Slow Cooker Pecan Pie

 

Today I am bringing you a recipe that I just recently tried myself, and it was a huge hit.  As with all new recipes, there are things I often have to change for the next time I make it.  

 

With regards to this slow cooker pie, I need to keep an eye on it, and probably cut down the cooking time slightly, because some of the edges of the pie were a bit dark and hard from the filling.

Aside from that, this was so good, sooooo good, and I think it will be going on my Thanksgiving menu.  I have a pumpkin pie one to try as well, in the slow cooker, and if that one turns out good as well, then it will go on the menu right alongside the pecan pie.

If anything, the fact that it is cooked in the crockpot, and I don't need to faff over it, is a huge plus.

Slow Cooker Pecan Pie 

 Source:  The Country Cook

 

 

Ingredients 

1 refrigerated pie crust 

4 large eggs, lightly beaten 

1 ⅓ cups light corn syrup 

 1 cup sugar 

⅓ cup salted butter melted

 ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon (optional) 

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

2 cups pecan halves, divided use 

 

 

Instructions 

 

Line a 6-quart oval slow cooker with parchment paper (12.5 inch x 16 inch). Press the paper down into the slow cooker to create an outline of the bottom of the slow cooker. Remove parchment paper and place unrolled pie crust onto the parchment paper (lining it up with the creases from the outline in the parchment paper). 

 

Gently roll up the edges of the pie crust and make small indentations to help the crust stick to the parchment paper and to keep in the filling better. Place parchment paper/pie crust into slow cooker (pastry should extend 2 to 3 inches up the sides). Bend and fold the pastry as needed to get it to fit properly. In a bowl combine the eggs, corn syrup, sugar, melted butter, cinnamon and vanilla. Whisk until smooth. Stir in 1 cup of the pecans. 

 

Gently pour batter into crust in the slow cooker. Then top with remaining cup of pecans. Placing them evenly in a pattern to make a nice presentation. Place a layer of paper towels on top of the slow cooker then cover with the lid. Cook on high for 3 to 3 ½ hours or until filling is puffed and set. Turn off slow cooker. Let stand, uncovered, 1 hour. 

 

Cut and serve straight from the slow cooker. Or gently lift the parchment paper out of the slow cooker, then slice and serve. 

 

Slow Cooker Butternut Squash and Lentil Soup

It's been so chilly around here lately, the perfect weather for a bowl of steaming hot soup.

I actually made this batch for myself, to have during the week for a quick lunch, because I'm trying to eat healthier and get to where I was pre-holidays. 

This is a very easy soup to get going, you can pop everything in, in the morning, then let it cook on low all day long.  I give it a quick whiz with the immersion blender and it's done.

My husband  and children are not very big fans of butternut squash, so I really do make this just for myself to enjoy, and it last quite a while because it makes a pretty big batch.

Thank you to Claire from The Witt Family on Youtube for this wonderful recipe.

Slow Cooker 

Butternut Squash and Lentil Soup

1 Butternut Squash
1 Large Onion, diced
2 to 3 Garlic cloves, chopped
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 cup lentils
1 vegetable stock cube
3.5/4 cups of boiling water ( I used a box of Garden Vegetable Broth, 32 oz. )


 Peel butternut squash, cut in half and remove all seeds.  Cut into chunks and place in a slow cooker.  Add the diced onion, garlic and season well with salt and pepper and paprika.  Add in the cup of lentils, and the vegetable broth.  Cover and cook on Low for 6 to 7 hours.

Once done, use an immersion blender to puree the soup.  Check the seasonings and adjust accordingly.  Enjoy!!!

Crockpot Smothered Pork Chops

We love pork chops but I tend to get kind of stuck in a rut when it comes to preparing them.  It feels like it's always the same old thing, and so I've been looking for new recipes to try.

I came across this one on Pinterest and decided to give it a go.  I'll be completely honest with you, I don't always have the best of luck with Pinterest, it's kind of a hit and miss for me.  Things that seem really good don't always turn out how they look in the pictures, or they don't taste as good as I thought they would etc.

These were a hit.  From the moment they started cooking, the whole house smelled amazing.  Very easy to throw together and they make for a filling and delicious dinner.

I did use bone in but they completely fell off the bone, which is a very good thing.  But yes, please make sure you have pretty thick chops, I don't think the pork tenderloin chops would work very well, they would probably shred apart during cooking.

