Recipe: Slow Cooker Hawaiian BBQ Chicken

We are definitely in the middle of summer.  The temp has been in 100's here and it has been too hot to do much of anything much less turn on the oven and cook.  I have been making lots of slow cooker meals.  I have family favorites that I have been making but I wanted to shake things up a bit so when I found this recipe that I had pinned last year, I knew this was going into my slow cooker immediately.  Why it took me so long to make it is beyond me and I could kick my self.  This chicken is full of flavor and the pineapple make it totally yummy.  I used a spicier BBQ sauce to balance out the sweetness.  Yum, yum, yum! 

The only slight change I made was only adding half of the BBQ sauce during the cooking and adding the rest once the chicken was shredded and put back in the slow cooker. I served the sandwiches with chips and was happy to not have to turn on the oven at all that night.

Enjoy!

Hawaiian BBQ Chicken

slightly adapted from Framed Cooks

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Ingredients

• 3 pounds boneless chicken breasts
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 20-oz can pineapple chunks, drained
• 1 bottle BBQ sauce, 18-20 ounces.
• Hamburger rolls
• Extra BBQ sauce for topping

Instructions

1. Place chicken, pineapple and onion in slow cooker.
2. Add half of the bottle of BBQ sauce.
3. Cook for 6-8 hours on low.
4. Once chicken is cooked, remove chicken breast from cooker, leaving the pineapple and onion.
5. If there is a lot of cooking liquid, remove all but about 1/4 cup of the liquid, set aside.
6. Shred chicken and return to the cooker.
7. Add the remaining BBQ sauce and stir. You want all of the chicken, pineapple and onions to be coated in the sauce.
8. If the chicken mixture looks a bit dry, add a little of the reserved cooking liquid until it reaches the consistency that you like.
9. Cook for about an hour on low so the chicken absorbs some of the BBQ sauce.
10. Serve piled on hamburger buns with BBQ sauce on the side.

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Linked To:
*Make Ahead Meals for Busy Mom: Melt in Your Mouth Monday
*Beyer Beware: Hunk of Meat Monday
*Flour Me With Love: Mix It Up Monday
*Mrs Happy Homemaker: Makin' You Crave Monday
*The Southern Institute: Creative Me
*diy Home Sweet Home: More the Merrier
*Marvelously Messy: A Marvelous Mess
*Delightfully Dowling: Mangia Monday
*Keeping It Simple: Motivate Me Monday
*Blessed with Grace: Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
*It's a Blog Party: Delicious Dishes
*Inside BruCrew Life: Trick or Treat
*Mandy's Recipe Box: Totally Tasty Tuesday
*Our Delightful Home: Show Me What You Got
*33 Shades of Green: Tasty Tuesday
*Reasons to Skip the Housework: Tuesday Timeout
*Chef in Training: Tuesday Talent Show
*Lady Behind the Curtain: Cast Party Wednesday
*Mom on Timeout: Taking a Timeout Thursday
*A Creative Princess: It's a Party
*36th Avenue: Show Me Extraordinary
*A Glimpse Inside: Catch a Glimpse
*A Little Nosh: Tastetastic Thursday
*Happy Hour Projects: Happy Hour Friday
*The Grant Life: Financial Friday
*Simple Sweet Home: Friday Favorites
*Bacon Time with the Hungry Hungry Hippo: Anything Goes
*It's a Hodgepodge Life: Hodgepodge Friday
*Stuff and Nonsense: Fridays Unfolded
 

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Top Five Viewer Favorite Recipes of 2011

All this week, I have been sharing my family's favorite recipes from this year but these are the most viewed on the blog.  I am excited to share these with you and can't wait to bring you some new recipes for the upcoming year!  

Here are the top five recipes that were the most viewed:

#1

This recipe has so many views and with good reason...it is SO good!

Crock Pot Chicken Parmesan

~~~~

#2

My obsession with finding the very exact recipe for 

hashbrown casserole at Cracker Barrel finally came to an end this year!

After years of searching, I finally found it!

Copy Cat *Cracker Barrel* Hashbrown Casserole

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#3

I created this truffle recipe for a recipe challenge and I am 

so glad that I did!  Not only are they simple and easy to make,

they taste like yummy goodness!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Truffles

~~~~

#4 

I came across this recipe on Pinterest and it has

quickly become a favorite go to our house.

 Crock Pot Soup

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#5

I make this recipe at home frequently because we

do not live very close to a Pizza Hut.  This is our 

favorite pizza both at home and at Pizza Hut.

Copy Cat *Pizza Hut* Stuffed Crust Pizza

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Thanks for making this such a fabulous year!

