{Balsamic Pot Roast} Crock Pot

I love trying new Pot roast recipes. I have some roast recipes that I just love and I make them over and over. This one just made it on that list. I loved it. It had a really good flavor, and the gravy was delicious poured over the meat and veggies.

3 lbs beef chuck roast
garlic salt and pepper for seasoning
2 Tbs olive oil
1 onion, sliced
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
1 tsp powdered sage
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup red cooking wine
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 (14.5oz) can beef broth
3 Tbs corn starch
salt and pepper
a bag of baby carrots
4-5 red potatoes, quartered

  Sprinkle garlic salt & pepper seasoning all over the meat.  Heat olive oil on medium-high in a large skillet.  When nice and hot, sear the roast on all sides - couple of minutes on each side.  Remove from pan and place in the bowl of your slow cooker.  Top with the sliced onion, chopped garlic and balsamic vinegar, and all the herbs. Cover pot and put in fridge overnight.  
Add the red wine and beef broth, add the carrots and potatoes.  Cover and turn slow cooker on low and cook for 6 hours.  Turn the slow cooker up to high heat and cook for another 3-4 hours.  Once everything is done to your desired tenderness, pour the liquid into a large measuring cup.  Let it settle, then skim off the fat.  Add about half of it to a bowl and mix in the corn starch until it's nice and smooth.  Add the other half of the liquid to a medium saucepan and turn it on medium-high heat and bring to a slow boil.  Add the cornstarch liquid to the saucepan and stir to combine.  Heat until it gets hot and thickens up a bit.  Once you've got the thickness you prefer, turn off heat and pour the gravy/sauce back into the crock pot over the top of meat and veggies.  Serve hot.

Recipe Source: Little B Cooks

{Crock Pot Chocolate Cake}

Dessert in a crockpot? I just had to try this. It turned out to be really light and fluffy and super moist. Make sure and serve it with ice cream, it balances out the rich chocolatey flavor. I ended up setting the crockpot to high and cooking it for 3 hours. Next time I will only do 2 1/2 since the sides were a little too dark for me.

1 box chocolate cake mix
8 oz sour cream
1 pkg instant chocolate pudding
1 cup chocolate chips
4 eggs
3/4 cup oil
1 cup water

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Pour into crock pot. 

Cook 3-4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.

{Sage Rubbed Pork Roast} Crock-pot

This roast was so tender and full of flavor. I love throwing everything in the crock pot and having a wonderful meal hours later. It was so easy and delicious.

4lb pork tenderloin roast
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 Tbs olive oil
3 lbs red potatoes, quartered
2 cups baby carrots

Mix thyme, sage, salt and pepper together and rub all over the roast. In a large skillet heat about 1 Tbs olive oil and brown each side of the roast, about 2 minutes per side. Place in a crock pot. Place carrots and potatoes on top and sprinkle with more salt and pepper to taste. (You can also sprinkle more sage and thyme for extra flavor on the veggies) Cover and cook on high for 6 hours.

{Honey Sesame Chicken} Slow Cooker

This was a big hit at my house. Everyone loved it! I loved it because it literally took me five minutes to prepare and 4-5 hours later I had a delicious meal to feed my family.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 
Salt and pepper
1 cup honey
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup diced onion
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (could also use olive oil or canola oil)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 
4 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 6 Tablespoons water
Sesame seeds


Season both sides of chicken with lightly with salt and pepper, put into crock pot. (I just add mine in frozen) In a small bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, oil, garlic and pepper flakes. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 hours, or just until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from crock pot, leave sauce. Dissolve 4 teaspoons of cornstarch in 6 tablespoons of water and pour into crock pot. Stir to combine with sauce. Replace lid and cook sauce on high for ten more minutes or until slightly thickened. Cut chicken into bite size pieces, then return to pot and toss with sauce before serving. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve over rice or noodles.






Recipe Source: Six Sisters Stuff

{Chicken Enchilada Soup} Crockpot

This soup was amazing! Lots and lots of flavor. Heres to another easy and yummy crockpot meal :)

3 cups chicken stock
4 chicken breasts
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (10 oz.) cans diced tomatoes with green chilis
1 (4 oz.) can diced green chilis
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
2 large flour tortillas, cut into thin, 2-inch long strips
1 cup shredded pepperjack or Monterry jack cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro


In a slow cooker, combine everything except the tortilla strips, shredded cheese, sour cream, and cilantro.  Cover and cook on low for about 4 hours.  Stir in tortilla strips.  Cook for an additional 2 hours on low, or until tortilla strips have dissolved into the soup and thickened it.  Just before serving, top with cheese, sour cream and cilantro.  


