NEW ENGLAND STYLE BAKED BEANS

1 1/2 lbs dry navy beans, cover with water and soak overnight

1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup ketchup
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup water
2 tsp dry mustard
2 tbsp molasses
1 tbsp salt
1/4 lb salt pork, diced

Place the beans in the crockpot or slow cooker with 1 cup water.  Cook on high for 30 to 45 minutes until softened.

Add the remaining ingredients to the beans in the cooker; mix together well.  Place lid on cooker and cook on low setting 10 to 12 hours or on high 4 to 6 hours.  Stir occasionally during cooking process.

 Note: File Photo for reference only.

KIELBASA AND BEAN CASSOULET

1 1/2 cups dried Great Northern beans

1lb kielbasa, cut into half inch pieces

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 can (15-oz) diced tomatoes, do not drain

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/4 tsp dried thyme

salt and pepper to taste

croutons, for garnish,1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

In a 4 to 6-quart slow cooker combine beans, kielbasa, broth, tomatoes, onion, garlic, thyme, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook until beans are tender, on low setting 7 to 8 hours or on high 5 hours. season to taste with pepper and additional salt, if desired.

Serve in bowls and topped with the croutons and parsley.

file photo

TURKEY OLE'

4 cups shredded cooked turkey (chicken may be substituted)

1 pkg (1 5/8-oz) enchilada sauce mix
2 cans (6-oz each) tomato paste
1/2 cup water
1 cup shredded Montery Jack cheese
Corn chips for serving

Garnish ideas: sour cream, sliced green onions, sliced ripe olives, diced Roma tomatoes

Combine the turkey, enchilada sauce mix, tomato paste, and water in a slow cooker/crockpot.

Place lid on cooker and cook on low 7 to 8 hours or on high 3 to 4 hours.

Set temperature to high and add the cheese; allow cheese to melt overall.

Serve with the corn chips and garnish with your choice of garnish toppings.

Note: This is an okay dish for diabetics as it has a ratio of 27 g protein to 14 g carbs per serving.

 Note: File Photo 

SLOW COOKED CHICKEN ASIAN STYLE

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into strips

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 can (19-ounce) pineapple chunks, undrained
1 can (8-ounce) sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 medium-sized red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch strips
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/4 cup cornstarch
4 scallions (green onions), sliced diagonally

 

In a 4-quart electric slow cooker, combine chicken, ginger, garlic powder, and black pepper; mix well. Stir in pineapple chunks with juice, the drained water chestnuts, bell pepper strips, and chicken broth.

Cover, and cook on low setting for 6 hours.

In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, vinegar, and cornstarch; mix until smooth then stir into chicken mixture. Add scallions, and serve.

Yield: 4 servings
Note: This is one of my old Mr. Food recipes.

CINNAMON ALMONDS

 

A friend posted this recipe on facebook. I copied it to save here. Haven't tried it yet but I plan to.

BACON BAKED BEANS

5 to 6 slices bacon, fried crisp, drained, crumbled

2 cans (16-oz each) baked beans
1 small green bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 medium-size onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp stone-ground mustard
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup your favorite barbecue sauce
1/2 cup packed brown sugar

Combine all ingredients together in a crockpot or slow cooker.  Place lid on cooker and cook on low 8 to 12 hours or on high 4 to 6 hours.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

Note: File photo

BRISKET WITH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

This easy meal combines meat, vegetables, fruit including citrus all in one pot.  How easy is that to get so many of the needed nutrients together in one place?

1 tablespoon canola oil

2 (2-pound) beef briskets, trimmed

2 medium onions, sliced

1 orange, thinly sliced

1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch-thick slices

1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices

1 medium Granny Smith apple, peeled and cut into 1-inch-thick slices

1 cup orange juice

2 tablespoons brown sugar (diabetics use 1 tbsp Splenda brown sugar blend)

2 tablespoons ketchup

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 can  (14-ounce) + 3/4 cup low-sodium fat-free chicken broth

2 (3-inch) sticks cinnamon, broken in half

1 cup dried cranberries

 

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef; cook 4 minutes on each side or until browned. Place onions in a large slow cooker; top with beef and orange slices. Add carrots, potatoes, and apple.

Whisk together orange juice and remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Pour mixture over beef.

