Archive for the ‘Crock Pot’ Category
Welcome Winter!
Cold blowing winds, snow, sleet and freezing rain are the least favorable parts of winter in the MidAtlantic area. But being inside toasty and warm with a big bowl of soup or chowder makes it more bearable.
Fortunately, we made it through November and December without a flake, but guess what…tonight’s forecast states that we are in for the first N’orester of 2016 which is a perfect day to make Crockpot Shrimp and Corn Chowder.
Crockpot Shrimp and Corn Chowder
There are many online recipes for Crockpot Shrimp and Corn Chowder and I found this one at CrockPotGourmet.net . I added a few additional ingredients and left out the salty seasonings and it didn’t turn out as pictured on the website but it was very tasty nevertheless.
Ingredients:
- 16oz bag frozen sweet corn
- ½ pound Baby Medley Potatoes
- 8 oz Baby Bella mushrooms
- 3 small Carrots diced
- ¼ cup Flour
- 4 cups Chicken Broth
- ½ cup Heavy Cream (for later)
- 12 oz Shrimp, small peeled deveined and tail-off (for later)
- Green Onions (scallions) diced
- 1/2 Green Pepper – diced
- Rosemary Sprigs (optional)
- 1 tsp Butter
- Salt, Pepper and Cajun Seasonings are optional which I excluded due to high sodium counts
Directions:
- Wash and dice potatoes and carrots then cut into bite sized chunks
- Add potatoes, carrots, mushrooms and corn to slow cooker then toss to coat with flour
- Saute green peppers in butter until soft then add to crockpot
- Pour in broth
- Add a few sprigs of Rosemary and diced scallions
- Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 4-6 hours
- If on low, switch slow cooker to high
- Add cream, shrimp and Rosemary sprigs
- Cook for another 30-60 minutes until shrimp is cooked through and pink
My Shrimp and Corn Chowder turned out to be more of a soup/stew but when served with a crusty bread and a glass of wine then eaten while curled up on the sofa it doesn’t matter.
What is your favorite cold weather chowder?
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Hello Friends and Happy Fri-Yay!!
Cheerios has done it again with this cute Mother’s Day “Morning Wake Up Call Commercial”
I like it because for the little ones that can’t cook it’s a perfect breakfast to make for Mom on Mother’s Day. However, if you’re a Mom that likes to wake up to something hot (not dad), and a little bit more filling, (not dad) then try this recipe for a Slow Cooked Breakfast Casserole, it’s easy to make and cooks itself overnight.
Ingredients:
- 1 – 12 oz package frozen hash browns
- 1 – package breakfast sausage, cooked and crumbled
- 12 oz shredded cheese
- 6 – *scallions chopped
- 8 eggs
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp pepper – a few more dashes when layering the hash browns
I purchased Jimmy Dean fully cooked turkey sausage and *Safeway brand frozen potatoes with onions and green peppers so I didn’t use the scallions. I originally made this back in December after seeing the recipe on Brown Eyed Baker’s blog. Like she said, it was hard to stay asleep because around 5:00 am, the smell and aroma that generated from the kitchen woke me up!
On Saturday night’s I’m usually up late watching television and working on my blog, so this is a perfect recipe to start late for an early morning Sunday breakfast.
After spraying the crock pot with cooking spray, layer 1/3 of the hash browns, sprinkle on some pepper, add 1/3 of the sausage then sprinkle on some cheese. Repeat until all ingredients are used making sure the last layer is the cheese.
In a large bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the eggs, milk, garlic powder, and pepper. Pour this over the hash browns, sausage and cheese in the crock pot.
Slow cook on low for 6-8 hours – try to get some sleep because the smell will definitely wake you up before your alarm clock does!
Pour a cup of coffee or tea then enjoy your early morning breakfast casserole in bed! What do you think, is this something you would enjoy waking up to?
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!
Don’t forget to come back at 6:00 p.m. for the #WWDParty!
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Hello Friends and Happy Fri-Yay!
It is now officially Spring so this is going to be the last of the heavy Crock Pot meals. It’s time to start eating lighter as we begin to shed the layers of clothing.
