tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87635492989578537242024-03-12T21:55:08.356-07:00104 Days of Crockpot Bliss104 Days to Crockpot Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14065892705859356348noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763549298957853724.post-9903761192868360462010-03-02T13:04:00.000-08:002010-03-02T13:05:15.987-08:00False Advertising.Unlikely all the health freaks that I seem to know who poo-poo on fast food, I eat fast food. Not every day or in large quantities, but when money is tight, a $1.00 burger or salad can go a long damn way.<br /><br />KFC has this new chicken wrap thing that they claim provides chicken from top to bottom. Now... the ADs show this massive looking wrap. In reality, the wrap was like a square, a small square with a small chicken breast that was dry and chewy. There was almost no sauce and all the cheese was squashed into the bottom of the wrap.<br /><br />It was REALLY disappointing. I've never had bad chicken from KFC, this was just bad all around. The wrap in all honesty was about half the size of what it looked like in the ad.<br /><br />Now I know, most people are thinking, well, it's fast food, what do you expect? I expect to get what is advertised. Nothing more and nothing less.<br /><br />I will not be eating at KFC again, or at least for a while. Or at least not at that particular branch, since it is entirely possible it wasn't up to par with what was originally supposed to be.104 Days to Crockpot Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14065892705859356348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763549298957853724.post-24029415610352774512010-02-24T16:44:00.000-08:002010-02-24T16:46:38.120-08:00Day 13 MMM roast.I tend to be a pinch of this and a pinch of that kind of cook.<br /><br />Ingredients<br /><br />2lb boneless Chuck Roast<br />1 jar of plum sauce<br />1/2 cup of BBQ sauce<br />1 can of campbells beef broth<br />1/4 cup of soy sauce<br /><br />Spice Rub:<br />Ginger, montreal seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic, onion powder<br />Put about a 1 - 3 teaspoons each in a bowl and mixed it together with about tbs of sesame oil.<br /><br /><br />Rub Spice mixtures liberally over chuckroast. Place into crockpot. Mix remaining ingredients together then pour over roast.<br /><br />I cooked it on high for about two hours and then on low for about three hours until it was done and easy to pull apart.<br /><br />Both my hubby and I gave this roast a 5 out of 5 stars.<br /><br />The plum sauce was just an amazing addition. And nothing smells better than ginger mixed with sesame oil104 Days to Crockpot Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14065892705859356348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763549298957853724.post-54717958836950278312010-02-23T12:22:00.001-08:002010-02-23T12:22:50.099-08:00The trouble with sending your husband to the grocery store:He goes for three items...comes back with ten bags.<br /><br />You write down the specific item including brand and size, he gets the wrong brand, size and multiples of the wrong thing.<br /><br />He wants to make spaghetti, doesn't see the pot so instead of asking where it is, he buys a new one.<br /><br />He buys mozzarella instead of feta because, hey, it's both white.<br /><br />He buys peanut clusters covered in chocolate when you mentioned you liked Reese's Peanut Butter cups.<br /><br />But you love him because of all of those things. =)<br /><br />Coming up next: Crockpot Roast blog post104 Days to Crockpot Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14065892705859356348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763549298957853724.post-89591419752242220532010-02-08T16:02:00.000-08:002010-02-08T16:04:25.106-08:00Burger Madness..My husband wanted to try a Burger King $1.00 Double Cheeseburger and a Mcdonalds $1.00 Double Cheeseburger to see which was bigger.<br /><br />In all honesty, they looked like the same fricking burger. The only difference was the BK bun was bigger, which kinda made the burger look smaller lol<br /><br />They tasted similar, they BK had that slightly flame broiled taste.<br /><br />I think we will stick to homemade burgers on homemade buns. Particularly if you mix in some cheddar cheese and bbq sauce with the ground sirloin, then shape them into patties and cook them over grill. Serve on the homemade bun with bbq sauce and more cheddar cheese.<br /><br />mmm NOM.