a crock pot of sausage and beef chili beans with the Carroll Shelby's Chili Kit (which I LUHUHUHV!).

Since I called this go around a test run and promised to make it again on Super Bowl Sunday the hubs and Miss Maddy were okay with that. They're a little accustomed (or spoiled... just sayin') to having these crock pot chili beans on Super Bowl Sunday.

Here is how I did it:

1 Carroll Shelby's Chili Kit
1 pound of ground turkey sausage, cooked and drained
1 pound of ground chuck, cooked and drained
1 medium sized onion, peeled and diced
28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
15 ounce can of stewed tomatoes
8 ounce can of tomato sauce
(2) 15 ounce cans of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
(2) 15 ounce cans of pinto beans, drained and rinsed

In a 5 - 6 quart crock pot add the sausage, ground chuck, onion, crushed tomatoes, stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce and the packet of large seasonings from the chili kit.

Cover and cook on low 7 - 9 hours or on high for 3 - 4 hours.

The last hour of cooking add the canned beans, just to heat them through.

*NOTES*

There will be 3 more packets in the chili kit. Salt, masa and chili powder. Before adding beans taste the chili and see if it needs any more seasoning from the salt or more heat with the additional package of chili powder. Add as needed.
If the chili is to thin for your liking, sprinkle some (or all) of the package of the masa over top of the chili and stir in to incorporate. This will thicken it within a few minutes of adding.
If the chili is too thick for your liking, add additional tomato sauce, chicken or beef stock or even water. I would start with a 1/4 cup at a time until the consistency you desire is reached.

Serve topped with cheese, sour cream, salsa, chopped green onions and tortilla chips.

Thick, Thick Crock Pot Chili with Beans

Perfect hearty and thick chili for these cold winter days. The use of sausage and beef really amp up the flavor too.

See Thick, Thick Crock Pot Chili with Beans on Key Ingredient.

Pizza Casserole

2012-01-27T07:29:00.003-05:00

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This was so easy and so delicious. I don't really know why I had never made it in the crock pot before. After all, when I would make pizza casserole for cooking in the oven it was devoured immediately.

Here is how I did it:

1 pound of ground Italian sausage, browned and drained
1/2 pound of ground beef, browned and drained
1/2 large white onion, chopped
8 ounce box of short pasta (rigatoni, penne or ziti), cooked... but undercooked slightly
(3) 14 ounce jars of pizza sauce
2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning
2 cloves garlic, chopped
8 ounce package of sliced pepperoni, placed between paper towels and microwaved for a few seconds to remove all the grease
16 ounces of shredded mozzarella cheese

In a large bowl mix everything together except for the mozzarella cheese.

Spray the inside of a 4 - 6 quart crock pot with non-stick spray.

Layer the mixture alternately with the shredded mozzarella cheese. I did three layers... ending with the cheese on top.

Cover and cook on LOW for 3 1/2 - 4 hours. If cooked for longer than 4 hours or on high it may burn.

Serve with your favorite breadsticks and a side salad.

This is a great meal to make on the weekends or days that I don't remember to do anything for supper until around lunch time (I'm just saying it happens... not saying how often though (o: ).

Crock Pot Pizza Casserole

This is a great way to get your favorite pizza flavors into a casserole. It’s super kid friendly (and husband friendly too (o: )

See Crock Pot Pizza Casserole on Key Ingredient.

Southwestern Chicken with White Beans

2012-01-26T13:27:00.003-05:00

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We are big chicken lovers in my household. I'm always trying to do something with chicken in the crock pot that everyone will love. This crock pot southwestern chicken with white beans was perfect. It had everyone wanting seconds (not to mention it was healthy and they didn't even know....shhhhh).

Here is how I did it:

3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken (can be breasts, thighs or tenderloins)
(2) 15 ounce cans of white beans (I used great northern beans, but any white bean wold work)
16 ounce package of frozen corn
16 - 24 ounce jar of your favorite salsa (I used a chunky salsa)

Place all the ingredients in a 4 - 6 quart crock pot in the order listed.

Cook on low for 6 - 8 hours or on high for 4 - 5 hours.

Serve over rice and enjoy.

This made quite a bit. It served the three of us easily and there were leftovers for lunch the next day (I used the leftovers as a taco filling...YUM!).

Southwestern Crock Pot Chicken with White Beans

This made enough for my family of 3 to have dinner and then made great tacos for lunch the next day with leftovers.

