Jackson is doing so much better. He never ran a fever yesterday and he was able to go in the church nursery this morning. PTL! I had been a little concerned since I already missed church last week. I really needed to be there to get to know our new college students. We are 15 minutes down the road from a Christian college and because of that we have the great blessing of getting to serve a small crowd of amazing young adults. This morning as they made their way to the altar and prayed for whatever was on their hearts, I was so overwhelmed at the privilege of getting to see them grow into adults and journey toward their dreams and goals. It can a time of struggle and testing - I know they wrestle with God when the desires of their hearts are nowhere in sight. When His voice is silent. When their spirits are willing but their flesh is weak. But He never fails to show His faithfulness and open doors in His time. It's a sacred thing to, over time, see Him work in their lives.
Well, I have finally done something that I should have done long ago. I'll start with a little confession. Hold onto your seats - it may shock you. Along the way, I've fought the process of becoming domestic. I know you're just stunned. I know that the root of this is sin, namely prideful vanity. But I have just dreaded and avoided certain tools, symbols if you will, of domesticity. For one, the crock pot. I'm not exactly sure where my negative association with the crock pot came from. The thought of having a crock pot has always conjured this strange feeling in me. It is the same feeling I get at Hobby Lobby sometimes. But I really do like Hobby Lobby, so I can't exactly explain it. All I know is that my whole life I have resisted the next stage of womanhood. I used to pray to God that I'd never have to wear a bra, I hated carrying purses, and I never longed for the day I'd be a mother. What is that? I suppose the tomboy in me who was the victim of a nursing bra for a year, who now carries a huge purse, who is now (happily) a mother, just didn't want a crock pot. It was too much to ask. I'm grinning as I write this because it is so ridiculous!
On Friday night we went to the splendiferous Super Target a couple towns away and I bought my first crock pot. It was as momentous as buying my first non-sports-bra or my first non-mini-backpack purse. By the way, it's red. If I was going to buy one, I could at least choose a cute one, right? My great-grandmother used to say "Marriage is a long time. You wells to marry a cute one as a ugly one." See, I tune my ear to the wisdom of my elders.
I know there are a million places I can go to look for crock pot recipes, but I have always preferred recipes from people I know. Not only does it give me someone to talk to when things go right or wrong, but it's like I'm sitting down to dinner with them when I make their food. (Thank you, Uncle Wayne, Nancy, and Faylinn!) So do you have a wonderful crock pot recipe that you would care to share? Janelle and I are turning over a new leaf in the area of cooking - God bless us - and we would covet your tried and true recipes. Janelle, do you even have a crock pot yet? Do you need me to counsel you about it? Sister, come just as you are. Hear the spirit's call. Walk down the aisle - aisle 13. Small appliances are waiting for you with open arms.
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86 comments:
I can email you a TON of them if you'd like, but they might overwhelm you. I've not tried many of them because I'm overwhelmed by them myself. :)
Maybe there's a little hint in why you've had a negative connotation of a crock pot in the fact that you didn't mention your mother among the people whose recipes you like to use. Dang it. Who do ou think instilled a love in you for Chick-Fil-A? And where would you be without it? Who taught you the art of eating your slaw on your chicken sandwich? Huh? Huh?
Anyway, I thought a crock pot was a bad thing. When somebody says "that's a crock," isn't that a lewd reference to a slow cooker? But, young lady, let me clarify that NO ONE appreciates a bra more than me so that hang up did not originate with your mother.
All said, I'm so proud of you for your new found domesticity. In fact, you've gone and made me hungry for home cooking. I'm grabbing the keys and heading to the cafeteria this instant. As soon as I find my red purse.
PS. Melissa just said out of the blue that she's going to name her first child Agnes. (Boy or Girl) I think it's a loving tribute to her favorite Michael W. Smith song. Agnes Dei.
And I was about to do an ode to my dishwasher (although a bad one). It must be appliance week!
Simple, but good...
Lazy Swiss Steak
Round steak (cubed)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 can of cream of mushroom soup (or cream of celery, if you like it better)--please do not add water or milk
Optional adds:
onions-minced
mushrooms-sliced
garlic minced
Cook on low for 8-10 hours and pour over rice or mashed potatoes. It is really good!
Praying for your college kids...they have a very special place in my heart! May they learn all the things your mother taught me (after college, but never too late :)
Love,
holly
I succumbed to the whole crock pot thing when I was married and teaching full-time. We just didn't have the money to eat out and by the time I got home from work, I really didn't feel like cooking...enter crock-pot. My favorite recipes are from other people too-here's one that is super, super easy!!
"SALSA CHICKEN"
Ingredients:
A couple of frozen chicken breasts (more if you are feeding more than three)
Salsa
Tortillas
Sour cream
Cheese
Put chicken breasts in crock pot (can still be frozen) and turn heat to "high". Cover chicken with a thick layer of salsa. Let it cook for 4-5 hours. It will shred very easily with a spatula at this point, so shred and put on tortillas with sour cream and cheese (and whatever else you put on tacos).
That's it!! You are probably doubtful of the tastiness of this recipe, but rest assured, I've had many compliments :)
I am proud to say that I have long resisted the call of the crockpot. Therefore, I have no recipes to share.
But I didn't realize they came in red. The red may be enough to make me let go of my pride and surrender to the call.
I am interceding for Janelle as I type this.
And please ask your mama who she wants to star in the movie of her life. I think the discussion that will follow will be a precious mother / daughter time for the two of you. Yes ma'am.
And as for recipes - I love me a roast cooked in the crock pot. Buy a bottom round roast, salt and pepper it REALLY good (garlic powder, too), then put it in the crockpot. Add a quartered onion and about 1/2 cup of water. Put a small bag of baby carrots on top, and cook it all day on low (like from 8AM to 4PM or so).
Serve with rice and English peas or butterbeans and rolls. Your husband will think you're a culinary genius.
