Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup

Have I mentioned that I LURVE my crock pot? :) Well I do, a lot. Tossing everything inside the pot, turning it on and going to work is so simple.

I made this recipe and had a couple girlfriends come over. They both ranted and raved about it and even had second bowls. So I think it was a hit. :)

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped (optional)
1 16 oz can chili beans (I used kidney)
1 15 oz can black beans
1 15 oz can whole kernel corn, drained
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 cup of chicken stock
2 15 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
1 packet taco seasoning (I used hot, it gives it just a little spice)
1 packet ranch seasoning (ranch dip is another name)
1/2 tbs of cumin powder
3 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts (I used a package of thighs)
shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)
sour cream (optional)
crushed tortilla chips (optional)

Directions:

Place the onion, chili beans, black beans, corn, tomato sauce, beer, and diced tomatoes in a slow cooker. Add taco seasoning, and stir to blend. Lay chicken breasts on top of the mixture, pressing down slightly until just covered by the other ingredients. Set slow cooker for low heat, cover, and cook for 5 hours.

Remove chicken breasts from the soup, and allow to cool long enough to be handled. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup, and continue cooking for 2 hours. Serve topped with shredded Cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips, if desired.

Michelle's Crock Pot Chili

Now don't get me wrong, I do like the Jaime's Chili, but I felt there was some flavor missing. I took that recipe and ran with it, "doctoring" it up with more seasoning. I really enjoyed this batch and I hope you do too. Oh btw, it's spicy. :)

Ingredients:

2 pounds mixed ground beef and sausage, browned and drained
1 medium onion, diced
1 green bell pepper diced
2 cups chopped celery
2 (28 oz) cans diced tomatoes
1 (28 oz) can whole, peeled tomatoes
1 (4 oz) can of tomatoe paste
1-2 cubes beef bouillon
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce (e.g. Tabasco)
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 (14 1/2 oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14 1/2 oz) can chili beans with spicy sauce
1 (14 1/2 oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 package chili seasoning mix
smoked applewood salt to taste(it's something we own but table salt is fine)
ground black pepper to taste

Shredded cheddar, sour cream, chopped green onions, for garnish
Fritos (optional)

Directions:

In a skillet brown ground beef and sausage, drain and set aside. Add the onion, green pepper,celery, beans, seasonings and meat into the crock pot. Stir in the diced, tomatoe paste and whole tomatoes. Turn your crock pot to low and let simmer for 6-8 hours stirring occasionally.

Serve with Cheddar cheese, sour cream, and green onions.

Crock pot BBQ Pork

M and I have tried a few different BBQ chicken or pork recipes in the crock pot and have found them to taste disgusting. Something about having the meat cook in the BBQ for hours does something gross to the sauce or maybe it's just the crock pot that does that. I came across this recipe on one of my new favorite foodie blogs, I thought I would give it a try and we LOVE it. It has better flavor and the sauce is added at the very end so no weird taste.I picked up KFC cole slaw for a side dish they worked well together.


adapted from Lick the Bowl Good

Ingredients:

Spice Rub:

1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
4 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons table salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 (2-3lb) Pork Shoulder (butt)
1-2 tsp of liquid smoke (optional)
1-2 cups barbecue sauce (use as much as you like)

Directions:
Mix all spice rub ingredients in small bowl.

Place shoulder in a 9x13 Pyrex dish. Massage spice rub into meat. Cover tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. (For stronger flavor, the pork can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)

Unwrap and place pork in slow cooker liner. Add ¼ cup water and liquid smoke. Turn slow cooker to low and cook for 6-8 hours, until meat is fork-tender.

Transfer meat to cutting board. “Pull” by tearing meat into thin shreds with two forks or your fingers (be careful it's HOT).

Place shredded meat back in slow cooker liner. Stir in 1 cup barbecue sauce. Add more if desired. Heat on low for 30-60 minutes, until hot.

Makes about 8 pulled pork sandwiches.

