Broccoli and Cheese Soup

Yesterday, as I was getting my meals planned for the week, I realized I had failed to blog a very delicious Broccoli and Cheese Soup that my family absolutely loves.  I have some broccoli that I need to use that I got from Bountiful Baskets last week, which is how this soup landed its way onto our current menu.  This soup is a delicious blend of broccoli and cheese, and topped with some croutons, you will definitely find yourself going back for seconds!

PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION
WHAT IT TAKES:
1 LB Velveeta Cheese
2 cans cream of chicken soup, undiluted
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup milk
16 oz of frozen broccoli (thawed).  *you can also use fresh broccoli

OPTIONAL TOPPING:  Croutons

IT DOESN'T GET MUCH EASIER THAN THIS:
Mix all of the ingredients into the CrockPot.  Cook on low for 2 1/2-3 hours, stirring occasionally.  If soup seems too thick, you can add a little more milk to thin. Spoon into your favorite soup bowl, top with croutons if desired, and enjoy!

 

Broccoli and Cheese Soup

Hearty Lasagna Soup

This is a recipe that I keep under my "Budget Recipes" file.  I found this recipe on Recipe.com, a site dedicated to help you "serve up savings!"  They have lots of recipes on there that I am eager to try.  Quick, delicious and saves me money...high fives to them!

The recipe that I am going to list only SERVES 4.  So, if you have a large family like mine, you are going to have to double it.  My picture also looks more like a bowl of pasta rather than a bowl of soup.  That would be because my husband added a few extra noodles to ensure we would "have enough".  Indeed we did, and even got away with some left-overs that the kids had the next day.  If you don't buy enough ingredients to double and feel like you need a little more wile cooking, don't forget you can always make some extra broth if you have any beef bullion on hand (I always make sure I have chicken and beef bullion on hand for this reason) and it will be delish!

PRINTABLE VERSION
Ingredients for FOUR servings:
1 lb ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp dried parsley flakes
3 1/2 cups beef broth
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon crushed Italian seasoning
1 1/2 cups uncooked corkscrew shaped pasta
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Making it!
1.  Cook the beef, onion, garlic, and parsley in a 3 quart saucepan over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, or until well browned.  Pour off the fat.
2.  Stir the broth, tomatoes and Italian seasoning in the saucepan and heat to a boil.
3.  Stir the pasta in the saucepan.  Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes or until the pasta is tender.  Stir in the cheese.  Serve with additional cheese, if desired.

Side suggestions would be garlic toast and a green iceberg salad with an Olive Oil Vinaigrette.

Enjoy!  

Hearty Lasagna Soup

Southwest Enchilada Bake

This Southwest Enchilada Bake is a fantastic freezer pleaser!  I love freezer-friendly dishes to enjoy now...and later!  I made this dish about two weeks ago.  Since it makes two casseroles, we ate one for dinner and then froze the other.  We are going to eat the frozen one this week, as outlined in my meal plan.   Each casserole serves 8 and costs about $1.93 per serving.

To the right is an example of what it looks like before adding the cheese....

PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION
Ingredients:
30 - (6 inch) corn tortillas
3 lbs lean ground beef
2 onions, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (15 oz each) black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
2 cans (10-3/4 oz each) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
2 cans (10-3/4 oz each) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
2 cans (10 oz each) diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained
2 cans (10 oz each) enchilada sauce
1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce
4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

corn tortillas cut into eights 

Directions:
Cut tortillas into eighths; set aside.  In a dutch oven cook the beef, onions, jalapenos and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.  Stir in the black-eyed peas, soups, tomatoes, enchilada sauce and pepper sauce; heat through.

Spread 2-2/3 cups meat mixture into each of two greased 13 x 9 in baking dishes.  Top each with 2 cups cut tortillas.  Repeat layers. Top with remaining meat mixture; sprinkle with cheese.

Cool one casserole; cover and freeze for up to 3 months.  Cover and bake the remaining casserole at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted.  Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

TO USE FROZEN CASSEROLE:  Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.  Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes.  Uncover; bake 10-15 minutes longer until cheese is melted.  Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

Bake and enjoy!

