It all starts at the Dinner Table...

Baked Beef Enchiladas 

How can one go wrong with Enchiladas? Just look at this picture...beefy...cheesy... and will be a family favorite! Baked Beef Enchiladas make AMAZING leftovers! 

I suggest you double this recipe...

the end.

Ingredients

• 6 large flour Tortillas
• 1/2 Green Pepper Diced
• 1 Can of Green Chilies - Mild
• 1/2 Red Pepper Diced
• 1/2 tsp. of cumin
• 1/2 tsp. of pepper
• 1 pound of ground beef - 80/20
• 1/2 Cup of Mexican Cheese
• 2 Cups of Cheddar Cheese
• Red Enchilada Sauce
• 1/2 Cup of Onion, Diced
• Olive Oil

Instructions

1.   Preheat oven to 375 and lightly grease a 9x13 casserole dish.

2.  In a large skillet add a small amount of olive oil.  Brown meat and drain fat.  Add onions and cook for 5 minutes.

3.  Add green and red pepper and cook for a few minutes.

4.  Add canned green chilies and 1/4 cup of enchiladas sauce.

5.  Separate filling and add to the center of each tortilla.

6.  Add Mexican cheese on top of the filling then roll and place into the casserole dish.

7.  Once the 6 are done cover with the rest of the enchiladas sauce and 2 cups of cheddar cheese.

8.  Bake for 15-20 minutes until all cheese is melted.

Savory Slow Cooker 

Pot Roast

A roast cooked in the crock pot has a flavor that cannot be beat!!  The meat cooks beautifully, and is fork tender and full of flavor.

       And did I mention how wonderful the house smells   while it is cooking?

This recipe uses chuck roast.  It is inexpensive to buy and has a great marbling of fat to keep it juicy and moist   and is so delicious when it is done.

Cooking tip…  Don’t overcrowd the crock pot.  About 3/4 full is the maximum to make sure it all cooks evenly.

 Ingredients

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. Kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. cracked black pepper
• 5-6 pounds chuck roast of beef (or other roast suitable for slow-cooking, such as rump roast)
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 large onion, sliced
• 4 carrots, scraped and cubed
• 4 stalks of celery, sliced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp. fresh thyme
• 1 1/2 tbsp. fresh oregano, chopped
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 8-10 Whole small potatoes

Instructions

1.   Season the flour with the salt and pepper and rub over the meat.

2.  Brown the beef on all sides in a skillet in the olive oil. Set aside.

3.  Pour off excess fat from the pan and sauté onions until softened slightly…then add to the slow-cooker.

4.  Pour the wine (or substitute)and broth into the pan, scraping up the browned bits.

5.  Place the vegetables and herbs into the crock pot and add the beef on top. Pour the liquid over everything. Cook on low 8 hours or more.

6.  Check the liquid about 1 hour before serving if you can… and add more beef broth if there is not good gravy going on in the pot.

Red wine substitutes:

• Chicken, beef, or vegetable stock

• Grape, pomegranate, or cranberry juice

• For acidity or de-glazing, add about a tablespoon of       red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar per cup of stock or   fruit juice

• For sweetness, add sugar or honey

CROCK POT Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti

It’s one of those, 

“Crap, its 2:00 and I forgot to get the Crock-Pot going soon enough” kind of meals.

This is a quick and easy meal. This Crockpot Chicken Spaghetti with Velveeta isn't going to win any Weight Watchers Awards.

Nothing too healthy about it at all, but it sure is comforting and filling and yummy!

INGREDIENTS

• 16 oz. spaghetti, cooked
• 1 lb. Velveeta Light (2%)Cheese
• 2 cups cooked, chopped chicken
• 1 can 98% FF cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can 98% FF cream of chicken soup
• 1 can of petite diced tomatoes
• 1 4 oz. can of mild green chilies
• 4 oz. can mushroom stems & pieces, drained
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 small onion, diced
• salt & pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1.   Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Combine all ingredients in Crock Pot and stir to mix well. Cook on LOW for 2-3 hours.

2.  Seriously, that's it people! Stir Spaghetti before serving.

Meatball Sub Macaroni and Cheese

Just plain good!  And VERY kid friendly!

Perfect week night dinner!

Ingredients

·     About 3/4 of a 16 oz. box of pasta

·     3 tbs. butter

·     3 tbs. all- purpose flour

·     1/4 cup diced yellow onion

·     3 cloves of garlic, minced 

·     2 cups half and half

·     1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

·     1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

·     1/2 cup freshly grated cheddar cheese

·     Pinch of salt and    Pinch of pepper

For the Meatball Sub Topping

·     1.5 lbs. ground beef/pork (I buy mine in a combo package from my butcher)

·     1/2 cup Ritz cracker crumbs

·     1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 

·     1 clove of garlic

·     1 tbs. diced fresh parsley

·     1 egg

·     1 tbs. Worcestershire sauce

·     1 cup of your favorite tomato sauce 

·     Fresh mozzarella slices for topping

Directions

1.    Prepare pasta according to the box directions.

2. To start your cheese sauce, melt 3 tbs. of butter in a heavy bottomed pot, add in your onion and garlic.

3. Sauté over medium heat until the onions become translucent. Sprinkle the onions with the 3 tbs. of flour, mixing with a wooden spoon until a paste forms.

4. Slowly mix in your half and half. Continue mixing until it comes to a low boil.

5. Stir in your shredded mozzarella, Parmesan, and cheddar cheeses. Stir until melted.

6. Salt and pepper to taste.

7.  Combine cheese sauce and prepared pasta. Pour into a casserole dish. 

To prepare the meatballs

1.    In a large bowl combine ground meat, cracker Crumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic, parsley, egg, and Worcestershire sauce. Using clean hands combine and work the mixture together until everything is combined.

