Creamy Slow Cooker Oatmeal

9 cups water
3 cups oats
3 cups half and half
2 tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt
1 cup brown sugar

Just before going to bed, combine the water and and the oats in a slow cooker. Set to low, cover, and let cook overnight. In the morning, stir in the half and half, vanilla, and salt. Scoop into bowls. Sprinkle with brown sugar.

Wings in Sweet and Sour Sauce

Ingredients:

• 18 chicken wings
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar
• 1 cup apricot preserves
• 1 cup ketchup
• 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
• 1 cup sweet onion, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce, or to taste

Preparation:

Pat the chicken wings dry and place then in the slow cooker or crockpot.
In a bowl, mix together remaining ingredients.
Taste and adjust seasonings.
Pour the sauce over the wings. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low until the chicken is tender, about 4 to 5 hours.

Crockpot Cream Cheese Potatoes

2 tablespoons dried onion -- minced or chopped
2 cloves garlic -- minced or 1/4
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
8 medium potatoes -- scrubbed and sliced (about 2 pounds)
1 package cream cheese -- (8 ounces) cut in cubes

Lightly grease Crock-Pot. In a small bowl, combine onion,
garlic, salt, and pepper. Layer 1/4 of the sliced potatoes in
the bottom of the Crock-Pot. Sprinkle with 1/4 of seasonings.
Layer with 1/3 of cream cheese cubes. Continue layering
process, ending with a layer of potatoes then sprinkle with
seasonings. Cover and cook on High 3 to 4 hours. In the
last hour of cooking stir the potatoes to distribute the cream
cheese. Serve when potatoes are tender.

Shredded French-Dip Sandwiches

From Sandra's kitchen

This makes some of the best hot sandwiches. Delicious, deeply flavored beef with rich aujus for dipping. Put it together in the morning and come home to a great meal! We like it with a green salad and some chips on the side. I'm not sure where this came from- maybe the food network or some magazine. The left-overs(if there are any) freeze well.
6-8 servings

3 lbs chuck roast
1 (10 3/4 ounce) can French onion soup
1 (10 3/4 ounce) can beef consomme
1 (10 3/4 ounce) can condensed beef broth
1 teaspoon beef bouillon granules
8-10 Sub or Kaiser Buns

Cut roast in half, place pieces into crockpot.
Combine canned soups with bouillon granules.
DO NOT DILUTE SOUPS!
Pour over meat.
Cover, cook on low 8 hours.
Remove meat from crockpot,shred with forks.
Skim fat from aujus in crockpot.
Return meat to crockpot,to rewarm.
Pile meat on rolls.
Serve juice as dipping sauce on the side.

Yumpy.......

Ham Potato Bake

2 1/2 lbs. small sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into bite-size pieces
1 1/2 lbs. boneless ham steak

2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp. prepared mustard
2/3 cup and 1 cup apple juice

Put sweet potato into 3.5L slow cooker. Place ham steak over top.

Mix brown sugar, mustard and apple juice in small cup. Sprinkle over ham. Cover. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 3 1/2 - 4 hours. Add cornstarch to thicken about ½ hour before it is finished cooking. Cut ham into serving-size pieces. Serves 4.

The only thing I would do differently is to cut the ham into bite-size pieces and mix it in with the sweet potato so it has a nice ham flavor to it.

Pork on a Bun

1 3-4 onz pork-butt roast or beef brisket
Salt and Pepper to Taste
2 med onions, sliced
1 16-onz jar BBQ sauce
Soft Rolls

Carefully trim the meat of visible fat and saeson it with salt and pepper. Place the onionsi n the bottom of the slow cooker, then lay the peat on top of them. (You may have to cut the brisket in half and stack pieces.) Pour aout a half cup of the BBQ sauce over the meat and turn to coat. Cover and cook for 9 - 10 hours on low. Carefully remove the cooked meat and pour out the fat and juices, retaining the onions. If you're using the pork, shred it with two forks. Put the pork back in the cooker, mix in the remining BBQ sauce and let it cook another half hour or so. Serve it on soft rolls, onions on the side. Serves 8 - 10

Mu Shu Chicken Wraps

1 onion, diced
1 1/2 - 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
Salt & Pepper
1 cup hosin sauce
2 Tbsp honey
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 12-oz bag groccoli coleslaw or other toppings
Flour tortillas or flatbread

PLace the diced onion in the slow cooker. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, place it on top of the onions, and cook on low for 4 -5 hours or until the meat pulls apart easily with a fork. With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken and onions to a medium bowl and shred the meat.
In a small bowl, mix together the honey, hoisin sauce and ginger, then stir the mixture int the shredded chicken and onion. PLace a small handful of broccoli coleslaw on a warm tortilla amd add several spoonfuls of the chicken mixture and roll up. Makes 6 - 8 rolls.

Apricot Lemon Chicken

2 lbs of boneless breast of chicken
1 lemon, quartered
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tsp brown sugar
1/4 cup coarsely chopped dried apricots
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tsp thyme (or 3-4 four sprigs fresh thyme, if available)

Pull chicken breasts apart and place them in the bottom of a 4 1/2 quart (or similar) slow cooker. Squeeze the quartered lemons over the chicken meat, and drop the squeezed lemon quarters in the pot. Pour orange juice over the chicken. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until well mixed. Cook on high for 4 hours. Serves 6.