Southwest Enchilada Bake

CrockPot Chicken Tortilla Soup

My favorite soup of all time is Chicken tortilla soup.  This particular recipe was derived from Miller's Musings and I was so excited to find it.  I have tried it at many different places, but in my opinion the kind you make at home is simply the best.  This soup is absolutely amazing and the fact that it is cooked in a CrockPot makes it even more yummy!  


The Ingredients:
2 chicken boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cans Ro-Tel 
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can corn
1 onion, chopped
2 cans low-sodium chicken broth
1-2 cups of water
1 package of Grill Mates Mojito Lime Marinade
shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese
tortilla chips

MAKING IT:
Put chopped onion, beans, rotel, corn, chicken broth, water, and Mojito Lime spices in CrockPot and stir to mix. Put chicken on top of mixture and make sure they're at least partly submerged in liquid. Cook on high 6-7 hours or low 8-9 hours. Before serving remove the chicken from soup and shred, if needed.  Return chicken to the slow cooker and stir to combine.

To serve put a few tortilla chips in the bottom of a bowl, topped with some shredded cheddar cheese, spoon some soup over the tortilla chips, and top with additional shredded cheddar cheese if desired.  Absolutely delicious! 

Enjoy!

CrockPot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Kielbasa and Cabbage

Last night I attempted two firsts in our home, cooking cabbage and frying potatoes.  Lets just say they were both absolutely delicious, however I don't know that frying potatoes will be done that often.  I'm not really into frying foods for the simple facts that it is not real healthy and I really can't stand the greasiness the entire house feels afterwards.  However, those potatoes sure were good!

Since I had never cooked a head of cabbage before in my entire life, I was on a mad search yesterday for a good cabbage recipe to feed my family for New Years Day.  I came across a Kielbasa and Cabbage recipe on Mostly Food and Crafts blog.  My kids ate this and asked for seconds, so that says a lot.  I had enough left over to feed us lunch today, which made this recipe even better.  If you love cabbage, you are sure to love this.

PRINTABLE VERSION

What you need:

1  pound  kielbasa, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick slices 

2 1/2 pound head of cabbage, chopped into bite-size pieces

1  (14.5-ounce) can of Rotel, undrained

1  teaspoon  salt

1/2  teaspoon  pepper

What you do:

Sauté kielbasa in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until browned. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels, reserving drippings in skillet. Set aside.

 Stir in cabbage; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Stir in cooked sausage, Rotel, salt, and pepper. Cook until thoroughly heated.

Kielbasa and Cabbage

Chicken Pot Pie

With winter in full force here in Wyoming, what better pie to warm up with than a good old fashion homemade Chicken Pot Pie!  My family was thrilled when they realized I had this bubbly dish of yumminess baking in the oven.  Definitely some good comfort food for these cold winter days!

PRINTABLE VERSION
What you need:
2 pie crusts (I use Pillsbury refrigerated crusts, two come in a pkg)
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 small to medium Russet potatoes
2 carrots
1/2 can peas
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 stalk of celery
1/4 cups of milk
salt and pepper to taste

How to make it:
1.  Preheat oven to 425.
2.  Prepare crusts according to directions.
2.  Put chicken in a pot of boiling water and boil for about 10 minutes.  In the mean time, peel your carrots and potatoes (I leave the skin on my potatoes) and cut up, along with the stalk of celery and add to the boiling chicken.  Boil for another 5-7 minutes until veggies are slightly tender.
3.  Remove the boiling pot from heat and drain.  Remove the chicken and cut up into pieces.
4.  Mix together the chicken, carrots, potatoes, celery, peas, chicken soup, milk, salt and pepper.
5.  After mixture is combined, place in the prepared pie plate.  Place second pie crust on top and pinch edges together.
6.  Cut slits in the top of the crust.
7.  Cook for 30-40 minutes or until crust is golden brown and mixture is bubbly.

*You may want to cover your crust edges the last 15-20 minutes of baking to avoid burnt edges!

Mixture combined and placed in pie plate with bottom crust

Add top crust, pinch edges together and cut slits in top crust

 Bake, Slice and Dig In!

just a little glimpse of our town today after a whole bunch of this white stuff got dumped on us during the night!  A little winter wonderland in Wyoming this weekend!

