Peanut Chocolate Candy

Great for Winter time of year, wow your guest or give away as treats!

Combine peanuts , semi sweet morsels. German chocolate, white almond bark, and butter into crock. 

Cook on low, stir and spoon onto wax paper or small candy liners, let cool. Instant Holiday fun!

Conchinta Pibil

This is Yucatan dish full of flavor , a nice blend of hot and sour!

 Using orange juice, lime, lemon anchiote' chili paste, and seasonings you marinade the meat over night.

You layer your crock  layer bottom of crock with banana leafes, in Yucatan style.
Place marinade meat with red onions in crock, cover meat with banana leaf and cover .

Meat is used with corn or flour tortillas, or a torta for a sandwich and pickled red ions, sprinkled with queso fresco, and cilantro to taste.

Brocolli Cheese Soup in Bread Bowl

You will need:

Fresh Broccoli Onion, chopped
Butter
Flour
Water
Chicken Bouillon granules
Cream Mushroom soup
Cream of
Whole Milk
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded
Round Bread loaves (bowl size)

Place all items except for bread in crock pot.  Cook on low for 4 hours. Hollow out your bread loaves, setting aside pieces from inside to dip in soup later.  Fill your bread bowls with soup and serve with leftover bread chunks.

 

History of the crock pot

 I have affectionately been dubbed the Crock-Pot Queen from family and friends.  I must admit I love my crock pot especially when I am working or have obligations.  Pop the items in the crock in the morning and come home to a nice bubbling meal!

The Crock-pot... almost everyone has one, but do they use them? Often they just stay in the cupboard, completely unloved and underused. Slow cooking has been used for hundreds of years to get the most out of food, but it used to be a lot more work and time intensive than it is today.

Origins of Slow Cooking

Slow cooking has been around ever since people figured out how to make an iron pot. An iron pot  could be hung over a fire for many hours while food simmered in it, or a smaller one could be filled with ingredients and buried in the coals to cook. The obvious detriment to these methods was the attention it took tending the fire all day and stirring the contents of the pots.

Cooking on a low heat for many hours tenderizes tough meats and also melts, creating a tender, delicious meal that is full of nutrition. Long cooking times may also be beneficial to tough root crops, making them more digestible. Dried beans and lentils also benefit from a long cooking on low heat.

You Grandmother’s Crock Pot

In the 1950s, Naxon Utilities Corporation of Chicago created the first slow cooker. It was called the Beanery All Purpose Cooker, and it was created to assist people in cooking baked beans A ceramic pot that fit inside a metal pan with heating elements around the inside. Rival in 1970 bought Naxon. The Beanery was redesigned as the Crock Pot. During the 1970s, women were joining the workforce in rapidly increasing numbers.  The Crock Pot peaked at this time because it helped working mothers feed their families as well. It was easy to fill it before they left for work /Better yet, it was great to come to home to a hot meal.

The Crock Pot Evovled

Since the 1970’s, crock-pots have evolved. They now have ceramic pots that are removable, making cleaning much easier than the older models. With older pots, one had to be careful during cleaning that the electrical cord or outside of crock did not get wet. . The newer ceramic inserts are dishwasher safe, as well, making clean up e easier than ever. Some newer crock-pots have an additional setting and timers and a few are even computerized and will change automatically to warm when the food is done cooking.

Toady’s crock-pot is more versatile. Beans, stews, casseroles, roasts and even deserts and warm beverages can be made in the crock pot.  Foods like lasagna, barbecued pork, and hearty soups can be made with creativity and your crock.

 

A Crock Pot Chili Cook Off

A Crock Pot Chili Cook Off... LoL

Budget Wise Crock Pots

Need a crock pot or maybe a second crock pot?  Here are some economical options. I like to have two crock for larger dishes or one for entree one for dessert.

 $17 Walmart

$19  Walmart

$21 at Walmart

Ice Cream Sandwhich Cake

So easy, so good, and kids love it

12-14 Ice Cream Sandwich Bars unwrapped
2 Tub LG Cook Whip
I bottle chocolate sauce

Spread Cool Whip on bottom of dish. Layer horizontal row of bars then spread a layer cool whip and drizzle with sauce, continue process alternating vertical and horizontal rows for bars, Top of with layer cool whip and drizzle chocolate sauce on top.

Easy refried like beans

Easy simple refried beans

Want refried like beans but no time to cook, mash , and then fry.
This easy crock pot recipe give you creamy refried like beans with the fuss of frying.

Cook beans in crock pot for 6-8 hours.
I usually put in in morning before work.
 Fill water to the brim, you may need add more water as cooking continues, they soak up a lot of liquid.

When cooked till tender, pour from crock to large pot and mash with potato masher.
You won't mash all, don't worry this adds texture and
homemade beans are rarely completely smooth unless you puree.

