Crock Pot Honey Mustard Chicken

Aaron really likes honey mustard, and I decided to make him some in the crock pot, because everything for me is better when it can be made in the slow cooker :).  Anyway, this is a quick, easy dinner, and we all liked it with our cheesy mashed potatoes.  Each serving was about 150 calories, and there were six servings.  This received an 8 from everyone except Noah, who gave it a 9.  Here's what I did:

6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
salt and pepper
1/4 c honey
2 T olive oil
2 T whole grain garlic mustard
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 T tapioca

Spray the slow cooker with oil.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper.  Mix together the honey, oil, and mustard.  Stir in the lemon juice, and then stir in the tapioca.  Pour over the chicken, and cook it on low about 4 hours, checking to make sure it doesn't over cook.  Serve.

Flour, Too's Pork Loin with Mojo Sauce

So I wasn't sure I was going to feature this recipe, since I changed it a little, and didn't do all the recipe said to, but we really enjoyed this pork and sauce, all of us giving this a 9, except Noah who gave it a perfect 10, and it was relatively easy, so good things :).  Each serving was 292 calories for six servings.  Flour, Too, is where I found this recipe, and I was happy to be able to crockpot this and still have it turn out well.  I ended up leaving the pork in the brine for almost 48 hours in the fridge, and it was just so flavorful and tender.  Here's what to do:

Brine:

1/4 c salt
1/2 c packed brown sugar
3 cinnamon sticks
1 orange, halved
1 t dried thyme
3 garlic cloves, smashed
1 T fennel seeds
1 T coriander seeds
3 bay leaves
1-2 lb pork loin

Oregano Mojo:

1 cup (more or less) fresh oregano, chopped
1/2 c olive oil
1/3 c freshly squeezed lime juice
3 garlic cloves, smashed and minced
1/2 t salt
pepper

onion powder, oregano, garlic, and salt and pepper to season the pork

Mix the brine ingredients in a large pot with 2 1/2 qt water, bring it to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar.  Let it cool completely, then place the pork in the brine and refrigerate at least over night.

Make the Mojo by mixing all the ingredients together, stirring well.  Cover and refrigerate at least 24 hours.

When ready to cook the pork, season the pork, then place in a greased crockpot.  Allow the pork to cook for around 4-6 hours on low, making sure not to overcook.  Serve with the mojo sauce.

Vicki's Crockpot Beef Stew

This was a really good beef stew, but it didn't come out the way I wanted it to, which was more like beef borgignon.  Oh well, it was delicious anyway, and very beefy :).  I always love making things in the crockpot, because I have way more energy in the morning, and then when dinner rolls around, I am ready to go without any extra work.  This came to about 250 calories per serving, and we all gave this an 8.  Here's what to do:

3 slices thick cut pepper bacon, diced
2 lb beef stew meat, well seasoned
2 T flour
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 T tomato paste
1 T butter
1/2 c mushrooms, chopped
thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper
1-2 c red wine
3-4 c beef broth
2 T tapioca

In a pan, crisp the bacon, then set it aside.  Toss the beef with the flour, then in the same pan as the bacon, brown the meat on all sides.  Set it aside.  In the same pan, cook the carrots and onions, season them and allow them to soften, mix in the tomato paste, allow the tomato paste to cook a little, then pour the veggies into the crock.  Place the bacon and beef on top of the veggies.  Deglaze the bacon cooking pan with the red wine, allowing the wine to reduce a little, then add in the thyme and rosemary, and pour the wine over the beef.  Add in the beef broth and tapioca, just enough broth to cover the meat completely.  In the same pan, cook the butter and mushrooms, seasoning them and allowing them to soften.  Place them in the crock, turn it to low, then cook for at least 8 hours.  About 1/2 hour before serving, turn the heat to high, and take off the lid to allow the liquid to reduce a little.  Serve.