See Southwestern Crock Pot Chicken with White Beans on Key Ingredient.

Pot Roast Pizzaiola

2012-01-23T07:40:00.007-05:00

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There are a million different recipes for traditional pot roast. Some include vegetables, some are just simply seasoned and some are braised with wines. My idea of pot roast is to mix it up a little bit. Don't get me wrong, I love traditional pot roast with carrots, potatoes and onions. I just want something different from time to time.

Ultimately this is how I came to the conclusion that a crock pot pot roast pizzaiola would be perfect. It gives us something different to eat, but with flavors we all love.

Here is how I did it:

4 - 5 lb boneless chuck roast
20 - 28 ounce jar of spaghetti sauce (I used a chunky garden style so I wouldn't have to cut extra peppers, garlic and tomatoes)
1 yellow onion, peeled and diced

Place the onions in an even layer in the bottom of a 5 - 6 quart crock pot. They will serve as a bed for the meat to rest on. Lay your roast on top of the onions and then evenly pour the jar of sauce over top.

Cook on high for 3 - 5 hours or on low for 6 - 8 hours.

Slice or shred and serve with your favorite starchy side.

This was wonderful. And I don't mean just okay wonderful.... I mean WONDERFUL! We had it with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and it was the perfect accompaniment.

There was a little bit left over so I'm going to shred it and make it a pizza topping for lunch tomorrow (if the hubs can keep from making beef barbecue with it for a midnight snack).

I definitely will be making this again. I think it would be great to make when the chuck roasts go on sale and freeze it for tacos, soups and sandwiches.

Crock Pot Pizzaiola Pot Roast

This was a nice twist on the traditional pot roast. The leftovers made terrific shredded beef barbecue for sandwiches.

See Crock Pot Pizzaiola Pot Roast on Key Ingredient.

Cheesy Chicken and Hashbrown Casserole

2012-01-17T07:39:00.007-05:00

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This crock pot cheesy chicken and hashbrown casserole made throwing supper together in the morning a breeze. I admit, I cheated (and will continue to while we're building our house.... and with our super busy schedule in general) by using frozen products instead of fresh, but who can blame me for that right now with ALL of the stuff going on with us right now? I do plan on having a small-ish garden this year so I'll redeem myself during the harvest. Right? RIGHT!

This dish turned out beautifully. Everyone went back for seconds. The only complaint was "Why isn't there more?!" LOL

Here is how I did it:

20 ounce bag of frozen hashbrowns with onions and peppers, thawed in fridge overnight
16 ounce bag of frozen chicken fajita strips (already cooked kind)
10.75 ounce can of cream of chicken soup
12 ounce can of evaporated milk
2 cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon of seasoing salt
1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper

Spray the bottom and sides of a 4 - 6 quart crock pot with non-stick spray. I opted to use a slow cooker liner because it makes for easier clean up.

Pour the bag of hashbrowns in the bottom of the pot and spread out in an even layer. Do the same thing with the chicken and cheese.

In a medium sized mixing bowl mix together the soup, milk, salt and pepper. Make sure it's well incorporated and pour evenly over the contents in the crock pot.

Place a couple of layers of paper towels over the top of the crock pot, securing them with the lid ( I did this because the chicken was still frozen and I knew it would produce more moisture than if I'd thawed it).

Cook on low for 6 - 8 hours on low or on high for 3 - 4 hours.

Serve with a small salad or your favorite green vegetable for a complete meal.

This will definitely be made again and again. It was super easy, super good and a huge hit with the kiddos.

Tin Can Vegetable and Meat Soup

2012-01-13T07:58:00.006-05:00

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I must be crazy. No, really. I mean it!

Who in the world is going to try to build a house from the bottom up, nurse a patient who has just had knee surgery AND continue to keep a blog in the coldest months of the year? Me, that's who ;o)

I am truly depending on my crock pot now more than ever (see previous paragraph). I'm trying to cut down on any "pre cooking" because of my busy schedule. Right now EVERY second in my day counts.

This crock pot tin can vegetable and meat soup is the perfect recipe to fit my schedule, feed my family and warm us up from the inside out.

