Easy Crock Pot Meals | One Hundred Dollars a Month

Easy Crock Pot Meals – Ham and Cheese Casserole

April 28, 2013 5 Comments

I’m sure you know by now, I am totally in love with my crock pot and the cookbook Fix-It and Forget-It. If you are an early riser this ham and cheese casserole is the perfect make ahead breakfast dish. We had this for breakfast the other morning and it was delicious.

Ingredients

8 slices French bread, cubed
4 eggs
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup cooked ham, chopped
2 cups milk {I used 2%}
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
dash of paprika
butter to coat your crock pot

Directions

Generously butter the sides and bottom of your crock pot. Place the bread, cheese and ham in the bottom of the crock pot and give it a little stir. Combine the milk, eggs and spices in a bowl and whisk together. Pour egg mixture over bread mixture and cook on low for 4 hours until golden brown.

Serve warm!

My favorite Crock Pot - Crock-Pot Cook’ N Carry 6-Quart Portable Slow Cooker
My Favorite Slow Cooker Cookbook - Fix-It and Forget-It Big Cookbook: 1400 Best Slow Cooker Recipes!

Filed Under: breakfast, Crock Pot Recipes, Recipe Tagged With: 5 days of recipes for Christmas morning, Easy Crock Pot Meals, eggs, Ham, Ham and Cheese Casserole, recipes, Sunday brunch recipe

Easy Crock Pot Recipes – Sausage Lentil Soup

April 22, 2013 2 Comments

A big thank you to reader Tara who sent in her favorite lentil soup recipe. I adapted it a little so we’d have plenty extra for leftovers.

We love soup around here and I especially like using my crock pot so I don’t have to babysit the stove top all day long. Here is the recipe. I hope you like it, we sure did!

Ingredients

6 cups beef stock
2 cups lentils, rinsed
2 cooked kielbasa sausages, sliced
1 can {15 oz} diced tomatoes
3 carrots, chopped
5 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup cooked rice {optional}

Directions

Place all the ingredients in a crock pot {except the rice} and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours. Stir in cooked rice right before serving.

**NOTE** If you are a vegetarian– you can swap out veggie stock for the beef and skip the sausage– you may want to add additional salt though. Thanks Tara, this recipe was awesome!

My favorite Crock Pot - Crock-Pot Cook’ N Carry 6-Quart Portable Slow Cooker

My Favorite Slow Cooker Cookbook - Fix-It and Forget-It Big Cookbook: 1400 Best Slow Cooker Recipes!

Filed Under: Crock Pot Recipes, Recipe Tagged With: Easy Crock Pot Meals, lentils, recipes, Soup

Top 10 Soup Recipes

April 18, 2013 5 Comments

Olive Garden Pasta E Fagioli Soup {Copy Cat Recipe}

Baby it’s cold outside!

A heaping bowl of hot soup sounds good on a day like today. Here are my top 10 favorite soup recipes.

Stay warm,

Mavis

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Corn Chowder with Bacon, Potatoes and Chives

Black Bean and Corn Soup

Rustic Pea Soup with Ham

Vegetable Soup with Beef

Creamy Chicken Soup

Taco Soup

Fully Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Guinness Beef Stew

Filed Under: Recipe Tagged With: Easy Crock Pot Meals, one hundred dollars a month, recipes, Soup

Easy Crock Pot Recipes – Savory Chicken with Tomatoes

April 15, 2013 Leave a Comment

I don’t know about you, but I love it when I only have to spend a whopping 5 minutes throwing dinner together. This chicken turned out unbelievably moist.

I hope you like it. We sure did.

Ingredients

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 15 oz can stewed tomatoes
4 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions

Place the stewed tomatoes in the bottom of the crock pot, add chicken, then spices. Cook on low for 5 hours or high for 3 hours. Serve over a bed of rice. That’s it! Wahooooo!

Are you in love with your crock pot too? Then be sure and check out more of my favorite crock pot recipes.

