[speaksoftly]

If you have any easy ones, please post them too, because I'm a beginner cook. Very beginner.

[claireZk]

Oatmeal

Spray the crock with nonstick spray. Add:

1 Cup Steel-Cut oats (not the instant kind- this is very important)
4 cups of liquid (water, milk or soymilk)
2 Tbsp sweetener (honey, brown or white sugar, or splenda)
1 apple, diced into small pieces or 1/4 Cup dried fruit of your choice

Set the crockpot to low and cook ~5-8 hours (it doesn't really matter; it just gets drier the longer you cook it. If you know you're going to let it cook 8 hours or you like it wetter, just add more liquid).

It works great if you put it in before bed. Then you can wake up to a nice hot breakfast

[forenfinal]

Hearty Beef Stew
5 lbs. Boneless beef chuck roast or I use Sirloin Roast
Salt & Pepper
3 T Vegetable oil
4 Medium onions – chopped fine
1 6oz can Tomato paste
2 c Low Sodium Beef broth
3 T Soy sauce
Heavy Aluminum Foil
1 lb Carrots – cut in 1” pieces (I get the baby carrots and just cut them in half)
1 lb Red potatoes – cut in 1” pieces
1 lb Cremini mushrooms (Baby Bellas) – you can also use white button mushrooms
½ T Thyme (dried)
2 Bay leaves
2 T Minute Tapioca
2 c Frozen Peas

Pat beef dry with paper towels, then use S & P to season (I also sprinkle some Garlic Salt). Heat 1 T of oil in large skillet on Med-High heat until just smoking-Add ½ of the beef and brown on all sides (close to 8 minutes). Move meat to slow cooker – finish the remaining beef you will not need to add more oil…Drain the skillet
Add 1 T oil, onions, and ¼ t salt to skillet and cook about 6 minutes until golden brown. Add tomato paste and cook – stirring often – for 2 minutes. Add the broth and soy sauce to the pan and bring to simmer (about 2-3 minutes) – Pour over the meat in the slow cooker.
Toss the carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, and thyme in the last 1T of oil and season with S & P. Lay out large piece of foil and wrap the vegetables in a foil packet to fit in the slow cooker (on top of the meat/sauce)
Stir in bay leaves and minute tapioca in to the sauce in the cooker and then lay the foil packet on top of it.
Set cooker to HIGH, cover and cook for 6 hours or LOW for 10-11 hours – turn off or turn to WARM
CAREFULLY open the vegetable packet (steamy) and empty into the crock pot- add the peas and wait about 10 minutes or until they are heated through.
I serve this with Biscuits and Honey or Crusty French Bread Rolls.
**If you want to get ready the night before cook the meat and the sauce but store separate in fridge and then add to cooker in order in the morning and set the vegetable pack on the top.**

HAM & BEAN SOUP
1 ham bone w/meat
1 lb dried split peas
1 onion - chopped
1 bay leaf
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 cup carrots
1 cup celery

Pick over peas and rinse well. Place everything in crock pot. Cover with 1.5 - 2 quart of water. Cook on high for 4-6 hours. Serve with cornbread or croutons.


SPICY BLACK BEAN SOUP
1 pound dry black beans, soaked overnight
4 teaspoons diced jalapeno peppers
6 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Drain black beans, and rinse. Combine beans, jalapenos, and chicken broth in a slow cooker. Season with garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, pepper, and hot pepper sauce. Cook on High for 4 hours. Reduce heat to Low, and continue cooking for 2 hours, or until you are ready to eat. Serve w/ Sour Cream and Chives...

Triple Chocolate Mess
1 box chocolate cake mix
1 4oz. box of instant chocolate pudding
6 oz. chocolate chips
4 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup water
16 oz. sour cream

Mix all of the above together and pour into greased crock pot & cook on low for 6 hours.

Serve with ice cream or whip topping.

All are really yummy!!!

