WELCOME

Welcome to this slow cooker/crockpot blog. I believe slow cookers are the best thing to happen to modern day cooks. I used mine often when I worked outside the home and continue to do so even in retirement. It is so nice to put food on and forget about it. Slow cookers also allow us to cook many things we would normally have to use the oven for; what a relief in hot Texas weather! Some of these recipes are mine, many are ones I have collected over the years.

Thursday, October 31, 2013

CROCKPOT CHEESECAKE

Ingredients
3 8oz Packages of Philadelphia Cream Cheese
3 Eggs
3/4 Cup Sugar
6 Graham Crackers (full pieces), pulverized into crumbs
3 Tablespoons of Stick Butter, melted
Instructions
  1. Allow Cream Cheese to get to room temperature.
  2. Open cream cheese and place in large bowl.
  3. Add Sugar.
  4. Mix until sugar and cream cheese are well blended.
  5. Add the 3 eggs one at a time. After adding an egg, blend, then add the other etc.
  6. In a separate bowl, add graham cracker crumbs and melted butter.
  7. Mix well as this will form your crust.
  8. Choose a pan or small crock type cooking pan that will fit in the bottom of your crock-pot with room left on the side. You want to be able to pull the pan out without too much difficulty.
  9. Add the graham cracker crumbs mixture to the bottom of the pan.
  10. With a spoon, pat the graham crackers out til you have a smooth layer.
  11. Add the cream cheese mixture to the top of the graham crackers.
  12. Add 2 to 3 cups water to the bottom of the crock-pot. You need enough to last 2 hours but not too much that it will get in your pan.
  13. Place the cheesecake pan in the crock-pot and place the lid of the crock-pot on.
  14. Cook on high for 2 hours to 2 hours and 30 minutes or until the center does not have a watery consistency when you stick a knife into it.
  15. The cheesecake will begin to crack on the sides.
  16. Let cool for 30m to 1h.
  17. Remove and let set in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
  18. Serve.


Read more at http://crockpotladies.com/recipe-categories/desserts/crockpot-cheesecake/#RZqF7Jh40f9qHESM.99

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

ASIAN SPICED CHICKEN WINGS

3 lbs chicken wings
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup dry sherry or chicken broth
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

Preheat broiler.

Broil the wings for 10 minutes per side or until browned.  Transfer to a crockpot or slow cooker.

Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, ginger, garlic, and sherry or broth to the cooker.  Place lid on cooker and cook on low 5 to 6 hours or on high 2 to 3 hours.  Stir halfway during the cooking time to baste wings.

Remove wings from cooker to a serving platter.

Remove 1/4 cup of the juice in the cooker and stir together with the hoisin sauce and lime juice; drizzle sauce over the wings.

Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and green onions.


Tuesday, October 29, 2013

3 ENVELOPE ROAST

A friend sent me this recipe today so I am sharing it with you.  Sounds good and easy - my two favorite things about food!



Ingredients:
3-pound beef roast such as chuck roast
1 envelope of dry ranch salad dressing mix
1 envelope of dry brown gravy mix
2 cups water

Instructions :
Put the water in a measuring cup that is larger then the amount of water you are using. Now add and mix all three envelopes to the water. Mix until blended completely.
Brown the roast (if desired). Add the meat to your cooker. Pour the water, salad dressing mixture over the roast. In the slow cooker cook it on high for about 4 hours on low about 8 hours.

SLOW-COOKED ENCHILADA DINNER

I love Mexican food and I find that Taste of Home Recipes are almost always very good.  Having said that, I will say I have not yet tried this recipe.  I got it this morning from a friend who credits it to Taste of Home and that is good enough for me!

1 lb 90% lean ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 can (15-oz) Ranch-Style Beans
1 can (10-oz) diced tomatoes with green chilies, do not drain
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
6 (6-inch) flour tortillas

In a large skillet cook the beef and onion until the beef is not longer pink; drain.

Stir the beans, tomatoes, bell pepper, chili powder, salt, cumin, and black pepper into the beef mixture.

Combine the cheeses in a small bowl; set aside.

Cut 3 25-inch by 3-inch strips of heavy duty aluminum foil and crisscross so they resemble spokes of a wheel.  Place onto the bottom and up sides of cooker.  Spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Place two tortillas in the cooker, overlapping if necessary; top with a third of the beef mixture then 1/3 of the cheese.  Repeat layers twice.

Place cover on cooker and cook on low for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Use the foil strips as handles to remove from cooker to serving platter.


