About four years ago I had a brilliant idea to start a frozen casserole group with a few friends. Many recipes later we are still at it. The group has changed from casseroles to crock pot recipes. I highly recommend starting your own group and will share how to do it.

1. Find three others who enjoy eating, cooking and drinking. You can have more than four in your group but it makes things a little more challenging. Usually the meals feed a family of four.

2. Decide on your first date. We meet every month and a half depending on schedules. When we started it took us two-three hours, we can usually finish in an hour and a half now.

3. Check out my attached document of recipes and have everyone let you know which one they will prepare. Or google it, that’s what we do!

4. The host does the most work, but you only host every 1/4 times so it is worth it. Take those recipes and multiply them by 4 then head out shopping.

– we aim for two pounds of meat per meal

– pay the extra for boneless, skinned, less fat it’s worth it when divided by four. We usually buy the meat at Costco, Sams Club, Winco etc

– purchase the extra large ( 2 gallon) freezer bags, or casserole containers from the dollar store

5. The day of set up stations for the meals. Put out the printed recipe, cutting board, measuring cups, knives etc  having a food processor or chopper is a plus for onions. I put all the food at each station so as soon as the women arrive we pour a glass of wine and start!

-text everyone the total so they can try to bring cash (its normally between $25-55 depending on the meat and spices needed)

6. Schedule the next meeting and enjoy!! It really is THAT simple!!

 

Here are some of the recipes we have tried:

 

Fabulous and Amazing Casserole Group

 

Session #1 @ Nicole’s

 

Chicken Potato Casserole

This super simple and delicious recipe is perfect to freeze ahead of time, then thaw and bake on nights when you just can’t face the kitchen.

 

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

 

Ingredients:

• 10 oz. can condensed reduced fat and sodium cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 cups cubed cooked chicken
• 1-1/4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 3-1/2 cups frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
• 1-1/2 cups frozen peppers and onions, thawed
• 1-1/4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1-1/2 cups crushed potato chips

 

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine soup, sour cream, milk, chicken and 1-1/4 cups cheese. Spread three-quarters of this mixture in a greased 2-quart baking dish.

Sprinkle hash browns and peppers and onions over the top of the casserole and press down lightly, then top vegetables with remaining soup mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and potato chips.

Bake casserole, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving. 8 servings

To freeze, assemble casserole as directed, except do not thaw potatoes, peppers, or onions and do not sprinkle with potato chips. Wrap casserole in freezer wrap or heavy duty foil and freeze. Reserve potato chips in pantry. To thaw and bake, let thaw overnight in refrigerator. Uncover and bake at 350 degrees F for 60-70 minutes until bubbly. Then top with crushed potato chips and bake 5-10 minutes longer.

 

Broccoli and Rice Casserole

Ingredients

• 2 cups 1% low-fat milk
• 1 cup water
• 1 (3 1/2-ounce) bag boil-in-bag long-grain rice
• 3 cups small broccoli florets
• Cooking spray
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1/3 cup chopped celery
• 1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/4 cup (2 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
• 2 ounces light processed cheese, cubed
• 2 cups shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

1. 1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. 2. Combine milk and water in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Add rice; cook 10 minutes. Remove rice; keep warm. Return milk mixture to a simmer. Add broccoli; cook 5 minutes. Drain; discard milk mixture.
3. 3. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion, celery, and bell pepper; sauté 5 minutes. Add cream cheese and processed cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Remove from heat; stir in rice, broccoli, chicken, salt, and black pepper. Spoon 1 cup rice mixture into each of 4 (10-ounce) ramekins coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle each serving with 1 tablespoon Parmesan. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes or until cheese melts.

 

Chicken Pot Pie with Savory Crumble Topping

INGREDIENTS:

 

Filling

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts and/or thighs

3 C low-sodium chicken broth

2 T vegetable oil

1 medium onion, chopped fine

3 medium carrots, peeled and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices

2 small celery ribs, chopped fine

Table salt and ground black pepper to taste

10 ounces cremini mushrooms, stems trimmed, caps wiped clean and sliced thin

1 t soy sauce (see note)

1 t tomato paste (see note)

4 T (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1/2 C unbleached all-purpose flour

1 C whole milk

2 t juice from 1 lemon

3 T minced fresh parsley leaves

3/4 C frozen baby peas

 

Crumble Topping

2 C (10 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour

2 t baking powder

3/4 t table salt

1/2 t ground black pepper

1/8 t cayenne pepper

6 T unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes and chilled

1 ounce Parmesan cheese, finely grated (about 1/2 cup)

3/4 C plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream (see note)

 

DIRECTIONS:

1. FOR THE CHICKEN: Bring chicken and broth to simmer in covered Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook until chicken is just done, 8 to 12 minutes. Transfer cooked chicken to large bowl. Pour broth through fine-mesh strainer into liquid measuring cup and reserve. Do not wash Dutch oven. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees.
2. FOR THE TOPPING: Combine flour, baking powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in large bowl. Sprinkle butter pieces over top of flour. Using fingers, rub butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse cornmeal. Stir in Parmesan. Add cream and stir until just combined. Crumble mixture into irregularly shaped pieces ranging from 1/2 to ¾ inch each onto parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake until fragrant and starting to brown, 10 to 13 minutes. Set aside.
3. FOR THE FILLING: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, carrots, celery, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 5 to 7 minutes. While vegetables are cooking, shred chicken into small bite-size pieces. Transfer cooked vegetables to bowl with chicken; set aside.
4. Heat remaining tablespoon oil in empty Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms have released their juices, about 5 minutes. Remove cover and stir in soy sauce and tomato paste. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring frequently, until liquid has evaporated, mushrooms are well browned, and dark fond begins to form on surface of pan, about 5 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to bowl with chicken and vegetables. Set aside.
5. Heat butter in empty Dutch oven over medium heat. When foaming subsides, stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Slowly whisk in reserved chicken broth and milk. Bring to simmer, scraping pan bottom with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits, then continue to simmer until sauce fully thickens, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and 2 tablespoons parsley.
6. Stir chicken-vegetable mixture and peas into sauce. Pour mixture into 13 by 9-inch baking dish or casserole dish of similar size. Scatter crumble topping evenly over filling. Bake on rimmed baking sheet until filling is bubbling and topping is well browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining tablespoon parsley and serve.