Crockpot Vegetable Lasagna

Here is my take on vegetable lasagna, made in the crockpot.  It is similar to my regular lasagna, but is meat free and is pretty good for us :).  Each serving, about 1/12 of the total, was 477 calories.  My Dad, Noah and I all gave this a 9, and my mom gave it an 8, because she liked my sausage lasagna better :).  Anyway, here's what I did:

15 oz ricotta cheese
6 oz Parmesan cheese, grated
2 T prepared pesto
salt and pepper

1 T olive oil
2 medium zucchini, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
3 15 oz cans petite diced tomatoes
1 t basil
1/2 t oregano
salt and pepper

1/2 c water
9 oven ready lasagna noodles
24 oz Italian cheeses, grated
1 bag baby spinach

Mix together the ricotta, Parmesan, pesto, and salt and pepper.  Set aside.
In a large pan, heat the olive oil, then add in the onions and carrots.  Cook for a little while, then add in the garlic and zucchini.  Stir and let the vegetables soften a little bit.  Add in the spices and the diced tomatoes, then season to taste, and let cook for a while, allowing the flavors to meld.
When the sauce is ready, pour some of it in the bottom of the slow cooker, then layer some lasagna noodles.  Top the noodles with half of the ricotta, 1/3 of the cheese, 1/2 of the spinach, and 1/2 of the red sauce.  Pour the water in, then repeat the layers.  Top with the remaining 1/3 of the cheese, and cook on low for about 8 hours, maybe a little less.  Let cool slightly, then serve.

Best Ever Indian Cookbook's Pork Balchao

This was super delicious, and since I always love slow cooked meats, we made this soon after I received the Best Ever Indian Cookbook.  I love changing things to the crockpot when possible, it makes dinner time so much less stressful.  We served this with rice pilaf, and each serving, there were six, was around 250.  We all gave this a 9, and although I was worried, it isn't at all too spicy.  This was easy, and smelled delicious.  You have to be vigilant while cooking the spices before putting it in the crockpot, but otherwise this is really simple.  Here's what I did:

4 T vegetable oil
1 T grated fresh ginger
1 T minced garlic
1 t cinnamon (a little less)
2 dried red chilies, torn (you could add more if you wanted it spicier)
4 cloves
2 t cumin
10 black peppercorns
1 lb pork loin, cubed and seasoned with salt
1 t turmeric
1 c water
1 1/2 T tomato paste
1/2 t chili powder
1 large onion, finely sliced
1 t salt
1 t sugar
2 T cider vinegar

In a spice grinder, grind up the cinnamon, chilies, cloves, cumin, and peppercorns.  Heat 2 T oil in a large pan, and add the ginger and garlic.  Fry for 30 seconds, then add in the blended up spices and cook for 30 seconds more, stirring constantly.  Add in the pork and turmeric and fry for 5-6 minutes, stirring regularly.  Dump everything in the crockpot.  In the same pan, heat up the remaining 2 T oil if needed and fry the onion for 8-9 minutes.  Add them to the crockpot along with the salt, sugar and vinegar.  Let cook at least four hours, but more if you would like.  Mine cooked for about 6 hours.  Serve with rice.

Crockpot Indian Chicken and Lentils

I made this recipe from Best Ever Indian Cookbook, a cookbook I received a while ago, and just haven't had the chance to dive into.  I wanted something easy while my parents were here, but they enjoy different kinds of food from us, and so I knew this would hit the spot with them.  They gave this a 9, and we gave it an 8.  This is very low in calories, about 200 calories per serving, and this made us about 16 or more servings.  This is known as Chicken Dhansak, but I made some changes from the cookbook, so it isn't really authentic :).  This is also better the second day, like most crock pot meals.  Here is what I did.

about 1 c green lentils
2-4 c chicken broth
2 t ground cumin
1 t curry powder
1 onion finely chopped
1 t ginger
1/2 jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed, chopped
1 t coriander
salt
1/4 t chili powder
14 oz canned diced tomatoes
1-2 lbs chicken breasts
cilantro, chopped
1 t garam masala

In a large crockpot, place the lentils, broth, cumin, curry powder, ginger, onion, jalapeno, coriander, chili powder, tomatoes, chicken and salt.  Cook on low all day long, then right before serving, add cilantro and garam masala.  Take out the chicken, chop it up, then return it to the crock and stir together.  Serve with rice.