Here is how I did it:

29 ounce can of mixed vegetables, drained
14.5 ounce can of cut green beans, drained
14.5 ounce can of stewed tomatoes
15 ounce can of tomato sauce
9.6 ounce package of cooked turkey sausage
1 large potato, peeled and diced
1/2 large onion, diced
1 teaspoon of seasoning salt
1 teaspoon of garlic salt
1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning
1 bay leaf
1 - 2 cups of water

Put all ingredients into a 4 - 5 quart crock pot.

Place lid on and cook on high for 4 hours or low all day while you're at work, school or getting a spa treatment (I WISH!).

Remove bay leaf and serve in heatproof bowls with crackers or peanut butter and honey sandwiches.

NOTE:

If you like a thicker soup you can small can of tomato paste and stir it in to incorporate the last hour of cook time.

This is super delicious and super easy to make. It is so versatile that you can use what ever canned veggies you have on hand. Or if you like peas better than beans, use those. If you have some ground beef or venison stew meat you need to use, put it in instead of the turkey sausage. Just make it your own :o)

We definitely have this soup several times throughout the winter. It's so easy I know you're going to have it on a regular basis during the cold weather months too.

Using your Crock Pot as a Humidifier

2012-01-08T15:18:00.000-05:00

Just as Miss Maddy and I start to feel better I woke up and my throat was scratchy. I thought "Oh NO! Please don't let this stuff be lingering and coming back around."

After downing more water than the average camel I realized that it was the air that was super dry. During the winter when the temperature is cooler and we're having to run the heat it seems that the combination of the two suck all the moisture right out of the air.

Only having two small humidifiers (which I've been running around the clock) I decided to utilize my crock pots and use them to put moisture in the air.

Here is how I did it:

I took several of my crock pots (all different sizes) and set them in different rooms around the house. I used the smaller 1 1/2 - 3 quart ones in the bathrooms and kitchen. I used the 4 - 6 quart ones in the bedrooms and livinng room.

I then filled them 3/4's of the way with water, placed the lid on and turned to high. This allowed the water to quickly heat up.

After an hour or so I removed the lids and let the moisture start escaping in the air.

You want to make sure you keep an eye on these so that they don't run dry. I would suggest not adding cold tap water to them as they need water, but catch some water in pitchers or bowls and let it come to room temperature before adding to the already hot crocks.

This worked wonderfully. After only a little while we all quit feeling like we had cotton balls stuffed in our mouths. I definitely will be doing this throughout the winter since I have several crock pots instead of buying more humidifiers.

Chamomile and Lemon Tea

2012-01-07T15:24:00.001-05:00

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The last few days Miss Maddy and I have been fighting a nasty head cold.

There are several times throughout the day and night that we have both wanted something warm to drink, but I just didn't have the energy to get up, put water on to boil, wait for it to boil and then steep the tea. Well, at least I didn't have the energy to do this more than once a day. This is when I decided that I could do it in the crock pot and we could have a warm drink whenever we wanted.

It worked like a charm! We were able to have a warm, soothing tea to warm us up from the inside out throughout the day. And when you're not feeling good you just want something comforting and cozy to drink.

Here is how I did it:

10 cups of water
6 chamomile tea bags
2 lemons
honey

In a 5 - 6 quart crock pot add the water. Put the lid on and turn to high.

Once it's warmed completely through (about 2 hours or after you get up from a nap... just sayin') add the chamomile tea bags and steep for 15 - 20 minutes.

Once the tea has steeped, remove the bags, turn to warm and add the juice of 1 lemon. Slice the other lemon into thin rounds and add to the crock pot.

When serving add the amount of honey you'd like to each heatproof cup before ladling the tea into the cup. Stir to incorporate and serve, making sure you add a slice of lemon to each cup (there's something healing about the lemon that will help you to feel better.... I just know it!).

This was perfect and stayed the perfect temperature throughout the day. Miss Maddy is feeling much better, and I'm sure I'm going to be feeling better in no time. In the meantime, I'll make the crock pot chamomile and lemon tea so I only have to do the work once, but can have it any time I want a cup throughout the day.

Quick and Easy Brunswick Stew

2012-01-04T15:00:00.002-05:00

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The other day when I made the honeyed and chilied crock pot chicken tenders I had a few left over.

I shredded the remainder of the tenders and added them back to the sauce that was left in the crock pot. When I woke up the next morning I decided it would be the perfect starter for a crock pot brunswick stew. And it was!

