Crockpot Beef and Broccoli

This is an awesome crock pot meal for busy evenings. Having four very active children, I need to have a lot of these kinds of recipes.

This has a very flavorful sauce, and if you have picky eaters like I do, they can skip the broccoli! Thankfully I have a couple of kids who like eating their veggies!

 

Crock Pot Beef and Broccoli
1 1/2 lbs. beef chuck, sliced thinly
1/2 onion, cut in half

Sauce Ingredients
1 cup beef broth
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 cloves of garlic, minced
Salt and Pepper to taste
------------------------------------
2 1/2 Tbsp. corn starch
3 cups steamed broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces
Sesame seeds, garnish

Place beef and onion in crock pot. Combine sauce ingredients in small bowl and pour over beef. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours. Ladle out 1/4 cup of the broth and whisk together with the cornstarch. Return to crock pot and stir well. Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes or until the sauce has thickened slightly. Remove onion and stir in broccoli. Or have it on the side so your picky eaters don't waste it.  Serve over rice.

Recipe originally found on Cooking Classy.

New Mexico Green Chile

It has been getting cooler around here in Utah. I have been craving soups and stews lately. I found this recipe on Pinterest and was hoping that it would be good. It was perfect. Slightly spicy, hearty and so flavorful. I served it with fresh cooked tortillas, which serve as a perfect utensil for scooping up every last drop of this green chile.

New Mexican Green Chile
3 Tablespoons Oil, Divided
4 pounds Pork Loin, Trimmed And Cubed
1 whole Large Onion, chopped
1 Tablespoon Garlic, chopped
2 cans (14 oz.) Chicken Broth
1 can (14.5 oz.). Petite Diced Tomatoes with Chipotle
2 cans (27 oz.) Whole Green Chiles, chopped
1 can (10 oz.), Original Rotel Diced Tomatoes With Green Chilies
¼ teaspoons Celery Salt
⅓ cups Flour (for Thickening)
½ teaspoons Salt, Or To Taste
¼ teaspoons Pepper Or To Taste

Heat a large Dutch oven or sauce pot over medium high heat. Add two tablespoons oil. Sear pork cubes in batches. Season with salt and pepper each batch after the meat sears. Spoon the cooked pork to a plate and set aside.
Add remaining oil and saute onion until translucent. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the chicken broth being sure to scrape up the brown bits in the pan as you pour it in. Add the pork back into the pot. Add cans of tomatoes, chopped chiles, Rotel and celery salt and simmer for 3 hours until pork is fork tender. You can also pour the ingredients into a crock pot and cook on high for 3 hours if you can't be home.
Just before serving, take out a cup, or so, of the liquid and whisk with flour to make a smooth, thin paste. Stir this mixture back into your pan and simmer for about 5 minutes to cook down the flour. Stir several times to prevent sticking on the bottom. 

recipe from Make-It-Do.com

Mexican Chicken- an easy crock pot dinner

I have been trying very hard to make one new thing each week, and I have been finding a lot of my new ideas on Pinterest. I would love for you to follow me there if you want, I have pinned some great things! Anyways, back to my latest recipe that I have pinned and tried. Mexican Chicken in the Crock pot. The original recipe is here, but when I pinned it, some gracious person wrote out the crock pot version, which I will share with you.

Mexican Chicken in the Crock pot
In your crock pot place your chicken breasts in the bottom. Sprinkle with taco seasoning, I used 2 Tbsp. Pour two cans red enchilada sauce over the top. Chop some green onions and sprinkle over top. Cook on low for 6 hours or so until the chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from crock pot, shred with two forks and return to the enchilada sauce. Serve with chopped fresh cilantro and shredded Cheddar cheese, wrapped in warm soft tortillas.

For those of you who know me in real life, you know how hard it is for me to get a unanimous positive vote for my cooking, I have some picky eaters, but this recipe was a hearty thumbs up from the entire family! Woo Hoo!

Ranch Chicken Tacos- Crockpot

I am in Taxi cab mama mode right now- you know, constantly running kids here and there. The crock pot is so helpful during these crazy weeks. I was schlepping around Pinterest and found a recipe for Ranch Chicken Tacos, but the directions were for the stove top. Thankfully I read the comments and some very nice person gave the directions for turning this into a crock pot meal. It had great flavor and the leftovers were awesome the next day. This is a keeper for my kitchen!

