Crockpot Potato Soup

I just couldn't bare the thought of posting a hot soup recipe in July, so I've been holding out on this one.  August is still hot, but somehow it just sounds more "autumnish."  Well, it doesn't get much easier than this folks!  (Nor much creamier.  Not the healthiest. :)  This is a super easy recipe that you can throw in the crockpot, or... do like me, and speed things up even more by doing it over the stove.  You basically just throw it all in and heat it up.  This was a hit with my whole crew... which is saying something, seeing as how I served it up in 100 degree weather. :)

*Lyd's Tip: Rather than use the flavorless, overpriced store-bought hash-browns, just pull out a few of your left-over baked potatoes and grate them up.  (I use my food processor and it takes no time!) The cook up better and make a much smoother, creamer texture anyway! :)

Paula Dean's Easy Potato Soup (Raining Hot Coupons)

1 Bag of frozen hash-brown potatoes – squares, not strips (30 oz bag) (Or grated baked potatoes)

1/3 – 1/2 cup chopped onion (depends how much you like onion)

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 Cans of chicken broth (14.5 oz each)

1 Can cream of chicken soup

1 Package Cream Cheese (softened)

Cheese for the top!

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients (except for the cream cheese and cheese) and mix well then cook on medium to 4-5 hours.

Add the cream cheese (softened) at the end and cook for another 20-30 minutes.

Add some cheese to the top (optional)

Enjoy!

Lip Smackin' Ribs

Who needs a grill when you've got a crockpot to make those ribs tender and juicy!  These ribs were tasty and VERY easy to prepare.  They are a perfect 4th of July picnic dish, because while your slow cooker is doing the work, you have time to prepare some yummy side dishes and visit, PLUS you end up with "Lip Smakin' Ribs" in the end. Yum!
Happy 4th!

(I know this is probably a crime to admit, but I actually don't much care for ribs.  Yes, the meat is great, so much work to get to-- and so messy.  It just seems like a lot of fat, bone, and tendon.  I think when I try this recipe again, I will get a boneless cut of pork and enjoy it a whole lot more.  Mind you, this is just between you and me. :)

Lip Smackin' Ribs (Simple and Delicious)

3 tablespoons butter

3 pounds boneless country-style pork ribs

1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup ketchup

1/4 cup prepared mustard

2 tablespoons honey

3 teaspoons pepper

2 teaspoons dried savory

1 teaspoon salt

In a large skillet, heat butter over medium heat. Brown ribs in batches; transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients. Cook, covered, on low 6-8 hours or until meat is tender. Yield: 8 servings.

Nutritional Facts

1 serving equals 474 calories, 20 g fat (8 g saturated fat), 109 mg cholesterol, 1,117 mg sodium, 43 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 31 g protein.

Easy Crockpot Lasagna

Oh... my poor cooking blog has suffered greatly with my recent move.  Life just got kind of crazy with all the packing and very little cooking going on... at least not anything blog-worthy... plenty of fish sticks, pancakes, and frozen pizzas.  However, I just got the kitchen unpacked today, and I felt it would be appropriate to hop back in the saddle with the christening of my new kitchen.
How and why have I never tried this?  It was like it has never occurred to me to bake the lasagna in the crockpot.  BRILLIANT.  So tasty and perfect consistency... oh, and did I mention you don't even have to cook the noodles?  That tipped the scales for me.  Don't know if I can ever go back now.

*Lyd's Tip:  It is probably a good idea to spray the sided with cooking spray so it doesn't stick, but for the bottom, I just started with a little bit of the sauce mixture spread over the bottom and then start layering, and I had no problem with sticking.

Easy Crockpot Lasagna

1 pound (16 ounces) ground beef

1/2 cup diced white onion

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 (24 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce

1/2 cup water

1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese

2 cups mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 whole egg

2 Tablespoons fresh parsley or 2 teaspoons dried parsley

6 uncooked lasagna noodles

In a large skillet brown beef and onion. Add garlic and cook for one minute. Drain.