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_MPnxPffDF5w/S3Cmb8WBgeI/AAAAAAAAACk/0Wu0ZEgJQfw/s1600-h/2010-01-06-024wb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 168px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_MPnxPffDF5w/S3Cmb8WBgeI/AAAAAAAAACk/0Wu0ZEgJQfw/s200/2010-01-06-024wb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436027749221368290" border="0" /></a>104 Days to Crockpot Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14065892705859356348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763549298957853724.post-78578722292473776002010-02-07T13:32:00.000-08:002010-02-07T13:34:33.390-08:00Day 12 - The Easiest Roast EverSo I was bored and decided to make up something for the crockpot, since I had the meat defrosted and needed to use it.<br /><br />Idle hands are definitely dangerous for me. <br /><br />The Easy Roast<br /><br />1 Chuck Roast - 2.4 lbs<br />Season with salt, pepper, garlic and italian seasoning.<br /><br />Place meat in crockpot.<br /><br />Pour mixture of - 1 can beef broth, 1/3 cup of red wine vinegar and 1 can of rotel tomato/chili(mild) mixture drained - over meat.<br /><br />Cook on low for about 8 hours or high for about 3- 4 hours(or until done).<br /><br />This turned out AMAZING. 5 stars from both my husband and I. It was so good, I forget to get a photo.<br /><br />The rotel added a little heat and tomatoey goodness without being overwhelming.104 Days to Crockpot Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14065892705859356348noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763549298957853724.post-82025590501254135272010-02-03T12:48:00.000-08:002010-02-03T12:52:46.181-08:00Day 11 - the Ribbed Salt Lick<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_MPnxPffDF5w/S2nh9vKG8KI/AAAAAAAAACc/UdOz5Ac12_U/s1600-h/2010-02-03-004wb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 308px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_MPnxPffDF5w/S2nh9vKG8KI/AAAAAAAAACc/UdOz5Ac12_U/s320/2010-02-03-004wb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434122876146348194" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Yea, so I had this great plan for Asian BBQ baby back ribs.<br /><br />I had the dry rub together: garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and ginger.<br /><br />I had the BBQ sauce mixture together: BBQ sauce, mustard, soy sauce and hoisin sauce.<br /><br />What I FORGOT was the brown sugar in the dry rub and the honey in the BBQ sauce mixture.<br /><br />The Ribs turned out perfectly cooked, practically falling off the bone. They looked amazing, so amazing, my dog tried to run off with one while I was taking the photo. They tasted however like a salt lick. Well... ok, not that bad. but yea...way over the top without the balancing sweetness.<br /><br />My hubby gave it a 3.5 out of 5...I gave it a more honest 1 out of 5 lol.<br /><br />I will definitely try it again with a more balanced dry rub and sauce.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_MPnxPffDF5w/S2nh6mW9bHI/AAAAAAAAACU/TT6HN5FV7SI/s1600-h/2010-02-03-003wb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 301px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_MPnxPffDF5w/S2nh6mW9bHI/AAAAAAAAACU/TT6HN5FV7SI/s320/2010-02-03-003wb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434122822244723826" border="0" /></a>104 Days to Crockpot Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14065892705859356348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763549298957853724.post-26407251422670166462010-01-28T17:02:00.000-08:002010-01-28T17:03:25.274-08:00Day 10 - The Cobbler that never was.In theory, making peach cobbler in the crockpot seems like a brilliant idea. In reality, it was mushy, runny and more like a peach soup with weird mini dumplings. My husband insisted that it was better with whipped cream, I agree that the whipped cream was amazing.. the runny, spicy sugary sauce that made the crunchy top into a soggy cereal like mix was not however amazing.<br /><br />First the peach part.. it was a mixture of defrosted frozen peaches, sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon. That was tossed into the crockpot.<br /><br />The second part..was the crumbly topping that was a mixture of butter, flour, cinnamon and sugar.<br /><br />Now, if this had been baked, it probably would've turned out amazing. The crumbly top would've been crunchy on top and slightly soft on the bottom.<br /><br />Unfortunately, the juice from the peaches and the sugar turned into a flood of liquid that made the entire top soft.