Category Archives: Recipes and Cooking

Recipes and Cooking

Recipe of the Week: Crock Pot Cabbage Casserole

Leave a comment

Recipe of the Week: Crock Pot Cabbage Casserole

You may be thinking, there is no way my kids will eat something with the word “cabbage” in it, but I’m here to tell you that this meal is so delicious we ran out the last time I made it (I didn’t double the recipe because I thought maybe the children wouldn’t like this one).  It’s on the menu again this week, and I am planning to double it and most likely use two crock pots.  I want to make sure I have enough this time. Cabbage is a surprisingly tasty vegetable!  We use it in a soup that my kids rave about and ask for as well.  It’s nutritious, and has a smooth, buttery taste that is very pleasing.  One added bonus (a very important bonus for any busy mom!) is that this dish is both easy to make and very inexpensive: a killer combination in my book.  So, without further ado, I will share the recipe below.

 

Crockpot Cabbage Casserole
(Makes 6 servings)

1 large head cabbage, chopped
2 cups water (or enough to cover chopped cabbage in saucepan)
1 Tbsp. salt
1/3 cup butter
¼ cup flour
½-1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 1/3 cups milk
1 1/3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

  1. Cook cabbage in saucepan in boiling water and 1 Tbsp. salt for 5 minutes.   Place in slow cooker.
  2. In saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper.  Add milk, stirring constantly on low heat for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Stir in cheese.  Pour over cabbage in slow cooker.
  3. Cook on Low 4-5 hours.

Serve with fresh, warm bread.

Family Life, Holidays, Recipes and Cooking

Days 30 & 31: Overnight Apple Oatmeal and Layered Taco Appetizer PLUS Bonus Recipe!

Leave a comment

What a busy few days!  We hit the ground running when we returned from Dallas, taking down our live Christmas tree that held all of our family and personal ornaments.  We also have a new, prelit 15-ft. tall tree that stands in our new living area in our home addition.  It was quite grand, but it will take me a few years to be able to decorate it the way I would like to!  Those large ornaments are expensive!  So, we had about 15 ornaments on that tall tree, three or four of which became victims of little boys throwing soccer balls at the tree.  They say “shatter proof” but that doesn’t mean they won’t break.  Trust me, if it can break, my four little men will figure out how to break it.  But I digress.

With all of the busyness, I decided for my last two days of crock pot cooking (for the blog series) would consist of a yummy breakfast we always enjoy as well as a couple of appetizers I made in the crock pots for our New Year’s Eve party!

Day 30:  Overnight Apple Oatmeal
I’ll say it again: there’s nothing like waking up to your hot breakfast already made and waiting for you.  It’s even better if it’s a delicious breakfast the whole family enjoys!  This recipe is tried and true, and pretty easy to make.  The worst part is peeling the apples, but if you have certain kitchen gadgets to help you (apple peeler, corer and slicer), then it’s not too bad.  I double this, so I have to peel 4 apples.  But if you are making the single recipe, it’s only 2 apples.  So, no big deal.  The rest is just dumping everything in the greased crock pot, setting your crock pot on low, and you will have your reward in the morning!

