Chili Verde

1 lb leab pork-cut into 1 inch pieces (we skip the pork go vegetarian style)
1 Tbsp oil
1-2 green bell peppers-diced
1 can green chili's
1/2 bunch green onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tsp cumin (i don't use this, we use chili powder)
1 tsp oregano
2 tsp chopped cilantro
1 bay leaf
1 can veggie stock
1 can garbonzo beans or white beans
1 can black beans
3/4 Tbsp cornstarch
1 1/2 Tbsp water
1 large avocado
2 Tbsp lime juice (divided)

optional:
mozzarella cheese, sour cream

If using pork heat oil and lightly brown the pork cubes over high heat and brown in a couple batches if needed. Add to crockpot. Saute green peppers, onions, garlic and cummin. Add to crockpot with gan of green chili's, 1 Tbsp lime juice and other herbs and the veggie stock. Cook on low 5-6 hours or until meat is tender. If using meat, if no pork, cook low a couple hours.Add the beans during the last 45 min. Mix the cornstarch with water and add stirring constantly until the liquid thickens and clears. Temove the bayleaf. Toss the avocado in lime juice. Servein bowls. Add a few pieces of avocado, fresh cilantro on top. Serves well with tortilla chips or tortillas.

*also tastes good with chicken instead of pork.
*make anough for two meals and thicken the leftovers to use in tortillas kinda like green enchilladas.
*fun "green" meal for st. patricks day too

Mexican Brown Rice

2 c. dry brown rice
4 1/2 c. water
3 garlic cloves
2 jalapeno's-red (use seeds for more spice)
juice from 1 lime
2 tomatillo's
3 heads from bulb onions (can use dried onions or regular onions)
3/4 tsp salt

Mince garlic, jalapeno's, tomatillo's, onions. Combine all ingredients in a pot and cook for 45-50 min. or until rice is tender. Tastes great with black beans, avocado's, tomatoes, cheese etc, or with taco's.

*use jalapeno's according to taste. I used two with seeds tonight and it wasn't spicy. Jalapeno's differ greatly in heat from plant to plant.

Unbelievable Caramel Pie

2 (14-oz.) cans sweetened condensed milk
9-inch graham cracker crust
Garnish: whipped topping, mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Pour condensed milk into a slow cooker that has been sprayed with non-stick vegetable spray. Cover and cook on low setting for 3-1/2 to 4 hours. After 2-1/2 hours, milk will begin to thicken; begin stirring every 15 minutes. When thick and golden, stir again until smooth; pour into crust and chill. Garnish with whipped topping and chocolate chips. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

(Source: Gooseberry Patch Slow-Cooker Recipes, pg. 202)

Raspberry Brownies in a Jar

1/2 cup butter, sliced
2 1-oz. squares unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup seedless raspberry jam
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 1-pt. wide-mouth canning jars and lids, sterilized

Grease and flour canning jars; set aside. Melt butter and chocolate together in a medium saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat; stir in eggs, sugar, jam and vanilla. Beat lightly with a spoon until combined. Stir in flour and baking powder; pour into prepared jars. Cover jars tightly with greased aluminum foil, greased-side down. Place jars in a slow cooker; pour one cup water around jars. Cover and cook on high for 3 to 3-1/2 hours, or until a toothpick inserted in center tests clean. Remove jars form slow cooker; cool for 10 minutes. Use a metal spatula to loosen brownies; turn out of jars. Cool brownies completely on a wire rack before slicing. Makes 12 servings.

(Source: Gooseberry Patch Slow-Cooker Recipes, pg. 205)

Aloha Chicken

4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken
20-oz. can pineapple chunks
11-oz. can mandarin oranges, drained
1 green or red pepper, chopped
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated

Arrange chicken in a slow cooker; set aside. Combine remaining ingredients; pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low setting for 8 to 10 hours. Serves 8 to 10.

Serve over steamed rice. Sprinkle with fresh coconut flakes.

(Source: Gooseberry Patch Slow-Cooker Recipes, pg 12.)

French Country Chicken

1 onion, chopped
6 carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally
6 stalks celery, sliced diagonally
18 boneless, skinless chicken tenders
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
10-3/4 oz. can cream of chicken soup
1-1/2 oz. package onion soup mix
1/3 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons cornstarch
cooked rice or mashed potatoes

Combine onion, carrots and celery in the bottom of a slow cooker. Arrange chicken on top; sprinkle with seasonings. Mix together chicken soup and onion soup mix; spoon over chicken. Cover and cook on high setting for 4 hours, stirring after one hour. At serving time, stir together broth and cornstarch; pour over chicken and mix well. Cook, uncovered, for an additional 10 minutes, until thickened. Stir again; serve over cooked rice or mashed potatoes. Makes 8 servings.

