TAMALE DIP

1 lb Velveeta cheese, cubed

2 cans (16-oz each) tamales

1 can (15-oz) chili, no beans

1 small can green chilis, chopped

1 small can enchilada sauce

1 to 2 dashes red pepper sauce

Unwrap tamales and put in crockpot, juice included.

Toss remaining ingredients into the crockpot. 

Cook on high 45-60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Watch for sticking or burning. May need to reduce heat to low.

Serve with tortilla chips.

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Merry Christmas Week

 Wishing you a very merry Christmas week.

HAM AND CHEDDAR BRUNCH STRATA

8-oz French bread, torn into small pieces

1 3/4 cups shredded reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
1 cup diced lean ham
1/2 cup finely chopped green onion (both white and green parts), divided
4 large eggs
1 cup fat-free half-and-half cream
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/8 tsp ground red pepper

Coat slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Cut parchment paper to fit bottom of cooker and press into place. Spray paper lightly.

Layer ingredients in the following order:
bread
1 1/2 cups of the cheese
ham
all but 2 tablespoons of the onion

In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, Worcestershire sauce and red pepper; pour evenly over the layered ingredients.

Cover and cook on low 3 1/2 hours or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Turn off heat.

Sprinkle the reserved cheese and onion over the top and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

To remove from cooker, run a knife or thin spatula around the edges to loosen, lifting the bottom gently. Invert onto a plate, remove parchment paper and invert again onto a serving plate.

Cut into 8 pieces to serve.

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RISI BISI

1 1/2 cups converted long-grain white rice

3/4 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (14.5-oz each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup water
3/4 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts for garnish, optional

Combine rice, onion, and garlic in the slow cooker.

Bring broth and water to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir the boiling liquid and spices into the rice mixture in the cooker. Place lid on cooker and cook on low 2 to 3 hours or until the liquid is absorbed.

Add peas, replace cover and cook another hour.

Stir in the cheese.

Spoon rice into serving bowls and sprinkle with the pine nuts, if using.

Yield: 6 servings

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CORN CHOWDER WITH HAM

3/4 cup chopped onion

2 tbsp butter
1 cup frozen hash brown potatoes
1 cup diced, cooked ham
1 pkg (10-oz) frozen whole-kernel corn
1 can cream-style corn
1 can (10 3/4-oz) cream of mushroom soup (do not dilute)
2 1/2 cups milk
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
Fresh parley, chopped, for garnish, if desired

Combine onion, butter, potatoes, ham, corns, soup and milk in a crock pot or slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 4 to 5 hours. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Dip into bowls to serve and garnish with parsley, if desired.

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WARM CRANBERRY PUNCH FOR A CROWD

3 quarts bottled cranberry juice

2 quarts apple juice
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 tsp salt
8 cinnamon sticks
3 tsp whle cloves

In a large slow cooker or crockpot, mix the cranberry juice, apple juice, sugar, and salt together until the sugar is dissolved.  Tie the cloves and cinnamon sticks together in cheesecloth and add to the mixture.  Cover and cook for 2 to 3 hours on low setting.  Remove spice bag.

Garnish as desired.

Yield: 56 4-ounce servings.

Note: Lower the heat to the 'keep warm' setting if not using at once.

If your crowd isn't that big, reduced the ingredients by half.

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ESCALLOPED CORN

2 tbsp butter

1/2 cup chopped onion
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
4 cups frozen corn, thawed and divided
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
Fresh thyme sprig for garnish, if desired

Heat butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; add onion and cook, stirring, until tender. Add the flour and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in the milk and heat to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until thickened; stirring constantly.

Process 2 cups of the corn in a food processor (or blender) until coarsely chopped.

Combine the milk mixture, processed corn and remaining 2 cups of corn, salt, dried, thyme, pepper and nutmeg in the slow cooker. Place lid on cooker and cook on low 3 1/2 to 4 hours or until the mixture is bubbly around the edge.

Garnish with the fresh thyme, if desired.

Note: You can make this dish cheesier, if desired, by stirring in 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese before serving. Garnish with additional cheese, if desired.

Yield: 6 servings

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HASH BROWN CASSEROLE

1 pkg (32-oz) frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed enough to break up some

2 cartons (12-oz each) sour cream
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup milk
2 tsp dried onion flakes
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 to 9 slices (depending on size and shape of cooker) American cheese
1/2 cup butter, cut-up into pats

In a large mixing bowl combine the potatoes, sour cream, soup, milk, onion flakes, salt and pepper; mix together well.  Layer in cooker as follows: potato mixture, cheese, potato mixture, cheese, potato mixture.  Layer the pats of butter over the top layer of the potato mixture.  Place lid on cooker and cook on high for 1 1/2 hours then turn to low and cook another 2 1/2 hours or until the mixture is hot all the way through, cheese has melted, and the potatoes are tender.