Chicken Pot Pie

Tater Tot Bake

This has been one heck of the week, so what better foods to indulge in over the weekend than comfort foods?!  Am I right?
On Tuesday afternoon my iphone decided to crash.  JUST FABULOUS!  I hadn't really realized how much I depended on the thing until I no longer had my calender, camera or any contacts.  After HOURS of updating, unloading and re-loading itunes, more updates and a complete restore of my phone, it is once again in working order, minus all info that I had added after my last back-up in August.  :(  I lost so many fabulous pictures of some very delicious yummies I had cooked over the last few weeks, but just hadn't had a chance to blog.  At first I was devastated, but I guess this just just gives me an excuse to recreate the dishes again so that I can share them with all of you! 


Now to the recipe.....
PRINTABLE VERSION
Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef or ground pork sausage
1 small onion, chopped
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 pkg frozen veggies, thawed
1 (32 ounce) package tater tots, thawed
1 (8oz) pkg shredded cheddar cheese
salt to taste

Directions:
Saute onion in a large skillet until soft; add beef or sausage and cook until browned. Drain set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Spread soup and veggies in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Slowly add meat mixture, then top with tater tots and cheddar cheese and season with salt to taste.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 45 minutes, or until casserole is cooked through.

Tater Tot Bake

Crock Pot Chili

Finally got moved into our house last week and FINALLY got our kitchen unpacked this weekend! YAY!  So, of course I cleaned up the crock pot and put her to use.  (isn't it insane how filthy your stuff looks once you unpack it).

Anyway, for my first crock pot meal this Fall I chose to do Chili.  It complemented the frost and cold weather here in Wyoming nicely.

PRINTABLE VERSION
This is what you use:
1 lb ground beef
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tbsp garlic, minced
1 (15 oz) can chili ready diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (15 oz) can dark red kidney beans
1 (15 oz) can chili beans
1 can water
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Optional toppings: Shredded cheese and sour cream

What you do:
In a skillet brown and crumble ground beef with onion and garlic over medium high heat until meat is completely done and onion is tender.  Drain excess grease and pour beef mixture into crock pot.  Add beans (do not rinse or drain), tomatoes, water, spices and Worcestershire sauce; mix thoroughly.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Cover with lid and cook on low for 4-6 hours (the longer the better). Serve with optional toppings.

Crock Pot Chili

Cheesy Cheeseburger Macaroni

Goes great with a side salad and garlic bread

 This turned out really great and I think my husband ate at least 4 servings.  The kids were wanting Mac and Cheese for dinner and so I used products I had on hand and boy did this turn out DELISH!  It is easy, a very quick meal and I promise the kiddos (and spouses) will eat it up.

PRINTABLE VERSION
the yummy stuff:
16 oz box of Elbow pasta, cooked and drained
1 lb Ground Chuck
32 oz box Velvetta (yes, I used the entire box)
3/4 cup of heavy whipping cream
1/2 onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced (optional)
1 TBsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

what i did:
Saute onion, garlic and parsley in the skillet for a couple of minutes and then add the ground beef, cooking until thoroughly done.  Drain fat.

**While you are browning your ground beef go ahead and boil your elbow pasta.

I melted the cheese over the stove, but this can also be done in the microwave.  Cut up the cheese into squares and add the whipping cream.  Heat until completely melted.  If cooking on the stove be sure to stir frequently so that the cheese does not burn.  If cooking in the microwave I would heat in 30 second intervals, stirring after each 30 seconds.

Drain your pasta once it is done and then add your browned ground beef to the pasta and stir in your melted cheese.  This is deliciously cheesy and goes well with a side salad and garlic bread.

Cheesy Cheeseburger Macaroni

Beef Stew with Gnocchi ~ Slow cooker

Beef Stew with gnocchi

PRINTABLE VERSION


What you need:
1 pound chuck steak, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 medium-sized carrots, cut into 1/4 inch-thick coins
1 package (10 ounces) mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound frozen pearl onions
1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth
3/4 cup dry red wine
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 package (17.5 ounces) gnocchi

How to Make it!:
1.  In a large bowl, toss together steak, flour and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Place steak in slow cooker with carrots, mushrooms, garlic, onions, broth, red wine and 1/2 teaspoons thyme.  Cover and cook on HIGH for 5 hours or LOW for 7 hours.
2.  Remove lid and stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon each salt and dried thyme and the gnocchi.  Cover and cook an additional 30 minutes or until gnocchi is tender.

