Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps (Slow Cooker)

Yield: 6 wraps, about 3 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground chicken
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
• 2 tablespoons canned green chile peppers
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 cup onion, diced
• 1/3 cup hoisin sauce
• 1 cup cooked white rice
• 1 8-ounce can water chestnuts, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 head iceberg lettuce

Instructions:

1. Place ground chicken and minced garlic in a large, microwave-safe bowl. Mix together with a spoon and then microwave for about 5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. 
2. Remove mixture from microwave and drain. Then pour mixture into slow cooker.
3. Add bell peppers, onion, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, diced tomatoes and green chiles to slow cooker. Mix well.
4. Season mixture with salt and pepper, cayenne pepper, and paprika. 
5. Cook on low heat for approximately 2-3 hours or until chicken is tender.
6. When cooking time is up, add in water chestnuts, rice, and rice vinegar. Cook for an additional 3-5 minutes.
7.  Season with additional salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and/or paprika if desired.
8. Separate iceberg lettuce leaves and serve with chicken filling. Enjoy!

Crockpot Hawaiian Pork Chops

Yield: 4 servings
Prep time:15 mins
Cook time:4-6 hours

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds bone-in center cut pork chops
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1 15 oz can pineapple slices
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons flour
• Cilantro for garnish

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, the liquid from the can of pineapple slices, and garlic. Whisk together until well-combined and then stir in the flour until dissolved.
2. Lightly grease slow cooker or Crockpot with olive oil spray.
3. Pour half of the sauce into the slow cooker.
4. Place pork chops in the slow cooker and then add pineapple slices on top.
   
5. Pour the remaining sauce on top of the pork chops and pineapple slices.
6. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 hours.
7. Serve over rice and garnish with chopped cilantro. Enjoy!
   

Crockpot Chicken Quinoa Taco Bowls

Yield: 6 taco bowls
Prep time: 10 minutes
 Cook time: 5-6 hours on low, 3-4 hours on high

Ingredients:

• 6 tortilla taco bowls
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 1/2 cups quinoa
• 1 can sweet corn, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup taco blend cheese
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 large white onion, diced
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup taco sauce
• Optional: sour cream, jalapenos, lime quarters, cilantro, salsa

Instructions:

1. Spread diced tomatoes across bottom of slow-cooker.
2. Rinse quinoa according to package instructions. Then add quinoa to Crockpot. Stir diced tomatoes and quinoa until thoroughly.
3. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Place chicken breasts on top of the diced tomatoes/quinoa mixture in slow-cooker.
4. Add bell pepper, onion, black beans, corn, paprika, cayenne pepper to slow-cooker
5. Cover chicken with chicken broth then add taco sauce and cheese to mixture. Using a wooden spoon, stir the ingredients in the slow-cooker.
6. Set Crockpot to low for 5-6 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
7. About ten minutes before the chicken mixture is done, heat tortilla bowls according to directions.
8. Once cooking time is up, stir contents of the Crockpot. Chicken should be shredded and mixed well with the rest of the ingredients.
9. Scoop contents of slow-cooker into taco bowls. Add extra taco-blend cheese and taco sauce on top. Also add the optional ingredients listed above if desired.
10. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Chunky Beef Stew (Slow-Cooker Version)

I've been sick the last few days and haven't felt up to cooking a full meal. However, I did find the energy to make this hearty and delicious soup. This stew lasted me several days. It was perfect because I didn't want  to venture out in the cold to go to the grocery store when I was feeling sick. Try this recipe out on your next sick day (or whenever!) and let me know what you think.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs beef stew meat, cut into bite-sized chunks
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 celery sticks, diced
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 4 medium red potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 can beef broth (about 14.5 oz)
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 2 cups baby carrots, chopped
• 2 teaspoons thyme

Instructions:

1. Remove beef from fridge and allow to sit in room temperature for approximately 30 mins.
2. After 30 minutes, sprinkle salt and pepper on beef chunks. One by one, dredge beef chunks in flour until well-coated.
3. Heat olive oil and butter on a medium-sized skillet.
4. Working in batches, add beef chunks and garlic to skillet. Make sure beef is not overcrowded on skillet.  Heat beef for several minutes on each side until lightly browned and garlic is flagrant. When finished, pour contents of skillet (including any liquids) into Crockpot before starting next batch.
5. When all beef chunks are added to Crockpot, add all other ingredients (onion, celery, carrots, Worcestershire, beef broth, cream of mushroom soup, parsley, potatoes, thyme) to Crockpot and cook on low for approximately 6 hours. 
6. Serve and enjoy. 

Crockpot Pot Roast

This past week has been super busy. We just moved into our new apartment and are still getting settled in. I wanted to cook dinner last night but knew I would not have much time later in the evening as there was plenty of unpacking and organizing to do. I made this simple pot roast in my Crockpot. It worked out great--I put the Crockpot on at about noon and the roast was ready by dinnertime at 8. This dish is perfect for those nights when you just want to "set it and forget it". If you try this recipe, let me know what you think! Leave a comment below with your thoughts.

Ingredients

• Boneless Beef chuck roast (about 2-3 lbs)
• 2 cups baby carrots
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1 lb red potatoes, sliced into quarters
• 2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 2 teaspoons thyme
• 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• Kosher salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Place potatoes and carrots in slow cooker.
2. Cut roast in half.
3. Combine mustard, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, thyme, garlic salt, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub this mixture all over the roast.
4. Place roast in slow cooker. Top with diced onions and beef broth.
5. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.