Merry Merry Christmas!!!

Hello Everyone!

From my family to yours, we hope you have a wonderful holiday that is filled with family, friends, laughter, and love!

Stay safe and I hope Santa brings you everything on your wish list!

Hazel's Crock Pot Kitchen will re-open after the first of the year.

Happy Slow Cooking and Have a very Merry Merry Christmas! Hugs and more hugs until next year!

Cajun Pecans

Found another great gift idea...

Cajun Pecans

1 pound pecan halves
1/4 cup melted butter
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients in crock pot. Cover and cook on HIGH for 15 minutes. Remove lid and turn to LOW and continue to cook for 2 hours, stir occasionally. Spoon nuts into jars and give as gifts...

Happy Slow Cooking! Enjoy and Hugs...

More Party Recipes on Hazel's Crock Pot Kitchen...

Hot Cran-Apple Punch

After a day of building snowmen, skiing or caroling, this makes a great little warm-up drink...

Hot Cran-Apple Punch

4 1/2 cups cranberry juice
6 cups apple juice
5 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cinnamon sticks
1 teaspoon whole cloves

Pour juices into crock pot; stir in brown sugar and salt. Stir until brown sugar is dissolved. Put cinnamon sticks and cloves in cheesecloth and tie cloth shut. Drop into crock pot. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 hours; remove cheesecloth and then turn crock pot back to LOW to keep punch warm.

Happy Slow Cooking! Enjoy and Hugs...


More Party Recipes can be found on Hazel's Crock Pot Kitchen...

Hot Mint Chocolate

Hot Chocolate is a favorite around here and this is our most favorite recipe...

Hot Mint Chocolate

4 large chocolate covered cream filled mint patties (peppermint patties)
5 cups milk
1/2 cup malted milk powder (Ovaltine)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Whipped cream, optional
Peppermint sticks/candy cane, optional

Combine all but optional items in crock pot. Cover and heat on low for 2 hours. Beat with mixer until frothy...pour into mugs, garnish with whipped cream/peppermint sticks/candy canes

Happy Slow Cooking! Enjoy and Hugs!

More beverage drinks on Hazel's Crock Pot Kitchen...

Apple Butter using apples

Just for you, Bish...I don't know why I didn't think about posting a recipe using actual apples...grin...

Apple Butter (using apples)

4 quarts apples, peeled, thin-sliced or chopped (McIntosh/Jonathan)

4 cups sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt

Spray the crock pot with cooking spray. Mix all ingredients in the crock pot. Cover and cook on HIGH for 1 hour. Stir to mix again and then turn crock pot down to LOW and 7 to 8 hours (you might need to cook longer depending on your how hot your crock pot cooks...you want your apple butter to be thick and brown in color. You will want to stir the apple butter throughout the day...just remember, every time you lift the lid, you need to add 15 to 20 minutes to your cook time.

Once you have apple butter, you will want to spoon it (while hot) into pint size jars or jelly jars and let the apple butter sit so they can seal. If they seal, you should be able to keep the apple butter for up to a year...

Happy Slow Cooking! Enjoy and Hugs...

More Gift Ideas from Hazel's Crock Pot Kitchen...

Caramel and Peanut Butter Sauce

Okay, I know what you are saying...How is this a gift? Well, first, it can be a wonderful dipping sauce for apples or use as a sauce over pound cake slices if you need a holiday party recipe. And second, it can be a gift by just putting some in small jelly jars and giving it with a little card that tells the giftee to microwave to warm and then they can use it to dip apples or to pour over pound cake...or pancakes...

Caramel and Peanut Butter Sauce

1 (14 oz) package caramels, unwrapped
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup peanut butter, smooth
1/c cup Pecans, chopped into small pieces, optional

Mix all ingredients into a crock pot sprayed with cooking spray. Cover and cook on LOW for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Stir after about the first 30 to 45 minutes to make sure the caramels don't burn and get mixed up. You might want to keep a check on the caramels to make sure they are melting evenly. When the caramels are melted and the sauce is smooth, it is ready.

When melted, spoon into small jars and place a note with the sauce that says to microwave on low for 30 seconds (10 seconds longer if not melted)...

Happy Slow Cooking! Enjoy and Hugs!


For more Gift Ideas from Hazel's Crock Pot Kitchen

Apple Butter

Okay, I know I said the next few weeks would be holiday party ideas, BUT...it is the holidays, so what better to post than holiday gift ideas...You heard me...let your "Hazel" create some wonderful holiday gifts...