And sometimes I put potatoes in there, too...Alex loves them.
This is SO EASY and so delicious!
Crockpot Chicken Stroganoff
1-2 pds boneless, skinless chicken breast, frozen or thawed
16 oz sour cream
1 can cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup
1 envelope onion soup mix
Stir together sour cream, soup and soup mix. Pour mixture over chicken in the crockpot. Cook on low 6-8 hours or high 4-6 hours. We like it served on top of wide egg noodles.
Also, this is really yummy using reduced fat sour cream and soup if you're trying to be good! Enjoy!
Kelli in Ohio
hey friend! yippee! you will love your slow cooker! i have a bunch, and why i love mine is because i can put dinner together in the morning when titus is occupied, or use to be while he was having a morning or noon nap, and you have the evening realitively free! anyway, i know that you dislike touching chicken so this could revolutionize your chicken cooking. If you take a package of chicken breast and defrost them in the microwave enough to plop them out into the slow cooker, add a cup or so of water(just enough to cover the bottom) and top it with whatever you want your chicken to be. place it on high and let cook 3-5 hours depending on how frozen they were. Example. We do pulled BBQ chicken sandwiches. Place your chicken breast in the cooker with water, top with favorite BBQ sause, ( i really mean SMOTHER with BBQ) i like to add miquite or liquid smoke to add the smoked flavor. Then serve on a bun with provolone.
or to make an asian meal, top with soy sause, peanut sause and or taryoki. serve chuncked in rice.
or you can simple sprinkle lemon peppper on top of the chicken breast an serve with veggies. sorry that was alot...i am so excited for you.
I did some of these on my whats on the menu monday (it was like the first couple ones)
love you friend!
Our favorite is bar-b-que. We use Al Roker's Memphis-Style rib rub (foodnetwork.com) on a 5-6 pound boston butt. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. It's wonderful!
Your blog has been such blessing to me. Thanks so much!
"Do you need me to counsel you about it? Sister, come just as you are. Hear the spirit's call. Walk down the aisle - aisle 13. Small appliances are waiting for you with open arms."
LOL...(in near tears).
Seeing as I have 3 more years of school-made (thank you Lord for good dining halls) food ahead of me, I am cherishing the avoidance of aisle 13 for now. And bless any future husband of mine...let's hope he can cook!
UGH! Crockpot... My dear husband gave me one the first Christmas we were married. I mentioned in passing a few weeks before Christmas day it might be nice to have one for days we both worked late. Christmas morning I opened up..that blasted crockpt. Then, I opened a beautful piece of jewlery so he redeemed himself a little.
We love roast, chili, all sorts of stuff. It does make dinner time easy!
blessings,
stephanie
Our favorite - and what my daughter refers to as - chicken in a pot.
Take a whole chicken - remove the bag of stuff they shove on the inside. Rinse chicken & pat dry. Sprinkle with a little pepper, and put the chicken in the crockpot. Cook on high for one hour, and then low 8 hours. (you do not need to add water or anything to this) This will result in a very moist chicken that you can eat as is, or de-bone and use in other recipes!
Enjoy!!
I made a new crock pot recipe the other day...we loved it! Salt and pepper a roast (I use chuck), add a couple cloves of minced garlic (or sprinkle on some garlic powder), a few shakes of worchestershire sauce, and then pour a can of Coke over the whole thing. Cook on low for 10-12 hours (or high for half that time). Add carrots, onions, potatoes halfway through the cooking. yummy!
I can relate...I have a crockpit- got it as a wedding present, still think it is in it's orginal box. The idea is great...stick stuff in there and many, many hours later...woola- it is a whole meal. However, the idea of cooking with more than one ingrdediant or without a can opener is baffling to me. I get overwhelmed reading recipes, much less dredging through them to make something.
Good luck....if you get super inspired and start creating miracles with that thing, let us know...maybe I'll take mine out of the box and throw something in it!! :)
Good luck, can't wait to hear how it goes.
Surprise, I actually own a crock pot. We registered for one when we got married 5 years ago because that's something your supposed to register for, right? A staple in your kitchen?
The not surprise part is, I've never used. Never in 5 years! Heath has actually used it a couple of times for chili, but that's the only time our poor crock pot (stainless steal) has seen the light of day. Oh Crock Pot, your time is coming.
Thank you to all the ladies who left recipes and who will leave recipes. I so do appreciate it as I turn over this new leaf with Amanda. They will be used!
I'm now inspired to get on my stepping stool, dig it out from the back of the top shelf, dust it off and use it for what it was created to be used for.
And any other easy recipes you would like to send my way would be much appreciated as well! :-)
I love the crockpot because I hate to defrost and handle meat and chicken. I've just discovered I can throw FROZEN meat and chicken in there and wa-la! Delicious dinners. My favorite recipes are similiar to ones mentioned.
And let's admit it, Super Target makes everything domestic very cool and hip. I spent 30 minutes looking at mops and buckets the other day!
i don't do much cookin yet if it doesn't come out of a peanut butter jar or the closest mexican restaurant.
hahaha...your mom's bra comment...i'm choking on my starbucks. i don't know what makes it so much funnier coming from her (i guess it's the hysterical display we witnessed this weekend--a visual to go with the voice behind the typing) the moore girls could write some serious comedy...
i guess she's got something to fall back on if this Bible-teaching thing flops ;) HAHA
and behalf of the college students, THANKS. the church i found during college meant so much to me because of the heart of the workers there. i know you are a blessing to them!
