October Challenge Recap!!

Well, with 22 crock pot meals throughout the month of October, I met my challenge of doing 5 meals a week! I'm so very proud, and excited!!

Now, trying to figure out what to do for the November challenge....I'm not sure it is going to be a cooking challenge, rather than a blog challenge....

On Facebook several friends do a "what I'm thankful for" status each day.  I'm going to do a blog about what I am thankful for each day. I am very excited about trying this out, we will be seeing family, and that is always something to be thankful for!

Day 31-chicken tortillas

This was a combination of ideas from Trevor and myself.

1 lb chicken
1 can black beans (drain & rinse)
1 can diced tomatoes and chilies
1 can tomato sauce
2 cups frozen corn
1 cup water

You can add taco seasoning or chili seasoning for additional flavor.

Put together in the crock pot on low for 5-6 hours.

Serve with Spanish Rice and tortillas. Yum!! :)

Day 30-Italian Soup

I had pulled some hamburger out of the freezer yesterday, however, I had no idea what to do with it!!  So, I looked through the blogs I follow, and the magazine I bought about Crock pot cooking, but nothing really interested me....

So, I looked through the pantry and found a few options....everything is pretty much in half for us, if you have more to feed, just double this recipe!! :)

1/2 lb burger(browned with salt/pepper)
1/2 onion(cook with burger)
1 tsp Italian seasonings
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 can black beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can Italian style diced tomatoes
2 cups beef broth

Put all in the crock pot cook for 5-6 hours on low....

Day 29- Chicken with Veggies and Gravy

I've noticed that every post almost starts the exact same.... Sort of funny....they all say it is YUMMY, and EASY! :)  They all are amazing, and yummy, and incredibly easy!

Today, I wanted something that is sort of like Chicken n Dumplings, and Chicken noodle soupish....so, I looked in my fridge, and pantry so that I didn't have to make a trip to the store....

2 chicken breast
1 can cream of chicken
1.5 cups chicken broth
dash of pepper
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped onion

Place the veggies in the bottom of the crock pot with the chicken on top. Sprinkle with the pepper, place chicken on top.  In a bowl mix the cream of chicken and broth, and pour over top the chicken.  Cook on high for 4 hours. Remove chicken and chop into bite size pieces, and mix back into crock pot.

At that time, you will want to cook the biscuits, or rolls.  I'm doing regular Pillsbury biscuits.

Day 28- Crock Pot Beans and Rice

This is one of our favorites! Usually I cook it 1-2 times a year on the stove, but I wanted to try it in the crock pot..... I cooked it all day, about 12 hours, but it was ready at about 8 hours....So YUMMY.....

That is the thing about crock pots that I love, if you have it on Low, you can cook it additional time without really messing it up, or if it seems ready before you are, you can keep it on warm, or you had speed it up on High.....

1 can pinto beans, (I soaked them over night, however, you don't have to if you rinse them before putting them in the crock pot, it just may take a bit of time.)

1 onion
1 ham hock, or ham steak...I did both

Serve over rice. So AMAZING!! :)

Day 26- Crockpot Brisket

I started this early this morning at 5 am!  It smells so good! The brisket was about 2 pounds, and I put Italian seasoning and pepper on both sides and rubbed it in.  As well as making holes in it, and putting full cloves of garlic in it.  I put about 10 in. 

This will be cooked on low about 10 hours.  It will be served with mashed potatoes, and some type of veggies, and rolls.

Day 25- Spaghetti and meatballs

Store bough meatballs, very tasty, and easy again.....

Spaghetti sauce, with the meatballs cook on low for 2-3 hours. Cook noodles, and serve. very easy!! :)

Day 24- Tex Mex Chicken with black beans and rice

As I have said many times I totally love cooking with my Crock Pot! :)  It is so easy to make dinner!!

The black bean and rice part of this meal is very easy, cook the rice by regular directions, and warm up the black beans Mix them together and serve as a side, or inside the tortillas.

Tex Mex Chicken-

3 Chicken breasts
1 taco packet
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 cup water

Combine all ingredients except chicken and mix together well, add chicken breast, and let cook for 4-5 hours on low, or 2-3 hours on high.

Serve either over the rice, on the side, or shredded and in tortillas with regular taco toppings.

