Crockpot BBQ Chicken

I love my crockpots.  Yes, I said crockpots...as in plural.  I have four and, yes, I do need each one.

It's a wonderful thing to fill it with ingredients, turn it on and several hours later, you have a delicious meal that's waiting to be eaten.  It's like magic, really.

Today's recipe comes from an adapted Pinterest find.  It's super simple and quite delicious.  My kids loved that the chicken was so tender that they could cut their own chicken with their forks.

                                        

Here's what you'll need:

4-6 chicken breasts (I used 4 and cut each one in half to get 8 pieces)

1 (18 oz.) bottle BBQ sauce

1/4 C. white vinegar

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional, it's if you like some kick)

1/4 C. brown sugar

1 tsp. garlic powder

Place the chicken breasts in the crockpot.  Season with whatever seasonings you like.  I went with Sweet Mesquite seasoning.

In a small bowl, combine the BBQ sauce, vinegar, red pepper flakes (if desired), brown sugar, and garlic powder.

Pour over the seasoned chicken.

Turn the crockpot on Low and cook for 4 hours.  

After the 4 hours, I took the lid off and let it cook for another 30 minutes to thicken the sauce on the chicken a bit.

 Serve with rice or mashed potatoes.

Crockpot Chicken & Dumplings

Fall is in full swing around here!  Today is cold, rainy, and super WINDY!  We're supposed to see wind speeds over 50 MPH.  That's a little nuts, isn't it?

What better thing to do on a day like this than make some nice, warm comfort food.  And since this meal cooks in the crockpot, that means your oven is free to bake some bread or goodies.  Doesn't that sound nice?  It sure does to me!

This recipe is adapted from HERE and we absolutely LOVED it!  I loved the shortcut of using canned biscuit dough for the dumplings.  It was so simple and so delicious!  Brilliant really.

Here's what you'll need:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I doubled the recipe since we were cooking for extras and I only had three chicken breasts.  It worked out great though.)

2 Tbsp. butter

2  (10.5 oz.) cans cream of chicken soup

1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth

1/2 onion, diced OR you can use 2 Tbsp. dried, diced onion

1 Tbsp. dried parsley

4 Grands flaky refrigerator biscuits

Place chicken in crockpot.  Plop the butter on the chicken.

Then scoop the cream of chicken soup on that (since I doubled this recipe, I only had 3 cans of cream of chicken soup, so I added a can of cream of mushroom soup).

Pour the chicken broth over all.

Add the diced onion and dried parsley.

Cover and cook on High for 4-5 hours or Low for 8-9 hours.

After the chicken is cooked, shred it and put it back into the soup.

Cut each biscuit into 9 pieces.

(Remember that I doubled mine, that's why there are more than 4.)

Stir gently into the soup.  Cover and turn the crockpot to High and cook for another hour.

After an hour, stir it up and this is what you'll get.

Serve warm and enjoy!

Pizza Pasta

This recipe is very kid-friendly.  It can be assembled earlier in the day, covered, then baked when you're ready.  Or it's great to layer in a crockpot (directions at the bottom of this post) just before the kids get home from school or right before you head to church and have it piping hot in a few hours when you're ready to eat.

You can just use canned or jarred spaghetti sauce or you can make this dressed up canned sauce for a little extra flavor.  And you can add mushrooms, olives, and a chopped green pepper too.  I love how versatile this recipe is.

Here's what you'll need:

1 lb. hamburger OR sweet Italian sausage OR 1/2 lb. of each

2 T. dried chopped onion

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1 lg. can or jar spaghetti sauce

1 (16 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste

4 tsp. dried oregano

1/4 C. packed brown sugar

salt & pepper to taste

sliced mushrooms, sliced olives, 1 chopped green pepper, all optional

1 (16 oz.) pkg. rigatoni pasta

1 C. pepperoni slices

1 C. mozzarella cheese, shredded

Cook pasta according to package directions; set aside.  While pasta is cooking, brown meat, onion, and garlic powder.  When meat is cooked through, add spaghetti sauce, tomatoes, paste, oregano, brown sugar, salt and pepper, and mushrooms, olives, and pepper, if desired.

