Crock Pot Beef Stew

Crock Pot Beef Stew

Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 8 hrs   Serves: 7-8 persons 

I created my own version of beef stew…part of this recipe comes from:
35 Delicious Paleo Slow Cooker Recipes For Busy Families (Kindle Locations 318-330).Kindle Edition.

Ingredients: 

▪   1 ½ lbs. of beef stew meat, 1 inch cubed

▪   Sweet potatoes (3 medium sized, chopped)

▪   Carrots (6 medium sized)

▪   Onions (2 medium sized chopped coarsely)
note: I used 1 red and 1 white since that is what we had

▪   Celery ribs (3 coarsely chopped)

▪   Tomato (diced 1 can)

▪   Mustard ground (1 tsp)

▪   Salt (1 tsp)

▪   Black pepper ground (1 tsp)

▪   Dried thyme (1 tsp)

▪   Garlic, minced (3 tsp)

▪   Browning sauce (1 tsp) – note: didn’t have this so I used 2 tsp of brown sugar, a little bit of liquid aminos (similar to taste of soy sauce).

▪   ¼ cup of almond meal flour (you can omit this if you don’t have it)

▪   I threw in a bunch of spices too:
Cumin ground

Paprika

Garlic powder

Onion powder
Chili powder

Italian seasoning

Parsley

▪   Beef Stock (2 cups)

▪   Red Wine Vinegar (1/4 cup)

▪   ½ cup or less of water

Directions:

1.  In a container/bowl, combine tomato, ground mustard, salt, black pepper, thyme, and browning sauce if you have it. Pour it over the stew meat and marinate for 20 minutes.

2.  Meanwhile, peel and chop up your sweet potatoes, carrots, onions, celery ribs, and any other veggies you want to put in the stew.

3.  I used a 6 qt slow cooker/crock pot. Cook the meat mixture on high for 1 ½ hours and then mix in your veggies and the rest of the ingredients and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Then enjoy!

You could also add in mushrooms, butternut squash, or whatever you’d like! I saw a lot of different ingredients in the different recipes I looked at. 

Red Beans and Rice

One of my favorite easy meals to make and the hubby loves it too!

Red Beans and Rice 

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup white rice
• 2 cups hot water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pkg (14 oz) smoked sausage
• 1 can red beans
• Zatarains Creole Seasoning (I use Tony's)
• Note: I also add garlic powder and/or minced garlic, feel free to add whatever you want!

Directions: 

1. Add the rice, water, and salt to a sauce pan/pot with a lid.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, then cover & simmer for 15 mins. (I just make white rice in a rice maker separately)
2. Meanwhile, thinly slice the sausage and drain the juice from the red beans into the sink. 
3. Add 2-3 tbsp olive oil to a large skillet and begin heating over medium heat. Add the sausage, give a sprinkling of creole seasoning and stir occasionally for about 7 mins until the sausage starts to get sizzly on both sides.  Note: I also added garlic powder and/or some minced garlic.
4. Add the red beans and stir until warmed through. About this time, your rice should be done or almost done too. Serve the beans and sausage over the rice. Add extra creole seasoning as desired at the table. Serves 2-3.

See original recipe: www.kevinandamanda.com/recipes/dinner/red-beans-rice-nawlins-style.html

Slow Cooker Dump and Go Cheesy Chicken

Slow Cooker Dump and Go Cheesy Chicken

Prep Time: 5 Minutes

Cook Time: 6 Hours

Ready In: 6 Hours 5 Minutes

Servings: 5

Ingredients:

• 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 2 (11 ounce) cans condensed cream of
• Cheddar cheese soup
• 1/2 cup milk
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

DIRECTIONS:

1. Spray slow cooker with cooking spray. Place chicken breasts inside.

2. In a medium bowl mix together soup and milk, and pour mixture over chicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste and garlic powder.

3. Cook on High for about 6 hours. Note: Do not lift lid while cooking!

See ratings, tips, pics and adjust the recipe for your amount of servings at: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Slow-Cooker-Dump-and-Go-Cheesy-Chicken/Detail.aspx

Stuffed Green Peppers

   Pics from when I made it!

Stuffed Green Peppers:
Original Recipe Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup uncooked white rice
• 3 large green bell peppers, halved and seeded
• 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef (or you could use ground turkey)
• 1 onion, diced
• garlic powder to taste
• salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 2 cups finely shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add rice and stir. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3. Place green bell peppers in a medium saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Remove peppers from the water and set aside in a 9x13 inch baking dish.
4. In a large saucepan over medium heat, brown the ground beef; drain. Return to heat and mix in onion, cooked rice, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Pour in tomato sauce and mix thoroughly. Let simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
5. Spoon the meat mixture onto each half of the green peppers. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until mixture begins to turn golden brown.
6. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top of each stuffed pepper. Return to the oven and bake until cheese is lightly browned, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Adapted from:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Kelseys-Favorite-Stuffed-Green-Peppers/Detail.aspx