Crockpot BBQ Applesauce Chicken

Tangy and sweet, these tender chicken breasts smothered in BBQ and applesauce are a delicious weeknight dinner option. 

Crockpot BBQ Applesauce Chicken

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts
• 1 C BBQ sauce {homemade basic or Cherry BBQ}
• 1 C chunky applesauce
• 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 T crumbled, cooked bacon

Directions

Begin by mixing together the 1 C BBQ sauce, and 1 C applesauce with the 1/2 tsp. chili powder. 

Arrange the chicken breasts in a lightly greased crockpot. 

Top with the apple BBQ mixture. 

Cover, and cook on low for 8-10 hours. 

Serve warm with rice or mashed potatoes, green veggies and for an extra special treat, top with crumbled bacon. 

Enjoy!

Crockpot Steak Fajitas

With all our basement work, and the heat of summer, our crockpots have been getting a workout. 

These fajitas are super easy to make and filling for your tummy.

There is also something amazing about walking in the door at night after work and having dinner ready for you to eat.  Love that. 

Crockpot Steak Fajitas

Ingredients

• Fajita seasoning
• 1 lb. steak
• 6 medium bell peppers (colored and green)
• 1/4 C beef broth

Directions

Slice steak into smaller pieces and place in the bottom of a large crockpot.  Season with fajita seasoning and then add in 1/4 C beef broth. 

Slice up the bell peppers into thin strips and layer these over the beef. 

Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours. 

Using two forks, shred the beef.  Place beef, and peppers in the center of a tortilla.  Add cheese, tomatoes, avocado, sour cream, etc., as you desire. 

Roll up and serve warm. 

Enjoy!

Crockpot Pulled Teriyaki Pork Sandwiches

With the weather heating up, a good crockpot meal is in order.  While we certainly love our crockpot, I was looking for a sandwich recipe that did not involve BBQ, and I thought this tangy teriyaki pulled pork sandwich sounded interesting to try. 

We loved the flavor and it was so easy to make!  I can imagine some grilled or fried pineapple on the sandwich too.  Yum!

Crockpot Pulled Teriyaki Pork Sandwiches – Adapted from Jamie Cook’s It Up

Ingredients

• Pork roast or loin, ~2 lbs
• Low-Sodium Montreal Steak Seasoning (McCormick)
• 1/4 C chicken broth
• 1 recipe teriyaki sauce
• Whole wheat buns
• Pineapple {optional}

Directions

Place the pork roast/loin into the base of your crockpot and pour 1/4 C chicken broth over the roast.  Sprinkle the roast with Montreal Steak seasoning; roughly 1-2 tsp.  Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, until pork reaches 170 degrees. 

When the pork is ready, prepare the teriyaki sauce, by mixing together the water, cornstarch, soy sauce, ginger, honey and garlic.  Bring to a simmer on the stovetop until thick.  Set aside. 

Shred the pork with two forks, and pour the teriyaki sauce over the top. 

Serve on a whole wheat bun.  If desired, grill or fry up a pineapple ring and place on the sandwich. 

Enjoy!

Hearty Crockpot Sweet Potato Chili

This chili is a breeze to put together, especially with pre-cooked ground turkey.  I love this kitchen cheat – browning meat when I buy it and keeping it pre-cooked in the freezer.  It makes all the difference in meal prep on a busy morning or night. 

In addition to the ease of prep, I love all the veggies in this chili and how the creamy goodness of the sweet potato puree cuts the acidity of the tomatoes.  It’s a delightful combination and we really enjoyed it. 

Hearty Crockpot Sweet Potato Chili – Adapted from Tator Tots & Jello

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb. ground turkey Italian sausage (we made our own), browned
• 2 medium red bell peppers, diced into 1-inch cubes
• 1 medium green bell pepper, diced into 1-inch cubes
• 2 cans (14 oz) diced tomatoes
• 2 cans (14 oz) tomato sauce
• 1 T dried minced onion
• 1/4 tsp. dried minced garlic
• 1 can great white northern beans, rinsed & drained
• 1 can black beans, rinsed & drained
• 1/2 C sweet potato puree
• salt & pepper, to taste
• 1 T chili powder (more or less to taste)
• Extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded for garnish
• Dried parsley, shredded for garnish
• Plain Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream

Directions

Add the browned ground turkey sausage, diced bell peppers, 2 cans each of tomato sauce and diced tomatoes, 1 T minced onion, 1/4 tsp. minced garlic and 1/2 C sweet potato puree to a large (6 qt) crockpot.  Stir well. 

Add in the white and black beans, along with 1 T chili powder and salt and pepper.  Stir well. 

Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours. 

Serve topped with shredded cheddar cheese, plain Greek yogurt (for sour cream) and dried parsley. 

Enjoy!

