"HOT" CHEESE AND BACON DIP

16 slices bacon, diced

2 blocks (8-oz each) cream cheese, softened, cut into cubes
4 cups mild shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup half-and-half cream
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dry minced onion
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp salt
2 to 3 drops of hot pepper sauce

Fry bacon in a large skillet until crispy, drain on paper towels and set aside.

Place the cheeses, half-and-half cream, Worcestershire sauce, minced onion, mustard, salt, and hot pepper sauce in a crock pot or slow cooker.  Cover and cook on low for about an hour or until the cheese melts, stirring occasionally.  Stir in the bacon and serve dip directly from the cooker, if desired.

file photo for reference

HEARTY CHICKEN & SAUSAGE CASSOULET

1 tbsp olive or canola oil

1 large onion, chopped fine
1 lb (4) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/4 lb smoked turkey sausage, chopped fine
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp black pepper
4 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp water
3 cans (15-oz each) Great Northern Beans
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
3 tbsp minced fresh parsley

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot.  Add the onion and cook, stirring until tender.  Stir in the chicken, sausage, garlic, thyme, and pepper.  Cook 5 minutes to brown the chicken and sausage.  Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the tomato paste and water until blended. 

Place the beans and the skillet mixture into a crockpot or slow cooker; cover and cook on low setting for 4 to 5 hours.

Just before serving, combine the breadcrumbs and minced parsley.  Sprinkle over the top of the cassoulet.

Yield: 6 servings.

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SUCCULENT LAMB SHANKS

4 lamb shanks

2 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-in pieces
1 large yellow onion, diced
4 tbsp grated ginger
6 roughly chopped garlic cloves
2 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 cup raisins
1 cup black olives
3 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Brown the lamb shanks in a large skillet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray; remove from the skillet and place in a crockpot or slow cooker.

In the same skillet, sauté the carrots, onions, ginger, and garlic.  Add the cumin and cinnamon.  Add the mixture to the shanks in the cooker.  Stir in the raisins, olives, broth, lemon juice, sugar, salt, and pepper. 

Cover the cooker and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours.

Note: This file photo is for reference only. It is not this exact recipe.

MUSHROOM BEEF STEW

1 1/2 lb beef stew meat

salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp canola or soy oil
1 can French onion soup
1 cup dry red wine
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp Italian seasoning
3 cups white mushrooms, halved
3 medium carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 cup whole frozen white onions
1/4 cup water
flour for thickening

Season the beef with salt and pepper to suit your taste; coat in the flour.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  When oil is hot add the beef, shaking off excess flour, and cook until browned on all sides.

In a 3 1/2-quart slow cooker or crockpot, stir together the beef, soup, wine, garlic, Italian seasoning, mushrooms, carrots, and onions.  Cover the cooker and cook on low for 10 hours until the beef is tender, or on high for 5 hours.

Stir a small amount of flour into the water, stirring until smooth. Stir mixture into the stew until well blended. Replace lid and bring to a boil. Boil until thickened.

the file photo

LEMON CHICKEN

If you follow my blogs, you know chicken does not enter my mouth. However, my readers continue to love chicken recipes, so I continue to post them. No, I have not made this recipe.

1 (2 1/2 to 3 lbs)whole roasting chicken
1/2 stick butter, softened
1 1/4 tsp lemon pepper
1 thick slice from the center of a lemon
2 or 3 (depending on size) garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 3/4 tsp seasoned salt
1 tsp dried thyme
cracked black pepper to suit taste

Remove giblets from chicken and discard.  Rinse chicken and pat dry using paper toweling.  With your fingers, gently loosen the skin over the breast and thighs.

In a small bowl, mix the lemon pepper into the softened butter.  Insert the butter mixture under the loosened skin.  Place the garlic and lemon slice in the chicken cavity.

Place the chicken into the slow cooker and rub the skin with the olive oil.  Sprinkle with the seasoned salt, thyme, and cracked black pepper.

Place lid on cooker and cook chicken on low for 6 to 8 hours.  Internal temperature should read 160 degrees before serving.  Meat thermometer should not touch the bone as that will cause a misreading.

file photo for reference

CHICKEN BURRITO BOWLS

1 to 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, chicken thighs, or a mix

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, divided, plus more if needed
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup brown rice
1 can (15-oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn kernels

Optional toppings: Shredded cheese, chopped cilantro, sour cream, diced avocado, salsa, hot sauce, diced green onions, shredded lettuce

Combine the chicken breasts, diced tomatoes and their juices, 1/2 cup of chicken broth, chili powder, salt, and cumin in the bowl of a 2 1/2- to 3 1/2-quart slow cooker. Make sure the chicken is covered, and add additional broth if needed. Cover with the lid and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours
.