Add spaghetti sauce and water and simmer for about 5 minutes.

Mix ricotta, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, 2 Tablespoons Parmesan, egg and parsley.

Pour 1 cup of spaghetti meat sauce into a 4 to 6 quart sized slow cooker. Place half of the noodles and half of the ricotta mixture on top of the sauce. Cover with 2 cups meat sauce. Top with remaining noodles (If the noodles don't fit exactly break them to fit) and cheese mixture and meat sauce.

Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or until noodles are soft. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of mozzarella and remaining parmesan. Cover with the lid to melt the cheese and let it sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Do not overcook and don't try to speed up the process by cooking it on high.

*Works best with a 4 to 6 quart size slow cooker.

(From: tablespoon.com)

Pinto Bean Soup with Cajun-Style Sausage

So Happy {late} Valentine's Day!  I have been busy with sick kids lately, and so instead of making sweets, I've been making soups. How sad is that?  Except that this was a soup that made my hungry crew happy.  I made a big batch of pinto beans in the crockpot.  We used them for beans and rice tacos, but I used the other half in this soup. Dried beans are pretty cheap.  I liked that the beans weren't all that was going on in this soup.  The addition of some fresh veggies and spices made it much more exciting and tasty than a typical bean soup.

Pinto Bean Soup with Cajun-Style Sausage (Diana Rattray)

1 tablespoon olive oil

12 ounces andouille sausage, sliced (I just used ground sausage)

1 medium onion, chopped

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped, red, green, or other color

(I also added chopped zucchini)

2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes

1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning blend

salt and pepper, to taste

1 quart chicken broth

2 cans (about 15 ounces each) pinto beans, drained and rinsed

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced sausage, onion, and celery and saute for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the bell pepper and continue cooking, stirring, for 3 or 4 minutes longer. Add the diced tomatoes, seasoning blend, salt and pepper, and chicken broth. Add the drained pinto beans. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the green onions and parsley and continue cooking for 2 minutes longer.

Serves 6.

Lyd's Tip: I mentioned recently how I sometimes make my ground beef stretch using a grated potato, but I also like to make my sausage stretch. Are you shocked? :) I add a chopped onion, and sometimes I just don't use as much in the recipe.  I set a little bit aside and refrigerate it.  It's perfect in omelets, quiche, casseroles, or other soups.  Saves me time too, because I can just throw it in.

Crock-pot Rice Pudding

Oh- comfort food!  I love anything pudding and anything crock-pot, so together... a beautiful marriage for me!  I remembered making a really big batch of rice pudding in the crock-pot several years back and I just loved it- so I returned to the same book hunting for the recipe, but I don't think I found it.  It was still a good batch though- I kind of liked the lemon flavor (probably in part because I think some of my unusual spices and extracts get lonely, so I love an excuse to dust them off) and how could adding cream not be a good idea?!  The texture was a little different- the rice might have need a bit more time, but still tasty and it sure smelled good while it was cooking!

Mama's Rice Pudding (From Fit-it and Forget-it Cookbook)

1/2 cup white rice uncooked

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp lemon extract

1 cup plus 2 T milk

1 tsp butter

2 eggs beaten

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup raisins

1 cup whipping cream

nutmeg to taste

1. Combine all ingredients except whipping cream and nutmeg in slow cooker.  Stir well.

2. Cover pot. Cook on Low 6-7 hours, until rice is tender and milk absorbed.  Be sure to stir every 2 hours during cooking.

3. Pour into bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill.

4.  Before serving, fold in whipped cream and sprinkle with nutmeg.

Chicken Cacciatore

I came across this recipe a while back, and it looked pretty tasty, so I thought I would give it a try, however, I turned it into a crockpot meal, so I definitely took some shortcuts. It was really easy going that route, and it turned out well. It’s also a healthy meal- always a plus!