This is one of the best stews I have ever made. The gnocchi adds a terrific flavor to the stew. The very first time I was buying ingredients for this recipe, I could not find frozen gnocchi at my grocery, so I found a recipe and made homemade gnocchi. I have since found gnocchi in the freezer section at my local grocery.  If you can't find it and decide to make it on your own, it is very simple to make and very tasty!!

Nutrition info:
322 calories
4 g fat
20 g protein
45 g carbs
4 g fiber
604 mg sodium

Beef Stew with Gnocchi ~ Slow cooker

Four Cheese Pasta Florentine



Four Cheese Pasta Florentine

PRINTABLE VERSION
The Essentials:
4 cups Penne Pasta, uncooked
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) Cream Cheese, cubed
1 cup 2% Milkfat Low Fat Cottage Cheese
2 eggs
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

Making It:
1.  HEAT oven to 375ºF.
2.  COOK pasta as directed on package, omitting salt. Meanwhile, cook spinach as directed on package; drain well. Place in large bowl. Add cream cheese; stir until melted. Stir in cottage cheese and eggs until well blended.
3.  DRAIN pasta. Add to spinach mixture with mozzarella; mix lightly. Spoon into a 13 x 9 baking dish and then top with Parmesan.
4.  BAKE 15 min. or until center is set.

This dish is DELICIOUS! However, for those of you out there like me who are counting calories or following a diet program, I am going to add the nutrition facts.  I'm not sure what a serving size is, but to be on the safe side, I am assuming 1/2 - 1 cup. This stuff is Amazing, so if calories don't matter to you, then I suggest just digging in. The flavor is great!

Nutrition Stuff:
Fat:  28 grams              
Calories:  690
Carbs: 69 grams
Fiber:  5 grams
Protein:   42 grams
Sodium:  950 mg
Sugars: 6 grams

Four Cheese Pasta Florentine

Italian Sausage Rigatoni



Italian Sausage Rigatoni

This is a really great, filling meal.  Served with some garlic bread and a salad, you will find yourself in comfort food heaven!

PRINTABLE VERSION
you will need:
1 pkg. (19.76) Italian Mild Sausage Links, grilled and coin-sliced
1 pkg. rigatoni pasta
3 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large red pepper, chunked and sauteed
1 jar (26 oz) of you favorite pasta sauce
2 tbsp. parsley, chopped

how you will make it:
cook sausage according to package directions, keep warm.  Cook the rigatoni according to directions, keep warm.  In a large pan, place olive oil and garlic, saute lightly for 30 seconds.  Add peppers and cook until crisp-tender. Combine cooked sausage and pasta sauce with peppers and heat until warm.  Mix with the pasta.  Top with fresh parsley.  Serve warm.

simple, comforting and delicious!

Enjoy!

Italian Sausage Rigatoni

Slow Cooker Tuscan Beef Stew



this stew is so delicious and makes a large amount.  i always plan on having left overs for the next evening, but there is never enough left after my family goes back for seconds....and thirds!

 makes: 8 (1-cup) servings
prep time: 15 minutes
cook time: 8 hours on LOW or 4 hours on HIGH

ingredients:
1 tablespoon mixed pickling spice (i usually buy McCormick)
2 pounds beef stew meat, trimmed and cut into 1 to 1/2 inch cubes (if there is a value pack available, which may be a little over 2 pounds, i go ahead and buy this)
1 medium onion, cut into medium wedges
4 carrots, cut into 1/2 inch slices
3 medium size potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 teaspoon rosemary leaves, crushed
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 beef bouillon cubes
2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup dry red wine
1 tablespoon flour
8 slices day-old Italian bread, toasted

preparing it:
1.  Place the pickling spice in the center of a piece of cheesecloth or coffee filter.  Tie tightly with a long piece of string.
2.  Place beef cubes, onion, carrots, potatoes, crushed rosemary, garlic powder, and bouillon cubes to slow cooker.  Stir in tomatoes and wine.  Add pickling spice bundle. Cover.
3.  Cook 8 hours on LOW or 4  hours on HIGH.  Remove Pickling spice bundle.
4.  Thicken stew by mixing flour with 1 tablespoon water in medium bowl until smooth.  Stir in several tablespoons hot liquid from stew, then stir flour mixture into stew.  Cook and stir 2-3 minutes or until stew thickens slightly.  To serve, place 1 slice of bread in each bowl.  Spoon stew over bread.

