Crockpot Lasagna

Simplify this satisfying meal by cooking it in the crockpot. No more boiling noodles and arranging in a casserole dish and baking. Just brown your meat, layer your ingredients and come back in a few hours and eat!

1 lb hamburger meat OR Italian Sausage (or half a pound of each)
1 medium onion, chopped
3 (15-oz.) cans Italian style tomato sauce OR spaghetti sauce of your choice
2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 (15 oz.) container Ricotta cheese
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
15 uncooked lasagna noodles

Brown meat and onion in skillet, drain grease. Add tomato sauce or spaghetti sauce and basil  and salt. Mix well.

Mix 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese with the Ricotta and Parmesan cheeses. Refrigerate leftover 1 cup of mozzarella until lasagna finishes cooking.

Spoon 1/4 of meat mixture into bottom of 4-5 qt. crockpot. Top with 5 uncooked lasagna noodles, breaking them to fit into crockpot. Spread half the cheese mixture on top of the noodles. Then layer again, using 1/4 of the meat mixture, 5 noodles and half of the cheese mixture. Top with 1/4 of meat mixture, then 5 more noodles, then remaining meat mixture.

Allow to cook on low for 4-6 hours.

Sprinkle remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese on top and allow replace top of crockpot to allow cheese to melt, about 10 minutes.

Homemade Sloppy Joes

Our kids love this recipe for homemade Sloppy Joes. Goes great with Macaroni and Cheese!

1 lb. hamburger meat
1 onion, chopped fine
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup tomato juice (or sauce if you don't have juice)
3 TBSP. brown sugar
3 TBSP. cider vinegar
1 TBSP. Worcestershire sauce
1 TBSP. prepared yellow mustard

Cook meat and onion together, drain off grease. Add remaining ingredients, being liberal with your wet ingredients. Simmer slowly for 30 minutes.

Serve on hamburger buns.

Crockpot Beef Roast

We had this last night and it was fantastic! I love a good Beef Roast... moist, juicy and oh so good!

3-4 lb. roast of your choice (or bigger if you have a larger group)
2 cups water
salt
garlic powder
Montreal Steak seasoning, just a sprinkle or two (any pepper based seasoning would work)
2 TBSP. flour
1/4 cup cold water

Pour 2 cups water in bottom of crockpot. Place roast in crockpot, season with salt, garlic powder and Pepper based seasoning to taste. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. During last half hour of cooking, combine flour with 1/4 cup cold water, mix well until smooth and pour into juices surrounding roast. This will make a lovely gravy! Serve with mashed potatoes. Yummy!

If you want to serve Roast and vegetables, follow above directions, except omit making the gravy. Surround roast with washed and cut potatoes (or use whole baby red potatoes), carrots, onion and celery. You can throw in a bay leaf if you have one. Then cook on low as directed for 8-10 hrs.

VARIATION: instead of using salt, garlic powder and steak seasoning, you can sprinkle an envelope of Lipton's dried onion soup mix over the top of the roast and then allow to cook as directed above, OR  throw a chopped onion in with roast if desired.

Leftover roast makes great BBQ sandwiches!! Just chop and heat with BBQ sauce and pile on buns... awesome!

Texas Barbecue Brisket

My mother used to make this on Sundays! I couldn't wait to get home and have her wonderful Barbecue Brisket!

Brisket to fit into your large crock pot, may have to cut in two pieces to make it fit
2 1/2 cup ketchup
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cup chili sauce
1 1/2 cups wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup mustard
1 TBSP. celery seed
4 TBSP. Worcestershire
2 TBSP. soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
Dash of hot red pepper sauce
Black pepper to taste

Place brisket in crock pot. Mix all ingredients, then pour over brisket. Turn crock pot on low and allow to cook 8-10 hours, or on high for 5-6 hours.


N84H29GK6FT9

Chili

There is nothing better than hot chili on a cold day! Here is my simple recipe.

1 lb. ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 can chili beans
1 can black beans
1 can corn, drained
1 can Rotel tomatoes with green chilies
1 can tomato sauce
1 package chili seasoning
If you don't have chili seasoning, make your own from cumin, chili powder and garlic, salt and pepper

Brown beef and onion, drain grease. Add all other ingredients and combine in a crock pot. Simmer on low all day, or heat through on stove top in large saucepan.

Meatballs

It's spaghetti night! Time to make the meatballs! I love big, juicy meatballs with spaghetti. This is a great way to control the amount of meat you consume, those that love it can have a lot, and those that aren't meat crazy (like my daughter) can have a little. They freeze well too, which makes spaghetti night that much easier next week!

1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs (you can use plain or Italian)
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 egg

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix all ingredients together. Shape into twenty 1 1/2 inch balls.

Bake in 13X9 pan for 20-25 minutes, until done. Drain grease and serve.

VARIATIONS: add Parmesan cheese, garlic or hot pepper flakes to meat mixture.

Sarah's Sweet Chili

A friend of mine gave me this recipe. She said it was the only kind of chili her kids would eat. It is fantastic! Savory with a hint of sweet.

1 lb. hamburger
1 lb. sausage
1/2 cup onion, chopped (optional)
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can Rotel tomatoes
2 cans Chili beans
12 oz. V-8 juice ( I used the spicy kind)
3/4 cup sugar

Brown meat and onion, drain grease. Add all remaining ingredients. You can cook in crock pot on low all day or fix on stove top and heat through.

Texas Taco Soup

Zesty and delicious, this simple recipe really hits the spot!

2 lb. ground beef
1 package taco seasoning
1/2 cup onion, chopped (optional)
1 1/2 cups water
1 can mild chili beans
1 can corn, drained
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 14.5 oz. can stewed tomatoes
1 10 oz. can diced tomatoes with green chili peppers
1 4 oz. can chopped green chilies
1 package ranch salad dressing mix

Brown beef and onion. Drain grease. Add rest of ingredients and mix well. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes or until heated through.

Topping ideas: cheddar cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips, green onions, diced tomatoes, guacamole, black olives

Also, you could serve with warm tortillas and dip into the soup.. Yum!

This can also be made in the crockpot. Just brown the beef and onion first, then add all ingredients to crock pot and cook on low until heated through, at least 3-4 hours, though it could tolerate longer times easily.

'Lil Cheddar Loaves

I'm not a huge meatloaf fan, but these Cheddar Loaves are absolutely mouth-watering.

1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tsp. salt
1 lb. ground beef
2/3 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. mustard

Mix egg, milk, cheese, onion, salt and beef until well mixed.

Shape into 6-8 round shaped loaves. Place in 9X13 pan.

 Mix ketchup, brown sugar and mustard. Drizzle over meat.

 Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes.