Spaghetti Sauce:

Ingredients:

1 28 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
1 15 ounce can of tomato sauce
1 12.5 ounce can Italian flavored diced tomatoes.
16 ounces fresh mushrooms
1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning

1 pound super lean ground turkey or hamburger

Directions:

Add the thawed (or fresh) meat to the crockpot. Dump in all the cans of tomatoes and break the ground meat up with a large spoon. Stir in the spices and mushrooms.

Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours. When done cooking, break up the ground meat a bit more and season to taste. 

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Pizza Fondue:

Ingredients:

1 cup pasta sauce
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
10 pieces pepperoni, diced
1 cup shredded cheese

Directions:

Put the pasta sauce into your Little Dipper, and plug it in. Add the Italian seasoning and diced pepperoni. Shove in the cup of shredded cheese. Cover and leave plugged in (there are no heat settings on a Little Dipper) for 45 minutes. 

Stir well and serve with tortilla chips, bread sticks, or crostini.

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Cranberry Sauce:

Ingredients:

12 ounces cranberries (fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

Use a 2- quart crockpot. If you only have a huge crockpot, you can put an oven-safe dish into it to create a smaller cooking vessel.

Rinse off the cranberries and put them into your crockpot. Add the orange juice and water. Add the sugar and the cinnamon. Stir. There will be a lot of liquid and the cranberries will float.

Cover and cook on high. It will take about 3 hours.

Stir every hour or so. When the skin from the cranberries has softened, the cranberries will "pop" when pushed with a spoon up against the side of the crock. Smoosh all of the cranberries. Stir well.

Heat enough for it to be warm throughout. Take the lid off and heat on high for another 30 to 45 minutes. 

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Cream Cheese & Rotel Dip:

Ingredients:

8 ounces block of cream cheese
1 can tomatoes and green chilies (Rotel), drained
1 pound breakfast sausage, browned and drained

Directions:

This is perfect for the 1.5 quart crockpot.

Brown the sausage on the stove, and drain on paper towels. Unwrap the cream cheese, and put it into your crockpot. Chop up the sausage and add on top. Drain the Rotel and then add that.

Cover and cook on low for about 90 minutes, or on high for 45. Stir well and eat with tortilla chips. 

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Falafel:

Ingredients:

1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans 

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1 Tablespoon dried parsley

2 cloves minced garlic

1 egg

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

 juice from 1 lemon 

1/2 to 3/4 cup bread crumbs 

2 Tablespoons olive oil 

Directions:

Drain garbanzo beans. Pour them into a mixing bowl and smash them with a fork. Set aside.

Get out your blender or food processor. Blend together all of the spices, the onion, the garlic, the egg, and the lemon juice.  Pour on top of your smashed garbanzo beans. Use your fork to mix together, and add the breadcrumbs slowly until the mixture is wet and sticky but can be formed into balls nicely.

Pour 2 T of olive oil into the bottom of your crockpot.

Form squished golf-ball sized patties of falafel. Dip each side into the olive oil and then add into your crockpot. It's okay if they overlap or are on top of each other.

Cook on high for 2-5 hours. You will know that the falafels are done when they turn brownish-golden.

Serve with yogurt sauce or mayonnaise. 

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Chex Mix:

Ingredients:

5 Cups General Mills Rice Chex Cereal
1-2 cups of dry roasted peanuts (salted or not, your choice)
2 cups pretzel sticks
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
3 Tablespoons butter
1.5 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce

Directions:
Put the butter into the bottom of your crockpot and turn it on low.  Add the onion powder, seasoned salt, Worcestershire sauce before adding in the dry ingredients. Stir.

Cover and cook on low for 2-3 hours, stirring every 45 min or so.  Dump out onto a cookie sheet to cool. 

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Apple Butter:

Ingredients:

Apples. 14 large apples fit in my 6.5 quart crockpot
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3/4 cup white sugar
¾  cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 Tablespoon vanilla 

Directions: 

This is a 2-day process. Core, peel, and quarter your apples. Put all of the quartered apples into your crockpot. Add 1 tablespoon of vanilla.