Yield: 8 (or 10 small) servings

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BALSAMIC BRUSSELS SPROUTS

2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
Salt and pepper, to taste

Add olive oil, Brussels sprouts, salt, and pepper to a slow cooker, and stir well to thoroughly coat.

Cook on high for 2 hours, or on low for 4 hours.

To make the glaze, heat balsamic vinegar and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, until it starts to simmer. Let simmer until liquid reduces by half, about 5-10 minutes.

When Brussels are cooked through, drizzle with glaze and top with Parmesan.

Serve warm and enjoy!

 Recipe and Photo from 12 Tomatoes

SWEDISH MEATBALLS

1 lb lean ground beef

1 cup fine breadcrumbs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Mix above ingredients together well; form into meatballs.  Brown meatballs on all sides in a large nonstick skillet.  Remove from skillet and drain off any excess fat.  Place meatballs in crockpot or slow cooker.  Make the following sauce and pour over meatballs in the cooker:

Sauce
1 cup catsup
2 tsp vinegar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/8 cup Worcestershire sauce

Mix all sauce ingredients together to combine.  Pour over the meatballs in the cooker.  Cover and cook on low 3 to 4 hours or until heated through.

Delicious served over hot buttered noodles.

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HOT CHOCOLATE LATTE

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups milk
6 cups brewed coffee
2 tbsp semisweet chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla extract

In a 5 or 6-quart slow cooker or crock pot, whisk together the sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, and salt until smooth. Whisk in milk until blended. Stir in coffee, chocolate chips, and vanilla. Cover and cook until hot and flavors are blended, 1 to 2 hours on high or 2 to 4 hours on low. Ladle into mugs to serve. Garnish as desired. 

Note: May be kept warm on the keep warm setting during a party or winter evening.

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BEEF STEW WITH PEAS & PEARL ONIONS

6 strips thick-sliced bacon, diced

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp Spanish paprika

1 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

3 lb boneless beef chuck roast, cut into bite-size pieces

1lb small red potatoes

2 cups baby carrots

1 1/2 cups sliced celery

2 dried bay leaves

3 tbsp tomato paste

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 tbsp beef base (ie Better Than Bouillon)

2 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth

1 1/2 cups vegetable-juice cocktail (ie V8)

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

1 cup frozen pearl onions, thawed

2 tsp red wine vinegar

Chopped fresh parsley

Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels, reserve drippings.

Combine flour, salt, paprika, thyme, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a bowl. Add the beef to the bowl and toss to coat. Heat 1 tablespoon of the bacon drippings in the skillet over medium heat, add half the beef and sear until brown, about 3 minutes per side. Repeat the process with the remaining beef. Transfer beef to a 4 to 6-quart slow cooker. Add any remaining flour mixture to the slow cooker; top with the potatoes, carrots, celery and bay leaves.

Stir the tomato paste, garlic, and beef base into the skillet and cook over medium heat, 1 minute.

Combine the broth, vegetable juice, and Worcestershire and stir into the skillet, scraping bits from the bottom of the skillet. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour broth over the beef in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high setting until the beef is fork-tender, 3 to 4 hours on high setting or 6 to 7 hours on low setting. Discard bay leaves.

Add the peas, pearl onions, and vinegar to the stew. Garnish the stew with the parsley and bacon.

Yield: 6 servings

recipe and photo from Cuisine at home #95

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

2 cans (18-oz each) sweet potatoes, drained and mashed

1/3 cup butter, melted

2 tbsp granulated sugar

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp orange juice

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup milk

TOPPING:

1/3 cup chopped pecans

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

2 tbsp butter, melted

Lightly spray crock pot or slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.

Mix sweet potatoes, 1/3 cup butter, 2 tablespoon granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons brown sugar together in a large bowl. Beat in the orange juice, eggs, and milk; transfer to the prepared cooker.

Combine topping ingredients and cover the sweet potato mixture.

Place lid on cooker and cook on high setting 3 to 4 hours.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

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NOTE: There are more sweet potato casserole recipes on this blog.

CROCK-POT DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CANDY

36-oz salted dry-roasted peanuts

4 squares (4-oz) German sweet chocolate

1 pkg (12-oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 1/2 lbs white almond bark

Place peanuts in the bottom of a 4-qt crock-pot or slow cooker. Place layered over the peanuts in the following order: German sweet chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, followed by the allmond bark.

Set cooker on low setting and cook 3 hours without stirring! After 3 hours, stir mixture with a wooden spoon until smooth.

Drop candy into small candy liners by teaspoon or into cupcake liners by tablespoon. Allow candy to cool completely before removing liners (if you choose to do so).

