Crock Pot Meatloaf

1 cup crushed herb crackers
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chili sauce
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds lean ground beef

In a bowl, mix everything except the beef. Mix well.

Gently mix in ground beef and form into a flattened ball.

Place in crock pot, cover, and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Cooking time will depend on your crock pot, mine tends to run hot and the meatloaf was done at 6 1/2 hours.

Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese

8 oz. uncooked macaroni
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup milk
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese-divided
salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, beat the eggs and milks together until well combined. Add the macaroni, salt and pepper, and 3 1/2 cups of the cheese. Mix well and pour into crock pot. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top, cover and cook on low for about 5 hours*. Do not open the lid at all during cooking time.

*You'll want to keep an eye on this the first time you make it. I cooked it for 5 hours, and it was pretty browned around the edges- so next time it will be more like 4 1/2 in my crock pot. Adjust accordingly for your personal slow cooker.

Honey-Dijon Pork Roast

from Pillsbury Doughboy Slow Cooker Recipes

1/2 cup chopped onion
2 apples, peeled, sliced
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon coriander seed, crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (2-2 1/2 lb) rolled boneless pork loin roast
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon cornstarch

1. In a 4 to 6 quart slow cooker, combine onion and apples. In a small bowl, combine honey, mustard, coriander and salt; mix well. Spread on all sides of pork roast. Place pork over onions and apples.

2. Cover; cook on low setting for 7 to 8 hours.

3. remove pork from slow cooker; place on serving platter. Cover with foil.

4. In a small saucepan, blend water and cornstarch until smooth. Add apple mixture and juices from slow cooker; mix well. Cook over medium heat until mixture boils, stirring occasionally. cut pork into slices, serve pork with sauce.

Chicken Vegetable Dish

from Fix It and Forget It

4 skinless chicken breast halves, with bone in (I used frozen boneless, skinless- still frozen)
15 oz can crushed tomatoes
10 oz pkg frozen green beans
2 cups water or chicken broth ( I used chicken broth)
1 cup uncooked brown rice (used Uncle Ben's original wild rice blend)
1 cup sliced mushrooms (forgotten)
2 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/2 tsp garlic, minced (used 1 large clove)
1/2 tsp. herb blend seasoning (eliminated since I had the Uncle Ben's spice packet)
1/4 tsp dried tarragon (I used 1/4 tsp Penzey's Parisienne Herb Blend)

1. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker
2. Cover. Cook on High 2 hours, and then on low 3-5 hours

Chile-Cheese Party Potatoes

yield: 12 servings

1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (8 oz) container sour cream
1 (4.5 oz) can chopped green chiles
6 oz. (1 1/2 cups) shredded colby-monterey jack cheese blend
1 (32 oz.) pkg. frozen southern-style cubed hash brown potatoes
3 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup finely crushed nacho-flavored taco chips

1. Spray a 4 to 6 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In medium bowl, combine soup, sour cream, chiles and cheese. Mix well.

2. Arrange half of potatoes in sprayed slow cooker. Top with half of sour cream mixture; spread evenly. Top with remaining potatoes and sour cream mixture; spread evenly.

3. Cover; cook on high setting for 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours. Sprinkle onions and chips onto potato mixture before serving.

Vegetable Soup

For the crock pot, for a vegetarian version, use veggie broth instead of the beef broth

3 (14 1/2 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans beef broth
1 (10 ounce) package frozen whole kernel corn
1 (10 ounce) package frozen baby lima beans
2 medium baking potatoes, peeled and diced
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
3 celery ribs, sliced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves

Mix together all the ingredients in a 5 quart slow cooker.
Cover slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 4 hours, then turn it down to LOW for the remainder.
Remove bay leaves and discard; serve with warm crusty bread.

Chicken Sausage and Cabbage Stew with Wild Rice

for the crockpot
from Pillsbury Slow Cooker Recipes

2 cups coarsely chopped cabbage (1-inch pieces)
1 cup fresh baby carrots, quartered lengthwise
1 cup uncooked wild rice, rinsed
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (8 oz) package sliced fresh mushrooms (about 3 cups)
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 lb. (about 2) mild Italian pork sausages, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 (14 oz) cans chicken broth
1 (10 3/4 oz) can condensed cream of mushroom soup

1. In a 3 1/2 tp 4-quart slow cooker, combine all ingredients except broth and soup, mix well.

2. In medium bowl, combine broth and soup; blend well. Pour over meat and vegetables in slow cooker; stir gently to combine.

3. Cover; cook on low setting for 6 to 8 hours.

Serves 8

Smothered Buttermilk Chicken

1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs -- (4 or 5 thighs)
3 medium carrots -- sliced
1/3 cup onion -- chopped
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 bay leaf
1 package roasted chicken gravy mix
1/3 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons flour
1 cup frozen peas

In a 4 to 6 quart crock pot, combine chicken, carrots, onion, water, butter, salt, pepper and bay leaf; mix well.

Cover; cook on low setting for 6 to 8 hours. High setting for 3 to 4 hours.

ABout 20 minutes before serving, stir gravy mix into crock pot. Remove and discard bay leaf.

In a measuring cup, blend buttermilk and flour until smooth. Stir flour mixture and peas into chicken; mix well.

Cover, increase heat to high; cover and cook an additonal 25-20 minutes or until peas are cooked.

Serve with rice or biscuits.