Makes 6 servings

*Note: This recipe relies on two unusual ingredients: soy sauce and tomato paste. Do not omit them. They don’t convey their distinctive tastes but greatly deepen the savory flavor of the filling. When making the topping, do not substitute milk or half-and-half for the heavy cream.

Source: America’s Test Kitchen

 

Eva Longoria’s Mexican Lasagne

Ingredients

Cooking spray for the cake pans and foil

2 pounds ground beef or turkey

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

1/2 cup Chicken Broth (page 51) or store-bought low-sodium chicken broth

10 flour tortillas

1 16-ounce jar Pace

Picante Sauce or other store-bought or homemade saucy salsa

1 16-ounce package shredded Mexican cheese

1 8-ounce container sour cream

2 4.5-ounce cans chopped green chiles

Directions

1 Preheat the oven to 375°F. Coat two 8-inch cake pans with cooking spray.

2 In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the beef, stirring and breaking it up with a spoon, until browned. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

3 Pour the chicken broth in a large shallow dish and add the tortillas. Soak about 5 minutes; you want them soft but not mushy. Set aside 1/2 cup salsa and 1 cup cheese.

4 Place one tortilla on the bottom of each cake pan. In each pan, layer as follows: spread about 2 tablespoons of sour cream on top of the tortilla. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons chiles over the sour cream, followed by about 1/2 cup of the browned meat, 2 tablespoons salsa, and 1/3 cup shredded cheese. Top with a tortilla. Repeat to make 3 more layers of filling. Finish with a tortilla on top. (You’ll have a stack of 5 tortillas and 4 layers of filling.) Divide the reserved salsa and cheese between the two pans, spreading the salsa to cover the tortilla and sprinkling the cheese to cover the salsa.

5 Spray one side of 2 sheets of aluminum foil with cooking spray and place them oiled-side down over the pans. Bake for 30 minutes, until hot and bubbling around the edges. Serve hot.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

 

Artichoke Spinach Lasagna

Serves 8

Courtesy of Jordan Rimkus

Ingredients:

9 Lasagna Noodles (Can buy no boiling required noods and omit step 2)

1 oinoin, chopped

4 cloves garlic, copped

1 (14.5 once) can vegetable broth

1 tbsp fresh rosemary (dried a few shakes)

1 (10 oz) pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry

1 (14 oz) can marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 (28 oz) jar parmesan or alfredo sauce

3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divded

1 (4 oz) package herb and garlic feta, crumbled

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray
2. Bring large pot of lightly salted water to boil. Add noodles and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain
3. Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and heat on medium high. Saute onion and garlic for 3 minutes, or until onion is tender-crisp. Stir in broth and rosemary; bring to a boil. Stir in artichoke hearts and spinach; reduce heat, cover and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in pasta Sauce
4. Spread ¼ of the artichoke mixture in the bottom of the prepared baking dish; top with 3 cooked noodles. Sprinkle ¾ cup mozzarella cheese over noodles. Repeat layers 2 more times, ending with artichoke mixture and mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle crumbled feta on top.
5. Bake, covered for 40 minutes. Uncover, and bake 15 minutes more, or until hot and bubble. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

 

Session #2 @ Kristi W’s

 

Stuffed Cabbage Casserole

 

Servings: 10 • Serving Size: 1/10th with cheese • Old Points: 5 pts • Points+: 7 pts

Calories: 250.9 • Fat: 11.3 g • Protein: 16.9 g • Carb: 23.8 g • Fiber: 5.5 g • Sugar: 2 g

Sodium: 459 mg (without salt)  

 

Without Cheese: • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 5 pts

Calories: 194.9 • Fat: 7.7 g • Protein: 10.5 g • Carb: 23 g • Fiber: 5.5 g • Sugar: 2 g

Sodium: 291.2 mg (without salt)   

 

Ingredients:

 

• 2 tsp olive oil, divided
• 1 lb. 95% lean ground beef
• 1 large onion, chopped fine
• 1 tbsp finely minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp sweet Hungarian Paprika
• salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 heads green cabbage, coarsely chopped
• 1 can (14.5 oz.) petite dice tomatoes with juice
• 1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 2 cups low-fat mozzarella cheese (Sargento)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a large glass casserole dish with non-stick spray. (My dish was 13″ x 10″)
2. Heat a large frying pan on medium heat; add ground beef and cook until it’s browned and cooked through, breaking it apart as it cooks. Remove ground beef and set aside.
3. In the same pan, add 1 tsp olive oil, chopped onion and cook over medium heat until the onion is translucent and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic, dried thyme, and paprika and cook about 2 minutes more. Then add the diced tomatoes with juice, tomato sauce, and ground beef. Add water to the pan. Simmeruntil it’s hot and slightly thickened, about 15-20 minutes.
4. While it simmers, cut cabbage in half, cut out the core, and remove any wilted outer leaves; chop the cabbage coarsely into 1 inch pieces.
5. Heat remaining olive oil in a large frying pan or dutch oven; add the cabbage andcook over medium-high heat until the cabbage is wilted and about half cooked, turning it over several times so it all wilts and cooks. Season with salt and fresh-ground black pepper.
6. When the meat and tomato sauce mixture has cooked and thickened a bit, stir in the 2 cups of cooked rice and gently combine.
7. Spray casserole dish with non-stick spray and the layer half the cabbage, half the meat mixture, remaining cabbage, and remaining meat mixture. Cover tightly with foil and bake 40 minutes, or until the mixture is just starting to bubble on the edges.
8. Remove foil and sprinkle on cheese (if using.) Bake uncovered an additional 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and starting to slightly brown. Serve hot.
9. Freezer friendly if you have leftovers. To reheat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then either microwave until hot or heat in the oven in a glass dish covered with foil.

