Honey Garlic Chicken

Good low-calorie crock pot recipe.  Easy to put together and ready in about four hours.

HONEY GARLIC CHICKEN

Recipe Notes

From the blog slenderkitchen.com.  Nutritional information below is for chicken only.  Does not include information for rice as seen above.

Nutritional Information (per serving - serves 6)

201 calories - 1 g. fat - 17 g. carbohydrates - 33 g. protein - 0 g. fiber

Ingredients

• 2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small chunks
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 tsp. dried basil
• 1/3 c. low-sodium soy sauce (Do not use regular.  The result is too salty.)
• 1/3 c. ketchup
• 1/4 c. honey
• 1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes

Instructions

1.  Whisk together garlic, basil, soy sauce, ketchup, and honey.

2.  Add chicken to crock pot.

3.  Pour sauce over chicken and mix everything together.

4.  Cook on low for 3-4 hours or until chicken is cooked through but not dry.

5.  Remove chicken from sauce to a baking sheet covered with foil.

6.  Broil for 5 minutes to create a crispy outside.

7.  Return to sauce and serve over rice.

Texas Crock Pot Chili

My husband loved this chili.  I was able to put it in the crock pot before work and came home to the whole house smelling wonderfully and dinner (basically) finished.  Original recipe credit to Cooking With Melissa.

TEXAS CROCK POT CHILI

Recipe Notes

Original recipe post available here.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. lean ground beef
• 1 small roma tomato, diced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 30-oz can tomato sauce
• 1/4 c. chili powder (I used more like 2 tbsp.)
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tbsp. salt & pepper
• 1/2 cube beef bouillon
• 1 c. water
• 4 oz. can chopped green chiles
• 16 oz. can pinto beans, drained
• 16 oz. can chili beans in sauce (undrained)
• 1-2 tbsp. cayenne pepper

Instructions

1.  In a large skiller, heat ground beef and onion until cooked through.

2.  Drain mixture and set aside.

3.  In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients including ground beef and onion.  

4.  Stir and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

5.  Serve with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, diced avocado, or anything else you like on your chili.

Note: this is a great recipe to use a Reynolds slow cooker liner for easy cleanup.  They are available with the food storage items in your local grocery store.

Beef Daube Provencal

This is an old Cooking Light recipe that I finally got around to trying now that it's technically fall outside.  In Houston, you wouldn't know it, because it's still 90 degrees during the day, but we're getting closer.  This dish is served over egg noodles, and I paired it with a simple mixed green salad with champagne vinaigrette and goat cheese.

BEEF DAUBE PROVENCAL

Recipe Notes

The recipe calls for the beef mixture to be cooked on HIGH for 5 hours or until beef is tender.  If you want to throw this in the Crock Pot first thing in the morning and want it to be ready after work, you can alternatively cook it on LOW for 8-9 hours as well.

Nutritional Information (per serving - serves 6)

367 calories - 12.8 g. fat - 33.4 g. carbs - 3.9 g. fiber - 29.1 g. protein

Ingredients

• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 12 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 lb. boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into small cubes
• 1-1/4 tsp. salt, divided
• 1/2 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper, divided
• 1 c. red wine
• 2 c. chopped carrot
• 1-1/2 c. chopped onion
• 1/2 c. beef broth
• 1 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
• Dash of ground cloves
• 14.5 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 c. cooked medium egg noodles

Instructions

1.  Heat a Dutch oven or large skillet over low heat.  Add oil to pan and swirl to coat.  Add garlic and cook five minutes or until garlic is fragrant, stirring occasionally.  Remove garlic and set aside.

2.  Increase heat to medium high.  Add beef and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper.

3.  Cook 5 minutes or until browned on all sides.

4.  Remove beef from pan.

5.  Add wine to pan and bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen any browned bits.

6.  Add reserved garlic, beef, remaining salt, remaining pepper, carrots, onions, beef broth, tomato paste, rosemary, thyme, cloves, diced tomatoes, and bay leaf.  Bring to a boil.