Original Photo From Here

Here is how I did it:

2 - 3 cups leftover shredded honeyed and chilied chicken tenders
28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
1 small onion, finely chopped
14.5 ounce can of lima beans, drained
14.5 ounce can of whole kernel corn, drained
1/2 cup of bottled chili sauce OR barbecue sauce
2 cups of chicken stock
1 Tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Put all the ingredients in a 3 - 5 quart crock pot.

Cook on low for 7 - 8 hours or on high for 3 - 4 hours.

Serve with your favorite cornbread or biscuits.

This was totally delicious and much easier than the traditional Brunswick stew I had made. I love "round 2" type recipes where you can use leftovers to make an entirely new dish, and this is one that I will continue to make throughout the cold winter months.

Honeyed and Chilied Crock Pot Chicken Tenders

2012-01-03T07:51:00.004-05:00

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I use chicken breasts often in crock pot cooking and figured that it would be easy to use the chicken tenderloins in recipes too.

As suspected, I had to watch the cook time carefully. Since they are a lean cut of meat the portions are much smaller they cooked in the crock pot on low very quickly.

These were a huge hit because they kind of resembled the flavors you find in Manwich. When the hubs walked in the door he smelled them and had thought I cooked manwiches for supper. He wasn't disappointed once he tasted these chicken tenders.

I also utilized my Crock-Pot® Duo Cook & Serve and put potatoes in one side to bake early that morning, then in the afternoon I added the chicken tenders to the other side of it. It worked perfectly!

Here is how I did it:

2 -3 pounds of chicken tenderloins (I used 2 1/4 pounds)
12 ounce bottle of chili sauce (can be found near ketchup)
4 - 6 Tablespoons of honey

In a 2 1/2 quart to 3 quart crock pot pour 1/3 of the bottle of chili sauce in the bottom of the pot. Drizzle a tablespoon of honey over it.

Add 1/2 of the chicken tenderloins in an even layer.

Pour another third of the chili sauce over that layer of the chicken tenderloins and drizzle with another couple of tablespoons of honey.

Add the rest of the chicken tenderloins and cover with the remaining chili sauce and honey.

Place a lid on and cook on low for 2 - 3 hours or until the chicken tenderloins are cooked all the way through.

If the sauce is a little watery you can remove the lid and turn the crock pot to high for 30 minutes to an hour. This will let the sauce thicken and reduce.

I will definitely be making this again. The leftovers were wonderful in tacos and in brunswick stew.

There's gonna be a party tonight!

2011-12-31T15:00:00.000-05:00

As usual I am busy planning my New Year's menu at the last minute. I have guests coming over in about 4 hours and I'm going to let the crock pot do all the work for me (I know you're not shocked).

I started by making some crock pot chai spiced candied pecans to have for everyone to be munching on throughout the evening. These are super easy and come together quickly.

The next thing I'll do is cut up all of my veggies, breads and other dippers for the crock pot hot wing dip (husband requested), crock pot pepperoni pizza dip (kid requested) and the crock pot club sandwich dip (mom requested). All of these crock pot dips can be started out and left on the warm setting for the evening. It works perfectly for that!

Next I'm going to start my crock pot chicken wings. Even though I'll finish them up in the oven I'm going to return them to the crock pot to stay warm. The guys will be super stoked that I'm doing these and the hot wing dip..... must be a guy thing LOL

For those that want a warm beverage I'll be offering the crock pot hot buttered rum. This is the perfect drink to serve when you have a crowd of adults and children. I'll just set the spirits to the side and that way everyone can add their own.... or in the kids case none at all (I'll be watching those tricky teens) ;o)

Dessert is going to be super decadent. I'll be making the crock pot chocolate marshmallow fondue and trying my hand at a new fondue recipe too (wish me luck).

I thought I'd let the kids use a crock pot to make some rice crispy treats.... that way I don't have to worry about anyone getting burnt and the older ones really love helping the little one with this. It basically keeps them occupied.

On top of all the crock pot foods there will be some cold dips, pizzas and jello (don't ask, weird tradition that was started some time ago) that will be enjoyed by guests.

This menu and the use of my crock pots will allow me to have fun and celebrate with my guests.

Happy New Year's! Can't wait to see you in 2012.

Don't forget to share CPRE with your friends so I can start the new year by giving away 2 crock pots. Go here to see the details.

Crock Pot Giveaway!

2011-12-30T18:04:00.000-05:00

Are you sharing with your friends so I can give a crock pot away?