 

Chicken Chilaquiles (Nicole):

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/chicken-chilaquiles-10000001634740/

 

Parmesan Chicken Casserole

 

Ingredients

 

• 1 (16 ounce) packages macaroni noodles

• 1 cup dry breadcrumbs

• 2 teaspoons italian seasoning

• 1/3 cup dry parmesan cheese

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces

• 1 teaspoon olive oil

• 1 teaspoon butter

• 3 cups marinara sauce, divided

• 1 cup pre-shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

 

Directions

 

• Cook pasta, drain.

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

• Heat butter and olive oil together gently over medium heat.

• While noodles are cooking, mix bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, and Parmesan cheese in a large ziplock bag or bowl with tight-fitting lid.

• Place diced chicken in the bag or bowl and shake vigorously, coating chicken with bread mixture.

• Cook chicken in butter/oil mixture until cooked through, and browned on all sides. (about 10 minutes).

• Layer baking dish with noodles, 1/2 sauce, 1/2 shredded cheese, chicken, remaining sauce, remaining cheese.

• Bake 30 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.

 

 

Creamy, Light Macaroni and Cheese

 

Ingredients

 

• 3 cups cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 [1-pound] squash)

• 1 1/4 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth $

• 1 1/2 cups fat-free milk $

• 2 garlic cloves, peeled

• 2 tablespoons plain fat-free Greek yogurt $

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) shredded Gruyère cheese

• 1 cup (4 ounces) grated pecorino Romano cheese

• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) finely grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided

• 1 pound uncooked cavatappi

• Cooking spray $

• 1 teaspoon olive oil $

• 1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

 

Preparation

1. 1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. 2. Combine squash, broth, milk, and garlic in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer until squash is tender when pierced with a fork, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. 3. Place the hot squash mixture in a blender. Add salt, pepper, and Greek yogurt. Remove the center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Place blended squash mixture in a bowl; stir in Gruyère, pecorino Romano, and 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano. Stir until combined.
4. 4. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain well. Add pasta to squash mixture, and stir until combined. Spread mixture evenly into a 13 x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray.
5. 5. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add panko, and cook for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Sprinkle evenly over the hot pasta mixture. Lightly coat topping with cooking spray.
6. 6. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle with parsley, and serve immediately.

 

Million Dollar Casserole

 

Ingredients:

1 lb. of Ground Beef (you could also use ground turkey)

1 jar of Spaghetti Sauce (26 ounces)

8 oz of fat free Cream Cheese

1/4 cup of fat free Sour Cream

8 oz. low fat Cottage Cheese

1/4 cup of Butter

8 oz. of Noodles (I used penne pasta)

1 cup of Cheddar Cheese

Directions:

Boil a pot full of water. Add your noodles as directed on the package. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  While your noodles are boiling, mix together the cream cheese, sour cream and cottage cheese. Make sure you mix it very well!

Next place your meat in a skillet and cook until brown and cooked through. Drain it.

Pour your spaghetti sauce over the meat and mix well.Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray.

Layer half of the noodles in the bottom of the dish. Pour the creamy mixture on top of the noodles and spread it all over.

Then add the rest of your noodles and put a few slices of butter on top of those noodles. Then pour the red sauce and meat on top and again spread it all over. Place the casserole in your oven for 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes take the dish out and add your cheese on top and cook it in the over for another 15 minutes.

 

Session #3 @ Kristi T

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

 

This makes 2 casseroles!

 

Ingredients

2 packages bread stuffing dry mix   

2 cans condensed cream of mushroom soup

2 cups milk

6 cups cooked chicken breast, cubed

2 cups cooked lean ham, cubed

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

French-fried onions, optional

.

Prepare stuffing according to package. Meanwhile, in large bowl, combine soup and milk, set aside.

.

Divide chicken between 2 greased 13×9″ pans. Sprinkle with pepper. In each pan, layer ham, swiss cheese, 1 cup cheddar each, soup mixture, and stuffing. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar. Top with fried onions if desired.

.

Cover and bake the other pan at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake 10-15 minutes more.

.

To prepare from frozen, thaw in fridge overnight. Remove 30 minutes before baking. Cover and bake at 350 for 45 minutes; uncover and bake 10-15 minutes more.

 

Doritos Cheesy Chicken Casserole

Ingredients

3	cups cooked chicken, chopped (I used a rotisserie chicken)
8	oz sour cream
1	can cream of mushroom soup
1	can cream of chicken soup
1½	cups salsa or 1 can Rotel
1	can of corn, drained
2	cups Mexican cheese, shredded
1	bag of nacho cheese Doritos

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray. Crush the entire bag of Doritos and cover the bottom of the dish. Reserve one cup of cheese. Mix together remaining ingredients in a large bow. Pour chicken mixture over the Doritos. Bake for 20 min. Top casserole with the remaining cheese and bake 5 additional minutes or until melted.

Easy Mac and cheese veggie chicken casserole

 

4 tbsp country crock spread

1 cup 2%milk

8oz cooked Rotoni pasta

2 cups of diced cooked chicken

4 cups of frozen veggies thawed

2 1/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup dry bread crumbs

1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Combine 3 tbsp of country crock with milk, pasta,

Chicken, veggies and cheddar cheese in an 8 inch baking dish.