See you in 2012!

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Countdown to 2012: Best Crock Pot Recipes

I am so excited to be joining SnoWhite at Finding Joy in My Kitchen for her annual countdown.  I participated last year and it was interesting to look back on my blog to see the recipes that I made over the past year.

I love to use my crock pot year round, especially in the summer so I don't heat up my house using the oven.  There is nothing better than walking into the house after a busy day and be greeted by the wonderful smells of dinner already made.   

These were our favorite crock pot dishes this year:

Crock Pot Chicken Parmesan

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 Smothered Pork Chops in the Slow Cooker

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Crock Pot Pintos

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Crock Pot Soup

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Recipe: Crock Pot Soup

First, let me start off by saying...please excuse my pictures.  The girls and I came home from a very long day of school and after school activities.  We were all hungry and I needed to get food on the table as soon as possible or my children would have fired me as their mother.  So, I was only able to snap a few pics of this most delicious soup while it was still in the crock pot.  Don't let my pictures deter you from making one of the easiest and tasty soups that I have had in a while.  Full of flavor and warming to the soul...this soup is fantastic!  If you are short on time but want to get something in the crock pot...this recipe is for you!  My kids ate it up and wanted more.  It makes a large amount so it will feed many hungry people with a hearty appetite or you can freeze the leftovers for a quick meal later.  I served my soup with some tortilla chips, shredded cheese and sour cream.  My oldest daughter dipped flour tortillas in hers.  I liked mine with a little salsa verde on it for a bit more "kick."  

I found this recipe on Pinterest but it did not have a source attached to it.  If this is your recipe let me know, so I can give you credit.  

I loved how super simple this recipe was to make and it only used a few ingredients, so I will be putting this on our menu more often.  I will update the pictures soon so they do justice to this awesome soup!

Enjoy!

Crock Pot Soup

{source unknown/adapted by Wende Rickett}

6018405

Ingredients

• 1 can diced tomatoes with chilies
• 1 can white beans, drained and rinsed (or black beans, pintos,etc.)
• 2 cups frozen corn (you can also use canned corn)
• 2 frozen chicken breasts
• 1 8 oz package cream cheese
• 1 package Ranch Dressing mix
• 1 tbsp cumin (we love cumin, so adjust according to your family's taste)
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 can diced chilies, optional

Instructions

1. Put all ingredients in the crock pot.
2. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
3. Remove chicken breast and shred.
4. Return on pot and stir.
5. If the soup is too thick for your liking, you could add warmed chicken stock to make it the consistency you prefer.

Serve with tortilla chips, sour cream, shredded cheese and salsa on top.

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Linked To:
*Mandy's Recipe Box: Totally Tasty Tuesday
*33 Shades of Green: Tasty Tuesday 
*Permanent Posies: Tuesday Tasty Tidbits
*Chef in Training: Tuesday Talent Show 
*From Mess Hall to Bistro: Made From Scratch Tuesday
*My Sweet and Savory: Let's Do Brunch 
*A Creative Princess: It's a Party 
*This Chick Cooks: These Chicks Cooked
*It's a Keeper: It's a Keeper Thursday  
*Around My Family Table: Turn the Table Thursday
*Momnivore's Dilemma: Creative Juice
*Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday
*Somewhat Simple: Strut Your Stuff
*What Allie's Making Now: Making It with Allie
*A Glimpse Inside: Catch a Glimpse Party 
*Mom On Timeout: Taking A Timeout Thursday
*Simply Sweet Home: Friday Favorites 
*Bacon Time with the Hungry Hungry Hippo: Anything Goes 
*Stuff and Nonsense: Fridays Unfolded
*Amy's Finer Things: Finer Things Friday 
*Designs by Gollum: Foodie Friday 
*Be Different, Act Normal: Show and Tell Saturday 
*LambAround: Not Baad Sundays 
*I Heart Naptime: Sundae Scoop
*Nifty Thrifty Things: Nifty Thrifty Sunday
*The Sweet Details: Savory Sunday 
*Beyer Beware: Hunk of Meat Monday 
*Life as Mom: Ultimate Recipe Swap 
*Mom's Crazy Cooking: This Week's Craving
 
 
 

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Recipe: Crock Pot Pintos

We are a Mexican food lovin' family!  We love it all...burritos, tacos, enchiladas, chalupas...you name it and we will probably eat with some salsa on top.  Pinto beans is at the very top of the list.  I have been eating pinto beans for as long as I can remember.  Is it a southern thing or Texas thing?  I am not sure, but they are so good.  I have always made my pintos the traditional way by soaking the beans overnight and cooking them on the stove top with some sort of ham bone or ham hock.  While the beans taste so yummy, it takes some time to make.  