Day 23 -French Dips

1/2 lb roast beef slices
1 Ajus sauce (either packet, or liquid made by directions on packet)

Place in crock pot on low for 2 hours

Rolls , swiss cheese, mushrooms and onions (grilled if you want)

So many options for sides.  We did Fried Okra.

Day 21- Crock pot Italian Chicken

Yumm!! And again so easy!!

Chicken breasts (frozen or fresh)
1 bottle Italian dressing
1 can green beans (drained)
1 can new potatoes (drained)

Put in crock pot for 4 hours on low.

We ha this with rolls and rice.

Day 20- Crock pot steak

This is super easy... Steak in a creamy sauce made into gravy over mashed potatoes... Yumm!! Served with roasted Brussels sprouts and rolls!

Roasted Brussels sprouts

We are trying this for the first time.....

14 Brussels sprouts
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/5 tsp pepper

Put into plastic bag and shake to get well coated. Bake 45 minutes shaking pan every 7 minutes....

Day 18- Pineapple Chicken

Yummy!! I absolutely am loving this month of Crock Pot meals! so easy!!

This one is really, REALLY easy!!

Chicken (again, how much depends on who your feeding...)
1 can crushed/chunky pineapple(juice and all)
frozen, or fresh veggies of your choice (I did broccoli and cauliflower)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp worchestire sauce
if you need to cover the chicken a little more, add up to 1 cup water

Cook in crock pot for 4 hours on low. Add the veggies.

Serve over rice.

Day 17- Crock Pot Chili

Chili -

1 package chili seasonings
1 lb burger
1 can kidney beans
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 can tomato paste

brown burger and put everything in the crock pot cook on low for 4 hours.  Top with favorite toppings such as sour cream, cheese, onion, and whatever.

Also serving with corn bread! Yummy!

Day 16- Creamy Chicken

This is so yummy, and simple.... Lately, I have been into simple meals. :) 

Start off with Chicken Breasts fresh or frozen
     (enough to feed however many people you need)
1 can cream of chicken soup
salt/pepper to taste

Put in crock pot cook 4 hours on high, or 6 hours on low.

I am going to serve with corn bread, and Broccoli Rice a Roni.

Day 14- Chicken Noodle Soup

Yummy!! My favorite! And, so easy to make in the Crockpot!

2 chicken breast(you can also do rotisserie chicken)
2 cans chicken Broth
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
1 tsp garlic
1 cup water
Salt pepper to taste
Cook on low for 6 hours add noodles cook on high for 15 minutes.

So yummy!! :)

Day 12 - Fried Rice

I was very nervous about this one...because of the last 2 dinners not turning out, but this is so yummy, I've already had a few spoonfuls...lol...

2 cups rice
2 carrots diced
1 cup frozen peas
2 tbsp Soy Sauce
2 tbsp worchestershire sauce
1 egg
choose a meat, if you have left over chicken, or ham, dice it up, and add it.
salt and pepper to taste

Put every thing in the crock pot, and mix together.  Cook on low for 4-5 hours, or high for 2-3.

Day 11- Left over Thursday!! :)

Left overs are inevitable when you are cooking for 2! :)  Normally we don't have a left over night, because Trevor doesn't usually like leftovers....I hate just throwing them out, so we decided to pick a night a week to have a free for all! :)  It will be fun!!

Day 10- Baked Pasta...(Crock Pot)

Okay, so this needs a little tweaking....Not sure what to do to make it better...I was nervous trying this, because I have never cooked a pasta dish in the crock pot....The recipe called for rinsing the pasta with water for added moisture(I cooked it for 6 minutes because I didn't want it to be crunchy. The pasta turned out way over done) So, I will have to try again next time....

Recipe:
as much pasta as you want rinse with water(remember it doubles in size, so be careful :))
1 Jar/can of Spaghetti sauce
1lb burger/chicken
1 cup cheese

put in half the pasta, sauce, meat, and cheese  top with the rest.  cook on low for 4 hours.

