SLOW COOKER FRENCH DIP SANDWICHES

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp honey
• 3 lbs chuck roast
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary-1/4 tsp dried
• 1 sprig fresh thyme-1/4 tsp dried
• 1 large yellow onion, sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced (2 Tbsp)
• 6 Crusty hoagie buns (smaller ones) or 2 crusty baguettes cut into thirds
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 6 deli slices provolone or swiss cheese halved

Instructions

1. In a bowl (or large liquid measuring cup used to measure broth), whisk together broth, soy sauce, Worcestershire and honey, set aside. 
2. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Dab both sides of roast dry with paper towels, season just lightly with salt and a fair amount of pepper.
3. Sear roast in pot until browned on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer roast to a 5 to 7 quart slow cooker, while leaving oil in pot.
4. Add onion and seasonings to pot and saute 3 minutes, add garlic and saute 30 seconds longer. 
5. Remove pot from heat, pour beef broth mixture into pot and scrape any browned bits from the bottom. Pour mixture into slow cooker over roast. 
6. Remove roast from slow cooker and transfer to a cutting board, while leaving behind onions. Shred roast with two forks while removing excess fat.
7. If needed season broth and beef with a little salt, if you find it a little too salty for your liking add in a little water to broth mixture.
8. Pour broth mixture in slow cooker through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl and discard mixture in sieve.
9. Return roast to now empty slow cooker, toss with 1/3 cup of the strained broth mixture.
10. For buns, heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut buns through the center, place buns cut side up on a rimmed baking sheet.
11. Spread butter on each side then toast in preheated oven about 7 - 8 minutes, add cheese to one of of each bun and toast until melted, about 2 minutes longer. 
12. Layer beef over rolls and top with remaining half. Serve warm with remaining broth for dipping.

Tender Greek Pork

TENDER GREEK PORK 

INGREDIENTS:

        3-4 pounds pork roast (see note), cut into 2-3-inch chunks

       1/4 cup chicken broth

        1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

        2 teaspoons dried oregano

        1 teaspoon onion powder

        1 teaspoon garlic powder (or 2-3 cloves garlic, finely minced)

        1 teaspoon coarse, kosher salt

        1/2 teaspoon black pepper (I use coarsely ground)

        Optional, for serving: flatbread or pitas, tzatziki sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, rice, fresh lemon wedges, etc.

DIRECTIONS:

   SLOW COOKER: place the pork in the insert of a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker. In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the remaining ingredients, increasing the chicken broth to 1 cup. Pour the mixture over the pork, turning the pork pieces a few times to coat in the mixture.

  Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 8-9 hours (or high for 4-5 hours). Shred the pork with two forks and keep warm in the slow cooker until ready to serve.

  Serve the tender pork with flatbread/pitas and tzatziki, lettuce, and tomatoes OR serve it over rice or on a salad.

Crock Pot Chicken Caesar Sandwiches

recipe via image via

Ingredients:
4-6 chicken breasts boneless skinless chicken
1/2 to 1 cup of your favorite Caesar dressing
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley (if you don’t have fresh use around 2 teaspoons of dried parsley)
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
12 slider buns or 4-6 regular sized hamburger buns (or any type of roll)

Instructions:
1. Place chicken in crock pot with 1-2 cups of water, cover and cook on low heat for 4-6 hours.

2. Remove chicken from cooker and drain the water from the slow cooker. Shred chicken, discard fat and return to crock pot.

3. Pour dressing, Parmesan cheese, parsley, and pepper over the top. Stir until mixed evenly. Cover and cook on high heat for 30 minutes or until mixture is hot.

4. Spoon 1/4 cup mixture onto each slider bun if you are making sliders or more for regular sized buns. Top with extra shredded Parmesan cheese and lettuce to serve.

Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup

I love me a good crockpot recipe. This soup was absolutely delicious and so easy to make. Definitely one we'll make again!

recipe adapted from and image via

Yields 8 servings Ingredients:

3 large chicken breast halves (I used 6-8 chicken tenders)

2 (14 oz) cans chicken broth

2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce

2/3 cup chunky salsa

1/2 cup Zesty Italian Dressing (I just used a couple teaspoons of the dressing packet)

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

2 tsp onion powder

2 tsp garlic powder

8 corn tortillas torn into pieces

1-2 cups frozen corn

1 (14 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (14 oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

2/3 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese

For Serving (optional)

Additional shredded Cheddar Cheese

Diced avocados

Sour Cream

Chopped cilantro

Tortilla Chips or strips

Directions: Place chicken in a crockpot. Pour chicken broth, tomato sauce, salsa and Zesty Italian Dressing over chicken. Sprinkle in chili powder, cumin, onion powder and garlic powder. Cover with lid and cook on low heat for 4-6 hours. I added the torn tortilla pieces a few hours into cooking which gave them a few hours to soften and fall apart. Once cooked, shred chicken in crockpot and add in corn, Black Beans, Pinto Beans and Cheddar Cheese. Allow to cook another hour until all ingredients are heated through. Serve warm garnished with additional shredded cheese, diced avocados, sour cream, cilantro, and tortilla chips.