 

2. Combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and remaining country crock

In a small bowl; sprinkle on top.  Bake for 30 mins.

 

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

 

Ingredients

Jack Cheese

Large Yellow Onion

2 Large Cans of green enchilada sauce

2 1/2 chicken breasts

2 cans small diced ortega chiles (mild)

2 bag flours tortillas

butter

sour cream

 

Boil Chicken then shred

Saute diced onions in butter then add chicken and 2 small cans of diced ortega chilis

 

Start layering

Torillas

Sour cream

chicken mix

green enchilada sauce

jack cheese and repeat

 

Top final layer of torillas green sauce and cheese

 

Cook for 30 minutes at 350- longer if frozen

 

Mediterranean Spaghetti Squash Casserole

 

1 medium spaghetti squash

2 cups arugula or spinach {I’m sure thawed frozen would work, too}

1 clove garlic

1/2 cup low fat or fat free cottage cheese

1 egg

1 cup marinara sauce {homemade or storebought}, divided

1/2 cup grated parmesan, divided

10 black Greek olives, pitted and chopped

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a sheet pan with foil.

 

Puncture spaghetti squash a few times with a sharp knife. Place on sheet pan and bake for about 1 hour {should be tender when pierced with a knife}. When finished baking, remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.

 

Cut in half and carefully scrape out seeds. With a fork, scrape the squash to separate flesh into “strands” and place in a medium bowl. Set aside.

 

In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat. Add grated garlic to pan and cook for about a minute, careful not to burn. Add arugula or spinach and sautee until just wilted. Remove from heat and set aside.

 

In the bowl of a food processor, add 1/2 cup cottage cheese and egg. Process until almost smooth. {Ricotta cheese consistency} Set aside.

 

In a large bowl, combine squash, sauteed greens, cottage cheese mixture, 1/2 cup marinara sauce, 1/4 cup grated parmesan, chopped olives, oregano, and basil until well incorporated.

Spray a glass baking dish with lightly non-stick cooking spray.  Spread squash mixture evenly in baking dish. Spread remaining marinara sauce evenly over squash mixture. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan. Lightly spray with olive oil. {Or drizzle if you don’t have a Misto.}

 

Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil, and continue baking for 15 more minutes or until bubbly and slightly browned.

 

Serve hot.

 

Session #4 @ Jess’s

 

Chicken Curry

INGREDIENTS

• 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
• 2 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced
• 8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 16 thin slices peeled fresh ginger (about 1 ounce)
• 2 tablespoons curry powder, preferably Madras
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Coarse salt
• 2 packages frozen green peas (10 ounces each)
• 2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
• 1/2 cup toasted cashews (optional, for serving)
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves (optional, for serving)

DIRECTIONS

 

• STEP 1

 

1. 1. In a 5-quart slow cooker, toss chicken, onion, garlic, ginger, curry powder, coriander, and cumin to coat. Season with 2 teaspoons salt. Cover, cook on high setting until chicken is fork-tender, about 4 hours (do not uncover while cooking).

 

• IN THIS STEP:

 

1. 1. • How to Slice Garlic

 

• STEP 2

 

1. 1. Stir in coconut milk and peas; cover, cook until peas are heated through, about 20 minutes.

 

• STEP 3

 

1. 1. Transfer chicken to a large bowl; shred with fork. Return to pot; toss with sauce.

 

• STEP 4

 

1. To serve, garnish with 1/2 cup toasted cashews and 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, if desired.

 

Beef Stroganoff

1/2 cup minced onion

1/4 cup butter

1lb stew beet

1/8 t paprika

2 cups chopped mushrooms

3/4 cup sour cream

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup cream cheese

1 t salt

1 t peper

 

Mix sour cream, cream cheese and mushroom soup in a small bowl. Add all ingredients to a large freezer bag, toss well to coat and freeze. When ready place ingredients in crockpot and cook on low 6-8 hours. Serve over hot noodles.

 

Slow cooker basil chicken

(serves 4 adults so MULTIPLY THESE INGREDIENTS BY 5)

2 pounds chicken thighs (mine were boneless, skinless)

1 (14.5-ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes

1 (14.5-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup pitted green olives

1/4 cup tightly packed basil leaves

8 ounces crumbled feta cheese

The Directions-

Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Place the chicken into the bottom of your cooker, and add the entire can of tomatoes, and toss in the rinsed garbanzo beans. Sprinkle on green olives, add the basil leaves(I left my leaves whole) and crumble on the feta cheese. Cover, and cook on low for 6-7 hours, or on high for about 3 hours. If you’d like to use frozen chicken, increase the time about 45 minutes or so.

 

 

 

Slow Cooker BBQ Spareribs

Ingredients:

1-2 lbs of country-style pork ribs

1 1/2 cups ketchup

1 1/2 Tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning

1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white vinegar

Directions:

Place pork in resealable gallon-sized freezer bag. Mix remaining ingredients together in a bowl and pour over pork. Mix together in bag and zip closed.

When ready to eat, remove from freezer and thaw in fridge for 24 hours. Cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW for 6-7 hours.