Ingredients:
4 cups Milk
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
2 T. Melted Butter
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Cinnamon
2 cups Oats (not quick oats)
2 cups Apples, peeled and chopped
1 cup Dates or Raisins (optional)
Instructions:
1.  Spray a large crock pot with nonstick spray.
2.  Combine and mix well.
3.  Cook on low overnight or 8-9 hours. Stir well before serving.  Serves about 8 (I always double this, and we don’t have any leftovers with our family of 12)
Day 31: Two Appetizers that will be a hit!
We were so happy that all our older kids decided they wanted to stay home and ring in the New Year with us.  They had been talking about going to different friends’ houses, and I was a little bummed.  But in the end, everyone stayed home.  So, we had a few friends over here, and made LOTS of food!  Yay!  There were cheese balls with crackers, desserts dips, and meatballs!  Not to mention what our friends brought.  We played games, set off fireworks, and watched the ball drop at 11 (midnight in New York) and then celebrated at midnight, central time!  It was a blast!  This taco appetizer was really  good.  I think I’ll make it again when there is less food to compete with it.  The final recipe is kind of a “bonus.”  I realized I had posted the same recipe–Calico Beans–twice during my 31-day series.  So, I’m adding another appetizer to make up for it.
Layered Taco Appetizer:
Ingredients:
1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. hot Italian sausage
1 large onion, finely chopped
salt to taste
2 tsp. hot pepper sauce, or more or less to taste
2 16-oz. cans refried beans
4-oz. can chopped green chilies, drained
2-3 cups (8-12 oz.) grated Monterey Jack cheese
3/4 cup hot, or mild, taco sauce
tortilla chips or corn chips
garnishes: chopped tomatoes, chopped ripe olives, chopped green onions, smashed ripe avocado, cilantro, sour cream
Instructions:
1. In skillet, saute meats with onion until browned.  Drain off drippings.  Season meat with salt and hot pepper sauce to taste.
2.  Meanwhile, spread refried beans in lightly greased slow cooker.
3.  Spoon browned meat over refried beans.
4.  Top with chopped chilies.
5.  Sprinkle with grated cheese.
6.  Pour taco sauce on top of cheese.  (Do not stir).
7.  Heat in slow cooker for 30-60 minutes on High or until dip is heated through.
8.  Serve with chips and garnishes.
Cranberry Meatballs
My family will eat meat balls with any variety of sauces.  This one has a light, sweet holiday flavor because of the cranberries.  I couldn’t find two bottles of chili sauce (I think everyone else in Austin was making meatballs also), so I found a chili sauce that was a little spicy, but it worked well.  I used one regular and one of that sweet hot chili sauce, and it was really good!  I doubled this to go in my 7-qt. crock pot.
Ingredients:
1 bag frozen meatballs OR make homemade meatballs (see recipes below)
1 can jellied cranberries
12-oz. bottle chili sauce
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp.  lemon juice
Instructions:
1.  Put frozen meatballs into crock pot.
2.  In a saucepan, combine cranberry, chili sauce, brown sugar and lemon juice.  Heat over medium-high heat until jellied sauce and brown sugar melt.  There should be no more chunks in the sauce, and it should be smooth.
3.  Pour sauce over meatballs, and stir to make sure all meatballs are coated in the sauce.
4.  Cover.  Cook on low for 3-4 hours or High for 2 hours.  Keep slow cooker on warm while serving.
Meatball Recipe:
2 lbs. ground beef
1/3 cup parsley flakes
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. minced onion
1 cup cornflake crumbs
2 eggs
1/2 cup ketchup
1.  In  large mixing bowl, combine ingredients until well mixed.
2.  Form into 50-60 meatballs and put in lightly greased 9×13 baking pan.  (You may need to do a couple of batches, or use a couple of pans).
3.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until meatballs are cooked through (cut one open to check).
Variations on meatball and sauce recipe:
1. Use 1 lb. ground beef and 1 lb. ground pork instead of 2 lbs. ground beef.
2.  Use 10 3/4 can condensed tomato soup, mixed with 1 tsp. prepared mustard, instead of chili sauce for sauce.
Turkey Meatball recipe:
2 egg whites
2 lbs. ground turkey
2 green onions with tops, sliced
4 tsp. grated orange peel
2 tsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
Follow the steps for making  and baking meatballs, then add the sauce in crock pot.
If you choose to make your own meatballs, you can cook on Low for 2 hours, or high for 30 min to an hour, or until meatballs are heated through, and sauce is bubbly.
I pray that you all have a happy and healthy 2016!  Check in with me for adoption updates as well as more recipes and other content this year!  Looking forward to an amazing 2016.
Recipes and Cooking

Days 28 & 29: Old Fashioned Wassail and Spice Cake

Leave a comment

We stayed in Dallas through Tuesday night, which was my mother-in-law’s birthday.  We had so much food, I decided to make a wonderful hot spiced drink I have made in the past.  My children always loved Wassail, and we have had it most years during the chilly days around Christmas.  This new recipe was a big hit!  Most of the people who tried it loved this, and we heated up the leftovers yesterday, and finished it off.  One recipe fills a 6-qt. crock pot.