Yay!!! Welcome to the world of Sunday Crock Pot Dinners! My momma (yes when talking crock-pot language one must say "momma") used to make roasts and stews and all KINDS of good stuff in the crock pots (yes dear, POTS) and we'd come home to a delicious dinner! And the tradition does carry down. I now have myself 3 (THREE!!) crock pots. One is small for stuff like sauces. One is medium, I make queso in it. And the other is large for things like roasts and stew and chicken and all that good stuff. OH yes, chicken and dumplings is GREAT made in a crock pot! Send me an e-mail to scott.rector@att.net and I will send you lots of good Texas crock pot recipes! :) Oh, and do you have a roasting pan yet? I know, I know... one step at a time. :)
This is way funny because I have had the same crock-pot kick in the last week. I even just bought a crock-pot recipe magazine from Lowes of all places on Saturday. I made a roast that Christine gave me the recipe for. Once I made that I realized how easy crock-potting was I should have started along time ago. I know about the resistance to becoming domestic...but in the last two months I just gave in and I feel a lot better that I made the leap! Here is the recipe that she gave me.
Pot Roast (with olive oil, minced garlic, salt and pepper rubbed into it)
red potatoes halved
mini carrots
1 package of onion soup mix already prepared
8 hours cooked on low.
There is a great beef stew recipe on williamssonoma.com. I nix the chestnuts, though, and add extra of my favorite items (like carrots).
A friend also suggested one thing that turned out great last winter: put a whole chicken (or pieces) in the crock pot, add some chicken stock & veggies, and turn it on low all day. You can even play with it and add a can of crushed tomatoes and some Italian spices to make it an Italian dish. It's yummy, homey, and (most importantly) easy.
A lot of people sing the crock pot's praises because it's easy and it's ready as soon as you get home from work. I think I like them, though, because they're homey. :) They fill the house with the smell of something good cooking, and the food is usually simple but yummy.
You didnt mention the size of your crockpot and that will definitely make a difference. Might want to clarify whether it is a big one (large oval shape) or just a regular one (round). Although I have to say that red is a nice choice. If one had to cook, then one should make it as joyful an experience as possible. (Is there joy in cooking? Dunno.)
Crock Pot Turkey
Big Crock? Turkey breast (with no giblet bag) - dont let the word giblet scare you like it used to scare me
OR if you have a regular crock buy a Turkey breast roast (Butterball)
Lawry's seasoned salt
Pepper
Butter
Place a 1/2 cup of water in the bottom of your crock pot. Take frozen turkey out of wrapping. Put in crock pot. Slice butter and place on top of turkey. Then cover with seasoned salt and pepper. Cook on high for 4 hours (small) or 6 hours (large).
Crock Pot Vegetable Beef Soup
Beef Stew Meat (browned and seasoned)
2 Large cans diced tomatoes
4 potatoes diced
6 boullion cubes
2 cans Veg-All or 1 large bag frozen veggies
1 onion sliced
V-8 juice
3 tsp. Garlic powder
Brown meat in skillet. Drain. Add all other ingredients except V-8. Then fill within 1 inch of top with V-8. Cook on high for 6 hours. Can be frozen and makes great leftovers.
My kids love both these recipes and they are picky eaters, but they would rather have Chic-fil-A any day.
Oh, crock pots are also good in the fall/winter for apple cider at big gatherings. You can't really get fresh apple cider in the south like you can in New England, but you can get the pasteurized kind and add some spices to it, and it'll taste somewhat the same. Anyhow, it's a great thing to serve once the weather turns chilly.
Also, don't forget that crock pots keep that chili and nacho cheese warm for Superbowl parties, etc!
Crock pot, I do not know you, but you sound like a dear appliance. Serve Amanda well, my friend.
Amanda, thank you for the beginning of this post as well. I am one of those college students (well grad school--almost done, thank you Lord!) going through the wrestle with God "when the desires of the heart are nowhere in sight."
Having experienced support from people with a heart like yours all through college, I know the difference you are making in those students. Keep up the great work!
And thanks for the encouragement :)
All the best to you, the fam, and the crock pot :)
www.jennababe.wordpress.com
Taco Soup
Cook 1 lb ground beef
Mix ground beef, one can corn, one can kidney beans, one can black beans, 28 oz can tomatoes, and 1 taco seasoning packet in crock pot. Cook on low for about 5 hours. Seve with tostada chips, cheese, sour cream to put on top. You'll love it!
That is great! I too have struggled with the most "domestic" areas of being a wife and now a new mommy! Please share the great recipes...I know that we can all use great, easy receipes. You need to get Julie Robles spaghetti receipe...she brought it once in a crock pot and it was delicious!!!
I think once you open the door after dinner has been in the crockpot all day you will be in love with crockpot cooking. I do think that is a great welcome. I can't cook a roast unless it is in a crockpot.
Also, the ease is wonderful! I love crockpot cooking, because you have a great meal at the end of the day and with little effort. If I have an extra busy day planned I decide in advance that that is a "crockpot day". One recipe my kids love is Broccoli and Cheese soup. My kids really turn their noses up to vegetables, but they love this. (I'm sure all the Velveeta and half & half helps!)
Broccoli and Cheese Soup
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2/3 cup flour
3 10 1/2 oz cans chicken broth
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups finely chopped celery
(we con't like celery - so I just
sprinkle in some celery salt)
1 1/4 cups finely chopped carrots
(I know this is lazy, but MOST
days I just open a can of
carrots, finely chop them
and dump them in instead)
1 16 ounce bag frozen broccoli
cuts, rinsed w/hot tap water
1 pd. Velveeta, cubed
2 cups half and half
Melt butter in small skillet over medium heat on top of stove. Add onion and saute until glossy. Transfer to crockpot.
Gradually add flour to crockpot, stirring with a whisk or spoon. Alternately add some of the chicken broth if it is getting too thick on you. Add rest of chicken broth and stir until smooth. Add, salt, celery (or cel. salt), carrots, broccoli. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
Add cheese cubes stirring until melted. Then add half and half, stirring to blend. Cover and coninue cooking 30 minutes or until soup is hot. Reduce heat to low for serving.
This really takes such a little amount of time to throw in the crockpot and my kids eat this up. My daughter would tell her teacher her favorite soup was the yellow soup!