<br /><br />Of course, it is entirely possibly that I f'd it up somehow. But I'm not going to try it again lol104 Days to Crockpot Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14065892705859356348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763549298957853724.post-80887914396754196722010-01-25T12:35:00.000-08:002010-01-25T12:37:04.652-08:00Day 9 - Gobble, Gobble<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_MPnxPffDF5w/S14A4il6tQI/AAAAAAAAACM/oh5dUM8crCM/s1600-h/2010-01-25-004wb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 302px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_MPnxPffDF5w/S14A4il6tQI/AAAAAAAAACM/oh5dUM8crCM/s320/2010-01-25-004wb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430779172013913346" border="0" /></a><br /><br />If a photo could accurately portray scent, I think you'd all be at my house right now. This by far smelled and tasted the best of all the recpies that I have tried since starting this blog. Which is saying something<br /><br />The combination of sage, tarragon, butter, salt, pepper and garlic melted over a turkey breast in a crockpot smells sinfully delicious.<br /><br />Ingredients:<br />Split Turkey Breast (3 lbs)<br />2 tbs butter(softened)<br />1 tbs sage<br />1 tbs tarragon<br />salt/pepper<br />2 tsp garlic powder<br /><br />Mix butter and dry ingredients into a paste, rub all over Turkey Breast. Place in crockpot and cook until down and tender. About 8 hours on high or 4 hours on low.<br /><br />It tasted too die for, I served it with roasted potatoes that were mixed with a butter/chive sauce.<br /><br />My husband was drawn downstairs by the smells about 15 minutes before the meal was done.<br /><br />We both scored it at 5 out of 5. The turkey was amazingly tender, not dry at all. The flavors were amazing for just the few spices involved.<br /><br />Recipe was found in a crockpot recipe collection.104 Days to Crockpot Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14065892705859356348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763549298957853724.post-22551524623054119112010-01-23T12:24:00.000-08:002010-01-23T12:26:58.098-08:00Grocery ShoppingWe've been shopping at Ingles a lot lately, they tend to have a better price and yet, better quality than Krogers or Wal-mart or even Publix, which is one of my favorite grocery stores.<br /><br />Like today, I managed to get a fresh split turkey breast,over 4lbs for $4.00. I got two 3 lb roasts, beautifully marbled roasts, for about $4 - 5.00 a piece, normally they are like $12.00. We also got ground sirloin for $2.00. Some sliced Ham for 50% off what it normally costs us. We definitely stocked up. <span _fcktemp="1"></span>I like that they have a real butcher too. The meat isn't pre-packaged like at Wal-mart. They actually will change a cut for you if needed.<br /><br />We haven't really been grocery shopping for a couple weeks, so we decided to stock up again. Since we've been having fun with the $5.00 challenge which is finally coming to an end.<br /><br />Coming up the next few weeks on the blog: Asian Baby Back Ribs, Herbed Turkey Breast, Peach Cobbler104 Days to Crockpot Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14065892705859356348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763549298957853724.post-4378853856168950352010-01-19T14:54:00.000-08:002010-01-19T14:57:31.511-08:00Day 8 - Easy Meatballs, and 101 uses for them.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_MPnxPffDF5w/S1Y4vlLS8NI/AAAAAAAAACE/EgKpLxj6Vkw/s1600-h/2010-01-14-097wb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 274px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_MPnxPffDF5w/S1Y4vlLS8NI/AAAAAAAAACE/EgKpLxj6Vkw/s320/2010-01-14-097wb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428588790926209234" border="0" /></a><br /><br />So... we haven't been grocery shopping for meat in a while and I wanted to see what I could throw together with what we had lol<br /><br />I had two half bags of Italian meatballs in the freezer, I have no idea why I have two half bags as opposed to one full bag. But well..it's my fridge, so big surprise.<br /><br />I threw them in the crockpot with a mixture of the following: One can of Jellied Cranberry Sauce, a 1/4 cup of: ketchup, mustard, a cup of BBQ sauce, a dash of garlic salt, onion salt and pumpkin pie spice, 1 tsp of worcsteshire sauce and soy sauce.<br /><br />Yea.. it sounds gross. But it worked. It tasted like amazing bbq meatballs.<br /><br />We've had them...as meatball sandwiches, meatball burritos and my husband had them over fried rice today. (he's weird)<br /><br />The fried rice was yummy. I used a bag of Birds Eye Veggie Long grain White Rice, cooked it per instructions, then tossed it in a frying pan with diced ham, a little sesame oil, a little soy sauce, a dash of salt, garlic salt, onion salt and ginger(a VERY small dash of ginger). Stirred that up a bit and then added two eggs and cooked until the eggs were done.104 Days to Crockpot Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14065892705859356348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763549298957853724.post-58088151781545896842010-01-11T05:35:00.000-08:002010-01-11T05:36:27.283-08:00Day 7.1 and 2 and 3...Also known as, 101 ways to use the chili recipe I posted the other day.