Chili Queso Dip

Ingredients:

1 lb Sausage
32 oz Velveeta
10 oz can Rotel
1 cup Onions, diced
4 oz(?) can diced green chilies (optional)
1/2 salsa (optional)

Directions:

In a fry pan cook sausage and onions until done. Drain excess grease if necessary. Cube the Velveeta and add it to a crock pot, then pour the rotel over the cheese, and then the sausage over that; stir until everything is evenly incorporated. Set your slow cooker on high until the cheese is completely melted, then turn to low or warm for serving.

If needed, add some milk to keep the dip creamy.

I got this recipe from Kaitlin in the Kitchen but added the salsa and green chilies. My co-workers and I loved it, it had a lot of flavor and was just a good snack. It makes a lot, so make sure you're hungry or feeding a lot of people.

Kalua Pig and Cabbage

Ingredients:

1 (6 pound) pork butt roast (or shoulder)
1 1/2 tablespoons Hawaiian sea salt
1 tablespoon liquid smoke flavoring
1 head of cabbage cut up (not thin)

Directions:

Pierce pork all over with a carving fork. Rub salt then liquid smoke over meat. Place roast in a slow cooker.

Cover, and cook on Low for 16 to 20 hours, turning once during cooking time. For the last hour of cooking add the cabbage to the pot and stir. Remove meat& cabbage from slow cooker, and shred, adding drippings as needed to moisten.

TIP: You will notice that there is a lot of oil in the slow cooker and you want to get rid of it. After pulling out all of the meat and cabbage, pour the juices into a container and pop in the freezer for 30 mins or longer. The fat should rise to the top and harden up enough to skim it off easliy so you can use just the juices.

OH.MY.GOODNESS. I love love Hawaiian food and my favorite meal to buy is the Kaulua pig and cabbage, on the lunch plate you get rice and macaroni salad too. I didn't think it would taste the same, but oh yes it does! I love this recipe and it's so simple. M loved it too, he was a bit puzzled by the cabbage, he isn't big on it.

Easy slow cooker french dip

Ingredients:

4 pounds rump roast
1 (10.5 ounce) can beef broth
1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed French onion soup
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle beer
6 French rolls
2 tablespoons butter

Dash of onion powder (optional)

Dash of garlic powder (optional)

Provolone or Mozzarella cheese (optional)

Directions:

Trim excess fat from the rump roast, and place in a slow cooker. Add the beef broth, onion soup and beer. Cook on Low setting for 7 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Split French rolls, and spread with butter. Bake 10 minutes, or until heated through.

Slice the meat on the diagonal, and place on the rolls. Serve the sauce for dipping.

This was a very easy and good dish. I am not big on french dip but M loved it. I didn't use the can of beer because we don't drink any and I didn't want to buy an entire case of it, so I added an extra cup of beef broth. The beef ended up being shredded for me. I suggest popping it in the fridge to cool and it would slice a lot easier.

Easy Slow-Cooker Beef Stew

Ingredients:

1 cup fat-free reduced-sodium beef broth
1/4 cup Kraft Light Zesty Italian Dressing
1/4 cup Kraft Original Barbecue Sauce
1 tsp. dried oregano leaves
1 lb. boneless beef chuck for stew, cut into 1-1/4-inch cubes
1 lb. red potatoes, quartered
4 large carrots, cut into 1-inch-thick slices
1 large onion, cut into chunks
2 slices Oscar Mayer Bacon, chopped
3 Tbsp. flour
3 Tbsp. water

Directions:

Mix broth, dressing, barbecue sauce and oregano in slow cooker. Add all remaining ingredients except flour and water; toss to coat. Cover with lid. Cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours (or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours).

Transfer meat and vegetables to serving bowl with slotted spoon; cover with foil. Set aside. Mix flour and water until well blended. Stir into juices in slow cooker; cover. Cook on HIGH for 15 min. or until sauce is slightly thickened. Spoon over meat and vegetables.

Ugh, I did not like this recipe and M didn't like it either. It doesn't taste like beef stew I grew up with. It has a tangier taste and the meat was not tender after 9 - 9 1/2 hrs of cooking. I think I will find another recipe and figure out how to make the meat tender. Don't get me wrong, there were a lot of people who liked the tangy taste, it just depends on the person.