CROCKPOT SMOTHERED PORK CHOPS

Source:  Country Cook

4 bone-in pork chops (or boneless)
1 envelope onion soup mix (1 oz. packet)
1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth (lower sodium)
1 can (10.5 oz.) cream of chicken soup
1 envelope dry pork gravy mix (1 oz. packet)
1 tsp. garlic powder
to thicken sauce:
3 tbsp. corn starch
3 tbsp. cold water



In a 5-6 quart oval slow cooker, combine onion soup mix, chicken broth, cream of chicken soup and pork gravy mix.
Whisk together until combined.
Season both sides of the chops with a little bit of garlic powder.
Place pork chops into the slow cooker.
Do your best to spread them out and cover with the gravy mixture.
Cover and cook on low about 4-6 hours.
Just before the pork chops are done - whisk together the corn starch and cold water in a small bowl. Once it is smooth, pour it in with your pork chops in the slow cooker and stir gently.
Cover and switch the slow cooker to high and cook for another 30 minutes (until gravy has thickened.)

Slow Cooked Cubed Steaks

As the temperatures cool down, I start using my crockpot more.  Stews, soups, and all sorts of delicious meals that I can pop in in the morning, and have ready by dinner time.

I haven't always had the best of luck with slow cooked meals though, for a long time, or rather I should say, when I first started using one, I couldn't get it right.

The food seemed to be bland, or it was really watery, or sticking to the sides.  It was always something, but as the time went on I became more confident and actually started the Slow Cooking Thursdays over on my main blog.

Since then, I have made so many good meals in the crockpot, and am still to this day enjoying trying new ones out.

A few weeks ago, Mari from My Little Corner of the World, shared this yummy recipe on my Slow Cooking Thursday.  I love cubed steaks and so it went on the next menu plan.

It was a huge hit, very tasty and very simple to prepare.  Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Slow Cooked Cubed Steaks

Source:  My Little Corner of the World

Cube Steaks with Gravy
1/3 cup flour
6 beef cube steaks
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, sliced and separated into rings
3 cups water, divided
1 envelope brown gravy mix
1 envelope mushroom gravy mix
1 envelope onion gravy mix
Hot mashed potatoes or cooked noodles

Place flour in large, resealable plastic bag. Add steaks, a few at a time and shake until completely coated. In a skillet, cook steaks in oil until lightly browned on each side. Transfer to slow cooker. Add onion and 2 cups water. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until meat is tender.
In bowl whisk together gravy mixes and remaining 1 cup of water. Add to slow cooker; cook 30 minutes longer.
Serve over mashed potatoes or noodles.
Yield: 6 servings

{ Crockpot Beef Stroganoff }

Ooooohhhhh beef stroganoff.  I think it is right up there in the comfort food list for me.  I don't make it very often, but this quick and easy crockpot recipe may just change that.

Crockpot Beef Stroganoff

Source:  All Recipes

1 1/2 pounds top round steak, cut into strips
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 onion, chopped
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (8 ounce) can canned mushrooms
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon dried chives
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cube beef bouillon
1/4 cup white wine
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley



Place the beef in the bottom of a slow cooker, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place onion on top of beef, and then add mushroom soup, mushrooms, and water. Season with chives, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and bouillon.

In a small bowl, mix together the wine with the flour. Pour over the beef.

Cover, and cook on Low for 6 to 7 hours. Stir in the sour cream and parsley, and continue cooking for 1 hour.

Crockpot Bean and Bacon Soup

I have quite a few recipes that I've been meaning to share with you all, but just haven't found the time to do so.

You know as the end of the year approaches, school wise, we are in high gear and trying to get everything done as soon as possible so summer can officially start.

I've been cooking yummy stuff, and I do remember to take photos, just don't get around to posting them here, but I'm going to try and remedy that over the next few days, and really get everything up on the blog.

Starting with this delicious soup.  I know that the weather is warming up, but there a lot of you who are still seeing cold temperatures and even snow, so here's a great suggestion for a delicious dinner.

Crockpot Bean and Bacon Soup

Source: The Glamorous French Housewife

32 oz Dried Northern Beans
1.5 lb Bacon
2 Onions diced
1/2 lb Carrots diced
4 cloves Garlic - left whole or you mince it -
4 cup Water
1 Box of Chicken Broth
1 Bay Leaf
1/2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper
Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Sort beans and remove any debris or rocks. Rinse beans under cold water.
Fry bacon in skillet till crispy.