 

Session # 5 @ Morgan’s

 

Healthy BBQ Mama Chicken

Ingredients

•        3 medium unpeeled sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces, about 2 cups
•        2 large green pepper, cut into strips or cubes, about 2 cups
•        1 large red pepper, cut into strips or cubes, about 1 cup
•        2 zucchini, chopped, about 2 cups
•        2 cups chopped onion
•        2 tablespoon quick cooking tapioca (or flour, or some other thickening agent)
•        2 pounds chicken thighs or drumsticks
•        2 15oz cans of tomato sauce
•        4 tablespoons packed brown sugar
•        2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
•        2 tablespoon ground yellow mustard
•        2 clove garlic, finely minced, about 2 tablespoons
•        1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1.     Divide everything into two separate one gallon freezer bags, shake it up, seal, label and put in the freezer
2.     On the day of cooking, dump it into your slow cooker and cook on high for 4 to 6 hours, or low 6-8 hours, depending on your specific slow cooker
3.     If you want, you can add 1/2 cup of chicken stock to have more sauce, but the liquid from the frozen meat and vegetables melting should give you enough liquid to work with
4.     Every slow cooker is different, so just watch yours the first time you make it.

 

 

 

Crock Pot Italian Beef Stew

A hearty beef stew made in your crockpot/slow cooker.

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp cooking oil, divided
• 2 lb beef round roast
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 large onion, sliced into thin wedges
• 2 large carrots, cut into 2 inch pieces (split in half if they
• 8 oz red potatoes, skin-on, quartered
• 1 14.5 oz can reduced-fat/sodium chicken broth
• 6 oz tomato paste
• 1 cup red wine
• 4 clove garlic, minced
• 1 sprig rosemary (or 1 tsp dried)
• 2 sprigs each thyme, and oregano (or 1/2-1 tsp each dried)
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 cup spinach leaves, chopped
• 1 cup basil leaves, chopped

 

 

 

Mushroom, Celery & Garlic Soup

 

Ingredients (Serves 4)

 

4.5 cups chopped mushrooms

4 celery sticks, chopped

3 garlic cloves

3 tbsp white white (or dry sherry)

3 cups chicken stock

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

 

salt and freshly ground black pepper

celery leaves, to garnish ( I didn’t garnish it either!)

 

Method

 

1. Place the mushrooms, celery and garlic ina  pan and stir in the sherry or wine. Cover and cook over a low heat for 30-40 minutes until the vegetable sare tender.
2. Add half the stock and puree in a food processor or blender until smooth. Return to the pan and add the remaining stock, the Worcestershire sauce and nutmet.
3. Bring to a boil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot, garnished with celery leaves.

 

Picadillo Paleo

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground beef (grass-fed is best)

1 pound cooked nitrite-free chicken sausages, diced

1 1/2 tablespoons chilli powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes, drained slightly

1 6 oz can tomato paste

1 1/2 red onions, diced

2 chopped and seeded Anaheim peppers (leave some seeds in if you want more of a kick)

1 chopped and seeded poblano pepper

20 green olives, chopped

8 cloves of garlic, minced

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Brown ground beef on the stove.  Drain, then place in slow cooker.  Add all other ingredients except salt.  Stir to combine, cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

It’s THAT easy!

 

Session #6

 

Pulled Pork

1/2 onion

3.5 lb pork shoulder “pork butt”

1 Can dr. Pepper

1 tbsp brown sugar

 

Add 1/4 cup h20 when cooking

Cook on high 2-3 hrs

 

“Hurry Up” Hungarian Goulash

2 onions, coarsely chopped

8 carrots, cut in bite-size pieces 4 stalks of celery, also in bite-size pieces

3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

3 pounds beef stew meat, cut into one inch cubes

1 6-ounce can tomato paste

4 tsp paprika

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1T white vinegar

4T brown sugar

2T yellow mustard

2 cups beef broth (made with 2 bouillon cubes)

 

This recipe makes two dinners, so dump everything into two gallon freezer bags. Label and freeze up to six months. To prepare, cook in crock pot on high for 4 hours or low for 8-10 hours.

 

Cilantro Lime Chicken

 

1 1/2 pounds of chicken breast

juice from 2 limes

1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

1 (16 oz) bag frozen corn

2 minced garlic cloves

1/2 red onion, chopped

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 tsp cumin

salt and pepper to taste

 

Place all ingredients in a resealable gallon-sized freezer bag. Mix together and zip bag closed.

When ready to eat, remove from freezer and thaw in fridge for 24 hours. Cook on LOW for 8 hours (or HIGH for 4 hours).

 

Serve with tortillas and your favorite toppings (sour cream, guacamole, salsa, and cheese).

 

Cauliflower Chicken Casserole

 

• 1 head of cauliflower
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup green onions (white and green parts), chopped
• 1 tsp. chile powder
• 1 tbsp. Southwest Chipotle seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• salt, as desired
• 3 chicken breasts, chopped
• 6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 Roma tomato, chopped
• 3 tbs. cilantro
• EVOO or bacon fat for sautéing

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Cut cauliflower into florets. Steam for 5-7 minutes.
3. While cauliflower is cooking, cook chicken in skillet over medium-high heat, using drizzled EVOO to cook. (You can also use previously baked chicken).
4. Cook 6 strips of bacon. Set aside, and use small amount of grease from bacon to saute red pepper. Saute for 3 minutes, then add green onion and garlic. Saute additional 2 minutes.
5. Into a mixing bowl, stir cauliflower, chili powder, Caribbean jerk marinade, cumin, and salt. Once stirred, add sauteed veggies, chicken, bacon, tomato, and cilantro.
6. Grease a 9 x 9 baking dish, and pour mixture into dish. Bake for 20 minutes.

 

Chicken cacciatore

Ingredients:

• 8 chicken thighs, with the bone, skin removed
• 28 oz can crushed tomatoes (Tuttorosso my favorite!)
• 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
• 1/2 green bell pepper, sliced into strips
• 1/2 large onion, sliced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and fresh pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup fresh herbs such as basil or parsley for topping

 

Directions:

 

Quick method: Season chicken with salt and black pepper and place in the slow cooker. Pour tomatoes over the chicken, top with onions and peppers, add oregano, bay leaf, salt and pepper, give it a quick stir and cover. Set crock pot to LOW 8 hours or HIGH 4 hours. When the timer beeps, remove lid and keep the crock pot on HIGH one hour to help it thicken.