Ranch Chicken Tacos- Crockpot

1 1/2 lbs. chicken breasts

1 package Ranch dressing mix

1 package taco seasoning

1 can chicken broth

Place chicken in crock pot and sprinkle the taco seasoning over the chicken, toss to coat. Pour 3/4 of the broth in the crock pot and cover and cook on low for 4 hours. Shred the chicken and return to the crockpot. Stir in the ranch packet and let it cook for 30 minutes more on low.  Serve with all your favorite taco toppings.

Crock Pot Honey Sesame Chicken

I have decided to make an effort to try a new recipe each week that I find on Pinterest. Otherwise, why bother spend any time pinning things that I do not make? This is my recipe this week. The original recipe can be found here at Chef-in-Training. This is a really good recipe. My whole family really enjoyed the sweet yet savory sauce that you make for the chicken. My only negative comment on this recipe is that it calls for a whole cup of honey. Due to the high cost of honey, this recipe will not be made as often as I would like. It is a really tasty dish, I am just a cheap skate!

Crock Pot Honey Sesame Chicken
2 lbs. chicken breasts (I used tenders)
Salt and Pepper
1 cup honey
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 Tbsp diced onion
4 Tbsp ketchup
2 Tbsp canola oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
4 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 6 Tbsp water
Sesame Seeds

Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper and place in a well sprayed crock pot. In a small bowl combine honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, oil, garlic and pepper flakes. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for 3-4 hours or until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken form crock pot, leave sauce behind. Pour cornstarch mixture in crock pot, stir to combine. Replace lid and cook sauce on high for 15-20  minutes or until slightly thickened. Cut the chicken into chunks and return to crock pot and toss before serving. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve over rice.

Beef Tips and Noodles

This is such a simple recipe. This is pure comfort food to my family. Tender chunks of beef in a creamy gravy served over noodles. Yummy! This recipe rocks because it is one of those chop, drop and leave it alone recipes. It is perfect for all the busy people out there.

Beef Tips and Noodles
1 lb. beef stew meat, cut in chunks
3 can cream of chicken, mushroom, onion......whatever you have or feel like making
1 onion, diced
1 bag egg noodles, cooked and drained
Place 1 first 3 ingredients in a slow cooker. Season with salt and pepper, cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours. Serve over noodles.

Pork Tenderloin in the Crock Pot

I like to make this dish when the grocery store puts pork tenderloins on sale. This is a simple, throw it into the crock pot, turn it on, and forget about it kind of meal. It smells so good as it cooks all day long. I serve it with steamed carrots and herbed garlic red potatoes.
Pork Tenderloin in the Crock Pot
1 pork tenderloin
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1 cup water
3/4 cup red wine or extra water (I have always done the extra water)
3 Tbsp minced garlic
3 Tbsp soy sauce
Pepper to taste
Place pork in crock pot with all ingredients except garlic. Spread the garlic over the tenderloin. Cover and cook low for 7-8 hours.

Almost a Meal Queso

It is playoff time in the football world. We are Denver Bronco fans in this house, and we have really enjoyed watching Tim Tebow lead the Broncos to the playoffs this year. We usually like to eat things during the playoffs and the Superbowl that we can have in front of the TV and that is more like appetizers. This is one of my favorites because it is warm, easy and is made in the crock pot.  That means I don't have to miss the game while cooking! It is already done and waiting for us!

Almost a Meal Queso

from Seasoned with Fun Cookbook

1 pound ground beef

1 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pkg. Kielbasa sausage, cubed

2 lbs. Velveeta, cubed

1 14 oz. can chopped tomatoes, drain half the liquid

1- 4 oz. can chopped green chilies, drained

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbsp chili powder

5-6 chipoltes en adobo, chopped (I have never added these)

Tortilla Chips

Cook ground beef, pepper, salt, onion, garlic and Kielbasa in skillet. Drain fat. Transfer to crock pot and add Velveeta, tomatoes, green chilies, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder and chipoltes. Cook on high heat, stirring constantly, until cheese is melted. Turn heat setting to Keep warm or Low and serve with tortilla chips.