7.  Place beef mixture in a Crock Pot or other electric slow cooker.  Cover and cook on HIGH for 5 hours or until beef is tender.

Quick & Easy Pulled Pork

 

This recent Southern Living recipe involves just three ingredients and a crock pot.  What could be better? 

 

QUICK & EASY PULLED PORK

 

Recipe Notes

Don't forget to spray the crock pot with cooking spray.  It will save you lots of cleaning time later.  The recipe calls for pork shoulder roast (Boston butt), but I used pork tenderloins.

 

Ingredients



• 3 lb. pork shoulder roast or pork tenderloin
• 1 can Coca Cola
• 18-oz. bottle bbq sauce (I used Kraft Original)

Instructions
1.  Spray crock pot lightly with cooking spray.
2.  Add pork to slow cooker.  Pour cola and bbq sauce over the top.
3.  Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours.
4.  Remove pork and shred with two forks.
5.  Return to sauce after skimming off any residual fat.
6.  Enjoy over rice, mashed potatoes, or as a sandwich.

 



Pork Roast & Harvest Vegetables

 

I found this recipe in a "Fast and Healthy" cookbook I picked up in the airport.  I think that credit should go to Taste of Home.  I was very skeptical about this recipe, because it had apple juice and cinnamon in it (and I typically don't like overly-sweet sauces).  However, the sauce cooks down nicely with the beef bouillon and works well with the pork.  Very tasty slow cooker meal with minimal prep.

 

PORK ROAST & HARVEST VEGETABLES

 

Recipe Notes

Crock Pot timing is 5-6 hours on high or 10-12 hours on low.  Ours cooked for 10 hours on low and it was ready when we were ready to eat.  I also used a trimmed pork tenderloin in lieu of the boneless pork shoulder roast and it worked out great.

 

Nutritional Information (Per serving - serves 6)

309 calories - 9 g. fat - 32 g. carbohydrates - 4 g. fiber - 24 g. protein

 

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb. boneless pork shoulder roast or pork tenderloin
• 1 tbsp. canola oil
• 2 c. parsnips (about 2 large), peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1-1/2 c. carrots (about 3 medium), peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 c. diced celery
• 1 large green bell pepper, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 3 tbsp. quick-cooking tapioca
• 6 oz. can frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
• 1/4 c. water
• 1 tsp. instant beef bouillon
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Instructions

1.  Trim any fat from the meat.  In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Add pork and cook until browned, turning to brown evenly on all sides.  Set meat aside.

2.  Combine parsnips, carrots, celery, and bell pepper in Crock Pot.  Sprinkle vegetables with tapioca.

3.  In a small bowl, combine apple juice, water, beef bouillon, cinnamon, and black pepper.

4.  Pour apple juice mixture over vegetables.  Place browned pork tenderloin on top of vegetables.

5.  Cover and cook on LOW for 10-12 hours.

6.  Transfer meat and vegetables to a serving platter.  Shred pork.

7.  Strain sauce and skim off fat.  Drizzle cooking liquid over meat and pass the remaining sauce to serve with the vegetables.

 



 

Crock Pot Salsa Chicken Tacos

I also found these Crock Pot chicken tacos on Pinterest and thought they looked healthy and flavorful.  They were very easy to assemble and I was able to leave everything in the morning and had dinner almost finished when I got home that afternoon!

Recipe Notes

The original recipe calls for cooking the recipe on high for four hours.  I made the chicken breasts on low for eight hours (as directed here) and they came out great.  We served these with both corn and flour tortillas.  The flour tortillas probably had the best flavor, but the corn tortillas were a bit more healthy.

