Crock Pot meals!

[UMADDBG]

I need meal ideas....wanting to use the crock pot (slow cooker) a lot during our 9 day FW stay in September. What do you cook in your crock pot?

 

[des1954]

I have an abundance of recipes for my Crock Pot because I use mine at least twice a week, if not more.

Here's just one of many - and it's about as basic as you can get. It's also probably the most popular one of all.

POT ROAST
2-3 lb Roast Beef (chuck, sirloin, round - whatever is your preference)
1 envelope Lipton's Onion Soup Mix

Put roast in crock pot; sprinkle soup mix over top. Cook on low 8-10 hours, high 4-6 hours.

Another one I tried the other night that was very yummy - but was a little more involved:

CHICKEN IN HERBED CREAM SAUCE
8 skinless chicken breasts (bone-in)
2 teaspoons dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup chicken broth

Place chicken breasts in a 5-6 quart crock pot, and sprinkle with basil, salt, pepper; pour chicken broth over all. Cook on low heat for 5-6 hours or high heat for 2.5-3 hours. Transfer chicken to a serving platter & cover with aluminum foil to keep it warm; reserve the liquid in the crock pot.

To make the sauce:
1/2 cup half-and half
4 teaspoons cornstarch
4 ounces cream cheese - cubed
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

In a small saucepan combine half-and-half and cornstarch. Stir in the reserved liquid from the crock pot. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened; add both cheeses; cook and stir until cheese melts and sauce is creamy. Pour over chicken breasts.

This is especially good with rice!

 

[MomofSixinSC]

Do you want recipes, or just ideas? Here are some of the things I cook in my crockpot. Let me know if you want recipes.

Macaroni and Cheese
Tex-Mex Beans (from dried with no pre-soaking!)
Pot Roast
French Dip
Chicken
Chicken Stew
Beef Stew
"Baked" Potatoes
Stuffing/Dressing
Smothered Cube Steak
Tropical Chickken
Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken

HTH!

 

[UMADDBG]

Thanks! Both Ideas and recipes are good! Cube Steak and French Dip are two I never thought of! I am going to try the herbed chicken..that sounds so good. It's just my DH and myself we are empty nesters and our kids are far away so I don't cook much anymore. I have the worst time coming up with ideas.

 

[des1954]

Oh.... and an easy, squeezy breakfast on the run recipe I recently found (no cooking at all) and is very yummy:

1 21oz can of pie filling (my favorite is cherry)
1 cup DRY oatmeal (quick cooking or regular, not instant)
2 cups vanilla yogurt

Mix everything together (stir it good) & let sit in fridge (or cooler) overnight. Makes 4 - 1 cup servings. It stays good for about 3 days in fridge - then it starts to get runny. Runny oatmeal is not good eats!

 

[Tri-circle-D]

Before y'all reinvent the wheel, don't forget about this great thread:

Official Camping Recipe Thread

TCD

 

[des1954]

It's always been me & the DH - no kids. I love the crock pot & usually recipes make enough for lunch the next day & maybe one more meal - which I freeze and use on those nights I'm in a hurry with no time to cook.

Here's another one:

PORK ROAST WITH SAUERKRAUT

2.5 lb pork sirloin roast
Salt & pepper to taste
2-3 tablespoons of creamy Dijon style mustard
15 oz jar of Bavarian Style Sauerkraut - drained and rinsed
1/2 cup of beer

Directions (you're gonna get your hands messy): Put sauerkraut in the bottom of a 4-5 qt crock pot; smear the mustard over the roast to coat (wash hands-lol); sprinkle roast with salt and pepper; dump beer over all (drink remaining beer - Graham Kerr would have); cook on low heat 8-10 hours or on high heat 4-5 hours. Add mashed potatoes as a side dish! YUM!

 

[retired and happy]

Debbie,

You seem to be very experienced in crockpotting. Do you use the disposable bags to keep the pot clean?

 

[FloridaTeacher]

Lasagna - premake the meat sauce (at home) and use oven ready lasagna noodles. We use the bags in our crockpot. I'm not into scrubbing pots on vacation.