In a large bowl, combine pasta, sauce, and pepperoni.  Place in a greased 9x13 inch pan.

Sprinkle with cheese.

Loosely cover with foil that's been sprayed with non-stick spray (to make your foil non-stick).  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

You can also make this dish in the crockpot too!  To do so, here's what you'll do:

Cook your pasta for the shortest time listed on the package.
Make your meat/sauce mixture.
Spray the crockpot well with non-stick spray.
Layer 1/2 the sauce, 1/2 the pasta, 1/2 the pepperoni, and 1/2 the cheese.
Repeat layers.
Cook on Low for 2-3 hours.

Crockpot Roast Beef

One of those staples for winter-time cooking is my crockpot roast beef with it's fall-off-the-bone meat, tender potatoes and carrots, and it's own saucy gravy.  Mmmm...perfect for a cold winter day.

                               

I put this recipe together after trying MANY different versions of this classic dish.  And what can be better than putting everything together in the crockpot in the morning and not even think about it until it's dinner time?  Nothing, I say.  However, it's pretty hard to ignore the delicious aroma that will spread throughout your house.

So, make this soon, before winter leaves us, and enjoy this hearty, warm-your-whole-body dinner.

Here's what you'll need:

3-4 lbs. beef roast OR round steaks 

(I used round steaks since we have a lot of them and this is one of the best ways to make this cut of meat so tender to eat.)

Your favorite dry rub 

(I just used a generic roast beef rub I had in my pantry; if you don't have one, you can use a combination of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder, and anything else that sounds good to you.)

Mini carrots

(I like using my older carrots that are drying out in this dish because they'll moisten right up while cooking.)

Diced potatoes

1 pkg. dry onion soup mix

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

Cover meat generously with the dry rub and place in crockpot.  Top with carrots and potatoes (however many you'd like).  

Shake dry soup mix over veggies.  

Spoon cream of mushroom soup over everything.  

Cook on Low for 6-8 hours or on High for 3-4 hours.

 Later that evening, you'll have this to eat...

So tender and delicious!  Enjoy!!

Beef Roast Stroganoff

I LOVE easy recipes! Especially ones that involve a crockpot. I love that I can just put a few ingredients together and turn the crockpot on and not even give it another thought. Well, that is until you can smell the delicious aroma of what you have cooking. Then that's all you can think about and you're salivating constantly until your husband FINALLY comes home from work and you can sit down and enjoy the meal you've put so little time into making.

Today's recipe is one of those. So good and so easy!

Here's what you'll need:

3-5 lb. beef roast

1 C. water

1/2 pkg. dry onion soup mix

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

1/2 C. sour cream (opt.)

2 tsp. beef bouillon

1/4 tsp. pepper

All of the broth left over from the crockpot

Place roast in crockpot. Mix water and onion soup mix and pour over the top of roast.

Water does not need to cover the roast. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. When roast is done, take out of crockpot and shred meat; set aside.

In a saucepan, combine cream of mushroom soup, sour cream (if desired), bouillon, pepper, and the leftover broth from the crockpot. Bring to a boil. Add shredded beef.

(Just a note, when I took these pictures I used more sour cream that I specified in this recipe, which I won't do again. Your gravy will look darker and be more delicious than this.)

Serve over egg noodles or potatoes.

So easy, so good. Enjoy a good meal without much work!

Baked Beans

The recipe I'm sharing with you today is called, "Original Ranch House Baked Beans" in my new cookbook. Now, I've never heard of Ranch House before, but by looking at the ingredients, I thought this recipe sounded good. Well, it was. It was soooooooooooooooooooooooooo good!! It has such a wonderful flavor to it and is very hearty. Served with my breadsticks, it's a stick-to-your-ribs kind of meal.

