Old Bay Seasoning Mix
1 T. ground bay leaves
2 1/2 tsp. celery salt
1 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1 1/2 tsp. black pepper
3/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. red pepper
1/4 tsp. ground mace (optional)
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom (optional)
Combine all ingredients: store in an airtight container.
DIY Rice Seasoning
¾ C. chicken bouillon granules
1/2 C. dried parsley
1 T. basil
1 T. dill weed
2 T. dried onion flakes
1 tsp. seasoning salt
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. lemon pepper seasoning
1 C. almonds, coarsely chopped (optional)
Mix together and store in an airtight container. When preparing rice, bring 2 C. water to a boil and add 1 C. rice and 3 T. seasoning. Reduce to simmer and cook for 18 minutes.
DIY Poultry Seasoning
4 tsp. ground sage
3 tsp. ground thyme
1 1/2 tsp. ground marjoram
3/4 tsp. ground rosemary
1 ⁄8 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. white pepper
Mix and store in airtight container.
Dehydrated Vegetable Equivalents
l whole onion = 1/4 C. dried minced onions
l clove garlic = 1/4 tsp. dried garlic
l green pepper = 1/4 C. green pepper flakes
l cup carrots = 1/2 C. dried carrots
1 C. spinach = 1/2 C. dried spinach
1 C. tomato = 1/2 C. dried tomatoes
1 medium tomato = 1 T. powdered tomato
Hardtack
4-5 White Enriched Flour
3 tsp. Salt
2 C. Water
Mix salt into 4 C. flour. Stir in water until completely mixed and forms a very stiff dough. Knead on floured surface until you cannot easily incorporate any more flour but dough still can be formed into a ball. Roll dough into a square or rectangular shape, in 3 inch increments (i.e. 9×9 or 9×12 or 12×12), with your dough being about ¼ inch thick. Using a knife or pizza cutter, divide into 3×3 inch square. With a fork or chopstick, divot the square, almost going through the dough (you should see the impression on the other side). Bake for 30 minutes in a preheated 375 oven. Reduce oven to 350, flip and bake another 30 minutes. They should be hard and totally dry. To eat, you will probably have to rehydrate. Note: You can add seasonings to the flour and salt.
Warm Fruit Dip
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 C. white sugar
1/2 C. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 C. chopped nuts
Mix all ingredients and heat in crockpot on low until warm, smooth, and creamy. Serve with apple wedges, grapes, or strawberries for dipping.
Upside Down Pudding Cake
1 C. Bisquick
1 C. sugar
1/3 C. plus 3 T. unsweetened cocoa
1/2 C. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 2/3 C. hot tap water
Mix Bisquick, 1/2 C. sugar, 3 T. cocoa, milk and vanilla. Spoon batter evenly into greased crockpot. Mix remaining sugar, cocoa and hot water. Pour over batter in crockpot. Cook on high 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until batter no longer looks shiny on top. Don’t over cook! The batter rises to the top like cake and underneath is a rich chocolate pudding.
Triple Chocolate Mess
1 package chocolate cake mix
1 pint sour cream
1 package instant chocolate pudding
1 small bag chocolate chips
3/4 C. oil
4 eggs
1 C. water
Spray crockpot with non-stick spray. Mix all ingredients. Pour into crockpot. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve in a bowl with ice cream if desired.
Sugared Nuts
1 lb. walnut pieces
8 T (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 C. confectioners’ sugar
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
In a 3 1/2 quart slow cooker, stir the walnuts and butter until combined. Add the confectioners’ sugar, stirring to coat evenly. Cover and slow-cook on High (300F) for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to low (200F) and slow-cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the nuts are coated with a crisp glaze, about 2 hours. Transfer the nuts to a serving bowl. In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon, ginger, allspice and cloves. Sift the spices over the nuts, stirring to coat evenly. Cool the nuts completely before serving.
