SALISBURY STEAK FROM THE CROCKIN' GIRLS

I got this recipe email today.  I thought it worth sharing with you.  When I make it I will make some changes including using whole-grain crackers instead of saltines.  I will use canola or coconut oil and low-fat or fat-free cream of mushroom soup.

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• 2 Pounds lean ground beef
• 1 Package onion mushroom soup mix
• 1/2 Cup crushed saltine crackers
• 1 egg
• 1/4 Cup milk
• 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/4 Cup flour
• 2 Cans cream of mushroom soup
• 1 Package brown gravy mix

In a large bowl, mix together beef, onion mushroom soup mix, crushed saltine crackers, egg, and milk.

1. Using your hands, shape beef mixture into 8 patties.
   
   Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
   
   Dredge the patties in flour to coat and brown on both sides.
   
   Place the browned patties into the slow cooker (overlapping is ok).
   
   In a medium bowl, prepare the brown gravy according to package instructions.  Mix in both cans of mushroom soup; pour gravy mixture over the patties.
   
   Cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours, or until beef is done.
   
   
   
   
   

2. 
   

CROCK POT RAVIOLI CASSEROLE

1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
salt/pepper to taste
10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed (I used fresh spinach)
16 oz. whole-grain bowtie pasta, cooked
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 1/2 cup mozzarella, shredded

Brown ground beef with onion and garlic. Put in crock-pot and add sauce, tomatoes and seasonings. Cook for 6-7 hours on low. Add the last 4 ingredients during the last 30 minutes of cooking and turn crock-pot to high. I added the fresh spinach, pasta, Parmesan and 1 cup of the mozzarella and I mixed it all up really well. Then I added the last 1/2 cup of mozzarella to melt on the top.

This is from a fellow blogger's site: becomingbetty.blogspot.com

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN TERIYAKI

1 lb chicken, diced
1 cup chicken broth

½ cup teriyaki sauce
⅓ cup brown sugar
3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp sesame seeds

hot cooked brown rice for serving
 
Combine chicken broth, teriyaki sauce, brown sugar and garlic cloves in large bowl.

Add chicken to sauce, and toss to combine.

Pour chicken mixture into crock-pot.

Cook on low 4-6 hours, or until chicken is cooked through.

 

Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

 

Serve over the hot cooked rice and spoon extra sauce if desired.

CHANGING FROM CONVENTIONAL TO SLOW COOKER

If you have a favorite recipe that you would like to make in your slow cooker, here are some time guidelines to use.
    
     If the recipe says:                                                        Cook in a slow cooker

• 15 to 30 minutes                                                      1 1/2 - 2 1/2 hours high or 4 - 8 hours low
• 35 to 40 minutes                                                      3 - 4 hours high or 6 - 8 hours low
• 50 min to 3 hours                                                    4 - 6 hours high or 8 - 18 hours low

Note almost all combinations of meat and vegetable dishes need at least 8 hours when cooked on low.

SLOW COOKED CORNED BEEF RECIPE

I have to admit I am not good at making corned beef.  Since we have St. Patrick's coming right up I thought it would be appropriate to share a Corned Beef recipe so I went to Taste of Home where I found this recipe from a lady in Washington State.
6 medium red potatoes, quartered
2 medium carrots, cut into chunks
1 large onion, sliced

2 corned beef briskets with spice packets (3 pounds each)

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons coriander seeds

2 tablespoons whole peppercorns

4 cups water

Directions

• In a 6-qt. slow cooker, combine the potatoes, carrots and onion. Add briskets (discard spice packets from corned beef or save for another use). Sprinkle the brown sugar, sugar, coriander and peppercorns over meat. Pour water over top.
• Cover and cook on low for 9-11 hours or until meat and vegetables are tender.
• Remove meat and vegetables to a serving platter. Thinly slice one brisket across the grain and serve with vegetables.

Serves 5 to 6

Nutritional Facts 5 ounces cooked corned beef with 1-1/4 cups vegetables equals 658 calories, 37 g fat (12 g saturated fat), 187 mg cholesterol, 2,175 mg sodium, 43 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 38 g protein.

SLOW COOKER CABBAGE ROLLS

4 cups water
12 large cabbage leaves
1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 cup cooked rice
1/2 tsp salt
dash of freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 can (6-oz) tomato paste
3/4 cup water

Place the 4 cups of water into a deep pan and bring to a boil.  Remove the water from the heat and soak cabbage leaves in the hot water for 5 minutes or just until softened.  Remove from water and drain well.  Allow to cool enough to handle.

Combine the ground beef, rice, salt, pepper, thyme, nutmeg, and cinnamon until well blended.  Place 2 tablespoons of this mixture on each cabbage leaf.  Roll up firmly and stack in the slow cooker or crockpot.

Combine the tomato paste and 3/4 cup of water; pour over the cabbage rolls.

Place lid on cooker and cook on low setting approximately 8 hours.

