Crock Pot Beef Stew

Original Recipe

Ingredients

SERVES 8

1-1/2lbs stew meat, cut into bite sized pieces
1lb white potatoes (about 1 large potato,) peeled then chopped
8oz whole mushrooms, cut into quarters or sixths if large
2 carrots, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 Tablespoon gluten-free Worcestershire sauce (I like Lea & Perrins)
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 bay leaf
32oz gluten-free beef broth (which is 4 cups FYI)
1/4 cup gluten-free or all-purpose flour (dish will not be GF if using all-purpose flour)
1/2 cup frozen peas

Directions
Add ingredients from stew meat to beef broth into a 6-quart crock pot then cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until meat is tender (mine took 6 but it will depend on how big your stew meat is cut.) I added everything to the crock pot the night before then popped into the crock pot base in the morning and turned it on.
Add flour to a bowl then add a ladleful of cooking liquid and whisk until smooth. Pour back into crock pot then stir well to combine and cook on high for 30-45 more minutes, or until broth has thickened (Note: broth will continue to thicken while cooling.) Add peas then let sit until heated through, 5 minutes, before serving.

Just as a note I did not make this because it was gluten free! I liked the ingredients in this one. 

I used 4 yellow potatoes for this one. Otherwise I actually followed the recipe (mostly because it already had garlic LOL)

The boyfriend was over for this one and he and the kid both agreed that it could use less rosemary. I decided that I need a spice mill so I can turn rosemary into something that isn't a pointy little stick that gets stuck in your gums!!!

The flavour of this was really good. I enjoyed it quite a bit. I used the 3 tbsp of tomato paste out of one of those little cans and what was left was about another 3 tbsp so I popped it into a zipper top bag and into the freezer it went for the next time!

I was VERY leery about adding the flour as I have made other recipes in the past that got very gelatinous the next day with the addition of it. That was not a problem at all here. Actually there were complaints the night of that it wasn't thick enough and I found it didn't thicken much more overnight.

The one thing the recipe forgets to tell you is to find that darn bay leaf and toss it out!!! You don't want anyone eating that thing!

I will definitely make this recipe again with maybe just a few little tweaks like the rosemary thing!

Crock Pot Chicken and Stuffing

Original recipe

• 1(10.5) ounce can of cream of chicken soup (or use cream of mushroom soup, it’s less salty)
• 8 oz. sour cream
• 1 (6 oz.) box Stove Top stuffing mix*
• ¾ cup water
• 1 (16 oz.) bag frozen green beans
• 3-4 large chicken breasts, salted and peppered if desired.

Instructions

Place the chicken on the bottom of the crock pot. 

Mix together the soup, sour cream, stuffing, half of the water, and place over the chicken. 

Place the string beans either on one side of the crock pot or over the stuffing. You'll want to mix the stuffing periodically if possible- I don't mind mixing the string beans in with the stuffing but if you'd prefer that they remain separate, place the string beans more to the side. 

Add the remaining water during the cooking process as needed. I always use all of the water but crock pots cook slightly differently, so adding as needed is safer. If you're leaving for the day, add the remaining water when you return if you feel you need it. 

Cook on high for 4 hours, or on low for 6-7.

*No need to cook the stuffing mix prior to adding to crock pot

Notes

I like to try to mix the stuffing periodically if I can, just to keep it blended and to mix the moisture around. If the stuffing seems too moist for your liking, leave the lid off the crock pot for the last 30-40 minutes of cooking, or until your desired consistency is achieved. 

I love adding diced sausage, onions, and celery to my stuffing- even dried cranberries are delicious! You can also add onion tops toward the end of the cooking process- (YUM.) 

This meal is delicious with some whipped potatoes prepared on the stove-top!

I followed the instructions on this one exactly (OK besides garlic powder) and the results were at best MEH. I used 4 chicken breasts and seasoned them with garlic powder. I used cream of chicken soup. I didn't add anything to the stuffing other than what is in the main recipe. Also bag of green beans here do not come in 16 oz so I added two cups of beans. 

I took the lid off for almost an hour at the end of cooking and it was still a soggy mess even after stirring the stuffing several times (mixing in the beans in the process). I had such high hopes for this recipe! If I do make it again I wouldn't even bother adding water to the stuffing mix and I think I'd leave the beans out and steam them on the side! I'd probably add some celery  and onion to the stuffing too! If you happen to decide to make this please let me know what changes you made and if you were more successful than me!

