Italian Beef Sandwiches

Ingredients

1 jar (11-1/2 ounces) pepperoncinis

1 boneless beef chuck roast (3-1/2 to 4 pounds)

1/4 cup water

1-3/4 tsp dried basil

1-1/2 tsp garlic powder

1-1/2 tsp dried oregano

1-1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 large onion, sliced and quartered

10 to 12 hard rolls, split

Directions

1. Drain pepperoncinis, reserving liquid. Remove and discard stems of peppers; set peppers aside. Cut roast into large chunks; place a third of the meat in a 5-qt. slow cooker. Add water.
2. In a small bowl, combine the basil, garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper; sprinkle half over beef. Layer with half of the remaining meat, then onion, reserved peppers and liquid. Top with remaining meat and herb mixture.
3. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours or until meat is tender. Shred beef with two forks. Using a slotted spoon, serve beef and peppers on rolls. 
4. Yied: 10-12 servings.

Notes: Honestly didn't enjoy this on sandwiches as much as I wanted to. (For that I prefer the flavors of the Mississippi Roast recipe we've already got on here.) Having said that, there were plenty of leftovers and I decided to use the meat to make some quesadillas. The addition of the crunchy tortilla and some mozzarella cheese made this much more of a hit for me. My kids all liked it, too, so this ended up being a successful recipe for us.

Source: The Best of Country Cooking (2003) cook book

Beef Enchiladas

For Mexican Style Meat

Ingredients

4 pounds of beef pork, or chicken (cheap cuts of meat work well for this)
good amount of salt & pepper to season meat
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion chopped
3 cans (7oz each) diced green chile peppers, undrained
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 5 ounce bottle hot pepper sauce (or less to taste)
¼ cup of water

Directions

• Trim the meat of any excess fat, and season well with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the meat in the hot skillet, and sear it quickly on all sides.
• Transfer the meat to a slow cooker and top it with the chopped onion. Season with chopped green chiles, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, & hot pepper sauce.
• Cover, and cook on low for 8 hours or until meat is tender & falling apart, checking to make sure there is always at least a small amount of liquid in the bottom of the cooker (add more liquid if need be).
• Transfer the meat to a bowl and shred it using two forks.
  If the meat comes out 'wetter' than your tastes, feel free to strain any extra juice. If you're going to freeze any of the meat, add the strained liquid back to the portion you're going to freeze for best results.

For the Enchiladas

Ingredients

1 recipe Mexican Style Meat (above)
3-3.5 cups shredded Pepper Jack or Mont. Jack cheese
10-12 flour tortillas burrito size

For the enchilada sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup minced onions
3 cloves garlic minced
3 8oz cans tomato sauce
2 4oz cans chopped green chiles
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
a few splashes of hot sauce to taste optional

Directions

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
• For the enchilada sauce: Heat the olive oil in a saucepan. Saute the onions until soft & translucent. Add the garlic & saute for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato sauce, green chiles, chili powder, cumin, & hot sauce (if using). Cook on medium/low heat for 10 minutes, stirring often.
• For the enchiladas: Pour a little bit of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 pan, just enough to cover the bottom. Lay out the flour tortillas & spoon in a few heaping spoonfuls of the Mexican Style Meat. Then spoon in a couple heaping spoonfuls of shredded cheese, to your liking. Roll like a burrito & place in the baking dish. Repeat until all the tortillas are used.
• Cover completely with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese on top. Bake, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes.

 Notes: We have no shortage of enchilada recipes on this blog, but not many that have beef. This is a pretty involved recipe, but if I remember correctly (all the way back from February 2018) it was pretty tasty. We will have to make these again. I am pretty certain we didn't use a whole bottle of hot sauce, but I can't remember for sure. I am sure I tried to keep the meat on the mild side of things. I got this recipe from a friend when I was in a recipe slump and asked on social media for recommendations.

Source: Mrs. Happy Homemaker

Southwestern Three-Bean and Barley Soup

Ingredients
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 large stalk celery, diced
1 large carrot, diced
9 cups water
4 cups (32-oz carton) reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1/2 cup pearl barley
1/3 cup dried black beans
1/3 cup dried great northern beans
1/3 cup dried kidney beans
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano
3/4 tsp salt

Directions

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, celery and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add water, broth, barley, black beans, great northern beans, kidney beans, chili powder, cumin and oregano. Bring to a lively simmer over high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender, 1 3/4 to 2 1/2 hours (adding more water, 1/2 cup at a time, if necessary or desired). Season with salt.