BTW, just a little note. Don't judge it until after you add the cheese and milk. When the cheese and half and half combines with it.....you will not doubt anymore!
YUM!!
What??? I took vacum cleaner advice from a non domestic diva? I think I knew that when you gave it to me.
I have a lovely advocado green crock pot and a harvest gold one too. Wedding gifts. In one of my more domestic moods a couple of years ago, I bought a modern one, white and big. So far I have only used it for wassel at Christmas time.
This is inspiring me to drag one of these babies out and make something. Since today is our 30th anniversary, when Roy gets home later this week maybe I will whip up something in the crock pot and remind him of how I used to cook.
I like simple. This is something I make that my neighbor gave me the recipe for. Healthy, no. Good, yes.
1.5 lbs. beef stew meat super trim
1 large can cream of mushroom
Worshire sauce - I just pour some.
Sometimes I even throw in a packet of gravy mix with a little water (to make even more gravy).
Mix all this in crock pot and let cook all day until your ready to eat.
Serve meat and gravy over rice or mashed potatoes with a veggie on the side and fresh bread.
Also another reason I like this meal is the price:
The meat cost about $5.50
The soup $1.00.
Packets of gravy are $0.50 - $1.00
Welcome to crockpotville! You'll get a kick when you pull that thing out to use it. You will feel like Betty Crocker herself and wonder if Martha Stewart will want to stop by for some tips from you. You are crossing over into the territory of "professional" mothering because Jackson will forever and always remember his mama's red crock pot.
Happy cooking,
Kara
Hi Amanda!
I see that someone already left you a Taco Soup recipe, that is what I was going to leave for you. As I compared the list of ingredients, I think that this one has a little more KICK to it.
(add all cans undrained)
1lb ground beef, cooked and drained
1 16oz can of kidney beans
1 11oz can of corn
1 10 oz can of rotel tomatoes (I think that Rotel is just the name brand, it is just chopped tomatoes with green chilies in them.)
1 small pkg og taco seasoning
1 28oz can of chopped tomatoes
1 small can chopped chili peppers
1 16 oz can pinto beans
1 small pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix.
Put all ingredients in crock pot and set on low for 6-8 hours.
Serve with chips (I use the little Scoops chips), shredded cheese and sour cream.
YUM!!
I have to admit that we had to go and buy a crock pot too. Not because we didn't have one, but because we used our other one until the inner pot cracked. Mine is silver and black!
Have fun and embrace the crock pot, become one with the crock pot, LOVE THE CROCK POT!! - Yep, I know it's corny, but it's late in Indiana right now!
Y'all are so awesome! Thanks so much! I can't wait to try these out.
I'm totally jazzed that I can put frozen chicken in there because like Amber said, I just hate handling raw chicken. The less I have to deal with it, the better.
So I'm thinking I might take mine back and get the big one. I have the medium one. Hopefully the big one comes in red!
In honor of football season (even if our Aggies do stink... again...) here's and easy and AWESOME cheese dip recipe.
Brown 2 lbs of Jimmy Dean sausage and drain. Put 4 8 oz. blocks of cream cheese (I usually semi cube it) and 2 cans of Rotel (drained) into the Crock Pot. Add sausage. Stir till it's melted and serve with chips. It's fantastic- the hit of many parties! :)
Hi Amanda,
Thanks for this post! If you don't mind, I will borrow these recipes too! I don't really like to use the crock pot, but these recipes look outstanding!
Good idea about going to get the big one! You won't regret it! :)
Does Rachel Ray use a crock pot???
Hmmm. One must ask.
I have a crock pot.
I have a crock pot cook book.
I have never used it.
I don't know why.
I now know that I need a red one.
I like red.
I have a stainless one.
I cook roast in mine.
I just add water, s&p, & veggies.
I also make pinto beans.
I soak the beans (overnight),
I then put them in the pot w/water.
I think they are good.
If there were a Rachel Ray crock it would, for sure, be red.
Happy Crocking.
Ok, don't think of it as a symbol of domesticity. Think of it as just another conduit to chocolate. Try this:
1 chocolate cake mix (any kind of chocolate- I used German chocolate this time, but I think devil’s food may be my favorite)
1 box of instant chocolate pudding
6oz of chocolate chips (I use milk chocolate)
1 pint of sour cream
4 eggs
3/4 cup oil
1 cup water
Mix all ingredients together and put in your crock pot. Cook on low for 6 hours or so. Serve with ice cream. Or don't.
Amanda,
Thank you for your blog - and now thank you for sharing all these great recipes. I have one tried and true crock-pot recipe:
Pulled Pork (for sandwiches)
1 pork shoulder roast
1 package of McCormick Pulled Pork seasoning
follow pkg instructions, add brown sugar, catsup and vinegar
Cook all day and then shred with two forks.
Server on hamburger buns.
It is really easy and really good. My family loves it.
Amy in Idaho
Living in the North I have just about cooked everything in a Crock Pot. There is something about being shut in, with a foot of snow and smelling something delicious cooking. (If I must be shut in, it HAS to include something yummy to pass the time!) Our church has a Harvest Party every year and it also includes a Soup Contest. Well, it USED to be a contest, until SOME PEOPLE started to get a little too competitive. (Ahem, me and a few friends.) Now we just bring our soup and never vote on the best. Anyway, I have made up a great Chicken Pot Pie Soup which I make in the Crock Pot. I see you have many recipe's already to keep you cooking for a while, but if Chicken Pot Pie Soup sounds like something that will take the chill off of a nice winter day, let me know and I will gladly post it for you! This is NOT a fat free/low cal soup...it is the real deal! Happy cooking!
One thing that no one said anything about are the crock pot liners. If you are going to use your crock pot, you have to get the liners. I think they are made by Reynolds. You put them in your crockpot and then put all the ingredients in. Once you finish eating you just pull the bag out and dump it in the trash and you are finished. Most of the time there is hardly anything left in the crock pot. Now, it can't get any easier than that. These liners made me love my crock pot even more!!!!!