Thursday, October 24, 2013

CROCK POT PINEAPPLE SALSA CHICKEN

For all of you who love chicken recipes here is one for you.  I don't eat chicken but my family does and I do love simple so I am going to give this one a try.  I got it from the frugal girls.

  • 4 – 5 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, thawed
  • 1 jar Smucker’s Pineapple Preserves {18 oz.}
  • 1 jar Pace Medium Chunky Salsa {16 oz.}
  • Cook chicken in crockpot on high for 3 hours {covered}
  • After 3 hours, drain juices from crockpot
  • Mix together Salsa and Pineapple Preserves
  • Pour mixture over chicken, and cook on high for 30 more minutes {covered}, or until done.

Monday, October 21, 2013

STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

1 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup pesto sauce
6 skinless boneless chicken breasts, pound out thin
salt and pepper to suit your taste
1/2 (10 1/2-oz size) can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup white cooking wine
fresh basil leaves for garnish, if desired

In small mixing bowl combine the cheeses and pesto; place a dollop on each of the chicken breast.  Roll chicken breast around the mixture and secure with a wooden toothpick.

Season rolls with salt and pepper then place in crock pot or slow cooker.

In a mixing bowl whisk together the soup, milk, and wine (or chicken broth); pour over the chicken in the cooker.

Place lid on cooker and cook 4 to 6 hours on low or 3 to 4 hours on high.

NOTE: REMOVE TOOTHPICKS BEFORE SERVING!


Garnish with fresh basil leaves for serving, if desired.

Sunday, October 20, 2013

HEALTHIER SLOW COOKER CHICKEN STROGANOFF

I got this recipe from allrecipes.com for all my readers who want more chicken recipes and healthy recipes.



1 tablespoon chopped carrot

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Slow-Cooked Taco Chicken

You all know I don't eat chicken and I know most of you do, a lot!  So here is a recipe from Campbell's Kitchens that you and my family can enjoy!

2 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 
Salt and ground black pepper 
medium onions, diced (about 1 1/2 cups) 
cups Swanson® Mexican Tortilla Flavor Infused Broth 
tablespoons tomato paste 
20 flour tortillas (8-inch) or taco shells, warmed 
Shredded lettuce, sour cream, shredded Cheddar cheese, salsa and/or guacamole 



  • Season the chicken with the salt and black pepper.  Place the chicken into a 6-quart slow cooker.  Add the onions and broth.
  • Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours or until the chicken is fork-tender.  Using 2 forks, shred the chicken.  Stir in the tomato paste.
  • Spoon about 1/3 cup chicken mixture in the center of each tortilla.  Top with the lettuce, sour cream, cheese, salsa and/or guacamole, if desired.  Fold the tortillas around the filling.


Wednesday, October 2, 2013

CROCKPOT STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

  • 6 bell peppers, green, red, or orange (washed, topped, and seeded)
1 tbsp shortening
1 1/2 lb ground beef
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 small onion, chopped
1 tsp salt
1/8 black pepper
1/8 tsp basil
1/2 cup ketchup
1 8-oz can tomato sauce 
Heat shortening in skillet and brown beef.  Combine meat and next 6 ingredients.  Stuff bell peppers.  Arrange peppers in large crock pot (may be stacked if necessary).  Pour tomato sauce over peppers.  Cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.


Personal note: I like to use 2 red, 2 green, and 2 orange bell peppers for color and replace the ketchup and tomato sauce with a favorite pasta sauce.
Note: I got the main ideas for this recipe from Recipes4Living.


Tuesday, October 1, 2013

BEEF BURGUNDY AND BACON

1 slice bacon, cut into squares
2 lbs sirloin tip or round steak, cubed, trimmed
1 tsp canola oil
1/4 cup flour
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp seasoning salt
1/4 tsp dried marjoram
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1 beef bouillon cube, crushed
1 cup burgundy cooking
wine
1/4 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp cold water
Hot butter noodles for 6, for serving

Cook the bacon in a skillet until browned; remove bacon.

Coat the beef with the flour and brown on all sides in canola oil. Cut meat into bite-size pieces.

Combine steak, bacon drippings, bacon, seasonings, garlic, bouillon, and wine in the slow cooker or crock pot.

Place lid on cooker and cook on low 6 to 8 hours.

Add the mushrooms.

Dissolve the cornstarch in the cold water and stir into the cooker.

Replace lid on cooker and cook on high for 15 minutes.

Serve over hot buttered noodles.