Christmas Wassail
Ingredients:
1 gallon cider
6-oz. container frozen Orange Juice Concentrate
6-oz. container frozen lemonade concentrate
1/2-1 cup brown sugar, depending on how sweet you want it
1 tsp. whole nutmeg (I used about 3-4 pieces–they are large)
1 Tbsp. whole cloves
1 Tbsp. whole allspice
orange slices (optional)
cinnamon sticks

Instructions:
1. Combine cider, orange juice and lemonade concentrates, and brown sugar in slow cooker.  Mix well.
2.  Place nutmeg, cloves, and allspice in a piece of cheese cloth.  Tie shut with string (may sound funny, but I always use plain unwaxed dental floss to tie off).  Add to juice in slow cooker.
3.  Cover.  Cook on low 2-8 hours, until the wassail is as hot as you like it.  I think it needs to simmer longer rather than shorter in order for the spices to seep into the juices well.  I always just simmer it all day.
4.  Float orange slices, if desired, and cinnamon sticks in the wassail, once it is ready to be served.  Ladle from slow cooker to serve.

Day 29:  Gingerbread Pudding Cake
We needed a little extra dessert for the birthday festivities, so I made a spice cake that cooks right in the crock pot.  This was well-received by everyone who tried it.  Definitely one I will make again.  This is best made in a smaller crock pot.

Ingredients:
half a stick (4 Tbsp.) butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg white
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup molasses
1 cup water
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 tsp.  baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp.  ground ginger
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp.  ground allspice
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped pecans (I used more like 1/4 cup)
6 Tbsp. brown sugar

Instructions:
1. Spray interior of slow cooker with cooking spray.
2.  In a large mixing bowl, cream 4 Tbsp. butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg white and vanilla.
3.  In a separate bowl, combine molasses and water until blended.
4.  In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and spices.  Add to creamed mixture alternately with molasses mixture, beating well after each addition.
5.  Fold in pecans.  Spoon into slow cooker.  Sprinkle with brown sugar.
6.  In a small bowl, combine hot water and 5 2/3 Tbsp. butter. Pour over batter.  Do not stir.
7.  Cover.  Cook on High 2 – 2 1/2 hours, or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean.  There will be a pool of buttery sauce in the center.
8.  Turn off slow cooker.  Let stand 15 minutes.  Serve cake warm.

Recipes and Cooking

Day 27: Green Bean Casserole

Leave a comment

Still in Dallas, so I made a side dish that would compliment any meat main dish well.  It calls for French-fried onions, which are supposed to be divided and layered into the casserole.  Next time I make this, I will use only 1/4 of the onions per layer, and then put the remaining 1/2 of the French-fied onions into the pot towards the end of cooking so that they stay crunchy.  I found them a bit soggy layered into the dish.  Otherwise, this was a good side dish.  People enjoyed this addition to our main dish of pork loin.  I doubled this, and actually used two 6-oz. bags of the french fried onions for my double recipe

Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients:
14 1/2-oz. can green beans, drained, divided
3 1/2-oz. can French-fried onions, divided
8-oz. can sliced water chestnuts, drained, divided
10 3/4-oz. can cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 tsp. curry powder
1/4 tsp. pepper

Instructions:
1.  Alternate layers of half beans, 1/4 of the onions, half the cheese, and half the water chestnuts in slow cooker.  Repeat.
2.  Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl.  Pour over vegetables in slow cooker.
3.  Cover and cook on Low 3-4 hours.
4.  A few minutes before serving, sprinkle remaining French-fried onions over the top of the casserole.

Family Life, Recipes and Cooking, Uncategorized

Days 24, 25, and 26: Sweet Potato side dish, Western Breakfast Casserole, and Broccoli-Cheese side dish

Leave a comment

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!  I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful Christmas, as we did.  What a fun, busy time!  We begin celebrating on Christmas Eve, attending Christmas Eve service and having our nice dinner that evening.  We always open one gift on Christmas Eve as well.  Some of the older kids even go to Midnight Mass with some friends of our family.

This year, with my dad living in Austin in a Memory Care Community, we wanted him to be part of our celebration on Christmas Eve.  We left for Dallas Christmas Day, so we knew it wasn’t going to work for us to go get him that morning and bring him back.  With all of that in mind, we needed to have a really early dinner, so we could eat a relatively relaxing meal with my dad, then head to church, where a few of us would be performing a song.  I had planned for an easy dinner of ham, green bean casserole and a wonderful sweet potato and apple dish that is cooked in the crock pot.  It was an easy meal, but really delicious, too.  Christmas Eve service was beautiful, we survived performing our song, and we were also able to enjoy some time with friends after the service over sweet and salty treats.  I’m so glad we were able to include my dad in these festivities, and give him a Christmas with family.