Green Chili Beef Burritos in the Crock Pot

Double yum. That is what these burritos are. They are also easy and they make lots of leftovers! I am starting to look for recipes with bigger quantities because my teen and my pre-teen boys are eating anything that is not tied down! You can reduce the jalapeno or eliminate it if you choose- it is still super flavorful.

Green Chili Beef Burritos
2 boneless beef top sirloin roasts (I aim for 4-5 lbs. of meat)
4 cans diced green chilies
1 medium onion, chopped
3 medium jalapeno peppers, chopped
3 garlic cloves, sliced
3 tsp. chili powder
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. Lawry's season salt
1 cup beef broth
24 flour tortillas
Sliced tomatoes, lettuce and shredded cheddar cheese

Trim fat from roasts, and cut meat into large chunks. Place in slow cooker. Top with chilies, onion, jalapenos, garlic, cumin, chili powder and season salt. Pour broth over all. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours. Remove beef and shred with two forks. Cool cooking liquid slightly and skim fat. In blender, process cooking liquid until smooth. Return to slow cooker with beef and heat through. Place 1/3 cup on each tortilla and top with desired toppings and fold up.

Crockpot Potato Chowder

Today I have a recipe that is for the crock pot, and is my very favorite potato soup recipe. It really could not be any easier than this recipe. Simply delish.

Crock pot Potato Chowder
1 bag frozen cubed hash brown potatoes- or 8 cups fresh diced potatoes
3 cans chicken broth
1 can cream of onion soup
1 8 oz. package cream cheese
1/2 package bacon, cooked, drained and crumbled
Chives- diced

Combine potatoes, broth and onion soup in crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until potatoes are tender. Stir in cream cheese. Mash with potato masher for chowdery consistency. I don't know if that is even a real term of speech, but that is how I think about the consistency of the soup after I mash it for a bit! Stir in bacon. Top with chives before serving, or you can just stir them in with bacon., that is what we do!

Southwestern Chicken Soup

A good friend and I were talking about how much we both like soups. We are both excited for fall to be here, so that we can make soup more often. That conversation stuck in my mind, and when I was planning this current weeks menu, I found myself looking in my recipe book at the soups. This is the one that we are having this week. It has some of my very favorite ingredients; cumin, red and green bell peppers, corn, green chilies and chicken. Yummy!  It is a crock pot recipe, which I love! There is nothing better than coming home after a long day away to a delicious smelling dinner, just waiting to be devoured!

Southwestern Chicken Soup
1 1/4 lb. chicken breasts, roughly chopped (or to save time- use the meat from a deli rotisserie chicken)
1-2 Tbsp. vegetable oil (you would skip this if using the rotisserie chicken)
2 cans chicken broth
1 - 16 oz. package frozen corn
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1 can green chilies
1 1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
Cilantro for topping

If using raw chicken, saute in oil until lightly browned. Transfer to crock pot. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours. Top with cilantro before serving, if desired.

Cheesy Potato Soup

We are back in the busy evening season. It seems like three or four nights of the week we are out of the house during the time when I would be preparing dinner. It is so easy to find myself in the drive through lane. I have several things that I do to help me not stop by the local burger joint. Sometimes I will have everything assembled and ready to pop in the oven. Other times, I will make dinner, usually sandwiches and bring them with us to the game or practice. My favorite thing to do on these time shortened evenings is to use my very favorite appliance- the Crock Pot. I love soups, roasts, and other comforting meals that I can just throw in the crock pot in the morning and it is ready for my hungry gang 8 hours later! Here is what is in my crock pot right this very minute, Cheesy Potato Soup. I will serve this with a green leafy salad and some fresh baked bread that I will throw together this afternoon. I hope you will try this soup- it is really filling and so comforting!

Cheesy Potato Soup
1 package frozen cubed hash browns
5 cups water
2 cups diced onion
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced carrot
4 tsp. or 4 chicken bouillon cubes
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 package bacon, diced and cooked
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups Velveeta cheese- cubed

Combine all ingredients in crock pot except milk and cheese. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours. Stir in milk and cheese. Stir until cheese is melted.