 

[des1954]

Debbie,

You seem to be very experienced in crockpotting. Do you use the disposable bags to keep the pot clean?

Nah! I usually spray the crock with Pam before using it. Clean-up is no big deal to me. If things stick, I fill the crock with hot water & Dawn, put it on high for about an hour, and let the stuff cook off. Hey! I guess that does make me somewhat of a crock pot expert!! Of course, after 36 years of crock-potting, I probably should be.

Actually, I seldom use my dishwasher because I find doing dishes by hand somewhat therapeutic, and with just the two of us, it's faster to wash dishes in the sink.

 

[des1954]

Lasagna - premake the meat sauce (at home) and use oven ready lasagna noodles. We use the bags in our crockpot. I'm not into scrubbing pots on vacation.

I LOVE crock pot lasagna!!

 

[ftwildernessrick]

Beef tips for beef tips & rice (or potatoes).

Package of beef tips
BIG can of cream of mushroom soup
water, salt, pepper, onion or onion powder, garlic, or whatever to taste.
when done, remove beef tips & thicken gravy, put tips back in.

Serve over rice or smashed 'taters.

 

[lilosurf11]

Last year, my roommate's mom brought us a crock pot chicken with vegetables and it was amazing!!! She brought it in the morning so that when I got home from class that evening, it would be ready. It smelled so good!

My dad also makes crock pot baked beans and they are amazing, as well.

Happy cooking!

 

[taylor3297]

Do you want recipes, or just ideas? Here are some of the things I cook in my crockpot. Let me know if you want recipes.

Macaroni and Cheese
Tex-Mex Beans (from dried with no pre-soaking!)
Pot Roast
French Dip
Chicken
Chicken Stew
Beef Stew
"Baked" Potatoes
Stuffing/Dressing
Smothered Cube Steak
Tropical Chickken
Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken

HTH!

I would love to have your recipes if you are willing to share.

 

[Solamom]

Something super easy I do is put a pork roast on and let it cook all day, then pull it out and shred it, mix it w/ bbq sauce and have pulled pork sandwiches! We did this last year, we were camping in a pop up so I left the crock pot outside cooking, went to Animal Kingdom for extra magic hour in the afternoon and came back to a yummy dinner! Worked out nicely.

 

[shasta31]

Beef & Bean Burritos, these are a favorite at our house
From Cooking Light magazine

Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients
1 (2-pound) London broil
1 (1.25-ounce) package taco seasoning mix
Cooking spray
1 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles
1 (16-ounce) can fat-free refried beans
12 (8-inch) fat-free flour tortillas
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 1/2 cups chopped plum tomato
3/4 cup fat-free sour cream
Preparation
Trim fat from meat; rub seasoning mix over both sides of meat. Place meat in an electric slow cooker coated with cooking spray; add onion, vinegar, and green chiles. Cover with lid; cook on low-heat setting for 9 hours. Remove meat from slow cooker, reserving cooking liquid; shred meat with two forks. Combine meat and reserved cooking liquid; stir well.

Warm beans and tortillas according to package directions. Spread 2 tablespoons beans down the center of each tortilla. Spoon a heaping 1/3 cup meat mixture on top of beans. Top each with 2 tablespoons cheese, 2 tablespoons tomato, and 1 tablespoon sour cream; roll up.

 

[ob1quixote]

Crock pot breakfast that will take the place of your alarm clock!

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Recipes/story?id=6905893

 

[Lil' Lisa]

I would love to have your recipes if you are willing to share.

Me too!

 

[MomofSixinSC]

I would love to have your recipes if you are willing to share.

Okay, you asked!

Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients:
8 oz. dry macaroni, cooked
2 cans (13 oz. each) evaporated milk
3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (I sometimes use Sargentos Mexican 4 cheese blend)
3 TBSP melted butter (I just put room temp. butter in the crockpot on low when I start to cook the macaroni) 1/4 minced onion
1 1/2 tsp. salt
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in crockpot and mix thoroughly. Cover and cook on Low for 3-4 hours.