Sweet Potatoes with Apples (Makes 8-10 servings)
Ingredients:
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 large tart and firm apples peeled, cored, and sliced
1/2-3/4 tsp. salt
1/8-1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. sage
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
4 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/4 cup maple syrup
Toasted sliced almonds or chopped pecans, optional

Instructions: 
1. Place half the sweet potatoes in slow cooker.  Layer in half the apple slices.
2. Mix together seasonings. Sprinkle half over apples.
3. Mix together butter and maple syrup.  Spoon half over seasonings.
4. Repeat layers.
5. Cover. Cook on low 6-8 hours or until potatoes are soft, stirring occasionally.
6. To add a bit of crunch, sprinkle with toasted almonds or pecans when serving.
7. Serve with pork or poultry.

Every other year, after reading the Christmas story, eating our traditional breakfast foods, and opening gifts at our house, we drive up to Dallas to spend a few days with Todd’s family.  The years in between, we stay at home, and my mom is usually visiting us.  This year is our year to be in Dallas.  So, I wanted to make something in the crock pot that we could eat for breakfast.  We usually have cinnamon rolls (I used to make them homemade, but I abandoned that practice once I had so many little children to manage that it was way to stressful) and crustless breakfast quiche.  These are the breakfast foods our kids want and expect every year.  I decided to add Western Omelet Casserole to the breakfast repertoire.  I thought it was really good, and most of it was eaten up quickly along with the cinnamon rolls.  I was up really late wrapping gifts, so I was able to start this late enough for it to be ready by 7:30.  On a normal night, I would prepare it and set an alarm to start it.

Western Omelet Casserole  (I doubled to feed my crew)
Ingredients: 
32-oz. bag frozen hash brown potatoes, divided
1 lb. cooked ham, cubed, divided
1 medium onion, diced, divided
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
18 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper

Instructions:
1. Layer one-third each of frozen potatoes, ham, onion, and cheese in bottom of slow cooker.  Repeat 2 times.
2. Beat together eggs, milk, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl.  Pour over mixture in slow cooker.
3. Cover.  Cook on Low 4-6 hours.

Yesterday we were at my sister-in-law’s house for the day, so I decided to make a side dish to complement the baked potato bar she was making for dinner.  I made a broccoli casserole that was great as a side dish or served as a topping for the baked potatoes.

Crock Pot Broccoli and Cheese
Ingredients:
6 cups frozen chopped broccoli, partially thawed
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of celery soup, undiluted
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup crushed butter-flavored crackers (about 25)
2 tablespoons butter

Instructions:
1.  In a large bowl, combine the broccoli, soup, 1 cup cheese, onion, Worcestershire sauce and pepper. Pour into a greased 3-qt. slow cooker. Sprinkle crackers on top; dot with butter.
2.  Cover and cook on high for 2-1/2 to 3 hours. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cook 10 minutes longer or until the cheese is melted.

Family Life, Recipes and Cooking

Days 21, 22, & 23: Super Easy Chili, Yummy Hot Cocoa, and Amazing Chicken Tortilla Soup

Leave a comment

The busy days of the Holidays are upon us, and I continue to adore using my crock pot to help ease my load when it comes to cooking for my family and making yummy treats to enjoy during this special time.

Day 21: Chili for Twenty

Monday evening, we hosted a White Elephant Christmas party for our speech and debate club.  A fabulous time was had by all.  I made my huge recipe of crock pot chili, and it was good.  This can be a little spicy, but you can easily make it less spicy by cutting down on the chili powder or using mild tomatoes and green chilies instead of original.  It makes a ton, so I always have to use my 7-quart crock pot, with the overflow going into my 4-qt. crock pot.  If you have multiple crock pots, you can divide it up among a couple of medium-sized pots and it works great.