Flour 2's Chipotle Chicken Stew

I found this recipe for soup in Flour 2, the second cookbook from JoAnn Chang, and these are more savory dishes, so fun to try new things!  I didn't follow the recipe super closely, I love making soup in the crockpot, and that is what I did for this recipe.  We gave it an 8, it was hearty and filling, and I especially liked the smoky, spicy flavor from the chipotle pepper.  Each serving was only 276 calories, and we made 8 servings, which is the portion shown above.
Here's what I did:

2 14.5 oz cans black beans
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 canned chipotle pepper, seeded and minced (if you want more spice, don't completely remove all the seeds)
1/2 t ground cumin
1 14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes with juice
salt
1/2 c uncooked rice
shaved zucchini, about 1/2 c
2 t oregano
1/2 c cilantro, chopped
juice from one lime

Place the beans, onion, carrots, garlic, chipotle pepper, cumin, tomatoes, zucchini, and oregano in the crockpot.  Salt the chicken well, then add the chicken.  Cook for 6-8 hours on low, then add in the rice.  Cook for an hour on high, checking to make sure the rice gets done before serving, then add in the cilantro and lime juice and serve.

Easy and delicious!

The Recipe Girl's Root Beer Pulled Pork and Coleslaw

There are certain things you will not find very much of on my site, and barbecue is one of those things, and coleslaw is another :).  I actually really dislike both of those things, but decided to try this recipe because Aaron likes pulled pork sandwiches.  When he got home, and heard us all singing the praises of this sandwich, he was mildly disbelieving, since he knows how I feel about barbecue and didn't really think this could be so great.  This is hands down THE BEST pulled pork sandwich we have ever had.  It got a perfect 10, and it needs the coleslaw with it to put it over the top.  I changed things up from the cookbook recipe from the Recipe Girl, so here's what I did:

2 lb pork loin
12 oz root beer
1/2 c barbecue sauce
cayenne pepper
onion powder
garlic salt
salt
French fried onions (about 3/4 cup)
1 c barbecue sauce

Mix everything together except 1 c barbecue sauce in the crock pot and cook for 10 hours or so.  Remove the roast from the sauce, reserve 3/4 c juices, then shred the pork and return to the crockpot with the reserved juices and 1 c barbecue sauce.  Combine, then cook on high for about 15 minutes.  Serve with your favorite coleslaw on a bun.

Here's the coleslaw recipe I used from the Copycat recipe cookbook I have

KFC Coleslaw

8 c (1 head) very finely chopped cabbage ( I used a bagged coleslaw mix with carrots and cabbage)

1/8 t pepper

1/4 c shredded carrot (1 medium carrot)        1/4 c milk

2 T minced onions                                           1/2 c mayonnaise

1/3 c granulated sugar                                     1/4 c buttermilk

1/2 t salt                                                          1 1/2 T white vinegar

                                                                        2 1/2 T lemon juice (I used lime juice)

1.  Be sure that the cabbage, carrots, and onion are chopped up into very fine pieces (about the size of rice kernels).

2. Combine the sugar, salt, pepper, milk, mayonnaise, buttermilk vinegar, and lemon juice, and beat until smooth.

3. Add the cabbage, carrots, and onions.  Mix well.

4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Serves 8

It's very important to make at least 2 hours in advance, the flavors need to mix for optimum results.

Each sandwich including bun was only 350 calories, so this was great and not super bad for us :).

