post

Crockpot Italian Chicken Pasta

October 12, 2012 By 3 Comments

I love cooking in my Crockpot.  Especially during the cooler months, it makes life so much easier to throw a couple ingredients into the Crockpot and let it roll.  The best part about Crockpot Cooking – the best ingredients are usually stuff you have on hand.

This week has been particularly trying, so when I was staring into the refrigerator this morning – with zero desire to be creative – I saw that I had thawed chicken breasts and cream cheese.  In the pantry – pasta, cream of chicken, and an Italian dressing seasoning packet.

Six hours later – dinner was served.

[Read more...]


post

How To Cook Cube Steak – Crockpot Style

August 1, 2012 By 1 Comment

I had never purchased “cube steak” before in my life until this week.  In fact I never even had the desire to – with my weird aversion to meat nothing even sounded remotely appetizing about “cube steak.”  Plus everything I had heard compared the cut of meat to a shoe sole, so I just overlooked it at the store.

Wow was I wrong.

Crockpot Cube Steak  (aka My Family’s New Favorite Meal)

Ingredients:

  • 1 package of cube steak
  • 2 cans Cream of Mushroom Soup
  • 1 package Lipton Onion Soup Mix
  • 1/2 cup milk

The directions could not be more simple – throw everything into the Crockpot and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours – depending on how much steak you used.  We put ours over white rice and it was absolutely some of the best stuff any of us have ever tasted.  It was a bit salty – so next time I will probably get “Low Sodium” cream of mushroom, but honestly, I have been wanting more ever since we scraped the last drop out of the Crockpot.

The great thing too is that cube steak is cheap – so even the large family size package I got on sale for less than $8.  I think the entire meal ran us about $20 to feed our family of four.  This is an easy meal you can start in the morning, go to work, and will be ready when you walk in the door.  In fact I recommend that – because sitting here at home while it was cooking all day was excruciating – it smelled so good!

Now, it may not LOOK like the prettiest thing you have pulled out of a Crockpot - but it certainly does top the list taste wise.   Mike and the girls gobbled up every bite, asking for more.  I had hoped to have leftovers for lunch the next day, but I wasnt so lucky.  I will be cooking a double batch next time.


post

Crock Pot Chicken Tacos

May 22, 2012 By 9 Comments

I have a mild obsession with Mexican food.

Like… I may or may not have just eaten a Taco Cupcake…. for breakfast.

Anyway, my favorite meal is chicken tacos.  I can seriously eat them any time day or night.  Nothing tops lean chicken, lettuce, cheese and sour cream all smushed together.   It’s heaven in a tortilla.

The bad news:  My family isnt quite as obsessed.

Which leaves me wanting chicken tacos and having to suffer through… well anything else.

Until now.

Crock Pot Chicken Tacos

First of all, this is so stinkin easy, I can not believe I am 32 years old and this is the first time I have cooked this.

Wait, yes I can.  Have you seen me try to boil eggs?

Sorry, where was I?

Ingredients

  • boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • taco seasoning
  • 1 jar mild salsa
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • taco shells and toppings of choice

Ready for these instructions… throw everything into the Crockpot.  Mix well.  Cover and let sit to do its thing for 6 hours on medium.  When it is done the meat will be so tender it will just fall apart into shredded chicken goodness.

The HARDEST part of this whole recipe  – if you work from home like I do – smelling it cook all day without being able to eat it!

I KNOW. 

Rio Bravo is going to miss me….

 


post

CrockPot Taco Chili Recipe

December 7, 2011 By 4 Comments

Yesterday we were all gloating… it was 75*.  We laughed in the face of Winter, happily sporting our flip flops and uploading images of the thermometers in our cars to InstaGram.  We rolled down our windows and walked our dogs in Tshirts, toting water bottles for when we “broke a sweat.”   We laughed on Facebook at how thankful we were to live in Florida, and how we would take our “White Christmas” laying out on the Worlds Whitest Beaches.

Apparently Winter didnt find the humor.

Today is a dreary, rainy, windy day… with a freeze warning in effect for tonight.  *sigh*  BUT it is a perfect night for Crock Pot Taco Chili….

Crock Pot Taco Chili

It is a well known fact that me in the kitchen most often results in either smoke or stitches, but this week I actually concocted something edible.

A few months ago we went to Wednesday Night Supper at church where they were serving “Taco Chili” – I nearly turned on my heels and left. I didn’t think that even SOUNDED appetizing. It isn’t that I don’t like tacos or chili… I just never would have put them together in one bowl. However, since my friends were there and the girls were “starving” we stayed. I have to admit – it was AWESOME. Like, I was considering getting seconds.

I mentioned it to my friend Jeannie and apparently she has been cooking it for years – I had never even HEARD of it until that night at Church… probably because it is not on any restaurant menu in Pensacola. Anyhow, she sent me the recipe but naturally I left it at home, so I called from the store parking lot and then tried to remember what she told me when I went inside. I know.

So my plan for shopping was anything Mexican-y or Chili-y was going in it! I just kept throwing stuff in the buggie and here is what I ended up with:

  • Ground Chuck
  • One yellow onion
  • 2 packages of Taco Seasoning
  • Large can of tomato Sauce
  • Original Rotel
  • One can Mexican Chili Beans
  • One can Black Beans
  • One can MexiCorn (didn’t know THIS existed either!)
  • Small can of niblet corn
  • One can dark red kidney beans
  • Tortilla Chips
  • Shredded cheese
  • Sour cream (optional- the girls liked it)

I did this in two pots but Jeannie says she does hers in one. Since I AM a pro with the Crock Pot, I decided that was probably my best strategy. SO -

I browned the meat and onion together in one pan, added a cup-ish (I mentioned I don’t measure stuff, right?) of water and one package of Taco Seasoning. In the Crock Pot I put everything else -including the second Taco Seasoning -and then mixed in the meat and onions. I left the Crock Pot on low for about 3 hours.

Then I lined the bowls with Tortilla Chips and spooned the Taco Chili right into the center. I topped mine with a little bit of cheese, and the girls liked cheese and sour cream on theirs.

I have to tell you – it was AWESOME. I was pretty proud of myself. (not that this took any real skill here, but let me have my moment, k?) It also isnt too bad fat/calorie wise either…

Note: It’s EVEN BETTER the next day… so all you “no-leftover” people… just send it all to me!