Theme: Taco Soup

I am back! It has been several weeks since I have posted in the Slow Cooking Thursday meme, due to health issues, but here I am! Did you miss me?

Today is Slow Cooking Thursday, hosted by the lovely Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom . Share a recipe on your blog and go link it at her blog. Please come back and join me for Freezer Food Friday .

Today I have a new recipe for Taco Soup in the crockpot, and if this one does not interest you, I have linked several others from my blog!

 

Hidden Valley Taco Soup

 

 

Taco Soup

Taco Soup
Taco Soup from the Advocate

Hidden Valley Taco Soup

Karen’s Taco Soup

 

1 pound ground beef, browned

1 medium onion, chopped

1 can whole kernel corn, undrained

1 can black beans, undrained

1 can kidney beans, undrained

1 can pinto beans, undrained

1 can Ro-tel tomatoes, undrained

1 (16-ounce) jar salsa

1 bag tortilla rounds

 

Brown ground beef and onions and drain. Place all ingredients (except tortillas) in a slow cooker and cook on low heat for 4 to 6 hours. Serve over tortillas.

 

 

 

 

Sweet-N-Sour Turkey Meatballs

Sweet-N-Sour Turkey Meatballs

 

2 pounds ground turkey breast

2 tsp. salt-free garlic and herb seasoning or poultry seasoning

1 egg white

Salt and ground black pepper

2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce

2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 cup chili sauce

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tsp. dried thyme

 

In a large bowl, combine turkey, garlic and herb seasoning, egg white and 1/2 tsp. each salt and black pepper. Mix well and shape mixture into about 32 meatballs. Place meatballs in bottom of slow cooker.

 

In a medium bowl, whisk together tomato sauce, broth, chili sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, and thyme. Pour mixture over meatballs.

 

Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Season, to taste, with salt and black pepper.

Oven-baked Fish Sticks

Oven-baked Fish Sticks

Make your own fish sticks from scratch! This is quick and easy to prepare. Kids love them and you’ll know you’re making them something good.  

1 lb. 8 oz cod filet
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup skim milk

1. Cut the cod into fishstick-size pieces.

2. Dip each piece of cod into milk; then coat with breadcrumbs.

3. Spray a nonstick pan with cooking spray; arrange fishsticks on pan.

4. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 45 minutes or until crispy brown.

 

Serving: 4
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 65 minutes

Menu Plan Monday # 78

 

Here is my Menu Plan for this week. It is full of super simple, tried and true recipes. I will update as needed.

Thanks to Laura The Organizing Junkie for hosting Menu Plan Monday. Post your own plan and go there to link your plan ( on Monday ) or visit her site to glean new ideas As always, this is THE PLAN, and all plans are subject to change as the need arises or as the fancy strikes my mind.

Summer Corn and Tomato Pasta from Rachael Ray

 

Asparagus with Salmon Pasta

Trader Joe’s Mandarin Orange Chicken over rice

Chili ( made from stuff in the cabinet )

 Teriyaki Chicken, rice, zucchini

Tacos

Dinner out for DH’s 40th Birthday

 

 

Asparagus with Salmon Pasta

Asparagus with Salmon Pasta

 

 

1 lb. asparagus, cut up

4 tbs. melted butter

Zest & juice of a lemon

1 cp. smoked salmon pieces

3 tbs. dill chopped

12 oz cooked pasta ( bow ties or penne? )

 

Saute, asparagus in butter, till crisp-tender

 

Toss with lemon juice & zest, salmon, dill  & pasta.

 

Woman’s Day  6/17/2008 issue

Theme: Bread Pudding for crockpot

Here are some links to  previously posted crockpot bread pudding recipes, followed by a new recipe…..

Slow Cooker Orange Cinnamon Bread Pudding
Slow Cooker Apple Bread Pudding

Island Bread Pudding

Cinnamon Raisin Bread Pudding
8 servings

 

1 loaf (about 16 ounces) sliced cinnamon raisin bread

1 cup raisins

8 cups milk

 

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 eggs

In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, toss bread and raisins. In a bowl, combine milk, sugar and vanilla, stirring until sugar dissolves.

Beat in eggs until completely incorporated. Pour over bread and stir to moisten.

Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours, or until set. (If your slow cooker has a warming setting, you may keep the pudding warm for 2-3 hours; if it doesn’t, the pudding will stay warm for up to an hour with the cooker turned off.

Slow Cooker Beef Burgundy

Slow Cooker Beef Burgundy

This recipe was adapted from Cook’s Country by the editors of America’s Test Kitchen.

8 ounces bacon, chopped
4 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large onion, chopped fine
2 carrots, peeled and chopped fine
8 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
4 tablespoons tomato paste
2 1/2 cups Pinot Noir
1 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup soy sauce
3 bay leaves
3 tablespoons Minute tapioca
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

In large skillet, cook bacon over medium-high heat until crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate and refrigerate. Pour half of bacon fat into small bowl; set skillet with remaining bacon fat aside.

Dry beef thoroughly with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper; place half of beef in slow cooker inserts. Heat skillet containing remaining bacon fat over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook remaining beef in single layer until deep brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer browned beef to slow cooker insert.

Add reserved bacon fat to now empty skillet and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion, carrots and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until vegetables begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomato paste and stir until beginning to brown, about 45 seconds. Transfer mixture to slow cooker insert.