Chili for Twenty
Ingredients:
4 lbs. ground beef
3 onions, finely chopped
3 green peppers, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 16-oz. cans Italian-style tomatoes
4 16-oz. cans kidney beans, drained
1 10-oz. can diced tomatoes and chilies (use mild if you want it less spicy)
2 6-oz. cans tomato paste
1 cup water
1 Tbsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
3 whole cloves
2 bay leaves
2 Tbsp. chili powder (or less if you want it less spicy)

Instructions:
1. Brown meat, with onions and pepper, in soup pot on stove top.  Drain.
2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, Divide among several medium-sized crock pots, or use a very large crock pot (8-quart would probably work).
3.  Cover.  Cook on Low 3-4 hours.

Serve topped with shredded cheddar cheese, if desired.

Day 22: Amazingly Delicious Triple Chocolate Hot Cocoa
Tuesday night we had tons of leftovers, of course, so we ate that for dinner.  We watched a Christmas movie as a family and topped the evening off with a reading from our Advent book along with steamy, yummy scratch-made hot cocoa that had been simmered in our crock pot.  It was perfect!  I doubled this and used my 4-qt. crock pot.  It was a great size for the doubled recipe.  I would use a 2-qt. crock pot for a single recipe.

Makes 6 servings
Ingredients:
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3 cups milk, divided
3/4 tsp. vanilla
1 cup heavy cream
1 square (1 oz.) bittersweet chocolate
1 square (1 oz) white chocolate
3/4 cup whipped topping
6 tsp. mini-chocolate chips, or shaved bittersweet chocolate, for garnish
mini-marshmallows, if desired, for garnish

Instructions:
1. Combine sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and 1/2 cup milk in medium-sized bowl.  Stir until smooth. Pour into slow cooker.
2.  Add remaining 2 1/2 cups milk and vanilla to slow cooker.  Cook on Low 2 hours.
3.  Stir in cream.  Cover.  Cook on Low 10 minutes.
4.  Stir in bittersweet chocolate and white chocolate until melted.
5.  Pour hot chocolate into 6 mugs.  Top each with 2 Tbsp. whipped topping and 1 tsp. mini chocolate chips (or chocolate shavings) and few mini marshmallows.

Day 23:  Delicious Chicken Tortilla Soup
Yesterday, we went to a sweet small-town trail of lights we visit every year.  They have hot dogs to roast over the fire and marshmallows and hot cocoa.  We usually feed everyone there, but many people come home still hungry.  I made this easy Chicken Tortilla Soup to have when we returned for anyone who was still hungry.  We are eating the leftovers for lunch today.  I doubled this and had to put the overflow into a 4-qt. crock pot.

Super Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup
Ingredients:
4 chicken breast halves, uncooked
2 15-oz. cans black beans, undrained
2 15-oz. cans Mexican stewed tomatoes, or Rotel tomatoes (mild for less spicy)
1 cup salsa (mild, medium, or hot, depending on how spicy you like things)
4-oz. can chopped green chilies
1 14 1/2-oz. can tomato sauce
tortilla chips, for serving
2 cups grated cheese, for serving

Instructions:
1. Combine all ingredients except chips and cheese in large slow cooker.
2.  Cover.  Cook on Low 8 hours.
3.  Just before serving, take and knife and shred chicken right in the crock pot.  It is easy to do and less of a pain than taking it out and cutting then replacing.  It took a few minutes to shred this way, but it was so easy.  You could also take two forks and shred the meat that way.  The chicken comes out so tender, it is super easy to shred.
4.  To serve, put a handful of chips into each individual soup bowl.  Ladle soup over the chips.  Top with cheese.

Note:  You can also add sour cream and sliced avocado or guacamole to top it off.

Merry Christmas!  I will  be continuing with my 31 days of crock pot cooking, so stay tuned for posts after Christmas.  I plan to do mostly sides and desserts as we will be traveling to visit family, so those recipes will be posted starting December 26th.  Have a wonderful Christmas!

Family Life, Recipes and Cooking

Days 19 & 20: Festive Holiday Crock Pot Cherry Cobbler and Vanilla Steamer Holiday Drink

Link Leave a comment

We had a garage sale fundraiser on Saturday, so we were busy all day from early morning until late afternoon.  Our friends graciously hosted our sale for us at their house (where there is a lot more traffic than there is here in the country).  That evening, they were also hosting a big dessert party at their house.  We only had a couple of hours in between to clean up and haul all the remnants of the garage sale away.  I wanted to bring a dessert to the party, so I chose this simple dessert.  It was super easy to make, and it was a big hit. It is definitely a cobbler, with a bread-like cake.  The difference is that the spices added give it that holiday flavor.  We served this with vanilla ice cream at the party, and it was delicious.