I feel your pain! My last attempt at being domestic nearly resulted in our just-repaired-after-Hurricane Rita home being burned down. A Bible study convinced me that I needed to provide for my family through food. Convicted, I decided to become ambitious and fry my hubby's favorite, crab cakes... Then came fire, tears, crab cakes resembling lumps of coal, helpful neighbors, a rescued home, more tears, and a godly husband who knew just how to hold his defeated wife... Later that week someone said, "You know, Beth Moore said her husband is the one who loves to cook in their home." Rejoice! It put a smile on my face, and I promised to care for my family by not attempting to set the house on fire ever again... Maybe I would be safe with a crockpot???
First off, you must get the following cookbook. If you are near a Sam's Club or Costco, you can be sure to find it there. It's called "Fix it and Forget it" and girl, I promise you. Once you start using your trusty friend, you'll discover it truly is the best invention since, ahem, the bra. And now, for a family favorite. It's hearty and easy, and my kids like it!
Irish Beef Stew
2 lbs. stewing beef, cubed
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
2 103/4 cans tomato soup
1 soup can water
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 c. diced carrots
2 c. diced potatoes
1 lb. frozen peas
1/4 c. water
Place beef, onion soup, tomato soup, soup can of water, salt, pepper, carrots, and potatoes in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 8 hours. Add peas and 1/4 c. water. Cover and cook on low one more hour. Enjoy. Oh! An added bonus...it freezes great!
Happi @The Berger Buzz
Maybe I should venture down aisle 13 at our target. I, like you, did not want to own a crock pot ... I think I have been inspired ... I'll keep reading the recipies! :)
a little time saving tip...when you use your crock pot put a Slow Cooker liner in it. It's like a plastic bag, except especially made for Crock pots. You can find them with the rest of the sandwich/plastic bags. It makes cleaning up sooo easy...virtually none. Just take the bag out and throw away. Now that's my kind of cookin'.
I love roast in the crock pot. I throw in a roast, add some onion soup mix, add potatoes and carrots, then add some water. Turn it on low, and at the end of the day I have a well-rounded meal for the Princess to turn her nose up at...oh well, at least the hubby loves it.
I am giddy over Darlene's taco soup recipe. I had this soup in a diner once and have been dying for the recipe ever since!
Are you tired of recipes? I thought of another your Texan heart will love!
Chicken Tortilla soup
Boil 4 Chicken breast halves on the stove with your favorite spices (minced onion, sweet basil, garlic, salt and pepper, etc.)
Save 3 1/2 cups of broth for the soup
Shred the chicken
Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in crock pot
add 1 minced clove of garlic to saute for about 2 minutes.
Then add the shredded chicken, broth, 2 cans of stewed tomatoes (14 1/2 oz each), 1 cup of your favorite salsa, 1/ cup of chopped cilantro, 1 Tbsp ground cumin
Cook on low for 8-10 hours
Tastes wonderful with crushed tostitos on the bottom of the bowl, then then soup, then top it with a mixture of monterrey jack and sharp cheddar cheese and if you' like a dollop of "Daisy" :) sour cream.
Enjoy!
Holly
Your Hobby Lobby is my trendy-corner-of-town coffee shop to which late 30-something moms, dressed in top-of-the-line workout clothes, sidle up to after parking their SUVs. It always looked yucky to me, which of course means I'll join them in the not-so-distant future :)
You can put a frozen boneless turkey breast in the crockpot with a little seasoning (no water or anything else). No handling raw turkey meat *bleck*. Some folks left you some really yummy looking recipes. I'm glad Jackson is feeling better :). (A crockpot is really great for working mommies or daddies.)
Creamy Chicken and Rice
4 chicken boneless chicken breast
1 block cream cheese (softened in the microwave)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 package dry Italian Dressing (Good Seasonings)
Place chicken in crock pot. Mix together cream cheese, soup, Italian Dressing mix. Pour over chicken. Cook on low 6-8 hours.
Serve over cooked, hot rice.
My family loves this and it is even better on day two! You can even place the chicken in the pot frozen and cook a little longer. Hope you enjoy!
A crockpot is a beautiful thing. You know what else it's good for? Queso.
I am so excited about this post! I only have one really good recipe, because I too am just starting to use the crock-pot! It really is wonderful when you have a little one running around! I am also jazzed to be posting a recipe for you that is not like the other one I have read in your comments!
Pork Tenderloin
Some places have a pork tenderloin that you can buy that has already been pre-seasoned with Dale's sauce. If not, you can buy one and soak it in Dale's for maybe an hour or an hour and a half.
Place the pork tenderloin in the crockpot.
Add 1/2 cup vegetable oil
Add 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
Add 1/2 cup soy sauce
Add 2 packets of Italian Dressing mix
and lastly add 4 Tbsp. honey and add a little water to cover the pork tenderloin.
Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
I know these ingredients sound weird, or they did to me, but I promise it is great! The meat just falls apart when you take it out...soo tender!
I serve this with something different everytime...sometimes I serve it with potatoes and another veggie...just whatever works!
Enjoy! Let me know what you think!
I make pot roast in the crock pot all the time - cut up carrots, potatoes, celery, and a roast from the store. sprinkle with onion mix and cover with water...super easy!
I have only recently succumbed myself. while living in the jungle without electricity, I was never tempted to buy a crock pot, lol!
Now I have the biggest one on the market!!! Here is a classic recipe we all love,
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Slow-Cooker-Macaroni-and-Cheese-I/Detail.aspx
our favorite is also easy and cheap!
-Pork chops (whatever is cheap, it can be bone in/boneless, thick/thin)
-1 can chicken broth
-1 pkg dry onion soup mix
Combine all and cook on High for 4 hours or low on 8 hours. This is great with mashed potatoes!