I personally think that everyone needs to have a crock pot in their home. Ok, if I'm being completely honest, I think there should be crock pots of all sizes in every home. Since I feel so strong about this I've decided to do a "1,000 Followers Giveaway". Besides, what a great way to start off the New Year!

The previous giveaway went so well that I'm kind of going to stay along those same lines. I want everyone to have a chance to win so here is how it's going to work:

The giveaway will happen as soon as Crock Pot Recipe Exchange reaches 1,000 Google Friend Connect Followers. So make sure to let all of your friends know they can follow Crock Pot Recipe Exchange through GFC.
A mandatory entry is required by giving a comment (in this post ONLY) on your favorite crock pot recipe starting with today's date. If there's one that you want to try or that you have tried, leave a comment letting us know.
One additional entry can be received for submitting a crock pot recipe on the facebook fan page under the "Reader Recipes" tab.
One additional entry can be received by tweeting about this giveaway and using the hashtag #ILoveCrockPots
One additional entry can be received by being a facebook follower and leaving a comment on this post ONLY.
A winner will be chosen by random.org.

Okay fellow crock pot lovers, let's get to that 1,000 mark on Google Friend Connect so someone can get a brand spanking new crock pot. Good Luck to all!

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored giveaway. I am paying for the crock pot(s) with my own funds.

PS If we can reach 25,000 facebook fans by the time Google Friend Connect followers reach 1,000 I MAY or MAY NOT have an additional crock pot to give away to another lucky follower so share, share, share..... just sayin'!

Top Crock Pot Recipes of 2011

2011-12-29T10:49:00.001-05:00

As another year comes to a close I wanted to share with y'all the most popular crock pot recipes shared in 2011. Some that made the list I was surprised by, but some I was not.

Here is how it breaks down:

Now on to 2012!

I look forward to seeing what y'all have to share AND sharing what crock pot creations I have with you.

Keep on cROCKin'!

Find others top crock pot recipes of 2011 at Finding Joy in My Kitchen.

Chickpea and Kale Soup

2011-12-28T12:02:00.002-05:00

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I love chickpeas! When I was starting to feel a little under the weather I knew I could make a soup out of them that would be hearty, brothy and comforting.

Well, that's exactly what this did.

The flavors were wonderful together and after a bowl (or two... just sayin') I started feeling better. It might have been the steam from the soup while I was holding the bowl right under my nose, but it definitely made me feel better.

Here is how I did it:

15 ounce can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons of chopped garlic (or two cloves)
3 cups of chopped kale, cleaned
1 green onion, slice (white and green parts)
1 vegetable bouillon cube
4 cups of water
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon of ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper

Put everything in a 2 - 2 1/2 quart crock pot and cook on low for 7 - 8 hours or on high for 3 - 4 hours.

Serve topped with fresh dill and a drizzle of honey.

Broccoli and Beef Pasta

2011-12-20T07:51:00.005-05:00

Today I have a wonderful recipe for you from Jackie. She strives to keep healthy meals on the table for her and her family at all times, but especially during the holiday season. Jackie is gracious enough to share one of those crock pot meals with us today. Thanks for sharing Jackie!

Have Yourself a Healthy Little Holiday!

By: Jackie Clark

Healthy eating can often prevent certain kinds of cancers such as mesothelioma, but with the holidays approaching rapidly it is easy to put off our dieting until after all the holiday feasts have been devoured, but that no longer needs to be the case! People often forget how simple and convenient crock-pot meals can be, and after the deliciousness of the meal is tasted, the realization of how healthy what you just ate is gone too! There are many healthy recipes and meals to be used in your crock-pot, which will leave you extra, time to get that last minute shopping done and avoid those greasy drive-thru burgers! This Broccoli and Beef Pasta meal is sure to satisfy, and be a healthy alternative whether it is made on a day where you are out shopping, or for when you are having company over for a holiday dinner!

- 2 cups broccoli florets or 1 package (10 ounces) of frozen broccoli, thawed

- 1 onion, thinly sliced

- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves

- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

- 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained

- 3/4 cup beef broth

- 1 pound lean ground beef

- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 2 tablespoons tomato paste

- 2 cups cooked rotini pasta

- 3 ounces low-fat shredded cheese or parmesan cheese
Crock Pot Directions for Cooking:

Layer the broccoli, basil, onion, thyme, and tomatoes with juice and beef broth in the crock pot. Cover and heat on LOW for 2.5 hours. Combine beef and garlic in nonstick skillet and cook over high heat for about 7 minutes. Break meat apart, pour off drippings, and add the beef to the crock-pot. Cover and cook for 2 hours. After 2 hours stir in tomato paste. Add cooked pasta and cheese. Cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted throughout the dish.