Return now empty skillet to high heat and add 1 1/2 cups wine, chicken broth and soy sauce. Simmer, scraping up brown bits, until pan bottom is clean, about 1 minute. Transfer wine mixture to slow cooker insert.

Stir bay leaves and tapioca into slow cooker insert. Set slow cooker on low, cover and cook until meat is fork-tender, about 9 hours.

When ready to serve, discard bay leaves and stir in reserved bacon. In large skillet, bring remaining 1 cup wine to boil over high heat and simmer until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Stir reduced wine and parsley into stew and adjust seasonings. Serve.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Saucy BBQ Sloppy Joes

 

 

 

Welcome to Freezer Food Friday!

 

I am sorry about missing a few weeks, but I was held hostage by doctors at the hospital. I am home again and feeling much better.

 

Share a recipe that can be made ahead and frozen for later use. Let’s help each other stock our freezers with meals for our families.

 

Link your recipe at Mr. Linky below, leave me a comment and I will be around to visit your blog.

 

 

Saucy BBQ Sloppy Joes   

 

 

Makes:4 servings, one sandwich each

 

1 lb. lean ground beef

1   each: green pepper and onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup KRAFT Original Barbecue Sauce

 1/2 cup  water 1/4 lb. (4 oz.) VELVEETA Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product, cut up

 4   hamburger buns, split

 

 

BROWN meat in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat; drain. Add peppers and onions; cook 5 min., stirring occasionally.

 

STIR in barbecue sauce, water and VELVEETA; cook 2 min. or until VELVEETA is melted and mixture is well blended, stirring frequently.

 

MEANWHILE, toast the buns. Fill buns evenly with meat mixture.

 

Kraft Kitchens Tips: Make Ahead

 

Cool meat mixture completely. Place in resealable freezer-weight plastic bag or four small freezer containers; place buns in resealable freezer-weight plastic bag. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw meat mixture and buns in refrigerator overnight. When ready to serve, reheat meat mixture in small saucepan on medium heat, stirring frequently. Meanwhile, toast the buns. Fill buns evenly with meat mixture.  

 

Theme: Chex Mix Snacks

Here are a ouple of previously posted Chex Snack Mix recipes, followed by today’s recipe.

Halloween Sweet Mix

Goblin Mix

CUSTOMIZED CHEX MIX

 

6  tablespoons butter or margarine 

2  tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 

1  teaspoon seasoning salt 

¾  teaspoon garlic powder 

½  teaspoon onion powder 

5  cups Rice Chex cereal 

5  cups Corn Chex cereal 

2  cups (10-ounce can) lightly salted, deluxe mixed nuts (see note) 

 

 

Preheat the oven to 250 F.

 

Place butter in a 2-cup glass measure and microwave on High (100 percent power), covered with a paper towel, until just melted, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from microwave and stir in seasonings.

 

Pour cereal and nuts into a large, ungreased roasting pan. Toss lightly to mix. Drizzle butter mixture over cereal mixture, tossing gently until cereal and nuts are coated as much as possible. Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and pour onto paper towels. Cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes, and store in airtight containers for up to two weeks.

 

Makes 11 cups.

 

Note: You may substitute any variety of lightly salted nuts you like, such as all cashews or a peanut mix.

 

PER ¼-CUP SERVING: Calories 79 (57% fat) Fat 5 g (1 g sat) Cholesterol 4 g Sodium 121 mg Fiber 1 g Carbohydrates 7 g Protein 2 g

Theme: Slow-cooker pulled pork sandwiches

I found a new recipe for crockpot pork sandwiches. If this one doesn’t interest you, try one of these ….

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Shredded Apricot Pork Sandwiches

Five Spice Pork Sandwiches Au Jus

Slow-cooker pulled pork sandwiches

Preparation time: 15 minutesCooking time: 4 hours, 30 minutes

Yield: 12 servings

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma’s “Food Made Fast: Slow Cooker.”

3	tablespoons canola or corn oil
4	pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 4 equal pieces
1	yellow onion, finely chopped
1	cup cider vinegar
3/4	cup ketchup
1/2	cup dark molasses
1/3	cup firmly packed brown sugar
2	teaspoons red pepper flakes
1	tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1	teaspoon each: dry mustard, salt, freshly ground pepper
1/2	teaspoon paprika
12	soft sandwich rolls, toasted

1. Heat the oil in large skillet over medium-high heat; brown the pork on all sides, about 12 minutes. Transfer pork to a slow cooker.

2. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from skillet. Add the onion; cook over medium-high heat until golden, about 5 minutes. Add vinegar; cook, stirring to scrape up browned bits, 2 minutes. Stir in ketchup, molasses, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt, pepper and paprika. Cook stirring occasionally, until mixture begins to bubble, 1 minute. Pour over pork.

3. Cover slow cooker; cook on high until pork is very tender, 4-5 hours. (The pork can be cooked on low 8-10 hours).

4. Transfer pork to cutting board; shred, discarding fat. Skim excess fat from sauce; return pork to sauce. Stir to combine. Serve on buns with vinegar coleslaw.

Nutrition information per serving: 480 calories, 32% of calories from fat, 16 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 97 mg cholesterol, 43 g carbohydrates, 38 g protein, 656 mg sodium, 1 g fiber