I make this one in my large RED crockpot. It makes its own incredible gravy. From my favorite website allrecipes.com:
* 2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
* 1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
* 1 1/4 cups water
* 5 1/2 pounds pot roast
In a slow cooker, mix cream of mushroom soup, dry onion soup mix and water. Place pot roast in slow cooker and coat with soup mixture.
Cook on High setting for 3 to 4 hours, or on Low setting for 8 to 9 hours.
I make the chocolate one someone gave, too. I've found it really helps to put paper towels under the lid and replace them halfway through. I'm starving now after reading these. Too bad crockpot things need to be premeditated!
I'll have you know that I proudly use my harvest gold crockpot all the time. The only thing better is my mother-in-law's harvest gold and brown one. Neither have lids. I've broken them all over 24 years of marriage. They still work though. With a little foil and a salad plate on top. Hmmm...perhaps I should buy a snazzy red one...But I digress.
This lasagna recipe is a Weight Watchers but you would never know it because it is so good. Feeds 8:
CROCKPOT LASAGNA
8 oz. uncooked lasagna noodles
1 lg. carton fat free cottage cheese
1 28 oz. jar spaghetti sauce
1/3 c. water
1 c. lowfat mozzarella cheese
Italian seasoning to taste (I buy a box of the Good Seasonings salad dressing-it has four envelopes of dry seasoning. Mix one envelope with the cottage cheese)
Layer noodles,(break them to fit) spaghetti sauce, cottage cheese, and mozzarella two or three times. Top off with the water. Cook on low for 5 or 6 hours.
This is the best and easiest recipe:
one roast
one pkg dry Italian dressing mix
one pkg dry Ranch dressing mix
one pkg dry brown gravy mix
Put the roast in the crockpot, pour all mixes over the roast, pour one cup of water over top. Cook on high all day. YUM!! The "gravy" is really good over mashed potatoes.
I'm STARVING hahaha - I'm going to steal these recipes too hehehe
Yum! These recipes are making me hungry!
Try:
Country style pork ribs
Cover in BBQ sauce and add sliced red onions
Cook on low 6-8 hours
Yummy on rice or hamburger buns.
Have fun!
My favorites aren't really "recipes" . . . see, if you're gonna use the crock pot, you might as well cheat all the way! :)
#1 - McCormick's sells a "Pulled Pork" seasoning pack where you would buy the taco seasoning stuff. You add that to a pork shoulder and a few other ingredients and you have some seriously delicious pulled pork.
#2 - We're having it tonight: Throw a chuck roast in there with a jar of your favorite salsa. Let it cook all day and then pull it apart right before dinner. Serve it with taco fixings and you are good to go.
I'm all about easy. Obviously.
Amanda, You are speaking to my heart these days. Prayers for Moms of really sick little ones and crock pots (I used mine last night!) Glad to hear yours is cute! I think of mine as stophisticated....chrome!
Ha!
From the girl that couldn't wait to wear a bra, carry a big bag and be a career woman...MOM!
azt
Well, I've resisted posting here a couple of times as I was reading through the comments, but I just can't help it. No, I don't have a crock pot recipe to share with you. Thank goodness, I'm done with crock pots. That season of my life (except for church potlucks) is done. Yippe!!!!! Oh come on you empty nesters or close to EN you know what I mean!
What I do want to say, is that I laughed my butt off at this post. Perhaps because it reminded me so much of myself during the early part of my marriage. My MIL in all of her wisdom bought me a sewing machine, a Kenmore no less!! While I thanked her, I just knew I'd never use it. Heck, I'd barely made it through home-ec and that's because I manipulated (yes, I'm confessing my sin here) the teacher into sewing my stuff for me. I think it took me five years before I was able to thread the stupid thing. Then as I tried (really hard) I sewed an arm to a leg and well, the rest is not a pretty story!!!
Thank you Amanda for adding some humor in a very "bleak" day for me. I don't care what anyone says. When it comes to Moore women I think you're the funniest. . downright, stinking, ROFL funny.
So. . . much luck with your crock pot. Be careful with it. Remember it may not be everything it's "crocked" up to be! Okay, so I'm not as funny as you, but I had to go for the bad pun (she a says with a wicked grin)
~Cheryl, the sewing queen
I love what your mom wrote LOL, yea, we know your dad does all the cooking on that end; some people are cooks and some are eaters...I'm with your mom on just being the EATER for now:)
I think I am afraid of making the house burn down, when I do cook I check the food like every 30 sec.
( It could be an ADD thing)
Anyways, my mom loves to cook, and in a crock pot I don't know what this is called, but ready for this:
stewed meat, beer, and vegetables...Yes, I did say beer.
Its good whatever it is.
That's the only thing she has made in it though.
My mom is a full blood italian, so I have eaten the trad. wedding soup( lasts for like weeks),
she takes 5 hrs to get the sauce ready during spagetti and meatball nights, and will pick stuff out from her garden to use in the dinner food too:)
( Yes, Beth, the things out in the garden(vegetables etc.) you can actually eat. Sorry, I had to bust on you:)...)
As far as the bra, girl, I am sorry, how could you have ever prayed that :)
Love ya!
Ang
I love it! I just wanted to add, go with the larger one, I have a small one and NEED a bigger one. Thanks for the inspiration to go out and finally get the larger one!
Have fun eating well! (and do let us know how you are liking it!!)
I am not much into crock pot food. Always seems mushy to me but you must try this roast. You will be pleasantly surprised.
3lbs. beef roast
Sprinkle with 1 envelope of dry onion soup mix.
Pour 2 cans of cola over it.
Cook on low for 7-8 hours.
Diet cola does not work in this receipe.
