crockpot pot roast

So I'm pretty convinced I make some of the best pot roast out there. I know there are a billion recipes out there, but most of them call for a ton of packaged spice envelopes and canned ingredients which are LOADED with sodium, fat and calories. This one is super simple but tastes great. My hubby and I love to add in some Louisiana hot sauce to give it an extra kick.

Ingredients:
3.5-4 lb pot roast
1/4 cup flour 
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
3 carrots, sliced
2 onions, sliced
3 potatoes, quartered (I use a bunch of tiny halved red potatoes)
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 bottle of beer (Guiness is the best for this recipe, or another dark beer)
Louisiana hot sauce, optional


Directions:
1. Combine flour, salt, and pepper; coat meat.
2. Place all veggies except mushrooms and garlic into crock pot.
3. Top with roast.
4. Spread mushrooms and garlic over roast.
5. Cover and cook on low for 10-12 hours or high for 6-8 hours.

crockpot chicken taco chili

Seriously, this is by far one of my favorite dishes to make. I made this recipe the other day so Tony could have something to take for lunch at work. I hate when they work him 12-13 hour days, but on a positive note I get to experiment with my cooking ;) It definitely tastes better the 2nd and 3rd day, when the chicken has had time to soak up some of the extra juices...then again chili is ALWAYS better the 2nd day! I'm sure this recipe would be good with ground beef or turkey too.

1 onion, chopped

1 16-oz can black beans

1 16-oz can kidney beans

1 8-oz can tomato sauce

10 oz package frozen corn kernels

2 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes w/chilies

1 packet taco seasoning

1 tbsp cumin

1 tbsp chili powder

24 oz (3-4) boneless skinless chicken breasts

chili peppers, chopped (optional)

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro  (I omitted this as I HATE cilantro. Blegh!)

Combine beans, onion, chili peppers, corn, tomato sauce, cumin, chili powder and taco seasoning in a slow cooker. Place chicken on top and cover. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Top with fresh cilantro. Also try it with low fat cheese and sour cream.

-One change I did make while making this recipe is I boiled my chicken before I put it in the crock pot. I don't like the taste of the "chicken juice" that comes out of raw chicken when you cook it (weird I know lol), so I preferred to boil the chicken and shred it before placing it in the crockpot. It also reduced the cooking time greatly

easy texas chili

My dad taught me this recipe a few years back when I was first learning how to cook. It's super easy and doesn't take many ingredients. Perfect for that cold lazy day! 
I used to use ground beef for this recipe, but I've been on a ground turkey kick lately, and it tastes the same as using beef but it's healthier for you. This chili is even better the next day so feel free to make it ahead of time!

Ingredients:
1-1.5 lb ground turkey or beef (I used turkey)
1 fresh jalapeno, diced (or canned if unavailable, canned is spicier)
1/2 an onion, diced
4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 can hot Rotel (or mild/medium if you don't want it too spicy) 
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 can  kidney beans, drained
1 can tomato sauce
1/2 can of water
3 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cumin
tomato paste (if it needs thickening)

Directions:
In a large pot or dutch oven, cook turkey, jalapeno, onion, and garlic until meat is cooked all the way through. Add Rotel, beans, tomato sauce, water, and spices to pot. Simmer on low for 3-4 hours, the longer the simmer the better! If you're in a hurry though, omit the water and simmer for 1 hour.

lighter buffalo chicken dip

This recipe is a combination of 2 recipes I found. I've made it several times and it's always a hit at parties! You can't even tell that it's the lighter version, and neither can the boys! :) I love making this in my mini crockpot, it makes the chicken SO tender. Serve with celery, chips or crackers! It makes enough to fill a large cereal bowl, so you may need to double the batch if you're having a BIG party. I found that if you leave it heating in the crock pot for too long, it will start to dry out though, so I wouldn't leave it cooking all night.


Ingredients:
4 oz reduced fat cream cheese, softened
1 cup fat free sour cream
1/2 cup Frank's hot sauce
1/2-3/4 cup reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup Ranch Dressing (I use light)
2 cups (2 breasts) cooked shredded chicken (I just boil the chicken for about 20 min then shred it)


Directions:
Mix the first 5 ingredients together. Add the chicken and put this in a small crockpot on low for 3-4 hours, or high for 1 hour. Serve warm. Makes 5 1/2 cups.

