Taco Soup

This can easily be made in the crock pot or on the stove top.

1 pound lean ground beef, browned
1 large onion, chopped
1 package ranch dressing mix
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 can red kidney beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can whole kernel corn
1 can diced mexican style tomatoes (8-oz)
1 can diced tomatoes (8-oz)
2 cups chicken stock

Mix all ingredients, in crockpot, and cook on low for 6-8 hours, serve with tortilla chips, sour cream, diced green onions, and shredded cheddar cheese as garnish.

Crockpot Swiss Chicken

4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat
4-6 slices swiss cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup chicken stock
1 box Stouffers Stuffing -Chicken flavored
1 stick butter, melted

Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper, and place in bottom of crockpot, overlapping if necessary. Place one slice of swiss cheese on top of each breast. Mix soup and stock, and pour over top. Sprinkle top with stuffing mix, and then drizzle with melted butter. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Crockpot Pepper Steak

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 pounds beef sirloin, sliced into strips
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons splenda
3 green bell peppers, cut into strips
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water


Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the steak strips, and quickly brown on both sides, adding the garlic to the steak while it cooks. Transfer the steak and its juices to a slow cooker. Add the onion, soy sauce, salt, pepper and splenda. Cover, and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours, until the meat is fork tender.
One hour before the end of the cooking time, add the green peppers. Stir together the cornstarch and cold water. Pour into the slow cooker during the last few minutes, and cook until the sauce has thickened.

Crockpot Asian Short Ribs with Cabbage and Carrots

1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
8 beef short ribs (about 4 pounds)
4 medium carrots, peeled and halved crosswise
1 small green cabbage (about 1 pound), quartered
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon sesame oil
4 scallions, thinly sliced (optional)

In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, garlic, ginger, and red pepper. Add the short ribs and carrots and arrange in a single layer. Lay the cabbage on top.Cook, covered, on high for 5 to 6 hours (or on low for 7 to 8 hours)*, until the meat is tender and easily pulls away from the bone. Transfer the cabbage, short ribs, and carrots to plates. With a large spoon or ladle, skim the fat from the cooking liquid and discard.If the slow cooker is on the low setting, turn it to high. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water until smooth. Whisk into the cooking liquid and cook until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the sesame oil. Spoon the sauce over the short ribs and vegetables and sprinkle with the scallions (if using).*Because different slow-cooker models cook at different rates, the total time is presented as a range. Check for doneness at the low end of the range (but not before, or the escaping heat will slow the cooking). If the food is not done, continue cooking to the end of the suggested range.Yield: Makes 4 servings

Crockpot Thai Chicken

Crockpot Thai Chicken:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 (16 ounce) jar cilantro salsa (or any salsa you prefer)
1/2 cup peanut butter (crunchy or creamy)
2 teaspoons ginger
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons lime juice

Put chicken in bottom of crockpot. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Garnish with cilantro, scallions, and peanuts. (optional)
Serve over brown rice or whole wheat noodles, with steamed snow peas.

Crockpot Southwestern Chicken

1 package chicken breast tenderloins
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can shoe peg corn
1 small jar salsa

Mix black beans, corn, and 1/2 jar salsa and pour in bottom of crockpot. Layer chicken tenderloins on top, and them spoon remaining salsa over chicken. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 6-8. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese to serve, or serve fajita style with whole wheat tortillas, cheese, and sour cream.

Crockpot Garlic Swiss Steak

1/3 c. all-purpose flour
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1 1/2 lbs beef round steak, cut into serving-size portions
2 T. oil
14-oz. can stewed tomatoes
1/2 c. onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced

Combine flour, salt and pepper; sprinkle over steak and pound into both sides.

In a large skillet, brown steak in oil over medium heat; transfer to a lightly greased Crockpot. Combine remaining ingredients; pour over steak. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4.

Crockpot Spicy Black Beans

1 pound black beans, soaked overnight and rinsed
1 diced jalapeno pepper
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
I can diced tomatoes with garlic & onion
Drain black beans, and rinse.
Combine beans, jalapenos, and chicken broth in a slow cooker. Season with garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, pepper, and hot pepper sauce.
Cook on High for 4 hours. Reduce heat to Low, and continue cooking for 2 hours, or until you are ready to eat.
Serve over brown rice, with fresh spinach salad on the side.
(I will probably cook up some smoked sausage on the side for REV, since he doesn't believe in meatless meals!)