2. Roll 1-1.5 inch balls.

3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet and fry the meatballs over medium/high heat until golden on all sides. Place on top of the macaroni. If the meat is not cooked through all the way it is OK, it will finish cooking in the oven.

4. Pour tomato sauce over the top of the meatballs and then top with fresh mozzarella cheese.

5. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until your dinner is hot and bubbly.  

Chicken Tacos

Chances are…you already make chicken tacos or some version of them. Three ingredients and a slow cooker (plus the taco fixin’s)…that’s my kind of meal!

As a bonus, you can throw the chicken in the slow cooker still frozen.  That’s perfect for those days you only have 5 minutes to get dinner started.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• boneless chicken breasts
• 1 can chicken broth
• 2 pkgs. taco seasoning or the equivalen

Next:

1.   Put the chicken in the crockpot.

2.  Mix the broth and taco seasoning together and pour over the top of the chicken. 

3.  Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.  Shred the meat and make your tacos!

Knock Your Socks off Slow Cooker Chicken and Sausage

Bottom Line…

It's easy to prepare…creamy…comforting… 

and family friendly.

Ingredients:

·     1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts

·     1 package Andouille sausage 

(Or you can use smoked sausage, kielbasa, use what you like most)

·     1 8 oz. package cream cheese, room temperature

·     1 1/2 cups chicken stock

·     3 cloves of garlic minced

·     1 small yellow onion diced

·     2 tbs. grainy mustard 

·     1/2 tsp salt

·     Scallions for garnish

·     Serve over white rice or buttered noodles

Directions:

1.   In a mixing bowl whip cream cheese with chicken stock, salt, garlic, mustard until incorporated.

2.  Place, chicken and sausage in the bottom of your crock pot. Place onions on top.

3.  Pour cream cheese mixture over the top.

4.  Cover and place on high for 4 hours or low for 5-6 hours, checking it occasionally to make sure it's not thickening too much. If it is, add more chicken stock.

5.  When you are ready to serve, you can place the meal in a baking dish and pop it under the broiler for a couple of minutes for some extra color. (this is optional, but I highly recommend it!)

6.  Salt and pepper to taste, serve over rice, quinoa, or pasta.    

Slow Cooker Swiss Steak

Perfect weeknight dinner and your house will smell divine! So good!!! And might I add comfort food!

  What you need…

  ·     6 medium beef blade steaks

·     8 oz. fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced

·     1 medium onion, sliced

·     1 tbs. fresh thyme, minced

·     1 1/2 tsp sweet paprika

·     3/4 cup chicken stock

·     1/4 cup dry sherry

·     1/4 cup flour

·     4 tbs. oil

·     salt & pepper to taste

·     2 tbs. fresh parsley, chopped

·     1/2 cup heavy cream

  Make this…

1.   Heat a heavy skillet or sauté pan over medium heat.

2.  Add 1 tbs. of the oil.  Add the mushrooms; cover and cook for 5 minutes.

  

3.  Remove cover and continue cooking until mushrooms begin to brown.  Remove from pan and place in the slow cooker.

4.  Return the pan to the heat.  Season the steaks with salt & pepper. Add 1 tbs. of oil and brown the blade steaks nicely. Remove to a plate and set aside.

5.  Return the pan to the heat and add 2 tbs. of the oil.  Add the sliced onions, the thyme and the paprika.  Stir and cook for about 1 minute.

  

6.  Add the flour and stir well, cooking for about 1 minute.  Whisk in the sherry and chicken stock, scraping up all the browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Add the entire contents of the pan to the slow cooker.

7.  Place browned steaks on top of the mushroom/onion mixture. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours, HI for 4-5 hours.

8.  Remove steaks to a serving plate and cover with aluminum foil to keep them warm. Stir the cream and parsley into the liquid.

9. Heat for another 10 minutes.  Ladle gravy over steaks and serve.  Makes either 6 smaller servings or 3 larger servings.

recipe source...themidnightbaker

Slow Cooker Roasted

Ranch Chicken

SO simple to prepare… You add a whole chicken into a 6 qt. Crock Pot. Roll foil balls and place them under the chicken. This keeps the dark meat from turning into mush after rendering in those juices for so long. The possibilities are endless with this bird!

What you need:

• 1 small Oven roaster chicken (no bigger than 5-6 lbs.)
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 2 tbs. Worcestershire  sauce
• 1 stick of unsalted butter
• 2 tbs. ranch seasoning
• salt and pepper
• aluminum foil
• 6 qt. Crock Pot

Directions:

1.    Salt and pepper inside and outside of the your chicken.

2. Ball 4, 1 inch balls of aluminum foil up and place at the bottom of your slow cooker.

3. Place chicken in your slow cooker on top of foil balls.

4. Spread butter over the top and sides of the bird. Then drizzle with lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and sprinkle with ranch seasoning.

5. Place top on the slow cooker and cook on high for about 4 hours or low for 6 hours.

6. When ready to serve, carefully remove chicken from your slow cooker and place in a roasting pan. To do this I use the biggest tongs I have or some large spatulas. Make sure you have a prepared roasting pan sitting right next to the slow cooker. This chicken is really… really tender and will fall apart if you are not careful.

7.  Place under the broiler (set on high) and broil until the skin starts to brown. Usually takes about 2-3 minutes for me.

8. Remove from oven and dig in!