Hot Potato

Hey Everyone!

I've got a really easy dinner idea for you tonight.  You probably have lots of cooking and baking to do this week.  I know I do!  Since I'm busy with Thanksgiving preparations I try to keep the meals in the days leading up to Thanksgiving ultra simple.  Tonight we are having Baked Potatoes and Salad Bar.  I'm giving my oven the night off (actually, I'm cleaning it) and I'm making the potatoes in the crock-pot.  If you've never done that before, here are some easy instructions.

• Stab potatoes with a fork.
• Wrap each in foil.
• Fill crock-pot with potatoes.

• Cover and cook on high 4 hours, or low 8 to 10 hours.  (*Do not add water)

Remember to remove potatoes with tongs.  We once had guests and someone reached in to get a potato with their bare hands.  They are too hot to handle for sure.  

You can cut up a big salad, like I'm planning to do, or make a pot of chili, or just set out some butter, sour cream, shredded cheese, bacon bits, broccoli, or whatever you like to top off your baked potato.

Check back here tomorrow for a hint on how to make your turkey extra juicy and delicious.  I'll also share with you my Thanksgiving meal plan (with recipes) and a simple table.

Have a cozy day!!

Crock On, Mama!

Have I mentioned I love my crock-pot?

Well, I do!

My honey went on a hunt a few years ago to find the biggest crock-pot ever.  He brought it home and surprised me after he had been working out of town for a l-o-n-g time.  Let's just say, I was almost as happy to see that crock-pot as I was to see him!  (Almost...I said almost!)

If you've been visiting me here for very long then you know that the group I'm feeding numbers eight, and of that eight, five are male.  Those five males include my honey, three teenagers, and a "tween" (11).  I'm not lacking for big eaters at my house.  In fact, I can barely keep food around.  It disappears FAST!

Today, I'm loading up my crock-pot.  How about you?

I like using my crock-pot on Wednesdays for two reasons.  One, it's sort of the middle of the week and I consider it a "pick-me-up" - while I am cleaning, teaching school, and doing laundry, dinner is cooking away in the crock-pot.  (I feel more on top and less buried underneath.)  And two, we like to go to church on Wednesday evenings so having dinner in the crock-pot helps ensure we get out the door on time.

Here's what I'm serving up tonight...

Nachos
(makes 8 servings)

1 lb ground beef
1/4 cup diced onions
1/4 cup diced green peppers
1 pint taco sauce
1 can refried beans
10 3/4 oz can cream of mushroom soup
1 envelope dry taco seasoning
salt to taste
2 cups shredded cheddar
tortilla chips
lettuce
chopped tomatoes
sour cream

1. Brown ground beef, onions, and green peppers in saucepan.  Drain.
2. Combine all ingredients except tortilla chips, lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream in crock-pot.  
3. Cover.  Cook on low for a couple of hours, stirring occasionally until cheese is fully melted.
4. Serve with chips, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream.

That should hold 'em for a little while don't you think?

Crock On, Mama!  Crock-On!

A *Crock-pot Recipe* I Love!

Every now and then I'm in the mood to make something new and different for dinner.  Something I've not made before.  Something not in the usual dinner line-up.  When that mood strikes I hunt down a recipe to try.  I find numerous recipes to try HERE.  Most recently I tried Slow Cooker Sweet and Saucy Chicken.  My family is still talking about it.  Not only was it simple to prepare, but it is so delicious!  My honey, the kids, and myself keep talking about how good it was and how we can't wait to have it again.  I put it in "my" recipe book, which is the book I made to store all of the recipes for family favorites.  After the first bite all of the kids were saying, "This goes in your recipe book, Mom".  It's that good!

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
2/3 cup water
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp dried minced onion
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
(I tripled ingredients)

Spray crock-pot with Pam.  Place chicken in crock-pot.

  In a saucepan combine brown sugar, flour, water, vinegar, and soy sauce.  Stir.  Add ketchup, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook 1 to 2 minutes until thickened.  Pour over chicken.  Cook on low 4 to 6 hours. 
Serve over rice. 

  Soooo good!

Slow-Cooker Apple Butter

The kids and I made apple butter the other day and it was a first for us.  I had wanted to do this for a long time and had heard about making it in the crock-pot so I gave it a whirl.  It turned out great!

