Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potatoes

This is truly a set it and forget it dinner. EVERYTHING cooks together in the slow cooker and is all done at the same time. If you have never baked a potato in the crock pot, then let me take you on a little journey of enlightenment.

These are BBQ chicken stuffed potatoes, but you could do any number of toppings. What I did was scrub and prick the potatoes with a fork, just like you would if you were going to microwave them or bake in an oven. Then you can rub them with olive oil and sea salt or just keep them plain and wrap in foil. Set aside.    For my BBQ chicken potatoes, I chopped up an onion and placed it in the bottom of the slow cooker. Then on top of that place your chicken breasts (for 2 servings I used 1 large breast for 2 potatoes. Double as needed). The chicken can be fresh or frozen. I dumped around a cup of bottled BBQ sauce over the chicken. Enough to cover the meat. Then place your wrapped potatoes on top, put the lid on your cooker, and cook for 5-8 hours or until the chicken is cooked and the potatoes are tender. 

  Garnish with sour cream, cheese and chopped green onions. Easy Peasy!

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Easy Buffalo Chicken Eggrolls

My little bug brought home a bug...virus bug. She got over it in 4 days. Me on the other hand? Down and out. I'm STILL coughing 2 weeks later! It's no fun taking 10 days of horse pill sized antibiotics. I accidentally forgot to take last night's dose, so I am now terrified of a relapse. But enough sick talk - on to the food!

I love appetizers. We often have appetizer dinners. Cheese fries, nachos, etc. Why not? We are huge buffalo chicken fans. It's really so quick and easy to whip up. You can make quesadillas, sandwiches, wraps or nachos. I take a few chicken breasts and pop them in a crock pot sprayed with cooking spray and set it on low for about 5 hours. Then put the cooked breasts into a stand mixer to shred and add your favorite buffalo sauce. I usually just use the normal Frank's Red Hot sauce, but the buffalo version was on sale at my grocery store so I decided to give that a go. It was delicious!

Here's what you need. You'll find the eggroll wrappers in the refrigerated section. At my store, it was near the tofu products. As you can see, I've already slow cooked and shredded my chicken. I used broccoli slaw, but you could use regular slaw or even just diced up cabbage.

They fry up nice and golden brown. Be sure to drain them really well on paper towels or napkins. You could also use a wire rack over a sheet pan if you prefer not to use paper products.

Serve them up with Ranch or Blue Cheese dressing!

Easy Buffalo Chicken Eggrolls

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs Chicken Breasts (fresh or frozen)
• 1/2 Cup Hot Sauce or Buffalo Sauce
• 1 Package Egg Roll Wrappers
• Broccoli Slaw (or regular slaw mix or shred your own cabbage)
• 1 Small container of Crisco
• Ranch or Blue Cheese dressing for dipping
• Optional: Crumbled blue cheese or mozzarella can be added into the roll

Directions:

1. Place your chicken in a crock pot sprayed with cooking spray. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. (Alternatively you can bake or boil your chicken if you don't want to slow cook it)
2. Shred cooked chicken and add buffalo sauce to you're liking.
3. In a cast iron skillet (or whatever you like to fry in) add entire contents of Crisco can. Heat on med/hi or until oil is around 350º
4. On a clean surface, lay out 1 egg roll wrapper. Add about 1/4 cup of chicken mix about an inch up from the bottom of the wrapper and leaving about an inch or half inch on the sides. Top with an equal amount of slaw and optional cheese (don't over fill). Roll up from the bottom, tucking the sides in. With wet fingertips, dampen the edges of the wrapper so they stick. It's important to get a good seal.
5. Fry the rolls in batches in the oil, turning so they are golden brown all the way around. Your insides are cooked already, so we are just looking to get the wrapper crispy and golden!
6. Serve with dressing, Enjoy!

Crock Pot Lemon Chicken

Now that the weather is finally cooling off, I am using my crock pot like twice a week! It would make more sense that I should use it more in the summer, since the kitchen stays cooler with the oven off, but there's something about fall and all those cozy slow cooker recipes that make me wanna throw on some camp socks and sip on a pumpkin spiced latte.

Here's a pic of my little helper. I wish I could dress up my crock pot like a witches cauldron for Halloween. That would be sweet.

Crock Pot Lemon Chicken

Serves 2 and a half. 

Ingredients:

• Two large chicken breasts (fresh or frozen)
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 4 cloves of garlic pressed or diced
• 1 tbsp of Lemon Pepper seasoning
• 1/2 tsp Oregano 
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
• 1/2 Cup water
• 1 bell pepper, cut into strips*

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients into slow cooker and stir around to combine
2. Cook on low 6 hours

Serving suggestions:
Serve on a bed of brown rice with a green veggie on the side. Spoon left over juices over chicken and rice.  This recipe can easily be doubled or mixed up raw and frozen to cook later. Just thaw in fridge overnight before cooking.

Cheesy Chicken, Beans and Rice - Crockpot Recipe!