The Recipe Girl's Beef and Lentil Stew

This was a great crockpot meal, and I found the recipe in The Recipe Girl's cookbook.  It was easy, and it tasted so good, which sometimes can be a challenge for a slow cooker.  I loved how flavorful this was, and the boys and I gave it a 9, while Aaron gave it an 8 because it had spinach :).  Each serving was 266 calories, so we had this with some bread, which is delicious all on its own ;).  Here's the recipe with my changes:

3 T olive oil
1 lb stew meat, seasoned with salt and pepper
1/3 c dry red wine or beef broth
1 c chopped celery
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 t minced garlic
3 c beef broth
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 c dried lentils
1 bay leaf
3 c spinach
1 T chopped fresh rosemary and thyme
Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat 1 1/2 T oil over medium heat and brown the stew meat.  Add the wine/beef broth to deglaze the skillet, then pour the whole thing into the slow cooker.  Add the remaining 1 1/2 t olive oil, and cook the celery, onion, and carrots, cooking and stirring until softened, about 5 minutes.  add the garlic, then add the whole mixture to the crockpot.  Add in the broth, the tomatoes, lentils and bay leaf.  Cook for about 8 hours on low, then when ready to serve, remove bay leaf and add the herbs and spinach.  Season to taste and serve.

Crockpot Caprese Chicken

This was an easy recipe, and the boys gave it a 9, and Aaron and I gave it an 8.  It is super easy, and just requires a little time in the crockpot.  I used some Italian marinade/dressing and cooked the chicken in the crockpot for about 4 hours, then removed it, layered tomatoes, basil, and fresh mozzarella on top, and broiled it in the oven for about 5 minutes.  Season more to taste, but this gave us moist, flavorful chicken with really delicious melty mozzarella.  Each 4 oz portion was 270 calories.  This was great and easy!

Picky Palate's Green Chili Pork Tacos and Our Favorite Refried Beans

So today I am featuring two recipes because that is how Aaron took the picture :).  I followed this recipe from Picky Palate's cookbook exactly, and this turned out really well.  The meat was flavorful and not too spicy.  Just like always with big cuts of meat, I never know what the calories are because this makes so many servings.  Also, I will now be spelling Tabasco correctly, I've been misspelling it this whole time ;).  Here's what to do:

3 lb pork loin
salt, garlic salt, pepper to taste
Tabasco to taste
2 T worcestershire sauce
2 c green enchilada sauce

Cook the pork loin with seasonings, Worcestershire sauce, and Tabasco in a crock pot on low for about 10 hours.  When pork is cooked through and falling apart, discard the juice and return meat to the crockpot with the green enchilada sauce.  Cook until warmed through and shredded.  Serve.

The beans are a recipe I have changed over the years but started out reading in a Martha Stewart magazine.  They are easy, flavorful, and although I almost make them too runny the first day, as they cool off a little they firm up.  Just be careful to remove enough water from the beans before blending them up.  Here's what I do:

1 lb pinto beans, picked over
3-6 slices bacon (depending on size and desired flavor)
1 onion, chopped into quarters
1 head of garlic, sliced in half
1 jalapeno, sliced in half and seeds removed, if desired
cumin and oregano and chili powder and coriander and salt to taste

In a large crockpot, start beans with a lot of water the night before wanting to serve, and add the rest of the ingredients except salt and cook on low.  I like to cook mine for about 14 hours, or more depending on the beans.  Check intermittently for water level and the beans consistency.  When ready to blend, remove some of the garlic and onion and water, and then blend with an immersion blender to desired consistency.  Serve.

Picky Palate's Ground Beef Slow Cooker Tacos

Picky Palate's cookbook features a slow cooking section, which is where I found this recipe.  Here is an easy taco meat meal, and while not wonderful, this was still hearty and filling.  Noah gave it a 9, Owen an 8, and Aaron and I gave it a 7.  This is flavorful, but a little too tomatoey for my taste.  The calories for 1/8 of the total are 249, and this is really easy, so worth making.

