Slow Cooker Chili

I love chili, especially here in cold country! My kids love it too as long as some sort of chips accompany it, since that's our favorite way to eat chili around our house.  You can also serve it with some cornbread, cornbread muffins, or serve it over a baked potato too. (That's how I ate chili growing up since we had potatoes with almost every meal!)

Slow Cooker Chili

1 pound ground beef

1/4 cup onions, chopped (or 1 Tbsp onion flakes), optional

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 cans mild chili beans, keep juices

1 can dark kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes (or 2- 14.5 ounce cans)

2 Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp cumin

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 cup water

Brown the beef with the onion and minced garlic. Drain any grease and put into a slow cooker. Add the rest of the ingredients into the slow cooker and stir to combine. Cook on low 6-8 hours, or high for 3 hours. You can also do this in a big pot the same way with browning the beef and then adding everything and simmering until everything is heated through.

Kalua Pork

My sister in law Kelli made a version of this for us this summer and we loved it! It can't get any simpler, only uses 4 ingredients, and is really really yummy!  We ate it too fast for a picture, so I borrowed the above pic from the same place I adapted the recipe from here. We had ours over rice and I used a 4 pound roast. I think I did about 5 ounces of spinach but that could have easily been doubled-just depends on how much you like spinach. ;)

Kalua Pork

Serving size varies (4 pound roast will feed 4-6)

1 4-6 pound pork Butt roast

1 Tbsp liquid smoke, hickory flavored

2-3 tsp red Hawaiian sea salt (or just sea salt if you can't find Hawaiian)

Bag of washed spinach (5 + more ounces depending on your liking)

Pat the roast dry (and you can trim some of the fat if you feel like you need to, but really that's what gives it the flavor). Pierce all over with a fork and rub it liberally with sea salt. Place it in a slow cooker and pour the liquid smoke evenly over the roast. Cook on low for 8-12 hours (I did mine for 10 hours). 

Once it's done shred the entire thing up right in the crockpot (this is where you could trim some of the fat you notice too as you are shredding), add a bag of spinach and stir it all together. Cover and cook 5-10 more minutes or until the spinach is wilted. 

Serve over rice.

Crockpot Salsa Chicken

This is super easy, but just in case any of you are missing out I had to share it. My sister always uses frozen chicken breasts, which makes it even easier. I have done it both ways, frozen and fresh. 

Crockpot Salsa Chicken

Recipe from my sister Candice

Chicken breasts, thawed or frozen (any amount)

Jar of salsa (your favorite kind)

Place frozen chicken breasts into crockpot. Pour enough salsa in to cover the chicken and cook on low about 8-10 hours (less if they weren't frozen) or until the chicken is done. Tear apart with a fork. You can use the chicken to make salads similar to Cafe Rio, do hard or soft chicken tacos, quesadillas, or anything! 

BBQ Chicken Sliders

I love my favorite BBQ Sandwich (this rootbeer pulled pork one), but recently my sister shared with me her BBQ Chicken Sliders and the were awesome! I like using pork because it doesn't dry out like chicken, but this recipe here is just as tender I promise! Must be the coke. I used diet coke because that's what I had on hand and I also had to cook it on high for half the time because I didn't think about it soon enough. I would recommend the coleslaw on top, and my sister uses Hawaiian rolls in the deli isle, but regular hamburger buns work fine too.

Barbecue Chicken Sliders
Recipe from my sister Bre

4 boneless chicken breasts
1 bottle of BBQ sauce of your choice
1 can of coke
1 clove of garlic
1/2 tsp of pepper or 1 tsp depending on the kick you want
1/2 tsp of kosher salt
1/4 tsp of red pepper flakes
coleslaw of your choice
slider rolls or hamburger buns

Mix all ingrediants into crock pot, then add chicken breasts, cook on low for 6-8 hours. Pull apart chicken, toast rolls, top with coleslaw and more bbq sauce if you'd like!!!



