Wednesday, October 28, 2009

The Crock Pot Chronicles: Slap Ya Mama Pot Roast and Maque Choux

I love Maque Choux with shredded pork, but this week pot roast was on sale. So, beef is what's for dinner tonight!

I've been experimenting with the slow cooker enough now to be able to create my own one pot meals. This one turned out so good that we fought over the leftovers.

Ingredients:
2 lbs (1.5-2.5 range) beef chuck roast
1-2 Tbsp cajun seasoning
10 oz. frozen whole kernel corn
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium white or yellow onion, chopped
1 tsp sugar
1-2 tsp hot pepper sauce
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained



1. Trim fat from the roast. Sprinkle Cajun seasoning evenly over all sides of the meat. Make sure to press it in. Place in a slow cooker that is at least 4 quarts.
2. Add corn, bell pepper, onion, sugar, hot sauce, and black pepper. Pour tomatoes over this mixture and cover.
3. Cook on low for 8-10 hours (for high heat, half the time).

We have been buying Abita's seasonal Pecan beer, and I must say it is absolutely wonderful. Maybe the beer fairy will see this and send me some! A girl can dream.

Grab your Abita and serve beef over maque choux (dish up the corn mixture with a slotted spoon to discard excess liquid).



YUMMY!

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

The Crock Pot Chronicles: Two for One Special- Spicy Sloppy Joe's/Taco Salad



What could be better than a slow cooker recipe for saving you time? How about a slow cooker recipe that makes a second, different meal the next night. That's right...here we go.

Day 1- Spicy Sloppy Joe's

Ingredients:

2 lbs ground beef
2 16 oz jars of salsa (Pace or the store brand works really well, even though I'm a snob and won't eat it by itself)
3 cups sliced mushrooms
3 large carrots, shredded
1 1/2 cups chopped red bell pepper
1/3 cup tomato paste
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 wheat kaiser rolls

Directions:

1. In a large pot or skillet, cook beef over medium heat until browned (break into small chunks). Drain off fat.

2. In 5 quart slow cooker or larger, combine beef and all ingredients (except of course the rolls!).

3. Cover and cook on low heat for 8-10 hours (half the time for high setting).

4. Reserve unused meat mixture for tomorrow's dinner.


5. Serve Sloppy Joe mix on kaiser rolls. I suggest toasting the rolls to keep them from getting soggy. We served ours with mustard potato salad and pickles.


Day 2- Taco Salad

Ingredients:

Reserved meat mixture (5 cups)
1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 tsp taco seasoning*
9 cups torn iceberg lettuce
corn chips
shredded cheddar cheese
1-2 tomatoes, chopped
sour cream

*If you don't have taco seasoning, here's what is in it... onion powder, salt, chili powder, crushed red pepper, garlic powder, oregano, cumin. I do about equal parts of these to get my seasoning.

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, stir together meat mixture, beans, and seasoning. Heat to boiling; reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.

2. Serve by layering lettuce and corn chips in a shallow bowl. Add some of the meat mixture and top with cheese, tomatoes and sour cream.

Each recipe makes about 6 servings. Enjoy!

Monday, October 19, 2009

The Crock Pot Chronicles: White Chicken Chili

Perhaps you are saying to yourself, "Chili can't have beans in it, much less be white," but that would be like saying gumbo can't be gumbo unless it has okra. So, be adventurous and expand your chili horizons with this simple crock pot recipe.

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 lbs chicken breast meat (or whatever you have) cut into bite-sized pieces
2 medium white onions, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cans (14 oz) fat free, sodium free chicken broth
4 cans (15.5 oz) cannellini beans or great northern beans rinsed and drained
1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chilis
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
shredded cheddar cheese


Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large pan or pot over medium-high heat. Add in chicken pieces, onion and garlic. Saute until the chicken is lightly browned and the onions are clear (5-7 min).

2. Transfer meat, onions, and garlic to the slow cooker and add all other ingredients. Stir to combine.

3. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours. Uncover and cook for another hour, stirring occasionally. Serve with biscuits and topped with cheddar cheese if desired.