Chicken Cacciatore (Ellie Kriegor)

• 4 skinless chicken breast halves on the bone, about 2 pounds
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/2 pound white mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can whole tomatoes in juice, chopped and juice reserved
• 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes or more, to taste

*Lyd's Tips: I didn’t exactly follow these directions- I turned mine into a crockpot meal and pretty much threw it all into the crockpot for a few hours. But I bet that if done properly like this, it would be even better. You know me… I like taking shortcuts.

Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a saute pan over moderately high heat. Brown the chicken on both sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Reduce the heat to moderate. Add the onion and pepper, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms begin to brown. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the wine and cook until reduced by half. Add the tomatoes and juice, oregano, red pepper flakes and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and simmer the mixture covered for 10 minutes.

Return the chicken breasts to the pan and simmer, covered, until the chicken is just done, about 20 minutes longer.

Lemony Garlic Chicken Thighs

I was just going to use regular chicken breasts for this, but I was pleasantly surprised surprised how easy it is to pull the skins off chicken thighs. (That phrase probably doesn't belong in the same sentence with chicken skin, but whatever. :) They provide a flavorful meat that is pretty simple to prepare. (Not to mention they are pretty inexpensive- you can usually get them for around a dollar a pound.) I was skeptical about how they would work in a slow-cooker, but again I was "pleasantly surprised" that they held together nicely and this yummy blend of ingredients lent itself to a wonderful flavor and a delicious meal! It still sounds really good, but I didn't do the baby spinach and pasta- I didn't have them on hand and I ended up just doing a nice salad and rice with some of the drippings on top.

Slow Cooker Lemony Garlic Chicken Thighs (Family Circle Aug 2010)
8 Skinless Chicken Thigh
6 cloves Garlic Clove
1/3 cup Lemon Juice
1/3 cup Chicken Broth, Reduced Sodium
1 tbsp Cornstarch
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper, Black
2 1/2 cups Baby Spinach
1/2 of package Smart Taste Thin Spaghetti

place chicken thighs in slow cooker, top with smashed garlic cloves. In a small bowl, stir together 1 tbsp lemon zest,juice,and chicken broth, and pour half of it (about 1/3c) into slow cooker. Cover and cook 3 hours on high or 5 hours on low.Remove chicken thighs to a platter, keep warm, and discard the garlic cloves. Into remaining lemon juice mixture (from earlier) stir in cornstarch, salt and pepper. Whisk this into warm slow cooker with chopped packed (into 1 cup) spinach. Cook another 1/2 hr, meanwhile making pasta as directed. I added all things together back in slow cooker and stirred it all up! Enjoy!!

South Carolina BBQ Pork Sliders

OK... here it is! My NEW FAVORITE way to slow cook pork. I have made it twice since I discovered it. Dare I say that I like it as much as, if not more than my "Famous" Cafe Rio Pork... DARE I??? Indeed, I do. (Which is saying A LOT because I STINKIN' LOVE the Cafe Rio Pork!) But much of my love for this new recipe is a result of the SHEER SIMPLICITY involved in it's preparation. SUPER EASY and SUPER SENSATIONAL! Love this recipe, and dare I say that you will too??? Indeed, I do.

Lyd's Tips: Get a good size inexpensive pork roast and you can either freeze some of the left-overs in a zip-lock bag to heat up on a busy night, or it makes a great meal for a friend or neighbor. Super easy with some fresh rolls. I whipped up a batch of Afton's Easy Dinner Rolls and they went great together. (I also thought melted cheese would be happy on these sliders, in case you were wondering.) We have also used it in kind of a "nacho" form with cheese and chips and that was really good too.