Almost Famous Black Bean Soup

1 1/2 c. black beans (measured dry, then cook them) or use 2-3 cans of black beans
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves-chopped up
1 Tbsp onion powder or 1/3 c. diced fresh onion
1 Tbsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. sea salt (or salt)
1 tsp ground black pepper
a little cayenne pepper to taste
1 can veggie broth
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 can corn or 2 c. frozen corn
water
tortiallas or tortilla chips
fresh cilantro

*optional on top
sour cream
cheese
Avocado pieces

After your beans are cooked, take about a cup of bean and blend with the can of veggie broth. Return to pot of beans.
In a pan, saute garlic, oil, and red pepper flakes on medium heat till garlic is tender. Put into pot of beans. Add crushed tomatoes, ground black pepper, cayenne and corn and let simmer 10 minutes.

Serve with fresh cilantro and any other toppings and eat with chips or tortillas.

*Add some brown rice for a meal with complete protein instead of tortillas.
*For the most part you can sub most of the ingredients from food storage, powdered garlic, onion, canned items, and homemade tortillas
*If you can't handle the red pepper flakes, cummin or taco seasoning may be substituted

Emy's chili

2 c. dry pinto beans soaked over night
6 c. water
2 c. brown rice, rinse well
1 diced yellow onion
2 cans tomato sauce
1 quart diced tomatos with juice (or 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes)
2 Tbsp red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp ground pepper

optional:
any fresh peppers-jalapinos, anaheim, bell etc.
shredded cheese
corn chips

Put the beans in a slow cooker and cook according to time on package (two or more hours). Add the rest of the ingredients except for the optional ones. Let simmer a couple hours. Meal is done once the rice is soft or absorbed. You will want to mix it once or twice while cooking, the rice has a tendency to rest on the bottom and may burn. This meal gets better the longer it sits.

Great as a main course, with nacho's or as a dip.

*This serves as a complete protein because of the beans and rice.

Taco Soup

1 onion, chopped (or 1/4 cup dried onions)
1 (16 ounce) can red chili beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can refried beans
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (12 fluid ounce) can of chicken stock
2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can chopped green chilies, drained
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning
1 (12.5 ounce) can chicken, undrained
sliced olives (optional)
shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)
sour cream (optional)
crushed tortilla chips (optional)

Place the onion, chili beans, black beans, corn, tomato sauce, chicken stock, diced tomatoes, green chilies, canned chicken, and olives in a slow cooker. Add taco seasoning, and stir to blend. Set slow cooker to low heat, cover, and cook for 5 hours.

Serve topped with shredded Cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips, if desired.

Chicken and Rice Casserole

1 cup long-grain rice, uncooked
3 cups water
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
1 can (10 3/4 oz) cream of chicken soup
16-oz. bag frozen broccoli
2 cups chopped, cooked chicken
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion salt
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

1. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.
2. Cook on High 3 to 4 hours.


Note:
If casserole is too runny, remove lid from slow cooker for 15 minutes while continuing to cook on High.

(Source: Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook - Feasting with your Slow Cooker", pg. 173, by Dawn J. Ranck and Phyllis Pellman Good)

Cooked Beans

If a recipe calls for cooked beans, don’t pull out your can opener, pull out your crock pot. To get 2 cups of beans (the same as a 15 oz. can) put 1 cup well-rinsed beans in 6 cups water and add 1 teaspoon baking soda (it’s alkaline—like meat—so it softens beans). Just before you go to bed, turn your crock pot on low and let them cook all night! In the morning you have cooked beans!

If you don’t have all night, quick soak the beans by bringing them to a boil for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and let them soak for 1 hour. Then resume cooking.

Long soaking has the beans in cold water overnight (to increase size.)

To cook soaked beans drain the soaked beans, add fresh liquid and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until beans are tender. This will take 1 to 2 hours depending on the type of bean and their age. When the beans are tender add salt to taste. After the beans are cooked is the time to add tomatoes, lemon juice, vinegar, etc. These are all acid foods which hardens beans and should be added after the beans are cooked!

Fresh beans cook quicker, but even old beans will get soft! To cook old hard beans wash and sort to remove any discolored beans. Add 2 ½ cups hot tap water and 2 teaspoons baking soda and soak overnight. Drain and rinse two times, then add water to cover and cook until tender and soft, about two hours, adding more water if needed.

Adding a tablespoon of oil will cut down on foam as beans cook.

Shredded BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

This meal was brought in by a dear friend (Judith) after the birth of our youngest. She served it with grapes, carrot sticks and celery sticks with ranch dip, potato chips, and Rolo Cookies. It was a big hit with our family! Thanks Judith!

1 (4 lb.) bag frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts (8 to 9 breasts)
1 (16 oz.) bottle BBQ sauce (we like KC Masterpiece original)
1 cup water
2 dozen hamburger buns or French rolls

In the morning, place chicken breasts in crock pot, frozen. Pour barbecue sauce and water over top and cook all day on medium heat. Before serving, shred chicken with two forks to put it apart and mix in sauce well (add additional sauce to taste.) Spoon onto buns or rolls.