One day, I was cruising through Six Sister's Stuff blog and came across a crock pot recipe for refried beans.  One of my girl's favorite snack is bean and cheese burritos, but I really don't like the refried beans in a can.  There is no telling what kinds of preservatives are in the canned version.  As much as I like the homemade method sometimes I don't have hours to babysit a pot of beans.  That is why this recipe is now the only way I make pinto beans/refried beans. I gotta tell you, the beans are so good that I make them at least once a week.  By the end of the cooking time, the beans are perfectly seasoned, the onions are so tender and the beans have just the right texture.  When you smash up the beans to make them "refried" the onions are so soft that they mash as well and this gives the beans the most awesome flavor.  My girls love to eat the onions from the pot.  On the days I make them, I bribe my children into good behavior and tell them they won't get any onions if they don't behave.  Now, how weird is that??  But, it works!

Give these a try and you too will never go back to beans out of a can.  Enjoy!

Crock Pot Pintos

(adapted from Six Sister's Stuff)

{print}

1 onion, peeled and halved

3 cups dry pinto beans, rinsed

2 tbsp minced garlic

3 tsp salt

1 3/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper

1 tsp ground cumin (optional)

5 cups water 

4 cups chicken broth

Place the onions, rinsed beans, garlic, salt, pepper and cumin in the crock pot.  Pour in the water and chicken broth; stir to combine. Cook on high for 4-8 hours, adding more water if needed. 

Note: if more than 1 cup of water has evaporated during cooking, then the temperature is too high.

To make the refried beans, strain the beans once they are cooked, reserving the liquid. Mash the beans with a potato masher, adding the reserved water as needed to get the desired consistency. 


Linked To:
*My Sweet and Savory: My Meatless Monday
*11th Heaven's Homemaking Haven: Homemaker Monday 
*Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker: Your Recipe, My Kitchen
*Dining with Debbie: Crock Pot Wednesday
 

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Recipe Review: Smothered Pork Chops

I found this recipe at Mel's Kitchen Cafe and immediately knew that I was going to be giving it a try very soon.  I even added it to my Must Try Tuesday post.  There is nothing better in the world than walking into your house after church knowing that you have a crock pot full of yummy goodness.  As soon as you open your door the smell is so wonderful that you immediately know that this is going to be one tasty dinner.  We had a house full of company and not only was this dish so delightful, it was also easy to prepare.  We served it with mashed potatoes and spooned some of the gravy over the them.  Everyone enjoyed this recipe and it is definitely a keeper in our house and will be made for many Sunday dinners to come.

Enjoy!

Smothered Pork Chops

(original recipe by Mel's Kitchen Cafe)

{print}

Ingredients

5 slices bacon, chopped
6 bone-in pork loin chops, about 3/4-inch thick
Salt and Pepper
2 yellow onions, peeled, halved and sliced into 1/2-inch thick half moons
1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold water
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

In a large skillet over medium heat, fry bacon until lightly browned, about 5-6 minutes. Transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper towels, leaving the drippings in the pan. If you have more than 2 tablespoons drippings, drain the excess. If you don’t have quite that much, supplement with canola oil. When the bacon is cool, transfer to a small bag or tupperware and refrigerate until later.

Heat the skillet with the drippings over medium or medium-high heat until rippling and hot. Meanwhile, pat pork chops dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook pork chops until they are golden brown on each side, about 2 minutes per side, cooking them in batches in the skillet if your skillet isn’t big enough to hold all six at a time in a single layer. When golden on each side, transfer the chops to the slow cooker and repeat with remaining pork.

Pour off all but 1 teaspoon of fat from the skillet; add onions, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup water to empty skillet. Using a wooden spoon, scrape browned bits from bottom of the pan and cook over medium-high heat until onions are soft, about 4-6 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour onion mixture over chops in the slow cooker. Add broth, soy sauce and remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar to skillet, bring to a boil and add bay leaves. Pour mixture over onions in slow cooker.

Cover slow cooker and cook on low until pork is tender, about 8 hours (or cook on high for 4 hours).

When ready to serve, carefully transfer chops to serving platter with a large spoon and tent with foil. Discard bay leaves and pour liquid through a mesh strainer into a saucepan, reserving the solids. Transfer solids to a food processor or blender with 1 cup liquid and blend until smooth. Stir the blended mixture back into remaining liquid in the saucepan. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and remaining 2 tablespoons water together in a small bowl and stir into sauce. Cook over medium heat until thickened and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Stir in vinegar, season with salt and pepper, pour over chops and sprinkle with reserved bacon and parsley. Serve.