Asian Chicken Skewers

 

 These chicken skewers are so amazing! Let me tell you right now if you want to get your kids off the habit of dunking their meats in ketchup or other sauces, put it on a stick. That combined with the fact that this chicken is super super moist makes it a definite kid pleaser. When I made these last month my kids left me with one measly stick for myself, so this time I doubled the meat thinking I would get more but they still out ate me...even my 3 year old ate 3 sticks of meat. I like to serve mine over some brown rice drizzled with some more of the sauce and some steamed veggies. Lite and oh so yummy! Make sure you check first to see if your sticks fit in your slow cooker, I always cut mine down. Also I'm sure you could grill these and I've been dying to try them that way but we haven't gotten a new propane tank since we moved across country...so I'll have to update when I get a chance!

Asian Chicken Skewers

Recipe from Crockpot, The Original Slow Cooker

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 Tbsp sesame oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions

1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Cut each thigh into 4 pieces about 1 1/2 inches thick and thread chicken onto wooden skewers, folding thinner pieces if necessary. Place skewers in a slow cooker layering them as flat as possible.

Combine soy sauce, brown sugar, oil and garlic in small bowl. Reserve 1/3 cup sauce, set aside. Pour remaining sauce over skewers. Cover; cook on LOW 2 hours. Turn skewers over and cook 1 hour longer.

Transfer skewers to serving platter. Discard cooking liquid. Spoon on reserved sauce and sprinkle with sliced green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.

Campfired-Up Sloppy Joes

My favorite sloppy joe recipe is my Grandma's tried and true recipe here, but when I read the name of these sloppy joes I just had to try them. Honestly you can't even compare the two recipes because they are so so different. If you want a traditional sloppy joe, go for Grandma Lill's, if you want to try something with lots of flavor and like a mix between a sloppy joe and barbecued pork sandwich, go for this one here. These are so wonderful and have such amazing flavor with the chili powder and the bits of baked beans. Plus the fact that you can throw it in the crockpot and forget about it is my kind of meal!

Campfired-Up Sloppy Joes

Recipe from Crockpot Recipe Collection

makes 4-6 sandwiches

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef

1/2 cup chopped sweet onion

1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped

1 large garlic clove, crushed

1/2 cup ketchup

1/2 cup barbecue sauce

2 Tbsp cider vinegar

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbsp packed brown sugar

1 tsp chili powder

1 (8 ounce) can baked beans

6 kaiser rolls, split and warmed

Brown ground beef, onion, bell pepper and garlic 6-8 minutes in large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring to break up meat. Drain and discard excess fat. Transfer beef mixture to a slow cooker.

Combine ketchup, barbecue sauce, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar and chili powder in small bowl. Add to the slow cooker.

Add baked beans and stir to combine. Cover and cook on high 3 hours (I'm sure you could do low for 6 hours)



Pulled Pork with Root Beer Sauce

 Are you looking for something different to serve up for dinner? When I saw that this recipe used root beer I didn't even have to think about it seeing how much I love root beer. This recipe was so easy and turned out delish! You know its a good sign when you can't get the roast out of the crock pot because it's falling apart it's so moist! My husband said it was the best pork sandwich he's ever eaten. The original recipe calls for 2 whole onions, but after experimenting I decided to omit them all together. If your family really likes onions, add about 1/2 cup sliced onions so the onion flavor won't take away the sauce flavor. Also I really recommend serving with at least the tomatoes to get the full on experience! Here's a money saver tip: I bought a big 5 pound boneless pork loin roast on sale and cut it into 3 roasts: 3 pounds for this recipe and two 1 pound roasts in the freezer for other meals. That saved me big bucks!

