Meatball Sub

Meatball Sub 

Shopping List:

1 bag of 3lb meatball 

1 bottle Bertolli  Tomato basil sauce 

1/2 C strawberry Jam 

1 teaspoon garlic powder 

1/2 teaspoon Tony 

1/4 cracked black pepper 

Crockpot--4 hrs on low

Crock Pot Roast Beef

Crock Pot Roast Beef

By far this is one of my family favorite crock pot meals. It's super easy and very FLAVORFUL! You can also eat this roast beef in so many different ways. Goes great as a regular sandwich. Or you can add some cubed potato and carrots and make it as a "beef stew" meal over rice. Or wrap it in a burrito with some provolone cheese,  bell pepper, and onions...yummy!!! Endless possibility!!

Ingredients: 

5-6 lb CHUCK roast 

1 pack Lipton onion soup mix 

1 teaspoon garlic powder 

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon pepper 

1/2 teaspoon Tony Chacheres (creole seasoning) 

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 medium onion---chopped 

5 cloves garlic minced 

1/2 C water 

*** this time I didn't cut my roast into 3in cube but I usually cube the roast to DECREASE my cooking time to about 6 hrs on HIGH***

DIRECTION: 

Lay the chuck roast in the bottom of the crockpot and add water then add all your seasoning, chopped onion and minced garlic on the top of the roast. Place lid on then set crockpot for 8 hrs on HIGH. After about 7hrs the roast is ready to be shredded. Using 2 forks and shredded the roast. Once it's shredded to your liking add the thicken agent...I like my sauce a little thick and not to runny. This step is strictly optional. 

THICKEN AGENT: 

2 Tablespoon WATER 

1 Tablespoon corn starch (I used this in the end as a thicken agent) 

Mix well then pour over cooked roast after shredding.



We eat our sandwich with Sweet Hawaiian BUNS. Serve with mayo and cole slaw ;)
Your FAMILY will LOVE it!!

This dish is great for party because its easy to make and can serve large groups of people. 

Everything JUST pile on and SET your crockpot for 8 hrs!!  EASY and DELICIOUS!!

Since I was on the go all day...I just make my cole slaw and lay it
in a dish of ice with my mayo so that the kids can serve themselves.

Served with hawaiian sweet bun with a little mayo and cole slaw

BBQ Chicken in Crockpot

I don't know about you...but during the school year the CROCK POT is my BEST FRIEND ;)
With the kids in all these after school activities and those lunches....I use my crock pot at least 5 times or more a week. During the FALL I use it even more because we eat lots of different types of  "sandwich" type meals.


This week our local grocery store had a huge sale on boneless chicken breast so I bough 3 huge packs. They were only .99 a pound...that is a great deal especially when its boneless and SKINLESS.


INGREDIENTS: 
3 lbs of boneless skinless chicken breast (about 5 large pieces)
1 chopped onion
1 package Lipton Onion soup mix
2 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 Tablespoon Tony Chachere's (cajun seasoning--you can use any brand that you have on hand)
1 CUP WATER
1 Tablespoon CORN STARCH (optional)

BBQ SAUCE mixture: 
1/4 CUP honey
3 CUP good BBQ sauce (I love Sweet Baby Ray)


DIRECTIONS:
In a small bowl mix...add all your dry seasoning---Lipton onion mix, pepper, onion powder, garlic power, and Tony.  Set aside.

***Add the corn starch to the cup of water...stir to dissolved the corn starch (the corn starch is optional...I like my BBQ chicken to be less runny and the liquid to be a little thick that is why I add the corn starch). Pour the corn starch mixture into crock pot.  Next, wash the chicken breast and put in your crock pot with  the chopped onions. Now pour the DRY SEASON MIXTURE over and add the 2 TABLESPOON of Worcestershire sauce.
COVER and set your crock pot for 4 hours HIGH or 6 hours LOW.

After the chicken is cooked...taking 2 forks and start to shred the chicken...it should be very easy to shred at this time...then add the BBQ SAUCE mixture. Mixing in the BBQ sauce really well and cover and set on warm until ready to serve.  My kids like their BBQ chicken  kinda sweet that is why I added some honey.

I serve my BBQ chicken on Sweet Hawaiian BUNS with cole slaw.  I just buy the pre-made cole slaw bag and just add the Marzetti slaw dressing.
Your family will love this BBQ chicken burger!!!! I love mines with a side of dill pickle or potato salad.

ENJOY!!!

Right before cooking...water/corn starch, chicken breast, chopped onions, 

then dry seasoning mixture. Cover and let the CROCK POT cook for you ;) 

           Serve with cole slaw and sliced red onions. 

