Fast Fix Dinner

Since we are planning on going to the movies tonight, I thought it would be better to have a quick, easy meal before we head out. This way we won't be going hungry and then spending an arm & a leg on snacks while there. So tonight's fast fix will be Crockpot Sloppy Joes. While dinner is cooking away, I can easily tend to my home keeping.

I am sharing the full recipe for this, but note that today I am only using 1 lb. of ground meat instead of 3 lbs. Since it's just the two of us for dinner tonight, I cut thge recipe to reflect the portion size that we need.

Crockpot Sloppy Joes

(oops! the ketchup & buillon
are missing in the photo)

3 pounds ground beef
1 c. onion, finely-diced
1/4 c. finely-diced celery
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tblsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 c. ketchup
1 (6-oz) can tomato paste
1-1/4 c. water
2 tsp. beef bouillon granules*
1 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. black pepper
3 Tblsp. cider vinegar
3 Tblsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. dry mustard

In a skillet, cook meat until no longer pink. Drain fat then return to skillet. Add celery, bell pepper, onion and garlic. Saute until vegetables are softened. Pour meat mixture into crockpot. Next add all remaining ingredients to the meat & vegetable mixture to the crockpot. Stir until well combined. Cover & cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours or High for 3 to 4 hours. Serve over toasted hamburger buns or bread slices.

*Note: because buillon usually has salt added to it, I don't suggest adding salt to this recipe at first. The need for more salt will be based on your personal taste.

Click HERE for printable recipe

Sunday Sundries 5-24-09

What's that old adage..."when life gives you lemons, make lemonade." Yesterday we went to the local vegetable farm to pick up a few things that we needed and they had some beautiful juice oranges on sale. So of course I had to pick a batch of them up. So in my case, "when the LORD puts oranges on sale for you, make orange juice!" Boy did it taste great this morning with our breakfast. Fresh is definitely the best.



After a relaxing but full day yesterday, I really wasn't in the mood to cook. So here's a quick little something that I made to satisfy our hungry family. It's a one pot meal that can easily be served up two ways.

Italian Sausage & Onions
1 lb. Italian sausage
1/2 an onion, sliced
1/2 Tblsp. olive oil

Slice a pound of Italian sausage into rounds & place into a medium size skillet. Heat until browned.

Once sausage has browned, drain grease. Add 1/2 Tblsp. olive oil to skillet. Return meat to pan and add onions. Saute until onions are golden. (feel free to season with salt & pepper at this point if you like.)

Serve meat and onions as a sandwich or with left over pasta noodles. Garnish with fresh sliced tomatoes.


Click HERE for printable recipe

Today was one of those "Crockin' Kind Of Days." Last night was a long one, I didn't get to bed until after midnight, so instead of trying to figure out what to make for Sunday lunch or spend money on going out to eat, I pulled out my trusty friend "Ivy" (yes, I named my crock pot...and yes her name came from the leaves on the design *grin*) and let her go to work for me while we were at service.

I already had some precooked ground beef, so I threw that in the pot, added in tomatoes and spices and voila! Spaghetti sauce was born. After we got home from Church, all I had to do was boil water to make my spaghetti noodles. Quick, easy and oh so tasty.

Hubby, son and my Dad have all taken off for a few hours to have some "guy time" down at the rifle range. So with the house to myself (except for our well privileged cats & dogs that is) I am going to catch up on some quiet reading time.

Slow Cooking Thursday - Creamy Beef Stew

(For more SCT recipes visit our hostess Sandra)

Although I like beef stews, I am not partial to ones that are tomato based. So instead I have modified the traditional stew so it has more of a creamier base to it.

Creamy Crockpot Beef Stew
1-lb. beef stew meat
1/4 c. flour
1 family size can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 an onion, chopped
1 c. baby carrots, chopped
1 1/2 c. potatoes, peeled & diced
1 (5-oz) can mushroom stems & pieces, drained
1 c. frozen peas
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
salt & pepper to taste
water or beef broth

In a small bowl, add flour. Coat stew meat in flour and then transfer to a 4-6 qt. crock pot.

Add all remaining ingredients. Add enough water or broth to fill crock pot insert to almost full. Stir slightly to help the soup blend.

Cover and cook on LOW 6-8 hours, or HIGH 4-6 hours. Serve over cooked noodles, rice or as is.

Click HERE for printable recipe

Slow Cooking Thursday - Italian Sausage Soup

(For more SCT recipes visit our hostess Sandra)

Italian Sausage Soup

For the Meatballs:
1 pound mild Italian sausage, casings removed
1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup milk
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

For the Soup:
4 cups chicken broth
1 Tblsp. tomato paste
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 cup mini pasta shells
1 bag (10-oz) baby spinach leaves
grated Parmesan cheese
salt to taste

Combine all meatball ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Form mixture into marble-size balls.

Combine broth, tomato paste, garlic and red pepper flakes in 4-6 quart crockpot. Add meatballs. Cover; cook on Low 5 to 6 hours.

Thirty minutes before serving, add pasta. When pasta is tender, stir in spinach leaves. Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

(Photo & Recipe From Disney Family Food)

Click HERE for printable recipe

Slow Cooking Thursday - Beef Stew

(For more SCT recipes visit our hostess Sandra)

Last week I didn't get to participate in SCT as my schedule was so hectic I didn't even have time to think about the slow cooker, let alone anything else. So now I'm back in the routine of things.