Slow Cooker Pepperoni Pizza Bake

Original Recipe

Ingredients

1 can (16.3 oz) refrigerated biscuits (such as Pillsbury Grands)

1 cup sliced pepperoni

3 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1 cup pizza sauce of your choice

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz)

Directions

1. Spray insert of 6- to 7-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Open and separate the refrigerated biscuits into 8 biscuits.
2. Cut each biscuit into 6 pieces; place in large bowl.
3. Cut 1 cup pepperoni slices into quarters. Place half of the quarters in bowl with biscuit pieces. Add 3 teaspoons Italian seasoning to bowl with cut biscuits and pepperoni quarters; toss to mix.
4. Place biscuit mixture as evenly as possible in bottom of slow-cooker insert.
5. Spread the pizza sauce evenly over top of biscuits, making sure to get some sauce around edges so that biscuits are not touching insert without sauce in between.
6. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese and remaining half of pepperoni over top, trying to keep cheese away from touching insert.
7. Cover top of insert with large paper towel. Place slow-cooker lid on top of paper towel. (This will prevent condensation from dripping onto biscuits during cooking.)
8. Cook on High heat setting 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hour. (Not all slow cookers cook the same. Test for doneness after 1 hour and 30 minutes by inserting knife into center to make sure biscuits are fully baked; outer edge will be dark golden brown.)
9. Remove bubble-up bake from slow-cooker insert while warm to prevent biscuits from sticking to insert.
10. Serve warm.

First of all I couldn't seem to find grands biscuits that weren't cinnamon buns so I used Pillsbury flaky rolls.

3 teaspoons of Italian seasoning is WAY TOO MUCH!!! Even the 2 tsps I used was a bit much for me. I think 1 tsp would be plenty! Of course I added garlic powder to my seasoning too (about 1/2 tsp). I used basil and garlic pizza sauce. I think this was a fatal mistake. It had an oddly sweet edge to it that we didn't like. I cooked this for longer than the instructions said on high and found that there were still some uncooked bits of biscuits in the center. Inserting a knife was useless cause the cheese coated the whole thing.

I also added about 2/3 of the cheese then the toppings and then the last 1/3 of cheese so that the toppings weren't falling off the top. I think you could safely cut the cheese back to 1-1.5 cups too!

Overall I think this could be a decent recipe if you cut back the Italian seasoning, used plain pizza sauce and cooked it in the oven and not the slow cooker! I did reheat my leftovers in the oven for lunch and even found those tasted better and had a more well done mouth feel than the fresh out of the slow cooker result!

Crockpot BBQ Pork Chops with Potatoes, Carrots and onions

Original recipe

Crockpot Barbeque Pork Chops with Potatoes, Carrots, & Onions

Ingredients

• 6-8 pork chops (I prefer bone-in)
• 6-8 potatoes, cut into quarters
• ½ of a 16oz bag of baby carrots
• 1 large onion, cut into quarters
• 1 28oz bottle of barbeque sauce (I like Sweet Baby Rays)
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1 cup cola
• ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
• salt & pepper to taste
• chopped green onions (optional)

Instructions

1. Layer the potatoes, carrots, & onions in the bottom of a slowcooker. Season with salt & pepper. Layer the pork chops on top of the vegetables, & season with another dose of salt & pepper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the barbeque sauce, ketchup, cola, & Worcestershire sauce until combined. Pour on top of the pork chops.
3. Cover the slow cooker, & cook on low for 8-10 hours or until the meat & vegetable are tender. Garnish the pork chops with chopped green onions (optional)

I halved this recipe and only used two pork chops and thank goodness I only used two because it would have been a horrible waste of meat! Rarely does food ever go to waste in our house but the leftover veggies from this dish went straight to the garbage from the crock :(

It was bitter and just had an overall odd flavour. The kid said she'd give it maybe a 3/10 but asked that I never make it again. I sadly have to agree with her there.

I guess this is one of the cases where my loss in your gain so you don't have to waste your food, time and energy to make this one! Onward an upward folks....I'm trying new recipes all the time