Adapted from: Lets Dish

{Green Chili Pork Taco's} Crock Pot

This was probably one of the best meals I have ever eaten. I love mexican food. This had so much flavor and was so easy to throw together. My kids loved it and asked if we could have it again tomorrow night. I used Guy Fieri's Green and Mean Salsa Verde (mild) I'm pretty sure that is what made this dish so fantastic. If you can find it in your grocery store I would definitely get it.

1 (5 pound) pork roast
1 (16 oz.) bottle salsa verde (green salsa)
Juice of 1 lime 
Pico de gallo
Corn tortillas are best with this dish but if you prefer flour go for it

Directions
Place pork loin in slow cooker. Mix together salsa verde and lime juice and pour over roast.  Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. To serve, place pork mixture into corn tortillas.  Top with fresh pico de gallo, cilantro and fresh lime juice. Add your favorite rice and beans as a side. 

{Easy Chicken Tacos} Crockpot

Have I mentioned that I love my crockpot? This meal was awesome, and probably the easiest crockpot meal EVER. It made a lot too so there were leftovers.

4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
8 oz block of cream cheese 
 Can of Black Beans, drained & rinsed. 
Can of Corn, drained.
 Can of Rotel

Toppings:

Pico de gallo

cilantro

fresh lime juice

Directions:
Put frozen chicken in the crock pot. Put Cream cheese on top of the chicken.
Dump in the Black Beans (make sure they are drained & rinsed) Dump in the drained corn.
Dump in the Rotel. Cook on low for 6 hours. Serve in tortillas (I used Corn tortillas that I just warmed in the microwave for about 30 seconds) with pico de gallo, cilantro, and fresh lime juice. 

{White Chicken Chili} Crockpot

I've had my crockpot for 7 years and it is one of my favorite kitchen items. I don't know what I would do without it. It's so nice to just throw everything in it in the morning and have a wonderful meal 6 hours later. This recipe was so tasty. It is great just by itself but I like it better with chips, salsa, and cilantro served on top. Mmmm!

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder 
2 cans (15 1/2 oz) Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 cans (4 oz) chopped green chilies 
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream
Fresh cilantro, for garnish 


In a medium round slow cooker, place 1 pound chicken breasts (fresh or frozen) without cubing them. Add the chopped onion, garlic powder, beans, green chiles and all of the spices. Do not add the sour cream or whipping cream yet. Pour in chicken broth over the other ingredients. Stir the mixture around a bit to incorporate the dry spices. Cook on low for 5-7 hours (if using frozen chicken you’ll cook on the longer end of that spectrum, fresh chicken will cook in less time). Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred in bite-size pieces. Stir back into the slow cooker. In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the sour cream and whipping cream  until smooth. Whisk the cream mixture into the crockpot with the other ingredients. Let the soup cook until heated through. Serve.


Adapted from: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

{Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken}

I loved this meal because it is super low in fat and it's really good by itself or to serve as burritos. We served ours over rice the first night and then made burritos with it the second night, so we got two meals out of it :)















5-6 chicken breast
14.4 oz can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
15 oz can black beans
8 oz frozen corn
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
14.4 oz can chicken broth
3 scallions, chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)
salt to taste

Combine chicken broth, beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt in the crock pot. Season chicken breast with salt and lay on top. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Adjust salt and seasoning. Serve over rice

*Adapted from Gina's Skinny Recipes

{Crock-Pot Maple Brown Sugar Ham}

This year for Easter I had the fun opportunity to host dinner at my house! It was so fun, and of course we had to have ham right? I had never made a ham before, so I browsed the internet and found this great recipe! What is easier then throwing something in the crock pot?? And this is the most flavorful ham I have ever had, and I have had some good ham! I adapted it slightly from Mel's Kitchen Cafe. I will be making this again for sure!

*I ended up buying a 9 pound spiral-cut ham, and the top stuck out too far for the lid to go on, so I just wrapped the whole top of my crock-pot with 3 layers of aluminum foil so no heat could escape, it turned out perfect!














