Beer braised pulled pork

My oven is STILL broken so I decided to try my hand at a crock pot pulled pork today. I My husband is in love and plannin on bringing a pot full to the next UFC gathering.. LOL!

Remember: Most recipes you can adjust things to your taste, but don't be afraid to try something new!

Ingredients

• 2 lb pork roast (trim excess fat & cut into chunks)
• Tony's or seasoning salt (enough to rub on meat)
• 1 c beer (steal your hubby's beer before he finishes it the night before!)
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1/2 c brown sugar
• 1/4 c mustard
• 1/4 c honey
• 1 pack real bacon bits or 1/2 lb bacon fried & crumbled
• 1 c bbq sauce ( I used my leftover sauce from the Cheyenne Burgers

Directions:

1. Toss it all in a crock pot and stir until combined and pork is well coated.
2. Cook on high for 6-8 hours.
3. Shred with 2 forks before serving on hamburger buns or crusty rolls.

I served it with a homemade potato salad and like I said the hubs devoured it!

Crockpot Chicken Stew

I'll detail this later but for now, here is my crock pot chicken stew for Angela♥

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into small bite-sized pieces
• 2 cans cream of chicken soup
• 4 medium red potatoes, washed & diced
• 1/2 cup frozen chopped seasoning blend or onions
• 6 cups of your favorite veggies (corn, peas, mix veg, broccoli, spinach, carrots, etc.  Literally ANYTHING you like!)
• 1 qt chicken broth
• Seasonings to taste (I've used mrs. dash, italian seasoning, salt, pepper, Tony's, etc)

TIP: Cut all veggies into similar sized pieces for even cooking

Directions:

1. Put everything in your crock pot and put it on high for 6-8 hours.

OPTIONAL:

Add in 1-2 cups minute rice during the last hour

Add in 1/2 cup softened cream cheese, sour cream, or milk right before serving to make it creamy. (DIVINE!!)

Add 1/2 c water & 2 T cornstarch (slurry) in the last 1/2 hour to thicken if you prefer a thicker stew.

Download the single page printer-friendly HTML version HERE!

Tortilla Soup - revisited

We loved this stuff from a friend's blog that I blogged about before so we had it again. YUM!!!

Except this time I sautéed the chicken & seasoning blend then tossed it all in the crockpot on high for 4 hours while we went shopping (school clothes)! The chicken was melt in your mouth when we got home!

Mexi-Vegi-Chicken.... Tortilla Soup???

I wanted "Mexican" food tonight. Tacos, nachos, burritos... SOMETHING.. but I didn't want to run to the store to get ingredients. Digging through the freezer I found... vegetables. Lots of them. We're veggie eaters here. Now while I could live on a meatless veggie soup, George isn't so happy about meatless eating.. but I had chicken, too!!! No potatoes.. what to do????

Here's what I came up with:

Mexi-Vegi-Chicken Tortilla Soup


Ingredients:

• 1/2-1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 lb frozen cut broccoli
• 1/2 lb frozen mixed veggies
• 1-1 1/2 c frozen seasoning blend (I've been asked what this is :-) follow the link to see!)
• 1 T powdered chicken bouillon OR 3 c chicken broth
• 1 T ground cumin
• 1 t paprika
• 1 t chili powder
• 1 t Mrs. Dash (yes, I was just throwing things in at this point)
• 1 t garlic powder
• 1 chipotle in adobo, mashed to paste (optional- add more, less, or none to taste)
• 1 sm can of tomato paste
• 3-6 c boiling water (3 if you use broth, 6 if you use bouillon)
• 2-4 large tortillas, cut into 1" squares and lightly browned

Directions:

1. Set crock pot to hi for 6 hours or preheat a large soup pot on the stove.
2. Lightly season chicken and brown in olive oil
3. Add all ingredients (EXCEPT TORTILLAS) to pot.
4. Simmer on low for 3-4 hours or cook on high in crock pot for 6.
5. Add tortillas in the last 5-10 minute sof cooking on the stove, last 1/2-1 hour on the crock pot, or just add to bowl.