[claireZk]

^ OMG the chocolate mess sounds so good!

[forenfinal]

Sorry I just realized I typo'd one of the soups...it is not Ham and Bean

SPLIT PEA SOUP
1 ham bone w/meat
1 lb dried split peas
1 onion - chopped
1 bay leaf
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 cup carrots
1 cup celery

Pick over peas and rinse well. Place everything in crock pot. Cover with 1.5 - 2 quart of water. Cook on high for 4-6 hours. Serve with cornbread or croutons.

[holly di]

The chocolate mess sounds sinful!!!!!!!

[forenfinal]

Here is the Ham & Beans recipe!

1 pound dry great Northern beans
1/2-3/4 pound cooked ham, diced ** I get some slices that have the bone in and put the bones in too while cooking
1 small onion, diced
1/3 cup brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

I rinse and then soak the beans overnight in about 8-10 cups of water (you can also read the back of the bag of beans and I think there is a quicker method or you can buy the canned great northern beans-but drain and rinse them.) Drain and then rinse once more. Put beans in crock along with everything else. And then add water just to cover. Cook on low 8 hours. I mash some of the beans to make it creamier and you can add more water or Chicken broth to make more soup like if you want. This is actually better the next day. Serve with corn bread - and my hubby eats his with some ketchup...

[graceful]

More more! We have just started using our crock pot and I am LOVING it!

[anneonimiss]

Oh boy! I love crock pot recipes, too!

My favorite easy Crock Pot Chili:

*3 lbs. any ground meat (I mix lean ground beef, ground turkey, and ground pork)
*1 medium onion, chopped
*red/green/yellow bell pepper, chopped (I use one of those 4 packs with two greens, a red, and a yellow)
*1 can dark red kidney beans, undrained
*1 or 2 cans of stewed tomatoes, undrained
*2 packages of chili or taco seasoning, hot as you like it.
There's usually enough moisture in the tomatos and beans, but you can add a bit of water if you like.

Throw it all together, mix it up, and cook on low all day or on high for 3-4 hours.
Really easy and delicious, great served with hot cornbread!

[elizat]

CROCK POT CHICKEN & RICE CASSEROLE
4 lg. chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2.5 cans water
1/2 c. diced celery
1/2 c. diced carrots
2 c.rice
Salt and pepper


Mix in crock pot the 3 cans of soup, water and rice. Place the chicken on top of the mixture, then add the diced celery/carrots. Cook for 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low. Makes 4 servings.


You can add more water if needed, so the rice doesn't dry out.

[anneonimiss]

Oh, and for a beginning cook, they make roast kits now that have have the seasoning, veggies, and roast all in the package. They're great for when you don't have time to mess around in the morning. Toss it all in, add a cup of water and leave it on low all day. Around here they cost less than $10 and they'll feed three or four people. Whip up a quick side dish when you get home and you're ready to eat!

[forenfinal]

^
Yup and you can do it similar & cheaper by getting the roast and your veggies -tossing in the crock with 2 pouches of Liptons Onion Soup or Liptons Beefy Onion and about 2-3 cups of water... Sometimes if I have time I will sear(brown) the roast on all sides before putting it in the crock... Good either way! Low all day or high for a minimum of 5 hours... depending on the size of the roast.

[gillianna]

Put a chicken in the crock pot. Make sure it fits with the cover on. Spray with cooking spray. Season with spices. Pour a little honey and dr. pepper over it (about 1/3 of a can). Yes it does taste good. My souther friend makes this all the time. Cook on low about 8 hours or high 4-5 hours.
You can also wrap the chicken in tin foil which makes it easier to take out and not have all the meat fall off the bones as you move it.

Cut a corned beef in half. Spice it up and put onions on top. Wrap in tin foil twice. Put in the crock pot and cook for 5-6 hours on high. It is so tender you can cut it with a fork.

You can really find almost anyting to cook in a crock pot recipie web search.