My favorite Crock Pot – Crock-Pot Cook’ N Carry 6-Quart Portable Slow Cooker
My favorite Slow Cooker Cookbook – Fix-It and Forget-It Big Cookbook

Filed Under: Crock Pot Recipes, Recipe Tagged With: chicken, Easy Crock Pot Meals, recipe

Easy Crock Pot Recipes – Black Bean and Corn Soup

March 25, 2013 6 Comments

I was over at Mrs. Hillbilly’s House the other day and she was telling me about a new recipe she had tried from our favorite cookbook Fix-It and Forget-It Big Cookbook: 1400 Best Slow Cooker Recipes. If you don’t have this cookbook you are seriously missing out BIG TIME.

In a nutshell, it’s da’bomb!

I adapted the recipe a wee bit and used what I had on hand and this turned out so good, I actually made myself sick. I ate 3 bowls full of this soup and yes, I was moaning like a fat gnome who had overdosed on mushrooms for a good hour or so. But man, it was totally worth it.

Ingredients

2 {15 oz} cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 {14 oz} can tomatoes, undrained
1 {14 oz} corn, drained
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons fresh chives {onions would be fine}
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teasspoon cumin powder
1 clove garlic, minced

Directions

Toss everything in the crock pot and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.

My favorite Crock Pot – Crock-Pot Cook’ N Carry 6-Quart Portable Slow Cooker

My Favorite Slow Cooker Cookbook – Fix-It and Forget-It Big Cookbook: 1400 Best Slow Cooker Recipes!

Filed Under: Crock Pot Recipes, Recipe Tagged With: Easy Crock Pot Meals, recipe

Slow Cooker Recipes – Olive Garden Pasta E Fagioli Soup {Copy Cat Recipe}

February 2, 2013 8 Comments

If you are having people over for the Super Bowl tomorrow and are looking for something quick and easy to make, whip up this Pasta E Fagioli Soup in the crock pot on the morning of game day and you’ll be all set.

Not only is this recipe awesome, but it makes a lot of soup. 2 dinners and 2 lunches for our family of four to be exact. So if you don’t want all that soup, then simply cut the recipe in half.

Go make this! Seriously. The come back and tell me how good it was.

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs ground beef
2 cups dehydrated carrots or 2 large carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
{4} 14 oz cans diced tomatoes {do not drain}
{1} 16 oz can red kidney beans, drained
{1} 16 oz can white navy beans, drained
{2} 32 oz cartons of beef stock
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons pepper
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 24 oz jar spaghetti sauce
8 ounces small pasta {I used mini bow tie}

Directions

Brown the beef in a skillet, drain fat, and transfer to a large crock pot. Place all the ingredients {except the pasta} in the crock pot and turn it on {High 5 hours, Low 8 hours}.

30 minutes before serving, stir in the pasta place the lid back on the crock pot.

Once pasta is done cooking, ladle in to bowls and serve. YUMMALICIOUS!

Looking for more copy cat recipes? Check out The Everything Restaurant Recipes Cookbook. The book is filled with all sorts of copy cat recipes form your favorite restaurants. Amazon currently has this book in stock and ready to ship.

Filed Under: Recipe Tagged With: Easy Crock Pot Meals, pasta, recipe

Easy Crock Pot Recipes – 13 Bean Vegetarian Soup

January 10, 2013 8 Comments

Easy Crock Pot Recipes 13 Bean Vegetarian Soup

For the last two nights we’ve been feasting on a giant pot of 13 bean vegetarian soup. This soup is super hearty and perfect for these chilly winter nights we’ve been having. The recipe is simple. Just rinse the beans, place all the ingredients in the crock pot, and turn it on. It doesn’t get any easier than that folks.

Here is the recipe

Ingredients

29 ounce bag Bob’s Red Mill 13 Bean Soup Mix
1 large onion, chopped
3 celery ribs, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups frozen corn
8 cups vegetable broth
2 {14 1/2 ounce} cans diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions

Rinse beans in warm water and add to your crock pot. Add all other ingredients, stir, and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. Serve warm with a crusty hunk of bread.

Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze soup for later use.

My favorite Crock Pot – Crock-Pot Cook’ N Carry 6-Quart Portable Slow Cooker

My Favorite Slow Cooker Cookbook – Fix-It and Forget-It Big Cookbook: 1400 Best Slow Cooker Recipes!