Add all ingredients to slow cooker. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6-8
Add more water if needed. Mash up some of the beans.
Salt & Pepper to taste and enjoy!

Slow Cooker Coconut Chicken Curry

Chicken Curry, or any curry for that matter is something my family really enjoys.

I grew up enjoying big family dinners with very spicy curry, and anything from chicken to beef to shrimp and my favorite CRAB curry.  Oh my goodness, I haven't had that in forever.

I do have a few curry recipes here on the blog, including one for the crockpot, but this one I'm sharing today is a new one.

What caught my attention was that except for the chicken, every other ingredient is thrown in a food processor and blended before being poured over the chicken and then cooked on low.

I don't think I have to tell you how amazing it smells while it's cooking.  *drool*

This one is perfect for a busy winter day, and knowing all the cold weather some of you are enduring, there's nothing like popping this in in the morning and enjoying a nice, hot, filling meal at dinner time.

It got a huge thumbs up from the whole family, so it will go on the Favorites List.

Slow Cooker Coconut Chicken Curry

Source: Tasty Kitchen

2 pounds, 3-⅓ ounces, weight Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, Cut Into Large Cubes
1 whole Onion, Peeled And Halved
2 cloves Garlic, Peeled
1 whole Small Green Bell Pepper, Seeded And Quartered
1 can (156ml Can) Tomato Paste
1 can (about 400ml Can) Coconut Milk
1-½ teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Curry Powder
1 Tablespoon Garam Masala (Indian Spice Mix)
2 whole Dry Red Chili Peppers (optional For Extra Heat))
2 Tablespoons Water
1-½ Tablespoon Cornstarch
1 bunch Coriander (optional, For Decoration)

1. Place chicken cubes inside the slow cooker.

2. Place therest of the ingredients (except chili peppers, cornstarch, water and coriander) in a food processor bowl and process together until the mix is smooth(ish). Pour sauce mix on top of the chicken, mix well, add hot peppers if using any, then close the lid. Cook on low for 6 hours.

3. An hour before serving, mix together water and cornstarch until the cornstarch is completely disolved. Add to the chicken curry and mix well. Place the lid back on for the rest of the cooking time.

4. Serve on top of steaming white rice, something wonderfully aromatic like jasmine or basmati rice. Decorate with lots of chopped coriander. Inhale. So good!

My favorite way of eating curry, includes a big sprinkle of coconut. YUM!

Crockpot Spinach Alfredo Lasagna

Oooohhhh Lasagna.  Love love love it.

I've been really enjoying using my Taste of Home Slow Cooker recipe book.  Have found so many that I want to try.

I marked this one off last month and then didn't get around to making it, but today was the day.  Everyone is sick and miserable and now it's coming my way, so it was the perfect meal to throw in the crockpot and forget about until dinner time.

It's delicious.

If you think you can't make Lasagna in the crockpot, you are going to be majorly surprised, give it a try :)

Spinach Alfredo Lasagna

1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jar (24 ounces) spaghetti sauce
1 package (8 ounces) no-cook lasagna noodles
1 carton (15 ounces) ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon pepper
8 cups (32 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 jar (15 ounces) Alfredo sauce


In a large skillet, cook the beef, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce.

Spread 1 cup meat mixture in an ungreased 5- or 6-qt. slow cooker. Arrange four noodles over sauce, breaking noodles to fit if necessary. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, parsley and pepper; spread half over noodles. Layer with 2 cups mozzarella cheese and 1 cup meat mixture.

Top with four noodles, spinach, Alfredo sauce, 2 cups mozzarella cheese, four noodles and remaining ricotta mixture. Layer with 2 cups mozzarella cheese, 1 cup meat mixture and any remaining noodles, meat mixture and mozzarella cheese.

Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until noodles are tender.

Yield: 8 servings.

Homemade Crockpot Applesauce

I think if there's one fruit that screams Fall, it's apples.

I usually buy them in excess and use them in a myriad of recipes, freeze some for later use, or make big batches of applesauce to can.

My youngest can't stand applesauce or anything apple, for that matter. I think it's a texture thing with him.