Notes: Lately I've been liking anything southwestern, and this recipe was no different. It was tasty. Brittany soaked the beans overnight because she didn't think they'd be soft enough after only a couple of hours of cooking. Slow-Cooker Variation (from the source): Use 2 cups water (instead of 9 cups) and combine all ingredients in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook until the beans are tender, about 4 hours on High or 7 to 8 hours on Low.

Source: Zipongo

Crock Pot Salsa Verde Chicken

Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (16oz) jar salsa verde
1½ c. Monterey jack cheese, shredded (or to taste)
⅓ - ½ c. chopped cilantro (optional)

Instructions

1. Spray Crock Pot with cooking spray. Place chicken breasts evenly over the bottom of the crock pot and cover evenly with salsa verde.
2. Cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 4-5 hours or until cooked through. About 30 to 60 minutes before serving, sprinkle cheese evenly over chicken. Remove individual chicken breasts from Crock Pot, sprinkle with cilantro (optional) and serve!

Notes: We had this a couple of months ago and although I remember liking it, I must admit that this recipe did not make a big impression on me. It is not one that we will likely have regularly.

Source: Favorite Family Recipes

3 Ingredient Crock Pot Creamy Chicken Taco

Ingredients
3 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 Can Original Rotel Tomatoes with Green Chilis
4 oz Philadelphia Cream Cheese

Instructions

1. Place the chicken breasts in slow cooker and cover with Rotel Tomatoes.
2. Cook on low 6-8 hours.
3. 30 minutes before the end of the cook time, use tongs or a fork to stir and shred the chicken breast.
4. Place the 4 oz brick of cream cheese on top of the chicken (do not stir).
5. After 30 minutes stir the softened cream cheese into the meat until well combined.
6. Serve as tacos, on a salad, in quesadillas, over rice, in a casserole, as enchilada filling, etc.

Notes: Does it really count as 3 ingredients if one of those ingredients is a can containing multiple other ingredients? These were good, but I think there are several other chicken taco recipes we've tried that I prefer.

Source: The Pinning Mama

Easy Crockpot Fajitas

Ingredients
3 Peppers (Green, Red & Yellow), sliced
1 Onion, sliced
Toppings - sour cream, cheese, guacamole, etc.

Chicken Fajitas
1 Package of Taco Seasoning
Flour or corn tortillas

Beef Fajitas

1 1/2 - 2 lbs thin sliced beef, cut in strips

1 packet fajita seasoning

Instructions

1. Slice peppers and onions then place them on the bottom of the crock pot
2. Put chicken or beef on top of peppers and onions
3. Sprinkle seasoning packet on the top.
4. Cook on low for 6-8 hrs (or high for 3-4) for chicken. Add 1-2 hours for beef.
5. For chicken: it may look burnt but it's just crispy. Shred chicken up and mix in the juice.
6. Serve with tortillas and all the toppings - sour cream, guacamole, cheese, lettuce, etc.

Notes: One straight month of posts! I cheated a little and combined 2 recipes from the source into one for this post. We had the chicken variety with sliced rather than shredded chicken. Brittany made homemade tortillas! Very tasty. If you prefer crispy veggies then you should probably wait until the last little while to add them (there is a comment on the beef fajita page linked below that says the last 20 minutes - I'm not sure if that would be long enough).

Source: eat at home chicken / beef

Take-Out Fake-Out Beef and Broccoli

Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless, beef chuck roast, sliced into thin strips
1 cup beef consomme or beef broth
½ cup low sodium soy sauce
⅓ cup dark brown sugar
1 tbsp. sesame oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp. cornstarch
4 tbsp. sauce (from the crockpot after dish is cooked)
Frozen broccoli florets (as many as desired)
White rice, cooked

Instructions:

1. In the crockpot, whisk together beef consomme, soy sauce, dark brown sugar, sesame oil, and garlic.
2. Gently place your slices of beef in the liquid and toss to coat.
3. Turn crockpot on low and cook for 4 to 6 hours.
4. When done, in a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and cooking liquid to create a slurry, pour into crockpot, stir to mix well. 
5. Toss in broccoli florets.
6. Cook on low for an additional 30 minutes to thicken up the sauce.
7. Serve hot over white rice.