 

Better method but requires more prep:  Heat a large skillet over medium-high, lightly spray with oil (I use my Misto) and brown chicken on both sides a few minutes, season with salt and pepper. Add to the slow cooker. To the skillet, spray with a little more oil and add onions and peppers. Sauté until juices release and the vegetables become golden, a few minutes.

 

Add to the slow cooker. Pour tomatoes over the chicken and vegetables, add oregano, bay leaf, salt and pepper, give it a quick stir and cover. Set crock pot to LOW 8 hours or HIGH 4 hours.

 

Remove bay leaf, adjust salt and pepper and enjoy!

 

Paleo Chicken Curry

Makes: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 to 1.5 pounds of boneless chicken breast, diced
• 2 cans of coconut milk
• 3 Tbsp red curry paste (try Thai House for paleo-friendly)
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1/2 medium red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 medium green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/4 head of cauliflower, chopped
• 1/4 head of cabbage, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced

***Add some more curry powder for more flavor

Instructions:

1. Turn crock pot to low before starting prep.
2. Pour coconut milk and chicken broth into crock pot and add curry paste. Stir until dissolve.
3. Cut chicken into 1″ cubes. Place into crock pot and stir.
4. Chop onion, red pepper, and green pepper into 1″ cubes. Place into crock pot and stir.
5. Chop 1/4 of cauliflower head into florets and place into crock pot.
6. Quarter cabbage head. Cut 1 of these wedges into thin strips and separate. Add the cabbage to crock pot and stir.
7. Minced 3 cloves of garlic and add to pot.
8. Cover and let cook on low for 4 hours.

 

 

Slow Cooker Paleo Orange Chicken

 

• 2 lbs. chicken thighs, skinless and boneless, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 small can tomato paste
• 1/8 c. orange juice
• 4 T. gluten-free Soy Sauce
• 3 T. honey
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2″ piece fresh ginger, grated (or a few pinches of ground ginger)
• 1/2 tsp rice vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. red chili paste
• 2 T. arrowroot powder
• salt and pepper

 

Place chicken in bottom of crock.

Mix remaining ingredients except arrowroot powder together in a large bowl. Dump mixture over the top of the chicken.

Cover and crock on LOW  7-8 hours, or on HIGH for 4 hours. Make sure chicken is cooked thoroughly.

Remove chicken from crock and set aside. Add the arrowroot powder to the liquid left in the crock and mix together well. Cook on HIGH for another 15 minutes to thicken.

Serve the chicken over some riced cauliflower or steamed broccoli and carrots and ladle the orange sauce over the top.

 

Paleo Carne Guisada

 

Ingredients:

–  2 lbs. beef stew meat, cut into 1″ pieces

– 1 medium yellow onion, chopped

– 16 oz of beef  stock

– 6 oz of organic tomato paste

– 2 Tbsp. garlic powder

– 1 Tbsp.cumin

– 2 Tbsp. Olive oil

– Sea salt

– Ground black pepper

– Chopped fresh cilantro (optional garnish)

 

Directions:

1. Salt and pepper the beef stew meat. Heat olive oil in cast iron or heavy bottom pan to medium high heat, and brown beef stew in batches (not cooking fully). Be careful not to crowd the meat as you want those brown bits and they hold so much flavor.
2. Once browned on all sides, remove the meat, lower the heat to medium add the chopped onion. Salt the onion (lightly) to cook down the onion, stirring often, for about 5 minutes.
3. Add the beef stock and scrape up the brown bits. Add the tomato paste, garlic powder, and cumin and stir to combine.

 

*Two ways to finish this meal*

 

Option 1: Add the meat back into the pan and bring to a boil, stirring until the tomato paste is fully mixed in, then lower heat to medium-low and cover for 30-40 minutes or until meat is tender. Keep an eye on this and stir every few

minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

 

Option 2. Add meat to a crockpot and pour the finished stock over. Mix and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours. Salt and pepper to taste.

 

Slow Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken

An easy slow cooker recipe for Lemon Garlic Chicken.

Ingredients

• 4 lemons
• 2-3 heads of garlic
• 1 whole chicken 4 to 5 pounds ( we did breasts)
• Fresh rosemary, or any fresh herbs
• All-purpose steak seasoning or salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Cut garlic heads and lemons in half and lay in bottom of slow cooker.
2. Cut the bottoms off the lemons so they lay flat.
3. Add a sprig of rosemary, or any herbs.
4. Remove insides from chicken, rinse chicken and pat dry.
5. Season chicken well, inside and out, with all-purpose steak seasoning or salt and pepper.
6. Lay chicken on top of garlic and lemon slices and stuff the chicken with a garlic head cut in half, and a lemon cut in quarters.
7. Cover top of chicken with additional lemon slices and rosemary.
8. Turn slow cooker to high, and cook for about 4 hours, or until chicken reaches 165 degrees.
9. Slow cooker cooking times vary.
10. Important: Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness.
11. When chicken has reached 165, turn off slow cooker and let chicken rest for about 15 minutes.
12. Remove from slow cooker, carve and serve.
13. Liquid from slow cooker can be strained and served over chicken.

Crock Pot Artichoke Chicken Recipe

• 1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts (I used thighs) (Each piece of chicken should be about 4 ounces each.)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 can (14 ounces) quartered artichoke hearts, drained
• ½ cup chopped onion
• ½ cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
• 1 cup nonfat chicken broth
• ¼ cup dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon quick-cooking tapioca
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Coat the ceramic insert of your slow cooker with cooking spray. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and place the chicken in the slow cooker.
2. In a medium size bowl, mix together the tomatoes, artichoke hearts, onion, olives, broth, wine, tapioca, parsley, basil and thyme. Pour mixture over the chicken.
3. Cover and cook on LOW, 4 to 6 hours or until fork tender. (Mine were fork tender at 4 hours so I switched the ninja to warm for several hours till dinner.)