My daughter on the other hand, loves applesauce, so this is a special treat for her.

When I went grocery shopping yesterday, they were having a huge sale and the apples were super cheap, so I bought a ton for us to enjoy, some to freeze and threw some in the crockpot for this applesauce.

This is how I always make mine, it's so easy you'll quickly remember it....and I don't think you'll be buying store bought again :)

Homemade Crockpot Applesauce

5 big apples or 10 small ones (I like using Honeycrisp)
1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup of sugar
cinnamon


Peel, core and cut the apples into small chunks, drop them in the crockpot. Add the water and the sugar. You don't have to add the cinnamon but we love it, so I sprinkle a good amount on top, just according to taste.

Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or until the apples are mushy.

You can leave them chunky if you like your applesauce that way, but we like ours pureed, so I just use my immersion blender and puree them right in the crockpot.

Pour into jars and either process them for canning, or if you're eating them right away, let the applesauce cool down and then place in the refrigerator.

We also like eating the applesauce warm.

Enjoy!

Crockpot Sausage Rigatoni

Super super simple meal to get on the table.  This has to be one of the fastest crockpot recipes I make.

Not much more to say other than, go and make it and enjoy a nice big plate of pasta :)

Crockpot Sausage Rigatoni

• 1 pound sweet italian turkey sausages, casings removed and crumbled (I've made it using maple sausage too, it's good)
• One 26- to 28- ounce jar tomato pasta sauce
• 1 pound rigatoni, uncooked
• Freshly grated or shredded Parmesan cheese for serving

Coat the slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.

In a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat, brown the sausage.

While the sausage is cooking, pour the pasta sauce into the cooker. Fill the empty jar with water and pour it into the cooker. Add the rigatoni and cooked sausage; gently stir with a rubber spatula to combine well. Cover and cook on LOW until the pasta is tender, 31/2 to 4 hours. Stir once halfway through cooking.

Do not cook more than 4 hours because the sides will dry out and burn. Serve immediately sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.

Root Beer Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Long weekend, family all home, movie time.

Which means, I don't want to have to stop to go  hang out in the kitchen alone fixing meals.

Yesterday, we all cuddled on the couch and watched the Star Wars movies...or the first 2 at least before I had to get up and move on for fear of falling asleep, which seems to be something the TV does to me the minute my butt hits the cushions.



For lunch, I made very quick nachos and then while we immersed ourselves in Star Wars history, I had a Root Beer Pulled Pork simmering away in the slow cooker.

I will tell you right now that I am NOT a fan of root beer, I do not like it, I do not drink it and I don't even like the smell of it, so I'm sure you're wondering what ever would possess me to cook with it.....well the answer is simple, it sounded good, my family likes root beer and I love them???



First time I made it, it turned out AMAZING, so delicious, very smokey and barbecuey (I know that's not a word).  So it's now one of my favorite ways to make pulled pork sandwiches.

Super easy to throw together, really you must try it and if you don't like root beer, don't worry you won't even taste it.

Root Beer Pulled Pork

2 lb boneless pork roast
1 can of root beer (or 12 oz.)
1 barbecue bottle (18 oz.)

Put everything into the slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 6 hours.

When ready, just shred the pork and serve on buns, or whatever bread you wish, we actually like it on sliced bread.

What I like doing is leaving some of the pork in chunks, so I don't shred it all. Then I pile it on one half of the bread, then take the other half and dip lightly into the sauce in the slow cooker, now don't DUNK it in there, just a quick, gentle dip, you just want to get that side of the bread nice and covered with the sauce.

This is SO good!

Slow Cooker Apple Butter

We're finally getting cooler temps and though I don't know how long they will last, I'm planning on squeezing every available moment out of it.

Fall to me is all about pumpkins, and changing leaves, cooler temps, cinnamon, stews, soups and apple butter.  Yum!

Honestly,  I could buy apple butter and sometimes I still do when I go to the farm to pick pumpkins, but it's SO easy to make at home and tastier too, in my opinion.

Now I know there are a gazillion and one recipes out there floating around for homemade apple butter, on the stove, in the oven, in the crockpot etc.  Some take two days, others take 10 days, but I don't have the patience to wait that long because once my house starts smelling like baked apples and cinnamon it takes everything out of me not to shove my face in that pot.