Chocolate Mud Cake

1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
6 tablespoons butter
2 ounces semisweet chocolate (or 1/3 cup chocolate chips
2/3 plus 1/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons plus 1/3 cup cocoa
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup milk
1 egg yolk
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups hot water
Whipped cream or ice cream

Coat the inside of a slow cooker with cooking spray. Whisk together the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, melt the butter and chocolate in the microwave or over a pan of simmering water and mix well.

Whisk in the 2/3 cup of sugar, 3 tablespoons cocoa, vanilla, salt, milk and egg yolk. Add the flour mixture and stir until throughly mixed.

Pour the batter into the slow cooker and spread it evenly. In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining sugar, coca, and hot water until the sugar is dissolved. Pour the mixture over the batter in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 1 or 2 hours, depending on the size of the crock pot.

Even when done, the cake will be very moist and floating on a layer of molten chocolate, but you'll know it's ready when nearly all of the cake is set and the edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pot. (As you check, try not to let the condensed steam from the lid drip onto the cake.)

When it's done, turn off power and remove the lid. Let it cool for 25 and minutes, then serve it in bowls topped with whipped cream or ice cream. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

slowcooker pasta e fagioli

canadian living march 2005

6 slices bacon or pancetta, chopped
2 onions chopped
4 cloes garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
1 tsp each dried basil and oregano
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
1 can (19oz/540ml) white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups chicken stock
1 can (28oz/796ml) diced tomatoes
1 bay leaf
3/4 cup tubetti or other small pasta
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup grated parmesean

in skillet, fry bacon over med-high heat until crisp. transfer to crockpot.
drain fat from skillet, fry onions, garlic, celery, carrots, basil, oregano, salt and pepper over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. scrape into slow cooker. mash 1 cup of the beans, add to slow cooker along with remaining beans. add stock, tomatoes and bay leaf. cover and cook on low for 4 hours or until vegetables are tender. in pot of boiling salted water,, cook pasta until tender but firm, about 8 mintues. drain and add to slow cooker. add parsley and tomato paste, cover and cook on high for 10 minutes or until hot. discard bay leaf. sprinkle each serving with parmesean cheese.

makes 6-8 servings
each serving about 198 calories, 11g protein, 5g total fat, 28g carbs, 6g fibre, 9 mg chol, 899 mg sodium

will post tomorrow how this mostly meatless dinner goes over with the crew. thinking they can have some crusty buns to go with this, and maybe a salad.


review from the crew... the words to describe this were "awesome", "phenomenal" and "you can make that again" so i suppose it was ok LOL

Sweet Pork Tacos

This is my variation of the Cafe Rio Salad my Mom gave me. It is just easier this way. It is very similar to Brittany's Salsa Chicken which was very good!

Pork loin - cut off fat (I cut it into 3 pieces, use 1 and freeze the other 2 for later)
1 Cup Salsa
1 Cup Brown Sugar
Tortillas

Toppings (optional - what ever you like on tacos):
cheese
lettuce
tomatoes
sour cream
black beans

Place pork loin, salsa & brown sugar in crock pot (I use my small one) on high for 3-4 hrs or until it pulls apart easily with a fork. Shread meat with forks and mix in with sauce. Roll in tortillas with toppings.

Cord says he could eat this every day all day. It is his favorite

Southwestern White Chili

This is a really easy recipe to throw in when you are out all day or to start at lunch time. An easy variation from regular chili - especially if you love chicken. We like to eat it with big buns or corn muffins.

Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: Low 7 Hrs, High 3 1/2 Hrs
Makes: 8 servings
Crockpot: 3 1/2 - 6 quart (approx 3 1/2 - 6 liters) I hate conversion!

1 cup- chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp- ground cumin
1 tsp- dried oregano, crushed
1/4 tsp- ground red pepper (cayenne)
3-15 1/2 oz (460 ml) great northern beans, drained & rinsed
2- 4 oz (120 ml) cans diced green chile peppers
4 cups- chicken broth
3 cups- chopped, cooked chicken (I use 1 lbs of ground turkey-it is easier)
2 cups- shredded monterey jack cheese
sour cream (optional)

In crockpot, combine all items EXCEPT for cheese & sour cream. Stir to combine.

Cover and cook on low for 7 hours or high for 3 1/2 hours. Stir in the cheese until melted.

Ladel the chili into bowls and top with sour cream and sprinkle extra chile peppers if desired.

Salsa Chicken

4 chicken breasts
1 can black beans
1 jar salsa (3-4 cups)(I just do mild cause then Lucy can eat it also)
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 lime

tortillas
avacado
tomato
cheese
lettuce
cilantro (optional)

Place chicken in crockpot add salsa (enough to cover), then add the other ingredients except for the lime. cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours. Shred the chicken once done and add the lime. Serve like a taco. If you don't have a crock pot you could put it in the oven on 250 or so and cook for a couple of hours until the chicken will shred. This is one of my favorites, especially if you are a mexican food fan. Feeds 4 adults at least 2 servings.

by Brittany

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

By Jacklyn

Med sized boneless pork roast, fry on each side for about 3 minutes then put in your crock pot for 1 hour.
In a pan saute 1 onion and 6 cloves of garlic. Cut a hole in the middle of the roast (after the hour) and stuff in the onion mixture.

In a new bowl mix 8oz tomato paste 2 cups of spaghetti sauce 4 TBS brown sugar 2 TBS apple cider vinegar 2 TBS Worchester (?)sauce.
Salt and Pepper the pork and then pour the sauce all over the roast and cook about 5 hours on High in your crock pot.

NOTE- flip the roast over about 2 times while cooking
when finished cooking shred the pork and serve on a bun. very easy and very good

FYI- It was so good with Cole Slaw on the side