<br /><br />1. Chili in a mug with homemade rolls<br /><br />2. Chili in a bowl with broken up tortilla chips, shredded cheddar cheese and lettuce as a salad.<br /><br />3. Chili with scrambled eggs.<br /><br />4. Chili with Fettucini and a little melted velveeta cheese.<br /><br /><br />So..basically from a recipe that cost approximately $10.00 to make. We have gotten four different types of meals and eaten at least 8 meals in total so far.104 Days to Crockpot Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14065892705859356348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763549298957853724.post-91916094439053423602010-01-08T13:45:00.001-08:002010-01-08T13:47:42.521-08:00The $5.00 Challenge -So I've talked about the fact that for the month of January, My hubby and I are trying to see how cheaply we can eat with no one meal costing more than $5.00, and spending no more than $5.00 if we go out to eat.<br /><br />So we did a little grocery shopping the other day, and we got 8 bbq chicken leg quarters for $2.00 at Ingles.<br /><br />so... I calculated the cost of what we ate for FOUR meals for both my husband and I:<br />Chicken - $2.00<br />Homemade Rolls - $.50(probably actually cost less to make)<br />Cheese - $.50<br />Chips - $.40<br />BBQ Sauce - $.10<br />Soda - $.50<br /><br /><br />--- Total cost for four meals for both : $4.00.104 Days to Crockpot Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14065892705859356348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763549298957853724.post-87365701630679927382010-01-08T12:52:00.000-08:002010-01-08T12:55:42.368-08:00Day 7 - Annette's Cupboard Curry Chili Hodge Podge<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_MPnxPffDF5w/S0ebUEZFr6I/AAAAAAAAAB8/VDCWrqvsGgA/s1600-h/2010-01-08-031wb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 228px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_MPnxPffDF5w/S0ebUEZFr6I/AAAAAAAAAB8/VDCWrqvsGgA/s320/2010-01-08-031wb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424475045269712802" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />This was...amazingly yummy.. my husband's score: 4.8 out of 5(the .2 was that he likes his chili thicker than I do lol.<br /><br />I decided since it was about 5 degrees this morning when we woke up that this would be a chili day. I accidentally used curry powder instead of chili and I am soooooo happy that I did.. so here is my hodge podge mixture of a chili recipe.<br /><br />My score: 5 out of 5<br />Annette's Cupboard Curry Chili Recipe<br /><br />2 lbs Lean Ground Beef<br />1 onion, chopped<br />2 cans kidney beans(light red) drained and rinsed<br />1 can of rotel tomatoes/green chilis (mild)<br />2 cans diced tomatoes<br />1 can hormel chili without beans<br />1 can of chicken broth<br />1/4 teaspoon paprika<br />1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon curry powder<br />1 tsp of salt<br />1 tsp sugar<br />dash of pepper<br />garlic salt to taste<br /><br /><br />- brown onion & ground beef, drain<br />- mix ground beef, onion and remaining ingredients in crockpot, cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours104 Days to Crockpot Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14065892705859356348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763549298957853724.post-87689657610330115222010-01-06T13:23:00.000-08:002010-01-06T13:29:35.960-08:00Buns, Burgers and the $5.00 challenge..<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_MPnxPffDF5w/S0UAkpANOUI/AAAAAAAAABs/16-RJmSDty0/s1600-h/2010-01-06-015wb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_MPnxPffDF5w/S0UAkpANOUI/AAAAAAAAABs/16-RJmSDty0/s320/2010-01-06-015wb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423741955719641410" border="0" /></a><br />No crockpot news today, though I'm making crockpot chili tomorrow, I think. I made homemade rolls using my bread machine to make the dough. The recipe I used was the dinner roll recipe from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Betty-Crockers-Bread-Machine-Cookbook/dp/0028630238/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262813071&sr=8-2">Betty Crocker's Bread Machine Cookbook</a><br /><br />Then we decided to make homemade burgers, ground beef, dash of salt and pepper along with a dash of worcestershire sauce. Cooked on our little inside grill. and served with cheese, tomato and BBQ Sauce on a homemade roll. AMAZING!