This Friday Foodie Feature was made before St. Patrick’s Day which is why I didn’t cook Corned Beef and Cabbage on Monday – too much red meat is not good for you.
Ingredients:
- Beef Brisket
- Medium Onion – sliced
- Liquid Smoke 1/2 tsp
- South African Smoke Seasoning 1/4 tsp
- BBQ Sauce
- Red Potatoes – 4-5 small diced
- 1/4 cup water
Place brisket in resealable bag rubbed with South African Smoke seasoning, refrigerate overnight or at least 3 hours.
Spray Crock Pot with cooking spray for easier cleanup. Pour in Liquid Smoke and water, then add the brisket.
Pour in entire bottle of BarBecue sauce, add onions and potatoes, cover then cook on low 6-8 hours depending on Crock Pot style.
I sauteed some cabbage in Olive Oil sprinkled with pepper to complete this end of the winter meal.
This delicious dinner for 4 was plenty with leftovers for the next day. The tender beef brisket was shredded and used to make Tex Mex Burritos.
Next week’s feature will be a lighter fare and is also perfect for a Cinco de Mayo celebration.
Don’t forget to come back at 6:00 p.m. for the Weekend Wind-Down Party, I am sure there will be plenty of Spring recipes being shared.
Stay Blessed – No Stress in 2014!
20 Comments
Hello Friends and Welcome to Slow Cooker Saturday!
The leaves are falling, there’s a crispness in the air; the daylight hours are shorter yet my commute remains long, which is why I love Crock Pot meals. If you are heading to the grocery store this weekend to stock up on milk, bread and eggs why not grab a few other ingredients and make this slow cooked meal ~ Teriyaki Ribs
Grocery List:
3 lbs of Beef Short Ribs
1 Cup Carrots – Baby or full, peeled and diced
1 cup Butternut Squash, peeled and cubed
2 Bottles of Stir Fry Sauce
1 package of fresh mushrooms
Dice the carrots, Butternut Squash and make sure to wash the mushrooms thoroughly.
Spray Crock Pot with Cooking Spray for easier cleanup, or use a Slow Cooker Liner, put in short ribs then top with carrots, squash and mushrooms.
Add 1 cup of water
Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours depending on Crock Pot.
Serve over white or Jasmine Rice and you’ll have a complete, hearty meal for four with leftovers.
Stay Blessed ~ No Stress in 2014
22 Comments
Hello Friends and Happy Fri-Yay!
This week’s Friday Foodie Feature is Slow Cooked Gumbo
Now there were a lot of ingredients to this dish and I only made it because it was a snow day, and it was listed as one of the Super Foods for Seniors.
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 package of frozen peppers and onions
- 3 medium celery stalks, chopped
- 2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken thighs cut into chunks
- 1 package frozen Okra
- 4 small ears of frozen corn
- 1 1/2 cups of Chicken Broth (or use boullions in warm water)
- 1 package Turkey Sausage
- 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 1 package 10-20 count frozen shrimp – shelled and deveined
- White rice for serving
I purchased the wrong type of shrimp, make sure to get them deveined otherwise you will be removing shells as you eat them. I also wanted to try Crawfish so I purchased a bag from Walmart and added a few to the Gumbo.
If using fresh veggies, dice them into small bite sized pieces
In a 6 -qt saucepan, mix oil and flour on low heat, whisking until brown
To the mixture add the chopped/frozen veggies stirring to coat
Cut chicken and sausage into chunks
Put veggie mixture into Crock Pot
Add chicken, sausage, okra and corn, then pour in broth. Sprinkle cayenne pepper, cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 or until chicken is cooked thoroughly to 165~.
Once chicken is cooked, add shrimp and crawfish, if you want, thaw shrimp and crawfish in a cold water bath. If cooking on low, increase to high until shrimp and crawfish are done – approximately 10-15 mins.
Because there were so many Crawfish in that package, I boiled the remaining ones in Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning, and they were good. Malik and I tore up these mini-lobsters!
Have you ever eaten a Crawfish?
Don’t forget to come back for the Weekend Wind-Down Party (#WWDParty) beginning at 6:00 p.m. EST
Stay Blessed – No Stress in 2014!
16 Comments
Hello Friends and Happy Valentine’s Fri-Yay!