I will be trying this again at some point. If you try it, please let me know how it turns out.... :)

Day 9 - Cabbage and Potatoes

 I am not a cooked Cabbage fan, however, Trevor is, so I thought, hey, lets give this a shot....Well, we did, and Trevor didn't like it.  The following is the recipe that I followed....We think it would be best to add 2 tbsp of water, and wait for the vinegar for personal use.
Cabbage cut in quarters
4 potatoes cut
1/4 c olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
5-6 cloves of garlic
Salt and pepper to taste

Put in crock pot on high for 4-6 hours

I'm serving with baked chicken.

Day 8- 16 Bean Soup(Crock Pot Style!)

Welcome to Monday....start of the second week of my October Challenge... :)  After an eventful weekend, I found myself with the start of a cold yesterday, so I didn't want to do much, and luckily I had a quick easy crock pot dinner yesterday.  I decided to go ahead and search for my menu options for the coming week.

16 Bean Soup (Crock Pot Style)

I had found this idea on Pinterest, and had never heard of, or found this in the grocery store, so I was instantly curious if I could find it. 

It is a bag of 16 bean soup...It has the beans, and all you have to do is either add the pouch of ingredients, or make up your own yummy seasonings.  The original recipe doesn't call for meat, however, Trevor is a meat eater, and gets frustrated when I don't cook meat for dinner, so I added some ham to the ingredients.

I opted to do my own seasonings:

1 bag 16 bean soup
1 pouch onion soup mix
1 can diced tomatoes (juice too)
1 onion
1 lb black forest ham
Water to cover beans

Prep:
This was very easy to prep. I started the night before, sorted the beans to make sure there wasn't anything odd in them, and put them in a pot and covered with water, 2 inches above beans.  covered them and left them on the stove over night.  In the morning, I drained the beans, and rinsed them.  I put them in the crock pot with all the other ingredients and left it on low.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours (the longer the better mine was in for 10 hours, the longer it cooks, the better it tastes).

I will serve with Texas Toast.  Enjoy! :)

Day 7 - Crock Pot Beef

This is such an easy Sunday dinner.  I thought of this last night, we have had this a few times before, but I did it a little different tonight.  You can do any type of beef, I have used Roast, steak, and cubed beef. 

1 lb Beef(whatever type you want)
1 pkg Brown Gravy mix
2 Cups water
1/2 Onion

Put all in the crock pot on Low for 8 hours, or High for 4 hours.  Serve with your favorite sides, we will be having mashed potatoes, and green beans.

Day 4 -Crock Pot Minestrone

This smells AWESOME!!! :)

2 cans Chicken Broth
1 can Corn
1 can Italian stewed tomatoes
2 cans whatever type of beans you like (I did Black and Red Kidney Beans)
1/2 bag Broccoli and Cauliflower (frozen)

Put in crock pot and cook 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.

Day 3 - Crock Pot Country Chicken

This was very easy.  Here is a link for the recipe!  Trevor loved it! :)

Day 1, and 2 of October Challenge!!

Hey all! Welcome to October!  As I stated in my previous post, my October challenge is crock pot month!!

Day 1 Monday-- Sliders
Wasn't a crock pot day, Trevor loves the sliders at Chili's, but we don't eat there, because of horrible customer service at a few locations.... So, I found a recipe for them, and tweaked it for us!

Burger (depending on how many sliders you want to make, I did 1/2lb)
Heavy Cream(Add as much as you want, I used 2 tablespoons)
Seasonings(up to you)
Swiss Cheese
Slider Burger Buns
Diced Mushrooms(up to you)
Diced Onion
1-2 tbsp Butter
Favorite toppings

Mix burger, seasonings, cream make patties about 1/4 cup. Saute the mushrooms and onion in butter.  Cook Burgers, when they are almost done put a little mushrooms and onion on top of each with some swiss cheese.

Sides for this dish are quite easy as well, you can pretty much have whatever you want.  I steamed Broccoli and Cauliflower with a little butter.

Day 2 Tuesday-- Lazy Pork chops(Crock pot)
I chose a marinade for some pork chops I had in the Freezer.  I always have a hard time choosing marinades, this one was Garlic and Cracked Pepper. 

I marinaded them in the fridge overnight.  At noon I put them in the crock pot on HIGH with all the marinade and left them for 3 hours.  Depending on how many chops you are cooking you may need a longer cook time, I only made 2 chops for us.  I flipped them over and turned to LOW.

The sides for this dish: rolls, mashed potatoes, and green beans.