<br /><br />On to the $5.00 challenge, so my hubby and I have decided to see if for the month of January we can eat meals whether in the house or at restaurants for no more than $5.00 for both our meals. Mostly that has involved eating in, and fast food lol. It's amazing what you can get on a dollar menu, even salads and fruit/yoghurt parfaits. We tried a buck a scoop Chinese, which doesn't tasted as h<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_MPnxPffDF5w/S0UAo-OGguI/AAAAAAAAAB0/jT-Jwo-dDwY/s1600-h/2010-01-06-024wb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 270px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_MPnxPffDF5w/S0UAo-OGguI/AAAAAAAAAB0/jT-Jwo-dDwY/s320/2010-01-06-024wb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423742030134543074" border="0" /></a>orrid as I thought it sounded. =) For $4.47, we got rice, potatoes and two different types of chicken. I think the chicken was honey chicken and sesame chicken.<br /><br />Aside from seeing how much money we'll save, we also want to see if its possible to stick to that sort of price range and lose weight.104 Days to Crockpot Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14065892705859356348noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763549298957853724.post-19656652185434229012010-01-03T11:19:00.000-08:002010-01-03T11:26:11.036-08:00Day 6 - Super Easy Porkchops<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_MPnxPffDF5w/S0Dut-Ts19I/AAAAAAAAABk/vFAJ-qBwS1o/s1600-h/2010-01-03-016wb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 257px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_MPnxPffDF5w/S0Dut-Ts19I/AAAAAAAAABk/vFAJ-qBwS1o/s320/2010-01-03-016wb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422596424941230034" border="0" /></a><br />1 cup of baby carrots, Four pork chops(decent size chops, not thin), a jar of Apricot preserves(next time I'll use Peach), and 8 hours on low or four hours on high in the crockpot or until done.<br /><br />Salt & Pepper the pork chops, then layer in the order ingredients were listed.<br /><br />The chops were cooked perfectly, the carrots were done just right not too soft but the sauce left a little something to be desired, next time, I'll use peach preserves and maybe a 1/4 cup of bbq sauce or mustard or something to punch the flavor up a little.<br /><br />I served it with a light alfredo sauced penne pasta with mixed veggies.<br /><br />Tomorrow I'm going to take the 2 left over chops, dice them up and toss them in some already cooked rice with peas and corn into a wok, mix it all up with soy sauce, sesame oil and a couple eggs until the eggs are cooked. mmmm hankering for it already.104 Days to Crockpot Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14065892705859356348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763549298957853724.post-50083719438920872892010-01-01T14:54:00.000-08:002010-01-01T16:55:29.211-08:00Days 4, 5 & I didn't do it..So...for the holidays, I made a few dishes in the crockpot. One was a scalloped potato with cheddar and ham. It was..eh *shrugs* Not very exciting.<br /><br />Then I tried a bread pudding in the crockpot recipe. Now... usually, when I make substitutions in a recipe, they turn out fabulous. This was...not...fabulous. It basically turned into what looked like mushy baby food. It was supposed to be a Cozy Cherry Bread Pudding made with a can of cherry pie filling, eggs, sugar, cinnamon raisin bread and a few other items that I can't remember. I do not know what happened, but it wasn't pretty and the entire batch ended up down the disposal.<br /><br />I was not impressed or pleased.<br /><br />In other news, I did try a crockpot Italian Sausage dish that was awesome. The camera isn't cooperating so I'll just tell you how AMAZING it was lol.<br /><br />I took 5 Mild Italian Sausage links, a jar of pasta sauce, a 1/4 cup of dark brown sugar, some Italian seasoning, onion salt and one diced green pepper and mixed it all up and let it simmer in the crockpot on high for 5 hours.<br /><br />Once it was done, I served it over a baked potato. It sounds odd, but it tasted amazing. My hubby had his over pasta. lol104 Days to Crockpot Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14065892705859356348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763549298957853724.post-66078461077061075532009-12-31T20:25:00.001-08:002009-12-31T20:25:59.057-08:00Happy New Year!!I'll be back in the swing of bloggin soon, but hope everyone has a wonderful new year.104 Days to Crockpot Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14065892705859356348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763549298957853724.post-50696229395535247402009-12-22T12:55:00.000-08:002009-12-22T13:09:23.006-08:00Day 3 - Easy Crock Pot Shredded Pork<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_MPnxPffDF5w/SzE1e3LFOyI/AAAAAAAAABc/EuhhXG5V0Gg/s1600-h/2009-12-22-006wb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_MPnxPffDF5w/SzE1e3LFOyI/AAAAAAAAABc/EuhhXG5V0Gg/s320/2009-12-22-006wb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418170631026195234" border="0" /></a><br />This was so easy and SOOOOOO yummy. My hubby and I both gave this recipe 5 out of 5 stars.