The Crock Pot Blog

What You Need:

1 lb Great North Beans, soak overnight then rinse and drain
3/4 C onion, chopped
1/8 t pepper
11/2 lb beef short ribs
6 C water
1 t salt
1 C barbecue sauce

How to Make It:

Place the soaked beans into the crock pot.
Add the onion and pepper.
Place the short ribs into the crock pot.
Pour the water over the top and stir gently.
Cover and cook on low heat setting for 10 hours.
Remove the short ribs from the crock pot and use to forks to shred the meat off the bones.
Return the meat to the crock pot and discard the bones.
Pour in the barbecue sauce.
Recover, turn the heat setting to high and continue cooking 30 minutes.

Serving Size:  8

Tips:

If you want a little more of a beef taste reduce the water to 4 C and add 1 can of beef broth to the crock pot. Always be sure to soak the beans. This will ensure a soft bean when the soup is done.

Here are a few dip recipe ideas for your super bowl party. Use a smaller crock pot for these recipes such as a 1 1/2 qt. or a 3 1/2 qt. crock pot. The dip can be served right in the crock pot to keep it warm.

Artichoke and Mozzarella Dip

1 lb. shredded Mozzarella
1 c. grated Parmesan
1 c. (8 oz. jar) mayonnaise
1 c. (8 1/2 oz.) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
minced onions

Combine ingredients in a lightly buttered 3 1/2 quart crock pot on high for about 1 hour. Serve with broken up French bread or wheat crackers.

Bacon Cheese Dip

16 slices bacon, diced, fried and drained
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened and cubed
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup half-and-half
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried minced onion
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash hot sauce

Put all the ingredients except bacon in a small crock pot and cook on low, stirring occasionally until cheese melts, about 1 hour. Taste and adjust seasonings, add bacon, and keep on low to serve.

Broccoli Cheese Dip

2 (10 oz.) boxes of frozen chopped broccoli
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1/4 c. sour cream
1/2 lb. Mexican Velveeta cheese
1/2 lb. reg. Velveeta cheese
1 tbsp. garlic salt

Cook the broccoli as per package instructions and drain. Put the cubes of cheese in a small crock pot and heat to melt. Mix soups, sour cream, broccoli and garlic salt into melted cheese. Serve as dip with tortilla chips.

Chili Cheese Taco Dip

1 lb. hamburger
1 can chili (no beans)
1 lb. mild Mexican Velveeta cheese, cubed or shredded

Cook hamburger in a skillet, drain well and place in a small crock pot. Add chili and cheese; cover and cook on low until cheese is melted, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally to blend ingredients. Serve warm with taco or tortilla chips.

Chili Dip

1 lg. jar (16oz) picante sauce, mild
2 cans refried beans
8 ounces sour cream
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
8 oz. Cheddar cheese, shredded
several jalapenos or mild chili, chopped finely, to taste

Cook ground beef in a skillet with chopped onion; drain well. Combine everything together in crock pot and cook slowly until cheese is melted. Serve with favorite vegetables or chips.

What You Need:

1 lb Italian sausage
1/2 C onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (4 oz) pkg. pepperoni slices
1 (16 oz) can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (16 oz) can light red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (4 oz) can green chilies, chopped
4 t chili powder
1/2 t salt
1/8 t pepper
1 (15 oz) can pizza sauce

How to Make It:

Place the sausage, onion and garlic into a skillet over medium heat.
Brown the sausage until not longer pink about 8 minutes.
Drain well in a colander and pat off excess grease with paper towel.
Place into the crock pot.
Add the pepperoni into the mixture.
Place both cans of kidney beans into the crock pot.
Add in the tomatoes and the green chilies.
Sprinkle in the chili powder, salt and pepper.
Pour the pizza sauce over the top and stir to make sure all the ingredients are combined together.
Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.

Serving Size: 8

Tips:

This recipe is great for teenage parties. The kids go crazy over the pizza taste in the soup. Chop the pepperoni into small pieces if you prefer. Serve with an Italian blend shredded cheese sprinkled on top.

Find out which electric slow cookers Good Housekeeping Magazine recomends in this short video.

The distinctive combination of curry, ginger, and fruit gives this classic Southern
Chicken recipe its character.

What You Need:

2 medium-size Granny Smith apples
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 tablespoons dried currants
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
1 can (about 14 1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes
6 small skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 3/4 lbs. total)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 pound large raw shrimp, shelled and deveined
1/3 cup slivered almonds
salt
chopped parsley

How to Make It:

Quarter, core, and dice unpeeled apples.
In a 6 qt. crock pot combine apples, onion, bell pepper, garlic, currants, curry powder, ginger, and red pepper; stir in tomatoes.
Rinse chicken and pat dry and place on top of mixture.
Pour in broth, cover, and cook at low setting until chicken is very tender when pierced (6 to 7 hours).
Carefully lift chicken to a warm plate, cover lightly, and keep warm in a 200 degree oven.
Stir rice into cooking liquid and increase heat setting to high.
Cook, stirring once or twice, until rice is almost tender to bite (30 to 35 minutes).
Stir in shrimp, cover and cook until shrimp are opaque in center (about 10 more minutes).
While rice is cooking, toast almonds in a small nonstick frying pan over medium heat until golden brown.
To serve, mound the rice mixture in a warm serving dish, arrange chicken on top, and sprinkle with parsley and toasted almonds.

Tip:

Makes 6 servings.