The first is a favorite around my house...Apple Butter...

Crock Pot Apple Butter

7 cups unsweetened applesauce
2 cups apple cider
1 1/2 cups honey
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon allspice

Combine all ingredients in a crock pot sprayed with cooking spray. Mix well. Cook on LOW for 12 to 14 hours...

I know this seems like a very long cooking time, but it is so easy to mix up, that you can do it before you leave for work and not worry about it until after dinner...Have some jelly jars and fill them to give as gifts...Simple and yummy...what better gift is there?

Happy Slow Cooking! Hugs and Enjoy!

Get more Party Recipes or Gift Ideas from Hazel's Crock Pot Kitchen...

Party Nuts

Dips are important, but why not surprise your guest with some tasty nuts?

Curried Almonds

2 Tablespoons melted butter
1 Tablespoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound blanched almonds

Mix first 3 ingredients in a bowl. Spray crock pot with cooking spray and put almonds in crock pot. Pour mixture over almonds. Stir to coat almonds well. Cover and cook on LOW 2-3 hours. Turn to HIGH and cook uncovered for 1 hour. Serve hot or cold...


Chili Nuts

1/4 cup melted butter
2 (12 oz) cans cocktail peanuts
1 envelope chili seasoning mix

Spray crock pot with cooking spray. Put peanuts in the crock pot. Mix butter and seasoning together and then pour over peanuts. Stir to mix well. Cover and cook on LOW 2 hours. Turn to HIGH and remove lid. Cook for 15 minutes. Serve warm or cold.

These can make great gift ideas for the Holidays! Just spoon a cup or two into gift bags and add to a basket...

Happy Slow Cooking! Enjoy and Hugs...

Check out more Party Recipes from Hazel's Crock Pot Kitchen...

Artichoke Cheese Dip

Have you noticed that most dips have cheese...Just one more reason to love dips!!!

Artichoke Cheese Dip

Ingredients:

1 lb. shredded Mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
1 c. (8 1/2 oz. can) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
2 Tablespoons chopped onion

Directions:

Spray crock pot with cooking spray. Mix all ingredients in crock pot. Cover and cook on LOW for 2 hours.

Serve with crackers or snack bread slices.

Happy Slow Cooking! Enjoy and Hugs...

Check out these other Party Recipes from Hazel's Crock Pot Kitchen...

Cheesy Hamburger Dip

Dips are great to bring to holiday parties. They are simple and taste great. Here's a simple little recipe that will be a hit...

Cheesy Hamburger Dip

1 lb ground beef (you can use 1/2 lb beef and 1/2 sausage if you want a different twist)
1 small to medium onion, chopped well
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 (8 ounce) jar salsa (mild, medium or hot...your choice)
1 (14 ounce) can nacho cheese soup (campbells)
2 ounces of Velveeta cheese, chunked (can use more if you want it a little cheesier)
Nacho chips or crackers

Spray crock pot with cooking spray. Brown burger and onions in skillet. Drain. Combine burger and all other ingredients in crock pot...Stir to mix well and cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours. Stir occasionally. Serve with nachos...

Happy Slow Cooking! Enjoy and Hugs...

Check out these other Party Recipes from Hazel's Crock Pot Kitchen...

Crab Rangoon Dip

So now it starts...the Holiday Parties! Not only do you have to keep working, get the kids to all their holiday school activities, buy gifts for family and friends, but you also have the parties to go to...Why not make at least one thing easy to do this holiday season...

For the next week or two, I will be posting easy party recipes that you can take to all these parties...and the best part is...Your crock pot will do the work and you will get the credit..

This first recipe is one of my favorite...I love crab rangoon. We get it every time we eat Chinese so when I came across this recipe a couple years back, I couldn't believe my luck.

Crab Rangoon Dip

2 (8 oz each) blocks of cream cheese, cut into cubes
2 (6 oz each) cans lump crabmeat, drained & shredded (I have used imitation crab meat and it worked just fine)
1 (10 oz) can condensed Shrimp Bisque soup (I have only found this in the Campbell's brand)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 scallion, chopped fine

Spray crock pot with cooking spray. Mix all ingredients except the cream cheese in the crock pot. Cover and cook on LOW for 2 to 3 hours. Stirring once each hour. In the last 30 minutes of cooking, add the cream cheese.

Serve dip with crackers or you can lightly fry won ton wrappers...

Happy Slow Cooking! Enjoy and Hugs...

Check out Hazel's other crock pot Party Recipes...