Stuffed Pepper soup!

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I haven't had Stuffed Peppers in AGES... honestly, I mostly like the filling, and a little bit of pepper taste.  I got tired of green peppers. My kids would just complain, but then I found this recipe and immediately pinned it!!

However the recipe was huge, so I altered it according to what I had on hand!  It honestly tastes JUST like Stuffed Peppers and it is so easy in the crockpot!!  and it was soo good I didn't take any pictures the first time around.  This was my bowl of leftovers the next day!! YUM

Here is my edited version, which my husband and I LOVED and the kids tolerated very well.

3 cups beef broth
2 cups chicken broth
1 lb ground beef
16 oz tomato sauce
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
3 peppers diced (I had red and yellow)
1 cup rice
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder

Cook ground beef and drain, then add everything to the crockpot... easy peasy!! Cook on High for 4 hours, then enjoy!!

side notes: my peppers were diced VERY small for my kids; it could use a little more broth like the original recipe; I can't wait to make it again, but I have to go buy more peppers--will freeze more next summer!!

I also added cheddar cheese on top of mine, because everything is better with cheese! :)

linking up with The CSI Project for SOUP theme week!

Soup... ultimate comfort food!

So, I make soup a lot in the winter and I almost always use my slow cooker. I am still looking for the miracle soup that all of my kids will eat without complaining and the closest I come is Taco Soup...

but today is about Pasta Fagioli... Olive Garden knock-off! I started with my favorite Crockpot Lady's recipe and here's my version!!

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained (I had mine pre-cooked ready in my freezer at a moment's notice)
1/2 large onion
2-3 carrots (depending on size, mine were small)
2 celery stalks
1 large garlic clove (because garlic makes everything better)
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
1 can petite diced tomatoes (to make it easier on my kids)
1/2 jar (or so) of 24 oz jar spaghetti sauce
4 cups beef broth
2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 Tbsp hot sauce
3/4 cup dry small pasta

Brown meat and drain, (unless you already did that) then dump it in the slow cooker.
Chop up the veggies and add them to slow cooker.

Drain and rinse the beans and add them.  can I just say how much I love this quick little colander I got at the dollar tree... perfect for these moments!!

Add the tomatoes and spaghetti sauce and beef broth.
Add spices and hot sauce.
Stir

Cover and cook for 6-8 hours on low.
Then add pasta and cook for another hour on low.

Serve with Parmesan cheese and these delightful garlic knots I found... on Pinterest! :)

Pin It


Linking up to The CSI Project this week.


I'm also joining up with Small Kitchen College and their Slow Cooker Challenge this week. Go check it out!

Using the crockpot Works For Me! Go check out other great ideas at Works For Me Wednesday!

Taco Soup

another one of our favorites in the slow cooker is Taco Soup!!!  many thanks to The Crockpot Lady to introducing me to this recipe... here's my version!

Ingredients:

One lb of ground beef... cooked and drained (I buy bulk and freeze for later use)
One large can of pinto beans (or kidney or black, or a combo)
One large can diced tomatoes (I used crushed this time for the sake of my kids)
One can of diced tomatoes w/ chiles
One bag frozen corn (or 2 cans of corn)
One Ranch Packet
One Taco Seasoning packet (I make my own... want the recipe?)

And cheese and sour cream and tortilla chips for topping! :)

Brown meat, drain and dump in the crockpt

sprinkle season packets on top
drain and rinse beans and add

add the corn and tomatoes

cover and cook on low for 8 hours

Serve up with lots of shredded cheddar cheese, some sour cream and  tortilla chips!!

The joy of this recipe is that it is soo flexible...
want vegetarian? just skip the meat and add more beans
pick whatever beans you have on hand
add spicy tomatoes or plain, diced, or crushed (for less chunky, more smooth)

I love it, and I hope you will, too!!

Linking up with The CSI Project for Slow Cooker week!!

Crockpot Lasagna

I changed up my menu planning this week, just so I could make this meal and take pictures of it and submit it to The CSI Project for their Slow Cooker theme this week!!



I usually make this meal on Sundays.  It's a 4 hour crockpot meal and it is so nice to come home to a hot meal without a ton of work!! I have even assembled it the night before and put it in the fridge and just popped it into the crockpot and turned it on in the morning!!

This is also an AWESOME pot luck meal as it stays warm!  I have made this MANY times when we served at our local rescue mission because it stays hot during the service!!

SO here is CrockPot Lasagna!

 Ingredients:
8 oz. lasagna noodles (9 or 10 noodles)
1 lb italian sausage
2 jars tomato sauce
16 oz. Ricotta cheese
3 cups shredded Mozzerella
garlic powder
italian seasoning
salt/pepper

Shred the cheese if you don't buy already shredded...

Cook the sausage, and drain off the fat

Grease the slow cooker and add a layer of sauce on the bottom
Start layering...

Break Lasagna noodles to fit in slow cooker

add more sauce, then sausage and cheeses
sprinkle with a layer of garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt/pepper to taste

keep layering until ingredients are use up
End with a delicious layer of Mozzerella

Cook on LOW for 4-6 hours (I have never cooked more than 5... usually only 4)

and then enjoy the tasty goodness that is Lasagna!

for more great crockpot recipes, be sure to check out The CSI Project this week... and come back here tomorrow! I've got another crockpot recipe for you!!

with the busy holiday season upon us, this is a great recipe to "set and forget," so I am linking up to Tip Me Tuesday with Tip Junkie!

save the day dinner!

I finally found a Friday blog link up to participate in... this will help me post regularly, plus I will find new recipes every Friday... and I love recipes!!

Updated in 2012 with PHOTOS!!



Today I am sharing a recipe that saved my day yesterday!!  LOVE IT!!!  My favorite kitchen tool ever is the slow cooker!!  it is so wonderful for saving mealtime!!  Yes you have to think ahead a little bit, but not always... and I have A Year of Slow Cooking to thank for that!!  Now I don't think this recipe is from her website... I couldn't find the source at all, but I love it!  and even better, my kids love it (well most of them... except for the one that seems to be boycotting anything I put in front of her, which could be just because she is 2 almost 3!)  I digress!

You can call this Frozen Chicken, Cream Cheese Chicken, Salsa & Black Bean Chicken... what ever you want, just call it delicious!!

Ingredients
4 boneless chicken breasts
1 15oz can black beans (drained)
1 15oz can corn (drained)
1 15oz jar salsa, any kind
1 8oz package cream cheese

Put the frozen (Yes, FROZEN) chicken breast in crockpot

Pour in black beans, corn and salsa.

Turn the crockpot on high and walk away.
Come back in 4 hours
Toss in the cream cheese and put the lid back on for 1/2 hour.

Mix it all up and serve over rice...YUM!

I love this, because it is easily doubled if necessary, and I was going to be gone longer than 5 hours, so I just put it on low for 6+ hours!!

tonight is homemade pizza... better go get started!
also linking up to Foodie Friday
and Food on Fridays