I love a good midweek Crockpot dinner. It is such a nice feeling knowing your dinner is cooking away while you plow through your day, counting the minutes until the weekend. This meal was SO good.

I used two large chicken breasts that I froze previously. This meal could easily be a freezer crockpot dinner. Mix everything in a large zip lock and pop in the freezer. Boom. If you eat much rice, I totally stand by the purchase of a rice cooker. They will pay for themselves in money and time. I use this one. 

When my chicken was almost done, I started up my rice cooker and sliced half a small red onion on a small mandolin slicer, like this one. Throw a couple tablespoons of red wine vinegar on the onions in a small bowl covered with Saran Wrap and pop in the fridge until it's time to eat. Dice up some cilantro as a garnish. I just heated up a can of seasoned black beans on the stove.

Cheesy Chicken, black beans and rice. Crockpot recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2-4 Chicken breasts (can be fresh or frozen)
• 1 Can Nacho Cheese Soup
• 1 Jar Salsa 16oz
• 1 Can seasoned black beans
• 2 Cups prepared White or Brown Rice
• 1/2 Red Onion, thinly sliced
• 2 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
• 1 Cup Shredded Cheddar (optional garnish)
• 1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Cilantro (optional garnish)

 Directions:

1. Add can of cheese soup and jar of salsa to crockpot sprayed with cooking spray. Stir to combine. Add in your chicken and stir around to coat chicken
2. Cook on LOW for 5-7 hours or until chicken is cooked through
3. Meanwhile, mix sliced onions and vinegar to a tupperware or small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until dinnertime. At least 20 min but can be all day or even overnight.
4. Heat beans in microwave or on stovetop. Serve chicken and sauce from crockpot over cooked rice w/ beans on the side. Garnish with onions, cheese and cilantro!

Crockpot Chicken Nachos

It's Sunday - and it's raining - and I'm feeling SUPER lazy. Lazy days call for easy dinners and it can't get any easier than these Crockpot Chicken Nachos! Depending on how much you want to make, add either 1 large or 2 smaller chicken breasts to your Crockpot. (Mine were frozen, just throw them in.) Cook on low for about 6 hours or high for around 3. Then shred and season. Layer up your chosen nacho toppings and pop under the broiler for a few minutes until bubbly. SUPER easy and SUPER tasty! Here's how I made mine.

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts, fresh or frozen
• Chicken broth or water (enough to come half way up the chicken in the pot)
• Half a bag of tortilla chips
• 2 Cups Shredded cheddar cheese
• 4oz Can of Black Olives
• 16oz of Salsa
• 1 Can Black beans, rinsed

Directions:

• Spread out half the chips on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.
• Cover with half of the toppings
• Spread a layer of chips on top and the rest of the toppings
• Broil until warm and bubbly
• Serve with more salsa, sour cream, avocados, etc.

Easy Crock Pot Baked Ziti

I LOVE minimal prep Crock Pot dinners. Especially on busy week nights when I KNOW I am not going to feel like messing with dinner. Sometimes when I am browsing slow cooker recipes I skip over any of them that require you to sear or pre cook the meat. That's how lazy I am on Crock Pot night... I want to dump everything in that bad boy and push the button. I have never done any of the freezer meals I've seen online, but the ease of those intrigue me!

Here's a go to slow cooker meal my family and I make quite often. Aside from the ricotta, a lot of the ingredients are things you would have on hand. Pair it with a crisp green salad and homemade dressing and you're a dinner making super hero.

Crock Pot Baked Ziti

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ziti or tubular noodle of choice.
• 1 15oz container of ricotta (I haven't tried this recipe with cottage cheese, but I don't see why it wouldn't work as well)
• 2 25oz jars of your favorite spaghetti sauce
• 1 Cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 Cup shredded Parmesan (I suggest you use the real deal but I'm sure the powdery kind is fine to use as well)
• 2 tsp Garlic Salt (This is a GO TO seasoning for me. You can cut french bread into rounds, brush with olive oil and sprinkle with this seasoning and broil until golden for instant garlic bread!) 
• 2/3 Cup water

Directions:
In a medium bowl, mix the ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan and garlic salt. Set aside

Rinse the noodles under cold water so they get a little damp. Spray your cooker with cooking spray and put half the noodles in an even layer on the bottom.

Pour 1 of the jars of sauce over the noodles and dot half of the cheese mixture on top of the sauce. Then, layer the rest of the noodles evenly on top. Pour your other jar of sauce and dot the remaining cheese on the top.

Pour 2/3 Cup of water in on everything and place the lid on your cooker. Cook on HIGH for 2-3 hours.

I had to cook mine on the longer side - everyone's slow cooker is different!

Enjoy with a cheap bottle of red wine if you are so inclined. I really enjoy this:

Menu Planning - How I do it

Grocery lists and menu planning are a necessary evil. I say that lightly because I actually like planning out our menu for the week. But as everything in life that you HAVE to do, sometimes it can be tedious.