<br /><br /><br />Ingredients:<br />2 lb Pork Roast<br />1 cup of salsa( I used a peach salsa)<br />a dash of garlic salt<br />a dash of pepper<br /><br />Liberally cover roast with garlic salt and pepper, then set into crock pot. Pour salsa over the top of the roast. Let simmer on low for 7 - 8 hours.<br /><br />I started mine at 9am, and by 3:30 it was done but my roast was a little under 2 lbs. I shredded the meat with a fork and let it cook for another 30 minutes.<br /><br />I served this on soft tacos with lettuce and shredded cheddar cheese.104 Days to Crockpot Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14065892705859356348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763549298957853724.post-51002025384814386552009-12-20T13:24:00.000-08:002009-12-20T13:25:49.977-08:00It's not a crockpot recipe, but..tis the season.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_MPnxPffDF5w/Sy6WTSjwWzI/AAAAAAAAABU/NU4wz5mvsmk/s1600-h/2009-12-20+007wb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 250px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_MPnxPffDF5w/Sy6WTSjwWzI/AAAAAAAAABU/NU4wz5mvsmk/s320/2009-12-20+007wb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417432659916774194" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Dark Chocolate Fudge Cookies<br /><br />Ingredients:<br />1 package (18 - 1/4 oz) Chocolate Cake Mix<br />1/2 cup butter, softened<br />1 tbs water<br />2 eggs<br />2 tablespoons confectioners sugar<br />1 cup dark chocolate chips<br /><br />in a large bowl, mix cake mix, butter and water. Add eggs and chocolate chips, mix well. Add additional water if necessary(1 tsp at a time) You don't want it to be TOO sticky or it will be a pain to roll.<br /><br />Shape into 1 inch balls, then roll into confectioners sugar. Place 2 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets<br /><br />Bake at 375 for about 8 - 10 minutes or until cookes have set.<br /><br />Let sit on pan for 2 minutes, then move to wire racks to cool completely.<br /><br />Dust with powdered sugar again if desired, not necessary though.<br /><br /><br />For my own sanity I have never bothered to figure out the calorie count, because..well, it would ruin the entire cookie enjoyment process.104 Days to Crockpot Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14065892705859356348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763549298957853724.post-74790398658947259712009-12-15T12:40:00.001-08:002009-12-15T13:26:26.381-08:00Day 2 - BBQ Pork Chops<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_MPnxPffDF5w/Syf0amGVAHI/AAAAAAAAAA8/PM4RqGwljb8/s1600-h/Greenpeppers.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_MPnxPffDF5w/Syf0amGVAHI/AAAAAAAAAA8/PM4RqGwljb8/s320/Greenpeppers.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415565814677176434" border="0" /></a><br /></div>My rating: 4.5 out of 5<br />My husband's rating: 5 of 5<br /><br />This is my version of a recipe that I found in a better homes and garden recipe.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />BBQ Fruit Pork Chops<br />6 boneless pork chops<br />1 tsp thyme<br />1 7 ounce package of dried berries and apples<br />1 medium sized green pepper<br />3/4 cup of bbq sauce<br />1 dash of worcestshire sauce<br />1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar<br />Place chops in crockpot<br />Sprinkle thyme over top of porkchops<br />add dried fruit and green pepper.<br />Mix liquid ingredients together and pour over fruit/peppers. Mix until all fruit and peppers are covered in sauce and evenly covering top of porkchops<br /><br />Cover and cook on low-heat for about 4 - 4 1/2 hours<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_MPnxPffDF5w/Syf0wo3AVKI/AAAAAAAAABM/Nw9LsD2cz40/s1600-h/porkchop.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 230px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_MPnxPffDF5w/Syf0wo3AVKI/AAAAAAAAABM/Nw9LsD2cz40/s320/porkchop.