Streusel Pound Cake
1 pkg. lb. cake mix (16 oz.) size
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 T. flour
1/4 c. finely chopped nuts
1 tsp. cinnamon
Mix cake mix according to package directions. Pour batter into well greased and floured 2 lb. coffee tin. Combine sugar, flour, nuts and cinnamon and sprinkle over cake batter. Place can in crockpot. Cover top of can with 8 layers of paper towels. Cover pot and bake on high 3 to 4 hours.
Spoon Peaches
1/3 c. white sugar
1/2 C. brown sugar
2 tsp. melted margarine
1/2 can evaporated milk
3/4 c. Bisquick
2 eggs
2 C. peaches-mashed
2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
Spray crockery with non-stick spray. Combine sugar and Bisquick. Add eggs and vanilla. Add margarine and milk. Add peaches and cinnamon. Pour into crockery. Cook on low 6-8 hours.
Spiced Rhubarb Bake
1 1/2 lb. fresh rhubarb
3/4 C. sugar (or less to taste)
1 cinnamon stick
3 whole cloves
1 tsp. orange or lemon peel grated
1/4 C. butter or margarine
1/4 C. flour
1/3 C. sugar
Cut rhubarb into 1-inch pieces. In slow-cooking pot, combine rhubarb with sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and grated peel. Cover and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours. Remove cinnamon and cloves. Spoon rhubarb into shallow baking dish. In small bowl, mix together butter, flour and 1/3 C. sugar with fork or pastry blender. Sprinkle over cooked rhubarb. Bake in 400F oven for about 20 minutes.
Self-Frosting Chocolate Cake
2 1/4 C. chocolate. fudge pudding cake mix
3/4 C. water
3 T. oil
1/4 C. warm water
2 eggs
1/3 C. walnuts
1/4 C. chocolate syrup
3 T. sugar
Combine cake mix, 3/4 C. water, oil and eggs. Beat 2 minutes. Pour into greased bread n’ cake pan. Sprinkle nuts over batter. Blend together chocolate syrup, 1/4 C. water and sugar. Spoon syrup mixture evenly over batter. Cover, Bake in covered crock pot on high for 2 hours or until tests done.
Rocky Road Sundae Sauce
1/3 C. whipping cream
1/2 C. miniature marshmallows
1 C. (6 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 C. slivered almonds
Vanilla or chocolate ice cream
In a 2- or 4-cup electric slowcooker (crock-ette), combine cream, marshmallows, and chocolate chips. Cover and heat until chocolate is melted (40 to 45 minutes). Meanwhile, toast almonds in a small nonstick frying pan over medium heat until golden brown (5 to 8 minutes), stirring occasionally; pour out of pan and set aside. Stir chocolate mixture until smooth; then stir in almonds. Spoon hot sauce over ice cream. Makes 6 servings.
Rhubarb Dessert
1 1/2 lb. rhubarb
1/2 C sugar
1/2 t powdered ginger
1/2 C strawberry or raspberry jam
1/4 C water (forgot — really didn’t need)
1 C fresh strawberries or raspberries
heavy cream (ice cream)
Cut rhubarb into 2″ slices. Place half in bottom of crock. Sprinkle
with 1/4 C sugar and 1/4 tsp. ginger. Spoon on 1/4 C jam. Repeat for
second layer. Cover and cook on Low 4-6 hours. Serve with fresh berries and
cream/ice cream.
Raspberry Fudge Brownies
1/2 C. margarine or butter
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
2 eggs
3/4 C. sugar
1/3 C. seedless raspberry jam
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 C. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
Vanilla ice cream – optional
Chocolate ice cream topping – optional
Fresh raspberries — optional
Generously grease two 1-pint straight-sided, wide mouth canning jars. Flour the greased jars; set aside. In a saucepan melt margarine or butter and chocolate over low heat. Remove from heat, Stir in eggs, sugar, jam , and vanilla. Using a spoon, beat lightly just until combines. Stir in flour and baking powder. Pour batter into prepared jars. Cover jars tightly with greased foil, greased side down. Place jars in crockpot. Pour 1 C. water around jars. Cover; cook on high for 3 to 3 1/2 hours or until a toothpick inserted near centers of brownie rolls comes out clean. Remove jars from crockpot; cool for 10 minutes. Using a metal spatula, loosen brownies from sides of jars. Carefully remove rolls from jars. Place rolls on their sides on a wire rack; cool completely. To serve, cut each roll into 6 slices. If desired, serve with ice cream, ice cream topping, and fresh raspberries.