Crockpot Beef Stew
1-lb. beef stew meat
2 (14.5-oz) cans diced tomatoes; undrained
1 pkg. (12 count) hash brown patties; lightly broken into pieces
1-1/2 c. frozen peas & carrots
1 c. frozen corn
3 c. beef broth
1 pkg. (.87-oz) brown gravy mix
salt & Pepper to taste

In a 4-6 qt. crockpot, combine stew meat, tomatoes, hash browns & vegetables. In a mixing bowl, whisk together broth, gravy mix, salt & pepper until well blended. Pour over meat mixture in crockpot. Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or HIGH 4-6 hours; or until stew meat is tender.

Click HERE for printable recipe

Recipe adapted from Sandra Lee Semi Homemade magazine "Easy Beef Stew" Feb/Mar issue pg. 37

It's A Crockin' Kind Of Day 3-23-09 Spaghetti W/Spicy Meat Sauce

Since I am trying to get my life and home back in order, I wanted one less thing to think about today...and that would be our dinner. So I am once again relying on my old faithful friend, Sir Crocks-a-lot! This is about one of the easiest meals ever.

Crockpot Spaghetti w/ Spicy Meat Sauce
1 pkg. spaghetti noodles, cooked according to package directions
1 lb. ground beef
1 Tblsp. minced garlic
1 Tblsp. spicy Italian seasoning
salt, pepper to taste
1 (29-oz) can store bought spaghetti sauce
1 can tomatoes w/ diced green chilies
1 small can tomato paste
1 (15-oz) can tomato sauce
2 cans water (using the tomato sauce can)

In a medium skillet brown meat until no longer pink. Drain grease. Transfer meat to a 4 qt crockpot. Add is all other ingredients and stir to mix well. Cover and cook on LOW heat for 4-5 hours. Serve over cooked spaghetti noodles.

Click HERE for printable recipe

Slow Cooking Thursday - Green Chile Chilli

(For more SCT recipes visit our hostess Sandra)

Green Chile Chili
1-1/2 lb. coarse grind chili meat
1 onion, diced
1 (4-oz.) can diced green chilies
2 (15-oz) cans diced tomatoes
1 (15-oz) can tomato sauce
1 can kidney beans, undrained
1 c. water
1 Tblsp. minced garlic
2 Tblsp. chili powder
salt & pepper to taste
2 tsp. ground cumin

Brown meat and onion in a skillet. Drain grease. Place meat and remaining ingredients into a 4-6 qt. crock pot. Cover and cook on LOW 4-6 hours.

Click HERE for printable recipe

It's A Crockin' Kind Of Day - 3-14-09 Chicken & Corn Soup

The weather has turned off cold & rainy. The rain we desperately need but the cold...ehhh...I can do with out it. Days like this though are great for staying under the covers and reading a good magazine or book. What better on a cold day than a hot bowl of soup? So that's what's on tap for today's menu. I don't know about you but I just love my crockpot(s). So I'm letting it go to work for me while I take care of other things around the house. Care to join us for dinner????? *grin*

Crockpot Chicken & Corn Soup

1-2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast halves - diced
1/2 an onion, diced
1 Tblsp. minced garlic
3 carrots; peeled & diced
2 ribs celery; diced
2 medium potatoes; peeled & diced
1-2 tsp. dried spicy Italian seasoning
1 (15-oz) can cream corn
1 (15-oz) can whole kernel corn; drained
1 (5-oz) can tomato sauce
3 c. chicken stock
1/4 c. fresh cilantro; chopped
salt, pepper to taste


(If it looks this good now, just wait until it's done...yum)

In a 5-6 qt. crockpot, layer potatoes, carrots, celery & onion. Add chicken, seasonings, both cans of corn & tomato sauce. Top with cilantro and finally broth. Cover and cook on HIGH 4-5 hours or LOW 8-9 hours.


(I told you it was going to be good once it was finished)

Click HERE for printable recipe

Slow Cooking Thursday - Chicken Spaghetti

(For more SCT recipes visit our hostess Sandra)

Crockpot Chicken Spaghetti

1 pkg. spaghetti; cooked
1 lb. Mexican style Velveeta Cheese; cubed
2 c. boneless skinless chicken breast; cooked & diced into small cubes
1 (10 oz) can cream of mushroom soup
1 (10 oz) can cream of chicken soup
1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes & green chilies
1 (4 oz) can mushroom stems & pieces, drained
1 soup can of milk
1 small onion, diced
1 small bell pepper; diced (or if using frozen chopped bell pepper measure out 1/2 c.)
salt & pepper to taste

Grease crockpot insert with non-stick cooking spray. Place all ingredients into crockpot. Stir to mix well. Cook on LOW for 2-3 hours. Stir just before serving.

Click HERE for printable recipe

Slow Cooking Thursday - Mexajita Chicken

(For more SCT recipes visit our hostess Sandra)

I saw this recipe the other day on Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee on the Food Network and knew it was something I wanted to try. I did change things up some as I am using what I have on hand. My alterations will be listed to the side of the original recipe.

Mexajita Chicken

3 Tblsp canola oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breast, rinsed and patted dry
Salt & pepper to taste
2 (16-oz) cans pinto beans, undrained (I used black beans)
2 (10-oz) cans diced tomatoes w/ chilies
1 Tblsp fajita seasoning (I used taco seasoning)

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Place in the skillet and sear about 2 minutes per side.

Place beans in the bottom of a 5-quart slow cooker.

Remove chicken from skillet and place the in the slow cooker on top of the beans.

Pour the tomatoes over the chicken and beans and sprinkle with fajita seasoning.

Cover and cook on LOW setting for 3 to 4 hours.

Click HERE for printable recipe

P.S. This will also work well if one is on South Beach.