Linked To:
* Girlichef:  Potluck Friday
* Simply Sweet Home:  Friday Favorites
* Six Sister's Stuff:  Strut Your Stuff Saturday
* Beyer Beware: Hunk of Meat Monday
* Don't Waste your Homemaking: Unwasted Homemaking Party
* Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms: Melt in Your Mouth Monday
* Lady Behind the Curtain: Cast Party Wednesday
* Crock Pot Recipe Exchange: Wandering the Web

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Recipe Review: Crock Pot Chicken Parmesan

When I came across Monster Mama's post for Crock Pot Chicken Parmesan, I knew that I would be making it in the very near future.  In fact, I featured it on a Must Try Tuesday post.  I love when I can use my crock pot...it just makes getting dinner on the table on those hectic days, so much easier.  It also sounded like the perfect Sunday dinner.  After all, who doesn't love the smell of a cooked meal after getting home from church? 

What makes this recipe unique, in my opinion, is that you don't have to pan fry the chicken in the breading before adding it to the crock pot.  You simply dredge your uncooked breast in egg and bread crumbs and add it to the crock pot.  So super simple!

I made just a few changes to the recipe.  Instead of using a jar sauce, I used my roasted Roma tomatoes which made this dish out of the world good!  I also did not have mozzarella slices on hand so I used shredded.  I wish there was smell-a-vision!  My kids came in and out of the kitchen several times asking if dinner was ready because it smelled so good and they wanted the yummy goodness...lol!

I highly recommend this recipe to any and all...especially if you are looking for a hearty delicious meal that doesn't require a lot of time!

Crock Pot Chicken Parmesan
(adapted from recipe at Monster Mama)
{print}

Ingredients
3-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/2 c Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 egg beaten
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 batch roasted Roma tomatoes (makes 6 cups, use more or less to your liking)

Directions
Drizzle olive oil all over bottom of the crock pot. In a medium bowl or shallow plate, beat egg. In another bowl or shallow plate, mix bread crumbs, spices and grated cheese together and set aside. Dip each chicken breast into egg and then dredge in your breadcrumb mixture, making sure to evenly coat all sides. Place coated chicken on the bottom of crock pot. Sprinkle mozzarella on top of the chicken and pour the roasted Roma tomatoes and sauce over the chicken breasts. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours.

Serve with over a bed of pasta.

Linked To:
 * Mandy's Recipe Box:  Totally Tasty Tuesday
 * At the Well:  Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
 * It's A Blog Party:  Delicious Dishes
 * All the Small Stuff:  Tuesdays at the Table
 * From Mess Hall to Bistro:  Made from Scratch Tuesday
 * Fudge Ripple:  Tuesday Night Supper Club
 * From My Tiny Kitchen:  Gold Star Wednesday
 * Life as Mom:  Ultimate Recipe Swap
 * Dining with Debbie:  What's On the Menu Wednesday
 * It's A Keeper:  It's A Keeper Thursday
 * Prairie Story:  Recipe Swap Thursday
 * Miz Helen's Country Cottage:  Full Plate Thursday
 * Mommy's Kitchen:  Potluck Sunday
 * Six Sister's Stuff: Strut Your Stuff Saturday

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Recipe Review: Crock Pot Baked Oatmeal

In my quest to find more interesting and healthy breakfast items, I came across this recipe on A Year of Slow Cooking.  I so heart oatmeal...it is one of my favorite comfort meals.  When I don't feel good, my mom still makes me oatmeal and it always seems to make me feel better.  That just goes to show you that no matter how old you get, you still need your mommy.  (If you are reading this Mom....love you!)

My oldest daughter helped me put this together because it is so easy and quick.  I have to say it smelled divine while it was cooking.  I have not had baked oatmeal before and I was very surprised.  It was very good and had the texture of a cake or brownie.  I did not add dried fruit so it was not very sweet.  Next time I make this I will add some fruit.  My daughter loved it as well and I put one in her lunch box.

Enjoy!

Baked Oatmeal
(from One Year of Slow Cooking)

3 cups rolled (not instant) oats

1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup milk
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup dried fruit

Add all dry ingredients into the crock pot.  Stir well.  Add melted butter, eggs and milk stirring to incorporate.

Cover and cook on low for 3-5 hours, checking every so often. This is done when the edges are brown and are beginning to crust, and the center is set. An inserted knife should come out clean.

Allow it to cool in the crock pot for at least an hour before cutting. The longer you let it sit, the more set and brownie-like the pieces will be.

