Chuck Roast Crock-Pot Chili

9-18 garlic cloves, minced

2 large onions, chopped

1 bunch celery hearts, finely chopped

2 green peppers, chopped

2 red peppers, chopped

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced

2 tsp salt

2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

2 cups corn

2 TBSP chili powder

2 tsp chipotle chili powder

4 tsp cumin

2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp black pepper

25 oz jar garlic tomato pasta sauce (OR 15 oz tomato sauce + 7 oz tomato paste)

beef broth

shredded chuck roast

Cook a small chuck roast with 4 cups of water in a crock-pot on low for 6-8 hours the day before making chili. Shred the roast into bite-sized pieces and save the broth to use in the chili.

Combine all ingredients in a large crock-pot and cook on low for 4-6 hours, until heated through and bubbling. Serve with grated cheddar cheese.

Crock-Pot Beef and Broccoli

3 lbs beef (roast or steak), cut into bite-size pieces
9 (or more) garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 cups soy sauce
3 cups beef broth or water
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 TBSP sesame oil
2 lbs frozen broccoli florets

Combine everything except the broccoli in a 6 quart (or larger) Crock-Pot. Cook on low for 4 hours, then add the broccoli and cook for 1 more hour. Serve over rice. Great with sriracha sauce.

Crock-Pot Chicken Torture*

*So-called because my kids think it's torture smelling it cooking and having to wait for hours and hours before they can eat it!

6 chicken thighs (or more)
1 onion, diced
3-8 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 cups diced tomatoes
1/4 cup red wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 lb fresh spinach, rinsed and chopped

Place chicken in Crock-Pot. Combine all other ingredients except spinach and pour over chicken. Cook on low 4-6 hours. About 1 hour before it is done, stir in the spinach and allow to continue cooking. Serve over couscous or rice.

Balsamic Crock-Pot Roast

Per 2 lbs of beef roast, combine:

1 cup beef broth or water
2 TBSP brown sugar
2 TBSP balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tsp soy sauce
3 minced garlic cloves

Pour over roast in Crock-Pot and cook on low for 6-7 hours.

Crock-Pot Split Pea Soup

leftover lamb bone

4 cups green split peas

1 diced onion

8 cups chicken broth

2 cups water

1 tsp pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large crock-pot. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-6 hours. Remove lamb bone, add salt to taste (if needed), and serve.

Crock-Pot Adobo Chicken

2 lbs chicken (thighs are best, but any combination of cuts, or a whole chicken, will work)

8 minced garlic cloves

1/2 onion, chopped

6 bay leaves

12 peppercorns

Place in a 4 quart crock-pot. Add enough liquid to cover the meat (liquid should consist of 3/4 part soy sauce, 1 part water, and 1/2 part apple cider vinegar).

Cook on low 4-6 hours or until chicken is done. Serve over rice.

Mushroom Cranberry Chicken

3 cups fresh cranberries, rinsed and picked over

2/3 cup evaporated cane juice

1 1/2 cups water

whole chicken

2-4 cups water

salt and pepper

6 minced garlic cloves

1 chopped onion

2 tsp dried rosemary

1 cup dry white wine

1 lb mushrooms, whole or sliced

Combine the cranberries, sugar and water in a small saucepan. Cover and cook on medium-low, stirring occasionally, until the berries have broken and the mixture begins to thicken (10-15 minutes). Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

Place chicken in crock-pot with the appropriate amount of water (according to chicken size) and add remaining ingredients, except mushrooms. Cook until chicken is done, and add mushrooms to the crock-pot about 30 minutes before dinner time.

Serve over couscous, with cranberry sauce on top.

