Beef Brisket or Roast

From: I started with this recipe and tweaked it according to what was in my kitchen.  :)

Ingredients:

4 lbs. beef brisket (NOT corned) (you can also use a beef pot roast)
4 cloves minced garlic, or 1 Tbsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp. ketchup
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 onions, thinly sliced

For gravy: 
2 Tbsp. flour
1/3 cup water

How to:  

Place onions in bottom of slow cooker, then place brisket, fat side up, on top of onions. Sprinkle garlic, salt and pepper on top. Combine ketchup, vinegar, and brown sugar in small bowl and then rub into beef. Add enough water to coat the bottom of the cooker. Cover slower cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

For gravy, remove brisket from the slow cooker place on serving plate, and cover tightly with foil. Turn crockpot temperature to High. Mix flour with 1/3 cup water, add to crockpot, and bring to a boil, stirring frequently with wire whisk. Makes 16 servings.

Serve over rice or make a sandwich on toasted bread, with butter, mustard, mayo, and barbeque sauce.

Chicken Mushroom Stew

From: My mom passed this recipe on to me a few months ago.  This is the first time I've made it, but I'm gonna be sure and do it again REALLY SOON!  It was delicious!!

Ingredients:

1.5 pounds of boneless skinless chicken, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 Tbsp oil of your choice

8 oz fresh sliced mushrooms
1 medium onion, diced
2 diced zuchini
1 green pepper diced
4 garlic gloves, minced (or 1/2 tsp dried minced garlic)

3 medium tomatoes, diced OR an 8 oz can of diced tomatoes
6 oz tomato paste
3/4 cup water
2 tsp salt
1 tsp thyme leaves
1 tsp oregano leaves
1 tsp marjoram leaves
1 tsp basil

Parmesan, mozzarrella, or blue cheese (optional)

How to:  

(Using the slower cooker:) Put the mushrooms, onion, zuchini, green pepper and garlic in the bottom of the slower cooker.  Drizzle olive oil over the top and toss to cover.  Place raw chicken (may be frozen or thawed) in the slower cooker on top of the veggies.  Then add the remaining ingredients on top. Don't worry about mixing them. Turn on the slower cooker on high. Once the chicken starts to cook (turns white on one side - about an hour or so into the cooking process), mix the contents of the slower cooker well and push the chicken to the bottom. Cook on high for a total of 3-4 hours. Serve as is (absolutely delicious!) or top with cheese if desired.

(Without a slower cooker:) Brown the chicken in a large pot in oil.  Set aside.  In the same pot, in the remaining oil (or you may add more oil or butter if needed) saute the second group of ingredients (mushrooms, onion, zucchini, green pepper and garlic) until crisp/tender.  I like to add a terrible amount of butter because it tastes GOOD! Then return the chicken to the back into the pot and then add the remaining ingredients. Simmer for 15 minutes while mixing well.  Serve as is (absolutely delicious!) or top with cheese if desired.

Pot Roast

From: My Mom included this recipe in a book of recipes that she made for us growing up.  It's one of my favorites...  It's such a hearty meal and it serves a lot.  And because it takes about 10 minutes to get everything into the crock pot and 12 hours later it's done!

Ingredients:

Roast
4-6 potatoes, cut for stew
1 quartered onion
carrots, peeled and cut for stew
can of cream of mushroom soup
can of golden mushroom soup
half a can of water
garlic salt
pepper

How to: 

Place roast in bottom of glass baking dish or slow cooker.  Arrange potatoes, onions and carrots all around and on top.  Spoon over the top the soups and water.  Sprinkle over everything with garlic salt and pepper.  Cover tightly with foil and bake at 350°F for 4-5 hours or 250 for 6-8 hours or in the slow cooker on low for 12 hours.  The meat should be falling apart and a gravy forming on the bottom.

Side notes:

You could also delete the quartered potatoes and serve with mashed potatoes.  In the picture, I forgot to buy potatoes - who forgets to buy potatoes?! - so I made it without them.  Before serving, I cut sliced whole wheat bread into squares and spooned the pot roast over the top.  Wow, it was really good that way!!

Sloppy Joe Casserole

From: This little tabloid recipe magazine was one of the best I've ever picked up!

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed tomato soup
1/4 cup water
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 package (7.5 oz) refrigerated biscuits (10 biscuits)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese or non dairy cheese

How to: 

Heat oven 400°F.  Cook the beef in a skillet over medium-high heat until it's browned.  Drain fat.  Stir the soup, water, Worsestershire sauce and black pepper in the skillet and heat to a boil.  Spoon the beef mixture into a 1 1/2 qt casserole.  Arrange biscuits on top.  Bake for 15 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown.  Top with cheese.

Slow cooker option:  I have not tried this, but here's my guess.  Put all ingredients except biscuits and cheese in a slower cooker and mix well.  Turn on high for 4 hours.  When meat is ready, add biscuits and cheese and cook for another half hour.  Serve.

Turkey Ham & Scalloped Potatoes

From: My mom sent me this recipe.  She got it from a slow cooker recipe book she has had for 30 years.