South Carolina BBQ Pork Sliders
By Woman's Day Kitchen from Woman's Day; June 2, 2009 June 2, 2009
Active Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 8 hours

1 slow-cooker liner (Slick clean-up, but not nessessary.)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp each paprika and dried minced onion
1 1/2 tsp salt-free chili powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp allspice (optional)
4 lb bone-in pork shoulder roast
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup sliced scallions
24 small dinner rolls, split
Accompaniments: hot pepper sauce, coleslaw

1. Line a 4-qt or larger slow-cooker with liner. Mix 1 Tbsp of the brown sugar, the paprika, minced onion, chili powder, salt, garlic powder and allspice. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp into bottom of slow-cooker. Rub remaining mixture over pork. Add vinegar and remaining brown sugar to slow-cooker; stir to mix. Add pork.
2. Cover and cook on low 8 to 10 hours until pork is fork-tender. Remove pork to cutting board and pull into shreds. Return to slow-cooker; add scallions and toss to coat.
3. Put about 1/4 cup onto each bun bottom. Top with bun tops.

Orange Chicken... that wasn't actually orange :)

I am always hunting for crockpot recipes- I love how easy and delicious they are. I came across this one and I thought I would give it a try... HOWEVER I didn't have orange marmalade, so I had to use the blackberry jam I had on hand.... giving it a lack of "orange," but still a good flavor. If I were to try it out again though, I think I would use this recipe. It looks a bit more promising. This was still tasty though.

Orange Chicken in the Crockpot

• 3 pounds chicken parts (leg quarters, bone-in breast halves, etc.), skin removed
• 1/2 cup orange marmalade
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
  
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar, firmly packed
• 2 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon salt

Rinse chicken and pat dry; place in crockpot. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl or 2-cup measure and pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. (Mine was done in about 5-6.) Serve with hot cooked rice or noodles.

Chicken Bruschetta Sandwiches

You are going to love this one! This is such a fresh, delecious sandwich- perfect for summer! (Or any season for that matter.) I sped things along by cooking my chicken in the crockpot on low for a few hours drenched in Italian Dressing. I can usually make two meals out of it when I do that- I sliced up half for this and chopped the other half for some chicken salad the next day. It is a great way to make the meat stretch a little bit. But you can use a whole chicken breast if you like. I just loved the flavor and that it just feels lighter- this isn't one of those sandwiches that just sits there, heavy in your stomach. I made a few changes to make this a lighter sandwich. So good and so easy!

Lyd's Tip: For a lighter sandwich, leave the lid off (not "Lyd" :). I had a room-mate in college that showed me that trick and I thought it was a great idea. That piece for "filler" bread just contains added calories that you don't really need. It is like unveiling a bunch of flavor and the actual "sandwich" under that bread... you might just find you like it and the way you feel later. It doesn't have to have two pieces of bread to qualify as a sandwich, does it? :)

Chicken Bruschetta Sandwiches (Adapted from Simple and Delicious)
2 cups chopped plum tomatoes (I just chopped up what I had)
1/2 cup minced fresh basil (I didn't have fresh on hand so I used about 1-2 tsp of dried)
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion (I used a green onion)
3/4 cup Italian salad dressing, divided (I also cut some fat by leaving this out because I slow-cooked the chicken in it. I found that it I let the tomato mixture sit for a bit, it created enough moisture.)
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)
4 slices Italian bread (1 inch thick), toasted (I used whole wheat bread, but to give it a bit of flavor, I toasted it with a bit of butter and garlic salt. The flavors meshed really well.)
4 slices part-skim mozzarella cheese

In a small bowl, combine the tomatoes, basil, onion and 1/2 cup dressing; set aside. Flatten chicken to 1/4-in. thickness.
Grill chicken, covered, over medium heat for 3-5 minutes on each side or until juices run clear, basting occasionally with remaining dressing. Layer each slice of toast with a chicken breast, cheese slice and tomato mixture. Yield: 4 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 serving equals 517 calories, 27 g fat (7 g saturated fat), 78 mg cholesterol, 1,233 mg sodium, 31 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 35 g protein.

