Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

Menu:
Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken || Just a Taste
Shredded Brussels Sprouts

Tortilla Soup with Pork and Squash

Menu:
Tortilla Soup with Pork and Squash || Real Simple

Serves 6 | Hands-On Time: 15m | Total Time: 8hr 15m

Ingredients
1 2-1/2- to 3-pound boneless pork shoulder or butt, trimmed and cut in half
1 small butternut squash (about 1-1/2 pounds)—peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
kosher salt
4 6-inch corn tortillas, cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
1 tablespoon canola oil
sliced radishes, cilantro sprigs, and lime wedges, for serving

Directions
1. In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the pork, squash, tomatoes (and their juices), jalapeño, garlic, chili powder, 4 cups water, and 1¼ teaspoons salt. Cover and cook until the pork is very tender, on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 5 to 6 hours (this will shorten total recipe time).

2. Fifteen minutes before serving, heat oven to 450° F. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the tortillas with the oil and ⅛ teaspoon salt. Bake, tossing once, until crispy, 8 to 10 minutes.

3. Transfer the pork to a medium bowl and, using 2 forks, shred the meat; return it to the slow cooker. Serve the soup with the tortilla strips, radishes, cilantro, and lime wedges.

YUM!

Cuban Braised Beef and Peppers

Menu:
Cuban Braised Beef and Peppers || Real Simple, December 2009
Brown Rice

Red Beans with Pork and Rice

Menu:
Red Beans with Pork and Rice || Fix-It and Forget-It Big Cookbook

Red Beans with Pork and Rice
1 lb. pkg. dried red beans
Ham hocks or sausage cut into small chunks
2 t. salt
1 t. pepper
3-4 cups water
6 oz. can tomato paste
8 oz. can tomato sauce
4 garlic cloves, minced

1. Soak beans for 8 hours or overnight. Drain. Discard soaking water.
2. Mix together all ingredients in slow cooker.
3. Cover. Cook on low 10-12 hours, or until beans are soft. Serve over rice.

Split Pea Soup

Menu:
Split Pea Soup || Fix-It and Forget-It Big Cookbook

NOTE: I apologize for the horrible picture. Part of it is the photographer's fault (me and my lack of food styling before digging into my dinner). Part of the is the subject (I'm not sure split pea soup can ever look pretty). But trust me, this soup was amazing. So amazing that BOTH of my boys went back for seconds.

Split Pea Soup
6 servings
Prep Time: 15 Minutes | Cooking Time: 7 Hours

2 carrots
2 ribs celery
1 onion
1 leek
1 ripe tomato
1 smoked ham hock
1-3/4 cup (1 lb.) dried split peas, washed and stones removed
2 T. olive oil
1 bay leaf
1 t. dried thyme
4 c. chicken broth
4 c. water
1 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
2 t. chopped fresh parsley

Cut all vegetables into 1/4-inch pieces and place in slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients except salt, peper and parsley.

Cover. Cook on high for 7 hours (NOTE: I turned mine to low the last 3 hours).

Remove ham hock. Shred meat from bone and return meat to pot.

Season soup with salt and pepper. Stir in parsley. Serve immediately.

Chicken & Dumplings

Menu:
Chicken & Dumplings || Fix It & Forget It

Chicken & Dumplings
8 servings

Soup Ingredients
4 c. cooked chicken, diced
6 cups chicken broth
1 T. parsley (fresh)
1 med. onion
3 celery stalks (about 1 cup)
4 potatoes, diced (about 6 cups)
1 c. green beans
1 c. carrots, halved and sliced

Dumpling Ingredients
2 c. flour (half white, half whole wheat)
1 t. salt
4 t. baking powder
1 egg, beaten
2 T. olive oil
2/3 c. milk

1. Combine all soup ingredients.
2. Cover and cook on low 4-6 hours in a crockpot.
3. Transfer to large soup kettle with lid. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer.
4. To make dumplings, combine flour, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl.
5. In a separate bowl, combine egg, olive oil and milk until smooth. Add to flour mixture.
6. Drop by large tablespoonfuls on top of simmering broth until the dumplings cover the surface of the soup.
7. Cover. Simmer for 18 minutes without lifting the lid.

Barbecued Pork Sandwiches

Menu:
Barbecued Pork Sandwiches
Cole Slaw
Sweet Potato Fries with Tahini

Barbecued Pork
8 Servings

3 lbs. pork, cubed
2 c. onions, chopped
3 green peppers, chopped
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. vinegar
6 oz. can tomato paste
1-1/2 T. chili powder
1 t. dry mustard
2 t. Worcestershire sauce
2 t. salt

1. Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker.
2. Cover. Cook on high for 8 hours.
3. Shred meat with fork, mix into sauce and heat through.
4. Serve on hamburger buns with cole slaw.

Taco Salad

Menu:
Taco Salad with Left-Over Spicy Pulled Pork

White Bean & Kielbasa Stew

Menu:
White Bean & Kielbasa Stew | Real Simple
Crusty Rolls

White Bean & Kielbasa Stew
Serves 6
Hands-on Time: 15m
Total Time: 8hr 00m

Ingredients
1 pound dried white beans (such as great Northern or navy)
14 ounces kielbasa, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/2 inch thick
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 large onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
5 ounces baby spinach (6 cups)
country bread, for serving

Directions
1. In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the beans, kielbasa, broth, tomatoes (and their juices), onion, garlic, rosemary, and 1 cup water.

2. Cover and cook until the beans are tender, on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 5 to 6 hours (this will shorten total recipe time).

3. Just before serving, stir in the spinach. Serve with the bread.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Menu:
Chicken Noodle Soup

Cuban Braised Beef & Peppers

Menu:
Cuban Braised Beef and Peppers || Real Simple

We all really liked this -- a lot. Forgot the cilantro for the picture, but did add it before I ate it. Yum.

Sausage and Cabbage Soup

Menu:
Turkey Sausage and Cabbage Soup
Bread

(It doesn't look very good, and it wasn't. I actually think it would have really good if I would have left out the milk and flour that the recipe called for)

Turkey Sausage Stew

Menu:
Turkey Sausage Stew in the crockpot (I used chicken sausage)
Maché Salad with Pistachios and Avocados