It is that simple. We ended up with a great dipping sauce. I did purchase a great crock pot recipe book called Fix it and Forget it. Heads up if you get one get the low fat book. I didn't know there was a low fat one and the recipes are all packed with fatty soups and cheeses. YUMMO but not good for us. Happy crocking!
hey amanda,
i just got my fall kraftfoods magazine which has several crockpot recipes in it. the kraftfood magazine comes FREE! woohoo! or if you look online at www.kraftfoods.com, they have a recipe finder or a search box that you can put in slow cooker and find tons of recipes! i use this website all the time to look for ideas of things to make for dinner. super simple! AND, you can sign up to receive that seasonal magazine, too ... FOR FREE!!! :)
lisa
Amanda,
Oh my at the recipes. I too might have to borrow some of these yummy recipes!!
I had a crock pot lazana recipe I was going to post but someone beat me to it - dern! It is really yummy and I love that there are about 2 days of leftovers (and I do not really like leftovers but hey then I do not have to cook - hehe)
I am so glad Jackson is better!!
It is so unnerving when their little fever gets so high!! My oldest runs really high fevers every timehe gets sick I am talkin about 105 and once it was almost 106 - can we say ER!!!
I love the post on the college students -I sure wish I had found a good church in college so I could continue my relationship with God instead of replacing it with the world's view of things. The lessons God has taught me through those experiences He is still using to grow me to this day. God bless you in that ministry!
We missed you in Nashville. It was so amazing and Spirit filled I cannot even think about it without tears!!
By the way, have you gotten your t-shirt that Patty and I got you?
Love ya,
Kim
Tortilla Soup
1 onion, chopped
2 cans chopped green chilies
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can diced tomatoes
4 cans chicken broth
1 can tomato soup
2 cans sweet corn (or used frozen)
2 chicken breasts
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. lemon pepper
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
salt & pepper
I know that looks like a lot of ingredients, but the beauty of this one is that all you do is put everything in the crock pot and turn it on low for the whole day. Before serving, take a couple of forks and shred the chicken breasts, then serve over tortilla chips.
Hi Amanda:
I’m a minister’s wife also but more from your mother’s generation. Although I have been married for many years and am a new grandmother, I started using a crock pot 9 years ago in the summer during a heat wave and drought. It really helped to keep the kitchen much cooler and yet the food tasted “oven fresh”. I encourage you to try the recipes that appeal to you and your family!
Now, my reason for this comment – Hobby Lobby. :) I can understand that your generation my not be “in” to this type of store. However, did you know that David Green, the founder and CEO of Hobby Lobby, is a wonder Christian man? He and his family meet together every year in prayer to ask God where they should put a percentage of the company’s profits to use for the kingdom of Heaven. They have literally given millions – and I do mean millions -- of dollars to missions in the form of the printed Word. He lives in Oklahoma, where I live, and we do our best to support his businesses. Mardel Bookstores also belong to this family. His son Mart Green is over this company. So maybe, the next time you “have” to go into Hobby Lobby, just say a prayer of blessing over the company and know that whatever you buy, a small portion will go to further the gospel!
Now, I know this is not going to change the “feeling” that you get when you go into the store, but hey, we are told that there may be times we may have to “suffer” for the sake of the Gospel. :) I know… that is taken out of context!
Love,
Sherry
I, too, am a crock pot newbie...as of last winter. Here is my FAVORITE so far, and it is so easy -
Chicken Tortilla Soup:
4 chicken breast halves
2 15-oz cans black beans, undrained
2 15-oz cans Rotel tomatoes
1 cup salsa
1 4-oz can chopped green chilis
1 14-oz can tomato sauce
Chips and cheese
Combine all ingredients except chips and cheese in large slow cooker. (chicken can still be frozen)Cover and cook 8 hours on low. Just before serving, slice chicken into bite-size pieces.
I serve the chips and cheese as options to add at mealtime, and I think it's good to put sour cream and guacamole in, but my husband prefers it not as creamy.
Got ya on my heart today...so I'm praying for you, Amanda.
May God's face shine upon you today.
With love,
holly
Oh Amanda!
I nearly forgot...(can we say spell menopause???) I sent something for Jackson to your mom's office. It's a little surprise--hope you like it!
I am definitely copying these recipes. They sound great!
Blessings,
Jan
I have been going through your entire blog. The one thing I just keep thinking over and over is how precious your little boy is. Gosh he's so cute!!!
Did you ever get some good Christian fiction books to read?
I didn't add to all the blogs I read because they were all really old blogs.
I think I'm wanting more Jackson pictures :).
~Cathy~
I found one that sounds good and easy. I'm pretty sure I lifted this from a blog that you probably read:
Pineapple Chicken
6-8 large, fresh skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut into chunks (about 2 lbs.)
4 large red bell peppers, cut into 1/2 inch squares
2 large, sweet Maui onions, cut into 1/2 inch squares (I use Noonday since that is what we have in East Texas)
1 16oz can of pineapple chunks in the juice (unsweetened)
Directions: 1. Place all the ingredients in the crock pot.
2. Smile at how easy it is-you’re almost done. :-)
3. Cook on high for approximately 6 hours, or 8-9 on LOW.
Here's another easy chicken one, but it looks like you've already got a lot of chicken.
A bottle of bbq sauce
a can of cranberries (whole)
a bunch of frozen chicken - just eyeball it
Cook on high for 3 hours until chicken is no longer pink in the middle. Don't overcook this one or the chicken gets rubbery.
Kay, I know zilch about cooking (and especially crock pots) but my jr. year of college one of my (6!) roommates was a master crock-potter. In the winter she used to always make us apple cider and besides the taste, it made the house smell so good! (I know it's a little early in the year for this...)
I THINK this is the recipe she used, but I'm pretty sure we didn't use a whole gallon, so you may have to use different amounts?!
*1 gallon of apple cider
*3 cinnamon sticks
*about a tsp of whole cloves
*about 3 or 4 whole allspice
*Slice up an orange and put orange rings in there
*Put it on low and let it simmer all day. It's easier if you can put the spices in cheese cloth but I don't always have that...