Here's all you do...


Wash and peel the apples.  This fella really got into it.

Chop them up.

Combine sugar, cinnamon, cloves and salt.
Drizzle over apples.  Cover.  Cook on High 3 hours, stirring well with a large spoon every hour.  Reduce heat to Low and cook 10-12 hours, until butter becomes thick and dark in color.

Stir occasionally with strong wire whisk for smooth butter.

Pour into sterilized jars and seal.

4 qts. finely chopped tart apples
2 3/4 cups sugar
2 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/8 tsp. salt

Seven Simple Suppers!

I've said it before and I will say it again, I LOVE THE CROCK-POT (or slow cooker as some call it).  I'm always in favor of plopping the crock-pot on the kitchen counter, filling it up at the start of the day and by evening enjoying a rich, flavorful meal.  Simple suppertime!  I love it! 

Here are 7 delicious crock-pot recipes for you.  Making dinner in the morning makes the day brighter!  Don't believe me?  Try it!

#1  Mushroom Chicken

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 pkg dry chicken gravy mix
• 10 3/4 oz can cream of mushroom or chicken soup
• 1 cup white wine
• 8 oz pkg cream cheese

Put chicken in slow cooker.  Sprinkle gravy mix on top.  In separate bowl, combine soup and wine and pour over gravy mix.  Cover cook on low 8 hours.  During last 30 minutes of cooking time, stir in cream cheese.  Before serving, remove chicken and whisk the sauce until smooth.  Serve chicken and sauce over noodles and rice. 

#2  Family Favorite Casserole

• 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups diced potatoes
• 1 1/2 cups sliced carrots
• 1 1/2 cups peas
• 1 1/2 cups macaroni, cooked
• 10 3/4 oz can cream of celery soup
• 1/2 lb cheddar cheese, grated
• 2 cups milk
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt

Cook beef and onion in saucepan until brown.  Drain.  Combine all ingredients except macaroni and milk in slow cooker.  Cover.  Cook on High 4 hours, or 8 to 10 hours on low.  Add the macaroni and milk during the last 15 minutes.

#3  Easy Roast

• 3-4 lb beef roast
• 1 envelope dry onion soup mix
• 14 1/2 oz can stewed tomatoes

Place roast in slow cooker.  Cover with onion soup and tomatoes.  Cover.  Cook on low 8 hours. 

#4  Slow Cooker Beef Sandwiches

• 2 - 3 lb chuck roast
• 1 pkg dry onion soup mix
• 12 oz can coke

Place meat in slow cooker.  Sprinkle soup mix over meat.  Pour coke over all.  Cover.  Cook on low 8 hours.  Shred the beef, mix with barbecue sauce and serve on buns. 

#5  Stuffed Green Peppers

• 6 large green peppers
• 1 lb ground beef, browned
• 2 Tbsp minced onion
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 2 cups cooked rice
• 15 oz can tomato sauce
• 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Cut peppers in half and remove seeds.  Combine all ingredients except peppers and cheese.  Stuff peppers with ground beef mixture.  Place in slow cooker.  Cover.  Cook on low 6 to 8 hours.  Sprinkle with cheese during last 30 minutes.

#6  Au Gratin Potatoes and Ham

• 10 potatoes, thinly sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/2 lb Velveeta cheese, cubed
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup fully cooked ham

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.  Cover cook on low 7 - 8 hours.

#7  Chalupa  (one of our favorites!!)

• 3 lb pork roast
• 1 lb dry pinto beans
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Tbsp ground cumin
• 1 Tbsp dried oregano
• 2 Tbsp chili powder
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 4 oz can chopped green chilies
• water

Cover beans with water and soak overnight in slow cooker.  In the morning remove beans (reserve soaking water) and put roast in bottom of cooker.  Add remaining ingredients, including the beans and their soaking water.  Add more water if needed to cover all the ingredients.  Cook on high 1 hour and then low 6 hours.  Remove meat and shred with 2 forks.  Return meat to slow cooker.  Cook on high 1 more hour.  Serve over a bed of lettuce (and we put Frito's!) and top with grated cheese and onions and tomatoes (and we add sour cream!).  YUMMY!!  This makes 12 - 16 servings and is great for entertaining.