Holiday Cherry Cobbler
Ingredients:
16-oz. can cherry filling (light or regular)
1 pckg. cake mix for white or yellow layer cake
2 eggs
6 Tbsp. evaporated milk
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Instructions:
1. Spray slow cooker with cooking spray.
2.  Spread pie filling in bottom of cooker.
3.  Cover.  Cook on High 30 minutes.
4.  Meanwhile, in a medium-sized mixing bowl mix together cake mix, egg, evaporated milk, cinnamon, and walnuts.
5.  Spoon over hot pie filling.  Do not stir.
6.  Cover.  Cook on Low 2-3 hours, or until toothpick inserted in cake layer comes out clean.

IMG_20151220_212023750 (1)

Last night, we went to a little live nativity that is held just down the street from us every year.  It is really a sweet time, with a hike through the woods on the grounds of a lovely piece of land that has a management training school and a beautiful wedding chapel on the property.  They do a great job of acting and leading people along a “journey” to find the baby Messiah.  Along the way, we encounter an innkeeper, a Centurion, a scribe of King Herod, some Shepherds, and finally, Mary, Joseph and the Baby.  It’s so sweet, and we can literally walk there from our house.  I did make a dinner in the crock pot, but it’s one I’ve shared already.  So, I also made a nice holiday hot drink as an alternative to hot chocolate.  It’s a bit different, and not really sweet, but very soothing.  If you wanted to make this sweeter, I’m sure you could, but I found it very good just the way it is in the recipe.  Everyone seemed to enjoy it. I doubled it so I would have some left over, which can be reheated or used as a coffee creamer (I tried that this morning, and it was good).

Vanilla Steamer (makes 8 servings)
8 cups milk
1/8 tsp. cinnamon, or 2 3″-long cinnamon sticks
3 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. vanilla
pinch of salt
pinch of nutmeg

Ideas for garnish to serve:
whipped topping
sprinkling of ground cinnamon
mini marshmallows
candy cane stirrers
white chocolate shavings

Instructions:
1.  Put all ingredients except whipped topping and sprinkling of ground cinnamon in slow cooker.
2.  Cover.  Cook on Low 2-3 hours, taking care to make sure it doesn’t boil.
3.  Garnish individual servings with whipped topping and a sprinkling if you wish.  Other serving options include mini-marshmallows, candy cane stirrers, white chocolate shavings, etc.

Recipes and Cooking

Day 18: Sauerkraut-Sausage Bean Soup (A Surprise Hit with the fam)

Leave a comment

I love trying new recipes, but I am also a bit cautious, because of course, I am feeding the masses with my cuisine.  But every now and then I will just try something to see what happens.  We had some leftovers in the fridge as backup in case.  I only made one batch of this instead of doubling because I just didn’t know what the family would think of it, and I really don’t like wasting food.  This actually made a decent amount, but since EVERYONE LOVED IT, it was gone in a flash!  I barely eked out a bowlful for myself after everyone else had their share (and a few people got seconds).  I don’t even remember why I didn’t get a serving when everyone else was.  Maybe I was washing extra bowls for everyone since we had run out.  Whatever the reason, this meal went quickly enough that I almost didn’t get any while I was doing whatever I was doing in a pretty short period of time!  Next time I make this, I will definitely double it to feed my family of 12.  My 7-quart crock pot had room for a lot more.  For the average family, this amount should be perfect.  So, all that to say–this was surprisingly good and you should try this on your crew!

Sauerkraut-Sausage Bean Soup
Ingredients:
3 15-oz. cans white beans, undrained
16-oz. can sauerkraut, drained and rinsed well (I didn’t get the kind with caraway seeds)
1 lb. link sausage, cooked and thinly sliced (I used 20 oz., and it was perfect)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
Water and/or tomato juice to thin soup, if desired

Instructions:
1. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.
2.  Use water and/or tomato juice to thin soup to desired consistency.  I used about 1 cup of water and 1 1/2 cups tomato juice to thin the soup.  I didn’t want it as thick as it would have been otherwise.  I think it turned out great with those added amounts of both water and tomato juice.  But if you like your soup thicker or more stew-like, skip adding the water and juice.
3.  Cover.  Cook on high 2-3 hours.

