A delicious layered crockpot casserole with egg noodles, cheese, pizza sauce, and pepperoni
Yield:
8 servings
Ingredients:
12 ounces egg noodles, cooked according to package instructions and drained 1 1/2 pounds ground beef 1/4 cup chopped onions 2 (14 ounce) jars pizza sauce or 1 large can spaghetti sauce* 3.5 ounces turkey or beef pepperoni** 3 cups (12 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese 3 cups (12 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions:
1. In a large skillet, cook ground beef and onion until done. Drain. Stir in the pizza sauce and pepperoni.
2. Grease crock pot. Spread 1/3 of the meat sauce in bottom. Cover with layer of noodles, then a layer of the cheeses. Repeat layers twice.
3. Cover and cook on low heat for 3-4 hours or until heated through and cheeses are melted.
This recipe is from Tammy’s Recipes.
Slow-Cooked Pepper Steak
A flavorful beef steak with bell peppers, prepared in a slow cooker
Yield:
6-8 servings
Ingredients:
2 pounds inexpensive beef steak 2 tablespoons oil 1/4 cup soy sauce 1 large onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 2 teaspoons sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 4 large tomatoes, washed and coarsely chopped 2 large bell peppers (any color), cut into thin strips 1/2 cup cold water 1 tablespoon cornstarch Hot cooked rice, for serving
Instructions:
1. Trim fat from meat and cut into thin strips. Brown meat in oil in skillet. Transfer to a slow cooker.
2. Combine soy sauce, onion, garlic, sugar, salt, pepper, and ginger. Pour over beef. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours, or until the meat is tender.
3. Add tomatoes and green peppers, stirring into beef mixture. Continue cooking on low for another 60-90 minutes, until peppers are to desired tenderness.
4. Combine the cold water and cornstarch in a small bowl, until smooth; stir into slow cooker and cook on high until thickened.
5. Serve over hot cooked rice.
This recipe is from Tammy’s Recipes.
Slow-Cooked Herbed Beef and Potatoes
Savory and tender, this beef is simmered in a slow cooker and served over potatoes
Yield:
8 hearty servings
Ingredients:
2 pounds beef stew meat (in large cubes) or beef roast (chuck roast or similar) 1 large onion, diced 6 bay leaves 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 tablespoon fresh) 1/4 teaspoon dried sage (or 1 teaspoon fresh) 1/2 teaspoon dried savory (or 1/2 tablespoon fresh) 2 teaspoons salt 2-3″ of water in slow cooker (about 4 cups)
Additional ingredients:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup milk or water
3 pounds potatoes, washed and cut into 1″ chunks* 2 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions:
1. Place beef, onions, seasonings, and water (about 4 cups) into slow cooker. I use a 6-quart slow cooker, but I think this would fit in a 3-4-quart on as well. Cook on HIGH for 6 hours.
2. After about 5 1/2 hours of cooking, wash and cube the potatoes and place in a stock pot. Cook, covered, until potatoes are soft. (Reduce heat after potatoes start to boil.)
3. While potatoes are cooking, whisk together the 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and 1 cup milk or water in a small bowl. Remove the 6 bay leaves from the beef. Stir in the flour/milk mixture, into the hot beef, and cover again. Allow to heat for 10 minutes (still on HIGH) and stir again. Cover again, and heat until bubbly.
4. Drain potatoes briefly, return to pan, and stir in 2 tablespoons butter and 1 teaspoon salt. Potatoes can still be chunky. Or, you can use a hand mixer to make mashed potatoes. (Add 1/2 cup milk if making mashed potatoes.)
Serve the hot beef over the potatoes and enjoy!
This recipe is from Tammy’s Recipes.
Hearty Beef and Lentil Chili
A delicious chili made with beef, lentils, tomatoes, vegetables, and seasonings! This easy, from-scratch chili tastes amazing!
Yield:
about 5 quarts
Ingredients:
2 to 2.5 pounds ground beef or inexpensive steak* 1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup) 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 bell pepper (any color), diced 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes (or 4 cups diced fresh tomatoes) 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1 tablespoon brown sugar A few splashes of your favorite hot sauce (or a dash of cayenne pepper) 2 teaspoons salt (or to taste) 6 cups water 1 pound dry lentils (about 2 1/2 cups of dry lentils), rinsed
1. In a large stock pot, brown ground beef with onion, garlic, and pepper. Drain grease and return to pan. Add remaining ingredients, except lentils and optional ingredients, to the drained meat mixture.