Raisin Bread Pudding
8 slices bread, cubed
4 eggs
2 c milk
1/4 C. sugar
1/4 c butter or mar. melted
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
SAUCE:
2 T. butter or mar.
2 T. all-purpose flour
1 C. water
3/4 C. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Place bread cubes in a greased slow cooker. In a bowl, beat eggs and milk; stir in sugar, butter, raisins and cinnamon. Pour over bread and stir. Cook on high for 1 hour then low for 3-4 hours or until thermometer reads 160^.Just before serving, melt butter in sauce pan, stir in flour until smooth. slowly add water, sugar and vanilla. Bring to a boil, cook for two minutes or until thickened. Serve with warm bread pudding.
Pumpkin Job
1 can (16 oz.) pumpkin
2 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp. vanilla
1 can evap. milk
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. Bisquick
2 T. margarine (melted I suppose)
2 eggs
Spray crock with non-stick spray. Beat ingredients together until smooth. Pour into crockery.
Pumpkin Pie Pudding
1 can (15 oz.) solid-pack pumpkin
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
3/4 C. sugar
1/2 C. biscuit/baking mix
2 eggs, beaten
2 T. butter or margarine, melted
2 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp. vanilla extract
whipped topping, optional
In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. Transfer to a slow cooker coated with nonstick cooking spray. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or until a thermometer reads 160 degrees. Serve in bowls with whipped topping if desired. Good hot or cold. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.
Puff Pudding
1/4 c butter
1/2 c sugar
1 t grated lemon rind
2 egg yolks
3 T lemon juice
2 T all-purpose flour
1/4 c Post Grape-Nuts Cereal
1 c milk
2 egg whites, stiffly beaten
Thoroughly cream together butter, sugar, and lemon rind. Add egg yolks; beat until light and fluffy. Blend in lemon juice, flour, cereal, and milk. (Mixture will look curdled, but this will not affect finished product.) Fold in beaten egg whites. Spoon into crockpot, lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Cook on high for 1/2 hour then reduce to low for 1 1/2 hours or until top springs back when lightly touched or knife inserted into the middle comes out clean. When done, pudding has a cake-like layer on top with custard below. Serve warm or cold.
Peanut Butter and Hot Fudge Pudding Cake
1/2 c. all purpose flour
1/4 c. sugar
3/4 t. baking powder
1/3 c. milk
1 T. vegetable oil
1/2 t. vanilla
1/4 c. peanut butter
1/2 c. sugar
3 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 c. boiling water
In a bowl, combine flour, 1/4 c. sugar, and baking powder. Add milk, oil, and vanilla; stir until smooth. Mix in peanut butter. Pour into CP. In the same mixing bowl, stir together the 1/2 c. sugar and cocoa powder. Gradually stir in boiling water. Pour mixture over batter in CP. Do not stir. Cover and cook on high 2-3 hours or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, hot fudge sauce, and top with nuts.
Hot Caramel Apples
4 large tart apples, cored (I used Granny Smith)
1/2 c. apple juice
8 T. brown sugar
12 red-hot candies
4 T. butter or margarine
8 caramels
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
whipped cream, optional
Peel about 3/4 in. off the top of each apple; place in slow cooker. Pour juice over apples. Fill the center of each apple with 2 T. of sugar, 3 candies, 1 T. butter and 2 caramels. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or until apples are tender. Serve immediately with whipped cream if desired. 4 servings.