We my hubby and I first got married, I couldn't cook for the life of me. Most of our dinners revolved around a box of Mac and Cheese. (We throw back to that every now and then though, don't get me wrong!). Because of finances and my love of good food, I came to love learning new dishes and techniques. I have an extensive library of cookbooks and pin boards to prove it!

Along the way through 8 years of marriage and a baby, I've cracked the code on a good weekly menu. I used to pour though my food magazines and cookbooks and pick out tasty options as if I was ordering at a fancy restaurant. I would go to the grocery store, pick up all the ingredients and then "it" would happen... That's right, life would happen. Work would happen, projects, laundry... you know, life. As it happens, no one feels like whipping up crazy "Martha Stewart level" dinners EVERY night. So, for me, this method works. Here's the plan:

6 dinners a week
One night a week, usually Friday, we get a pizza or takeout as a treat. If that's not in your budget you can use that night for a frozen pizza, sandwiches or leftovers.

1 night for a new or difficult recipe
I use one night to try something new or to do a difficult recipe. Just one a week. Play it by ear as the week happens if you need to to see what night works best. Maybe that is your Friday or Saturday. Usually that is Tuesday for me, oddly enough!

1 Night for the Crock Pot (or Slow Cooker if you prefer!)
I always make sure I use my crock pot at least once per week. It allows me to be lazy or it helps me out when my day is busy! I am planning on doing a post later on my top go to crock pot meals that I use over and over. I LOVE my crock pot. I have 2. :)

1 Night Meat Free
This REALLY helps with the grocery bill. It also helps with the waistline! There are a ton of reasons to go meat free at least once a week. More than that if you like. I have a lot of meat free meals that we do over and over. Most are pasta, but we also have stews and chili or loaded potatoes.

1 Pasta Night
I really try and limit our pasta nights. I won't go over 2, I try and keep it to 1. This is because I LOVE pasta and would eat it every night if I could get away with it. It's also typically an easy dinner night. Especially if you do tortellini or ravioli. I love Buitoni, but if you are trying to save money the deli usually has fresh options or check the freezer section. If you buy frozen, it's a great meal to skip and sandbag if a dinner plan pops up!

Mexican night!
We LOVE Mexican food. It can be inexpensive and easy to fix. I've got some great crock pot recipes for shredded pork and chicken. Then you just need some beans, rice and tortillas! If Mexican's not your thing, you could do Cajun red beans and rice or Greek chicken with pitas! Pick a region!

Wild Card
For the 6th meal, I just see how the week is going. If it's busy we may do Sloppy Joes or Chicken Philly sandwiches with oven fries. If it's slow, I may try another new recipe or a "more involved" favorite or let my man loose on the grill (weather permitting!).

Hope this helps inspire you to find a weekly equation that works best for you!

Happy New Year!

We've got black eyed peas, ham and collard greens in the crock pot - here's to a great 2014!

It will be hard to beat 2013. It was a year of firsts with a new baby in the house. She turns 1 in 24 more days so I had better get to planning her big day. I plan on baking her cakes myself as long as I can. At least until she gets big enough to want some character plastered on it that I can't replicate!!

Pirate's life for me

Back to reality this week after fun in the sun last week at the beach. Let me tell you how fun it is to get a little one back on any resemblance of a schedule after being on vacation. It's Friday and she is JUST NOW going down for a morning nap without doing an alligator death roll fight with me :)

The upside of coming back is that it is officially, officially fall. Like, no one will judge you for putting out pumpkins and mums fall. Fall is my FAVORITE time of year. I love decorating and burning autumn scented candles. I love making chili and soups and roasted squash. Or my easy and delicious Crock Pot Beef Stew!

I'm going to ignore the fact that it is going to be 88 degrees tomorrow still (ugh). Bring on the cold front!

Weekly Menu!

Here's my menu for the week, what's yours?

Monday: Monterey chicken tortilla casserole (This is my first time making this!)
Tuesday: Greek chicken pockets (These are SO good)
Wednesday: Crockpot beef and broccoli (Easy crockpot meal for mid week)
Thursday: Cheesy sausage tortellini (I make this all the time, SO yum)
Friday: pizza pickup! Order, carry out or buy a frozen pizza.
Saturday: Rotisserie Style Chicken in the crockpot
Sunday: Burgers on the grill and sweet potato fries (Forecast calls for nice weather Sunday!)

Crock Pot Beef Stew with Butternut Squash

I have made this twice in the past month. It is SO quick, easy and flavorful.

Ingredients

1 to 1 1/2 lbs stew beef
1 lb butternut squash cut into 1" pieces*
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup carrots, diced
1 onion cut into wedges
2 cloves minced garlic
1 14oz can beef broth
1 8oz can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons cold water
4 teaspoons cornstarch

*Can substitute potatoes for squash

Directions

1. Add first 11 ingredients (all but water and cornstarch) to your Crock Pot and stir it all up.

2. Cover and cook 7-9 hours (depending on how your cooker cooks, mine was done around 7.5 hrs) on low heat.

3. Combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Stir into stew and let it sit with the lid off for a couple minutes to thicken.