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LEMON TURKEY BREAST

1 (3 lb) turkey breast

1/2 cup lemon juice
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp dried tarragon
1/4 tsp dried rosemary
1/4 tsp dried sage
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp coarsely ground pepper
1/2 cup chicken broth, may use low-sodium broth

Place the turkey breast in a crockpot or slow cooker.

Combine the lemon juice, garlic, parsley, tarragon, rosemary, sage, salt, pepper, and broth in a small bowl, mixing well.  Pour the mixture over the turkey.

Place lid on cooker and cook on low 8 to 10 hours or on high for half that time.

Remove from cooker and allow to set about 4 or 5 minutes before slicing to serve.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

NOTE: This is a good recipe for diabetics and for those on the weight watchers program.

Credit on photo.

SPICED APPLE AND CRANBERRY COMPOTE

1 pkg (6-oz) dried apples

1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 1/2 cups cranberry juice cocktail
1/2 cup apple juice
1/2 honey
2 cinnamon sticks, broken into halves

Mix apples, cranberries, juices, honey, and cinnamon stick halves in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 4 to 5 hours or until liquid is absorbed and fruit is tender. Remove and discard cinnamon stick halves.

Serve warm over ice cream, pound cake, etc.

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CHEESEBURGER MACARONI

1 lb ground beef or turkey

1/2 cup chopped onions

1/2 tsp garlic salt  

1 can cream of chicken or celery soup

1 jar (16-oz) Ragu double cheddar sauce

1 can Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies 

2 tbsp ketchup

1 pkg (16 oz) small elbow macaroni

2 cups shredded Jack and Colby cheeses

Spray frying pan with cooking spray; add onions and cook for a couple minutes until softened. Add hamburger and garlic salt; cook, stirring until hamburger is brown and crumbly. Drain off all grease then transfer hamburger and onion to a slow cooker.

Stir in the soup, Ragu, Rotel, and ketchup. Cook on high 3 to 4 hours.

Cook macaroni just until tender.
Add macaroni and cheeses to the cooker, Stir to mix well and cook until cheeses are melted.

 Yield: 4 to 6 serving

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EASY SLOPPY DOGS

8 to 10 hot dogs cut-up into 1-inch pieces

1 can (15-oz) chili beans
1 can (6-oz) tomato paste
1/4 cup ketchup
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 tsp prepared mustard
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt, optional
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
hot dog or hamburger buns

Place all the ingredients except the cheese and buns in a crockpot or slow cooker; stir to combine well.  Place lid on cooker and cook on low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.  Approximately 10 minutes before serving, stir in the cheese to melt slightly.  Serve on the buns.

Yield: 6 sandwiches

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MINESTRONE ALLA MILANESE

2 cans (14 1/2-oz each) reduced-sodium beef broth

1 can (14 1/2-oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup diced potato
1 cup coarsely chopped green cabbage
1 cup coarsely chopped carrots
1 cup sliced zucchini
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup sliced fresh green beans
3/4 cup coarsely chopped celery
3/4 cup water
2 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried rosemary
1 bay leaf
1 can (15-oz) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
Grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Combine the broth, tomatoes with juice, potato, cabbage, carrots, zucchini, onion, green beans, celery, water, oil, garlic, basil, rosemary and bay leaf in a 5-quart cooker; mix together well.

Place lid on cooker and cook on low 5 to 6 hours.

Add the beans; cover and cook on low 1 hour or until veggies are tender.

Remove and discard the bay leaf before serving.

Garnish each bowl with the grated Parmesan, if desired.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

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POTATO BROCCOLI CHEDDAR SOUP

This recipe was submitted to my diabetic blog. It doesn't meet my diabetic guidelines, so I moved it to this blog. It was submitted by Diabetic Recipes New Ideas 2024.

Crock Pot Potato Broccoli Cheddar Soup

• 4 cups shredded hash browns, thawed

• 3 cups small-chopped broccoli florets

• 1 cup shredded carrot

• 1 shallot (or 1/2 small sweet onion), minced

• 3 cups sodium reduced chicken broth

• 4 oz (1/2 cup) herbed cream cheese

• 1 cup milk (2% fat or higher)

• 8 oz (1 cup) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, plus more for topping

• salt and pepper

Serves 4 to 6

1. To a 6-quart crock pot add hash browns, broccoli, carrots, shallot and chicken broth, then stir to combine, cover, and cook on LOW for 4-5 hours or until broccoli is very tender.

2. To a blender add the cream cheese, milk, and roughly 1/3 of the cooked vegetables. Blend until very creamy then stir back into the crock pot, cover, and cook on LOW for 10 minutes.