Crockpot Mongolian Beef

1 1/2 lb. ball tip steak or flank steak

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 sliced green onions

1 t. dried onion

1/2 c. soy sauce

1/4 c. white wine

1/4 c. cooking sherry

1/2 T. white wine vinegar

1 t. sesame oil

1 t. molasses

1 t. ginger

1/4 t. black pepper

1 t. red chili flakes

1/2 T. peanut butter

3 T. brown sugar

1/4 c. cornstarch

1) Slice meat thin, put in baggie with cornstarch. Shake to coat.

2) Put all liquid and dry spices into crockpot, add PB, mix well.

3) Add garlic and 3 green onions. Put meat on top, toss gingerly.

4) Cover and cook on low 4-6 hours (mine took around 4).

Over-Night Apple Butter

A friend of mine went apple picking and shared the harvest with me. I've been waiting to try this recipe and now was the perfect time. I think this would make a great Christmas gift for neighbors!

Ingredients:

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup apple cider
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
10 medium apples, peeled, cored, and cut into large chunks (about 2 1/2 pounds of any variety or a mixture!)

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients in a 5-quart electric slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 10 hours or until apples are very tender.
Puree using an immersion blender (or conventional blender in batches) . Continue to cook, uncovered, on high 1 1/2 hours or until mixture is thick, stirring occasionally. Spoon into jars; cover and chill up to two weeks or freeze.

Delicious on toast or even pork chops!

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Place in crockpot:

1-2 lb. pork loin roast

rub generously with with Pappy's Prime Rib Rub Seasoning-or your own favorite

Cook on high 4-6 hours or until pork shreds easily

Stir in your favorite BBQ sauce until well coated (I'm partial to Kinder's)

Serve on fresh buns. Makes 8-10 sandwiches.

White Bean Chicken Chili-With a New Twist

This is one of those recipes that you have to trust and try

and then decide that you love it!!

White Bean Chicken Chili

(as a short cut) Meat from one rotisserie chicken- or cook and shred your own

48 oz. chicken broth

4 cans white beans

2 onions-chopped

1-7 oz. can chopped green chilies

6 cloves garlic-chopped

2 tsp. oregano

4 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper-more or less to taste

Saute onions and garlic in a small amount of olive oil. Add broth, chilies, and seasonings. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add beans and shredded chicken.

...Here's the twist-you serve the soup and then ladle a couple of spoonfuls of the garnish on top-it's a new, different, and wonderful combination of flavors!!

Tomato garnish

2-3 large tomatoes-chopped

1 cup chopped cilantro

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. salt

1/3 c. olive oil

1/4 c. apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup sugar

juice of 1 lime

Beef Barley Soup

I'm always up for a new soup recipe. I tried my this one from the food blog Framed Cooks over the Thanksgiving holiday week-perhaps the coldest week in November I ever remember in Lodi-and this was the perfect way to warm up on the inside. (I tweeked it just a little)

Beef Barley Soup

2 pounds chuck roast, cut into bite sized pieces (generously seasoned with Montreal Steak Seasoning) 8 cups beef broth 1 onion, chopped 1 8 ounce can diced tomatoes 2 teaspoons salt 5 carrots, chopped 1 cup chopped fresh parsley (or 1/4 cup dried) 3/4 cup pearl barley Saute chopped onion in a small amount of olive oil in a dutch oven until transparent. Add seasoned beef and brown well. Add remaining ingredients except for barley. Simmer for several hours or put in the crockpot. During last 1/2 hour, add barley.

Black Bean Salsa Chicken

Due to the unfortunate situation of not having A/C in our apartment this summer, my husband and I have been trying some new crockpot recipes and this one was delicious! I love how you can throw everything in when it is nice and cool in the morning and then come back home at five to a finished meal - it is a beautiful thing.

Black Bean Salsa Chicken

3 to 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup salsa
1 can (15 ounces) corn, drained (I used frozen)
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained
1 package taco seasoning
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup grated cheese

Place chicken in greased crockpot. Pour broth, salsa, corn, beans, and taco seasoning over chicken. Cover and cook on low heat 6-8 hours or on high heat 3-4 hours. Shread chicken and add sour cream and cheese in the crock pot, or serve on the side.

Serve with warm tortillas. Serves 5-6 people.

Hawaiian Haystacks

Tomorrow is my husband's birthday so he gets to pick the menu for dinner. What did he pick? Hawaiian Haystacks. I'm sure my kids aren't surprised!! So here's the recipe just for the record.



Prepare white rice as directed.

Place in a crockpot for several hours or until chicken will easily shred:
3-4 chicken breasts
2 cans cream of chicken
1 cup milk
1 cup chicken broth
1 T. dried onion
1/2 tsp. pepper

Toppings:
red bell pepper - finely chopped
celery stalks- finely chopped
green onion stalks- finely chopped
tomato - diced
chunks of pineapple
mandarin oranges
crunchy chow mein noodles
shredded cheese
raisins
coconut
slivered almonds
soy sauce

Assemble:
Put a "stack" of white rice, top with chicken mixture, top with your choice of toppings. Drizzle with soy sauce.

Sweet Mustard Roast

I branched out on this recipe (I'm not a huge roast fan) but it actually turned out delicious! I cooked it on low all day and by dinner time it was so tender it just fell apart and soaked up all of the juices.

3 pounds beef roast
1/3 cup molasses
1/3 cup dijon mustard
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons white vinegar

Dump meat into crockpot. Top with molasses, dijon, and vinegar. Toss in the garlic powder. Using tongs, flip the meat over a few times to coat it nicely with the sauce. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for about 4.