I've been making this apple butter for years and I don't really have a recipe for it, per say, it's just what I've come up with in my attempt to use both a slow cooker and not have to wait days to taste the result.



Slow cooker Apple Butter

Peeled and cored apples, cut into chunks (If you're going to can the butter or make it for gift giving and want a lot, then just use as many apples as needed to fill the crockpot)
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar (sometimes I just use all white sugar, so if you don't have brown, then it's fine to omit)
cinnamon
nutmeg
vanilla extract

Fill the crockpot with the apples, add the sugar and sprinkle on cinnamon and nutmeg to taste. Add the vanilla extract, I add about a tablespoon depending on how much I'm making, again just eyeball it and add to taste.

Cover the crockpot and cook on LOW for 8 hours. When it's done cooking, take a potato masher and start mashing the apples. Some people like it chunky, others like it really smooth, if that's how you prefer then just give it a good blitz with an immersion blender. I find that for us, I just mash it with the masher, then mash it again, then again etc until I get it smooth but still has a few little pieces floating around.

Pour into mason jars, put the lid on and set it on the counter overnight. By the time you wake up in the morning, you'll have some delicious apple butter for breakfast :)



I don't need to can these because I didn't make too much, just enough for two small jars and they will be gone FAST.

If you're making a big batch, just remember to can the butter accordingly.

EDIT:  You can use tupperware to store it in as well, it will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 1 week :)

Beef, Banana Peppers and Provolone Sandwich

As soon as the temperatures start cooling, my slow cooker starts seeing the light of day, like constantly seeing the light of day, at many times working almost daily in my kitchen.

We had a couple of errands to run this morning and then I wanted to get some more sewing done while the kids and daddy played games on the TV.  So dinner was thrown into the crockpot at 8am this morning and by the time we sat down, it the meat was tender and had sucked up all the goodness from the peppers.  So good!

This recipe was inspired by one I saw at Our Best Bites a while ago.  It's so easy that I didn't save it or bookmark it but go on over and check out their blog, it's full of great recipes.

Beef, Banana Peppers and Provolone Sandwich

2lb rump roast
1 jar of banana peppers
salt and pepper
garlic powder
sandwich buns

Rub salt and pepper all over the roast, sprinkle on some garlic powder and pop it into your slow cooker.

Dump the contents of the banana peppers jar into the pot, and yes I mean everything, the peppers and the juice etc. Close the lid and cook on low for 8 hours.



I cranked it up to HIGH the last 2 hours just because, I don't know why but it worked great.

When ready to eat, shred the beef. Slather on some mayonnaise on the two halves of the sandwich buns, put a big mound of the meat filling on one half, put a slice of provolone cheese on top and then take the other half, and dip it into the gravy in the crockpot, then plop on top and you're done.

These are SO good.

Crockpot Grinders

What a name.  I know, the first time I came across this recipe I thought "what on earth is a crockpot grinder?".  It's a sandwich, made in the crockpot.  WHAT?!?!?!



Yes, the crockpot, that little device that seems to bring a huge smile to my face especially when the weather starts cooling down.  I tend to do more slow cooking in the fall and winter for soups and puddings and mac and cheese and even mashed potatoes.  Yum!

Anyway, back to the Crockpot Grinder.  Yes, this one I actually found while browsing Pinterest.  It's funny but lately anything I make people ask "Oh is that from Pinterest?"  LOL  Ummm...believe it or not, I don't go to Pinterest very often, I much prefer blog browsing through my Google Reader :) Thank you to Big Red Kitchen for this great recipe, I'm already imagining different combinations of meats and cheeses for the next one.

Only problem I had was that the loaf of bread I was using was way too big for my slow cooker, so I had to cut it in half, but the good part is that the other half is wrapped in foil and tomorrow will be popped into the oven for a quick lunch.

Crockpot Grinders
Adapted from: Big Red Kitchen

one round loaf Artisan Italian Bread
slices provolone
slices ham
pepperoni
jalapeno peppers
onion slices
oregano

Slice bread 13 times, almost all the way through but leaving 1/2 inch space at the bottom. (the only bread I could find was presliced, but all I did was made sure not to push the cheese and the meats all the way to bottom)

Layer slices of cheese and top with ham, pepperoni, onion slices, jalapeno peppers and then sprinkle on some oregano. Repeat until you have enough filling for as many sandwiches as you're making.

