Pumpkin Chili

 It's not a secret in my house that I love to cook with pumpkin.  However, I have some family members who think they don't like pumpkin (sorry if you're reading this and discovering this secret!)  This chili is a great way to incorporate my favorite squash and one that they all will eat!

Ingredients

• 1lb ground beef
• 1lb ground sausage (I like spicy but you can use mild)
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 white onion, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 (15oz.) can cannelini beans
• 2 (15oz.) cans pinto beans
• 1 can petite diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 can tomato paste
• 1 (15oz) can pumpkin puree
• 2 cups beef bone broth (bone broth adds the best flavor)
• 1 TBS ancho chili powder
• 1 TBS chipotle chili powder (you can use 2TBS regular, I just like this flavor combination)
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
• 1 TBS oregano
• 1 bay leaf

Instructions

Instant Pot

1.  Sauté the Meat: Set your Instant Pot to the sauté function. Once it's hot, add the ground beef and sausage. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they are browned and nearly cooked through (they'll finish cooking later).

2.  Add Vegetables: Add chopped peppers, diced onion, and minced garlic to the pot. Sauté everything together until the vegetables are softened, about 5-7 minutes. After this, carefully drain off any excess grease to make your dish less greasy.

3.  Combine Remaining Ingredients: Stir in the remaining ingredients (like diced tomatoes, spices, etc.). Close the lid, set the valve to sealing, and cook on high pressure for 30-40 minutes, depending on your preference for tenderness. After the cooking time is up, carefully release the pressure.

4.  Finish Up: Before serving, make sure to remove the bay leaf (if you added one). Serve hot!

Slow Cooker

1.  Brown the Meat: In a medium skillet over medium heat, add the ground beef and sausage. Cook, breaking it apart, until it’s browned and almost cooked through (it will finish cooking in the slow cooker).

2.  Sauté Vegetables: Add the chopped peppers, diced onion, and minced garlic to the skillet. Cook until the vegetables are soft, about 5-7 minutes. Drain off any excess grease from the skillet.

3.  Prepare the Slow Cooker: For easier cleanup, line your slow cooker with a crockpot liner (optional). Add the browned meat and vegetable mixture to the slow cooker, along with all remaining ingredients. Stir well to combine.

4.  Cook: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 4 hours. 

5.  Serve: Before serving, remember to remove the bay leaf (if you added one).

Crock Pot Shredded Beef Street Tacos

So I'm coming back to my long neglected blog with a recipe to blow your taste buds out of the water! Hands down, this is a new family favorite! For clean up purposes, I really like the slow cooker bags by Reynolds.

Ingredients

• 2 TBS olive oil
• 3 lbs boneless chuck roast
• 3 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 c. beef stock
• 3 TBS tomato paste
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 5 oz. green enchilada sauce

Toppings

• guacamole/avacado (your preference)
• cojita cheese
• cilantro
• lime
• pico de gallo

Directions

1. Mix chili powder, cumin, and paprika in a small bowl. Rub into the chuck roast on both sides. 
2.  Add olive oil to a large nonstick pan and heat over medium-high. Sear the roast for 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Transfer meat to a slow cooker.
3. In the pan you seared the meat in, add the beef stock, simmering on low; scrape the bits of browned meat up. If you have any spices left over from the rub, add them to the simmering broth. 
4. Add the tomato paste and chipotle. Allow to simmer for 2-3 minutes until it thickens a little. 
5. Pour over the meat and allow to cook on low for 6-8 hours. 
6. When the meat can shred easily it's done. Set the meat aside and discard the juices. Return the meat to slow cooker and shred it. Mix in the green enchilada sauce. Leave on warm until ready to serve.

We lightly fry some corn tortillas and top with the toppings as noted, but this works great with flour tortillas if you prefer as well. I usually serve this with a side of charro beans and spanish rice (both homemade, the packaged stuff isn't as good!)

Chicken with Mushroom Sauce

Ingredients

• 3 lbs. chicken breast, halved
• 2 TBS butter, melted
• 2 TBS dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp dried tarragon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1 jar sliced mushrooms, drained
• 1/2 c white wine or chicken broth
• 2 TBS cornstarch
• 1/4 c cold water

Directions

1. Place the chicken in a slow cooker.  Brush with butter.  Sprinkle with parsley, tarragon, salt and pepper.  Top with mushrooms.  Pour wine over all.  Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours.
2. Remove chicken and keep warm.  Skim fat from cooking juices.  In a saucepan, combine cornstarch and water until smooth.  Gradually add cooking juices.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thick.  Serve with chicken.

serves 12

Hungarian Goulash

Ingredients:

• 1/3 c vegetable oil
• 3 onions, sliced
• 2 TBS paprika
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 3 lb chuck roast(cube meat if not using a slow cooker)
• 1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
• 1 1/2 c water
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp salt 

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook onions in oil until soft, stirring frequently. Remove onions and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine paprika, 2 tsp salt and pepper. Coat beef cubes in spice mixture, and cook in onion pot until brown on all sides. Return the onions to the pot, and pour in tomato paste, water, garlic and the remaining 1 tsp salt. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until meat is tender.

