Yummy recipes

Crockpot Taco Spaghetti

Ingredients

1 lb Box Spaghetti Noodles

1 14.5oz Can of Rotel

1 Bag Frozen Corn

3/4 Cup Water

1 Package Dry Taco Seasoning Mix

1 lb Ground Beef

1 Medium Onion, Diced

2 Cups Shredded Mexican Cheese Mix (or substitute Cheddar)

Instructions

In a skillet, cook ground beef and diced onions. Drain well.
Add cooked ground beef and all remaining ingredients (except the dry spaghetti noodles) to the crock-pot.
Cook on low for 3 hours.
Prior to serving, cook spaghetti on the stove top according to the package.
Either mix spaghetti noodles with taco mix and serve or serve taco mix on top of cooked noodles.

Crockpot Potato Soup

Ingredients

4lbs of Ounces of Klondike Gourmet or Fingerling Potatoes

2 Yellow Onions Chopped

3 Stalks of Celery thinly sliced

2 cups of Cooked Chicken or Bacon Crumbles

2 Tablespoons of Butter

2 Chicken Bouillon Cubes

2 Tablespoons of Mrs. Dash Table Blend

2 Tablespoons of Salt

1/2 Teaspoon of Pepper

6 1/2 Cups of Water

2 Cups of Milk

1/2 Cup Flour, mixed with Water

Instructions

I used a liner.
I placed cubed potatoes, onions, celery, cooked chicken (or bacon), butter, bouillon cubs, Mrs. Dash, Salt and Pepper & 6 1/2 cups of water.
Cook on low for 7 and a half hours.
At this point stir the milk and flour/water mixture in a bowl mixing well.
Add the milk/flour/water mixture to the soup and stir carefully, allow to thicken (may take more then 30 minutes).
I would check soup before serving in case you need to add more Salt or Pepper.

Notes

In place of gourmet potatoes you can do 8 regular potatoes diced.
Scrub well and you may need to rinse or add a little lemon to them if the starch changes the color.

This soup would be great with cheese or Velveeta added to it near the end.

I would strongly suggest testing before serving to see if more salt or pepper needs to be added. It can be difficult to season a soup without tasting it, add too much at first you can’t easily fix.

Crockpot Strawberry Jam

Ingredients

4 Pints Fresh Strawberries

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

4 Cups Sugar

1 (1.75 Oz.) Package Powdered Fruit Pectin

Instructions

Rinse strawberries, hull and slice and place in a 5-6 quart crock-pot.
Add remaining ingredients (lemon juice, sugar & pectin) and stir everything together.
Cover crock-pot and cook on low for 1 hour and then stir well.
Cook an additional 1 hour and stir well again once more.
Increase heat to high and cook an additional 2 to 3 hours until the jam is the desired consistency. (See note)
Store finished jam in refrigerator for up to 2 months, in the freezer for up to 1 year or process in a hot water bath canner for 20 minutes for long term storage.

Notes

Before starting your jam place 2-3 saucer size plates in the freezer. To test jam doneness place a spoonful of jam on the cold plate and wait a minute or two. Push the puddle of jam with your finger to see if it is setting yet. If the jam is still runny and saucy cook it longer.

Crockpot Ranch Chicken

Ingredients

One Yellow Onion Sliced

4-6 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

Pepper & Mrs. Dash Table Blend

1/4th Cup of Melted Butter

1 packet of Dry Ranch Dressing Mix

1 Can of Cream of Chicken Soup

1/2 Cup of Chicken Broth

1/2 Packet of Onion Soup Mix

1 8 ounce package of Cream Cheese, cut into very small cubes

Green Onions chopped and Paprika for Garnish

White Rice cooked (optional)