Here's what you'll need:

2 (16 oz) cans pork and beans
1 (16 oz) can kidney beans, drained
1 (16 oz) can butter beans, drained
1 C. ketchup
1 C. brown sugar
1 T. liquid smoke
3 scant T. vinegar
1/2 onion, chopped OR 4 T. dried, chopped onion
1 lb. bacon
1 lb. hamburger

Brown hamburger, seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder (a few shakes of each). Cook bacon; cut into 1 inch chunks. Drain all grease. Mix all ingredients together in a pot. Simmer for 1 hour (I only had 30 minutes and it was still great). Or use a crockpot and cook on low for 3 hours.

You really should try this. Especially if you live in Southeast Idaho where it's snowing right now. This will warm you right up!!

Italian Chicken Fettuccine

I was looking at my last post on Saturday and realized that I started Pasta Week on Friday. I think with school being out and Thanksgiving, I was totally thrown off on what day of the week it was. WOWIE!! That's all I have to say about that! So here we go with an extra long Pasta Week!!

Today's recipe comes from a friend of mine, Holly. My family loves this recipe because it's so creamy and good! And another reason why I like it is because you can freeze the sauce, thaw it, warm it through when you're ready and serve over cooked pasta. I made several batches of this before I had my last baby and stuck them in the freezer (along with LOTS of other dinners) so that I didn't have to worry about cooking once the baby came. SOOOOOOOO very helpful!!

Another good thing about this recipe is that it is so easy and is made in the crockpot. Everyone likes crockpot recipes because you let the pot do all the work. It's great!!!

Here's what you'll need:

1/2 cube (1/4 cup) butter (not margarine)
6 frozen chicken breasts
2 pkgs. Good Season Italian Salad Dressing Mix
2 (10 oz) cans cream of chicken soup
2 (8 oz) pkgs. cream cheese
1/2 C. milk
1 (16 oz) pkg. fettuccine noodles, cooked and drained

Melt butter in a crockpot on high. Add frozen chicken breasts (or you can use thawed chicken breasts and cook for 3 - 3 1/2 hours). Sprinkle with both packages of salad dressing mix. Cover and cook on high for 6-7 hours (if using frozen chicken breasts) or until chicken falls apart, stirring occasionally. Remove chicken and cube. Set aside. Add soup, cream cheese and milk to the juice in the crockpot. Mix with electric mixer until smooth. Add chicken and allow to warm through. Serve over fettuccine noodles. Or if you want to freeze it, add the chicken and pour or scoop into a gallon freezer bag and freeze.

Chili

The cooler weather is starting to set in. Fall is definitely here. Whenever this time of year comes around, I LOVE to make food that warms and fills you up. Today's recipe is one that I got from one of my sisters-in-law. It is so easy and really good! So one of these chilly days, you have got to try this super easy chili!

Here's what you'll need:

2 lbs. hamburger
1-2 T. dried onion
Salt & Pepper
2 Cans tomato sauce
2 cans pork & beans
1 pkg. chili seasoning

Brown the hamburger with the dried onion and salt and pepper. Mix all other ingredients together in a pot or a crockpot.

Add the cooked hamburger and cook on Medium-High until bubbly, then simmer until ready to eat. (The longer it simmers, the better the flavors combine. I would let it simmer for a good 30 to 45 mins.) Or if cooking in a crockpot, cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours. Eat with shredded cheese and saltine crackers, french bread, or breadsticks. YUM!!

Do you see that breadstick? That's coming up next. Be very excited!!

Sweet Pork Burritos

I made these burritos for my little (I really shouldn't call him little anymore, he's way taller than me) brother's birthday since he loves mexican food. It was the first time that I tried all three of these recipes, and WOW, I was amazed at how good they were. Like, seriously, they were as good as a really good restaraunt's food! In fact, one of my brother's friends said, "Have you ever eaten at Cafe Rio (a way good restaraunt in Utah)? This tastes just like their food!" I was so excited to hear that!!