*taste it after about 4 or 5 hours to make sure it's not getting too strong.
*Remove the spices and oranges when the flavor reaches the taste you prefer :)
(I don't even know what allspice is..so I hope you know more than me to be able to interpret ;) )
I heart my crock pot. It is my lifesaver on some days. You know the days when you just can't cook one more thing? Well, I found a great crock pot cookbook that my dear friend gave me. Its called, "Fix it and forget it." And thats just what I do on those days...I fix it and forget it and then make my husband do the dishes. HA! It is a pain to clean the crock pot but oh, well....my hubby does it so well.
I am not a crock pot cooker either except for queso. There are some great recipes on here. I will have to borrow a few=)
Hi there! I am a recent crockpot convert myself. I'm not sure if anyone else has said this but my favorite thing to do is to throw some frozen chicken breasts in with a cup of water and a packet of fajita or taco seasoning. Turn it on low for 5ish hours and then shred it for tacos (or on salads or on top of rice with veggies and other yummies!)
Good luck as you venture into this new crockpot world o' cooking!
The crockpot is the bomb. The best invention.
And red is such a hot color!
You can make the best ribs in one, too....but I can't remember the recipe!
My favorite crock pot reciepe is have my roommate Selena cook in it and then i eat what comes out... its awesome having a domestic roommate when you are not... allows me to withhold on that a lot longer!
I can so totally relate to your angst for anything remotely domestic. But let me tell ya, I truly have found the crockpot to be the modern, independent woman's answer to the issue of not wanting to be in the kitchen!! It's so anti-domestic it's not even funny! I mean, all you do is throw the stuff in there and let it do the work for you...no standing over the stove, no scrubbing pots & pans - it's a breeze! :) I LOVE this post. I copied & pasted every single one into Word. Yup. Every one. I have no shame. Long live the crockpot!
Oh my word, your mother's comment made me laugh! I have a red crockpot, so it can look cute in the closet, but since P. hates crockpot food with a passion, it stays in there most of the time.
My best advice is to buy a panini maker--then you can do nothing more than make a regular sandwich, heat it in the panini maker, and voila! It magically turns into something even men call "dinner." Even P. agrees. :)
My most favourite crockpot recipe is actually not a crockpot recipe. I got a 'sauce baked meatballs' recipe from my girlfriend (I so get the friend recipe thing!), and it is supposed to go in a pan and in the oven, but I made the balls, put them in the crockpot, poured the sauce over and let it cook all day and it was FAB! Then all I had to do was rice and veg and dinner was ready when I came home from work. This works for me cause I really suck at meal planning (what? it's 5 and we don't know what we're having for dinner? You mean I have to cook again? Didn't I already do that this month? It's amazing the kids have made it to 13 and 16 with the good health they have!). The sauce is ketchup, brown sugar, worcestershire, garlic and some other stuff. I have it at home, and I'm at work right now (things are SLOW). The meatballs don't fall apart either. Let me know if you're interested and I will send it tonight.
Annette
Sauce baked Meatballs
1 egg
1 c rolled oats
1/2 c minced onion
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 t chili powder
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
Beat egg, add next 7 ingredients; shape into meatballs.
SAUCE
3/4 c ketchup (catsup)
3/4 c brown sugar
2 tsp soya sauce
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Combine sauce ingredients. Put meatballs in crockpot, pour sauce over. Cook on low all day. Serve with rice.
My kids really like this.
Annette from Canada
I know I'm way late on this, but if you're going to use a crock pot you must buy the book "Fit-it and Forget It". It is the best crock-pot cookbook around. Blessings and enjoy!
Okydokey Amanda, I have a spaghetti sauce recipe for you, linked below. It looks like a lot of ingredients, but I like it because I can make it early in the day instead of cooking during the most hectic time of day (helping with homework, fussy babies, etc). And, it makes such a large amount that we can easily get two meals out of it to feed our family of five (which includes 4 males). I usually cook it on high for four hours. We have it over spaghetti, use it in Lasagna, mix it with some penne pasta, top with cheese and throw it in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Have it for dinner one night, and then freeze additional portions for other dinners.(Tastes just as goood after it's been frozen) I love it because it's yummy and for 45 minutes of actual prep I get at least two meals - you'd get more! BTW, I sprinkle some red pepper flakes into the mix as well.
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Meaty-Spaghetti-Sauce-2/Detail.aspx
Have Fun! I remember feeling the same way when I was first married. I like to watch Everyday Italian, Barefoot Contessa and Paula Deen - they get me in the mood to cook!
HTH!
Veronica
South of the Border Chicken
4-6 chicken breasts frozen
3 bell peppers (any color) sliced thin
1 med sweet onion sliced thin
2 cans petite diced tomatoes
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. salt
4Tbs. Red Hot Sauce (we like it hot so we add more)
put the peppers and onion in first and then add everything else. cook on high for about 5 hrs. before serving shred chicken with a fork. serve with beans, cheese, cilantro, and sour cream on a torilla. it is also good with a little lime juice over top.
Amanda, you are going to love your crock-pot. I've had my for the entire 13 years of my marriage, and it has become one of my best kitchen friends. I now use it every Wednesday and write a blog post titled "Crock-Pot Wednesday." That day is so busy for our family, and we can come home from church shortly after 7:00 and eat a home-cooked meal together. You can check out my recipes at www.homewithheather.blogspot.com. I haven't yet placed these in the sidebar, but you can scroll through the Aug. and Sept. archives to find them. (I just started this in August and hope to continue it each Wednesday.) Happy Cooking!
I promise I actually do more than stalk your blog all day, despite evidence to the contrary. And let me just say that I don't know where I'd be without Paula Deen's Taco Soup. It is, as she says, "Stupid-easy." As in, dump out the cans of ingredients and let simmer.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_29781,00.html
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