Wednesday, we had a meal the kids really like to eat. I actually originally made this as a side dish for a potluck, but have since been making it as a main dish. You can serve it with rice. There are things you can do to make it healthier, too, which I will add below. I always double this one.
Day 9: Calico Beans
Ingredients:
1 lb. bacon, diced
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup ketchup
1/3-1/2 brown sugar, according to taste
3 Tbsp. cider vinegar
28-oz. can pork and beans, drained
16-oz. can kidney beans, drained
16-oz. can butter beans, drained
Instructions:
- Brown bacon in skillet. Drain, reserving 2 Tbsp. drippings. Saute onion in bacon drippings.
- Mix together ketchup, sugar, and vinegar.
- Combine al ingredients in cooker.
- Cover. Cook on Low 3-4 hours.
NOTES: You can use turkey bacon or omit the bacon. You can also cut down on the brown sugar. 1/4 cup would work fine, or you can substitute raw sugar or molasses mixed with xylitol crystals. To cut down on sodium, use dry beans, soaking overnight beforehand. If you use dry beans, you will need to double the cooking time or cook the beans before adding to slow cooker. You can use dry pinto beans in place of the pork and beans, if desired.
Day 10: Overnight Pumpkin Oatmeal
I LOVE making breakfast in the crock pot! It is awesome waking up and not having to worry about cooking something for breakfast. My children wake up starving and ready to eat, so breakfast in the crock pot is fabulous! This is a delicious, vegan oatmeal recipe and it is perfect for this time of year, but we enjoy it any time of year. I have to make 5 times the recipe to feed my family.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup steel cut oats
2 cups unsweetened vanilla-flavored almond milk
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (store-bought or homemade), just plain pumpkin
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
Pinch of ground cloves
Brown sugar, agave, or other sweetener, for serving, if desired
Chopped pecans, for serving, if desired
Instructions:
Night before: Oil the crock of your slow cooker. Combine the oats, milk, pumpkin, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
In the morning:
Stir the oatmeal to get a consistent texture. Serve in bowls topped with brown sugar and chopped pecans.