Today’s Friday Foodie Feature is Slow Cooked Chicken Cacciatore and Strawberry Shortcake in a Glass, a dessert inspired by Modern Christian Homemaker from last week’s #WWDParty.
I hope you are enjoying your Valentine’s Day, perhaps you received Roses at work and are the envy of all your cubicle mates, or maybe were awaken to an early morning DELIGHT followed up by a bountiful breakfast, no matter what it was, I hope you left some room for a little dessert!
This week’s Slow Cooked meal is Chicken Cacciatore, another easy breezy Crock Pot Meal.
Ingredients:
-
4 bone in chicken thighs – skin removed
-
4 chicken drum sticks – skin removed
-
1 can of Italian Style diced tomatoes or sauce
-
1 Package of Mushrooms or jar of whole mushrooms drained
-
1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning or oregano leaves
-
1 package of frozen onion and peppers (fresh if prefer)
-
1 tsp of minced garlic
-
1/4 cup water
-
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
-
Linguine or fettuccine or spaghetti pasta
Remove the skin from the thighs and drumsticks which is the worse part of this recipe, next time I will buy skinless chicken! If using fresh mushrooms, wash to remove excess dirt.
Spray Crock Pot with Cooking Spray for easier clean up then put chicken, veggies, tomatoes, garlic and seasoning into the pot.
Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours depending on Crock Pot model
About 15 mins before serving, prepare pasta according to box directions and remove chicken and veggies from Crock Pot. Place in a serving bowl and cover to keep warm.
Mix flour and water in a small bowl, then add to the liquid in Crock Pot and let cooks for 5 to 10 minutes so it can thicken, then pour over chicken and veggies.
Now on to the best part of dinner – Dessert!
Ingredients:
- Fresh Strawberries
- Dessert Shells
- Chocolate Pudding
- Whipped Cream
Break up a dessert cake putting a few pieces into the bottom of the glass, add some strawberries, a few more pieces of the dessert cake, 1 container of chocolate pudding and top with whipped cream … WhaLaa – Dessert is Done!
Enjoy your dinner and dessert!
PS – if you are not too tired or busy later, come back at 6:00 to join the #WWDParty for more Valentine’s Day Sweet Treats!
Stay Blessed – No Stress in 2014!
18 Comments
Hello Friends and Happy Slow Cooker Saturday!
This was my first attempt at making chili using chicken instead of ground beef or ground turkey, and using white beans instead of red kidney or black beans…the verdict is FAIL!
Personally, I like my foods spicy especially chili, but this recipe although was good, was too bland for even my men. I added hot sauce but it still didn’t jazz it up, so if you like chili with no kick, this one is for you!
Ingredients:
- 4 medium frozen chicken breasts
- 1/2 bag small white beans
- 1 large can of diced tomatoes
- 1 package Chili Seasoning
- 1 cup of water
Rinse the beans under cold water and drain, mix Chili Seasoning into a cup of water.
Coat Crock Pot with Cooking Spray
Add frozen chicken breasts and beans
Pour in Chili Seasoning Mix
I added more water to cover the beans so they wouldn’t burn. This may have watered down the seasoning causing it to taste bland. I should have used two packages of Chili Seasoning.
Pour in diced tomatoes
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours
It looked better than it tasted…but hey, I tried!
Have you ever made White Chicken Chili, how did you make it?
Stay Blessed – No Stress in 2014!
12 Comments
Hello Friends and Happy Slow Cooker Saturday
I hope you all had a fantabulous Friday and are now enjoying a super Saturday. Slow Cooked Rosemary Lemon Chicken is perfect for a Sunday dinner so you can relax after church and not have to spend the afternoon in the kitchen.
With just a few ingredients this is the makings for an easy peasy, cheapie meal. You will need 1 lemon, sliced into rings, a few sprigs of Rosemary and a small to medium chicken rinsed and patted dry.
Remove and discard the neck and giblets or you can freeze them to be used in another recipe.
Using a sharp knife cut slits into breast and thighs of chicken then stuff in a few Rosemary leaves. Put lemon slices inside bird’s cavity and two under the skin covering the breast. You can add onion, garlic and a few more sprigs of Rosemary if you wish then place into the Crockpot.