What You Need:

3 C cooked ham cut into cubes
2 C water
1 C dried navy beans
1 C celery, sliced
1 small onion, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
1/4 t dried thyme
1/4 t liquid smoke
1/4 C parsley, chopped

How to Make It:

Place the ham into a 6 qt. crock pot and pour the water over the top.
Add in the beans, celery, onion and carrots.
Sprinkle the thyme into the crock pot.
Pour in the liquid smoke and stir the ingredients to combine well.
Cover and cook on the low temperature setting for 10 hours.
Sprinkle the parsley over the top just before serving.

Serving Size: 4

Tips:

Any type of dry bean will work with this recipe. Liquid smoke gives foods a great hickory smoked taste. It can be found in the condiment section of your local grocery store.

The crock pot is an excellent way to prepare more economical cuts of beef as the slow cooking method results in very tender meat.

What You Need:

2 lb. beef round steak, cut about 3/4 inch thick
1/2 c catsup
1/3 c water
1 tbsp. vinegar
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, finely chopped
1 rib celery, finely chopped
1/2 green pepper, finely chopped
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 c water, additional
salt
pepper

How to Make It:

Trim fat from meat and cut into 6 to 8 pieces.
Brown meat in a skillet.
Place chopped vegetables in a 6 qt. crock pot.
Place meat over top of the vegetables and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Combine catsup, water, and vinegar and pour over meat.
Cover and cook on low setting for 8 to 10 hours.
Remove meat and pour vegetables and cooking liquid into a saucepan, skim off excess fat.
Return meat to crock pot to keep warm.
Blend 1/2 cup of cold water with 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour and stir into vegetables.
Cook and stir until thickend.
Tranfer meat to serving platter and pour some of the gravy over meat.
Serve remaining gravy with meal.

Tips:

This recipe serves 6 to 8 and goes well with potatoes or rice.

This hearty vegetarian chili recipe uses black beans, squash, carrots, and more for a spicy meal sure to warm you up on a cold winter day. What’s more, you will never miss the meat!

What You Need:

1 butternut squash peeled and cubed
2 carrots, diced
1 onion, finely chopped
2 19 oz. can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 28 oz. can of diced tomatoes
1 4.5 oz can chopped green chilies
1 C vegetable stock
3 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 C fresh cilantro, chopped
sour cream (optional)

How to Make It:

Combine all of the ingredients except the cilantro and sour cream in a 3 1/2 qt. or 6 qt. crock pot.
Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.
Add cilantro and continue to cook on high for 15 minutes.
Serve in bowls with a dollop of sour cream (optional) and additional fresh chopped cilantro.

Tip:

You can substitute sweet potatoes for the squash if desired. Two large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed will do.

What You Need:

1/2 lb Italian pork sausage
1 C fresh carrots, sliced
1 large baking potato, peeled and cubed
1 garlic clove, minced
2 (14 oz) cans beef broth
1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 C water
1/2 t Italian seasoning
1 bay leaf
1 C zucchini cut julienne style
1/2 C Parmesan cheese, grated

How to Make It:

Place the sausage in a skillet over medium heat.
Brown the sausage about 7 minutes or until no longer pink stirring often for even browning.
Drain the sausage well in a colander and pat excess grease off with a paper towel.
Place the drained sausage into the bottom of a 6 qt. crock pot.
Add in the carrots, potatoes and garlic.
Pour the beef broth into the crock pot and stir to mix with the meat and vegetables.
Add in the chickpeas, diced tomatoes with the juice and the water.
Sprinkle in the Italian seasoning and add the bay leaf.
Stir again to be sure all the ingredients are combined together well.
Cover and cook on low heat for 8 1/2 hours.
Remove the bay leaf and stir in the zucchini.
Cover and continue cooking 25 minutes or until the zucchini is tender.
Sprinkle the top with the Parmesan cheese just before serving.

Serving Size:  6

Tip:

Baking potatoes have low moister and high starch content.  Due to this they work well when cooking for longer periods of time.  Remeber,  don’t add the  zucchini until after the main cooking period so they stay firm.  You can spice it up by using hot Italian sausage.

A roast prepared in the crock pot can be a juicy, tender, and delicious meal.  Here are some tips to ensure your next roast is a success. 

When roasting a cut of meat, be sure it is at least 2 inches thick. This will guarantee a moister and less chewy dish. Moist heat is important when roasting a large cut of meat. A large cut of meat when slow cooked should be braised to ensure a mouth watering and juicy finished product.

Browning the meat is a plus. It doesn’t matter if you are slow cooking on top of the stove, in the crock pot or in the oven, browning meat before hand over high heat will help to caramelize the proteins and sugars found on the outside of the meat. This gives your roast a richer flavor.

It is best to season a roast before browning it. By doing this prior to browning, the flavors are sealed into the meat and not left in the bottom of a roasting pan. Roasts are best cooked between 300 and 350 degrees.

If you are using vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, onions and celery and using a crock pot, always add the vegetables at the beginning of the cooking process. You want your vegetables to be soft and by letting them cook longer at the slow temperature, you’ll have just that. 

If you are adding vegetables to a roast in the oven, add them about 1 hour before the roast has finished cooking. They will be soft instead of mushy from being overcooked or crunchy from not being cooked enough.

Liquids can also be added to roasts. Water, broths, soups, juices, wine and even soda can be added to help keep your roast juicy and flavorful. Always be sure to cover your pan with foil or a tight lid to keep the liquids from escaping and causing your roast to become too dry.

One last tip – remember a meat thermometer. Different meats cook in different time spans. A meat thermometer is the most reliable way to tell when any meat product is cooked all the way through.

Roasts make the best fix it and forget meals. Add a side of fruit and a slice of warm homemade bread and you have a meal that is both comforting and warming.