tips: for best results, do not remove cover during cooking.

nutritional information:
Calories: 299
Fat: 7 grams
Fiber 3 grams
Protein: 32 grams
Carbs: 27 grams

again, this is a yummy stew that is easy to prepare, but just don't plan on having many left-overs!

enjoy!

Slow Cooker Tuscan Beef Stew

Mini Tortilla Pizzas

i first off want to apologize for the sloppiness of these pizzas.  I was in a hurry when making these and just threw them together one night for the kids before heading out to a birthday dinner for a friend.  the kids didn't seem to mind that they were so messily put together, because they said they tasted great! Gotta love non-picky kids!

These pizzas are just a little invention of mine that I tried one night with some left over ingredients I had in my fridge.  They are perfect for a quick meal for the kids or an after school snack.

What you need:
Tortillas
Spaghetti or pizza sauce
Favorite pizza topping
Shredded cheese

Place your tortillas on a baking pan, add some sauce, pepperoni, ham or any other desired topping, finish it off with some shredded cheese and pop into a 350 degree pre-heated oven and bake until cheese is melted.

I almost always have these ingredients in my fridge and love that I can whip these up in just a few minutes.

Mini Tortilla Pizzas

Slow Cooker Chicken Dressing

Who would have thought that you could make dressing in the slow cooker?

But you can, and it is Ridiculously Delicious!!

**I have a personal note on my recipe to cut the liquids in half.  I start off with one can of soup and one can of broth and then add the remaining cans as needed depending on the consistency that I desire.  I also make two pans of cornbread instead of one just in case I need it, as I am cooking for six people.  Any leftover cornbread I have, I serve with the meal.

PRINTABLE VERSION
Ingredients:

5 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1 (9 x 9) pan cornbread, cooled and crumbled

8 slices day-old bread, torn into small pieces

4 eggs, beaten

1 onion, chopped

2 stalks of celery, chopped

1 teaspoon, salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 teaspoons dried sage

2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth

2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup

2 tablespoons margarine

Directions:

1.  Place chicken in a pot with water to cover, and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Boil 20 minutes, or until cooked through.  Cool, and cut into pieces

2.  In a slow cooker, stir together chicken, cornbread, bread, eggs, onion, salt and pepper, sage, chicken broth, and chicken soup.  Stir until well blended.  Dot with margarine.

3.  Before placing the lid on the slow cooker, lay a paper towel over the opening of the pot and then place the lid.  This will keep moisture from dripping down off the lid into the dressing and making it soggy.

4.  Cook on Low for 3 to 4 hours.  Remove lid, and fluff with fork.  Let rest 15 minutes before serving.

Fabulous dinner for the family.

Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Chicken Dressing

Chili Mac

ingredients:

1 pound ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 (14.5 ounce) can Mexican or chili-styled stewed tomatoes, undrained

1/2 cup water

1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning mix

2 cups elbow macaroni or small shells, cooked and drained

2 cups mexican style shredded cheese, divided

directions:

1.  cook ground beef, onion and green pepper in large skillet over medium heat 5 minutes or until beef is no longer pink; pour off drippings.  add tomatoes, water and taco seasoning; simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2.  toss cooked pasta with meat mixture into an 11 x 7 inch baking dish.  sprinkle with 1 cup cheese; top with remaining meat mixture.  cover with foil; bake in preheated 375 degrees F oven 30 minutes.  uncover; sprinkle with remaining cheese.  return to oven 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. 

this recipe is quick and simple and the entire family will love it.  a much tastier version of the 'hamburger helper' chili mac i grew up eating!