Instructions

I first used a liner, spray with Pam on the sides.
Place the sliced yellow onion at the bottom.
Place the chicken on top.
Pour butter over chicken and use Mrs. Dash and pepper to taste on chicken.
Sprinkle the ranch mix over the chicken.
Cover and cook for about 6 hours.
When your near the 6 hour mark and the chicken looks cooked (I tested one of them to make sure it’s wasn’t pink) then you will make the rest of the mix.
First scoop out 1/4th cup of the chicken juices out.
Place in a large bowl and add the cream of chicken soup, chicken broth and onion mix and stir to well blended.
Then pour over chicken.
Place the squares of cream cheese over the chicken, spreading it well amongst the chicken.
Recover for an additional 45 minutes.
When ready to serve, you can serve over rice, I garnished mine with paprika and chopped green onions.

Crockpot Sweet and Sour Chicken

Ingredients

1.5 -2lbs Chicken Leg Quarters (or chicken breasts)

1 Jar Apricot Preserves (about 2 cups)

3 Tablespoons Heinz 57 Sauce

3 Tablespoons Italian Dressing

1 Tablespoons Soy Sauce

Instructions

In a bowl, mix the apricot preserves, Heinz 57 Sauce, Italian Dressing and Soy Sauce.
Add the raw chicken to the crock-pot.
Pour the mixed sauce over the chicken careful to coat all parts of the chicken.
Cook on LOW for 3 hours.

Crockpot Ratatouille

Ingredients

1 Large Eggplant, peeled and sliced into slices 1/4th inch thick

2 Large Zucchini sliced 1/4th inch thick

1 Yellow Squash sliced 1/4th inch thick

1 Large Onion, Julienne

3 Garlic Cloves, minced (I used preminced garlic)

1 Tomato Diced (because my roma tomatoes were so small I used about 4)

8 ounce Basic, Garlic, Oregano Tomato Sauce

1 Teaspoon Basil

1 Teaspoon Oregano

1 Teaspoon Sugar

2 Teaspoons Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Pepper

1 Tablespoon Parsley

1/4th Cup of Olive Oil

3 Cups of Rice Cooked, if desired

Instructions

I used a liner and sprayed it with Pam.
Layer half the onions on the bottom of the crock.
Layer half the eggplant over the onions
Next Layer half the Zucchini and Yellow Squash on top of eggplant.
Spread around half of the Garlic and Tomato.
In a small bowl mix the tomato paste with all the herbs and half the salt.
Pour that over the veggies.
Next layer the onions again, followed by Eggplant, zucchini, and yellow squash.
Follow with tomatoes.
Then use the remaining salt over the mixture.
Cover with the Olive Oil.
Cook on low for 7-9 hours
I cooked rice and then place the Ratatouille over the rice.

Notes

If you would like a spicy ratatouille replace the yellow squash with red and green peppers julienne.

Crockpot Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients

1 Dozen Eggs

1 Cup of Milk

1 Package of Potato’s O’Brien approximately 32 Ounce

1 Pound of Bacon Cooked, Drained and cut into pieces.

1 Pound of Sausage, Browned and Drained

1/2 Cup of Green Onions, Diced

1 Medium Onion Chopped

3/4ths Pound of Cheddar Cheese

1/4th Cup of Parmesan Cheese

1 Tablespoon of Prepared Mustard

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Instructions

I used a liner and sprayed with Pam.
You will do about 3 layers.
Start with potatoes, bacon, sausage, onions and cheddar cheese (do this 3 times).
Although the layers don’t matter too much, make sure bacon is not on the top, it cooks better underneath other food.
Make sure your final top is the last of the cheddar cheese.
Beat the eggs, milk, mustard, salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese together.
Pour over the layers.
Cook on low for 10-12 hours or until the eggs are set (if your crock runs hotter than average shorten the time to 6-8 hours on low)..
I cooked mine overnight so it would be ready in the morning.

Notes

If your crock is one that runs hot, try going at 6-8 hours first and see how well it has cooked. Mine took the full 10 hours but no crock cooks exactly the same as the next.

Sunday, February 23, 2014