Italian Sausage Vegetable Chili Cheese Bread

This dinner is out of this world amazing. 

And, the crockpot does virtually all the work.  It’s perfect for a chilly winter night. 

Don’t let the cheese bread part of this recipe title fool you, it’s a hearty chili, that is perfectly tasty on its own.  But, if you want a real treat, serve it on that French bread.  Oh. My! 

Frog Prince and I ate every crumb. 

Italian Sausage Vegetable Chili Cheese Bread 

Ingredients

• 1 loaf French Bread
• Monterrey Jack Cheese, slices (1-2 per piece of bread)
• 1/2 lb. ground Italian sausage
• 4 medium bell peppers (green, red, yellow and orange)
• 1 onion
• 1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 medium zucchini, quartered
• 4 oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• 2 T tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp. dried minced garlic
• 1 tsp. basil*
• 1 tsp. oregano*
• *Or, 2 tsp. Italian seasoning

Directions

Begin by browning the Italian sausage until cooked through.  Drain. 

Place the ground Italian sausage in the bottom of your crockpot. 

Slice the bell peppers into thin strips, and then cut them in half so you have 1/4 of an inch x 2 inch strips.  Quarter the onion and add that along with the bell peppers to the crockpot. 

Add in the quartered zucchini and sliced mushrooms. 

If you don’t like mushrooms, leave them out… but don’t let that keep you from making this delicious dinner. 

Add in 2 tsp. Italian seasoning, or 1 tsp. each – basil and oregano, and 1/2 tsp. dried minced garlic (about 3 cloves). 

Then, stir in the tomatoes. 

Cover and cook on low for 4-4.5 hours, until veggies are tender.   

30 minutes before dinner, add in the 2 tsp. tomato paste and cover. 

Slice up the French bread and spritz lightly with olive oil, and sprinkle with garlic powder, if desired.  Toast the bread under the broiler for 1 minute, just so that the bread gets warmed and a little crunchy on the top. 

When the chili is ready, use a slotted spoon to scoop 1-2 spoonfuls of chili onto each piece of bread. 

Top with cheese slices. 

Return to the broiler for 2-3 minutes, watching carefully to be sure the cheese and bread does not burn. 

Serve warm.

Leftovers are great just as a standard chili or re-assembled into cheese bread.  It’s best to make up just what you plan to eat to keep the leftovers delicious. 

Crockpot Hearty Lentil & Wild Rice Soup

This soup goes together in minutes and is fill of delicious ingredients.  Serve alongside some honey whole wheat pull apart dinner rolls and you have a meal that is filling.  

Crockpot Hearty Lentil & Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients

• 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
• 3 stalks of celery, sliced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 oz. lentils, soaked
• 1-2 C diced chicken or turkey (cooked, or raw)
• 1 C wild rice, rinsed
• salt and pepper, to taste
• parsley

Directions

In a large 4 to 6-quart crockpot, place sliced carrots, soaked lentils and 1-2 C diced chicken or turkey. 

Add in 1 C wild rice, diced onion, minced garlic and celery. 

Add in 6 C of chicken broth, and season with salt and pepper. 

Cover the crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours.  Garnish with parsley before serving. 

Serve warm.  Leftovers freeze well. 

Enjoy!

Crockpot Ranch Potato Salad

Last week our church put on a Christmas tea for the ladies.  Our dinner consisted of appetizers and I brought a new recipe: Crockpot Ranch Potato Salad. 

Yum-o. 

And, easy too!

Crockpot Ranch Potato Salad – Inspired by Mostly Homemade Mom

Ingredients

• 8-10 medium red or yellow potatoes
• 1 (8oz) container of Neufchatel cream cheese
• 1 C milk
• 1 T white whole wheat flour
• 1/4 C powdered buttermilk
• 2 tsp. parsley
• salt and pepper
• 1 T minced onion
• 4 oz. colby jack cheese
• 1/8 C cooked and crumbled bacon
• Chives

Directions

Wash potatoes and chop them into 1-inch cubes.  I chose to leave the peels on, but you could alternatively peel them if you prefer. 

Place the potatoes in a lightly greased crockpot (preferably a 2 or 4 qt size). Season well with salt and pepper.  

Whip the softened cream cheese until light a fluffy.  Add 1/4 C powdered buttermilk, 2 tsp. parsley, 1 T minced onion whisk until combined. 

Whisk 1 T white whole wheat flour into 1 C milk.  Slowly add the milk mixture to the softened cream cheese until the ingredients are well blended. 

Pour the cream cheese mixture over the potatoes and stir.  Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until potatoes are tender.  If possible, stir 2-3 times during the cooking time. 

30 minutes before serving, top with chives, shredded colby jack cheese and crumbled bacon, if desired. 

Serve warm.

Enjoy!