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Recipe: Crock Pot Grits

First, let me apologize for my horrible pictures.  At 5:30 in the morning my brain and camera are not yet working.  Add to that three little girls who don't care about my need to document, they just want their cheesy grits.  So, again, sorry for the un-fab pics.

My girls LOVE grits.  I know, crazy right?  They also love eating blue cheese and feta out of the container, but that is another post.  I grew up eating grits and my mother continued the tradition with my girls.  I make them on occasion when I have time.  I don't make instant grits...they are just horrible.  But, I don't always have time in the mornings to make them  before I send them off to school.  And, unfortunately, I am not as dedicated as my mother.  She will get up earlier than us to make them.  I know, she is perfect...right?  Anyway, I decided to give them a try in the crock pot so we could wake up to a hot and mighty tasty breakfast and I could almost be as perfect as my mother. 

There is a different texture between the crock pot grits and stove top grits.  The grits that I made in the crock pot have a more creamy texture.  Stove top grits have a grainier texture.  Either way is good in my opinion.  We put cheese in ours to make them even better.  I also like them with lots of butter and salt. 

The crock pot grits cooked for about 6 hours and was just about the right consistency.

I will be adding this to our breakfast rotation as this beats cold cereal any day!  Enjoy!

Crock Pot Grits

1 cup grits
5 cups water
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 tsp salt

Spray crock pot with nonstick cooking spray.  Add all ingredients.  Stir until combined.  About an hour into the cooking process, give the grits a stir to incorporate the butter throughout.  Once they are done, give them another big stir and serve.

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Leftover Redo: Chicken with Four Pepper Sauce = Southwest Chicken and Rice Soup

Don't you just love a good meal?  And doesn't it taste so much better when you have stretched one meal into two and saved money?  LOVE it!

I had some leftover white rice and Chicken with Four Pepper Sauce that I made the other day.  I could have froze the meal and pulled it out for another day, but I decided I wanted to use it instead.  My oldest daughter is a HUGE soup lover so I thought it would be a nice treat for her, so I made my leftovers into a soup.  It is still in the upper 90's here in Central Texas...not exactly soup weather, but I love my baby.

I am not sure how much chicken and sauce I had leftover, so my recipe isn't exact.  You could use it as guideline and make yours to your family's liking and with ingredients you already have.  You could easily add corn or black beans...whatever you have.  Or instead of the diced tomatoes maybe some salsa instead.  This is one of those recipes that you really can't mess up.  Enjoy!

Southwest Chicken and Rice Soup

Leftover Chicken with Four Pepper Sauce
Leftover white rice
1 can diced tomatoes
1 cup water (add as much or as little as you like for your liking)
2 tsp chicken base
1 tbsp taco seasoning
1 tsp cayenne pepper

Add all ingredients back into the crock pot.  Cook on low for 2 - 4.  Serve with a dallop of sour cream and some shredded cheddar cheese.

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Recipe: Chicken with Four Pepper Sauce

It has been ages since I last posted, but now that we are back to school and our routine is worked out, I have more time to blog.  I am also looking for quick meals now that our evenings are crazy with homework and activities. 

This chicken dish was an experiment that actually came out pretty tasty, best of all it is a slow cooker meal!    I served this over rice but I am sure it would be awesome with some buttered egg noodles.  I also served refried beans and tortillas and some of us made burritos.  It is not very spicy but it has a nice warm flavor.  The pepper and onion blend that I used contained red, green and yellow bell peppers.  I also used mild green chiles.

I think I will do more playing with it because I can totally see it as the base of a soup as well.  My daugthers loved it and asked for seconds.  I had leftovers in a warmed tortilla the next day and it was dee-lightful!

Enjoy!

Chicken with Four Pepper Sauce

3 to 4 chicken breasts (mine were frozen)
1 12 oz bag of 3 Pepper & Onion Blend (mine was frozen)
1 4 oz can diced green chiles
1/2 cup sour cream

Spray a crock pot liner with cooking spray.  Add chicken.  Pour pepper and onion blend over chicken.  Add can of diced green chiles.  Cover and cook on low 4 to 6 hours or until the chicken is tender.  Remove chicken from pot.  Use an *immersion blender to blend the peppers and onions until smooth.  Add sour cream and stir until blended.  Cube chicken and put back in the crock pot.  Cook another 30 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.  Serve over rice or noodles.

*You could also use a standard blender.

See my leftover redo post to find out how I made soup from the leftovers!

Linked to:
 * And Baby Makes Five - Colleen's Kitchen Recipe Swap
 * Designs by Gollum - Foody Friday
 * Mommy's Kitchen - Potluck Sunday
 * Mom's Crazy Cooking - This Week's Cravings

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