Pour in 1 cup of chicken broth, I didn’t have any broth so I used two bouillon cubes dissolved in hot water.
Cover and slow cook for 6 hours, after which you can remove and place in a baking dish. Place chicken in a preheated oven on 350~ for an additional 15-20 minutes if you want to brown the skin.
Browning the chicken is cosmetic only, you can simply remove the skin, slice and serve.
Chicken is falling-off-the bone tender and can be served with rice or pasta and vegetables.
Slow Cooked Rosemary Lemon Chicken
Stay Blessed – No Stress in 2014!
38 Comments
Hello Friends and Happy Thankful Thursday
If you read my post yesterday you know that we were once again hit with a major snowstorm on Tuesday. It took me over 5 1/2 hours to get home from work and I definitely didn’t want to be in the car anytime soon so I stayed home on Wednesday. At 10:00 a.m. Governor Markell lifted the Level One State of Emergency but it was highly recommended to stay off the roads so that the snowplow operators could do their jobs with minimal interruption from cars.
So on this day, I am thankful for my family, friends and faith…for getting home safely…for having a warm home to live in…and for scrounging around to find these ingredients to make this easy peasy Crock Pot Meal!
Ingredients
- 1 can of Kidney Beans
- 1 can of Black Beans
- 1 Package of Smoked Turkey Sausage
- 1 Package Frozen Peppers and Onions
- 1 Pack of McCormick Fajita Seasoning
- 1/2 Cup of Water
- Rice and Cornbread
Spray Crock Pot with Cooking Spray for easier cleanup. Cut Turkey Sausage into bite size pieces and add seasoning to a 1/2 cup of water.
Put sausage into Crock Pot and pour in Fajita Seasoning mix.
Add frozen veggies and both cans of beans, which can be drained and rinsed to remove some of the sodium.
Stir, cover and cooked on high for 4 hours.
This Snow Day Slow Cooker dish was served with Jasmine Rice and skillet Cornbread.
It was a perfect meal for my men after a few hours of shoveling and an all-day of television watching! I measured the snow on the back deck so I’ll say that we unofficially got 11″ of snow….can’t wait for Spring to arrive!
The Pool is not looking too inviting these days!
Snowy Street in Summit Farms (our neighborhood)
We are truly blessed, and I am thankful to have a warm home during this cold winter season. I pray for those with less to be safe and removed from harm’s way.
Okay, it’s your turn – what are you thankful for this week?
Stay Blessed ~ No Stress in 2014!
29 Comments
Hello Friends and Welcome to Slow Cooker Saturday!
Do you find yourself rushing through the work week in order to get to the weekends? If so, do you realize that you are just rushing your life away? I know because I’m guilty of doing it, so from now on, other than Mondays I’m going to slow down and enjoy all of the week days.
Do you live for the weekends?
I’m up early and out for the first dress rehearsal for Goodwill’s 2014 Runway Show. The models will get a chance to see and try on what we, the stylists has chosen for them to wear. I met with my models previously and they had an opportunity to try on their outfits in Goodwill fitting rooms. Today with some added accessories we will all get a chance to see what they will be wearing on the runway and I am anxious.
Friday’s Foodie Feature was preempted by the Weekend Wind-Down Party (#WWDParty) have you linked up, if not, please do and share a post with us.
Slow Cook Saturday
Ingredients:
- 4 Frozen Chicken Thighs or Breasts
- 1 Large Can or 2 Small Cans of Cream of Mushroom Soup
- *1 Package Frozen Broccoli
- 2 cups of Rice
Spray Crock Pot with Cooking Spray or use Slow Cook Liners for easy cleanup. Add chicken thighs/breast and top with frozen broccoli.
Pour in can(s) of soup and sprinkle with black pepper (optional)
Pour in additional can of water
Cover and cook on low 8 hours or high for 4 hours depending on Crock Pot model
Add two cups of rice, stir and leave on low for an additional 10 mins
As you can see, my hubby couldn’t wait!
I hope you are enjoying your weekend because Monday will be here before you know it!
Stay Blessed – No Stress in the New Year!
*You can also add frozen onions, peppers and mushrooms.
7 Comments