Serve with cornbread muffins on the side.

Recipes and Cooking

Days 16 & 17: Two Chicken Dishes

Leave a comment

I have been trying to avoid too much meat in our menu for various reasons.  Chicken is healthy, but isn’t always affordable when you are trying to feed a large family on a fixed budget.  Lots of the recipes I have been using are bean-based with some meat mixed in.  I decided that this week, we would bring in a little chicken.  I really do love having chicken for dinner, so this was a good thing.  I found a great price for boneless, skinless chicken breasts at HEB, so I stocked up a little for future recipes as well.

Day 16: Brunswick Stew
This is a very interesting dish.  I was looking for something different, because it’s easy to get into a rut with cooking.  The challenge, of course, is finding something most of the children will like as well.  I don’t even say all of the children, of course.  Very rarely does a recipe really appeal to ALL of the children.  This meal is really good!  It has a warm, smokey flavor, and it was wonderful served over brown rice.  Everyone did enjoy it, and it makes a LOT, so I froze enough for a future meal!  I didn’t double this recipe, and I still had to use my large crock pot and put the overflow into my 4-qt. pot as well.  I really need at least an 8-qt. crock pot.  This recipe would fit perfectly into a true 8-qt. crock pot.

Ingredients:
3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Reserved chicken broth (from cooking chicken)
2 lbs. lean ground beef (I used lean ground turkey, and it was great)
2 cans creamed corn
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
2 cups ketchup
1 cup mild barbecue sauce
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 large sweet onions, chopped
15-oz. can sweet peas
1 qt. stewed tomatoes (I used 4 cans sliced stewed tomatoes, undrained)
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
1. In a good-sized stock pot, cook chicken in 2″ of water.  Cover and cook slowly, just until meat is tender, but not at all dry.
2.  Remove chicken to a platter and allow to cool, reserving broth.  When cool enough to handle, cut chicken into small chunks.
3.  Meanwhile, brown ground beef (or ground turkey) in a large skillet.  Stir occasionally to break up clumps.  Brown until meat is no longer pink.
4.  Place 1 cup chicken broth in slow cooker, reserving the rest of the broth for later use if necessary).
5.  Drain drippings off browned ground beef (or turkey).  Add to slow cooker.
6.  Stir all other ingredients into slow cooker, mixing with meats.
7.  Cover.  Cook on low 4 hours.

Notes:
1.  Add more broth if the stew gets thicker than you like.  Use canned broth, if needed.
2.  Serve over rice or noodles, if desired.  We served with brown rice, and it was perfect.

 

Day 17: Simple Chicken and Rice
Todd’s mother used to make a meal like this in the oven.  When we were first dating, Todd wanted me to get the recipe from her to make this.  It was the first time I ever talked on the phone with my future mother-in-law!  This slow cooker meal reminds me a lot of that recipe.  This quantity perfectly fed my family, and everyone got as much as they wanted.  There was even a little left over for Todd to take to work today for lunch!

Ingredients:
2 cups dry instant rice (they do have an instant brown rice, which we used–probably not as healthy as the real thing, but it was good)
10 1/4-oz. can cream of chicken soup
10 1/4-oz. can cream of mushroom soup
10 1/4-oz. can cream of celery soup
1 stick (8 Tbsp.) butter, melted
1 soup can water
10 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, or 1 large chicken, cut into 10-12 pieces.  ( I prefer boneless, but some people really like the flavor using bone-in chicken gives the meal.)
1 envelope dry onion soup mix

Instructions:
1.  Place rice in large slow cooker.  I used my 7-qt. cooker, and there was only a little room to spare)
2.  Combine soups, butter, and water in a large bowl.  Pour half over rice, spreading with a spoon to cover the rice.
3.  Lay chicken over rice.  Pour remaining soup mixture over chicken.
4.  Sprinkle with dry onion soup mix.
5.  Cover.  Cook on Low 4-5 hours, or until chicken is done but not dry, and rice is tender but not mushy.

Serve with steamed broccoli or other steamed vegetable and a salad for a nice meal.