Filed Under: Frugal Living Tagged With: Easy Crock Pot Meals, easy crock pot recipes, Soup

Easy Crock Pot Recipes – Olive Garden Pasta E Fagioli Soup {Copy Cat Recipe}

November 11, 2012 9 Comments

Hang on people. If you are looking for a freakin’ fantastic recipe for a busy weeknight {or lazy weekend} this recipe for Pasta E Fagioli is the one. Now I have not been to The Olive Garden in like 10 years, but I do remember how good their soup and bread sticks are.

Not only is this recipe awesome, but it makes a lot of soup. 2 dinners and 2 lunches for our family of four to be exact. So if you don’t want all that soup, then simply cut the recipe in half.

Go make this! Seriously. The come back and tell me how good it was.

Ingredients

Directions

Brown the beef in a skillet, drain fat, and transfer to a large crock pot. Place all the ingredients {except the pasta} in the crock pot and turn it on {High 5 hours, Low 8 hours}.

30 minutes before serving, stir in the pasta place the lid back on the crock pot.

Once pasta is done cooking, ladle in to bowls and serve. YUMMALICIOUS!

Filed Under: Recipe Tagged With: Easy Crock Pot Meals, pasta, recipe

Easy Crock Pot Meals – Honey Chicken and Rice Recipe

October 30, 2012 12 Comments

You know when you make something really good, and you’re like OH MY FREAKIN’ STARS?

Well, this recipe for honey chicken is just that. Oh my freakin’ stars. Next time, I’m making a double batch so we can eat it 2 nights in a row. Yep, it was that good.

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts {I used frozen chicken}
1 small onion, diced
1 cup honey
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

There are really 2 different ways to make this recipe.

If you plan on using frozen chicken breasts, simply turn the crock pot on low, and place frozen chicken in the bottom of the crock pot. Mix all the remaining ingredients together and pour the sauce over the chicken, put the lid on, and cook for 8 hours.

If you plan on using thawed chicken breasts, turn your crock pot on low, and place the chicken in the bottom of the crock pot Mix all the remaining ingredients together and pour the sauce over the chicken, put the lid on, and cook for 3 -4 hours.

Serve over a bed of your favorite rice.

Viola! A scrumptious dinner in no time at all! Man, I love my crock pot!

Want to spend less time in the kitchen and more time doing the things you love? Check out the book Fix-It And Forget-It Big Cookbook: 1400 Best Slow Cooker Recipes By Phyllis Pellman Good. The reviews are awesome and Amazon currently has it on stock.

Filed Under: Recipe Tagged With: chicken, Easy Crock Pot Meals, recipe

Easy Crock Pot Recipes – Italian Chicken Pasta Soup

October 1, 2012 9 Comments

Since school started over a month ago, I’m been using my crock pot about twice a week now for dinner time meals. And why wouldn’t I? The weather is getting colder, everyone is coming home at different times, and it’s so stinkin’ easy to take 5 minutes out of my day to toss a few items in the crock pot for a hot dinner everyone likes.

If you haven’t dusted yours off yet from storing it all summer, now is your chance. This recipe for Italian Chicken Pasta Soup rocks. And seriously, it takes only 5 minutes to prepare.

Ingredients {adapted from Betty Crocker}

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts {I used frozen}
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup pitted ripe olives, cut in half
2 cloves garlic, minced
48 ounces chicken broth
2 cups tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup uncooked small shell pasta { I used mini bow tie pasta}
1 teaspoon Italian seasonings {I used McCormick’s blend}
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Place all of the ingredients in a large crock pot, stir, cover, and cook on the low setting for 8 hours or on the high setting for 4 hours. About 20 minutes before serving the soup, use two forks to shred the chicken in the crock pot. Add pasta, stir and continue to cook in the crock pot for 20 minutes or until the pasta is tender {be careful not to overcook it}. Ladle soup in to bowls and serve.

Looking for more slow cooker recipes? Check out Art of the Slow Cooker By Andrew Schloss. There are over 80 recipes in the book ans it has great reviews. Plus, Amazon currently has it in stock and ready to ship.