Chocolate Chip-Banana Bread Pudding

I love bread pudding, but I love it even more when all I have to do is throw it into the crockpot! I found this recipe, and was feeling lazy, so that is just what I did, and I think it is so much easier then "steam-bathing" it in the oven or whatever else you might do. This ended up being a great "post 4th of July" dessert- we had a bunch of left-over hamburger and hot dog buns, so that is what I used! We also had a plethera of banana's, so this was a great fit. This is a yummy, rich, no-hassle treat!

Chocolate Chip-Banana Bread Pudding with Carmel Topping (Adapted from Allrecipies.com)
4 eggs
2 cups milk
1 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 cups cubed French bread (I used left-over buns and just broke them up into 1 to 2 inch pieces.)
2 bananas, sliced
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

(If you are going to crockpot it like me, put your bread pieces bananas and chocolate chips tossed around in the bottom and pour the liquid mixture over the top. Let it cook on low for about 3 hours. DOES IT GET EASIER THEN THAT? Then throw a little caramel topping on for good measure. MMMmmm!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
In a large mixing bowl, mix eggs, milk, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in bread, bananas, and chocolate chips, and let rest 5 minutes for bread to soak. Pour into prepared pan.
Line a roasting pan with a damp kitchen towel. Place loaf pan on towel inside roasting pan, and place roasting pan on oven rack. Fill roasting pan with water to reach halfway up the sides of the loaf pan. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Tender Pork Chops

Who doesn't love a good crockpot recipe? Here is a good one! Easy to throw together and the pork really is tender and juicy cooked this way. I don't think it was intended to sit on a bed of whole-wheat noodles, but is just seemed like the right thing to do. :) I really liked the mushrooms and the sauce! I think you could easily exchange pork for chicken as well.

Tender Pork Chops (Taste of Home)
6 boneless pork loin chops (1/2 inch thick and 6 ounces each)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium green pepper, diced
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1 jar (4-1/2 ounces) sliced mushrooms, drained
1/2 cup water
1 envelope spaghetti sauce mix
1/2 to 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
Directions
In a large skillet, brown pork chops in oil over medium heat for 3-4 minutes on each side; drain. In a 5-qt. slow cooker, combine the remaining ingredients. Top with pork chops. Cover and cook on low for 5-1/2 to 6 hours or until meat is tender. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 pork chop with 2 tablespoons sauce equals 303 calories, 12 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 82 mg cholesterol, 763 mg sodium, 13 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 34 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 4 lean meat, 1 starch.

Country Pork

I lost my camera for a while, so I have been catching up! :) This pork was delicious! I based this off of the "Country Rib Sandwiches" from Simple and Delicious, and I obviously did some pretty intense "tweaking" but I was happy with the results. I just love throwing something like this in the morning and having a yummy food smell in the house by dinner time. It was so flavorful- great as a sandwich, on a baked potato, or just by itself! You'll like this one!

Country Pork
1 large onion, chopped
2 pounds boneless country-style pork ribs (Why not just a pork roast? It is just so you can call them ribs-- just use a cheap roast!)
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup plum sauce (who has plum sauce--honestly--it probably wasn't the best sub, but I used raspberry jam and it was really good.)
1/4 cup chili sauce (I used a can of chili with beans... sometimes I get desperate when I don't have all the right ingredients, but it seems to turn out all right in the end.)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon celery seed (Subbed celery salt)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Liquid Smoke, optional (I think this was a good addition!)
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice (I was a little more liberal with it)
8 kaiser rolls, split

Place onion in a 3-qt. slow cooker; top with ribs. Combine the ketchup, plum sauce, chili sauce, brown sugar, celery seed, garlic powder, Liquid Smoke if desired and allspice; pour over ribs.
Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or until meat is tender. Shred meat with two forks and return to the slow cooker. Cover and cook 15 minutes longer or until heated through. Serve on rolls. Yield: 8 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 sandwich equals 405 calories, 13 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 65 mg cholesterol, 713 mg sodium, 45 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 26 g protein.