Notes: I really enjoyed how this beef turned out. See the source for better photos.

Source: Table for Two

Slow Cooker Wheat Chili

Ingredients
5 cups water
2 1/2 cups uncooked wheat berries
2 tsp paprika
1 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp salt
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder
1 (14 oz) can stewed tomatoes
4 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
1 lb ground beef
1 1/2 cups diced onion
Shredded cheese and chopped cilantro, for garnish

Directions
1. Start browning the ground beef in a skillet and add in the onions. Stir often.
2. While meat is browning, add water, wheat, paprika, chili powder, oregano, sugar, pepper, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, stewed tomatoes and tomato sauce to slow cooker.
3. Drain the meat of excess grease and add the onions and beef to the slow cooker.
4. Cover and cook on LOW for 11-12 hours or on HIGH for about 7-8 hours (or until wheat is soft and plump).
5. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper and seasonings.
6. Ladle into serving bowls and top with cheese and cilantro, if desired.

Notes: Makes 8 servings, ideal for a 6 quart slow cooker. This is from the source: "This is one of those recipes that you can add or subtract ingredients. I think next time I'll add in some green pepper and maybe swap out a can of tomato sauce and add a can of diced tomatoes." Also: "you may use hard white wheat, soft white wheat, hard red wheat...often found at health food stores or in the bulk section of the grocery store".

Source: 365 days of slow cooking

Crockpot Cashew Chicken

Ingredients
2 chicken breasts, cut into smaller pieces
1-2 cups frozen broccoli, cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup carrots, sliced
1/2 cup cashews, chopped or whole (unsalted works best )
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon ginger paste
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup water or chicken broth

Directions:

1. Layer chicken, cashews and vegetables in the crockpot.
2. Combine remaining ingredients except water and pour over chicken in crockpot. Add water or broth if necessary so mixture is almost completely covered.
3. Cook for 2-4 hours on high or 4-8 hours on low.

Notes: I didn't like this as much as I wanted to. The flavor of the vinegar was a bit too dominant, so I think if we try this again I would go with less vinegar.

Source: Sally Cooks

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Ingredients
5 assorted bell peppers, tops cut off and seeds removed
1 pound of ground Italian hot sausage.
1/2 head of cauliflower, grated or chopped into a rice consistency.
1 small (8 ounce) can of tomato paste.
1 small white onion, medium dice.
5 cloves of garlic, minced.
2 tsp. dried basil
2 tsp dried oregano.
2 tsp dried thyme.

Directions
Mix all ingredients and stuff into seeded bell peppers. Place in gallon zip lock bag and freeze. On cooking day, place in slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours.

Notes: If you don't pay attention, the cauliflower can fool you into thinking it is rice. I remember Brittany was excited that the kids ate the cauliflower without realizing it was cauliflower. These held up well in the freezer, and we liked them, but Southwest Stuffed Bell Peppers is still our preferred recipe.

Source: Loving My Nest

Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak

Ingredients
2 Pounds lean ground beef
1 Package onion mushroom soup mix
1/2 Cup crushed saltine crackers
1 egg
1/4 Cup milk
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 Cup flour
2 Cans cream of mushroom soup
1 Package brown gravy mix

Directions

1. In a large bowl, mix together beef, onion mushroom soup mix, crushed saltine crackers, egg, and milk.
2. Using your hands, shape beef mixture into 8 patties.
3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
4. Dredge the patties in flour to coat and brown on both sides.
5. Place the browned patties into the slow cooker (overlapping is ok)
6. In a medium bowl, prepare the brown gravy according to package instructions.
7. Mix in both cans of mushroom soup; pour gravy mixture over the patties.
8. Cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours, or until beef is done.

Notes: This recipe was easy and very tasty. We needed the full 6 hours to cook the beef through.