Fold each bundle in half and tuck down between every other slice of bread. Now it may look like the sandwich is starting to separate, all I did was put some heavy mason jars on either side to keep it from opening all together.

Once all done, wrap the whole bread tightly with foil....two times. So double the foil.

In the crockpot, I made some balls out of foil and placed them on the bottom, it's just so the sandwich doesn't sit directly on the base.

Pour in 1/4 cup of water, then place the sandwich on top of the foil balls (haha, sorry it always makes me laugh).

Cover and cook on low for 2 to 4 hours. To serve, just unwrap from the foil, separate the sandwiches and enjoy.

The center sandwiches are pretty big so I sliced those in half.

I served mine with a simple salad.  Got big thumbs up from the family :)

For the original recipe, head on on over to Big Red Kitchen.

Crockpot Pulled Pork

There are a gazillion different versions to this recipe and really it comes down to, whatever your preference is.

Me, I usually go for the easiest and nothing is easier than throwing in a pork roast and dumping a full bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce, then cooking it on low for 6 hours.

But then there are other variations that I don't mind trying once in a while, just a little twist on the basic recipe, a little pinch of this a little swig of that.

Here's one of those slight variations on a good puller pork sandwich.

Crockpot Pulled Pork

Put a sliced onion in the bottom of the crockpot.
Add whatever pork roast you want.
Pour over the top - one bottle of beer
And approx. 2/3 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce

Cook on LOW for 6 hours.  Pull apart with two forks and serve on buns.  I like to dip my top bun into the sauce in the pot.  YUM!

Crockpot Macaroni and Cheese

You know, I should just take the advice from Kelly and do a recipe a day, work through Trisha's cookbook just like Julie and Julia LOL

Well here's another winner.

Let me start by saying that I'm not a big Mac and Cheese fan, matter of fact, I can NOT handle the boxed stuff it's just....ugh, it's gross, far as I'm concerned.

But I do love a good homemade macaroni and cheese though some recipes are a little too cheesy for me or bland or whatever.

When I saw this recipe in Trisha Yearwood's new cookbook, I knew I had to try because so far I have not found one recipe I haven't liked, she does my kind of home cooking.

YUM-MY! It is so good, even my husband had seconds and he HATES macaroni and cheese. My 7 year old licked his lips and thought it was the best thing ever, he's the mac and cheese lover in the house and has now stated that he does not want the boxed kind anymore LOL

Go ahead, give it a try, but please don't do what I do, don't try to hog the thing for yourself, be nice and share with the family LOL

CROCKPOT MACARONI AND CHEESE
Credit: Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood
Serves 12

8 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked (I didn't cook mine, just threw it in with everything else)
1 12 ounce can evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
1 teaspoon salt
dash of pepper
2 10 ounce bricks sharp cheddar cheese, grated (about 5 cups)
dash of paprika

In a large 4-quart crockpot sprayed with cooking spray, mix the macaroni, milks, eggs, butter, salt, pepper, and all but 1/2 cup of the grated cheese.

Sprinkle the reserved cheese over the top of the mixture and then sprinkle with paprika. Cook on low heat for 3 hours and 15 minutes.

Turn off the crockpot, stir the mixture, and serve hot.

Pork Chops in the Slow Cooker

I love these pork chops, they are so flavorful and so tender and you would think it took a lot of work to prepare this dish or that you had to use all these fancy ingredients, when in fact you didn't.

The gravy is really good on mashed potatoes or rice (my kids favorite) and let's not forget that anything you can throw in the crockpot in the morning and not have to worry about all day, is perfect for those mid week meals.

Slow Cooked Pork Chops

• 6 pork chops (I prefer boneless)
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground mustard
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• oil for frying chops
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1/3 cup water

Mix the flour, salt and garlic powder together. I use a ziploc bag so it's minimal cleaning afterwards. Drop the chops into the flour mixture and shake really well until completely covered. Brown them in a little oil, you don't need to cook them all the way through, just a minute or two on each side until they're nice and brown. Transfer to the crockpot.

Mix the soup and water together. Pour into the skillet, stir well scraping the bottom for all the yummy pieces left by the chops. Pour over the chops and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Serve with mashed potatoes or rice.....but be sure to drizzle some of that yummy gravy on top. Mmmmmm!