Cafe Rio Chicken

I got this recipe from my friend Megan- an amazing cook! She is always experimenting with something fun. One time she brought over fudge made with black beans. (How cool is that? I still need to get the recipe- it tasted great- you would never know!) I'm such a Cafe Rio fan, that anything with that name is a must try. (If you haven't tried the cafe rio pork, it is time!!!) This is a super simple recipe using the beloved crock pot. :) I thought it was great! We made ours into kind of a Mexican Pita, using flat bread and rice, beans, and lettuce. It was delicious! I'll be making this one again!

Cafe Rio Chicken
1 small bottle Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing (8 oz.) (I used the packet mix and prepared as directed but used less oil.)
1 T chili powder
1 T cumin
3 cloves garlic (minced)
5 lbs. chicken breast

Cook all together in a crock pot on high for 4 hours. Shred meat and cook one additional hour.

Chinese Pork Chops

You know how I love a good crockpot recipe. This was a hit! It was so easy to throw together and it tasted fantastic!

Chinese Pork Chops (Taste of Home)
6 boneless pork loin chops (4 ounces each)
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3 cups hot cooked rice

Place pork chops in a 3-qt. slow cooker coated with cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine the onion, ketchup, brown sugar, water, soy sauce, garlic and ginger. Pour over chops. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or until meat is tender. Serve with rice and cooking juices. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 pork chop with 1/2 cup rice and 3 tablespoons juices equals 305 calories, 7 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 55 mg cholesterol, 496 mg sodium, 34 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 25 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 2 starch.

Beans by a Mexican

I LOVE BEANS! My family wishes I didn't like them as much as I do. :) But some things are worth the sacrifice- at least that's what I think . :) I have always wanted to learn how to make authentic Mexican Beans, and my friend Susana was willing to share her recipe and teach me some tricks. I think it is fairly similar to the Crockpot Beans I posted a while back. This one just seems to add the ingredients after the beans are cooked. The recipe is fairly simple, so it is surprising how much flavor comes as a result. I thought they were excellent- my girls seriously gobbled them up!

Beans by a Mexican (She called it that, just so you don't think I'm being racist. :)
1 lb. dry beans (pinto or black)
1/3 cup chopped onions or more if desired
1/4 cup cooking oil or less
1/2 to 1 pepper (Serrano or Jalapeno) (Now I'm not big on heat, but I was surprised that I could handle this much spice, and I think it is pretty important to the flavor.)
2 tsp salt

Clean beans. Soak in about 6 cups of water for at least 4 hours, overnight works perfectly.

Rinse the beans a couple of times for better digestion. (This is really supposed to make a difference.) Put beans in a slow cooker plus enough water to cover the beans; about 6 cups. Do not add anything else at this point. Can replace slow cooker for pressure cooker which would cut time substantially. Cook on high for about 4 hours. Beans should be soft but not destroyed.

In a medium pan,. heat oil on medium or low setting. Add chopped onion and chopped pepper according to preference. Include seeds if you prefer a spicier flavor. Saute onions and pepper until onion is clear and tender. Add beans and salt and bring to a boil on medium heat until beans have absorbed the flavor. Boil longer for a thicker consistency. Then simmer and enjoy! If you prefer re-fried beans use a blender (or an immersion blender) Make sure you separated the water first and add as needed or your beans will be too runny.

Creamy Saucy Pork Chops

I have been resurrecting some of my old Simple and Delicious magazines, in search of something I may have missed... I am so glad to have found this one. This was such a simple sauce mixture but the flavor was phenomenal. It was great over rice! I threw it all in the crockpot and it was fabulously flavorful and tender!

Creamy Saucy Pork Chops
4 boneless pork loin chops (1 inch thick and 6 ounces each) (I didn't have pork chops, so I used a cheaper sirloin cut.)
1 tablespoon canola oil
4 ounces cream cheese, cubed
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette
1 tablespoon lemon juice

I ended up making those one a crockpot meal and I must mixed the sauce, threw it over the meat and cooked it on low for 5-6 hours. It was so tender and flavorful! We really enjoyed this one and it was so easy!