Garnet Pears
3 (3 oz.) pkg. Sugar free black-cherry gelatin
1 1/2 c. boiling water
1 C. cranberry juice cocktail
6 cinnamon sticks
6 whole cloves
15 pears, cored and halved, or canned pears, 4 (1 lb. 13 oz.) cans, drained
In crock-pot, combine gelatin and boiling water. Stir in cranberry juice cocktail, cinnamon and cloves. Add pears, turning to cover all sides. Cover and cook. Crock-Pot: Fresh pears, low 6 to 8 hours; high 3 to 4 hours. Canned pears, low 5 hours; high 2 to 3 hours.
English Bread Pudding
16 slices day-old firm-textured white bread
1 3/4 C. milk
1 package (8 oz.) mixed dried fruit, cut up into small pieces
1/2 chopped nuts
1 medium apple, cored and chopped
1/4 butter or margarine, melted
1/3 C. packed brown sugar
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
Tear bread, with crusts, into 1- to 2-inch pieces. Place in slow cooker. Pour milk over bread; let soak 30 minutes. Stir in dried fruit, nuts and apples. Combine remaining ingredients in small bowl. Pour over bread mixture. Stir well to blend. Cover and cook on LOW 3 1/2 to 4 hours or until skewer inserted in center comes out clean. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Christmas Bread Pudding
9 Whole-wheat bread slices
3 Egg yolks — beaten
1 1/2 C. Light cream
1/3 C. Sugar
1 dash Salt
1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla extract
2/3 C. Light raisins
2/3 C. Dark raisins
1/3 C. Candied red cherries — halved
1 C. Water
Sherry sauce ingredients:
2 Eggs — beaten
2 T. Cream sherry
1/4 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 C. Whipping cream
Remove crusts from bread; set crusts aside for another use. Cover bread slices with paper towels and let stand overnight. For custard, in heavy med. saucepan combine 3 egg yolks, light cream, sugar and salt. Cook and stir over med. heat. Continue till mixture coats a spoon. Remove from heat; cool at once by placing pan in sink of ice water. Stir for 2 minutes. Stir in 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla. Cover surface w/plastic wrap. In sm. bowl, combine raisins; set aside. Combine cherries. Pour only 2/3 c warm sherry over raisins; pour remaining sherry over cherries. Fold cut bread (about 9 C.) into custard till coated. Grease a 6 1/2-cup tower mold (without tube). Drain raisins and cherries, reserving sherry. Arrange 1/4 of cherries in bottom of mold; sprinkle 1/3 c raisins into mold. Add 1/4 of bread mixture. Sprinkle with 2 T. reserved sherry. Repeat layers 3 times, arranging cherries and raisins near edges of mold. Lightly press last layer with back of spoon.
Pour remaining sherry over all. Cover mold tightly with foil. Set mold into 3 1/2 or 4 qt. crockpot with liner in place. Pour 1 c water into cooker around mold. Cover; cook on low-heat about 5 1/2 hrs. or high for 3 hrs. or till pudding springs back when touched. Remove mold from crockpot and let stand for 10 minutes. Carefully un-mold onto serving platter. Serve warm with sherry sauce (below).
TO DO AHEAD: Remove from mold, cover and chill. Before serving, return to same mold. Cover with foil, and place in crockpot. Then pour 1 C. of water around mold. Cook in crockpot for 1 1/2 hours (or ’til warm) on high setting. Un-mold and serve warm with sherry sauce. SHERRY SAUCE: In mixing bowl: combine 2 egg yolks, powdered sugar, 2 T sherry and 1/4 t. vanilla. Beat whipping in small mixing bowl till soft peaks form. Gently fold whipped cream into egg yolk mixture. Cover and chill till serving time. Serve warm.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
2 C. chocolate milk
1/3 C. creamy peanut butter
2 eggs
1 package chocolate cake mix
1/2 C. chopped nuts
1/2 C. water
Combine all ingrediants in mixing bowl. Beat 2 minutes. Pour into greased and floured 2 lb. coffee can. Place can in crock pot. Cover top of can with 8 paper towels. Cover and bake on high for 2 to 3 hours.
Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake
2 C. all-purpose flour
1 C. sugar
3 T. baking cocoa
2 tsp. baking soda
1 C. water
1 C. mayonnaise
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Plug in and start heating your crock pot. Spray with oil. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa and baking soda. Add water, mayonnaise and vanilla; beat at med. speed until thoroughly combined. Layer a few paper towels across the top, then replace the lid. This will help it be cook all the way through. Cook on high for about 2 hours.
Bumbleberry Cobbler
1 C. all-purpose flour
1/2 C. sugar
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
2 large eggs, fork-beaten
2 T. cooking oil
2 T. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 C. fresh or frozen raspberries
1 C. fresh or frozen blueberries
1 C. sliced fresh or whole frozen, sliced strawberries
3/4 C. sugar
1/2 C. water
Stir first 5 ingredients together in bowl. Add eggs, cooking oil, milk and vanilla. Mix well. Turn into ungreased 3-1/2 quart slow cooker. Measure remaining 5 ingredients into saucepan. Heat, stirring occasionally, until boiling. Pour over batter in slow cooker. Place 5 paper towels between top of slow cooker and lid. Cook on High for 1-3/4 to 2 hours.
Black & White Chocolate Fondue
4 oz. semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/3 C. whipping cream
1 T. creme de cacao or brandy
1 oz. white chocolate, coarsely shredded
3 to 4 C. strawberries, rinsed and patted dry
In a 2- or 4-cup electric slow cooker (Crockette), combine semisweet chocolate and cream. Cover and heat until chocolate is melted (30 to 45 minutes). Stir mixture until smooth. Blend in creme de cacao. Sprinkle white chocolate over surface of fondue, then draw a spoon through fondue 2 or 3 times to swirl white chocolate through. Serve fondue hot, with strawberries for dipping. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Applesauce Spiced Cake
1 (1-lb. 3-oz.) package spice cake mix
1 (1-lb.) can applesauce
2 eggs
Browned Butter Frosting:
1/3 C. butter
3 C. sifted powdered sugar
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 T. milk
In a large bowl, combine cake mix with applesauce and eggs. Blend for 1/2 min., then beat at medium speed for 4 min. Pour into greased and floured 6-cup mold. Place in crockpot. Arrange several layers of paper towels on top of the mold. Cover crockpot, leaving the lid slightly afar. Cook on high for 2 – 3 hours. Let stand 5 min. Turn out onto a cooling rack.
Frosting: Heat butter in saucepan over medium heat until a delicate light brown, being careful not to let it get deep brown. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar, vanilla and milk. Beat with a wooden spoon until smooth, adding a few drops of milk if mixture is too thick. Spread over cake.
Applesauce
8-10 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1/2 C. water
1/2 C. white sugar
1/3 C. brown sugar
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
Put apples in crockpot and pour water over them. Cover and cook overnight on Low. In the morning add the sugars and cinnamon and then mush the mixture with your potato masher. Turn off and let it sit…enjoy! I have a 6 qt slowcooker and I double this but you can easily even triple it and store in containers in the freezer.
Apple Topping
3 lb. Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1 tsp. cinnamon
Dash of fresh grated nutmeg, optional
3 T. cornstarch
1 C. granulated sugar
1 to 2 T. of butter, cut in small pieces
Place apple slices in the crockpot; stir in remaining ingredients and dot with the butter. Cover and cook on low for about 6 hours, or until apples are tender but not mushy. Stir about halfway through cooking. Makes 2 1/2 to 3 C.
Apple Pie
8 Tart Apples peeled and sliced
1 1/4 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t allspice
1/4 t nutmeg
3/4 C. milk
2 T butter soften
3/4 c sugar
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
1/2 c Bisquick
1 c Bisquick
1/3 c brown sugar
3 T cold butter
Toss apples in large bowl with cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. Place in CP. Combine milk soften butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and the 1/2 c Bisquick. Spoon over apples. Combine the 1 C. Bisquick and brown sugar. Cut the cold butter into mixture until crumbly. Sprinkle this mixture over top of apple mixture. Cover and cook on low 6-7 hours or until apples are soft.