Share the holiday spirit with friends and family over this deliciously warm and delightfully healthy alternative that was cooked in your very own crock-pot!

Mulling Spice Mix (for giving with Apple Cider) ~Jingle Bell cROCK Gift Giving Series

2011-12-19T07:48:00.001-05:00

Throughout the holiday season there are times that I've either forgotten about being invited to a party or gotten invited at the last minute.

No matter what the case is I like to have a gift to give to the host or hostess. This is one of those "keep on hand" things that makes gift giving easy.

Making your own spice mixes are very easy not to mention cost effective. I like to include this mulling spice packet along with a gallon of apple cider and instructions on how to make it in the crock pot.

Here is what I do:

4 cinnamon sticks
2 teaspoons of whole cloves
6 dried orange slices (if you can't find them at the store they're easy to make in the oven.... or you can give a whole fresh navel orange alongside the spice packet)
3 whole star anise
1 tablespoon of allspice berries

Place all the dried spices in a zip top bag or cellophane bag. Tie it around the gallon of apple cider with a pretty ribbon and include these instructions:

Mulled Apple Cider

Pour the cider into a large crock pot. Put the entire contents of the spice bag into the cider. Cover with lid and turn to high for 1 hour. Then turn to low and let simmer for another 2 hours. Ladle and serve in heatproof mugs. Enjoy!

Of course if you include a whole navel orange make sure you include in your instructions to slice the orange before adding it.

This is also a great mulling spice pack to include with peach cider.... I just can't find it as often as I do the apple cider.

When you give this to your hostess and all she has to do is heat it up you've instantly turned her into the hostess with the mostest :o)

And the winner of the Crock-Pot® Duo is..................

2011-12-17T07:50:00.000-05:00

Hope and I would like to thank everyone who participated. We are really loving these crock pot parties, don't y'all?

There are some great crock pot recipes that have been shared and I can't wait to check them all out. I'm going to start adding some to my meal plans immediately!

Now on to the big news. The winner of the Crock-Pot® Duo Cook & Serve Cooker.

I love mine that Crock-Pot® sent me (and they graciously provided this one for one of my lucky readers too... Thanks Crock-Pot®!). I've been using it for everything. It's so easy to do complete meals in it or to melt my chocolates for my homemade candies (which is what I give as gifts during this time of year).

Okay, back to the winner (I get sidetracked often.... as most of you know LOL).

The winner of this Crock-Pot® Duo Cook & Serve Cooker is Patti Zamorski Stagich. Patti shared a recipe for crock pot club sandwich dip under the "Reader Recipes" tab on the facebook fan page.

Congratulations Patti! And thanks for participating. Go here to claim your prize. You have 48 hours to do so (because I just want to make sure the winner receives it in time to use it for the upcoming holidays). If it is not claimed within 48 hours a new winner will be drawn.

Don't forget to check out Hope's site to see who she chose as the winner of the Crock-Pot® Triple Dipper™.

December Virtual Crock Pot Party

2011-12-15T18:00:00.001-05:00

Party has ended, but please scroll down to see all the crock pot recipes that have been shared.

Alright cROCKers...... it's Party Time again!

Please read carefully

Hope and I are very thrilled to be co-hosting another virtual crock pot party since the first one was so successful. We're extremely excited to see what new crock pot recipes y'all have to share with us today.

During the winter months it seems that there is more people using their crock pots. I'm not sure if it's because of the cold weather or because everyone is so busy during the holiday season (it's a mix of the two for me). Regardless, we're hoping to get lots of new crock pot recipes shared here during this virtual crock pot party.

Here is how it will work:

Starting at 12:01 AM EST on Friday, December 16th you'll be able to share the link to your crock pot recipe. It will last until 11:59 PM EST on Friday, December 16th. Plenty of time for everyone that wants to share their crock pot recipe to pop on in and do so.
Not only will you be able to share your recipe through the inlinkz widget provided below, but feel free to share your recipe in the comments below or on the facebook fan page under "Reader Recipes" (just make sure you hit the "new topic" button to add your recipe).
PLEASE make sure that it's your very own crock pot creation that you're sharing. We just want everyone partying nicely :o)

There will be prizes given out on Saturday. They were graciously provided by Crock-Pot^®.... along with the new Duo Cook & Serve Cookers given to Hope and I.