Source: The Crockin' Girls

Crockpot Orange Chicken

Ingredients
4 – 5 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, thawed
3/4 cup Smuckers Sweet Orange Marmalade
3/4 cup of Sweet Baby Ray’s Original BBQ Sauce
2 tbsp. Soy Sauce

Directions

1. Cook chicken in crockpot on HIGH for 3 hours.
2. After 3 hours, drain juices from crockpot.
3. Mix together BBQ sauce, orange marmalade, and soy sauce.
4. Pour mixture over chicken, and cook on high for 30 more minutes.

Notes: We both thought this recipe was okay, but it did not have the flavors we expected from its name. The barbecue sauce makes this reminiscent of the Tangy Chicken we've got on the blog, and I think I would pick that one over this one.

Source: TheFrugalGirls.com

Slow Cooker Chicken Adobo

Ingredients:
4 medium yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
4 medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 (5-inch) piece fresh ginger, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 bay leaf
3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
3/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Steamed rice, for serving

Instructions:
1. Place the onions, garlic, ginger, and bay leaf in an even layer in the slow cooker.
2. Remove and discard the skin from the chicken. Arrange the chicken in an even layer on top of the onion mixture.
3. Whisk the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and pepper together in a medium bowl and pour it over the chicken.
4. Cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through and falling off the bone, about 4 to 5 hours on high or low. Remove and discard the ginger pieces and bay leaf. Serve with steamed rice.

Notes: Adobo is a traditional Filipino dish, but this probably isn't the traditional way to make it. I was introduced to adobo by one of my college roommates who served a mission in (and eventually married a girl from) the Philippines. This recipe was super easy and I really liked it. The leftovers were even better. Check out the source for a better photo.

Source: CHOW

Sweet and Sour Meatballs (2)

Ingredients
1 lb. extra-lean ground beef
2 Tbsp dehydrated onion
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp kosher salt
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup bread crumbs

Sauce
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 Tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups water or pineapple juice
1/4 cup white vinegar
3 Tbsp soy sauce

Directions
1. In a medium bowl, combine meatball ingredients. Shape into 1-inch balls and place on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Place under the broiler in your oven for 5-7 minutes or until the meatballs begin to brown.
2. In a large saucepan, whisk together the sauce ingredients and bring to a boil. Add the meatballs and reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring often.

Notes: Another tasty recipe from Our Best Bites. The cook book includes slow cooker instructions: After bringing sauce mixture to a boil, transfer it to a slow cooker and add the meatballs. Cook on low 3-4 hours.

Source: Our Best Bites: Mormon Moms in the Kitchen cook book

Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken

Ingredients
3-4 nice size boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
salt and pepper
1 c. honey
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/2 cup diced white onion
1/4 c. ketchup
2 T canola oil
2 cloves minced garlic
1/4 t. red pepper flake
1 T toasted sesame oil
4 t. cornstarch dissolved in 6 T water
sesame seeds for garnish
chopped green onions for garnish

Directions
Season both sides of chicken lightly with salt and pepper. Place flat into Crock Pot. Scatter onion over the top. In a small bowl, whisk together honey, soy sauce, ketchup, oil, garlic, sesame oil and pepper flakes. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for 3 to 3 1/2 hours or on high for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours or until chicken is cooked through and shreds easily. Remove chicken from crock pot, leave sauce. Dissolve 4 t. cornstarch in 6 T. of water and pour into crock pot. Stir to combine with sauce. Replace lid and cook sauce on high for 10 more minutes. Shred chicken and return to pot. Toss with sauce before serving. Serve over rice, sprinkled with sesame seeds and green onions.

Notes: I remember enjoying the flavor of this recipe. Since it is cooked in the crock pot and not breaded, the texture is different than what you are going to get at your typical Chinese restaurant.

Source: Cookbook Project

Crock Pot Pasta E Fagioli Soup

Ingredients:

2 lbs ground beef
1 onion, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
2 (28 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (16 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained
1 (16 ounce) can white kidney beans, drained
3 (10 ounce) cans beef stock
3 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons pepper
5 teaspoons parsley
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (optional)
1 (20 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
8 ounces pasta, cooked according to package directions

Directions:
1. Brown beef in a skillet.