3. Then sprinkle 1/2 cup of Cheddar cheese into soup, stirring until the cheese is completely melted before adding the second 1/2 cup. Add salt and pepper to taste, then serve. Garnish each serving with a little more shredded Cheddar cheese if you wish.

 

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EASY SHRIMP CREOLE

2 tbsp butter

1/3 cup chopped onion
2 tbsp buttermilk biscuit mix (such as Bisquick)
1 1/2 cups water
1 can (6-oz) tomato paste
1 tsp salt
Dash of freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp sugar
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 lbs frozen shrimp, thawed, shelled and cleaned OR 3 (5-oz each) cans shrimp, rinsed and drained
Hot cooked rice (for 6) serving

In a skillet, melt butter; add onion and cook slightly. Add biscuit mix and stir until well blended.

Combine water, tomato paste, salt, pepper, sugar, bay leaf, celery and bell pepper in the crock-pot or slow cooker; add onion mixture and stir well. Cover and cook on low 7 to 9 hours.

One hour before serving, turn cooker to high and add shrimp.

Remove bay leaf and serve shrimp mixture over the hot rice.

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VEGGIE MAC AND TUNA

1 1/2 cups dry elbow macaroni

3 tbsp butter
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 med size red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 med size green bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups milk
8-oz cubed pasteurized process cheese product
1/2 tsp marjoram
1 pkg (10-oz) frozen peas
1 can (9-oz) tuna in water, drained

Cook macaroni according to package directions until just tender; drain.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add onion and bell peppers. Cook, stirring, 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, another 2 minutes. Stir in the milk and bring to a boil. Boil, stirring constantly until thickened. Reduce heat to low; add cheese and marjoram. Stir until the cheese is melted.

In a slow cooker, combine the macaroni, cheese sauce, peas, and tuna. Cover and cook on low setting 2 1/2 hours or until bubbly around the edges.

Yield: 6 servings

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LARIPIN' SOUP

4 cans Campbell's minestrone soup

4 soup cans of water
1 can chopped tomatoes with green chilies
2 lb ground beef, browned to remove fat
1 block (16-oz) Mexican-style Velveeta cheese

Combine all the ingredients together in a crockpot or slow cooker. Place lid on cooker and cook the mixture on low setting for approximately 8 hours.

Delicious served with cornbread.

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CHICKEN AND VEGGIES POT

4 to 5 large red potatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick

2 large carrots, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 cup cubed butternut squash, peeled & sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 large yellow onion, sliced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
6 large chicken breasts
additional salt and pepper
1/2 lemon
4 large garlic cloves, peeled & minced
6 small sprigs fresh rosemary

In a 5 to 6-quart slow cooker, place the potatoes, carrots, squash, and onion; sprinkle with the salt and pepper.

Place the chicken breasts over the vegetables and sprinkle with a dash of salt and pepper.  Squeeze the lemon juice over the chicken.  Sprinkle the garlic over the chicken and lay a sprig of rosemary atop each breast.

Place lid on cooker and cook on low setting 5 to 6 hours or until the chicken is cooked through.

Yield: 6 servings

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TACO SOUP

As many of you know, I love soup.  Taco soup is one of my favorites so when I saw this recipe I said, "Yes!"  Thought you all might like it, too.  As you might guess from the instructions, I got it from a Reynold's site. Taco soup varies according to different tastes, but this is a good start and variations are listed at the end.

(16 ounce) cans black beans

1 (11 ounce) can corn

1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 (1 1/4 ounce) envelope taco seasoning mix

1 (1 ounce) envelope ranch dressing mix

1 lb ground beef

Instructions
1) First line your slow cooker with Reynolds® Slow Cooker Liner for easy clean up
2) Cook your ground beef and drain
3) Add your black beans, corn, tomatoes (do not drain) seasoning and meat all together into the slow cooker and gently stir together


4) Fill half a can of water in your empty black bean can and dump in.
5) Cook on high in the slow cooker for 2 hours or low for 4 hours

What is fantastic about this recipe is that its easily changeable. You can substitute black beans for kidney beans, add two cans of tomatoes instead of 1, add diced chili peppers for a more spicy soup, or alter with shredded chicken and white beans instead! There are countless ways to enjoy and enjoy in a new way that is perfect for YOUR family.
And when you are done, it's super easy clean up! Once cooled, empty the contents out of the liner before placing in the trash.
My family likes to serve ours in cute little bread bowls!

Tips:

• If you cook too long the water will start to evaporate. Make sure you turn your slow cooker to "warm" after the times noted above. You can always add additional water or even a can of tomato soup if you want more of a soup consistency...or you can let evaporate out and have more of a chunky chili feel.
• Add cheese, tomatoes, sour cream, and avocado on top.
• Use tortilla chips to dip!
• Works as appetizer, dip (with less water), or a full-fledged dinner...you decide!

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