 

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. 

When the cooking is done, mash the apples with a fork. Stir in the sugar, cinnamon, and cloves. 

Cover again and cook on low for 6 hours.  If you prefer your apple butter to be velvety-smooth, blend with an immersion blender, or blend in small batches in a traditional blender. 

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Mac n Cheese:

Ingredients:

1/2 pound uncooked macaroni
4 cups of milk
1 egg 
4 cups shredded cheese of your choice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried mustard


Directions:  

Spray crock well with cooking spray. In a mixing bowl, whip egg and milk together. Stir in spices. Add cheese and noodles, and stir well to combine. Pour the mixture into the crockpot. This will have a lot of liquid to it.

 
Cover and cook on low for 2-5 hours, or on high for 1-3. 

Check after 1 hour. All crockpots are different and this will be done when the pasta is fork-tender.

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Applesauce:

Ingredients:

4 large apples, skinned ,cored, and cut in quarters 
Juice from 1 lemon 
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 
1 teaspoon vanilla 
1 Tablespoon brown sugar 
1/4 cup water 

Directions:

Skin, core, and cut your apples into quarters. Add the pieces into your crockpot. Add the juice from the lemon, and the water. Pour in the vanilla and add the cinnamon and brown sugar. 

Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours. When the apples are super tender, mash with a potato masher or large fork. 

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Creamy Veggies:

Ingredients:

12 oz fresh broccoli

16 oz fresh green beans

1/4 cup sour cream

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

2 Tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon garam masala

2 whole jalapeno peppers (don't chop them up, just lay them nicely on top)

2 Tablespoons water

 

Directions: 

Wash and trim your vegetables, put into crockpot. Cover them with the sour cream, cheeses, butter, spices, and add your touch of water.

 Cook on low for 4-5 hours.

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Creamed Corn:

Ingredients:

1 bag frozen white corn

1 can corn

1 Tablespoon butter

1 Tablespoon cream cheese

2 Tablespoons flour

3 Tablespoons fat free milk

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

 

In a small saucepan, melt your butter and cream cheese over low heat and make a roux, adding your flour slowly and whisking until there aren't any lumps. Add your milk and the liquid from the can of corn to the mix and whisk again. Mix in the black pepper.

 

Empty the contents of the frozen bag of corn and the corn from the can into your crockpot. Cover with the sauce.

Cook on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 3-4.

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Honey Lentils:

Ingredients:

1.5 cups lentils
3 cups water
1/2 red onion, diced
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1/3 cup honey

1 dried bay leaf or 2 fresh bay leaves

Directions:

Put the lentils into your crockpot. Add the water. Chop up the onion, and add along with the carrots. Drain and rinse the garbanzo beans and add. Stir in the dried mustard, salt, and ginger. Add the soy sauce and honey. Stir to combine. Float the bay leaf on top.

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-5. Taste. If desired, stir in an extra tablespoon of honey.


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Cowboy Beans:

Ingredients:

1 pound dried pinto beans, soaked overnight
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 pound lean ground beef or turkey (optional)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1-2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 Tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 (10-ounce) can Rotel (tomatoes with chilies), or traditional chopped tomatoes, your choice
1-2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
7 cups water
sliced jalapenos (optional)

Directions:

Sort pinto beans, and soak overnight in lots of fresh water. In the morning, drain your beans, and pick out any that have split open, or look discolored and shriveled.

Pour into a 6 quart crockpot. Brown hamburger and onion on the stove, and drain fat. While the meat is cooking, add the rest of the ingredients into your crockpot. Start with 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce and apple cider vinegar. Add the meat, and top with 7 cups of fresh water. Stir to combine.

Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or on high for about 6. Taste the beans. If you'd like your beans to have more of a tang, add some more Worcestershire sauce and apple cider vinegar. Top with sliced jalapenos, if desired. 