Pot Roast
Ingredients:
A hunk of beef - I buy whatever is on sale really cheap
Morton's Nature's Seasons Seasonings Blend (or your favorite seasoning blend)
Dried Minced Onion
1 cup prepared beef broth

Liberally coat beef with seasoning blend and onion on all sides. Put it in crockpot. If desired, add veggies (carrots, potatoes, whatever) and pour in beef broth. Cook on low all day.

Crockpot Stuffing

First thing I do is make Herb Bread.
Place in the bread maker in the order recommended:
1 1/8 cups water
1 egg
2 Tbs. butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. dried parsley
1/8 tsp. celery seed
1/8 tsp. sage
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup oats
2 1/2 cups bread flour
2 1/2 tsp. yeast
The center always falls on the loaf for me. I'm not sure why, but since I am using it for stuffing, I don't care.

Once the loaf has cooled, I cube it and toast it on low heat for a few hours in the oven to dry it out. The stuffing recipe calls for 12 cups dry bread cubes. I believe I usually add some regular bread to make up that amount.

For stuffing:
1 cup butter
2 cups chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 1/2 tsp. sage
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. thyme
2 eggs, beaten
4 cups chicken broth
12 cups dry bread cubes

Saute celery and onions in butter until softened. Mix with spices, eggs, and broth until well blended. Add bread and stir to blend. Cook in crockpot on high for 45 minutes; reduce to low and cook for 6 hours.

"Baked" Potatoes

Wash potatoes and dry thoroughly (otherwise they will get rusty from the foil). Prick with fork. Wrap them in foil. Fill Crock-Pot with 6 to 12 potatoes. Cover. Cook on Low 8 to 10 hours (High: 2 1/2 to 4 hours).

French Dip
Hunk of beef, with fat trimmed
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 beef bouillon cube
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. rosemary
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. garlic powder

Put beef in crockpot. In a medium bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients. Pour over beef then add enough water to almost cover meat. Cover and cook on low 10-12 hours, or until beef is very tender. Remove meat from broth and fork shred. Put meat on sandwich rolls and serve with broth for dipping.

Smothered Cube Steak
Cube Steaks (It's a thin steak usually tenderized by poking full of holes. Often used for minute steaks)
Beef Gravy (see below)

Pour gravy over steaks and cook on low 8-10 hours.

Beef Gravy*
1/4 cup butter
1 onion, chopped fine
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups beef bouillon

Melt butter in saute pan. Cook onions in butter until translucent. Stir in flour. Add bouillon and bring to boil. Stir and boil for one minute.
*I double this recipe to use with Cube Steak recipe.

Tropical Chicken
4 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings
2 8 oz. cans pineapple chucks
6 Tablespoons teriyaki sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon grated ginger

Place first three ingredients in crockpot. Combine last three and pour over chicken. Cook on low 8-10 hours. Serve over rice, if desired.

Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken
4 chicken breasts
1 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup vinegar
1/4 cup soda - Sprite, 7-up, whatever
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 tablespoons soy sauce
salt and pepper

Place chicken in crockpot. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. Cook on low 8-10 hours. Serve over rice, mashed potatoes, or pasta, if desired.

Tex-Mex Beans
Here is how I cook dried beans in my crockpot without pre-soaking.

Combine the following in a 6 qt. crock pot:
3 pounds of dried beans - I use 2 lbs. black beans and 1 lb. pinto
1 tsp. cumin
3 TBS kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp black pepper
3 TBS olive oil
6 TBS minced, dried onion
Water to within 1 inch of the top of the crock.
Set to cook on lowfor 8-10 hours.

Use the leftovers in one of the following ways:

1. Refried Beans: Throw into a food processor with enough juice to keep them moist, then heat.

2. For Chili, combine beans with:
8 14-oz cans diced tomatoes, with juice
6 - 8 cups vegetable or chicken broth
3 TBS sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
6 TBS cumin
4 TBS chili powder
1 lg. onion, diced and sauteed in 1/2 cup olive oil
Simmer on stove top for at least one hour for flavors to blend well, longer if able. Or throw in crockpot on low for the day.

 

[Disneylitch]

Barbeque is great in the crock pot too. So is spaghetti sauce. I also have a great vegetable soup recipe. Great for cooler weather, but not summer.