2 T olive oil
1 c chopped white onion
1/4 c chopped bell pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb ground beef
salt
10 oz Rotel
1/2 c prepared mild salsa
2 T lime juice
1 t ground cumin
1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro

Heat the olive oil , then add in the onion and peppers.  Add in the garlic, then the ground beef, salt and cook until beef is browned.  Drain the fat from the pan.  Transfer the mixture to a slow cooker on the low setting, and add the Rotel, salsa, lime juice, cumin, cilantro, and salt to taste.  Simmer on low at least 2 hours.  Serve with desired toppings.

Crockpot Zuppa Toscana

This Zuppa Toscana is a great soup.  It's fast and easy, and I love how it tastes.  Noah, Aaron and I gave it a 9, and Owen gave it an 8 because he said it was a little spicy.  This is full of flavor, and super simple.  We divided this into 8 servings, and each serving was 335 calories.  Make this on a cold night, it is warm and satisfying.  Here's what I did.

3/4 lb mild Italian sausage\
12 baby potatoes, cut in half
2 cans chicken broth
salt and pepper and Italian seasoning to taste
1 small onion, diced
1 t minced garlic
1 c cream
1 bag spinach
2-4 slices bacon, cooked and chopped

Brown sausage, onion and garlic, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning together then add to crockpot with potatoes, and chicken broth.  Cook on low for 5-8 hours, then add cream, spinach, and bacon and serve. 

Super great!!!

Crockpot Pesto Ranch Chicken

You can find the recipe for Crockpot Pesto Ranch Chicken from Picky Palate at this link, and you should try this soon.  It's such an easy, yummy, recipe.  Noah gave it a perfect 10, Aaron and I gave it a 9, and Owen gave it an 8.  For one thigh with lots of sauce, which we didn't use, the calories are 344, but like I said, we didn't use hardly any of the sauce so the calories are fewer.  This tasted great, it came together super quickly, and I will definitely make it again.  Here's what to do:

5 boneless skinless chicken thighs
4-5 oz pesto
1/2 packet ranch dressing mix
salt
1 can chicken broth

Mix all ingredients together in a crockpot, and cook on low for 5-6 hours.  Serve.

Asian Chicken Barbeque

This Asian Chicken Barbecue from 365 Days of Slow Cooking was a hit.  The recipe in her cookbook was a little different from the one on her website, she didn't use tapioca in her cookbook, so I didn't either, but I think it would've been even better with the tapioca.  Owen, Aaron and I gave it a 9, and Noah gave it a perfect 10.  The calories for 1 serving were 285.  Here's what I did

5 chicken thighs, cut into fourths
1/2 c soy sauce
1/3 c brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 T sesame oil
1/2 T sesame chili oil
1 T minced garlic

Lay the chicken in the slow cooker, mix the sauce ingredients together, then place the sauce ingredients on top of the chicken.  Cook on low for 2 hours on one side, flip the chicken pieces over, and cook for another hour. 

We served ours over ramen noodles, but I think it would've been better over rice.  Sometimes I just get tired of rice :).

Crockpot Italian Meatballs

This was such a great meal!  We made meatballs in the crockpot, and I found the recipe in the crockpot 365 cookbook.  I altered it just a little, and it came out so well!  Each meatball with sauce was 162 calories, and Owen, Noah and I all gave them a 9, while Aaron gave it an 8 because he said he would've liked more flavor.  Anyway, here's the super easy recipe.

3/4 lb lean Italian sausage
3/4 lb lean ground beef
1/4 c Italian cheese blend
1/4 c bread crumbs
1 egg
seasonings to taste

Mix ingredients together, then place in the crockpot and cook for 5 hours on low, covered in sauce of your choice.  Skim grease off before serving.

This was so good and easy, I love it!