Daily Life, Recipes and Cooking

Days 14 & 15: Picadillo and Breakfast Skillet

Leave a comment

Day 14: Picadillo

My family is Cuban, so I grew up eating Cuban food, of course.  Whenever my mom visits us, the children love it when she makes Cuban food.  One of their favorite dishes is actually a very easy-to-prepare meal we call Picadillo (peek-ah-dee-yo).  I have been thinking this meal would be a fairly easy one to prepare in the crock pot.  You just have to brown some ground beef with a few spices and vegetables, and after that you could add it to a crock pot with a few other ingredients to simmer.  In fact, the slow cooking would make the flavors really sink in.  I was right!  This turned out especially delicious!  This is one of those meals that I kind of don’t really have measurements for, but I will do my best to share.  Some of the ingredients are special but you can substitute other things and still get great flavor.

Picadillo
Ingredients:
2 pounds ground beef
Adobo seasoning (about a tablespoon)
1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
8-oz. can tomato sauce
1 package Goya Sazón (you can substitute turmeric, garlic powder, and cumin–about 1/4 tsp each)
1/2-3/4 cup Vino Seco (or dry white wine–cooking wine is OK)
1 jar manzanilla olives
Raisins (optional)
2-4 potatoes, peeled and quartered
Cooked rice, for serving (brown or white)

Instructions:
1.  Sautée the green bell pepper, onion and garlic, until onion and green pepper are tender.
2.  Add Adobo to raw ground beef and mix in well.  You probably want about a tablespoon, but you can experiment to your own taste as you cook the meat, adding more, if desired.  Then, add the ground beef to the pan with the vegetables, and cook until meat is browned.
3.  Drain and discard the oil from the meat.  Put the meat mixture into the crock pot.
4.  Add tomato sauce, sazón seasoning (or substitute turmeric, garlic powder and cumin), Vino Seco (or white cooking wine), olives (you can put as many as you want–I use almost a whole small jar for every 2 pounds of meat), and raisins.  I also always add quite a bit of the olive juice.  It gives a special flavor to the dish that you can’t really get any other way.
5.  Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 2-3 hours.
6.  For the potatoes, you can either boil them and add towards the end of cooking time, or if you are cooking on low for several hours, they should be ok to cook together with other ingredients so they have time to cook through.  I boiled them and added just before serving.
7.  Serve over freshly steamed rice.  My mom really doesn’t like this with brown rice, but we only eat brown rice around here.  It tastes good to me, but if you want the real Cuban experience, you should probably go with white.  Take it from my Cuban mom.

 

Day 15: Breakfast Skillet
Yesterday, we were planning to attend a Christmas celebration at the community where my father lives here in Austin, so I wasn’t planning to make dinner at home.  So, I made another breakfast for yesterday’s crock pot installment instead.  This is another recipe that my kids have grown to really enjoy.  Again, there is nothing quite like waking up to your breakfast already hot and ready in the morning.  Love this! I double this for our family and use a 6- or 7-qt. crock pot.

Note:  The only thing about this recipe is that the cooking time, even on low, is kind of short.  So, you either have to be awake late enough at night to turn it on 6 hours before you want to eat, or you need to be up early enough in the morning to cook it on high for a couple of hours.  I sometimes will get everything into the crock, put it in the fridge and then set my alarm so I can get up and start the crock pot at around 1:30 in the morning so it’s ready when we want to eat around 7:30.  If I am up early to work out, I can start it at 5:00 instead.  If you have a crock pot that you can set to specific times, it can work, but my crock pot that does has that feature tends to overcook this once it’s past the 6 hours, even on warm.

Breakfast Skillet
Ingredients: 
3 cups milk
5.5-oz. package au gratin potatoes (the box, not frozen)
1 tsp. hot sauce
5 eggs, lightly beaten
1 Tbsp. prepared mustard
4-oz. can sliced mushrooms (we skip this because my kids won’t eat mushrooms)
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions:
1. Combine milk, au gratin sauce packet, hot sauce, eggs, and mustard in greased crock pot.
2. Stir in dried potatoes, mushrooms, and bacon.  DO NOT ADD CHEESE.
3. Cover.  Cook on high 2 1/2 to 3 hours or on low 5-6 hours.
4. About 20 min before serving, sprinkle the cheese on top.  Cover and wait until cheese is melted to serve.

Variation:
Add other vegetables, such as chopped onions, bell peppers or tomatoes.  You can sautée the onions and peppers before adding.