Here are the skillet instructions in case you do want to do it that way: In a large skillet, cook pork chops in oil over medium heat for 8-10 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 160°. Remove and keep warm.
Add the cream cheese, broth, cheese, vinaigrette and lemon juice to the skillet; cook and stir until blended. Return chops to the pan; heat through. Yield: 4 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 pork chop with 1/2 cup sauce equals 410 calories, 27 g fat (11 g saturated fat), 118 mg cholesterol, 456 mg sodium, 3 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 37 g protein.

One-Pot Easy Chicken

Love a good crock-pot dish. You'll like this one!

One-Pot Easy Chicken
6-8 medium-sized potatoes, quartered (I used Yukon gold)
1-2 large onions, sliced
3-5 carrots, cubed
1 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
5 lbs. chicken breast
1 small onion, chopped
3/4 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. whole cloves
2 T chopped fresh oregano
1 tsp. dried rosemary
1/2 cup lemon juice
(I sprinkled it with fresh parsley.)

1. Mix together potatoes, sliced onions, carrots, 1 tsp. garlic salt, and 1/4 tsp. black epper in bottom of slow cooker.
2. Rinse and pat chicken dry. In bowl mix together chopped onions, 3/4 tsp. black pepper, cloves, and 2 tsp. garlic salt. Dredge chicken in seasonings and place in slow cooker over vegetables.
3. In small bowl mix together oregano, rosemary, and lemon juice. Pour over chicken.
4. Cover. Cook on low 6-8 hours, or until vegetables are soft and chicken juices run together.

Herbed Chicken with Wild Rice

I tried out this delicious dish from Simple and Delicious, and I was quite pleased! I loved the wild rice! And bacon is good in anything! (Picture from magazine.)

Herbed Chicken with Wild Rice
1 pkg. (6 oz.) long grain and wild rice (I didn't have this, so I just put about 1/2 cup regular rice and 1/4 cup wild rice and about 2 cream of chicken cans of water.)
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (5 oz. each)
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 tsp. butter
1/2 lb. sliced fresh mushrooms
1 can (10-3/4 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 cup water
3 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. dried tarragon

Place rice in a 5 quart slow cooker; set aside seasoning packet. In a large skillet, brown chicken in oil and butter. Add to slow cooker. In the same skillet, saute mushrooms until tender; place over chicken. (I skipped that step and just threw them in, and I just used canned mushrooms to speed things up.)

In a small bowl, combine the soup, water, bacon, herbs and contents of seasoning packet (I just added a few extra seasonings and some salt and pepper because I didn't have a "packet"). Pour over top. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or until chicken juices run clear.

Slow-Cooker Lasagna

I found this one on the Kraft site. (You know how I love the crockpot- this one just called out to me.) I loved the idea. I have to say that I did feel it lacked some flavor- I would definitely add some Italian seasoning, oregano, and basil, plus salt and pepper. I think that would have helped- I'll do that the next time I make it, which I definitely will! Note- don't over cook tit or the noodles get soggy- 4 hours is about right.

Slow-Cooker Lasagna
1 lb. ground beef

1 jar (26 oz.) spaghetti sauce

1 cup water

1 container (15 oz.) Ricotta Cheese

1 pkg. (7 oz.) Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided

1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese, divided

1 egg

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

6 lasagna noodles, uncooked

BROWN meat in large skillet; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce and water. Mix ricotta, 1-1/2 cups mozzarella, 2 Tbsp. Parmesan, egg and parsley.

SPOON 1 cup meat sauce into slow cooker; top with layers of half each of the noodles, broken to fit; and cheese mixture. Cover with 2 cups meat sauce. Top with remaining noodles, broken to fit; cheese mixture and meat sauce. Cover with lid.

COOK on LOW 4 to 6 hours or until liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses; let stand, covered, 10 min. or until melted.