Serve with sour cream.. sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro.. YUM!! It was so good.

BUT remember.. it is SPICY from the chipotle!!! If you don;t like spicy skip it or start with 1/2 a pepper.

What is What-a-burger Wednesday?

Wednesday is burger night. I have class Wednesday night so dinner has to be filling, fast, and easy to clean up. What can be better than burger? Now that's not to say that we're going to eat a burger every Wednesday, but there will be burger IN the recipe for Wednesdays.

Tonight? Crock Pot Red Beans & Rice. These have to be started the night before so the house already smells great!!

Crock-Pot Red Beans
(start this the night before for the perfect pot!)

• 1 lb Camilla's Red Kidney Beans (I just LIKE these better)
• 1/2 tablespoon Salt ( I know it sounds like a lot, trust me)
• 1 lb lean ground burger (turkey or beef)
  
• 1 cup frozen Seasoning Blend
• 1 lb lean sausage (try"Healthy Choices" turkey), sliced in 1/2 moons
  
• Seasonings (Tony's, pepper, salt, garlic powder) to taste
• Lots of water

1. On the stove brown ground burger and seasoning blend until meat is cooked through and crumbly.
2. In crock-pot add beans, salt, and all meat & seasoning blend.
3. Add enough water to generously cover by at least 2-3 inches.
4. Cook on low setting for 10 hours (overnight)
5. After it returns to warm (in the morning), re-add enough water to cover by 1 inch.
   
6. Taste for seasoning. You'll probably find that with the large amount of water and ingredients that the salt is a faint background taste. Add your favorite seasonings as necessary.
   
7. Cook on high for 4-6 hours to ensure flavors blend and beans are tender.

Serve over rice :)

Chuckwagon Stew

My friend Brandy found this recipe for me and of course i changed some things, but we love it! It is going to make 2 so $2 per meal!

• 1 lb ground turkey sausage, browned
• 1/2 pound smoked sausage, sliced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 potatoes, scrubbed and cubed
• 1 shredded carrot (gotta get some veggies in them!)
  
• 1 can (28 ounce size) barbecue baked beans
• 1/4 bbq sauce
• decent squirt of mustard
  

Directions:

1. Place meat, sausage, onion, carrot, and potatoes into a slow cooker, and stir to distribute evenly.
2. Spoon the baked beans evenly over the mixture.
3. Cover, and cook on Low for 8 to 10 hours, or cook on High for 4 to 5 hours.
4. OPTIONAL (see below): MIx mustard and BBQ sauce and stir in.
5. Season to taste.
   
6. Serve as is or eat over rice

** The reason the mustard and BBQ is there is because I found it a little bland and my aunt added burger, mustard and bbq sauce to her baked beans to "make them stretch" at a family gathering. When I thought it needed some "zing" that was my natural progression :) Don't let the mustard scare you off... you can't even taste it.

This week's Meal Plan

Mom's Four Bean Chili

This one was so easy in the crock. I prepped before I cleaned the kitchen the night before and it made it so easy the next morning. Use any canned beans you like.. these are my favorites :) These are just teh regular 12-14 oz cans, not the large ones.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb turkey burger
• 1 c seasoning blend
  
• 1 can black beans
• 1 can red kidney beans
• 1 can chili beans
• 1 can pinto beans
• 1 can mild Rotel
• 1 sm (4 oz) can tomato paste
• 2-3 sm cans tomato sauce (or 1 large)
• 2 T Chili Seasonings (I buy the 2 alarm chili kit and mix it all together -except I leave out the masa, salt, and dried herbs - then store it in a sealed can) or 1 packet of chili seasoning mix.
• 1 c shredded cheese
• 1/2 onion, diced
  

Directions:

1. Brown the turkey and seasoning blend and either add to crock or store till morning :)
2. Add all ingredients to crock pot.
3. DO NOT DRAIN THE BEANS
4. Mix well and set on low for 6-8 hours.
5. Serve with Shredded cheese and diced onion.