The recipe for the pork, from my aunt, is actually a copy-cat recipe for Cafe Rio Pork. As I was making it, the sauce that it simmers in didn't smell that great. All I could smell was cola soda and salsa and the combination does not sound very good, I know, but you have got to taste this. The meat was amazing!!! I actually made the meat a day in advance because it takes 8 hours to cook in the crockpot, which turned out great. The flavors really came together overnight! Then you are just left with making the rice and the black beans the next day. And those are a breeze to put together.

Here are the three recipes I used to make Sweet Pork Burritos...

Sweet Shredded Pork:

6 lb pork roast
1 (16 oz) bottle of salsa
1 (12 oz) can cola soda
2 C. brown sugar

Place pork in crock-pot and fill it half way up the pork with water. Cook on high for 5 hours. Drain off water. Cut pork in thirds. Mix together sauce ingredients and put on top of pork. Cook additional 3 hours on high. Shred pork with forks. Can refrigerate overnight then warm in crockpot until ready to eat.

Cilantro Lime Rice (my oldest sister's recipe):

3 C. chicken broth
1 1/2 C. uncooked white rice
2 t. lime zest (I just zested one whole lime and used that)
2 T. chopped cilantro
2 small cloves of garlic OR 1/2 t. garlic powder
1 T. butter
Juice of 1/2 a lime
Pepper to taste

Pour all ingredients into rice cooker for the easy version, or leave the lime juice and cilantro to add at the end for a fresher look. Or on the stovetop: In a saucepan combine chicken broth, rice, lime zest, garlic, pepper, and butter. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low, simmering for 30 minutes. Remove from heat, uncover, and add cilantro and lime juice, stirring to combine.

Quick & Easy Black Beans (from ourbestbites.com):

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 T. dried, minced or chopped onion
1/2 t. garlic powder
1 C. chicken broth
1/4 t. cumin
1/4 t. coriander (I didn't have any coriander on hand, so I left it out and it tasted just fine)
1/4 t. oregano
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
Juice from 1/2 lime

In a saucepan on the stove, combine all ingredients except lime juice, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low simmer for about seven minutes, stirring occasionally. When done, remove from heat and add lime juice. Using the back of a spoon or rubber spatula, smash most of the beans. It will thicken upon standing.

To make the burritos, put shredded pork on a tortilla, top with beans, then rice, and sour cream and guacamole. Oh so very good!!! The next time I make this, I will either use a 4-6 lb. pork roast and leave everything else as is, or I will use the 8 to 10 lbs of pork and double the rice and beans. Make this for a party or for your own family. You'll have tons left over, but this is one dish you won't mind eating for lunch and dinner a few days in a row. Trust me!

French Dip Sandwiches

My aunt sent me this recipe along with several other crockpot recipes (she is such a great resource when it comes good food, and pretty much anything else, for that matter). This was the first one that I tried because 1) everything about it sounded really good, 2) I had most of the ingredients, and 3) because it looked super easy to make. Little did I know how good it would actually taste when it was done. When the roast had finished cooking, I was amazed at how delicious the meat was, and then to have it soaking in that wonderful au jus made it that much better! I don’t know that I will ever go back to the old way of making French Dip Sandwiches with the deli sliced roast beef and the packaged au jus. Once you try this recipe, I think you’ll agree – this is WAY better!!!

This is what you'll need:

3-4 lb. Beef roast

1 can beef consommé soup

1 soup can of water

1 pkg. Au Jus dry mix

1 pkg. Italian dressing dry mix

Stir together the consommé, water, and au jus mix. Add the roast and sprinkle Italian seasoning on top. Cook on low in the crockpot for about 8 hours. Remove; shred meat. Place shredded meat on 10-12 large, buttered, crusty rolls. Top with provolone cheese, then broil open-faced until cheese is melted and bread is lightly toasted. Serve with juices from the crockpot for dipping.

Give this a try - you'll be glad that you did!

You can easily freeze the shredded meat in the juices for a meal another day.  Just place the shredded meat and juices into a gallon freezer bag, label and freeze.  To serve:  Thaw.  Heat through in a crockpot on High for a few hours.  Separate the meat from the juices and assemble your sandwiches, using the warmed juices for dipping.