Slow Cooker Sweet Potatoes with Applesauce

Slow Cooker Sweet Potatoes with Applesauce
From the Betty Crocker website

6	medium (2 pounds) sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 1/2	cups applesauce
2/3	cup packed brown sugar
3	tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1	teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2	cup chopped nuts, toasted

1. Place sweet potatoes in 2- to 3 1/2-quart slow cooker. Mix remaining ingredients except nuts; spoon over potatoes.
2. Cover and cook on low heat setting 6 to 8 hours or until potatoes are very tender.
3. Sprinkle with nuts.
   
   Note: This recipe was tested in slow cookers with heating elements in the side and bottom of the cooker, not in cookers that stand only on a heated base. For slow cookers with just a heated base, follow the manufacturer’s directions for layering ingredients and choosing a temperature.

ANGEL CHICKEN

ANGEL CHICKEN
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy)

8 boneless chicken breasts, frozen
1 cup butter
2 (1 ounce) packages dried Italian salad dressing mix
2 (10 ½ ounce) can Campbell's Golden Mushroom soup
1 cup chicken broth or white wine
8 ounces cream cheese with chives and onions (I use garden vegetable and added onion powder and chives)
Angel hair pasta (cook according to box directions)

Place the chicken in crock pot. Melt butter in a saucepan. Stir in Italian salad dressing mix, can of soup, cream cheese & wine(or water or broth). Pour over chicken. Cook on low in the crock pot for 4-5 hours. Pour over cooked angel hair pasta or other noodles or rice. Enjoy! Makes 8 breasts.
* Amy’s notes: I shred the chicken and then stir in the pasta. 

Savory Pot Roast

Savory Pot Roast (8 Points)OP???
8 serv @ 8 pts.

3-3 1/2 pound beef boneless chuck roast
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
8 small red potatoes, cut in half
3 cups baby-cut carrots
1 large onion, coarsely chopped (1 cup)
1 jar (5 ounces) prepared horseradish
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 cup water

Trim fat from the roast. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Cook beef in oil about 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until brown on all sides. Place potatoes, carrots and onion in 4-6 quart slow cooker. Place beef on vegetables. Mix horseradish, salt and pepper; spread evenly over beef. Pour water over beef and vegetables. Cover and cook on low heat setting 8-10 hours or until beef and vegetables are tender. Special Notes This is my favorite pot roast....the horseradish gives it a nice taste but not horseradishey

Crispy Potato Cubes

Crispy Potato Cubes
Katie (Katiedid)

1/3 c all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
1/8 tsp pepper
5 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/4 c butter melted
1 garlic clove, minced
1 bay leaf

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the flour, salt, thyme, marjoram and pepper. Add potatoes; seal bag and shake to coat. Pour butter into 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish; stir in the garlic. Add potatoes and bay leaf. Cover and bake at 450 F for 20 minutes. Uncover and stir; bake 15-20 minutes longer or until potatoes are lightly browned and tender. Discard bay leaf. Yield: 4 servings

Hirino Psito

Hirino Psito

3-4 pound boneless pork butt or shoulder
10 whole garlic cloves
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon sage
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon gluten free Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 cup dijon mustard
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup beer (Redbridge is gluten free)

The Directions.

Use a 6 quart slow cooker. Put the meat into your crockpot, and pour on dry spices, and brown sugar. Flip the meat over a few times in the stoneware so the spices are kind of stuck to all sides. Peel garlic cloves and add whole. Add Worcestershire sauce, mustard, honey, and cranberries. Top with bay leaves. Pour in the beer.

Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until meat shreds easily with a fork. I cooked on low for 12 hours, and while the meat was tender and flavorful, it did burn a bit on the top and sides. Serve over rice or pasta, or on your favorite sandwich rolls.

From the Make it Fast, Cook it Slow cook book.

Vegan Pumpkin Cranberry Apple Pecan Everything Bread

Vegan Pumpkin Cranberry Apple Pecan Everything Bread (from Joy the Baker)

Makes two 9x4x3-inch loaves (and it freezes well!)

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups light brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree, or just under two cups
1 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup water
1 cup chopped pecans plus 8 pecan halves
1 heaping cup fresh cranberries
1 medium Granny Smith apple, peeled and cored and cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place a rack in the center of the oven. Grease and flour two loaf pans and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flours, sugars, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices.
In a medium bowl, carefully whisk together pumpkin puree, oil, maple syrup and water.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and use a spatula to fold all of the ingredients together. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl well, finding any stray flour bits to mix in. Fold in most of the chopped pecans, cranberries and apple chunks.

Divide the dough between the two greased pans and arrange pecan halves on top of each loaf. Sprinkle loaf with cinnamon and granulated sugar if you'd like. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven. Let rest in the pans for 20 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack.

Cool completely before slicing. Slice into thick pieces and serve. Maybe even wrap one loaf up in plastic wrap and store in the freezer for future munching

Four Cheese Macaroni Casserole

Four Cheese Macaroni Casserole

Ingredients:

3 cups uncooked macaroni

1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes,

drained and chopped

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon basil

1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil over high heat. Add macaroni, and cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, and pour hot pasta into a casserole dish.Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together tomatoes, italian seasoning, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper.Stir into the hot pasta 1 cup of Cheddar, 1 cup of mozzarella, and 1/2 cup of Parmesan. Continue to stir until the cheeses have melted. Then stir in tomato and herb mixture. Sprinkle 1/2 cup Cheddar, 1/2 cup mozzarella, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and 1/4 cup feta over the top of the casserole.Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 25 minutes.