Crockpot Stuffed Bell Peppers

4-5 bell peppers, tops cut off (and reserved) and seeds scraped out
1 lb 97% lean ground turkey
1 small red onion, diced
1 small zucchini, grated
2 cups cooked brown rice
tony's seasoning to taste
black pepper
1 jar spaghetti sauce ( I use bertoli olive oil & garlic or tomato and garlic~if you can find a low sugar or sugar free sauce, use that)
shredded parmesan cheese
Chop off any remaining bell pepper that's usable from the tops. In a large skillet, brown the ground turkey with the onion, bell pepper, and zucchini until no pink is left. stir in cooked brown rice and about 1/2 cup of spaghetti sauce (until it loose, but not runny) season to taste with black pepper and tony's. (I prepare to this point the night before). Pour 1/2 cup of spaghetti sauce in bottom of crock pot. Stuff each bell pepper shell with equal parts of turkey mixture, and place side by side on top of tomato sauce in crock pot. pour remaining spaghetti sauce over and around the peppers. Top each with a sprinkle of shredded parmesan cheese. Cover, and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4 hours. serve with green salad or sauted zucchini.

Crockpot Italian Stuffed Meatloaf

1 1/2 lb 93% lean ground beef
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 small zucchini, grated
1/3 cup eggbeaters
1/8 cup old-fashioned oats
1/8 cup flax meal
3/4 cup tomato sauce (I will use my homemade veggie-packed sauce)
1 tbsp fresh parsley or basil, chopped
1 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup shredded, reduced fat mozzarella cheese

Mix all ingredients, except for cheese, in large bowl with hands until well mixed. If it is too wet, may add more oats until the correct meatloaf texture is reached. Form into an 8x8ish square shape on a large sheet of saran-wrap. Visually divide in half. Spread shredded cheese over one half of the meat square, leaving a 1 inch border around that half. Fold other half over top of cheese half, sealing edges and forming a loaf shape, using the saran wrap.
Place inside the crockpot, cover, and cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 6-8. Use 2 spatulas to lift the meatloaf out of the crockpot,and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. (of course, this can easily be baked in the oven, if you do not require the convenience of a crockpot.)

Crockpot Pork Chops with Gravy

4-6 bone-in pork chops (neither "thin" nor "thick" cut, just regular pork chops)
1 package brown gravy mix
1 can cream of mushroom soup (or the equivalent of homemade cream of mushroom soup)
1/2 cup water

Place the pork chops in the crockpot, mix the gravy mix, soup, and water, and pour over pork chops. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. These are so tender and delishious. Serve over brown rice, with black eyed peas and green salad.

Crockpot Oregano Marinara Chicken

1 package chicken breast tenders
1 jar marinara sauce (I'll use my leftover homemade veggie packed tomato sauce found here)
1-2 TBSP dried Oregano

Place chicken breast tenders into crockpot, and pour the jar of marinara sauce over top. Sprinkle the top with dried oregano, and cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 6-8 hours. Serve over whole wheat spaghetti, with a large green salad on the side.

Crockpot Shredded Beef Sandwiches

1 3-4 pound roast ( I usually buy rump, but a tender chuck roast is fine, too)
2 16-oz jars pepperocini peppers, NOT drained, sliced
2 large yellow onions, sliced
2 bell peppers, sliced
1 cup water
1 TSP fresh ground black pepper
Cut roast into chunks (approx. 4"x4") Put meat into crockpot, along with sliced onions and bell peppers. Season with fresh ground black pepper. Pour Pepperocini peppers (with juice) and water over meat and vegetables. Cover and cook on low 8 hours. Remove meat from crockpot, and shred using 2 forks, then return to crockpot.
To serve, Split open whole wheat hoagie rolls, scooping out some of the bread from the center, to form a "bread shell". Place some of the shredded beef, along with onion and peppers into the "bread shell" Top with Sliced cheese (Provolone or swiss are equally delicious). Place under broiler for 2-3 minutes, or until cheese melts and bread toasts.
The leftovers freeze well.