Hamburger Casserole

potatoes - cut into bite size chunks
carrots - cut into bite size chunks
onions - diced
lean ground beef, browned
1 10 oz can tomato soup
1 10 oz can water

Mix soup and water together until lumps disappear.

Place layers of vegetables, in order given, into slow cooker (season each layer with salt and pepper).

Place browned ground beef on top of vegetables.

Pour soup/water mixture over the meat.

Cover with lid and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 2-4 hours. Stir occasionally.

Chicken in Mushroom Gravy

1 whole chicken breast (or 2 halves)
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can sliced mushrooms (drained)

Cook on high for 4 hours (do not open lid!)

Add cornstarch/water to thicken if necessary.

(I like to serve this over mashed potatoes)

Sweet & Sour Pork

cubed pork (however much you need - I usually do two chops)
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup warm water
1/2 cup vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce

Mix brown sugar, water, vinegar and soy sauce in a bowl. Put pork and brown sugar mixture into crock pot. Cook on high for 4 hours. Use 1/4 cup cornstarch and 1/3 cup water to thicken if needed and cook for 15 minutes longer.

Alternative: add in 2 cups of water, a scoop of brown rice, and a scoop of barley

Santa Fe Chicken

Ingredients:
Combine the following in your crock pot:
1 can black beans, drained
1 can corn
1/2 cup salsa


After stirring, add:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup more salsa

Cook on low for 3 hours. Then add, 1 block of cream cheese
Cook one more hour. Serve over rice with flour tortillas

Beef Bourguignon

Ingredients:
6 strips bacon, cut into 1-2 inch pieces
3 lbs beef rump, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3 Tbs flour
1 10-oz. can condensed beef broth
2 cups red or Burgundy wine
1 Tbs tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp whole thyme
1 whole bay leaf
1/2 lb small white onions, peeled
1 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced

Directions:
Cook bacon in large skillet until crisp. Remove and drain. Add beef cubes and brown well. Place browned beef cubes in stoneware. Brown carrot and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in flour. Add broth, mix well and add to stoneware. Add cooked bacon, wine, tomato paste, garlic, bay leaf, onions and mushrooms. Cover cook on Low 10 to 12 hours or on High for 5 to 6 hours.

Asian Chicken

Ingredients:
1 red pepper, cut into strips
1 green pepper, cut into stips
1 yellow pepper, cut into strips
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 8-oz. can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 4 1/2-oz. jar whole mushrooms, drained
1/2 tsp ground ginger
4-6 boneless chicken breasts
4 Tbs hoisin sauce
1 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions:
Place red pepper, green pepper, yellow pepper, garlic, water chestnuts, mushrooms and ginger in stoneware; stir to blend. Place chicken breast on top of vegetables. Drizzle hoisin sauce over top of chicken and sprinkle with cayenne pepper. Cook on Low for 8 hours or High for 4 hours.

Chicken Cacciatore

Ingredients:
2 Tbs olive oil
3 lbs chicken breasts, boneless
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 small onion, chopped
1 lb fresh mushrooms, thickly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup flour
1/2 dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 Tbs tomato paste
1 14 1/2-oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1 tsp dried basil leaves
1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves

Directions:
Add onions to bottom of stoneware. Add chicken, and then top chicken with remaining ingredients. Cover cook on Low 7 to 9 hours or on High 4 to 5 hours.

Broccoli and Beef Pasta

Ingredients:
2 cups broccoli
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp dried basil leaves
1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 14 1/2-oz Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained
1 10-oz. can beef broth
1 lb lean ground beef or beef strips
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbs tomato paste
2 cups cooked rotini pasta
3-oz. shredded Cheddar cheese or grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Combine beef and garlic in large nonstick skillet cook over high heat 6 to 8 minutes or until meat is no longer pink, breaking meat apart with wooden spoon. Strain in a colander to remove excess fat and drippings. Add beef mixture to slow cooker. Layer broccoli, onion, basil, oregano, thyme, tomatoes, tomato paste and beef broth in the stoneware. Cover cook on Low 6-8 hours. Serve over pasta and sprinkle cheese on top.