BBQ pulled pork sandwiches. crockpot style.

I've been experimenting with crock pot recipes lately if you haven't noticed. It's just so easy to throw your dinner in a pot and let it cook all day/night long, yet taste like you've been slaving away at the stove. :) I threw this in the slow cooker last night before bed just so we could have it in time for lunch today. Pair it with some potato salad, coleslaw, baked beans, and you're set! I will say it's a darn good bbq meal for not being able to use our grill in the winter.


The original recipe called for boneless pork ribs, but we don't have the greatest meat selection up here...so I used pork loin. Pork butt or pork shoulder would be your best bet, because it's much cheaper than loin or ribs, but still tastes great. When I started shredding it, I thought oh boy this looks dry, but after mixing it up with the bbq sauce, it was just fine. Next time I'll attempt to make my own bbq sauce, the bottled kind is still great and quick/easy, but what else do I have to do? ;) I'll post a sauce recipe once I test one out!



Ingredients:
-half medium onion, sliced
-4lb pork loin/butt/shoulder/ribs (heck you could even use a beef roast)
-garlic powder
-salt/pepper
-1 bottle beer (I used Guinness, I hear root beer works well too if you have that-the darker the beer the more flavorful)
-dash of Liquid Smoke, optional (i had on hand and like the smokey flavor)
-1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce (I've used Jack Daniels but Head Country is my fav)
-French rolls/buns


Directions:
Place sliced onions on bottom of slow cooker, then place pork on top. Sprinkle garlic powder, salt, pepper, and any other dry seasonings to top of pork. Add bottle of beer and dash of liquid smoke to slow cooker. Cook on low for 10-12 hours (high 7-8 hours) or until meat shreds easily with a fork. Remove meat from slow cooker and shred, discard remaining liquids from the crock pot. Combine BBQ sauce with shredded meat, adding more BBQ sauce until you like it. I used almost a whole bottle...I don't like mine super saucy, you can always add more sauce to your sandwich.
This last part is completely optional. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Transfer meat to cast iron skillet or baking dish, and bake in oven for 30 minutes, until heated through and slightly crispy on the edges. I saw on the reviews a lot of people didn't want to dirty an extra dish, so it's entirely up to you haha. I went ahead and did this step anyway. You can also throw it back in the slow cooker for an hour on high to heat it up instead. Or microwave it, I don't care!
Brown your rolls in the oven, slap some meat on there, and you're ready to grub!

french dip sammiches. bring it arbys.

This french dip recipe is to die for! Try it...you won't be disappointed!

Ingedients:

-2 cans Campbell's Consummé  (located with all of the Campbell's soups at your grocery store)

-4 lb Rump Roast (next time I think I'll try a chuck roast instead, but rump works too, whatever's cheaper!)

-1 packet dry Lipton's onion soup mix

-3-4 cloves of garlic (or 1/2 tsp garlic powder)

-1 small can of mushrooms, optional

-Few shakes of Worcestershire sauce

-1/2-1 bottle of dark beer (I used Guinness)

-French rolls

-provolone cheese

-sauteed onions for topping, optional but delicious

Directions:

Trim excess fat from roast and place in a slow cooker. (You can add any extra seasonings here if you like, I threw in a little greek seasoning on top of the roast for fun). Add Consumme, onion soup mix, garlic, mushrooms, Worcestershire sauce, and beer. Cook on low setting for 10-12 hours, or high 8-10 hours. Slice meat thin, and save all the sauce for dipping. Heat rolls in 350 degree oven until crispy and heated through. Add meat, cheese, onions to roll and serve with a bowl of the au jus. The au jus may look thickened or gelatinous the next day, but don't worry, just throw it in the microwave! :)

cheesy bean party dip

My best friend made this for her halloween party. I'm pretty sure it was gone within 20 minutes of us getting there. It was that good. Try it, now!

1 can fat-free refried beans
1c. light sour cream
1 pkg dry ranch mix
2c. reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese 

Mix all ingredients together and cook in a small crock pot all day. OR if you're impatient like I am, just cook over medium low heat in a sauce pan until cheese is completely melted. It's still freakin' delicious. Even tastes good cold :)