Chicken in a Crock Pot

Chicken in a Crock Pot - simple

Gather the following ingredients:

Chicken breasts 3 - 6
2 Peppers - green, red, yellow, etc.
Bacon

Crock Pot
Pan

Optional:

Rice

Place the chicken breasts into the Crock Pot.

Cut the peppers into strips like you would for fajitas.  Remove the seeds, and stem, and the ribs.  Place the peppers into the Crock Pot.

Cook the bacon.  Sometime within the first 3 hours of cooking free up some bacon.  Cut the bacon into one inch sections.  Separate the sections and place them into the pan.  Cook on a medium heat for 10 minutes.  Add the bacon to the Crock Pot.  *I have made this without the bacon.  It isn't as good.

Cook on low for 5 - 7 hours or until the chicken starts to fall apart.

This chicken is really good served over rice with the peppers and the bacon.

Video Link

Macaroni to Die For

Macaroni to Die For - with stinky cheese

Honestly the first time I tried this I wasn't thrilled.  About two weeks later I found myself craving it.

Gather the following ingredients:
2 Packages of mushrooms
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
1/2 lb of bacon
4 tablespoons of butter
1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup of grated Gruyere cheese
1/2 cup of grated fontina cheese (amazing cheese, yum)
4 ounces of goat cheese
1 1/2 pounds of capativa macaroni - 1 large box
1/4 cup flour
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup of half-and-half
2 eggs
4 ounces Gorgonzola cheese (stinky cheese)

Baking sheet
Large pan
Medium pot
Large pot
Large bowl
Small mixing bowl
Large glass pan

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Spread the mushrooms onto the cooking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Cook for 20 - 25 minutes and set them aside.

Start the water boiling for the macaroni.

Cut half a pound of bacon into one inch strips.  I cut it still in the package and then make sure I remove any packaging on the bacon.  Separate the pieces of bacon and place them into the large pan.  Cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes.  Stir often.  Set aside.

You may need to grate the Gruyere and fontina cheeses.  Thin slices work as well.  It just needs to melt quickly.  Melt 4 ounces of butter in the medium pot over a medium heat.

Cook the macaroni according to the package.  Drain when done and place into a large bowl.

While that is cooking and when the butter is melted add the 1/4 cup of flour to the butter.  Whisk the flour into the butter and cook for one minute.  Pour in the 2 cups of whole milk.  Whisk constantly and cook for 3 minutes, until it is bubbly.  Do not let it boil over.

Add the 1/2 cup of half-and-half.

Beat the 2 eggs and then ladle some of the hot milk mixture into the eggs to temper them and make sure they do not cook when you add them to the rest.  Pour the eggs into the milk mixture.  Stir.

Add the Parmesan, Gruyere, fontina, and goat cheese to the butter.  Stir until the cheeses are melted.  Pour the cheese mixture over the macaroni.

Pour half of the macaroni and cheese mixture into the glass pan.  Spread it evenly.  Add half of the mushrooms next.  Now add 2 ounces of Gorgonzola cheese.  Top with half of the bacon.

Repeat all of the ingredients in a second layer.

Bake for 22 minutes at the same 400 degrees or less.  When it is done it should be hot and bubbly.

Video Link

Western Hamburger Gruel

Western Hamburger Gruel, Crock-Pot style

*disclaimer, technically this does not actually qualify as gruel

Gather the following ingredients:

1 lb hamburger
1 can tomato sauce (larger can)
1 can kidney beans
1 can corn
chili powder
garlic powder

Crock-Pot
Pan

Optional:

1/2 cup shredded cheddar

Brown and drain the hamburger in the pan.

Add the hamburger to the Crock-Pot.  Pour in the tomato sauce (this is your liquid).

Drain and kidney beans and corn and dump these into the Crock-Pot.

Add chili powder for flavor (a tablespoon or two).  Add 2 pinches of garlic powder.

Add the optional 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar.

Mix well.  Cook on low for 3 hours.  You can cook it up to about 4 hours or so.  You are just trying to heat it through and combine the flavors.  Everything is already cooked.

*If you wanted to make this on the stove you only need to cook it for about and hour.

Pepper Quesadillas

Despite the name these quesadillas are not hot.

Gather the following ingredients:
Green bell pepper
Red bell pepper
Yellow bell pepper
1/2 Onion
olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin (optional)
1/2 can diced green chilies
4 oz. cream cheese
1 cup grated or shredded sharp cheddar cheese
6-inch flour tortillas
1/2 stick of butter

Large frying pan
Plates
Bowel

Set out the cream cheese and the butter.

Chop up the 3 peppers:  red, green, and yellow.  Dice the onion.  Place 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the large frying pan.  Turn to a medium heat.  Add 1 teaspoon of cumin (optional).  Saute the peppers and onion until they are no longer crunchy.  If I can cut the pepper with my stirring spatula I consider them done.  Move the peppers aside.

Place the cream cheese into a large bowel and using a  fork smooth the cheese out.  If it is not pliable you can microwave it 15 seconds or so.  Add the sharp cheddar to the cream cheese and mix the two together.

Add the peppers and onions into the cheese mixture.  Add the green chilies (you can use diced jalapenos instead if you want a little kick.)  Mix all of this together.

Melt the half a stick of butter if it is not soft and spreadable yet.

Place a tortilla onto a plate.  Spread some of the pepper and cheese mixture on half of the tortilla.  I like to add a sprinkling of the leftover cheese on top of the mixture.  Fold over the tortilla and set this aside.  Create as many of these as you like, between 7-8.

Heat the pan to a medium heat again.  Butter one side of a quesadilla and place the buttered side onto the frying pan.  Repeat with a second tortilla.  Butter the sides that are facing up.  Cook each side about one minute and twenty to thirty seconds.

Repeat for all of the quesadillas until they are all cooked.  Serve hot with salsa and sour cream if you like.

Bean Soup

Bean Soup

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. bacon - cooked
10 cups chicken broth (large can of broth)
3 cans Great Northern beans (rinsed)
1 can diced tomatoes (Zesty Mild Green Chilies)
6 Oz. baby carrots
Rosemary
Black Pepper

Crock Pot

Cut up half a pound of bacon into one inch strips.  Cook this for 10 minutes on a medium heat.  Put the bacon into the crock pot.

Drain and rinse the Great Northern beans.  Place these into the crock pot.

Pour the diced tomatoes into the crock pot.  Add the baby carrots.

Add spices for taste:  Rosemary and Black Pepper.

Cook on low for about 6 hours.  5 hours will do just fine.

Video Link:  Bean Soup

3 Bean Turkey Chili

Ingredients:
1 pound ground turkey or chopped leftover turkey
1 onion chopped
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes with juice
1 can tomato sauce - 8 oz.
1 can diced mild green chilies - 4 oz.
2 Tbsp. chili powder


Tools:
Crockpot aka slow cooker
Medium pan
Large strainer

Cook with the turkey in the medium pan if you are not using leftovers.  Chop the leftovers if you are using leftovers.  Put the turkey into the Crockpot.

Chop the onion.  Place it into the Crockpot.

Open the chickpeas, kidney beans, and black beans.  Pour the beans into the strainer.  Rinse.  Pour the beans into the Crockpot.

Open the other cans:  diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and green chilies, and pour them into the Crockpot.

Season with 2 Tbsp. of chili powder.

Cook on low for 8 hours.  Enjoy.

Video Link:  http://youtu.be/bFwfG092L5o