Left Over Soup

This is a good way to use leftovers, but it wasn't an all out hit.  I call it left over soup because I used our left over Thanksgiving food to make it.  Aaron gave it a 6, Owen gave it a 7, I gave it an 8, and Noah gave it a 9.  The problem was the broth and the ham didn't go well together.  I don't know if I should've cut up the ham into smaller pieces, ours were bite size, or what, but it wasn't great together.  Aaron and I and the boys all loved the actual soup, it was delicious, it was just the ham that wasn't quite right.  Anyway, here's what I did.

2-3 c mashed potatoes and gravy
2-3 c ham, chopped
2 cans chicken broth
4 green onions
chives
1 can creamed corn or left over corn
1/2 c or so cream
1 T tapioca

Put all ingredients except cream in a crockpot and cook on low for as long as you would like.  A half hour before serving, add the cream, stir it, turn temperature to high and remove the lid so the sauce can evaporate a little and thicken up.  Serve.

Pizza Rigatoni

Here is the original recipe for Pizza Rigatoni in the crockpot that I used, and I only made a few small changes.

 

I decided I wanted to cook the onions, so I mixed those in with the sausage, and I added the cream of mushroom soup to that mixture too, rather than giving it its own layer.  I like how it turned out, Aaron and I gave it a 7 because we both felt like the sausage needed more spice, I used sweet Italian sausage because it was on sale, rather than mild or spicy, and I would use either of those next time, Owen and Noah gave it a 9.  The calories for 1 cup, or 1/8 of the total were 528, and this was an easy weeknight meal.

 

Pizza Rigatoni

 

1/2 lb pasta

34 turkey pepperoni slices

1 lb Italian sausage

1 onion, diced

3 c marinara sauce

4 c cheese

1 can cream of mushroom soup

black olives, sliced or chopped for garnish (I don't like having cooked olives very much)

 

Cook pasta, drain, and set aside.  Cook sausage and onions, then mix in the soup and put half of the mixture in the bottom.  Place 1/2 the pasta on top, then pour half the marinara then place 1 3/4 c cheese on top of that and then pepperoni.  Repeat the layers, then end with the remaining cheese.  Cook on low for 4 hours. 



Vicki's Experimental Green Bean Casserole :)

I made this the other day, because we have some canned green beans that need to be eaten, and I was trying to figure out something that would taste better than canned green beans by themselves.  Here's what I came up with, kind of a play on green bean casserole :)

36 oz canned green beans, drained and rinsed
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 T soy sauce
1/2 c french fried onions
1 T prepared pesto
1/4 c cheddar cheese french fried onions
salt and pepper to taste

Mix it all together in a sprayed crockpot, and cook on low for about 3-5 hours.  Serve.

Aaron gave this a 7, Owen and I gave it an 8, and Noah gave it a 9.  He said they were the best green beans he had ever had, but he hates green beans so I'm not sure how helpful that is ;).  The calories for 1/10 of the total were 121.  I would call this a successful experiment.

Garlic Caesar Chicken

This is such an easy meal, but you have to be a little careful with the cooking of it.  This Garlic Caesar Chicken in the crockpot is one of my family's favorite meals, they want it all the time.  The boys give it a perfect 10, Aaron gives it a 9, and I give it an 8. 

 

I found this in the 365 Days Of Slow Cooking cookbook, and I follow the recipe exactly.  The only thing is you can't over cook this at all, the Caesar dressing separates if you let it go too long, so towards the end of cooking time you have to monitor to make sure you remove it from the heat as soon as possible.  We serve this over pasta as the recipe suggests, and it's great.

 

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into chunks and seasoned to taste

1/2 c Caesar dressing (the better the quality, the better your meal will taste, we really like Litehouse)

1/2 green pepper, diced

1 T garlic, minced

1/2 lb pasta, cooked

 

Spray crock, then place chicken, dressing, green pepper, and garlic in the crockpot.  Cook on low four hours, and check to make sure it doesn't over cook.  Serve with the cooked pasta.

 

This makes six servings for us, and the calories per serving are 327.