Ingredients:

Turkey ham, cut into bite sized pieces
3-5 medium potatoes cut but not peeled
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
sprinkle with paprika
green chilies (optional)

How to: 

Put all the ingredients in the slower cooker and cook it on high for 3 hour or low for 6-8 hours.

Side notes:

For lactose intolerance, hold the cheese and add it on the side when serving.

Apricot Chicken

From: This recipe has been passed down from my grandmother, to my mother, to me.  It's tried, true, and yummy!

Ingredients:

1.5 to 2 lbs of chicken - any cut will do, bone in or boneless and skinless...  makes no difference so pick your favorite or whatever's on sale
1 package of onion soup or onion dip mix
4 oz French dressing
4 oz apricot preserves

How to: 

Clean and trim the chicken if necessary.  Lay the raw pieces in the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan.  In a 2 cup measuring cup put 4 oz of French dressing.  Add apricot preserves until you have 8 oz of total marinade.  Add the packet of onion soup/dip mix.  Mix well with a small spatula.  Pour over the chicken.  I like to then move the chicken around so it's completely coated.Then bake it at 350° F for an hour.

(With a slower cooker:) Clean and trim the chicken if necessary.  Lay the raw pieces in the bottom of the cooker.  Mix 4 oz of French dressing, 4 oz of apricot preserves and a packet of onion soup/dip mix.  Mix well with a small spatula.  Pour over the chicken.  Add enough water to the pot so that about 1/4 of an inch covers the bottom..Then cook on high for 3 or 4 hours.

Side notes:

I like to serve it over Costa Rican rice, as shown in the picture.

Chicken Parisienne

From: This is another great recipe from my friend, Annie!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs cubed chicken breast
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
10 3/4 oz condensed cream of mushroom soup
2 cans sliced mushrooms (4 oz each)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup sour cream
6 cups hot cooked egg noodles

How to: 

Throw everything in the crock pot, except for the sour cream and egg noodles.  Mix well.  Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours. 

Then add the sour cream for the last 30 minutes of cooking. 

Serve over egg noodles.

Black Beans

From: This one came straight from my husband's brain.  It's a Costa Rican recipe and it make me feel like I'm home no matter where I am.

Ingredients:

1Tbsp of salt
1/2 onion skewered
16 oz dry black beans

How to: 

Put all the ingredients in the crock pot and fill the pot one inch below top of slow cooker.
Cook until the beans are soft (overnight on low, or on high if you can observe it and test the beans after several hours).

Poor Man's Chili

From: A Year of Slow Cooking

How to:  Just click here.

Side notes:


I used 1 tsp of chili powder instead of the corriander and tumeric.  I also dusted it with cinammon instead of throwing in a cinamon stick and I substituted great white northern beans instead of kidney beans.  These changes were because it's what I had in the kitchen.  :)

Slower Cooker Chicken & Dumplings

From: AllRecipes.com

Ingredients:

4 Boneless Chicken Breasts
2 T. of butter
2 (10.75 oz) cans of Condensed cream of chicken soup
1 onion diced
1 package of refrigerated biscuit dough torn into pieces

How to: Just click here.

Side notes:

I'm not a huge onion fan, and I was tempted to use only half an onion, but it is truly what gives this recipe its flavor, so throw it all in!

Baked Oatmeal

Came from:  My friend, Catherine shared this recipe with me.  She found it on www.myrecipes.com, although when I tried to find it I couldn't.  :(

Dry Ingredients:

2 cups uncooked quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup raisins
1 tablespoon chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon baking powder

Wet Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups fat-free milk
1/2 cup applesauce
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 large egg, beaten

and... Cooking spray

How to: 

Preheat oven to 375°.

Combine the first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl. Combine the milk, applesauce, butter, and egg. Add milk mixture to oat mixture; stir well. Pour oat mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes. Serve warm.

Side notes: 

Catherine only uses 2 tablespoon of brown sugar because otherwise she finds it too sweet.  I also made it without nuts and thought it was good.  Try baked oatmeal for a unexpected morning treat. It's a mix between an oatmeal bar and traditional creamy breakfast oatmeal.  I understand they can be made in a slow cooker, but I haven't figured out how yet.  If you figure it out, email me and let me know. These portions yield: 5 servings (serving size: 2/3 cup)

***UPDATED FEB 26, 2011***

This morning we woke up late and I had a craving for baked oatmeal but no time to bake it.  So I cut the portions in half (except the egg, which you can't really cut in half), tossed it all in a pot and brought it to a boil.  Once boiling I simmered until the it took on an "oatmeal" texture and this is what I got.

I'm munching as I type.  Mmmmmm-mmmm-GOOD!!  Plus, it made just enough for myself and my toddler son (exactly what you seen in the picture), and it only took me 10 minutes to cook!  I'm not sure if the baking powder is necessary this way.  Next time I'll remove it and see how it comes out.  I'll keep you posted!

-------------------------- END UPDATED PORTION -------------------------- 

Nutritional Information of original recipe:
(according to the print-out that Catherine gave me)
Calories:281 (24% from fat)
Fat:7.6g (sat 2.8g,mono 1.5g,poly 0.9g)
Protein:7g
Carbohydrate:48.8g
Fiber:3.4g
Cholesterol:47mg
Iron:0.8mg
Sodium:171mg
Calcium:148mg