7-8 pound bone-in spiral-cut ham
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup all natural maple syrup (yes, please use pure maple syrup and not pancake syrup)
2 cups pineapple juice

Use a 6-7 quart slow cooker. Unwrap the ham and discard flavor packet. Place the ham into the crock-pot, flat side down. Rub brown sugar on all sides. Pour on maple syrup and pineapple juice. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours. An hour before serving, baste ham with the collected juices from the bottom of the slow cooker. When cooking is done, remove carefully and let it rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes before carving.

{Chili Cheese Dip}

This is a yummy little dip, and I thought it would be a good one to post being super bowl weekend and all...Oh and it all goes in the crock pot so its easy!

















1 lb lean ground beef
1 (16oz) picante sauce (I use mild)
2 (15oz) cans refried beans
1 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
Small can of mild green chilies
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook beef with onion, drain. Mix everything together in a crock pot. Cook on low 3-4 hours. Serve with tortilla chips.

{Slow Cooker Chili}

YUM! I love chili and I love easy slowcooker meals just as much :) This dish would be amazing with some homemade Corn bread or some fritos chips and cheese. Ah I love these Fall meals.


















1 1/2 pounds cooked ground beef
2 onions, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (14.5 oz) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
3 Tbs chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt


Combine ground beef, onions, pepper, garlic, beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, 2 Tbs of the chili powder, and 1/2 tsp each of the cumin and oregano in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.
Remove cover and stir in the remaining 1 Tbs chili powder, 1/2 tsp each of cumin and oregano and salt.

{Mexican Beef with Rice}

I love any good Crock pot meal. They are just too easy and so good. This has a ton of flavor and the round steak gets so tender. Its definitely a family fav!

















1 1/2 pound round steak cut into bite size pieces
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 Tbs chili powder
1 Tbs prepared mustard just in your fridge
1 chopped onion
1 beef bouillon cube
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can kidney beans drained

Cut up the uncooked meat and place it in the crock pot. Mix with garlic salt, pepper, chili powder and mustard. Cover with onion, bouillon cube, and tomatoes. Top with beans. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve over white rice. I usually always serve with Jasmine Rice cause its my favorite!

{Crock Pot Chicken Barbecue}

This is a really simple recipe and can be used a lot of different ways. I usually serve this over rice, but it is really good to make for sandwiches too. You could also use it in a salad. Really anyway you want. :)













6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 12 ounce bottle of barbecue sauce
1/2 cup of italian salad dressing (I use zesty Italian)
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tbs worcestershire sauce

I put the chicken breasts in the crock pot frozen. Then I mix up the barbecue sauce, Italian dressing, brown sugar and worcestershire sauce in a bowl and pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low 6 hours.

{Pot Roast}

This is a super east and delicious roast, and perfect to feed your family on Sunday. Well any day really...And the best part is that it makes its own gravy, so you can serve it with rice, bisquits, noodles, anything you feel like :)

















2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 package dry onion soup mix
1 1/4 cups water
1 pot roast

In a crock pot, mix together the mushroom soup and the dry onion soup mix along with the water. Place the pot roast in the crock pot and coat with the soup mix.
Cook on low for 8-10 hours.

{Bavarian Pot Roast}

Everyone I have made this for has LOVED it! It is absolutely delicious! And its great because its not your typical pot roast recipe, so its nice to have on hand when you wanna switch things up a little :)

1 Pot Roast

1 tsp Vegetable oil

1 1/2 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp ground ginger

3 whole cloves of garlic ( I insert them right into the roast)

4 medium size apples, leave the skins on

1 small onion, sliced

1 cup apple juice

3-4 tbs flour

3-4 tbs water

Lightly rub top of meat with oil, dust the meat with salt and pepper and ground ginger. Insert the garlic cloves into meat. Place the apples and onion slices in the bottom of a crockpot and put the roast on top. Pour in the apple juice. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours. When its done remove the roast and apples to a platter and turn the crockpot on high. Make a paste with the flour and warm water and stir the paste into pot bring to a slight boil until it thickens. Use as gravy when serving the roast.

Taco Soup

This is probably one of the easiest recipes ever...The only bad thing is your hand kinda hurts after opening all the cans haha. But I love these simple "Semi Homemade" recipes :)

2lbs Ground hamburger

1 can kidney beans

1 can pinto beans

2 cans whole kernel corn

2 cans diced stewed tomatoes

1 can rotel (I used mild but if you like it hot use hot)

1 pkg. ranch dressing mix

1 pkg. taco seaoning

Put all ingredients in a crockpot. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 5-6. Serve with corn chips, cheese, sour cream...Really anything you like.