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415566193375335586" border="0" /></a>104 Days to Crockpot Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14065892705859356348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763549298957853724.post-31572218877482860082009-12-14T13:50:00.001-08:002009-12-14T14:00:02.841-08:00Day 1 - Chicken & Vegetables with herbs<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_MPnxPffDF5w/Sya1Ov8CZdI/AAAAAAAAAA0/CsBBnAaJZrQ/s1600-h/Chickenphase1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 266px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_MPnxPffDF5w/Sya1Ov8CZdI/AAAAAAAAAA0/CsBBnAaJZrQ/s320/Chickenphase1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415214866950677970" border="0" /></a><br /><div id="ingredients">My husband gave this recipe 4 out of 5 stars. I gave it 3. It needed a little umph in my opinion. The idea behind this blog this is to try the recipes as is, the only thing that I changed was that I used chicken legs, just the drumstick portion because that was all I could find at the store.<br /><br />The recipe was easy to put together. It smelled amazing all day. The chicken practically fell off the bone, and it was very juicy. If I did this recipe again, I'd probably add more herbs and seasonings.<br /><br />I served this with rice and peas.<br /><br /><h4>Ingredients</h4> <ul><li class="bg1"> <strong>8</strong> ounces mushrooms, halved </li><li class="bg2"> <strong>1</strong> cup frozen pearl onions </li><li class="bg1"> <strong>1/2</strong> cup chicken broth </li><li class="bg2"> <strong>1/4</strong> cup dry red wine </li><li class="bg1"> <strong>2</strong> tablespoons tomato paste </li><li class="bg2"> <strong>1/2</strong> teaspoon garlic salt </li><li class="bg1"> <strong>1/2</strong> teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed </li><li class="bg2"> <strong>1/2</strong> teaspoon dried thyme, crushed </li><li class="bg1"> <strong>1/4</strong> teaspoon ground black pepper </li><li class="bg2"> <strong>1</strong> bay leaf </li><li class="bg1"> <strong>4</strong> small chicken legs (drumstick-thigh portion; skinned) (2 to 2-1/2 pounds total) </li><li class="bg2"> <strong></strong> Chicken broth (optional) </li><li class="bg1"> <strong>1/4</strong> cup chicken broth </li><li class="bg2"> <strong>2</strong> tablespoons all-purpose flour </li><li class="bg1"> <strong></strong> Hot cooked mashed potatoes (optional) </li><li class="bg2"> <strong></strong> Fresh parsley sprigs (optional) </li></ul> </div> <div id="instructions"> <h4>Directions</h4> <p><b>1.</b> In a 5-1/2- or 6-</p> <p>quart slow cooker, combine mushrooms and pearl onions. Stir in the 1/2 cup broth, the wine, tomato paste, garlic salt, rosemary, thyme, pepper, and bay leaf. Add chicken legs to cooker. </p> <p><b>2.</b> Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 7 to 8 hours or on high-heat setting for 3-1/2 to 4 hours. </p> <p><b>3.</b> Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken and vegetables to a serving platter. Discard bay leaf. Cover chicken and vegetables and keep warm. </p> <p><b>4.</b> For sauce: Skim fat from cooking liquid. Measure 2 cups of the cooking liquid, adding additional chicken broth, if necessary, to equal 2 cups total liquid. Transfer liquid to a medium saucepan. In a small bowl, stir the 1/4 cup broth into the flour; stir into liquid in saucepan. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly; cook and stir for 1 minute more. Spoon some of the sauce over chicken. Pass remaining sauce. If desired, serve with mashed potatoes and garnish with parsley. Makes 4 servings.<br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span> <p><br /></p> </div> <div id="nutritionFacts" class="MB10"> <h4><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_MPnxPffDF5w/Sya0AE3TPzI/AAAAAAAAAAs/TqatpWyEcfQ/s1600-h/Chickenphase2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 230px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_MPnxPffDF5w/Sya0AE3TPzI/AAAAAAAAAAs/TqatpWyEcfQ/s320/Chickenphase2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415213515358289714" border="0" /></a></h4> <h4><br /></h4><br /><h4><br /></h4><h4><br /></h4><h4><br /></h4><h4><br /></h4><h4>Recipe found on <a href="http://www.bhg.com/recipe/chicken/chicken-and-vegetables-with-herbs/">B</a><a href="http://www.bhg.com/recipe/chicken/chicken-and-vegetables-with-herbs/">etter Home & Garden's Website</a></h4>Nutrition Facts <ul id="factslist"><li>Calories 304, </li><li>Total Fat (g) 9, </li><li>Saturated Fat (g) 2, </li><li>Cholesterol (mg) 159, </li><li>Sodium (mg) 548, </li><li>Carbohydrate (g) 9, </li><li>Fiber (g) 1, </li><li>Protein (g) 43, </li><li class="smalltxt">Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet</li></ul> </div>104 Days to Crockpot Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14065892705859356348noreply@blogger.com2