McLinky Monday - Crock Pot Recipes

It's McLinky Monday...and I'm late to the party. 

Better late than never, right?  That should probably be my next tattoo...seems to be my life motto right now.

Mrs. Priss wants us to share our favorite crock pot recipes.  This is pretty easy for me, because I LOVE my crock pot.  Yes, I do.  I l-o-v-e it. 

I actually did a little semi-vlog for you while I was putting my beans on this morning, but it will NOT load.  My iPhone hates me today.

So, here's a recap:

• 1 pound beans
• 2 cartons beef stock
• 1 pinto bean seasoning packet (or your own seasonings)
• 1 cup diced ham
• 2 T sugar...to taste (Granny's secret ingredient)
• additional seasonings of your choice (i.e. pepper, salt, etc.)

Put beans, stock/broth, and seasonings in crock pot for 6-8 hours.  30 minutes before serving add in your ham and sugar.  In the meantime, throw together some cornbread or ham sandwiches.  And that's dinner!  Oh, and we have to have some sliced onion.  I know someone who is just gonna looooove that. ;)

Another crock pot recipe post:
Made-up Italian Chicken

Also, be sure you click over to McLinky Monday for an extensive collection of all sorts of yummy crock pot recipes!

Hope you're all having a great day!

Love and Rockets,
jennykate♥

JennyKate's Baked Potato Soup

I don't think there is anything better than a hearty bowl of potato soup on a cold day. Here's how I make my potato soup...

Stars of the Show

• 5 lb bag of potatoes
• 1 lb bacon
• butter
• milk - quantity depends on your desired consistency
• chicken broth (about 2 boxes or 4 cans)
• minced garlic
• 1/2 onion
• a few stalks of celery
• salt and pepper to taste

Supporting Cast

• shredding cheese
• crumbled bacon
• chopped scallions (or green onions)

Act 1

• fry bacon to crispy (or extra crispy...just how I like it)
• save a little bacon grease and saute onions and minced garlic in bacon grease (or 1/2 stick of butter...or both, if you really want to clog your arteries)
• crumble bacon

Act 2

• clean and dice potatoes, and chop celery
• boil potatoes, bacon, sauteed onions, garlic, and chopped celery in chicken broth, until desired tenderness (I like mine mushy, so I boil them for at least an hour)

Act 3

• mash up potatoes (or don't, if you prefer chunky potatoes)
• add in 1/2 stick of butter
• add milk to desired consistency
• allow to cook for an additional 30 minutes to an hour, so the flavors can mesh together (mesh - that's a technical term)

Grand Finale

• serve up potato soup and top it off with some crumbled bacon, scallions, and shredded cheese (lots of shredded cheese)
• Enjoy!

JennyKate's Head Country Sloppy Joes

One of my boys' (big and little) favorite things for dinner is Sloppy Joes!  Mmmm.

Does that make you think of Adam Sandler's song Lunch Lady?

*song break*

Slop, sloppy joe.

Sloppy joe.

Slop, sloppy joe.

Come on.

Sloppy joe.

Slop, sloppy joe.

Yeah.

Sloppy joe.

Slop, sloppy, *farting noise* joe. 


Sloppy joe.OK, back to the recipe.  If you're not from Oklahoma, chances are you will not know what Head Country BBQ Sauce is.  Bless your heart.  'Cause let me tell you, it's gooooooood!  I guess, if you are one of the less fortunate and you don't have Head Country at your disposal, you'll have to improvise.

Stars Of The Show:

• Ground Hamburger or Ground Turkey - we prefer hamburger over the turkey because it has better flavor.  I brown 2lbs for the 3 of us, so that we can have leftovers, but 1lb should make 4 good servings.
• Head Country BBQ Sauce
• Head Country BBQ seasoning (to taste)
• A whole onion
• 1 tbs. minced garlic (for 2lbs)
• 4 tbs. brown sugar (for 2lbs)
• Pickles

Act 1:

• Brown meat w/ of the onion finely chopped, minced garlic, and Head Country BBQ seasoning.

Act 2:

• Slice the other half of the onion for garnishment and really bad breath.
• After meat is brown, drain off any excess grease.  I use a really low fat hamburger (usually 93/7), so I don't have to do this part.
• Stir in BBQ Sauce to desired consistency/thickness.

Grand Finale:

• Serve up on toasted buns.
• Garnish with onions and pickles...pickles are a MUST when you're eating Sloppy Joes or BBQ.
• Don't forget some yummy fries (oven baked, of course) or some Lays Potato Chips!
• Enjoy!

JennyKate's Made-Up Italian Chicken

I was referring to it as Made-Up Crock Pot Chicken Crap, but word on the street is that name isn't very appealing.  So, I shortened it.

Stars of the Show:

• Chicken (duh) - a 3lb bag of chicken breasts
• Chicken broth or stock - 1 box (or two cans. whatev)
• Diced tomatoes (the Italian variety...seasoned with oregano and basil) - 1 can
• Tomato paste - 1 can
• McCormick Italian Chicken seasoning packet
• tablespoon of minced garlic (from the jar) or maybe a couple of gloves if you go the fresh route.

You could also add in mushrooms, onions, additional spices, etc.  I was trying to keep it Isaiah friendly.

Act 1:

• Put all the ingredients into your crockpot.
• Turn your crock pot on and set it to low, if you want to cook it for 8+ hours, or set it to high if you would like it to cook faster and be finished in 4 hours.

Be sure to plug the crock pot in.  That's very important.  I know it sounds crazy, but that darn chicken will NOT cook if the crock pot isn't plugged it.  Trust me.

Act 2:

• Come home from a long days work...slaving away in the salt mines...or whatever it is you do during the day.
• Chicken is smelling up the house nicely.  I mean that in a good way.
• Boil some pasta of your choice.  I recommend linguine or thin spaghetti.

• Grate some fresh Parmesan Reggiano or if you don't love your family as much, just get the Parmesan in the jar out of the refrigerator.

The Grand Finale:

• Pile up some pasta.
• Put a yummylicious piece of chicken and some of the "sauce" over the pasta.
• Sprinkle or, in my case, shovel some Parmesan over the top.

• Enjoy!

Oh, and be sure to serve it on a paper plate, because that's real classy.