Enjoy!

Chili Mac

Slow Cooker Cheeseburger Meatloaf

what you need!

2 lb. ground beef

1 pkg. (6 oz) Stove Top stuffing mix for chicken

1/2 cup water

2 eggs, beaten

1 onion, chopped

1/2 cup ketchup

1/4 cup yellow mustard

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp seasoning salt

1 tsp black pepper

dash of Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp Hamburger seasoning (optional)

4 Kraft singles

how to make it!

MIX: all ingredients EXCEPT cheese singles, just until blended.  Fold 2 (30-inch-long) pieces of foil lengthwise in half twice.  Crisscross pieces on work surface.  Top with meat mixture; shape into 8-inch round loaf.

USE:  foil handles to gently lower meatloaf into slow cooker, letting ends of foil hang over top edge of cooker; cover with lid.

COOK:  on HIGH 4 hours or until meatloaf is done (160 F).  Top with singles.  Let stand, covered, 5 min, or until Singles are melted.  Use foil handles to remove meatloaf from slow cooker before slicing to serve.

This is a really great meal that is easy to throw together and quick to cook.  The kids love it, and that is always a plus.

Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Cheeseburger Meatloaf

Baked Slow Cooker Chicken

The Must Haves:
1 (2-3 pound) whole chicken
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon paprika
injectable liquid marinade (optional)

The How To:
1.  Wad three pieces of aluminum foil into 3 to 4 inch balls and place them in the bottom of the slow cooker.
2.  Rinse the chicken, inside and out, under cold running water.   Pat dry with paper towels.  Season the chicken with salt, pepper and paprika.  If desired, inject the bird with liquid marinade. 
3.  Place bird in a baking dish and brown on Low broil before putting into the slow cooker.  (Be careful not to burn.) 
4.  After bird is browned place it in the slow cooker on top of the crumbled aluminum foil.
5.  Cook on high for 4 hours or until the chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear.


** I added some additional spices to my salt, pepper, paprika rub to add more flavor to the bird and I also basted the bird throughout the cooking process.  Very yummy, cheap and easy!

Enjoy!

Baked Slow Cooker Chicken

Barbecue Ribs ~ slow cooked

the stuff you need to make it:
4 pounds pork country style ribs
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup of ketchup
2 cups of BBQ sauce (we prefer Stubbs)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons dried oregano (italian seasoning works if you don't have oregano)
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 dash of hot sauce

how to make it:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Season ribs with salt and pepper. Place in a shallow baking pan. Brown in oven 15 minutes. Turn over, and brown another 15 minutes; drain fat.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together the ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, oregano, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and salt and pepper. Place ribs in slow cooker. Pour sauce over ribs, and turn to coat.
4. Cover, and cook on Low for 6-8 hours or until ribs are tender.

*option: after cooking in slow cooker i remove the ribs and place back into a shallow baking pan and place under the broiler on low for a few minutes to carmelize them before serving.

These ribs are delicious and a regular
Sunday dinner in our house.
Hope your family loves them as much as mine does!

Enjoy!

Nutrition info:

Servings:8

calories: 498

Total Fat: 29.7

Total Carbs: 33 g

Fiber: 0.8g

Protien: 26 g

Sodium: 1245 mg

Cholesterol: 117 mg

Barbecue Ribs ~ slow cooked

Tex-Mex Chicken

what it takes:

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch-wide strips
2 Tbsp. (1/2 of 1-1/4-oz. pkg.) Taco Seasoning Mix
2 Tbsp. flour
1 each green and red pepper, cut into 1-inch-wide strips
1 cup frozen corn
1-1/2 cups Thick 'N Chunky salsa
1 cup mexican style shredded Four Cheese

how to make it:

TOSS chicken with taco seasoning and flour in slow cooker. Stir in vegetables and salsa; cover with lid.
COOK on LOW 6 to 8 hours (or on HIGH 3 to 4 hours).
STIR just before serving; top with shredded cheese.

this is a very healthy, very tasty meal.  i also serve this over white instant rice.  very easy to throw together sunday morning before church and your sunday afternoon lunch dilemma is solved.

Enjoy!   

Tex-Mex Chicken