My daily needs seem to be spinning out of control and the things that need my attention are starting to fall by the wayside. Lately, I have felt the need to simplify, organize, and refocus myself. I want to turn the daily grind in to daily bread. What does all of this rambling mean? Well, it means I am going to start small but I am going to start! My first step will be a baby step but a step in the right direction - forward!
One of the things that takes up my time is dinner. This is hard for me because I LOVE to cook! It is an art form to me, a way of relaxing. Usually. Lately it has been a time of 2 toddlers screaming, kids fighting, rushing through homework, and running around looking for socks, uniforms and water bottles before we inhale dinner and run out the door! This is not what I had in mind when I envisioned finally having my husband home for family dinners.
So, my relaxing dinner making time is no more (until soccer is over)so now what?
Cry?
NO! I will press on!
I have decided that for the month of October I will make a crock pot dinner every night. I am not sure my quest will be easy but I am willing to give it a try! I have had some BAD crock pot meals in my time (that is for another post - a pretty funny one) but I know that the recipes have come a long way. So, if you have a great crock pot recipe please leave it in the comment section below. If you want to join me I will be posting the list of meals on the September 30th. I am hoping and praying to bring some serenity to my daily life and in turn get a better taste of my daily bread.
That's a very ambitious goal!!! I have a recipe I've been dying to try, for French Dip Sandwiches in the crock pot. I've never made it, but several friends rave about it. I'll have to dig it up and post it.
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
Okay - here's the link:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ourbestbites.com/2008/03/french-dip-sandwiches.html
Here's another one that looks good: (I'm becoming obsessed!)
ReplyDeleteTortellini Soup
1 lb Italian turkey sausage
2-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced
½ c. water
2 cans chicken broth
½ c. apple cider (or a juice-box of apple juice ;)
1 16-oz. can chopped tomatoes
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 c. sliced carrots
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. oregano
2 medium zucchini, diced (I like it chunky, but you could even grate it)
8-10 oz. package cheese tortellini
2 Tbsp. parsley
Brown sausage. Add onion and saute for a few minutes, add garlic and saute for 30-60 seconds. Put in crockpot (at least 4 Qt sized) and add everything except zucchini, tortellini and parsley. Cook for 3-4 hours or until heated through. Add zucchini and tortellini and cook for another hour*. Stir in parsley just before serving. Serve with fresh grated parmesan.
*you may need to adjust this a bit depending on whether you use dry or fresh tortellini. I always use dry, so it takes a full hour in the crockpot. I also use the Cannery dried onion and carrots, so I skip the step where I saute the onions and just throw them in the crock :)
Thanks Nat - both have been added to the list!!!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite is the super simple 7 can tortilla soup! My family doesn't do soup... but if they did...
ReplyDelete1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 (10 ounce) can chunk chicken
1 (15 ounce) can black beans (drained & rinsed)
1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans (drained & rinsed)
1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers, drained
DIRECTIONS
Open the cans of corn, chicken broth, cream of chicken, chunk chicken, pinto and black beans, and diced tomatoes with green chilies. Pour everything into a crockpot, heat for 2 hours on high. Serve with crushed up tortilla chips, salsa, cheese, sour cream (anything you want!)
mmmm makes me hungry! :)
Looks good but I think we will not do canned chicken - I am weirded out by it...I know, I am a freak!
ReplyDeleteHere's two of my favorites and they really are good!
ReplyDeleteCrock Pot Lasagna
8 uncooked lasagna noodles
1 pound ground beef or turkey, cooked (with onion and Mrs. Dash) and drained
1 (28 oz.) jar of spaghetti sauce
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/3 C. water
16 oz. cottage cheese (or ricotta)
2 c. Mozzarella cheese
Combine cooked meat with spaghetti sauce, Italian Seasoning and water. In greased crock pot layer (1/3) uncooked noodles, (1/3) meat mixture, (1/3) cottage cheese. Repeat those layers two more times. Don't worry about the layers being neat or pretty--the noodles aren't going to fit perfectly in a rounded crock pot--but it doesn't matter--once it's cooked it's great. Cook on low 4 hours. The last 20 mins. add the moz. cheese.
CROCK POT MEAT LOAF--this one's a whole meal with the veggies and potatoes included!
1 EGG
1/4 C. MILK
2 SLICES DAY-OLD BREAD, CUBED
1/4 C. ONIONS, CHOPPED
2 TBSP. GREEN PEPPERS, CHOPPED
1 TSP. SALT
1/4 TSP. PEPPER
1 1/2 LBS. GROUND BEEF
1/4 C. KETCHUP
8 SMALL RED POTATOES, HALVED
4-6 MED. CARROTS, CUT IN 1" CHUNKS
1. BEAT TOGETHER EGGS AND MILK.
2. STIR IN BREAD CUBES, ONIONS, GREEN PEPPERS, SALT AND PEPPER. ADD BEEF AND MIX
WELL.
3. SHAPE INTO LOAF THAT IS ABOUT AN INCH SMALLER IN CIRCUMFERENCE THAN THE INSIDE
OF THE SLOW COOKER. PLACE LOAF INTO SLOW COOKER.
4. SPREAD TOP WITH KETCHUP.
5. PLACE HALVED POTATOES AND CARROTS AROUND THE OUTSIDE EDGE OF MEAT LOAF.
6. COVER. COOK ON HIGH 1 HUOR. REDUCE HEAT ATO LOW. COOK 7-8 HOURS LONGER. OR
4 1/2 HOURS ON "HIGH"
Good luck in your quest for peaceful mealtimes and good for you for striving for it! It's a worthy quest and I know you'll achieve it!
Elle
Pre-cook chicken in the crockpot on Sunday, shred it and add it to your meals that require pre-cooked chicken... like enchilada casserole! :)
ReplyDelete