Simple Sunday Chicken

This is such a simple recipe. The chicken creates its own juices and the final product is super moist!

1 small onion, optional

1 whole chicken (giblets removed)

Seasoning

Seasoning Mix:

2 tsp Salt

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp cayenne pepper **

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp black pepper

Chop onion and place in bottom of crock pot, if desired. Place chicken in crock pot, breast-side up. In small bowl mix together dry ingredients. Rub over top of chicken. Cook on HIGH 4-6 hours or LOW 6-8, until chicken tests done. (If using whole cut-up fryer chicken, layer smaller pieces on bottom and breasts on top, adding seasonings to both layers.)

For a Rotisserie effect, I like to then place the chicken under the broiler for 5 minutes. It's gives it just that perfect little crisp. My kids love it!

**Instead of Cayenne Pepper, I opt for Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning and omit the black pepper as well. If you have some, give it a try! You could also experiment with Lemon Pepper for a zesty flavor!

Chimichanga Chowder

I had some stewing chunks I needed to use, but just wasn't really in the mood for beef stew. I searched through my cupboards and fridge, and whaddya know -- I got a hairbrain idea for a Tex-Mex chowder. This is sort of a cross between taco soup and taco chili, except it has refried beans and the fact that it's cream based makes it a chowder. Since both chimichangas and burritos have refried beans, we thought we could call it either Beef Burrito Chowder or Chimichanga Chowder. In the end, Chimichanga Chowder won out. I hope you give it a try! We loved it!

1 lb beef chunks for stewing

seasonings**

1 jar salsa

1 can corn, drained

1 can refried beans

1/4 C sour cream

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 - 1 soup-can water

Brown beef chunks with desired amount of seasonings. Drain fat and place beef in bottom of crock pot. Add remaining ingredients to crock pot and stir well. Cook low 6-8 hours or high on 4. Serve with shredded cheese and crushed corn chips if desired.

**Seasonings may include 1 packet of taco or fajita seasoning, a few dashes of chili powder, etc. I used about a teaspoon of Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning.

Italian Ranch Roast

This is so super easy and very flavorful! Anyone can do it, I promise!!!

1 boneless rump roast

1 packet Au Jus gravy mix

1 packet Italian Salad Dressing Mix

1 Packet Ranch Salad Dressing Mix

1 - 2 C water

Place roast in crock pot. Add each packet of seasoning on top. Pour 1-2 C water over roast; enough to just cover roast. Cook on HIGH 6-8 hours, or all day. Serve over mashed potatoes if desired.

*For Au Jus sandwiches, drain juices from meat and reserve for dipping sauce. Serve roast beef in buns.

**You can also use leftovers as a base for beef stew.

Easy-Peasy Cocktail Meatballs

The Blonde Duck over at "A Duck In Her Pond" was talking all things meatballs, which of course put me in the mood for some, so I made these the other night. My kids LOVE these!

Now, you COULD make your own meatballs if you have a great recipe and lots of time to roll out a bunch of little meaty balls... however, because I am a Cheat, and have very little or no time at all to cook, I buy the 2 lb bag of frozen meatballs. I wait until they go on sale for about $2.50 a bag... or get them from Costco. Anyway... without further adieu...

Easy-Peasey Cocktail Meatballs

2 lbs meatballs, cooked (can use the frozen kind)

1 - 16 oz jellied cranberry sauce (or whole cranberry sauce if desired)

1 - 12 oz bottled chili sauce (i love the "Homemade" brand)

2 tsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp brown sugar

Place meatballs in crock pot. Add remaining ingredients and turn on low 3-6 hours.

*when eating as a main dish for dinner, we like to serve them as "mini sandwiches" in Hawaiian style rolls... yummm!!!

Crock Pot Potato Dinner

The theme for our recipe group this month was "Potato Dishes". I scoured over recipes. I felt overwhelemd. It all just seemed too hard. So... I made this one up. My kids LOVED it!

2 lb bag frozen "country style" or "O'Brien" potatoes

16 oz Velveeta Cheese, cubed

1 polska kielbasa sausage, cut up*

8 oz sour cream

1/2 stick (1/4 C) butter

salt & pepper, to taste

Add all ingredients to the crock pot. Stir to mix. Cook on LOW 4-6 hours. Stir well before serving. Add salt & pepper as needed.

*You can also substitute Polish Sausage or Bratwurst. Also try adding 1 can drained corn kernels.

Succulent Short Ribs

I LOVE this recipe - and my middle child requests this ALL the time! Again it's one I received from someone in the neighborhood, but simplified and tweaked it to fit my kids' tastes. I like to buy the boneless short ribs with the fat already trimmed. The only place I seem to find that around here is Costco. The Emeril's seasonings are also hard to find sometimes but Wal-Mart Super Center carries it.

3-5 lbs Short ribs

Emerils "Original Essence" seasonings

2 cans Beef Consomme

Use seasoning as a Rub and rub onto all sides of meat. In frying pan brown all side of meat in a little oil. (I like to use a little bit of extra virgin olive oil and I like to use my Pampered Chef Grill pan for this.) Places meat in crock pot. Cover with consomme. Cook on HIGH about 3-4 hrs or on LOW 6-8 hrs. Very tender. Very Moist. Verrrrry Good.

*If you like onions, then you may consider sauteing some while browning the meat and then adding them to the crock pot as well.