Flank Steak

Flank steak is a rather inexpensive cut of meat. I pop this in the slow cooker in the afternoon and forget about it until dinner time.

Ingredients:

1 Flank Steak
1 small can of green chiles
1 large red onion, chopped
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp of brown sugar
1 tsp of chili pepper
1/4 tsp of cumin
1/2 c water
Garlic optional.

Cook on low for 4-6 hours, serve with tortillas.

How I got started!

http://whoneedsacape.com/2012/11/crockpot-freezer-cooking/

Here is the link of how I got started. She gives all the recipes and a shopping list to go by. She helped start my 1st month of crockpot meals and now I am ready to start my 2nd month on my own.

My counter after shopping.

Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken

This Crockpot recipe could not be easier, the ease of adding some chicken, a bit of fruit and some veggies plus a little sauce results in a flavorful dish that both kids and adults will enjoy.

Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• small bag of baby carrots
• 2 20 oz cans of pineapple, undrained
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 medium red onion, cut into chunks
• 1 cup Teriyaki Sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray's)

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients into Crockpot
2. Cook on low temperature 6-7 hours. 

Serve over rice!

Just a note!

I suggest printing out all the recipes you are using for the crockpot. Ask your family memebers if they liked it, loved it or would change anything.
There is some recipes that my husband loves but wants me to double the meat, some notes are "add more cheese", "too hot", "gross!". It helps for the next time I want to cook it, to make it better for those picky family members :)

Beef Tips & Gravy with Mashed Potatoes

These beef tips are incredibly tender and the gravy just cries out to be placed upon a bed of mashed spuds.  4 simple ingredients that make for one delicious meal. This is my husbands and daughters favorite meal out of all my other crockpot meals. My husband insist that I double the recipe every time!! Enjoy an easy dinner.

Crockpot Beef Tips & Gravy

 

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs cubed beef (stew meat)
• 1 packet Dry Onion Soup Mix
• 1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup (although Cream of anything will work)
• 1 14 oz. can beef beef broth or stock
• Salt & Pepper

Instructions

1. Add beef cubes to Crockpot, season with salt & pepper.
2. In bowl combine soup mix, soup & broth, stir to combine.
3. Dump mixed ingredients over top of beef, stir.
4. Cook on low 6-8 hours.

Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes

• 5 lbs sierra gold potatoes or red potatoes, diced with peel
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup butter, cut into chunks
• 1 tablespoon salt, plus
• ¾  teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 1/3  cups milk, warmed

1. Place the potatoes, water, and butter into a slow cooker.
2. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Cover, and cook on High for 4 hours.
4. Do not remove the excess water from slow cooker. This adds to the creamy texture.
5. Mash potatoes with a masher or electric beater, adding the desired amount of warm milk to achieve a creamy consistency.
6. Keep warm on low until serving.
7. Potatoes keep consistency for a couple of hours after mashing. Just keep the lid on the slow cooker and serve directly from there.

Crockpot Garlic Pesto Chicken with pasta

Tonight's dinner - Garlic Pesto Chicken with pasta!! I also plan on making Artichokes in my other crockpot, cooking on high for 4 hrs.

 Recipe for Garlic Pesto Chicken
http://whoneedsacape.com/2013/01/crockpot-garlic-pesto-chicken-with-pasta-in-a-tomato-cream-sauce/

Why I love my crockpot meals!

I am a very busy mom that never thought what is for dinner until 6pm, and everything was frozen. During the week I run a home daycare for 10.5 hours a day, I also run 2nd Chance Junk on weekends. Dinners and even healthy eating was never a thought, so we would just run to a fast food place.

My husband and I have always struggled with healthy eating, maybe staying on a diet for 2 weeks and then back to our old ways. What bad roll models we being for our son. Tyler would not even eat my dinners when I cooked them, because he wanted a hamburger instead.

I needed to find 30+ crockpot meals, that on one weekend a month I can put them all in freezer bags. So I found 15 crockpot recipes (make 2 of each) that I have never made, printed them out, made a grocery list and went shopping. It was a little over whelming at first, but I was so proud of myself for having 30 dinners finished. All I need to do every night, is to make veggies and a side dish.

Crockpot meals is a hit at my house!! I even make macaroni and cheese, baked and mashed potatoes in another crockpot. How easy!!!!!

Not only are we eating healthy, but we are saving money on not eating out ($40.00 per meal at a fast food place), which we may do 5x a week. After work at 5:30 when my crockpot has another 30 minutes to cook, we go on a 20 minute walk with the dogs :)

I will be posting links to many recipes and how to make your 30 days of meals in one weekend.

Thanks for all your support!

~Lori

Beyond Easy Pulled Pork!

The easiest meal ever!! You can make pulled pork sandwiches, with baked potatoes (cook them in a separate crockpot in foil for 8 hrs). My son loves his pork butt roast sandwiches the next day in his lunch! 

Beyond Easy Pulled Pork

4-5 lb pork butt roast

2 yellow onions, sliced

Dry Rub

3 tbsps chili powder

1 tsp coriander

2 tsps cumin

2 tsps onion powder

1 tablespoon dried parsley

¼ teaspoon chipotle powder

2 tsps sea salt

Mix all dry rub ingredients together.  Rub the entire roast with the dry rub (you should use it all.)  Place a layer of onions on the bottom of your slow cooker.  Place the roast on top.  Put the rest of the sliced onions on top of the slow cooker.  NO LIQUID NECESSARY!  Cook the roast on high for 5-6 hours and then turn down to low for another 3-4 hours or until the roast is literally falling apart and easy to shred.

Enjoy!