From here.

Meatloaf with Tomato Gravy

Meatloaf with Tomato Gravy

Meatloaf:
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 pounds meatloaf mix (or pork and beef combo)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 large eggs, beaten 

Gravy:
1/2 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1 (15-ounce) can low-sodium chicken broth
1 (15 1/2-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

Toast the bread crumbs in a dry skillet over medium heat until browned and fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and set aside. Add the olive oil, onions, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper to the skillet and cook until onions are tender, about 8 minutes. Let cool slightly. Add the onions to the bread crumbs along with the meat, cheese, and Worcestershire sauce. Toss and mix gently. Add the eggs and stir to coat the meat completely.

Transfer to a foil-lined sheet pan and gently press into desired shape. Bake until an instant read thermometer registers 160 degrees F in the center of the loaf, about 45 minutes.

Tent the meatloaf with foil and let rest for 15 minutes while you make the gravy (or you can make the gravy while the meatloaf is baking).


Gravy: Cook the onions, garlic, and oregano in the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until browned, about 6 minutes. Add the tomato paste and bay leaf. Stir until paste turns brick red and garlic is fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth and crushed tomatoes. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook sauce until it thickens, about 5 minutes. Whisk in Parmesan cheese, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Discard the bay leaf and transfer the sauce to a gravy boat. Slice the meatloaf and serve with the gravy.

From here.

Meatloaf on a Bed of Potatoes

Meatloaf on a Bed of Potatoes - Crockpot

Meatloaf on a Bed of Potatoes - Crockpot

Sandy~Bettyinthekitchen

2 T olive oil

3 large russets, cut into 1 to 1-1/2” chunks

2 lb ground sirloin

2 large eggs, beaten

3/4 cup crushed saltine crackers

3/4 cup ketchup

2 T dehydrated onions (optional)

1 tsp salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Topping

3/4 cup ketchup

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 tsp Dijon mustard 

Combine oil and potatoes in crock pot, toss to coat. Spread in an even layer on the bottom of the crock. 

In a large bowl, combine beef, eggs, crumbs, ketchup, onion, salt and pepper. Mix gently, do not compact. Shape into oval or round, place on top of potatoes. Spread with topping.

Cover and cook on High for 1 hour. Reduce heat to Low and continue to cook for 6-7 hours, or until a meat thermometer reads 160º to 165ºF.

Sandy’s notes: I used plain ketchup for the topping since that is my family’s preference. To make the meatloaf easier to remove: Take two long pieces of foil and fold them into two strips. Place them across each other over the potatoes and set the meatloaf on top. Use as handles to remove when the meatloaf is done.

Belgian Pot Roast with Onions and Mushrooms

Belgian Pot Roast with Onions and Mushrooms
Serves 4 with possible leftovers

2 to 3-pound boneless beef chuck roast
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
3 to 4 medium yellow onions (see recipe)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup chicken broth
12 ounces Belgian-style pale ale (see Kitchen Notes)
2 bay leaves
1 pound sliced mushrooms (see Kitchen Notes)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 300ºF. Pat chuck roast dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat a large lidded ovenproof skillet over medium-high flame. Add one tablespoon each of canola oil and butter and swirl to combine. Brown roast thoroughly on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. About halfway through browning of second side, reduce heat to medium. Transfer roast to plate.
While roast is browning, peel onions, halve lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch slices. You want about 6 or 7 cups of sliced onions total.

Add 2 more tablespoons of butter to pan in chunks and swirl to melt. Add onions and toss to coat with butter/oil mixture. Season with a little salt and pepper (use a light hand). Cook until slightly browned, stirring often, about 4 minutes. Stir thyme into onions and cook until fragrant, about 45 seconds. Sprinkle flour over onions and toss to coat. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add broth to pan and stir, scraping up any browned bits. Add beer to pan, stirring to combine. Add bay leaves. Return meat and any accumulated juices to pan, nestling the roast among the onions. Cover pan and transfer to oven.

Roast meat in oven for about 1-1/4 hours. Nearing the end of this time, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium flame. Swirl last tablespoon each of canola oil and butter together in pan. Sauté mushrooms, stirring frequently, until they release their moisture and begin to brown, about 6 or 7 minutes. Remove roast from oven and turn meat in pan. Spoon mushrooms around roast, cover pan and return to oven. Roast until meat is very tender, about 1-1/4 hours more.

Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the roast to a cutting board and tent with foil. If the sauce is too liquid (mine was not), simmer it on the stovetop until it’s reduced to the thickness you like. Conversely, if it’s too thick, whisk in a little water. Just before serving, whisk in the Dijon mustard. Taste sauce and adjust seasonings. Slice roast into 1/2-inch slices (it will shred some—that’s okay). Plate and top with onion mushroom sauce. Serve.

From here.