Crock-Pot Chili

1 lb. ground chuck

4-6 cans organic kidney beans (drained)

1 large organic green pepper, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

8-12 cups chopped organic tomatoes (fresh or jarred)

8 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp oregano

2 tsp basil

2 tsp turmeric

4 tsp chili powder

2 tsp sea salt

6 TBSP (1/3 cup + 1 TBSP) red wine vinegar

Use a large crock-pot (mine is 6.5 qt.), and turn it on the low setting. Crumble ground chuck into the bottom of the crock-pot to start cooking while you drain the cans of beans and tomatoes and chop the pepper, onion, and garlic. After all the ingredients have been added, stir well. Cook on low for 7-9 hours, or on high for 4-5 hours.

Serve over Fluffy Brown Rice, with grated sharp cheddar cheese on top.

(Optional additions: 1-2 cups corn, 1-2 cups black beans)

Adapted from A Year of SlowCooking

Crock-Pot Black Beans

1 pound black beans

water

2 TBSP whey or lemon juice

vegetable stock, tomato-free (optional)

4 cloves garlic, peeled and mashed (optional)

Sort beans and rinse under running water.  Dump into crock-pot (4 qt or larger) and add enough water to cover, plus 2 inches.  Add whey or lemon juice, cover and let soak overnight (or at least 6 hours).  

Discard soaking water and rinse beans.  Dump back into crock-pot and add garlic (optional) and enough water or optional vegetable stock to cover the beans, plus an extra 2-3 inches.  

Cover and cook on low for at about 8 hours.  (My new 6 1/2 qt crock-pot takes 6 hours, and my old 4 qt crock-pot takes more than 10 hours.)  Beans are done when they are tender.

Original crock-pot directions from crockpot365

Crock-Pot Yogurt

8 cups whole milk**

1/2 cup live/active plain yogurt (store-bought or homemade)

Pour milk into the Crock-Pot. Cover and cook on low for 2 1/2 hours.

After 2 1/2 hours, leave the cover on and unplug the Crock-Pot. Let it sit for 3 hours.

After the 3 hours are up, scoop out 2 cups of the warmish milk and whisk it together with the 1/2 cup yogurt in a separate bowl. When it is thoroughly combined, dump it back into the Crock-Pot and stir. Replace the lid, and with it still unplugged, wrap a heavy bath towel around and over the Crock-Pot for insulation. Let it sit for 8 hours in a warm room. (Longer than 8 hours is OK too, especially if you let it sit overnight. Keep in mind though, that the longer it sits, the tangier it will get.)

*Optional: For a slightly vanilla-y flavored yogurt, add 2-3 TBSP of vanilla with the milk.

**2% milk will also work, although you will get more whey than with the whole milk.

(The Crock-Pot Lady has the recipe, more detailed instructions and pictures of the process.)

Crock-Pot Honey-Ginger Lentils

3 cups lentils (about one bag)

6 cups tomato-less vegetable stock (or water)

1 can garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed)

1 cup grated carrots

2 tsp salt

2 tsp mustard

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 cup soy sauce

2/3 cup honey

2 bay leaves

Rinse and drain the lentils and place in the crock-pot.  Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.  Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-5 hours.

Crock Pot Granola

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup honey 

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

5 cups rolled oats

Combine first four ingredients in a measuring cup or small bowl and pour over oats in crock pot.  Mix well until all the oats are coated.  Crack lid open and cook on low for 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally.  Cool and store in airtight container.

(Note:  I doubled the recipe in my 4?quart crock pot, and it took an extra hour of cooking time.)

Crockpot Ajiaco

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 c. no-salt chicken stock

4 tsp minced garlic

1 TBSP sea salt

2 TBSP onion flakes

2-3 diced unpeeled potatoes

Cook on high for about 2 ½ hours, then remove chicken, cut it into bite-size pieces and return it to crock-pot. Add:

4 c. no-salt chicken stock

2 cups green beans

2 cups corn

1 ½ tsp basil

¾ tsp pepper

¾ tsp paprika

Cook until potatoes and chicken are cooked through. Mash some of the potatoes and stir to distribute, and add additional salt (to taste) if needed. Add ½ c. fresh cilantro just before serving.

Optional toppings per individual serving: capers, sliced avocados, sour cream