Ingredients

• Four boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 1 packet taco seasoning mix
• 1 c. salsa (I used Pace mild)
• 1 can Healthy Request 99% fat free cream of chicken soup
• 1/2 c. sour cream
• Flour or corn tortillas for serving

Instructions

1.  Place chicken breasts in the bottom of your Crock Pot.  Sprinkle with taco seasoning mix.

2.  Combine salsa and cream of chicken soup in a small bowl.  Pour over chicken breasts.

3.  Cook on low for 8 hours.  Chicken breasts should be fork-tender and easy to shred.

4.  Shred chicken breasts and stir in sour cream.

5.  Serve with tortillas.

Crock Pot Chicken Chili

Found this recipe on Pinterest....it was a really easy Crock Pot dinner worth mentioning.  It's very healthy too - no added fat, butter, or oil.  I served this over rice with a big salad.

CROCK POT CHICKEN CHILI

Recipe Notes

According to the original poster, this recipe makes approximately eight servings with about 200 calories per serving.  I have not verified the nutritional information, but considering the ingredients, it sounds about right. 

Ingredients

• One can of black beans
• One can of kidney beans
• One can of corn
• 16 oz. tomato sauce
• 28 oz. diced tomatoes
• One packet of taco seasoning
• 1 tbsp. of chili powder
• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Instructions

1.  Add all ingredients to Crock Pot.

2.  Cook for 6 hours high or 10 hours on low.

3.  Shred chicken breasts, mix well, and serve with sour cream, shredded cheese, etc.

Crock Pot "Refried" Beans

More Pinterest bounty! These don't replace real refried beans, but they're a pretty good approximation. If you want refried beans without the "refried" effects on your hips, try these. You don't have to soak the beans overnight, either!

CROCK POT "REFRIED" BEANS

Recipe Notes

I found this recipe on Pinterest through Six Sisters' Stuff. There is also a recipe to turn these completed beans into bean dip on their website. See the original recipe (here). These beans definitely need additional seasoning (salt/pepper), hot sauce (such as Cholula), and cheese!

Ingredients

• 1 onion, peeled and halved


• 3 c. dry pinto beans (approx. 1 bag), rinsed and drained


• 1/4-1/2 jalapeno, seeded and minced


• 2 tbsp. minced garlic


• 3 tsp. salt


• 1-3/4 tsp. black pepper


• 1/8 tsp. cumin (optional)


• 5 c. water


• 4 c. chicken broth

Instructions

1. Place onion, beans, jalapeno, garlic, salt, pepper, and cumin in a Crock Pot or other slow cooker.

2. Add water and chicken broth. Stir to combine.

3. Cook on high for 8 hours, adding additional water if needed. Do not allow beans to cook dry.

4. Strain beans and return to a bowl, reserving cooking liquid. Mash with a potato masher and add cooking liquid until desired consistency is achieved.

Beer Braised Beef

Five ingredients, into the Crock Pot, forget about it for the rest of the day. Enough said. I don't drink beer at all, but the beer here just serves as a good meat tenderizer. So if you don't like beer like me, don't be scared off by this recipe.

BEER-BRAISED BEEF

Recipe Notes

This recipe is great over buttermilk mashed potatoes.

Nutritional Information (per serving - serves 4)

265 calories - 8 g. fat - 25.5 g. protein - 20.4 g. carbohydrates - 1.5 g. fiber

Ingredients

• 1 c. chopped onion
• 1 lb. boneless top round steak, trimmed
• 4.5 oz. can Italian petite diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1/2 c. light beer
• 2 tbsp. molasses
• Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Brown steak in a skillet over medium-high heat, approximately 3 minutes per side. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. Layer onion in the bottom of a 3-4 qt. slow cooker. Add steak atop onions. Pour tomatoes and beer over steak.

3. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or until steak is very tender.

4. Shred steak with two forks in the slow cooker. Stir in molasses and a pinch of salt.

5. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Slow-Cooked Chile Con Carne

Dinner tonight is one of Corey's Cooking Light favorites: Chile Con Carne. I love it because I can leave it in the morning, come home after work, and dinner is basically done. We serve this over Tomato Rice Pilaf with a salad and bread.