Pulled Pork with Root Beer SauceRecipe adapted from Better Homes & Gardens New Cookbook


2 1/2-3 pound pork sirloin roast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 Tbsp cooking oil
1 cup root beer *not diet
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3 cups root beer (two 12-ounce cans or bottles) *not diet
1 cup bottled chili sauce
8-10 hamburger, hoagie, french bread buns or rolls
lettuce leaves
tomato slices


Trim fat from the meat. Sprinkle on both sides with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Brown on all sides in hot oil. Drain off fat. Transfer meat to cooker and add the 1 cup of root beer. Cover and cook on low heat for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. 30 minutes before serving, make the sauce: In a medium saucepan combine the 3 cups root beer and the chili sauce. Bring to boiling and reduce heat. Boil gently uncovered, stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes or until mixture is thickened and reduced to about 1 1/2-2 cups. Transfer meat to a cutting board or serving platter. Discard juices. Using 2 forks, pull meat apart into shreds. To serve, line buns with lettuce leaves and tomato slices. Add meat and spoon on the sauce.

Savory Pepper Steak

Wow! Has this month been crazy for anybody else? We've had 2 birthdays, doctors visits and well checkups, dentist appointments, company visiting, Christmas, vacation and much much more! That's why I love crockpot recipes because you can throw them together in the morning and not have to worry about anything until you are ready to eat! I'll have to add a picture to this one when I get back from vacation, but I had to share this great recipe a friend gave me. I think I used London Broil, cooked it on low for 8 hours and I also added the thickened flour/water mixture at the end. It was delicious and oh so tender!

Savory Pepper Steak
Recipe from Holly Weston

1 1/2 lbs beef round steak or London Broil, 1/2" thick
1/4 c. flour
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small clove garlic, minced
2 large green or red bell peppers (one of each if you'd like)
1 14 1/2-oz. can whole tomatoes (I used petite diced)
1 Tbsp. beef bouillon
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
6 c. hot rice

Cut steak into strips about 1/4-inch wide. Combine flour and pepper; toss with steak strips to coat thoroughly. Add to slow cooker with onion, garlic and half of bell pepper strips. Stir. Combine tomatoes with beef bouillon granules, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Pour into slow cooker, moistening meat. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours. One hour before serving, turn to high, reove cooked bell pepper strips and stir in remaining fresh bell pepper strips. If thickened gravy is desired, make a smooth paste of 3 Tbsp. flour and 3 Tbsp. water; stir into slow cooker. Cover and cook until thickened. Serve over hot fluffy rice. Serves 6.

Walker Homestyle Stew

This is my favorite stew because it is super easy to make and better than any others that take more time and prep. Our family likes a nice thick stew (which is easier for our kids to eat) but you can always add 1 more cup of water if you want it more soupy. I use red potatoes with the skins, and usually serve it up with french bread rolls.

Mel's Mom's Homestyle Stew

Recipe from Mel @ My Kitchen Cafe

1 can minestrone soup

1 can tomato soup

1 can water

1 to 1 1/2 pounds stew meat

1 onion, chopped

3-4 carrots, thickly sliced

3-4 potatoes, cut into chunks

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all in a crockpot. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high 4-5 hours. Serves 4-6.

Spicy Pork Chops

I got this recipe in one of my food classes in college from my favorite professor and mentor Shauna Shirley. Although it's called "Spicy" pork chops, I've always called it "Saucy" pork chops because it's not spicy, but it is really tender and saucy. This has become one of my favorite quick meals because I love anything I can throw into a crockpot and forget about, and the ingredients are ones I usually have on hand. It calls for pork chops, but really you can use any kind of pork or even chicken. I usually use boneless skinless pork ribs because they are super cheap at my grocery store. Also I always serve this over rice, but you can also serve over mashed potatoes for a really hearty meal.

Spicy Pork Chops

Recipe from Shauna Shirley

5-6 center-cut loin pork chops (or any boneless pork)
1-2 green peppers, cut in strips

1 onion (optional)

8 ounce can tomato sauce

4 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp vinegar

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Put pork chops into crock pot. Add remeaining ingredients to cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve over rice.