Uncover and add the rice, beans, corn, and remaining 1/2 cup chicken broth. Cover and continue cooking on low for another 3 to 4 hours. Check the rice periodically in the last hour of cooking, stirring once or twice to make sure the rice cooks evenly and adding more chicken broth if the mixture seems dry. Cooking is done when the rice is tender — if the rice is done while there is still liquid left in the slow cooker, remove the lid and cook on high to let the liquid evaporate.

Use 2 forks to shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. You can do this either in the slow cooker itself and then mix it into the rice, or you can transfer the chicken to a cutting board if you prefer to keep it separate. Taste the burrito mix and stir in more salt or other seasonings to taste.

Serve burrito bowls with a selection of toppings.

I got this recipe and photo from kitchen a few years ago

TURKEY/RICE CASSEROLE

2 (10-3/4-ounce) cans low-fat cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

3 cups water

2 cups uncooked converted long-grain white rice

1 cup thinly sliced celery

3 cups chopped cooked turkey (or chicken)

2 cups frozen mixed vegetables

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1 tablespoon dried minced onion

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

ee Healthier Recipes. Go Now!

Combine soup and water in a 5-quart slow cooker. Add rice and remaining ingredients, and stir well.

Cover and cook on LOW setting 3-1/2 to 4 hours or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Stir well before serving.

 

Yield: 8 servings

 

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TOFFEE FONDUE

3/4 cup butter, cut-up

2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 1/4 cups light corn syrup
3 tbsp water
2 cans (14-oz each) sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup almond toffee bits
2 tsp vanilla extract

In a 4-quart slow cooker or crockpot, combine the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, water, and condensed milk; cover and cook on low setting for 3 hours.  Stir mixture occasionally until the mixture is smooth.

Stir in the toffee bits and vanilla extract.

Yield: 6 cups fondue

Serving ideas:  For dipping; fresh fruit, especially pear slices, pretzels, shortbread sticks or cookies OR use as a sauce to spoon over ice cream or pound cake.

 

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PORK/BEANS CHILI VERDE

 3/4 to 1 lb boneless lean pork, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 can (15-oz) Great Northern Beans
1 large onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 lb tomatillos, coarsely chopped
1 can (14 to 15-oz) chicken broth
1 can (4-oz) diced mild green chilies
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro, chopped
Sour cream for serving

Spray a large nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat.  Add the pork and cook until browned on all sides.

In a slow cooker or crockpot combine the cooked pork with the beans, onion, garlic, tomatillos, chicken broth, green chilies, and ground cumin; place lid on cooker and cook for 3 to 4 hours on high.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Gently press the meat against the side of the cooker with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula to shred.  Reduce the heat of the cooker to low.  Stir the cilantro into the cooker and cook for 10 minutes on low.

Serve with the sour cream.

Yield: 4 servings.

NOTE: This photo used for reference only. Not this exact recipe.

FRENCH-STYLE PORK STEW

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 pork tenderloin (16-oz), cut into 3/4-1" cubes
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 rib celery, sliced
1/2 tsp basil
1/4 tsp rosemary
1/4 tsp oregano
2 tbsp flour
1 cup chicken broth
8-oz frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, potatoes, peas)
1 jar (4 1/2-oz) sliced mushrooms, drained
1 pkg (approx. 6-oz) long grain and wild rice
2 tsp lemon juice
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
salt & pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat.  Add the pork, onion, celery, basil, rosemary, and oregano; cook until the pork is browned on all sides.   Remove the mixture from the skillet to a slow cooker or crockpot. 

Stir the flour into the chicken broth and pour into the cooker.  Stir in the frozen vegetables and mushrooms.  Cover and cook on low setting for 4 hours or until the pork is just barely pink in the center. 

Prepare the rice according to the package directions.  (Omit the spice packet if you wish.)

Stir the lemon juice, nutmeg, salt, and pepper into the cooker and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes. 

Serve the stew over the rice.

Yield: 4 servings of approximately 1 cup each.

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