Yield: 6 servings of 2 cabbage rolls each

SLOW COOKER SWEET CHICKEN CHILI

This is a recipe I got from another recipe blog.  It is a good slow cooker recipe but is also a recipe I recommend for diabetics.  Don't remember for sure but I think I got this from All Recipes.com

 

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1 (15 ounce) can dark red kidney beans, undrained

1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, undrained

1 (15 ounce) can black beans, undrained

2 onions, cut into chunks

1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped

1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar

1 tablespoon Asian chili black bean sauce

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

 

Place the chicken breasts into a slow cooker, and pour in the kidney beans, pinto beans, black beans, onions, green bell pepper, tomato paste, brown sugar, rice vinegar, chili black bean sauce, and sea salt. Stir to combine all ingredients, and set the cooker to High. Cook for 1 hour; stir again, and set the cooker to Low. Cook for 4 more hours.

 

Remove the chicken breasts, shred with 2 forks, and stir the shredded chicken back into the chili;
sprinkle top of the chili with Cheddar cheese, and serve.

The person who posted left this note: I substitute the brown sugar for 2 tablespoons brown sugar substitute (such as Splenda ® Brown Sugar Blend).  I, Linda, do recommend this substitution, especially for us diabetics.

EASY SLOW COOKED BEEF STROGANOFF

1 lb round steak, fat trimmed and cut into cubes
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1 can (4-oz) mushroom stems and pieces, drained
1 can cream of celery soup
1 con cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup sour cream
cooked noodles for serving

Place the steak in a crock pot or slow cooker and sprinkle the mushroom stems and pieces over the steak.  In a mixing bowl, using a wire whisk, combine the cream of celery soup, cream of mushroom soup, and the dry onion soup mix until blended; pour over the meat and mushrooms.

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

Before serving, stir in the sour cream, blending well.  Serve stroganoff over hot cooked noodles.

Yield: Approximately 6 servings

WEIGHT WATCHERS CATALAN SEAFOOD STEW

This is a Weight Watchers recipe.  I have never tried it as I don't touch seafood and I don't do Weight Watchers.  However, I get requests for both so here you go.

1 onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed through a press
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 can (15-oz) kidney beans, rinsed & drained
1 can (15-oz) chickpeas, rinsed & drained
1 can (14.5-oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 bell pepper (any color), cut into 1-inch chunks
2/3 cups brown rice
1/2 lb skinless halibut or cod fillet, cut into 1-inch chunks
1/2 lb large shrimp, peeled & deveined
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Spray a large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and set over medium heat.  Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Stir in garlic, cumin, paprika, salt, and red pepper flakes.  Transfer onion mixture to a 5 or 6-quart slow cooker or crockpot.  Stir in beans, chickpeas, tomatoes, bell pepper, and broth.  Cover and cook until vegetables are fork-tender, 3-4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.

About 30-40 minutes before cooking time is up, cook rice according to package directions.

At end of the cooking time, stir fish and shrimp into the slow cooker.  Cover and cook on high until they are opaque in the center, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Divide the rice among 4 plates with rims and top with the stew.

Sprinkle the cilantro leaves over the tops of the plates.




Yield 4 servings of 1 cup stew over 1/3 cup rice = 297 calories, 3 g fat, 1 g sat fat, 0 g trans fat, 56 mg cholesterol, 470 mg sodium, 46 g carbs, 10 g fiber, 24 g protein, 101 mg calcium

Weight Watchers Points = 5

(Have a connection to WW that allows posting recipes as long as it states it is WW.)

SLOW COOKER VEGETABLE LASAGNA

3/4 lb zucchini, thinly sliced
1/2 lb sliced mushrooms
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 carton (15-oz) part-skim ricotta cheese
1 pkg (8-oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 jar (26-oz) prepared pasta sauce with garlic
1/2 cup water
8 lasagna noodles, break into half
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Lightly spray the inside of the cooker with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl combine the slliced zucchini, sliced mushrooms, and the diced bell pepper; set aside.

Combine the ricotta cheese, 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese, parsly, garlic, and pepper; set aside.

Spread a half cup of the pasta sauce over the bottom of the cooker.  Top with 4 of the noodle halves, overlapping if needed.

Blend 3/4 cup of the pasta sauce with the water; set aside.

Stir the rest of the pasta sauce along with 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese into the vegetable mixture.  Layer half of the mixture over the lasagna noodles.  Top mixture with the another 4 halves of the lasagna noodles.  Spread the ricotta cheese mixture over noodles and top with 4 more noodle halves. Top with the remaining vegetable mixture and top with the last 4 noodle halves.  Spread the pasta sauce/water mixture over the top.

Place the cover on the cooker and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or on high about 4 1/2 hours.  During the last 10 minutes of the cooking time, sprinkle the last cup of the mozzarella cheese and the fourth cup of the of the Parmesan cheese over the top.

Remove lasagna from the heat (if that is possible with your cooker) and let set for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting to serve.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.