Pot Roast

Ingredients:

2- 3lbs Chuck Pot Roast
1 Cream of Mushroom soup (family size)
1 cup of baby carrots
1 med yellow onion sliced into large pieces
2 russet potatoes or 7 small yellow potatoes cut into 1/2 pieces


Directions:

Heat a frying skillet with a little olive oil. While oil is heating, sprinkle seasoning salt (Lawry's) and flour on each side of the roast. When oil is hot, sear each side of the roast in the skillet until golden brown.

Toss onions in the bottom of the crockpot. Add roast on top when done, scoop out soup and ladle ontop of the roast. Let it cook for half the degsinated time then toss in carrots and potatoes and cover. If you put the vegetables in only half way through it won't make them mushy to eat. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.

Simple.easy.delish. I am not a fan of pot roast that is in the oven with a beef broth, but I really like this recipe. Very easy and very quick to make.

Daisy enjoying some of the carrots.

Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Lasanga

Ingredients:

pk. of uncooked traditional lasagna noodles
4 pre-cooked chicken breast halves
1 jar of prepared pasta sauce
1 cup buffalo wing sauce
3 red, yellow, or orange bell peppers
1 tub of ricotta cheese (15 oz)
2 cups shredded cheese (mozzarella and cheddar blend)
1/2 cup bleu cheese crumbles
1/4 cup of water (add at very end)

Directions:

Use at least a 5qt crockpot, or cut back on the amount of ingredients. In a large glass bowl, combine cooked and chopped chicken breast, the pasta sauce, and buffalo wing sauce. Ladle a big spoonful of the sauce into the bottom of your crockpot. Cover with a layer of uncooked lasagna noodles. You'll have to break them to get a proper fit. Add a smear of ricotta cheese to the top of the noodles. Add a layer of chopped bell pepper. Sprinkle on a handful of shredded cheese. Repeat layers until you run out of ingredients. Add the bleu cheese crumbles, if desired.

Put the 1/4 cup of water into your empty pasta sauce jar and shake. Pour the liquid over the top of the entire lasagna. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours, or on high for 4-5. When cooking time is complete, unplug and take off the lid of the crock. Let it sit for 20 minutes before cutting into. Or it will fall apart.

It was pretty tasty, I was taken back about making a lasagna in a crockpot, but it was just fine. I might add a little more buffalo sauce, it had a like flavor of it through the lasagna. The bleu cheese makes the top look like it's rotten. Sorry, I hope that hasn't turned you away.

Seahawks Potatoes

Ingredients:


1 pkg. Orieda frozen diced potatoes – thaw them in warm water in your sink, open the bag and drain the water once thawed
1 12oz pkg. shredded medium cheddar cheese
1 8oz sour cream – do not use non fat
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 small ham, don’t use smoked or honey ham, use plain picnic ham – 3 to 4 cups cut up in cubes


Directions:


4 to 6 qt. Crockpot or slow cooker (spray the inside). Place the hash browns in the cooker, mix the cream of chicken and sour cream together first, then mix them into the potatoes.
Now toss in the ham and half of the cheese

Cook slow for 4 to 6 hours depending on the cooker, don’t mix up the mixture as you will mash the potatoes

30 minutes before you are ready to each them mix in the rest of the cheese, I usually just throw about half in and mix gently then put the rest on top to melt

I didn't care for this too much. I accidentally purchased shredded potatoes and I don't think there was enough potatoes. Next time I will try it with diced, hopefully it will taste a bit better.

Asian Peanut Sauce Crockpot Pork

Borrowed from: Bumpie cwhip77 (thanks)

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs pork tenderloin or roast
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Asian hot chili sauce
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 large sweet onion, sliced
1 large red pepper, cored
and sliced2 cups green beans
lime wedges for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place pork in crockpot. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, water, rice wine vinegar, hot chili sauce and peanut butter. Set on low, cover and cook for 6-8 hours.2. Just before serving, in a large frypan sautee sweet onion, red bell pepper and green beans over medium high heat until tender. Stir peanut sauce until smooth, then add vegetables. Serve over rice with lime wedges for garnish.

I bought tenderloin, this recipe is easy and tasty. M and I love spicy food so I would recommend adding 2-3 tbls more of the chili sauce. In the recipe you really don't taste any spice. When I picked up the tenderloin to shred, it was pulling apart from being so tender. I didn't use any lime, but next time I will have to try that.