Hello to my slow cooker! There is nothing better than a dinner cooking all afternoon while I get laundry, dishes and cleaning done or …maybe put my feet up , eat some bon bons and pretend I am working hard on a delicious dinner . I will never tell what I am doing and will never tell what you do in your home!
This post came about a while back while my brother-in-law Bobby and I were having a conversation about his dislike for any food coming out of the slow cooker. He made it clear it was not his favorite. I wanted to change his mind, as I know there are several great slow cooker recipes out there. So here ya go Bobby! My first slow cooker recipe to you…with more to come! Check out the serving suggestions below!
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup brown sugar (light)
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
5 cloves fresh garlic minced
2 teaspoons Siracha (or more , depending on your taste)
pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
DIRECTIONS
In a sauce pan add the honey, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce , siracha and season with black pepper. Bring to a boil , then lower the temperature and simmer. I simmered this for almost a half hour on low heat stirring often. It became pretty thick. (I almost thought I brought it too far) so be careful not to burn it! Let cool……
In the slow cooker add the chicken, pour in the cooled sauce, add the garlic and stir until coated. Put the lid on and cook on high for 4 hours flipping chicken a few times.
At the four hour mark take the chicken out and shred using two forks. While the chicken is out of the pot mix the cornstarch and water in a small bowl then add to the crockpot. Turn the slow cooker on high, add the shredded chicken back into the slow cooker and continue cooking on high for one hour.
Notes and serving suggestions:
If you want to make the sauce the night before that would be fine , store sauce in fridge and add everything into the crockpot in the morning I think that would work well.
When I made this recipe I had hoped to have a second recipe for a slow cooker rice, I came upon a rice recipe and thought that would be great to have a slow cooker rice and would be able to cook both recipes at the same time and could continue sitting back with those bon bons, oops, I mean chores and hard work..cough, cough …well…this did not happen, the rice recipe SUCKED! Do not cook rice in your slow cooker! you heard it here first ! DONT DO IT! ugh…HORRIBLE!
SO …serve over your favorite white rice, NOT cooked in your slow cooker OR serve as a sandwich or slider with your favorite coleslaw! That is what I did and it was fantastic!
We had some left over the next day so I made some pasta with Alfredo sauce and added the shredded chicken to it and that too was very good!
Cheers Bob!
Enjoy,
I have to apologize in advance as I am going to start this post with a little bit of a rant…
When my husband, Jim and I decided to eat a little healthier and get a little more exercise (exercise in our house = SUCK!) Let’s face it, when you are in your mid forties and have spent the bulk of the last 20 years starting and raising a family, exercise is just not as easy as it used to be, so that is why exercise in our house is referred to as SUCK! IT just SUCKS …nothing fun or easy about it. I will admit we have been working hard to make it a priority and it is getting slightly easier although still not fun!
So through the process of getting a bit healthier I started making “green ” smoothies, well I came up with a healthy and, what I think is a delicious recipe, BUT Jim was not feeling it, so he modified MY recipe. It is a slightly heated discussion as to whose tasted better! I will admit that our son Robby does like Jim’s version better! You be the judge! Although I should get extra points for mine being a bit healthier!!
OK, enough of that, I went WAY off track there! Time for the recipes!
Anne’s way :
1 handful of baby spinach
1/2 of a avocado, chopped
1/2 cup carrot juice (I buy Bolthouse)
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
3 pieces frozen Pineapple
3 pieces frozen mango
3 Pieces frozen banana
coconut water ( I use about 2 cups but this depends on how thick you like your smoothie, I like mine with a thinner consistency)
OPTION
Add a squirt or two of Agave or honey
Place all of the ingredients in the blender and blend well!
This will make about 2 servings, again it depends on how much coconut water you use!