Beef Fajitas

1 1/2 Pounds Beef flank steak
1 Cup chopped onion
1 Green pepper cut into 1/2 pieces
1-2 jalepenos chopped
2 Cloves garlic minced
1 Teaspoon chili powder
1 Teaspoon ground cumin
1 Teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Large Can diced tomatoes (undrained)
12 flour tortilla shells
1 Tablespoon lime juice

shredded skim mozzarella
guacamole
sour cream
salsa

Cut meat into 6 portions. In slow cooker combine onions, green pepper, jalepeno,garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, and salt. Place meat in cooker. Add undrained tomatoes.
Cover:Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high 4-5 hours.

Shred beef when finished-then return to cooker and add lime juice.

To serve fajitas use a slotted spoon to fill tortilla shells. If desired add cheese, salsa, guacamole and sour cream. Roll and enjoy.

Manhattan Clam Chowder

2x 6 1/2 oz cans of minced clams
2 Medium potatoes
1 Cup chopped onions
1 Cup chopped celery
1/2 Cup green pepper
1 Large can stewed tomatoes with liquid
1 1/2 Cups hot style tomato juice or spicy veggie juice
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
*1/2 Cup or cooked bacon pieces.

Drain clams and reserve liquid. Place clams in a small bowl, cover and chill.
In a 3-5 quart crock pot, combine reserved liquid, potatoes, onions, celery, green pepper, undrained tomatoes, tomato juice, thyme, and bay leaf. Cover and cook on low setting for 8-10 hours or high setting for 4-5 hours.

If using low turn to high and stir in clams five minutes before end of cooking. Then discard Bay leaf. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with bacon.

*For this I usually cook bacon and then freeze it so I have it on hand in a baggy.

Cheese Enchilada Chowder

1 Large Can (14oz) Diced Tomatoes
1 Can of Kernel corn (or the equal amount of frozen)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped yellow, green or red pepper
1 small jalepeno pepper chopped
1 can of enchilada sauce
1 can of condensed cream of chicken soup
2 cups milk (lactaid milk works too)
1 cup shredded part skim Mozza cheese
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Sour cream (I use lactose-free)
Guacamole
Tortilla Chips


In 3-5 quart slow cooker combine tomatoes, corn, onion, pepper, and jalepeno. In large mixing bowl wisk together enchilada sauce and soup. Gradually wisk in milk until smooth. Pour sauce mixture over ingredients in cooker.
Cover, cook on low heat 6-8 hours or high heat 3-4 hours. Stir cheeses in just until melted. Ladle into bowls and top with guacamole and tortilla chips.

Slow Cooker Saucy Meatballs

*Adapted From Kraft Recipes

Slow Cooker Saucy Meatballs

Ingredients: 1 jar (680 mL) Pasta Sauce 1 pkg. (120g) Stuffing Mix for Turkey or Chicken 1-1/2 lb. extra lean ground beef 1 egg 1/2 cup water 1 cup spinach 1 medium red, yellow, orange, green bell pepper, sliced (whatever you have) 1 pkg. (500g) Spaghetti, uncooked 1/3 cup Parmesan Grated Cheese

ADD pasta sauce to slow cooker. COMBINE dry stuffing mix, meat, egg and water. Shape into 1-inch meatballs; place in slow cooker. Top with mushrooms and peppers; cover with lid. Cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours (or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours). COOK pasta according to package directions. Drain, then place on serving platter. Top with the meatballs and sauce. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. *I like this recipe because you don't have to precook the meat first like in so many slow cooker recipes. Also I like to use spaghettini because it is a thinner noodle and a lot easier to eat than a heavy spaghetti noodle. Plus of course you can add in extra veggies if you like: such as zuchini or anything else.