Looking for a good, easy, reliable crock pot recipe!

[toaster]

Hi all--my youngest sister is having her first baby in June, and for her shower, we are going to be giving her quick & easy recipes for a busy new mom. I already have some ideas, but I would like to include a crock pot recipe, as I know that she likes to use her crock pot. Problem is, I don't own a crock pot myself, but I don't want to just pull some random recipe off the internet--I'd much prefer to have someone here share a favorite dependable recipe!

Other than wanting the recipe to be simple to throw together, the only other thing I would mention is that my BIL won't try anything too different; he's a pretty strict meat & potatoes type guy, so you might keep that in mind too. Thanks in advance!

[tigerbaby]

Beth, I have a really simple recipe for scalloped potatoes that I always make in the crockpot. You mostly throw it together by eyeballing everything because you just can't make a mistake with this one.

Butter the inside of the crockpot. Slice about 7-8 potatoes. Take half of the potatoes and layer in the crockpot. Thinly slice an onion and layer on the potatoes. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the top than lightly sprinkle a layer of flour. Take the remaining potatoes and start another layer: potatoes, onions, salt, pepper, and flour. When finished, dump 1 1/2 to 2 cans of cream of chicken soup on top. Dollop several teaspoons of butter/margarine on top of the soup.

The whole thing cooks for about 3-4 hours on high until the potatoes are tender. The soup will make its way down through the potatoes mixing with the butter and salt/pepper, making a really simple but great flavor. The onions will break down and blend in well.

This is pretty no fail and you could add cheddar cheese or ham, choose a different soup or whatever.

[lreidgreen]

Beth; I just made this the other day.

Slow cooked BBQ Beef

2 pounds beef tips or chuck roast (I used stew beef cubes)
1 cup yellow onions chopped
1 tsp. minced garlic
2 cups ketchup
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 T. Worchestshire sauce
2 tsp liquid smoke (I use half of this -2 tsp is overkill IMO)
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper

Cook in crock pot on low for 6-8 hours
Leftovers can be frozen for 3 months.

I bought enough ingredients at a warehouse store to triple the recipe and made 1.5 recipes in the crock pot and packaged the remaining beef and sauce ingredients separately in containers to freeze. When I am ready to make it again, I will remove the meat and sauce from the freezer to thaw and cook in a crock pot. Cuts down on prep time.

If your sister has room in her freezer another good gift is to prepare some meals that can freeze well so she can use them on those crazy hectic days. The above is a good recipe for that.

[lreidgreen]

OK Here is a dessert recipe that I LOVE for the crock pot. Not meat and potatoes but good for when company's coming and you want a yummy dessert that doesn't take much time.

Fabulous Peach Dump Cake:

1 bag frozen peaches
1 T cornstarch
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 to 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 Jiffy white cake mix or 1/2 package of a 2 layer size cake
4 Tablespoons melted butter

Lightly grease the crockpot, Place peaches in the bottom
Sprinkle with cornstarch and toss.
Drizzle with vanilla and sprinkle brown sugar over all.
Sprinkle with cinnamon then put cake mix on top.
Drizzle melted butter evenly over cake mix.
Cover and cook on high for 3-3.5 hours.

I usually double this for a crowd and use the whole cake mix. But it makes ALOT. Tastes great with vanilla ice cream.

[ARTmethodfan]

Pepperoncini Beef - http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/peppero...ef/Detail.aspx

Meatloaf - http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Simple-...af/Detail.aspx

[toaster]

Thanks for all the suggestions so far! I am thinking that the BBQ Beef and Meatloaf would probably be the best matches for my BIL's tastes, but the Peach Dump Cake sounds cool too--I'm sure my sister would love trying that one!

[JeanET]

Layer 1 can or pkg frozen corn on bottom, top with 2 large chicken breasts, pour in one can black beans (or pintos if prefered) and top all with 16 oz bottle of your favorite salsa. Cook on low for approx. 8 hrs.

You can shred the chicken or leave whole. Double recipe if you'd like. Good rolled in tortillas or on rice or just by itself.

Enjoy.

JeanET

[ssgilby]

I love using my crock pot. I'm at work and don't have any recipes handy, but I love gaining more, so please keep 'em coming. I'm so intrigued by peach dump cake! I must make some! I'm wondering could you sub other frozen fruit like strawberries, blueberries, etc? Although with the cinnamon, I'm sure peaches are the best. Yum-o!

[sjajsa]

I really enjoy this blog for quick and easy slow cooker recipes:
A Year Of Slow Cooking

Some of the recipes aren't the most figure friendly, but most can be easily made cleaner. She has some really unique ideas, too. I got her cookbook for Christmas and she even has a (one giant) pancake recipe in there.

[lreidgreen]

Originally Posted by ssgilby

I love using my crock pot. I'm at work and don't have any recipes handy, but I love gaining more, so please keep 'em coming. I'm so intrigued by peach dump cake! I must make some! I'm wondering could you sub other frozen fruit like strawberries, blueberries, etc? Although with the cinnamon, I'm sure peaches are the best. Yum-o!

Shelly: I have never tried it but you probably could sub other frozen fruit. I also like desserts that mix berries with stone fruits like peaches. Peach and blueberry or Peach and raspberry are good combos. I was also wondering about using apples for the dump cake but I have never seen them frozen and I think you would have to reduce the cooking time if you used fresh. About the spices: I have made blueberry muffins using lemon zest and nutmeg and that combo is really good.
BTW, the dump cake with the peaches is REALLY good. I only make it for a crowd so I don't overindulge.
Leslie