 

Take Out, Fake Out: Beef & broccoli (Crockpot

 

Ingredients:

1 lb. boneless, beef chuck roast, sliced into thin strips

1 cup beef consumme or beef broth ½ cup low sodium soy sauce

⅓ cup dark brown sugar

1 tbsp. sesame oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp. cornstarch

4 tbsp. sauce (from the crockpot after dish is cooked)

Frozen broccoli florets (as many as desired, I believe I used almost 2 cups)

White rice, cooked

 

Instructions:

1. In the insert of the crockpot, whisk together beef consume, soy sauce, dark brown sugar, sesame oil, and garlic.
2. Gently place your slices of beef in the liquid and toss to coat.
3. Turn crockpot on low and cook for 6 hours.
4. When done, in a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and cooking liquid to create a slurry, pour into crockpot, stir to mix well. Cook on low for an additional 30 minutes to thicken up the sauce.
5. Toss in your broccoli florets then serve hot over white rice. Notes: Note about cooking time: Your crockpot may differ in temperature than mine, I suggest cooking this for 4 hours on your first go­ round of this dish.  6 hours in the crockpot seems to be giving a lot of people “shredded” beef instead of slices, so decrease cooking time by 2 hours and go from there. Mine turned out fine with 6 hours.

 

If you are using frozen broccoli florets, you do NOT need to defrost them prior to putting them in the crockpot. You add them in at the same time as you add the cornstarch slurry. As stated in the instructions, after you add the cornstarch slurry, you cook for 30 more minutes. This should be more than enough time to cook and defrost your broccoli florets. If you’re using fresh broccoli, you do NOT need to steam them prior to putting them in the crockpot. You add them in at the same time as you add the cornstarch slurry. Since you cook an additional 30 minutes, this will ensure that your fresh broccoli will be cooked through. Yes, you put the meat in the slow cooker raw, in sliced pieces

 

Crock Pot Roast

Ingredients

4 lb (1816g)  beef chuck roast

1 tbsp (14g)  light oil (for sautéing … such as coconut, olive or ghee)

1 cup (232g)  red wine, good quality

4 each (12g)  garlic cloves

10 sprigs (10g)  fresh thyme

1 each (.64g)  bay leaf

1 large (72g)  carrot, peeled and cut into chunks

2 each (101g)  celery ribs, cut into chunks

1 small (110g)  onion, cut into chunks

1 small (420g)  head cauliflower, leaves removed and cut into florets

salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste

1. Turn on your slow cooker, setting it to low.
2. Season your beef with a good layer and salt and pepper.
3. Heat a large sauté pan or skillet over medium high heat. Add your oil to the pan and swirl it around. Quickly add your beef to the pan and sear it, until a nice brown crust has formed. Flip it over and sear the other side. Continue flipping it, until all sides have been properly seared. Add your beef to the crock pot.
4. Pour your red wine into the still very hot pan, with all the “stuff” stuck to the bottom. This should QUICKLY boil, releasing some of those little flavor morsels into the hot wine. Swirl the pan around and use a wooden spoon to scrape anything else off the bottom of the pan, into the wine. Pour the wine mixture over the top of the beef.
5. Add your garlic, thyme and bay leaves to the slow cooker, making sure it’s pushed into the liquid.
6. Add the rest of the vegetables, except the cauliflower. Season with a bit of salt and pepper. Again, push these into the areas on the side of the roast, as much as possible. You don’t want much of it covering the roast. You want most of the veggies on the sides, surrounding the roast. As this all cooks, the meat and veggies will shrink, releasing their juices, creating an AMAZING flavor, as well as creating its own natural juices, in which to cook! Getting everything as close to the bottom of the pot, as is possible, will help this process along.
7. Add the lid and allow the ingredients to cook for 8 hours.
8. After 8 hours, add your cauliflower to the pot and push the florets under the surface of the liquid, as much as possible. Season with a bit of salt and pepper. Cover and cook for 20

Paleo Slow Cooker Stuffed Bell Peppers

• 1 pound of ground Italian hot sausage.
• 5 assorted bell peppers. I went with 2 green, 2 red, 1 yellow.
• 1/2 head of cauliflower, grated or chopped into a “rice” consistency.
• 1 small (8 ounce) can of tomato paste.
• 1 small white onion, medium dice.
• 1/2 head of garlic, minced.
• 1 small handfull of fresh basil, minced (or 2 tsp. dried).
• 2 tsp dried oregano.
• 2 tsp dried thyme.

How you make it:

1. Cut the tops off of your peppers and scoop out and discard the seed, yet do save the tops!
2. Process or chop about half a head of cauliflower into “rice” and put in a large mixing bowl.
3. Add your minced garlic, basil, and dried herbs, and onion to your cauliflower and mix by hand.
4. Use a very hot skillet to lightly brown your sausage. This step is entirely optional based on your motivational level. The sausage will cook just fine in your slow cooker, yet I personally like to hit it with a little sear to take the flavor up a notch.
5. Add your sausage and can of tomato paste to your bowl of seasoned cauliflower and mix by hand. Let the kids do this part, getting hands messy in necessary, a spoon just won’t cut it.
6. Fit as much of your sausage mixture into your peppers as you can. Place your peppers into your slow cooker and loosely place the pepper tops back on. If you have extra meat and cauliflower mixture, just jam in between your peppers and let it cook. You could save it for a breakfast scramble too if you are awesome, yet I’d just feed the slow cooker more.
7. Cook on low for 6 hours. I set my slow cooker to shut off once it’s temperature probe hit 180 degrees. Maybe I just like using that feature. Just cook it on low for 6 hours.
8. Please do post in comments if you made any super modifications to this recipe you think others will enjoy.