2. Drain fat from beef and add to crock pot with everything except pasta.

3. Cook on low 7-8 hours or high 4-5 hours.

4. During last 30 min on high or 1 hour on low, add pasta.

Notes: This made a lot. It almost didn't fit in our crock pot. The recipe is supposed to be based on the Olive Garden Pasta E Fagioli soup, but since I've never had that, I can't really say whether or not it comes close. Our vegetables were still a bit crispy even after 7 or 8 hours and could probably have used more time.

Source: Food.com

Slow Cooker Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients:
5 pounds russet potatoes, washed but not peeled, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
1 medium/large yellow onion, diced
10 cloves of garlic, minced
64 ounces (8 cups) chicken stock or broth
16 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon seasoned salt
optional garnishes: crumbled bacon, shredded cheese, green onions

Directions:
1. Add potatoes, onion, garlic, seasoning, and chicken stock to slow cooker.

2. Cook on high for 6 hours or low for 10 hours.

3. Add the softened cream cheese and puree soup with an immersion blender until the cheese is incorporated and about half the soup is blended. (You could also remove half the soup and the cream cheese to an upright blender, then re-incorporate).

4. Stir well and top with your choice of garnishes. Yields about 10-12 servings.

Notes: I really enjoyed this soup. I didn't come close to getting tired of the leftovers, even after having it 4 or 5 times.

Source: Mama Loves Food!

Mississippi Roast

Ingredients
Chuck roast
Hidden Valley ranch dressing packet
McCormick Au Jus mix
1 stick of butter
5 pepperoncini peppers

Directions
Put the chuck roast in crock pot. Sprinkle with Hidden Valley ranch dressing. Add McCormick Au Jus mix, a stick of butter, and 5 pepperoncini peppers. DO NOT ADD WATER. Cook on low for 7-8 hours.

Notes: I really enjoyed the flavor of this meat, but it probably isn't for everybody. If it sounds like something you would like, then try it. We couldn't find pepperoncini peppers so we substituted a few banana peppers, which apparently are a bit sweeter and not quite as spicy. I've seen elsewhere online that it is recommended served over mashed potatoes with au jus sauce. We didn't know that when we had it.

Source: My cousin, Michelle, posted a link to this recipe on Facebook.

Turkey Tetrazzini

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups diced cooked turkey breast
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can fat-free chicken broth
1 (10 1/2 ounce) can low-fat cream of mushroom soup
2 teaspoons sherry wine or 2 teaspoons cooking wine
1/2 cup shredded low-fat cheddar cheese
8 ounces canned mushroom slices, drained
1/4 cup pimento stuffed olive (optional)
12 ounces uncooked spaghetti or any type of noodle
parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons water
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions
Place all ingredients except spaghetti, Parmesan, water and cornstarch into crock pot; stir. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve over cooked spaghetti; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Prior to serving, you'll probably want to thicken this a little more. Mix lukewarm water and cornstarch in a bowl until corn starch is dissolved. Add to crock pot mixture. Stir until thickened. If it it not thick enough you may repeat this step.

Notes: The blog we got this from mentions this is a good way to use leftover turkey from a holiday meal, and I agree.

Source: Crock-a-doodle-do.

Italian Chicken

Ingredients

4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
16 Ounce Bottle of Italian Dressing
1/2 Cup of Parmesan Cheese
Italian Seasoning
4-6 Potatoes scrubbed cut in half or wedges
1/2 bag of mini carrots

Directions
Spray crock with Pam. Squirt a small amount of Italian dressing at bottom of crock pot. Place two chicken breasts in crock. Pour some of the Italian dressing on the chicken. Sprinkle half of cheese onto the chicken. Sprinkle Italian seasoning onto the chicken. Place next two chicken breasts into crock-pot, if possible not directly on top of the first breasts. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top of chicken. Pour carrots on top. Pour more of the Italian dressing on top of chicken and carrots. Sprinkle Italian seasoning onto the chicken and carrots. Place potatoes on top. Pour the remaining Italian dressing on the potatoes. Sprinkle Italian seasoning on the potatoes. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Notes: I thought this was tasty at first, and the chicken was really tender, but the Italian seasoning was a bit too strong to eat a lot of it. I prefer Creamy Chicken Italiano.

Source: Crock-a-doodle-do.