Bottle Marzetti slaw dressing--found in the refrigerator section by the 

            vegetable sections. Near the pre-package salads. 

Loaded Potato Soup

• INGREDIENTS: 
• 1 pack  of  bacon, sliced into little pieces
• 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups heavy cream (you can use half and half or WHOLE MILK) 
• 6 cups of water 
• 8 large russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 stalk green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 bag of  shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup sour cream (extra for garnish) 
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 2 Tablespoon of chicken powder 
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 teaspoon of Tony Chachere's (you can add salt if you don't have Tony) 

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Heat a large dutch oven over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside.saving the bacon fat 
• Cook onion and garlic in the BACON FAT..cook on medium low ..continue to stir because you don't want the garlic to burn. 
• Then pour in your cubed potato and stir for a few minutes. Next add your water and chicken powder, garlic powder. Cook for about 20 minutes until potato is done. I usually cover my pot. 
• Once the potato is cooked ..taking a spoon ..smooch the potato to the side of the pot to make it a little creamy. 
• Next add your milk mixture ( What I did was added my 1/3 cup of flour to my milk and mix...you don't want to add your flour straight to the hot pot) 
• Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes. Stir in 1/2 of the cheddar cheese,  4 oz sour cream, Tony Chachere's,  pepper, to taste. 
• Serve immediately, garnished with green onion, cheese and bacon, if desired.

Crockpot Red Beans and Rice

This week has been one of those crazy busy week so ....I took out my trusty crockpot and have been using it religiously for the past few days.  It was suppose to rain today but it didn't :( ....so I thought I would make some comfort food.

Ingredients:
2 lb red beans---I didn't soak this time since I was gonna use the crockpot but usually when I make it on the stove I would soak the beans over night.
14 Cups of water (make sure that the water cover the beans)

1 large bell pepper--chopped
4 stalk celery--chopped
1 large onion--chopped

1 TBS garlic powder

1 TBS onion powder
1 tsp crushed red pepper
1 TBS sugar
2 TBS Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 bay leaf

1 stick butter--add this last right before I serve


MEATS:
1 lb pickle pork
2 lb hot links
2 lb  cubed salted ham

Garnish:
green onion
parsley
Tabasco sauce ;)



Direction:
I pour the red beans into my crockpot...picking out all the broken ones or funny looking ones ;)
then I rinse with water once and pour that water out. Next I pour enough water to cover my beans and add my diced celery, onion, bell pepper. Then I would add all my spices...garlic powder, onion powder, sugar, crushed red pepper, ground pepper, worcestershire sauce and BAY LEAF.

I dont add any salt until the end because most times my pickle pork and salted cubed ham is salty enough that I don't have to add any salt.

Then I add my pickle pork and cubed ham and COVER and turn on my crockpot ...set it to 8 hrs on low.

If I am home and about half way through I usually stir it around a little so the flavor can incorporate a little. THEN I ADD MY HOT SAUSAGE LINKS---I CUT THEM INTO 3 in PIECES and throw it in. I DONT like to cook it in there at the beginning because it will break up. Then about 7 hrs into my cooking I would take a wooden spoon and take some beans and smash  it against the crockpot so that it can make it a little creamy.

I like to cook my sausage in a pan then just add it on top of my red beans and rice when I am eating it so I cook it separately. I LOVE the Hillshire Farm brand. I usually buy 1 regular and 1 spicy because my kids don't like it too spicy.


When your ready to eat...add the 1 stick of butter in the crockpot and stir around ...this makes a huge difference!!!  Then taste to see if you need to add more salt or seasoning to your red beans.

Serve over white rice and garnish with some sliced parsley and green onions. If you like it SPICY..add some TABASCO sauce. I find that its spicy enough for my family because of the HOT LINKS and the spicy sausage


ENJOY!!!

I like to cook my sausage separately so that I can taste the flavor. 

We love adding HOT LINKS to our red beans and rice...gives it TONS of flavor. 

 Pickle pork pack that I used.. I don't use ham hock :) 

Meatball in a Crockpot

During the summer my meals are usually very quick and simple.. especially since it's so hot to stay in the kitchen for long...I usually make many MANY CROCKPOT meals. 

Ingredients: 

1 bag of meatball 

1 jar of tomato basil marinara sauce 

1/2 C strawberry jam 

1/2 tsp garlic powder 

1/4 tsp Tony Chachere's 

(If you like.. you can add some chopped onion, bell pepper and celery) 

Crockpot

Throw everything in a crockpot and set it on low for 4 hours!!! 

DONE!! 

Serve with Hawaiian sweet bread 

Or butter pasta