Apple Peanut Crumble
5 cooking apples, peeled and sliced (I use Fuji Apples)
2/3 C. brown sugar, packed
1/2 C. flour
1/2 C. quick-cooking rolled oats
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/3 C. butter, softened
2 T peanut butter
Place apple slices in slow cooker. In medium bowl, combine sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix in butter and peanut butter with pastry blender or fork. Sprinkle over apples. Cover pot and cook on low for 5 – 6 hours. Serve warm; plain or with ice cream.
Apple Butter
8 C. mashed apples
4 C. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
Cook and mash the apples. Put all ingredients into the crockpot. Cook on high for 5 hours, then on low heat for 3 hours. Stir occasionally. Put in jars and seal.
Vegetable Beef Soup
1 lb. boneless round steak cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
3 C. water
2 med. potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 med. onions, diced
3 celery ribs, sliced
3 beef bouillon cubes
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1-1/2 C. frozen mixed veggies
In a slow cooker combine the first 12 ingredients. Cover and cook on high for 6 hours. Add frozen vegetables; cover and cook on high 2 hours longer or until the meat and veggies are tender.
Tomato Soup
1 can (46 oz.) tomato juice
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
3 beef bouillon cubes or equivalent in powder
1 tsp. peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. Leaf basil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
3 T. sugar
1/2 tsp. Whole cloves
1 T. chopped celery leaves
Stir all ingredients together in Crock-pot. Cover and cook on low setting for 5-10 hours.
If thicker soup is desired, turn to High setting and remove lid for last hour of cooking. Strain before serving.
Turkey Soup
1 lb. ground turkey
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. basil
3 tsp. beef bouillon
3 C. boiling water
1 C. (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1 T. soy sauce
1 C. diced celery
1 C. diced carrots
1 lg. diced onion
1 C. fresh mushrooms
1 C. diced green pepper
Add all ingredients except sliced mushrooms. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Add mushrooms and turn up to high for 10 to 15 minutes.
Texas Chili
6 strips bacon
2 lb. boneless beef cubes
2 cans (15 oz.) kidney beans, drained
1 can (28 oz.) tomatoes, cut up
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1 C. finely chopped onion
1/2 C. thinly sliced carrots
1/2 C. finely chopped green pepper
1/2 C. finely chopped celery
2 T. minced parsley
2 cloves garlic minced
1 bay leaf
2 T. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
Fry bacon until crisp. Remove bacon and drain on paper towel. Brown half the beef cubes in pan with bacon drippings five minutes. Place in slow cooker. Repeat with remaining meat. Stir bacon and remaining ingredients into 3 1/2 quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low setting about 10 hours or until beef is tender. Stir occasionally. If you don’t have a slow cooker place in large pot, cover, place on stove under low heat and follow directions above.
Split Pea Soup
1 (16 oz.) pkg. dried green split peas, rinsed
1 hambone, or 2 meaty hamhocks, or 2 C. diced ham
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 med. onion, chopped
2 stalks of celery plus leaves, chopped
1 or 2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1/4 C. fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
1 T. seasoned salt (or to taste)
1/2 tsp. fresh pepper
1 1/2 qts. hot water
Layer ingredients in slow cooker, pour in water. DO NOT STIR. Cover and cook on high 4 to 5 hours or on low 8 to 10 hours until peas are very soft and ham falls off bone. Remove bones and bay leaf. Serve garnished with croutons. *Freezes well.
Southwestern Stew
2 T. vegetable oil
1 lb. boneless pork cut up into cubes
1 large onion diced
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 packet taco seasoning
2 cans diced tomatos
1 can rotel tomatoes with green chiles (or one small can green chilies and one can tomatoes)
1/2 C. beef broth
1 can corn
1 can pinto beans
Heat oil in skillet, brown pork and onion and garlic. Transfer to crockpot. Add remaining ingredients and cook on low for 4-6 hours. Serve with corn bread, garnish with black olives and sour cream. NOTE: I have made it with out browning the meat and onion and garlic, just dumped it all in the crockpot and it tasted the same.