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Quinoa Casserole:

Ingredients:

1.5 cups quinoa
3 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 sliced or chopped almonds
1/3 cup dried unsweetened cranberries
Handful of baby spinach
1 cup baby tomatoes, halved or quartered depending on size
1/2 block feta cheese, crumbled

Directions:

Pour quinoa into the crockpot. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and mix it around. Add chicken or vegetable broth, the salt, and cinnamon. Stir in almonds and cranberries.

Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours, or on high for 2-4. The quinoa is done when you can fluff it with a fork and it is tender. The liquid should be pretty well absorbed, similar to how you know rice is done.

Fluff the quinoa with a fork, and add the baby tomatoes and feta cheese. Stir gingerly to mix. Add a large handful of baby spinach to the top of the crockpot, and close the lid. Cook on high for about 20 minutes, or until the spinach has wilted. Stir again to distribute the spinach. 

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Italian Rice:

Ingredients:

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained

6 green onions, sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 cup long-grain white basmati rice

2 cups chicken broth

 

Directions:

 

Put the tomatoes and sliced green onions into the bottom of your cooker and add garlic and Italian seasoning. Stir in the raw rice until it's evenly coated with the tomato mixture and spices. Pour in the chicken broth.

 

Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, or until the rice is tender. Take the lid off and fluff the rice with a fork. Let the slow cooker sit with the lid off for 10-15 minutes before serving to release steam.

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Honey & Cinnamon Glazed Carrots:

Ingredients:
4 cups of baby carrots (or fresh carrots, peeled and chopped in 2-inch chunks)
1/2 cup of orange juice
2 Tablespoons honey
1 Tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

Toss everything into the crockpot and stir.

Cook on high for 6 hours or 4 on low. Carrots are done when they reached the desired tenderness.





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Garlic Baked Potatoes:

Ingredients:
4 large baking potatoes
2 Tablespoons melted butter
2 Tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
8 garlic cloves

Directions: 

Peel the garlic and cut it into long slivers.

Wash your potatoes, and pat dry. Carefully cut slits into each potato every half inch almost to the base. The potato should start to separate a bit like an accordion.

Shove as many garlic slices as you can in each slit of each potato. Place the potatoes into your crockpot.

Liberally salt and pepper. Combine the melted butter with the olive oil and drizzle over the top of each potato, trying to get some in the garlic-filled slits, if you can.

Cover and cook on high for 2-4 hours or on low for about 6. They are done when the potatoes reach desired tenderness.

Top with sour cream.





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Corn Risotto:

Ingredients:
1.25 cups Arborio rice
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon onion flakes
4 chopped cloves of garlic
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 package of frozen corn (16 oz)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, depending on taste

to add later:
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Directions: 

Put the tablespoon of olive oil into the bottom of the crockpot, and swirl the rice and the onion flakes in it.

Chop the garlic and add, along with the salt and cayenne pepper. Add the frozen corn and the broth. Stir well. Drop in a pat of butter.

Cover and cook on high for about 2 hours, checking every 45 minutes or so. This is done when the liquid has absorbed and the rice is tender. Unplug, and add the cream and parmesan cheese. Cover for 5 minutes, or until cheese melts completely.





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Corn on the Cob:

Ingredients:
Fresh corn
Aluminum foil

Directions: 

Shuck the corn and wrap each ear in aluminum foil. Place the wrapped corn into your crockpot. There’s no need to add water.

Cover and cook on high for 2 hours. Corn is done when it reaches your preference for tenderness.






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Carrot Pudding:

Ingredients:
4 cups grated carrots
1 small onion, grated
1 cup heavy cream
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon white granulated sugar

Directions: 

Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Grate the carrots and onion. Add the grated veggies to your crockpot.

In a mixing bowl, combine the cream, egg, salt, nutmeg, and sugar. Pour this mixture into your slow cooker, and stir well.

Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, or on high for about 2 to 3. Your pudding is done when the carrots are tender. Using an immersion blender pulse a few times to create a pudding-like consistency. You can also transfer the carrot blend to a traditional blender to pulse a bit.





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