Make sure your name is easily found (for example, don't use anonymous when leaving a recipe in the comments section) so that we can let you know if you're a winner (Two winners will be chosen after the party is over and announced on Saturday.. One by Hope and one by myself using random.org).

Berry Mulled Wine

2011-12-15T08:01:00.000-05:00

I have to be completely honest with you... I'm not a wine drinker. It's not that I haven't tried to drink wine, I just can't find one that I REALLY like.

Well folks, that all changed when I had this wonderful warm sweet concoction at a friends house.

It went down so smoothly and didn't have an aftertaste. I could not get enough of this stuff (literally it ran out before anyone could get all they wanted of it).

When I graciously asked for the recipe (which MAY have been a bit more like begging) she quickly told me how easy it was and it would be her pleasure to give it to me (which MAY have been followed by "if you'll leave me alone about it".... I'm persistent, what can I say?).

Here is how easy it's done:

1 cup of cranberry juice cocktail
1/2 cup of cherry juice
3/4 cup of white granulated sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
3 whoe star anise
3 cups of a dry red wine (she used Merlot)
1/2 cup of cranberries (frozen or fresh)
1/4 cup of cherries (frozen of fresh)

Pour the cranberry juice cocktail, cherry juice, sugar, cinnamon sticks and star anise in a 2.5 - 4 quart crock pot. Place the lid on and turn to high. Let cook for 1 1/2 - 2 hours (until sugar completely dissolves).

Add remaining ingredients and turn to low. Let simmer for at least 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Serve in heatproof mugs.

See.... I told you is was going to be easy :o) You're not going to believe how delicious it is either. I was a wine skeptic, but now I'm a believer!

Asian Inspired Spiral Sliced Ham

2011-12-14T08:02:00.001-05:00

I wanted to do a crock pot holiday ham with some nontraditional flavors. Well, let me rephrase that. Without the traditional SWEET crust and flavors.

Since I am always looking to provide something new and different that my family will love to have on the table, my mind automatically went to the flavors of the season. It also helped that I had some Ginger Ale in the cupboards.

Another thing I wanted to accomplish was NOT having to baste the ham throughout the cook time. This recipe definitely took care of that for me.

Here is how I did it:

7 - 10 pound spiral sliced ham
16.9 ounce bottle of Ginger Ale
1 can of pineapple chunks with juice

Place the ham in with the biggest end down inside your crock pot. I used a 6 quart for mine, but had to improvise because the top of it stuck out to much for the lid to fit on properly (I'll go over that info in just a sec).

Pour the Ginger Ale and entire can of pineapple over the top.

Place the lid on. In my case, the lid didn't fit. So it was an easy fix. I placed 2 pieces of foil, overlapping, long ways and 2 pieces of foil, overlapping, the opposite direction and sealed it around the edges. Then I placed the lid on top and balanced it. Worked perfectly!

Cook on high for 3 - 4 hours or on low for 6 - 8 hours.

This was SO easy and so delicious. My spiral sliced ham was closer to the 10 pounds so we had lots of leftovers for making omelets, ham salad, ham soup and lots more.

Black Bean Chili Mix (Gift In A Jar) ~ Jingle Bell cROCK Gift Giving Series

2011-12-13T07:57:00.007-05:00

Years ago the department stores starting carrying these seasonal jarred food gifts. The first time I had seen these was when I received the "Hot Cocoa MIx" from whoever it was that drew my name for Christmas that year.

Initially I was super duper impressed. I thought what an ingenious idea to put food gifts in jars and sell them at an affordable price....... then I tasted it.

Less than desirable comes to mind. Just sayin'!

Over the years I've tried lots of different variations of these food gifts in jars and have found quite a few that are absolutely delicious, once I started assembling them in jars myself that is.

This crock pot black bean chili mix is delicious and people ask me for the "recipe" all the time.

Here is how I do it:

3 cups of dry black beans (make sure you sort through them and remove anything that doesn't belong)
4 Tablespoons of dehydrated chopped onions
3 Tablespoons of dehydrated sliced garlic
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
2 teaspoons of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon of chili powder (or cayenne pepper.... but DO NOT OMIT THIS)

Pour the beans into a quart sized jar.