Place lid on cooker and cook on HIGH setting 4 to 5 hours or until meat and vegetables are tender. Transfer beef to a serving platter. Pour remaining vegetable mixture through a wire-mesh strainer, reserving juices and vegetables; discard cinnamon sticks. Serve beef and vegetable medley with juices.

 

Yield: 8 servings

FRUITY BREAKFAST OATMEAL

Use healthy steel-cut oats in this recipe.  Old-fashioned oats are too soft for slow-cooking.  This makes an easy healthy breakfast and is a great way to cook steel-cut oats which require longer cooking times and require constant stirring when cooked on the stovetop.

8 cups water
2 cups steel-cut oats 
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup dried apricots, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
nonstick cooking spray

Generously spray the cooker with the cooking spray!

Combine water, oats, dried cranberries, dried apricots and salt in a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker. Turn heat to low. Put the lid on and cook until the oats are tender and the porridge is creamy, 7 to 8 hours. 

 This is a file photo.

SPICY RICE CASSEROLE

2 lbs mild bulk pork sausage

2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
4 medium onions, chopped
2 medium-size green bell peppers, chopped
2 medium-size red bell peppers, chopped
4 beef bouillon cubes
4 cups boiling water
3 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
2 pkgs (6.25-oz each) converted long grain and wild rice mix

Set a crockpot or slow cooker on high.  Pour the boiling water into the cooker; stir in the bouillon cubes stirring until dissolved. 

Brown the sausage in a large skillet with the cumin and garlic powder; drain well.

Add the onions and bell peppers to the skillet and sauté until tender.

Transfer the sausage mixture, onions, and bell peppers to the crockpot with the beef broth.  Stir in the jalapeno peppers and the rice mixes.

Place lid on cooker and cook on high for 1 hour.  Turn setting to low and cook another 1 to 2 hours until rice is tender.

Yield: 10 to 12 servings

file photo

 

CHERRY COBBLER

Mixture 1:

3/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp + 1 1/2 tsp butter
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour*
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp cinnamon

Combine the sugar and butter until crumbly.  Add the milk, flour, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon.  Pour the mixture into a slow cooker or crockpot that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray.

Mixture 2:
2 cans (16-oz each) tart cherries and juice
1 tsp red food coloring
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour*
1/4 cup butter, melted

Combine all mixture 2 ingredients together until sugar is thoroughly dissolved.  Pour over mixture 1 in the cooker.  During cooking mixture 1 will rise to the top.

Place lid on cooker and cook on high 3 to 4 hours until the dough is solid and set.

Serve warm topped with vanilla ice cream for a real treat!

*I use white whole wheat flour as I stay away from refined grains.

 Note: File Photo

SPICY COCKTAIL SAUSAGES

 1 cup catsup

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 lb cocktail sausages

Place all ingredients except sausages in the crockpot or slow cooker; stir together well.  Place lid on cooker and cook for1 1/2 to 2 hours on high.

Remove lid from cooker and stir mixture well.  Stir in the sausages, stirring until coated.  Replace lid on cooker and another 1 1/2 hours. 

Turn cooker on low or keep warm and serve sausages directly from the cooker.

Note:  This also works with smoked sausage cut into 1/2-inch slices or jumbo hot dogs cut into 1/2-inch slices.

FILE PHOTO

EASY COOKED CHICKEN

2 to 3 lbs chicken breasts or other parts

4 cups water
2 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tsp garlic powder
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp minced onion
1 tsp seasoning salt

Place all ingredients in a crockpot or other slow cooker.  Place lid on cooker and cook on low 6 to 8 hours until chicken is cooked through and is tender.

Remove chicken from the juices; debone and skin.  Discard the bay leaf.

This is a good way to make chicken to use in casseroles, etc.  You can chop or shred the meat and you can use the broth as homemade chicken broth.

Note: File Photo

GROUND BEEF BEAN POT

2 lbs lean ground beef

2 slices bacon, cut-up
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup catsup
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dry mustard
2 regular cans pork and beans

Brown the ground beef in a large skillet along with the onion and bacon.  When beef is browned, drain well.

Transfer the beef mixture to a crockpot or slow cooker.  Add the remaining ingredients and stir together well.

Place lid on cooker and cook on low 3 to 4 hours or until hot and bubbly.

This is a Genius Kitchen photo.