Pulled Pork

Pulled pork is hard to resist. In fact, every year we go to the State Fair to eat see all we can see, and have a conversation something like this...
     J: "What do you want to eat?"
     me: "I think I'll walk around until I find something that smells good."
     J: "I know how this will end"
And it's true...I always end up getting a pulled pork sandwich, because it smells the best. Although, I have always found it a little disturbing that the pork tent is right outside the swine building.
     Sometimes, I make pulled pork at home with this super easy recipe. It's made in the crock pot, so it's great for those days that you feel like having something that took all day, but without the work of having to slave in the kitchen all day.

pork roast
1 c cola
1 c BBQ sauce (We only use Sweet Baby Ray's)

• Put it all in the crock pot.
• Cook on low about 8 hours. 
• Shred up the meat and let it sit in the sauce while serving. 

Crock Pot Turkey

     I mentioned this in my Menu Plan a couple of weeks ago, and I am finally getting around to posting. The plague Sickness has been going through our house, and it has been crazy! Anyway, just in time for the Big Day, I give you Crock Pot Turkey.
     My mom always hosted Thanksgiving for our family. She was in charge of the turkey and homemade noodles. In fact, my Papaw won't come unless there are homemade noodles! Somewhere along the road, she found this recipe for turkey in the crock pot, and hasn't made it another way since. It's very moist and requires no cleaning of the "yucky stuff."
    The directions here say to use a baking bag, but I didn't have one. I just put the turkey straight in the crock pot and threw in the water and butter. It is more difficult to clean up my way, and it doesn't change the flavor of the turkey in the end. 

     I have been buying a turkey breast every couple of weeks and cooking it, then dividing it into two ounce baggies to eat as a snack during the day. A 4lb turkey ($9.99 @ Aldi) gives you about 14-2oz bags, and you can freeze the ones you won't get to for a couple of days.

3-4 lb boneless turkey breast
1 stick butter
1 cup water
1 lrg baking bag (I didn't use this, but it would make it less messy to clean!)
1 Tbl flour (I didn't do this either)

• Place 1 Tbl flour in bag and shake. 
• Place turkey, without gravy packet, in bag.
• Add stick of butter and water. 
• Tie bag. Poke a few holes in top of bag to let steam escape.
• Place bag in crock pot and let cook all day on low (7-10 hours).
• Remove to serving dish, and pull apart with fork.
• spoon small amount of broth over turkey and toss.

Pot Roast

This recipe came about when I realized last minute that I had forgotten to buy an ingredient I normally use to make pot roast. I looked through a cookbook, but I didn't have all the ingredients for one recipe, but I had several ingredients from a few different recipes....so I combined them and used what I had, and this is what we ended up with. It was pretty tasty!

2 lb pot roast
1 Tbl mustard (I used spicy brown)
1 Tbl worchestershire
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp onion powder
1 clove minced garlic
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup water

• Combine all ingredients in slow cooker
• Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours

Red Beans and Rice

I had never eaten this classic dish before a few months ago when I ran across the recipe in the little book that comes with the crock-pot. I guess I always thought it would be super spicy, but it's not. I just love the seasonings and the heartiness (yes, even without meat!). It's super cheap to make, too!
You can double the recipe if you want, but it does make a lot of food!


1/2 lb dry red beans
1/2 onion, chopped (I used onion powder)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 14 1/2 oz. can vegetable (or beef) broth
1 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp hot pepper sauce
3 cups cooked rice (brown rice is more flavorful and healthier)

• In large pot, cover beans with three times their volume of water and bring to a boil.
• Boil for 10 minutes, and then remove from heat. 
• Cover and let stand for 1 hour and then drain.
• Combine all of the ingredients in the slow cooker except the rice.
• Cover, cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours.
• Serve over the hot cooked rice.

Creole Black Beans and Rice

     Since I've started making red beans and rice in the crock pot, I have really come to enjoy this meat free, very filling type of food. Recently, I ate at a place called Yats, a local cajun/creole place, and I was inspired to try out some new dishes. So this week, we tried creole black beans and rice. I was pretty impressed with the flavor, and will definitely make it again. I might even amp up some of the spices to make it a little more intense. I had to tone it down a bit this time for my daughter. She loves beans and rice. Hey Mom, no picky eaters allowed at this house! (and I'm still working on my husband)

adapted from Crock Pot Cookbook
3 (15oz) cans black beans, drained
1-1/2 cups onion, chopped
1 cup green pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2tsp dried thyme
1-1/2 tsp dried oregano
1-1/2 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (more if you like it spicy)
1 beef bouillon cube
1/2 tsp bay leaves
8oz tomato sauce
1 cup water

• Combine ingredients in the slow-cooker. 
• Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. 
• Serve over cooked rice (and garlic bread if desired).

Slow Cooker Chicken Surprise

     This week,in yet another attempt to eat more healthily, I have been trying to create meals without sugar, salt, or fats/oils. It's been hard. I thought that we ate relatively healthy, but it has been difficult to find things to make. Everything has oil in it...even if it's just to keep your food from sticking to your pan.

     My first new recipe attempt is somewhere between success and failure. This chicken was OK; I guess that is the "surprise." My husband described it as, "Fancy," whatever that means. It was definitely flavorful, but I just couldn't put my finger on what it was missing. If I made this again, I would mess with the seasonings and try to find what was missing. I would also wait to add the zucchini at the end of the cooking instead of letting them sit in the crock pot all day. I don't really like soggy vegetables.

2-3 lbs chicken
1 onion, chopped
2 tomatoes, diced
2 c zucchini, diced
1 c mushrooms, chopped
1/2 c wine (I used red)
8 oz tomato sauce (no salt added)
1 tsp parlsey
1 Tbl Italian seasoning
2 tsp garlic, minced
1/4 tsp each: red pepper, thyme, oregano, rosemary, ginger, cinnamon, paprika, and garlic powder

• Throw everything into the slow cooker and cook on low for 5-6 hours. 
• Serve over brown rice.

Crock Pot Spaghetti

     I got this recipe from my mom. She always made it when we had family reunions...and if she didn't make it, she heard about it. For whatever reason, we haven't had a family reunion in years and one great aunt was talking about how much she missed this spaghetti. My mom made her a special batch of it.
     I made this for Christmas dinner this year. I know, it's not the most traditional dinner, but I have a one year old and she thinks spaghetti is the greatest culinary creation. She really liked the pieces of pepperoni in it, too. I really liked that it's made in the slow cooker, so I didn't have to do much to get it ready. I just enjoyed the day. For sides, we had salad and braided herb bread. For dessert, we had pumpkin dump cake...recipe coming soon!

serves 6-8
1 lb ground chuck (turkey, sausage, or combination)
1-1/2 tsp onion powder
1-1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp mustard (or mustard powder)
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp oregano (or Italian seasoning)
8oz tomato sauce
4 oz can mushrooms
3-1/2--4cups tomato juice
1 pkg pepperoni
1-1/2c dry spaghetti, break 4 times

• Brown meat and drain well.
• Place in crock pot. 
• Add all remaining ingredients, except spaghetti.
• Stir well.
• Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours or high for 3-1/2 hours.
• Turn to high the last hour and add spaghetti pieces. Add a little tomato juice, if needed, at this time.

Spaghetti