Sweet & Spicy Meatballs & Rice

This is something that I make when I go to parties (minus the rice) or just when I want something quick and simple to make for dinner.

These Sweet and Spicy Meatballs are always a hit...

Ingredients:

Jar of Grape Jelly (18 oz)
Jar of Chili Sauce (12 oz)
Frozen Meatballs (about 50-60)...

If you are going to a party, these are the only ingredients you need...but if you are eating this at home, you will need to put something with them...we like to eat rice with our meatballs, but we've also put the meatballs over baked potatoes, french fries, pasta or you can turn them into a meatball sub...There are lots of things you can eat meatballs with...

Tonight, we are eating them with rice...now being someone who likes to keep it simple, I like to use the Steamfresh Whole Grain Brown Rice...Pop this in the microwave per bag instructions and you have ready-to-eat rice in 4 - 4 1/2 minutes. Put on your plate and spoon meatballs on top.

Instructions:

Pour frozen meatballs into the crock pot...

Mix Jelly & Chili Sauce together...

Pour over meatballs...

Mix well...

Put lid on and Cook on LOW for 3 hours...

Enjoy!

Easy Salmon in the Crockpot

We love fish around here...Salmon and Orange Roughy are big favorites of ours...but eating out isn't always an option because of the expense...so when I can find a simple recipe that can go in the crockpot...I'm all there and I wanted to share it with you...

Here's what you need:

Frozen or Fresh Salmon or Orange Roughy
Old Bay Seasoning
1 1/2 sticks of Butter or Margarine

Slice the butter...

Put it in the bottom of your
Crock Pot just like this...

Place the fish on top of butter...

Place a few more slices of butter
on the fish...

Sprinkle with Old Bay Spice...

Cook on LOW for about 4 hours...Enjoy!

I serve this with baked potatoes and a small salad. I also season it a little more in the last 15 minutes or so of cooking, but that's just me...

Happy Slow Cooking!

Banana Oatmeal

I love oatmeal...it's filling, you can add cinnamon or berries or just eat it plain...

So today I've decided to post an oatmeal recipe...

Banana Oatmeal

4 cups water
1/2 cup fat-free, sweetened condensed skim milk
2 cups old-fashioned oats, dry
2 medium bananas, thinly sliced into 1/4 inch pieces

Spray crock pot with cooking spray. Place water, milk, oats in crock pot and stir to mix. Cook on LOW for 6 hours. Add the bananas 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm.

Now I know what you're saying...6 hours? It will be lunch time before it's done...grin...Here's the thing...you can get an inexpensive timer and plug your crock pot into it (or you can buy a crock pot with a timer, but I don't like those)...set your timer to go off 6 hours before you are ready to get up and have breakfast waiting for you...

Hugs and enjoy!

Peanut Butter Crock Pot Bread

Okay, I found this recipe and I just had to post it...I can't wait to try it and if you do, please let me know what you think...I love peanut butter and I love bread...so what could be better then a PJ sandwich in the crock pot...yummmy....


Peanut Butter Crock pot Bread

• 2 cups flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup peanut butter, smooth or crunchy
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1 cup milk

Preparation:

Mix flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in bowl. Cut in peanut butter. Stir in nuts. Add egg and milk and mix with fork only until dry ingredients are moistened. Turn into well greased and floured 2-pound coffee can, loaf pan or insert. Cover with paper towels & lid. With cover slightly ajar, cook on high for 2 hours or until done. Let stand in insert or on a cake rack for 10 minutes. Turn out on rack to completely cool. Store overnight before slicing.

Happy Slow Cooking! Enjoy!

Pumpkin Bread

Here's a recipe that you can make in the oven or in the crock pot...

Pumpkin Bread

1/2 c. oil
1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 beaten eggs
1 c. canned pumpkin
1 1/2 c. sifted flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg or 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. soda
1 c. chopped walnuts
1/2 c. dates, cut up

Blend oil and sugars, stir in eggs and pumpkin. Sift dry ingredients and add to above. Stir in nuts and dates. Pour butter into greased and floured 2 pound coffee can. Place can in an upright crock pot (if you do not have an upright...you can put the batter in a well greased loaf pan). Put your 8 paper towels on opening and then place lid on crock pot. cook on HIGH for 3 hours. No peeking until last hour. If you make this in the loaf pan, you may not have to cook as long....

CONVENTIONAL OVEN: In loaf pan, bake at 350 degrees for approximately 1 hour.

Happy Slow Cooking! Enjoy!

Honey Wheat Bread

Bread is something you can make in the crock pot...so I will be posting bread recipes for the next couple of posts...Hope you enjoy!

Honey Wheat Bread

2 c. warm skim milk
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp. molasses
3/4 tsp. salt
1 pkg. active dry yeast
3 c. whole wheat flour
3/4 c. bran
1/4 c. wheat germ

Preheat crock pot on high setting for 30 minutes. Combine warm (not hot) milk, oil, honey, molasses, salt, yeast and half the flour in a bowl. With electric mixer, beat well for about 2 minutes. Add remaining flour; mix well. Place dough in well-greased baking pan (loaf pan); cover, bake on HIGH for 3 hours.


**don't forget...when making bread in the crock pot, you want to take about 8 paper towels and place them over the crock pot opening and then place the lid on the crock pot...this will keep the condensation from making your bread wet...

Happy Slow Cooking! Enjoy...

Baking Bread in the Crock Pot tips

I've had a few people ask about making bread in the crock pot, so I thought I would share these tips to help you out...If you remember these tips, you'll have wonderful bread...from the crock pot...

Tips:

1. Save your coffee cans, canned vegetable cans, use the loaf pan you all ready have, etc. Any 1, 2 or 3 pound coffee or nut can or any metal mold that holds 4, 8 or 12 cups. (copper gelatin molds, baking pans, etc.) can be used...
2. Grease insert or can with solid vegetable shortening.
3. Only half fill the insert or can. This allows for rising.
4. Heat needs to be able to circulate around the insert. If a baking rack isn't available, crumple up enough aluminum foil to raise the can about an inch from the bottom of the crockpot.
5. If there is not lid, cover the can with a double thickness of paper towels.(about 8 paper towels)
   
6. Place lid on crockpot for baking...the lid will hold the paper towels in place.
   
7. Generally, baking is done on high heat, but you should follow the recipe instructions.
8. Only lift lid to check for doneness. (usually in the last hour) Lifting the lid too often will let necessary heat escape.
9. Use pot holders or folded paper towels to remove can or insert from crock pot.

I hope these tips will help you make wonderful breads and cakes in your crock pot...

Happy Slow Cooking! Enjoy!