Meatballs in the Crock Pot

I am really enjoying my crock pot and have been happy with the meals that have come out of it. I thought, why not try meatballs? So I did and they came out amazing. Moist, juicy and full of flavor.

1 pound of ground meat (10 % fat)
1 egg
1 1/2 tbl ketchup
1/3 cup bread crumbs
a couple shakes of Italian seasoning
a couple shakes of red pepper flakes
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper

1 jar Tomato sauce
Pasta

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. I usually mix everything excluding the meat first, then add the meat and mix. You don't want to over mix the meat. Make balls and brown over the stove in a pan for about 5-8 minutes. Then add to crock pot that is filled with your favorite tomato sauce. Cook on low for 4-6 hours.

Make pasta and add to sauce. Enjoy!

Meatballs are like meatloaf. You can get creative! Add Parmesan cheese to the mix, add fresh herbs, mix meats. The possibilities are endless.

Rhona's Chili Casserole

My Rhona was a wiz in the kitchen. She loved to cook and bake and I loved to eat. We were a good combination. One of my favorite weeknight meals was her chili casserole which she got from a print out at the old Mrs. Gooches (now Whole Foods.)

Rhona made this usually in her Orange cast iron pot, but if you don't have one you can use a 9x13 glass dish.

2 cans of store bought chili
1 can corn
1/4 cup diced green onions
1 small can diced green chilies
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (Mexican blend)
Corn chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In your pot heat the chili over the stove. Once warm, start layering. Add a layer of crumbled chips (not too crumbled, just broken up a bit), then corn, chilies, onions, cheese and top with anther layer of chips. Place in oven until cheese melts and heated through.

Brian's Veggies

Now that Brian has a lot more free time, he is helping out in the kitchen. We are trying not to be wasteful, so last night he took the left over veggies from the roast (carrots, celery, mushrooms) and threw them in a pan. He added soy sauce, garlic powder, salt and hot pepper oil (from tj's). They were amazing. What a great guy!

A Rump in the Crock

My friend Shiri took me to a cooking class last Saturday night. It was given by the Chef at Anaheim's House of Blues. This was one of the best classes I've been to because Wendie (the Chef) walked through a number of week night crock pot meals. She made Lasagne in the crock pot. Who knew? The meal Brian and I tried tonight was the roast because I found a rump on sale yesterday. I cut up the veggies last night and placed them in a ziplock bag so preparing the dish this morning was a breeze. At first Brian thought the meal was ok/good, but I caught him going for round two. He's not much of a Roast guy, but I think this may have converted him.

Rump or Chuck Roast - rub salt and pepper on both sides
Carrots peeled and sliced into discs
1/2 onion diced
4 celery stalks diced
6 red or yellow potatoes
hand full of diced mushrooms
1 cup Balsamic salad dressing

Place everything into the crock pot and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours

You got your veggies, starch and meat all in one.

Chicken Chili

Last Saturday, I had a wonderful time playing a mean game of Scrabble with my dear friend Debbie. While getting 33 points for OXEN, I noticed her crock pot was out on the counter. I have a crock pot and never use it and am always looking for some good recipes. Debbie told me that she made Ina's Chicken Chili recipe in it and that it came out amazing. I was inspired. Below is my take on Ina's recipe. Brian and I made it last night. The flavor was great. We would have liked it to be a little thicker, but still yummy. Enjoy.

Serves: 3-4 servings
Ingredients
1 chopped yellow onion
2 garlic cloves minced
1 red bell pepper diced
1 yellow bell pepper diced
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes, or to taste
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 (28-ounce) can tomato sauce - just plain canned sauce - not jar
1/8 cup minced dried basil leaves
2 chicken breasts diced
2 chicken sausages diced
1 can kidney beans


For serving:
corn chips, grated cheddar, sour cream

Directions

Place all ingredients in crock pot. Set on low all day. Done!

Paprika Garlic Bread

My friend Jen came over last Friday for dinner. We made the Turkey, Spinach stuffed pasta and a salad. A very yummy meal. The star of the meal was Jen's Paprika Garlic Bread. I love that red stuff.

She cut a french loaf in half, spread it with butter, garlic powder, paprika and Parmesan cheese and baked in the oven at 350 degrees for about ten minutes. A great compliment to any meal.

Bacon Ranch Mac and Cheese

This recipe is from this month's Cooking Light. I made some changes to make it easier/quicker. Brian not only ate his bowl, but half of mine as well.

8 oz elbow mac pasta
1 tbl butter
2 tbl flour
3 strips of bacon
1/3 cup 98% fat free condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 1/2 cup non-fat milk
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried dill
1/3 cup of shredded Italian cheese blend - maybe a little more if you like it cheesy


Cook bacon until crispy - set aside and cut up

Cook pasta according to package

In a sauce pan, melt butter and add flour. Whisk until combined - about a minute. Add milk and soup and whisk. Bring to boil, then simmer until thickens - about two minutes.

Add onion, garlic, dill and cheese. Take off of heat and stir.

Add bacon and then add to pasta.

Enjoy!