SLOW COOKER HONEY-ORANGE CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS

• Another recipe for all you chicken lovers out there!
• 1/3 cup honey
• 2 teaspoons orange zest
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce 
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 12 medium chicken drumsticks (3-3 1/2 pounds), skin removed (see Tip)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

1. Combine honey, orange zest, orange juice, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, vinegar and crushed red pepper in a small bowl.
2. Coat a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Add drumsticks, pour in the sauce and mix to coat. Cover and cook until an instant-read thermometer registers 165°F when inserted into the thickest part of the meat without touching bone, 2 to 3 hours on High or 4 hours on Low.
3. Transfer the drumsticks to a bowl. Very carefully pour the liquid from the slow cooker into a medium skillet. Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil until reduced and syrupy, 10 to 15 minutes. Pour the sauce over the drumsticks and stir to coat. Serve sprinkled with cilantro and sesame seeds.

Yield: 6 servings of 2 drumsticks

Per serving: 245 calories

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ALL-MEAT CHILI SPREAD

This is another of the recipes from the little booklet that came with my first crock pot in the 1970s.

4 pounds ground chuck, browned in skillet and drained
3 cups water
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon salt
2 to 3 tablespoons cumin
4 to 6 tablespoons chili powder

Put all ingredients in CROCK-POT; stir thoroughly to mix spices.  Cover and cook on High for 2 hours, stir well and turn to Low for 6 to 10 hours.  Serve topped with fresh chopped onion.

(Try this over Mexican Red Beans. Hm-m-m good!) Also good on nachos, or on Italian bread slices like a bruschetta.

FIESTA PORK SANDWICHES

1 (3 to 4-lb) boneless pork shoulder roast

1/3 cup lime juice
2 tbsp grapefruit juice
2 tbsp water
1 bay leaf
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp chili powder
2 tbsp olive or canola oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
12 to 14 sandwich rolls, split

Cut roast in half and pierce several times with a fork.  Place in a large resealable plastic bag.  In a bowl combine the lime juice, grapefruit juice, water, bay leaf, garlic, salt, oregano, and chili powder; pour over the meat in the bag.  Refrigerate overnight, turning occasionally.  Drain, reserving marinade.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the roast and brown on all sides.

Place the onion in bottom of crock pot or slow cooker, top with roast and pour marinade overall.

Place lid on cooker and cook on high setting for two hours.  Reduce heat to low and cook an additional 6 to 8 hours until the meat is tender and cooked through.

Remove meat from cooker and shred.

Discard the bay leaf and skim fat from cooking juices.  Transfer juices to a saucepan and bring to a rolling boil.

Serve the meat on the sandwich rolls accompanied by the juice as a dipping sauce.

Yield: 12 sandwiches

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SIMPLE HOISIN CHICKEN

12 (3 1/2-4 lbs total) bone-in chicken thighs, skinned

2 tbsp quick-cooking tapioca

1/8 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

1/2 cup hoisin sauce

1 pkg (16-oz) frozen stir-fry vegetables

3 cups hot cooked rice for serving

Spray the inside of slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Place chicken in the cooker and sprinkle with the tapioca, salt and pepper. Pour hoisin sauce overall.

Place lid on cooker and cook on low setting 4 to 5 hours or on high setting 2 1/2 hours.

If using low heat setting, turn to high. Stir in the frozen vegetables and cook an additional 30-45 minutes or until the veggies are tender. 

Serve chicken and veggies over the hot cooked rice.

slow cooker favorites volume 2

MEXICAN RED BEANS

1 lb dried red beans (pink or kidney beans); soaked overnight

4 cups cold water
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 lb can tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp crushed red pepper (or 2 tsp chili powder)
2 tsp salt
1/4 lb salt pork or bacon, chopped

Put the soaked and drained beans into crock-pot (or slow cooker).  Add water all remaining ingredients.  Cover and cook on high 2 hours, then turn to low for 8 hours.

CROCK POT STROGANOFF

2 lbs beef stew meat

1/2 large garlic clove
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1/2 lb fresh sliced mushrooms
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
8 oz cream cheese
8 oz sour cream
6 cups hot cooked noodles or rice

In a large skillet brown the beef with the garlic, mushrooms, salt and pepper.  Remove to crock pot or slow cooker.  Add the soup.

Put lid on cooker and cook on low 8 to 10 hours until beef is very tender.

Stir the cream cheese and sour cream into the beef.

Serve over the noodles or rice.

I saw this on Just a Pinch over a dozen years ago.

COPYCAT CRACKER BARREL CARROTS

Add the carrots, butter, both sugars, garlic powder, salt and water to the cooker.

Place lid on cooker and cook on high 3 hours or on low 6 hours. Drain liquid before serving.

 

MAC AND TRIPLE CHEESE

10-oz dry elbow macaroni

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
8-oz American cheese, sliced thin & roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups milk
1 can (12-oz) evaporated milk
1 1/2 tsps Worcestershire sauce
3/4 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp butter
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

Spray the inside of your slow cooker or crock pot thoroughly with nonstick cooking spray.

Combine the macaroni, cheeses, and milks in the cooker; stir well to mix and place lid on cooker.

Cook mixture on high for 3 hours or on low for 4 hours.

30 minutes before the end of the cooking time, stir in the Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt, and pepper.

In a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter.  Stir in the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring for a couple of minutes until toasted golden.  Sprinkle over the macaroni and cheese and serve immediately.

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CHEESY MACARONI AND CHICKEN SOUP

3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth 

1 (16-ounce) package frozen mixed vegetables 
1 (10.75-ounce) can cream of chicken soup, undiluted 
2 cups chopped cooked chicken 
1 (16-ounce) package pasteurized prepared cheese product, cubed 
1 (20-ounce) package frozen macaroni and cheese

In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine chicken broth, mixed vegetables, cream of chicken soup, and cooked chicken.

Cover and cook on LOW setting 4 hours. Add cheese and frozen macaroni and cheese. Cover and cook on LOW setting 2 additional hours, or until cheese melts and soup is thoroughly heated.

To keep this recipe really easy, you can use leftover cooked chicken or a rotisserie chicken.

This is a recipe from the Mr. Food website. 

CARIBBEAN PORK CHILI

1 1/2 lbs boneless pork loin roast, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 tbsp chili powder

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp ground chipotle chili pepper, optional

1.2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp salt

1 tbsp canola oil

2 (14.5-oz ea) cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can (15-oz) no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (8-oz) no-salt-added tomato sauce

1 cup frozen whole kernel corn

1 medium mango, halved, seeded, peeled and chopped

1/4 cup snipped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup red onion slivers (optional)

In a medium bowl, combine pork, chili powder, garlic, ground chili pepper (if using), cumin and salt; toss to coat meat.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook half the pork in hot oil until browned on all sides, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a slow cooker. Repeat with the remaining pork.

Add tomatoes, beans, tomato sauce and corn to the cooker. Cover and cook on low setting 4 to 5 hours or high setting2 to 2 1/2 hours. 

Top each serving with the mango, cilantro and onion slivers, if using.

Yield: 6 servings Per serving: 315 cal, 7g fat (2g sat), 246 mg sodium, 32g carbs, 32g pro,8g fiber