Jim’s Way:
1 handful baby spinach
1 HEAPING cup of frozen blueberries
4 pieces of frozen Pineapple
4 Pieces frozen mango
4 pieces frozen banana
Coconut water (Jim uses less coconut water than I do as he likes his smoothie with a thicker consistency)
Place all ingredients in the blender and blend well!
ANOTHER NOTE
I package the frozen ingredients in small bags and put them back into the freezer to make work mornings running out the door a little easier!
Enjoy!
Taco pie is a favorite and this is a another recipe that is easily adaptable to your own spice level. We like medium spice… sometimes more! So take this recipe and make it YOURS! This has a warm pie with cold fresh ingredients on top! We really like this combination and hope you do too!
INGREDIENTS
1 deep dish pie crust, baked about half way through
1 lb. ground beef
1 package medium spice, low sodium taco seasoning
1/2 medium onion diced
1/2 cup fruit salsa ( I used pineapple salsa but use what you like)
1/2 cup refried beans with green chilies
1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
1 can of original Ro-tel tomatoes (drained)
TOPPINGS
Shredded lettuce
Diced tomatoes
Sour cream
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Partially bake your pie crust, about three quarters of the way through, following package directions.
Brown ground beef, drain, add seasoning with a slight bit of water. Add onion. sauté for a couple of minutes, then add both cheeses. Mix until combined and melted. Spread refried beans onto the bottom and slightly up the side of pie crust. This is easiest when pie crust is still slightly warm. (add as much or little of the beans as you like, use my measurements as a guide) Add about half of the can of Ro-tel tomatoes. Add ground beef mixture. Add layer of salsa.
Bake 15 minutes.
Take out of oven and cool for ten minutes and add your toppings!
NOTES
Ground turkey can be used.
Enjoy,
Well, the weather outside is frightful and I am not going anyplace warm soon, so what is the next best thing? TROPICAL GRANOLA of course!!! This is a favorite of family, friends, neighbors and workplace co-workers!
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon Kosher salt
2 1/2 cups bran flakes cereal
3 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
2 1/2 cups sliced almonds
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
3/4 cup unsalted butter
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup dried pineapple
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup dried mango
1/2 dried papaya
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Line two rimmed baking sheets with foil. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter, whisk brown sugar and salt into butter until mixture is blended smooth and sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat. In a large bowl combine oats, flake cereal, coconut, almonds and cinnamon. mix well. Stir in vanilla extract into butter and sugar. Pour butter mixture over dry ingredients and mix until combined. All dry ingredients should be coated with butter mixture. Divide granola between the two baking sheets, spreading it into an even layer. Bake for 30 minutes. Stir granola, rotate pans and bake an additional 20 to 30 minutes until granola is golden. WATCH CAREFULLY during the last ten minutes as the granola can burn easily at this point. Pour granola into large mixing bowl and stir in all of your dried fruit. Chop fruit if necessary. Let cool at room temperature. Store in an airtight container. Serve with your favorite yogurt! As you can see from the above image, this granola does not last long in my house!
Enjoy,
Nothing can be more simpler than a recipe with only 3 ingredients! You heard me right…ONLY 3 ingredients. But to make this even better, this recipe is BAKED, not fried, and still full of flavor! Not much is better than that!
INGREDIENTS
1 package of egg roll wrappers
1 package of coleslaw mix
1 package of HOT Jimmy Dean sausage
Salt and pepper
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brown sausage in a skillet. When sausage has been browned, drain the liquid.
In a bowl place about two cups of coleslaw mix (you be the judge!). Add the browned sausage, season with salt and pepper and mix well.
Add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of sausage mixture to the middle of the egg roll wrapper and wrap by folding the side of the wrapper in to the center and roll to make a log shape. Continue until all of the mixture is gone. Place them on a baking sheet sprayed with non stick spray and Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes, turning them about half way through. Once they are browned take them out and serve with your favorite duck sauce, sweet and sour sauce. Sometimes we use Frank’s Sweet Chili Sauce found at most grocery stores!
Enjoy!
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