After, you have mashed cooked beans, here is the secret , add mayonnaise.
 Yep, not to much you do not want a mayo flavor  , just the fat, creaminess, and color.
Cook on low for another 30 minutes be sure to mix all the mayo in.
How much mayo, well, that is the secret....
guess you have to get my book when it comes out....LOL

This easy fool proof technique will give you creamy and nicely colored beans.
No frying needed.
The mayo adds just enough fat and creaminess along with a nice color.
( be sure to use Best Food's mayo)

Slow Cooked Crock Pot Chicken & Taters

Simple, and so good.

Chicken
Onion Soup Mix
Onions
Potatoes (quarters)
Thyme
Butter

Cook on low 6 hours.  Let Chicken rest for 15 mins.

Cream Cheese Italian Cherry Cake

OOh this is white vanilla cake with a cream cheese Mascarpone frosting and cherry in the middle cake.....

Looks so good....

Meat Manicotti

This savory dish is sure to please and super easy in the crock pot!

Meat Sauce
Raw Manicotti shells (stuff with sauce) place in crock pot.
 Top with extra sauce and cheese and cook on High 4-6 hours.

 

Super Easy Ranch potato

You need ;

Potatoes quartered
1/2 Bottle quality ranch dressing
2 oz cream cheese
Salt & Pepper
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Crumbled Bacon

Wash and cut your potato coat them in a large bowl with the dressing and cream cheese. Add salt & pepper. Spray a cooking sheet with cooking spray and arrange the potato on the sheet.  Roast at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.  Remove from oven sprinkle bacon and cheese over top and return to oven for 5 more minutes.

Butterscotch Apple Crisp Crock Pot

This is hearty treat great for celebrating.

Simple and easy made in the crock pot, great to transport to events.

Mix together Oatmeal, Cinnamon, Walnuts, Brown Sugar, Butter,  and Butterscotch chips

Place Granny Smith Apples in crock pot

 Pour oatmeal mixture over apples

Cover crock and cook on low

Serve with ice cream or cool whip!

Fall Apples

Being Arizona it is sweltering here, I am dreaming of fall. Here is an easy treat to bring autumn into your home!

Autumn is all about apples, here is a simple easy way to make baked apples in the crock pot.

You will need to

Core and stuff apples with brown sugar and cinnamon. You may also use nuts and clove to your liking.
Cook in crock pot on low 4-5 hours.

Creamy Ranch Potatoes

You need;

Red potatoes
Cream Cheese
Cream of potato soup
Ranch dip mix
garlic
pepper.

Cream together soup, cheese, and ranch, Coat the potatoes and dump mixture into crock pot spraye with cooking spray. Cook on low 6-8 hours.

2 Pounds Red Potatoes, Sliced 1 (8 Oz.) Package Of Cream Cheese, Softened 1 (10.75 Oz.) Can Cream Of Potato Soup 1 Package Ranch Dressing Mix 2 Cloves Of Garlic, Finely Minced Pinch Of Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Read more at http://crockpotladies.com/recipe-categories/side-dishes/crockpot-creamy-ranch-garlic-potatoes/#9yMtp8AMTrYHwq3C.99

2 Pounds Red Potatoes, Sliced 1 (8 Oz.) Package Of Cream Cheese, Softened 1 (10.75 Oz.) Can Cream Of Potato Soup 1 Package Ranch Dressing Mix 2 Cloves Of Garlic, Finely Minced Pinch Of Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Read more at http://crockpotladies.com/recipe-categories/side-dishes/crockpot-creamy-ranch-garlic-potatoes/#9yMtp8AMTrYHwq3C.99

Bread Pudding

You will need:

• 5 eggs, beaten
• 3 1/2 cups milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 Tablespoons (yes!) ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 cups plain bread crumbs (or more to make mixture as thick as cooked oatmeal when mixed with all ingredients)
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon butter or margarine, melted
• 1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Combine all in the crock pot and cook on high 4-5 hours, tipping lid the last 30 minutes of cook time to release moisture.

Serve with whipped cream.

White Chicken Chili

You need-

Northern Navy Beans
Can diced tomato
Chicken broth
garlic powder
onions
cumin
Red Devil sauce
white meat chicken cubed
Chili powder
Cilantro


Combine all ingredients in crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 7 hours. Garnish with sour cream and grated cheddar cheese.  Serve with corn bread or crackers.

Crock Pot Corn Chowder

This is a rich and creamy soup to super easy and super good!
You need;

2 Cups fresh of frozen corn
1/4 Cup Flour
1 tsp each sugar and salt
1 tsp pepper
3 Eggs
2 Cups Whole Milk
2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
2 TBSP Butter

Combine all items in crock pot, cook on low for 4 - 6 hours.

Serve with fresh  Bread for a great Summer Harvest Meal.

Crock Pot Corn Chowder

Cool Creamy Cucumber Salad

You need:

Sour Cream
Cucumbers
Onion
Pinch of sugar

This is cool dish on hot day, great for summer celebrations.