Mexican Chicken

Here's a fantastic crock pot meal for those days when you don't have much time to make anything. It takes about 10 minutes to prep and then cooks for 8 hours while you are gone or busy.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp adobo seasoning
1 cup chicken broth
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/3 tsp chili flakes
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 green bell peppers, chopped
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, trimmed
1 15.5 oz can black beans, drained
1 4 oz can chopped green chilies, drained
Shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)
Sour cream (optional)

Directions:
1. Add the first 11 ingredients (from tomato paste to the green peppers) into the crock pot and mix well.
2. Add chicken thighs or breasts and stir well to coat the chicken pieces.
3. Add the black beans and chilies but do not stir.
4. Cover and cook on low for about 8 hours
5. Stir thoroughly before serving.
6. Serve with cheese and sour cream if desired.

This recipe was from the Every Day LC Slow Cooker cookbook.

Beef Bourguignon

Here's a great crock-pot/slow cooker meal. Takes about 15 minutes to prep, 8 hours to cook, and is fantastic. It's similar to the Beef Burgundy we had made before but was much better.

Ingredients:
8 pieces of bacon, chopped
1 1/2 cups red wine
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp garlic, minced
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp quick-cooking tapioca
2 tbsp olive oil (divided)
2 10 oz packages mushrooms, quartered (we didn't have fresh, so used canned instead)
1 1/2 tsp celery salt
2 lbs beef stew meat (or any other meat that is good in a slow cooker)
1 lb bag frozen pearl onions, thawed

Directions:
1. Add first 10 ingredients (bacon through tapioca) to the crock pot and mix well.
2. Warm 1 tbsp olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat and brown the mushrooms and celery salt. Drain mushrooms and add to slow cooker.
3. Add remaining olive oil and brown the beef in the oil.
4. Add the beef and onions to the slow cooker and mix well.
5. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours, stir well, then cook for another hour. Remove bay leaf just before serving.

This recipe was from The Everyday LC Slow Cooker Cookbook

Beef Brisket and Cabbage

Here's a very easy way to make a great tasting beef brisket and cabbage meal. It's a perfect meal if you are busy all day and need a simple meal. Just takes about 10 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes before your dinner.

Ingredients:
1 beef brisket
1/2 head cabbage, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups water
Butter

Directions:
1. Take the brisket and put it in a slow cooker on low. We use the seasoning that comes with the brisket but put whatever you want on it.
2. Add the water and chopped onion.
3. Let the brisket slow cook on low for about 8 hours or so.
4. When the brisket is nearing completion, take the 1/2 head of chopped cabbage and saute it in lots of butter.
5. Take out the brisket and let it rest for about 15 minutes as you finish up the cabbage.
6. Slice up the brisket and serve with the cabbage.

Enjoy!!

Easy Slow Cooked Ribs

I've added a cooking update to this post here.

*Note - This is a "before" picture, I don't have an "after" one.


This is a very easy recipe for slow cooked ribs in a crock pot. It calls for beef short ribs, but I used St. Louis style pork ribs instead. They turned out fabulous.

Ingredients:
8 oz plain tomato sauce
3/4 cup water
2 tbsp wine or cider vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar)
4 tbsp soy sauce (I used Bragg's Liquid Aminos - I prefer that much more than Soy Sauce)
3-4 pounds ribs
1 large onion

Directions:
1. Mix sauce, water, vinegar, soy sauce.
2. Put Ribs in slow cooker
3. Slice onion and put on top.
4. Pour on the sauce.
5. Cook on low for 7-8 hours.
6. Eat over and over again until they are gone.

From Dana Carpender 500 LC Recipes Cookbook