Italian Beef Au Jus- a crockpot recipe

Summer is over here. We are a little sad, but to be honest, I am so ready for a scheduled life again! I am also ready for fall and for all the yummy things that can be made in a crock pot. This week we start back into Awana, youth group, soccer practices, and guitar practices. I will be getting out my trusty crock pot and putting it to good use these next months. This is a recipe that I like to make when beef roasts are on sale. It is simple and yummy- just what a busy mom needs on a very busy night!

Italian Beef Au Jus
1 3-5 lb. beef roast
 1 pkg. beef au jus mix
1 pkg. Italian salad dressing mix
1 can beef broth
 half a can of water
Place meat in crock pot. Mix rest of ingredients and pour over beef. Cover and cook for 8 hours on low. Serve on sandwich rolls with the juice on the side as a dip if desired.

Pepperoncini Beef

One of my favorite ways to get new recipes is from my friends. This is a recipe my friend Rhonda found on All Recipes. She tried it out on her family and was overwhelmed by the praise for it. I knew that I had to try it our for my bunch. This is so easy and smells AMAZING as it cooks all day. Here is the link to the original recipe post, and below is the recipe: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Pepperoncini-Beef/Detail.aspx .

Pepperoncini Beef
1 (3 pound) beef chuck roast
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 (16 oz jar) pepperoncini

Make small cuts in roast, and insert garlic slices in cuts. Place roast in the slow cooker, and pour the entire contents of the jar of pepperoncini, including liquid, over meat.

Cover, and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours.

My friend toasted her sandwich rolls and melted cheese on top of the meat. Super yummy!

Beef Barley Soup

We had a wonderful soup for dinner tonight. It was so flavorful and yummy! One of the best parts was that it is a crock pot recipe!

Crock pot Beef Barley Soup
1 lb. cubed beef stew meat
2 cups carrots, thinly sliced
1 cup celery, sliced thin
3/4 cups bell pepper, chopped
1 large onion, diced
1/2 cup barley
1/4 cup chopped parsley
4 beef bouillon cubes
1 can beef broth
3/4 tsp dried basil
2 TBSP catsup
5 cups water

Place vegetables and meat in bottom of crock pot. then add the barley, the beef broth and the spices. Last, add the water. DO NOT STIR. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.
We had ours with big hunks of Peasant bread to soak up all the yummy broth. This will be added to our menu rotation!

Crock Pot Roast Beef

Who ever invented the crock pot was a genius! I am so thankful for my trusty crock pot. It is such a relief after a long evening of running kids to practice to have a nice hot meal waiting for me at home. It eliminates the temptation to hit the drive through! This is one of our favorite recipes. Whenever the grocery store has a good sale on beef roasts, I will grab a couple and throw them in the freezer. I hope you give this delicious roast a try.

Crock Pot Roast Beef
1 beef roast
1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup of brewed coffee
1/2 cup water
1 beef bouillon cube
1 tsp salt
2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp pepper
Place all ingredients in crock pot. Cook on low for 8 hours or until tender. Transfer roast to a platter. Measure drippings after straining onions. Whisk together 1/4 cup water and 1 TBSP flour for every cup of drippings. Whisk flour mixture into drippings and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until slightly thickened.

This makes the best gravy! So flavorful!

Crock Pot Tortilla Soup

This is one of my favorite Crock pot recipes ever. Any time that I am at Costco, I will grab a Rotisserie chicken so I can make this recipe. For my non-spicy friends, you can adjust the heat in this recipe- just use mild salsa. Try it, you will like it!

Crock Pot Tortilla Soup

1 clove garlic, minced

3 cups cooked and shredded chicken

4 cups chicken broth

2 cans petite diced tomatoes, undrained

1 cup salsa

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 Tbsp ground cumin

Toppings:

Cubed Monterrey Jack cheese

Tortilla Chips

Sour Cream

Add all ingredients to Crock pot except toppings. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. When serving, place desired amount of cheese in bottom of bowl and ladle soup on top. Sprinkle with tortilla chips and add sour cream if desired.

I have also added corn and rice with great success. You could even add beans if you like them.

I am linking this recipe to Crock Pot Wednesdays which is hosted by Dining With Debbie. This is my first time joining this carnival.

I am also linking up to Made by you Mondays hosted by Skip to My Lou- they are sharing their best soup recipes. Check them out!