SLOW-COOKED CHILE CON CARNE

Recipe Notes

I also add a dash of Cholula hot sauce for a little extra spice. This recipe originally called for chopped plum tomatoes. Using canned diced tomatoes is both easier and less expensive, so I have made that modificatino. To cut this recipe to two servings, omit one can of beans and use half of the beef broth.

Nutritional Information (per serving - serves 4)
291 calories - 6 g. fat - 34 g. protein - 8.9 g. fiber

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 c. chopped onion (about one medium)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 lb. sirloin, cut into small cubes
• 14.5 oz. can petite diced tomatoes in juice
• 1 tbsp. chili powder
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 15 oz. can pinto beans
• 15 oz. can black beans
• 14 oz. can beef broth
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Instructions

1. Heat a large, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat with cooking spray and add beef, garlic, and onion. Cook five minutes or until beef is browned, approximately 5 minutes.

2. Combine beef mixture and remaining ingredients (tomatoes, pinto beans, black beans, beef broth, and all spices) in an electric slow cooker.

3. Cook on HIGH for 3-1/2 hours or on low for 8 hours.

4. Uncover, cook 30 minutes more or until slightly thickened.

Crock Pot Pork Tacos

What a crowd pleaser! This recipe makes a virtual never-ending pot of wonderful slow-cooked BBQ'ed pork. Serve with corn and flour tortillas and toppings such as sour cream, shredded cheese, sliced green onions, fresh chopped cilantro, canned black beans, and anything else that you might find interesting.

WARNING: This sauce does not come out of white cloth napkins, so this might be a meal that is a good candidate for paper napkins.

Recipe Notes

This recipe calls for a 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 lb. pork loin roast. I prefer to use two, 1 or 1-1/2 lb. pork tenderloins. For the onion, I like to use my handheld slicer to cut it finely. This is a really handy tool to keep around the kitchen.

Ingredients

• 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 lb. pork loin roast (I use two similarly-sized pork tenderloins)
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 2 c. BBQ sauce
• 3/4 c. mild salsa
• 3 tbsp. + 2 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. cumin

Instructions

1. Trim pork, place in a 3-1/2 to 6 quart slow-cooker and top with sliced onion.

2. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over pork.

3. Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or until pork is very tender.

4. Remove pork, place on cutting board and shred with two forks.

5. If desired, strain sauce to remove solids and serve alongside pork. As an alternative, I leave the sauce in the crock pot and add the shredded pork back to the sauce prior to serving.

6. Serve warm with tortillas and toppings.

The Truth About Your Crock Pot

I think that it's time that we have a heart-to-heart about your Crock Pot (or whatever variety of slow-cooker you might own). The brilliant marketing minds at companies such as Cuisinart and All-Clad have all but convinced American cooks that they NEED a $100+ stainless steel slow-cooker with 18 different settings and every possible bell and whistle.

I hate to break it to you, but EVERY slow-cooker recipe I have ever come across instructs to heat on LOW or HIGH. I bought my Crock Pot (which is stainless steel, by the way) at Target for $24.99. It has a little knob with LOW, HIGH, and WARM, and it has worked for every slow-cooker recipe I have ever tried.

This handy little gadget will become your best friend in the kitchen if you are a working girl or a busy mom. Who doesn't like a device that gets left in the morning with a few raw basic ingredients and has a delicious, complete meal waiting for you when you return home? Slow-cooker recipes generally call for tougher cuts of meat that don't fall apart with the long period of cooking, so the meat that goes into your Crock Pot meal is generally quite inexpensive.

There will be several Crock Pot recipes on this blog in the future, starting with Crock Pot Pork Tacos. I welcome your Crock Pot recipes as well, as I am always looking for good "fix it and forget it" meals!