If using steak, trim as much fat as possible from meat and cut into small pieces. In a large stock pot, brown meat with onion, garlic, and pepper. Do not drain. Add remaining ingredients except lentils and optional ingredients.
2. Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer covered, on medium-low heat for at least 30 minutes. Add lentils and stir. Cover and simmer for an additional 60 minutes or until lentils are tender. If this chili is too “soupy” for your tastes, simmer uncovered for another 15 minutes or so, until it’s the thickness you desire. (And if it’s too thick, add a splash of water.)
3. Serve hot, with optional ingredients of your choice. Enjoy! 🙂
See additional notes below for the crock pot version of this recipe! 🙂
Additional Notes:
*Using ground beef vs. inexpensive steak:
Using ground beef is faster, since you don’t need to dice it before cooking.
Using steak is great for making this chili in the slow cooker, since you can trim the fat before cooking, and don’t need to use a separate pan to brown the meat before putting it in the crock pot.
Making lentil chili in the slow cooker:
I recommend using an inexpensive steak, with the fat trimmed as well as possible, so you can make this chili start-to-finish in your crock pot! If you choose to use ground beef instead, brown it in a pan on the stove, drain the grease, and then add to your crock pot.
Add all ingredients (except optional ingredients) to a 6-quart crock pot. (If your slow cooker is smaller than 6 quarts, reduce the recipe to fit.) Cook on HIGH for 8-10 hours. Keep warm until ready to eat! Serve with your choice of the optional ingredients listed.
Super simple shredded barbecue chicken for sandwiches or over rice
Yield:
6 servings
Ingredients:
4 large or 6 medium chicken breasts (2.5 to 3 pounds)* 1 large onion, diced 2-3 cups barbecue sauce of your choice** 6 sandwich buns or hot freshly cooked rice, for serving Instructions:
1. Trim fat and skin from chicken. (If using split chicken breast, remove bone as well.)
2. Layer chicken, onions, and sauce into a 9×13-inch baking dish or into a slow cooker.
Oven directions (best for BBQ chicken sandwiches!):
Cover dish with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes. Uncover and bake 30 minutes longer, or until sauce is thick.
Use two forks to shred the meat. Spread on sandwich buns and serve hot. Or, serve over rice.
Slow cooker directions (best for BBQ chicken with rice!):
Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or on LOW for 7-8 hours.
Depending on the kind of sauce you used, the sauce could be rather
thin by the end, so I like to vent the lid slightly for the last hour of
the cooking time.
Serve chicken and sauce over hot rice, or shred the meat and use for
sandwiches (there will be excess sauce if using this for sandwiches).
Easy BBQ Chicken Sandwiches (Oven or Slow Cooker)
Additional Notes:
* I have used split chicken breast, boneless skinless chicken breast, or a combination of thigh and breast meat.
**We LOVE Sweet Baby Ray’s original or honey barbeque sauces! Really, using a good sauce is what makes or breaks this recipe.
This recipe is from Tammy’s Recipes.
Hearty Beef Stew ( modified Martha Stewart recipe)
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes with green chiles
Coarse salt and pepper
3/4 pound small potatoes, halved
2 medium onions, large chop
1/4 lb peas
3-4 carrots, large pieces
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large heavy pot, toss beef with flour. Stir in tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 4 cups water. Bring to a boil over medium-high, transfer to oven, and cook 1 hour. Stir in potatoes, carrots & onions and cook until beef and veggies are tender, about 1 hour more. Stir in peas and let sit 5 minutes before serving.
This can also be made in the slow-cooker…5 hrs on high.
Honey Garlic Chicken (direct from Stephanie at A Year of Slow Cooker Meals) Untested
1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (4 or one thigh per family member)
3 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 cup soy sauce (La Choy or Tamari wheat-free are gluten free)
1/2 cup ketchup
1/3 cup honey
The Directions.
Use a 4-quart slow cooker (if using a 6-quart, this will cook faster. Check after 3 hours on high, 5 hours on low).
Put the chicken into your cooker. In a small bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients, then pour evenly over the top.
Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3-4 (I’d go with low—).
Sweet and Sour Meatballs
2 pounds ground turkey breast
2 teaspoons salt-free garlic and herb seasoning or poultry seasoning
1 egg white
Salt and ground black pepper
2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup chili sauce
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons dried thyme
Directions
In a large bowl, combine turkey, garlic and herb seasoning, egg white and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Mix well and shape mixture into about 32 meatballs. Place meatballs in bottom of slow cooker.
In a medium bowl, whisk together tomato sauce, broth, chili sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, and thyme. Pour mixture over meatballs.
Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. Season, to taste, with salt and black pepper.