Mix all of the seasonings and spices together and put in a small bag (I just use a sandwich zip top baggie).

Place the seasonings bag on top of the beans and place lid on jar.

Include these instructions:

Black Bean Chili Mix

Remove baggie from jar and set aside. Pour the beans into a large bowl and cover completely with water by 3 inches and soak overnight. Drain and rinse the beans in the morning and add to a 5 - 6 quart crock pot. Add 1 1/2 pounds of stew meat, the seasoning baggie contents and cover with water (2 inches above contents in crock pot). Cook on low for 8 - 10 hours or on high for 4 - 5, Serve topped with sour cream and shredded cheese. Enjoy!

Adorn the jar with a ladle tied on with festive ribbon. This is a perfect gift for the cold winter days ahead.

NOTE

I buy the 5 lb bags of dry black beans and make several of these jars at one time. It also has a good shelf life (just go by the soonest experation date on the container of the ingredients you used) AND I have a quick gift if I forget someone or have unexpected guests.

Crock Pot Focaccia

2011-12-12T07:56:00.007-05:00

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Since I'm not a successful baker by trade (or genetics... sorry for outing all of my family) I've found that now that I've gotten more comfortable with my crock pot over the years I am not afraid to try my hand at baking in it.

It was a stretch the first time I did, but surprisingly enough it did work out.

You probably remember somewhere along the way that I've said I want to either NOT use any additional pans to cook my crock pot creations in (I.E. place an additional vessel inside of my crock pot that I would have to buy special) or use something that I have on hand to place inside the crock pot to cook in (that is where the "cooking in canning jars" in the crock pot came from... I have lots of them of different sizes ALL the time at my disposal).

This crock pot focaccia went right into the bottom of a greased crock pot (just like the chocolate chip blondies and iced cinnamon biscuits) and was SO easy and super delicious. It had a nice crunchy bottom and a chew to the center.... it was perfect!

Here is how I did it:

1 boxed 12 - 14 inch pizza crust mix, made according to package directions (I used a gluten free, but a regular pizza crust mix would work well too)
olive oil
toppings (parmesan cheese, olives, red onions, rosemary, pepperoni, etc.)

Make the pizza crust according to the package directions. If it says to let it sit before rolling out, don't omit that step. However, it says to let it do a final rise, you CAN omit that step.

Spray the inside of a 5 1/2 - 6 quart crock pot with non-stick spray.

When the roll is ready to roll out place it in between two pieces of plastic. Make sure the pieces of plastic are large enough so that you won't roll the dough larger than them. Using the plastic just helps you to move it easily to the greased crock pot without it tearing.

Now carefully using a rolling pin roll it out roughly into the shape of the crock pot. It doesn't have to be exact, but roll it out a little larger than the interior of the crock pot to allow for any shrinkage.

Once it's rolled out to the size needed peel the top piece of plastic off. Pick up the rolled out dough and place it in the crock pot by flipping it upside down. Now remove the other piece of plastic by peeling it off.

Using a fork or tip of a knife pierce the top of the dough so you don't get any doming during the cooking process.

This is also the point where you should add any toppings. I added a drizzle of olive oil and grated parmesan cheese (but did it at the end because I got preoccupied with Miss Maddy... won't make that mistake again!).

Place a hand towel over the top of the crock pot and secure it using the lid. You want to make sure you pull the towel tight so it has no chance of touching the dough. Also, you could use a couple of folded paper towels in place of the hand towel if you wanted to.

Turn the crock pot to high and cook for 2 - 4 hours. Mine took exactly 3 1/2 hours, but I did use a slow cooker that DOES NOT tend to burn or have hot spots. As always, trust your nose. If it smells like it's burning during the cooking process you should probably check it.

Once it is done IMMEDIATELY remove it from the crock pot to avoid over cooking the focaccia. Also, you may want to make sure you put it on a cooling rack instead of a plate or solid surface so it doesn't get soggy on the bottom while it's cooling.

This was extremely delicious and easy. We actually made a meal of it by serving it with heated up jarred marinara sauce. I cut it like breadsticks to make it a little easier for dipping.

I will definitely be doing this again. It would make a great accompaniment to any pasta dish and would be great to make if you want "breadsticks" to snack on during the ball game or get together.