This week's Meal Plan

BBQ Rub Crock Chicken & Rice

I made this rub a while back for some chicken and I don't think I ever blogged it. Haven't used it much because I don't own a grill, BUT it is yummy!

I put it on a whole chicken and threw it in a crock with soem instant rice and wow was it awesome!

Rub Ingredients:

• 1/4 c brown sugar
• 1/4 c salt
• 1/4 c paprika
• 3 T black pepper
• 2 T garlic powder
• 2 T onion powder
• 1 t cayenne pepper
• 1 t dried herb (basil, parsley, thyme..or just whatever you have handy)

Directions:

1. Mix all together in a tightly sealing container. Good for 6 months... if it lasts that long.
   

Recipe Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken (or whatever chicken forms you like LOL)
  
• BBQ Rub to coat well
• 2 cups instant rice

Directions:

1. Rub chicken well with BBQ Rub, patting it in well.
2. Spray crock bowl lightly with cooking spray.
3. Put chicken in crock pot; cover & set on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours (or covered in 350° oven for 2-3 hours)
4. After 7 hours (3.5 for hi) have passed, remove the chicken (carefully it will be falling off the bones. and drain all liquid from crock.
5. Drain fat off and add enough water to make 2 cups.
6. Stir dry instant rice and water/basting mixture together and put in bottom of crock then add chicken back.
7. Re-lid and cook for remaining time.
8. IF USING OVEN: remove liquids and continue by floowing stove top directions for rice. Wrap chicken in foil to keep hot or leave in oven.

This week's Meal Plan

Mom's Diner Red Beans & Rice

Trying to adapt this for a crock pot so wish me luck!

• 1 lb Dry Red Beans
• 1 lb ground turkey sausage
• 1 /2 lb smoked link turkey sausage
• 1 c seasoning blend
• 1/2 t minced garlic
• 1/2 t salt free garlic & herb
• Pinch of Cayenne
• Tony's to taste
• 6 cups cooked rice for serving

1. Soak beans over night in 7 cups of water.
2. In morning drain and add twice the water needed to cover.
3. Cook on high set for 6 hours.
4. Saute seasoning blend and ground sausage with seasonings.
5. Add to crock pot.
6. When tender (I like it falling apart) serve over rice

This week's Meal Plan

Creamy Chicken Garden Soup

I adapted this recipe to create our own flavor.... took out some calories and sodium (butter & salt), added some veggies (potatoes). WE LOVED THIS!! And it made enough to set aside some for soup & sammies later in the week! Hubby said he even prefers it over the "usual" tomato broth beef veggie soups you normally see.

Ingredients:

• 1 package (16 ounces) frozen pepper stir-fry vegetable mix
• 1 c frozen diced potatoes
• 1 c frozen corn
• 1 c frozen spinach
  
• 1 medium zucchini, sliced
• 2 bone-in chicken quarters, skinned
• 1/2 t minced garlic
• 2 cans (14 ounces) fat-free chicken broth
• 2 springs fresh thyme (1/2 t dry)
• 2 handfuls uncooked egg noodles
• 1 c half-and-half
• 1 c frozen green peas, thawed
• 2 T chopped parsley
• 1 t coarsely ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Place stir-fry vegetables, corn, spinach, and zucchini in bottom of crock pot slow cooker. Add chicken, garlic, broth and thyme. Cover; cook on HIGH 3 to 4 hours or until chicken is no longer pink in center. Remove chicken and set aside to cool slightly.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover; cook 20 minutes longer, or until noodles are done.
3. Meanwhile, de-bone and chop chicken. Return to crock pot slow cooker. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.