Crock-pot BBQ Beef

Crock-Pot BBQ Beef

Ingredients

• 4 pounds beef chuck roast
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 - 18 ounce bottles of BBQ sauce (your choice)
• 12 hamburger buns

Preparation

Put the roast in the bottom of the crock-pot. Sprinkle the minced garlic and spices over the meat. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours, or until roast is cooked through. Drain the broth from the meat. (If you want, you can save the broth for a later use -- soup, noodles, etc.) Shred the beef with two forks, Add the BBQ sauce to the shredded beef and mix well. Cover and cook for another hour or so. Serve inside of a hamburger bun (sandwich-style) or open-faced.

Chips, coleslaw, green salad, and watermelon all make excellent side dishes for this meal!

It's crowd-pleasing, lip-smacking good! 

Chicken and Lentil Loaf

With the rising cost of meat, lentils are a great way to stretch your ground meat even further! 

Chicken and Lentil Loaf

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground chicken breast
• 2 cups cooked lentils
• 2 eggs
• 1 sleeve saltines, crushed (I used Whole Wheat)
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 2 carrots, shredded
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup ketchup

Preparation

Place all ingredients (except the ketchup) in a large mixing bowl. Mix well to combine. 

Place the mixture in a loaf pan. Spread the ketchup over the top of the loaf to cover well.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour, or until cooked through.

Makes 6-12 servings, depending on how big or small you like your servings!

Chicken Breakfast Sausage

Chicken Breakfast Sausage Patties

Ingredients:

• 5 1/2  pounds ground boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Form into 4 ounce patties. Cook patties in a skillet on the stovetop until cooked all the way through.

Makes 22 patties

Crockpot Lentil Sloppy Joes

Lentils are budget-friendly and a great meat-subsitite in many recipes. Even if you're not looking to give up meat altogether, but you are looking to save money ... consider going LOCO FOR LENTILS!

Lentil Sloppy Joes

 Ingredients

• 2 cups dry lentils
• 8 cups water 
• 1 tablespoon chicken stock base
• 15 ounces tomato sauce
• 6 ounces tomato paste
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce, Bragg's aminos, or coconut aminos
• 3 carrots, shredded

Directions

Place 2 cups of dried lentils into a large microwave safe bowl. Add the 8 cups of water and chicken stock base. Microwave for 25 minutes. Water should (almost) completely absorbed into the lentils. For a stovetop method --add the 2 cups dried lentils, 8 cups water, and 1 tablespoon chicken stock base to a stockpot. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Cook until almost all of the water is absorbed (about 15-20 minutes). Do not drain remaining water from the lentils!

Spray a skillet with non-stick spray. Add the garlic and onion and cook on medium-high until onion is translucent. Add the cooked lentils, onion and garlic, and remaining ingredients to a crockpot. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.

Fresh Roasted Tomato Sauce

Fresh Roasted Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

• 24 Whole Roasted Roma Tomatoes
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 2 teaspoons fennel seed
• 2 teaspoons marjoram
• 1 - 6 ounce can tomato paste
• 1 (6 ounce) can water

Preparation:

Put the tomatoes in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. In a pot on the stovetop, saute onion and garlic in olive oil just until starting to brown.  Place roasted tomato puree into the pot with the onion and garlic. Stir to combine. Add the spices, tomato paste, and can of water. Simmer on low for 30 minutes.

**OR** Place the (blended) roasted tomato puree, sauteed onion and garlic, and remaining ingredients into a crockpot. Cook on low for 4 hours.

If you prefer a meat sauce, brown one pound of ground meat and add it to the sauce.

Chicken Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Chicken Stufffed Cabbage Rolls

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds ground chicken breast
• 2 tablespoon parsley flakes
• 2 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 2 teaspoon granulated onion
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed (to your liking)
• 8 steamed cabbage leaves
• 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
• Green onions, chopped (for garnish)

Preparation:

In a mixing bowl, mix the ground chicken and all of the spices until thoroughly combined. Divide the meat into 8 equal portions and place each portion in the center of a cabbage leaf. Roll the cabbage leaf around the chicken mixture, and secure with a toothpick. Place cabbage rolls in a small baking pan, toothpick side up. Top the cabbage rolls with the diced tomatoes. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes (or until chicken is completely cooked). Garnish the top with green onions, if desired.

1 serving = 1 cabbage roll

Quick Tip: Simple Shredded Chicken

Shredded Chicken In the Crock-pot

Ingredients:

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup water

Preparation:
Place the chicken in the bottom of the crockpot. Cover with water and seasonings. Put the lid on and let cook on low 6-8 hours, until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink. Remove chicken from crockpot. Using 2 forks, shred the chicken. It should fall apart very easy.

Variation: You can add chopped onion and 1 cup of salsa to create a more mexi-style chicken. 

Shredded Chicken on the Stove-top

Ingredients:

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
• about 4 cups of water

Preparation:
Place water and chicken in a pot on the stove-top. Cover. Turn burner on high and bring water to a boil. Turn heat down to  medium and let cook until chicken is done and no longer pink. Strain pot contents through a colander (reserving the strained liquid in a bowl). Remove chicken from colander and shred with 2 forks. Let the strained liquid cool. Use this liquid as you would chicken broth in any recipes. 

See Quick Tip: Chicken Broth for ideas on freezing your broth once it has cooled.

Curried Chicken

Curried Chicken

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces uncooked boneless skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup tomato sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/4 teaspoon basil
• 1/4 teaspoon granulated onion
• 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
• dash of salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation:
Add chicken to a pre-heated wok or skillet. Cook until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink. Add remaining ingredients and cook on medium for 10 minutes. Garnish with green onion.

1 serving = 3 ounces cooked chicken and 1/4 cup sauce

Serves 2