Texas Chili

Texans apparently like to put their own stamp on everything they do, including chili.  Here's an easy meal that simmers well in the slow cooker all day and is great for chilly evenings!

Ingredients

• 2 lb ground chili beef
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 large bell pepper, minced
• 3 (15 oz) cans pinto beans
• 2 (28 oz) cans Rotel tomatoes
• 4 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
• 1 TBS jalapeño peppers, minced (optional)
• 1/4 c chili powder
• 1tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1TBS cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp garlic pepper
• 1/4 cup coffee (instant is fine if you don't make a pot daily, like me!)

Directions

1. Cook and stir the beef, onion, and bell pepper in a large pot over medium heat until the beef is brown and onion and pepper are tender, about 10 minutes. Drain grease from beef.  Place in slow cooker.
2. Add to the slower cooker the beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, coffee, jalapeños (if using), chili powder, red pepper flakes, black pepper, salt, and garlic powder. Set slow cooker on low and simmer for 6-8 hours.  The longer you simmer, the more flavor you will get.  Sometimes I simmer up to 10 hours!

Chicken Marrakesh

Looking for something with a little international flair?  Try this great Moroccan style chicken!  Another crockpot meal for an easy meal too.

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
• 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 (15 oz.) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes

Directions:

1. Place the onion, garlic, carrots, sweet potatoes, garbanzo beans, and chicken breast pieces into a slow cooker. In a bowl, mix the cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, black pepper, parsley, and salt, and sprinkle over the chicken and vegetables. Pour in the tomatoes, and stir to combine.
2. Cover the cooker, set to low, and cook until the sweet potatoes are tender and the sauce has thickened, 6 to 8 hours.

Ropa Vieja

This recipe is a crockpot recipe, but can easily be slow cooked in an oven for the same great flavor.  This has great flavor and is so tender!

Ingredients:

• 2 lb. beef chuck roast
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 red bell peppers, cut into wedges
• 2 green bell peppers, cut into wedges
• 1 yellow onion, cut into wedges
• 6 oz. tomato paste - about half a can
• 1/2 c. red wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp seasoned salt
• pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Pierce the beef roast to tenderize it and let the flavors in, and place it into a slow cooker with the garlic, red bell peppers, green bell peppers, yellow onions and sweet onions. Stir in the tomato paste and red wine vinegar. Sprinkle with seasoned salt and ground black pepper.
2. Cover, and cook on Low until the beef is tender, 7 to 8 hours. Remove beef, and shred into long strands using two forks. Return the meat to the slow cooker and combine with the vegetables.
3. Cook on Low until the meat and vegetables are very tender, about 30 minutes.

Beef Pepperoncini Sandwiches

With a busy family, many times we have to eat meals on the hurry. My crockpot is my best friend when it comes meals on the hurry. One tip I can pass along is to buy the crockpot lining bags. They make cleaning up the crockpot very easy and are worth every penny, particularly on those nights when you don't have time for lot of clean up!

So my husband is a big fan of pepperoncini's. When we go to a sandwich shop for lunch, he expects his sandwich coated in them. When I came across this recipe, I knew he would love it. I cut back a little for my own tastes, but my kids are following in their father's foot steps, and they love these things. At least for now, lol...

Ingredients

• 1 (3 lb.) beef chuck roast
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 (16 oz) jar pepperoncini
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 c. warm water
• 1 tsp beef bullion (paste or granules)
• salt and pepper to taste
• French rolls

Directions

1. Make small cuts in roast, and insert garlic slices in cuts.
2. Dissolve the beef bullion in the warm water.
3. Place roast in the slow cooker. Add the beef bullion, bay leaf, and pour the entire contents of the jar of pepperoncini, including liquid, over meat.
4. Cover, and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours.
5. Shred the beef and serve on French rolls

For an added zip, mix up a dressing of horseradish sauce and sour cream, and top the sandwich with provolone cheese...mmmh, yummy