 

 

Crockpot Rosemary Chicken with Butternut Squash

Ingredients

• 3 pounds butternut squash, peeled and seeded
• 1½ pounds chicken thighs, browned (opt step)
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil, for browning
• 1 medium onion, small dice
• 1 cup Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup
• 1 Tablespoon rosemary, minced
• 1 Tablespoon sea salt
• Grated Parmesan for serving if desired

Instructions

1. Cube the squash into 1½ inch cubes and place a 4-qt crockpot. Cut the onion into small dice and place it in with the squash.
2. If you’re browning the chicken, place a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the olive oil and the chicken thighs. Brown for just a minute on each side. Transfer the chicken to the crockpot.
3. Pour the Homemade Cream of Chicken soup over the top and sprinkle with sea salt and rosemary.
4. Place the lid on the crockpot and turn to low for 8 hours.
5. The cooking time will vary depending on the size of the chicken thighs and your individual crockpot. I like to try a new crockpot recipe on the weekend when I’m home to see how it works for me the first time!

Indian Butter Chicken

 

Ingredients

1 1/2- 2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 onion, sliced

6 garlic cloves, chopped

4 T butter

2 t curry powder

1/2 t cayenne pepper

2 t garam masala

1/2 ground ginger

1 (6oz) can tomato paste

2 T lemon juice

1 (14 oz) can light coconut milk

1 C nonfat greek yogurt

 

Directions

1. Place the chicken, onion, garlic and dry spices in the slow cooker
2. add the butter, tomato paste, lemon juice and coconut milk
3. cover and cook on low for 8 hrs or high for 4
4. remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred with a fork. Return chicken to slow cooker
5. Stir in yogurt for about 15 minutes before serving
6. salt to taste
7. serve with rice and steamed broccoli

 

 

Easy Paleo Crockpot Beef Stew

Ingredients

1.5 lebs of beef stew meat

bag of baby carrots

1 onion cut into chunks

6 cloves of garlic minced

4 yellow squash

4 stalks fo celery

1 cup of chicken broth

1 cup red wine

1/2 tbsp Onion powder

2 tbsp minced onions

salt, pepper and Trader Joe’s everyday seasoning if you have it.

 

Cover and cook low 8 hrs, high 4 hrs.

 

 

Stupid Easy Paleo Spaghetti Squash & Meatballs

 

What you need:

• One medium spaghetti squash.
• One pound of ground Italian sausage.
• One can of tomato sauce, I used a 14 ounce can.
• 2 tbsp of hot pepper relish (optional).
• 4 to 6 cloves of garlic, whole.
• 2 tbsp of olive oil.
• Italian seasoning (Oregano, Basil, Thyme) to taste, I used about 2 tsp

How you make it:

1. Make sure you use a large 6 quart slow cooker for this recipe.
2. Dump your tomato sauce, olive oil, garlic, hot pepper relish and Italian seasoning into your slow cooker and stir well.
3. Cut your squash in half and scoop out the seeds.
4. Place your 2 squash halves face down into your slow cooker.
5. Roll your ground sausage into meatballs, then fit as many as you can in the sauce around the squash. I was able to work in about a half pound worth.
6. Cook on High for 3 hours or cook on low for 5 hours.
7. Use a large fork to pull the “spaghetti” out of your squash, then top with your meatballs and sauce.
8. Garnish with parsley if you feel fancy, and enjoy!

 

 

Slow Cooker Honey Soy Chicken and Noodles Recipe

Ingredients:

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup rice vinegar

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chili sauce

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon pepper

1 (8 ounce) pkg. Soba Noodles, cooking according to package directions

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Directions:

Place chicken in slow cooker.  In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, garlic, chili sauce, mustard and pepper.  Pour prepared sauce over chicken.  Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6 hours.  Shred chicken and return to slow cooker.  Add in cooked noodles and stir until combined.  Garnish with sesame seeds.

 

Crockpot Chicken Adobo

Ingredients: 1 tsp. olive oil

2 shallots, minced

6 cloves of garlic, minced

3 tbsp. dark brown sugar

½ tsp. ground black pepper

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

2 bay leaves

½ cup chicken stock

½ cup low­sodium soy sauce

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

2 pounds chicken thighs, excess fat removed*

 

Instructions:

1. Rub the olive oil around the inside of your slow cooker then throw in your shallots, garlic, brown sugar, pepper, cayenne and bay leaves.
2. Then pour in your chicken stock, soy sauce, and apple cider vinegar. Stir everything together with a spoon to make sure everything is distributed evenly.
3. Add in your chicken thighs and use the spoon to spoon some of the sauce on top so it’s coated. Or you can just push the thighs down into the liquid.
4. Cook on low for 6 hours.
5. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.
6. When your chicken is done, remove it from the crockpot insert and place it on the prepared baking sheet. With oven mitts, lift out the insert and strain the sauce into a 8/7/2015 Crockpot Chicken Adobo

 

http://www.tablefortwoblog.com/easyrecipe­print/2052­0/ 2/2 pot (using a large mesh strainer to catch the bits of garlic and shallots, etc) and let the sauce cook down for about 20 minutes. It should start to thicken up. If it’s not thickening up as quickly as you’d like, you can add in a bit of cornstarch and water mixture and it’ll thicken right up! 7. Using a brush, brush the sauce on the chicken, coating it well, then put the chicken in the oven and broil it on high for about 3­5 minutes. 8. Remove from oven and serve with white rice (what I did) or whatever else you prefer. There will be extra sauce left so you can coat your chicken & rice in more sauce.