Fiery Chili

I love fall cooking.  Just when the temperature drops enough to enjoy a nice hot bowl of chili.  I've completely switched over to ground turkey so this was my first ground turkey batch and it was excellent.  I highly recommend adding the WoodChuck Amber Apple Cider, I feel like it brought out a lot of the flavors.

Fiery Chili
A Hudocks to Haddocks Original Recipe
-         2 lbs ground turkey

-         1 (28 oz) can of Brook's hot chili beans in chili sauce

-         1 packet of hot chili mix

-         1 (14 oz) can of diced tomatoes with jalapeños

-         1 (14 oz) can of diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings

-         6-10 stalks of celery, diced

-         2-4 large green peppers, chopped

-         1-2 small onion, diced

-         1-3 tsp chili powder

-         2-3 tsp crushed red pepper

-         1-2 tsp cumin

-         2-3 tsp ground black pepper

-         1 bottle of your favorite beer

1.  Sauté onions in a hot oiled pan, add in ground turkey and cook until browned.

2.  Add all your ingredients to your crock pot and mix well.  Cook on high for 4-6 hours, until all vegetables are soft.

Notes:

-         I like to season it slowly.  I add in maybe 1 tsp of each seasoning, let it cook for a good 2 hours, taste and then season more to taste.

-         I used Woodchuck Apple Cider Amber for my beer and it gave it an amazing flavor

-         To make chili mac, add ¼ cup of shells or egg noodles to bottom of bowl before adding chili.

-         Makes 8-10 servings

-         Optional garnish: shredded cheese, sour cream, chives.

Carnitas

I've been obsessed with carnitas since the first time I've ever tried them.  I never thought about making them myself though.  Typically, I would just go to the Mexican grocer and pick up some already prepared.  I decided it was time to learn how to do this myself.  I would say these were awesome for my first time, but there is definitely room for improvement.

Carnitas in the Slow Cooker
A Hudocks to Haddocks Original Recipe

• 3.5 lb pork shoulder
• 6 oz goya green chilies
• 1 tbsp. cumin
• 3/4 cup of chicken broth
• 6 packets of Sazon

Directions:

1. Wash defrosted pork shoulder and place in crockpot
2. Cover in green chilies.  Add cumin and chicken broth.
3. Cook on low for 8 hours, flipping shoulder over halfway through cooking time.
4. Remove pork shoulder from crockpot, shred with 2 forks, add sazon and mix well
5. Serve on flour or corn tortillas.

Notes:

• Optional toppings: salsa, cheese, sour cream, lettuce, tomato
• I put this in the crockpot and then was running errands for several hours, so I came home after 6 hours of cooking to look at it and see that it needed to be flipped.  I flipped it and put it on high for those last 2 hours, so I figured 8 hours, flipping midway, should do.
• I wish I has more time for this dish, since I would have liked to add the sazon and throw it back in the crockpot for another 30 min - 1 hour for it to cook in the flavoring better.

Goin' Southern!

Last week was our anniversary and I had big plans to try and make crab stuffed shells. However, with the pending patio project and our mini getaway not far behind it, I had a TON of grocery shopping to do. I just did not feel like making another stop to Supreme Lobster to pick up crab legs. So I decided that I would make almost everything in my crock pots to make it easier on me. I was running errands from 6 a.m. that day and wanted something that could cook if I decided to nap and not be ruined.

So, I went as southern as this Midwest gal can go and made ribs, baked mac n cheese & corn pudding.
I really wanted to put the mac n cheese in my second crock pot (a Christmas gift from my mom that I had no used yet) but when I went to open it and wash it for us, it was cracked right down the middle. Bummer. So I had to make the mac n cheese in the oven instead.

What I thought was going to be a quick prep in the kitchen had me (what I felt like) in the kitchen cooking all day. [This was due to company coming in and out all day too though]

Slow Cooker Ribs 

1 slab pork baby back ribs
2 cups ketchup
1 cup chili sauce (recipe below)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
4 tbs. vinegar
Oregano
Dash of hot sauce

Chili sauce -
1 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbs vinegar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp seasoned salt
1 tsp pepper
1. Mix together until all clumps are out.

Recipe:
1. Wash ribs, cut down center and remove back fat off ribs.
2. Season with salt & pepper. Put in baking dish and bake at 400 for 15 minutes on each side.
3. Remove from oven, drain fat.
4. Mix all sauce ingredients until lumps are out. Pour into crock pot. Place ribs on top and turn to coat.
5. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until tender.

*I did 6 hours and they fell right off the bone.
* I also had a lot of leftover sauce so this recipe would have worked better with les sauce or another slab of ribs.

Baked Mac n Cheese
1 pound elbow macroni
3 tbs butter
3 tbs flour
3 cups of milk (whole milk or 2% is best – I did 2 cups of whole milk & I cup skim as it is what I had)
1 large egg
12-14 oz of sharp cheddar shredded cheese
salt & pepper (to taste)

Topping:
3 tbs butter
1/2 cup Italian style breadcrumbs

1. Cook pasta to al dente
2. While pasta is cooking, in a pot melt butter. Whisk in flour for a good 3-4 minutes, until lumps are gone. Stir in milk & pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Whisk in egg for 1-2 minutes and then stir in 3/4 of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Fold cheese mix into macaroni in pasta pot. Pour into casserole dish
5. In a sauce pan, melt butter for topping and toss breadcrumbs to coat.
6. Pour remaining cheese over casserole and cover with topping.
7. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, or until topping has turned golden brown.

Corn Pudding 

Slow Cooker: Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Take a 2-4 pound pork loin or pork shoulder, season (I use salt, pepper, onion powder & garlic powder) and put in crockpot with a package of onion soup mix and a little water.

Cook on high for 4 hours of low for 8.

Remove, pull pork apart with 2 forks, add in crockpot your favorite BBQ sauce (we're Sweet Baby Ray's snobs) and put pork back in there. Mix together & let cook for another 30 minutes.

Serve on your favorite buns.

This is a quick & easy recipe for a party since it stays warm as long as you need it too and not many people dislike pulled pork!

Slow Cooker: Taco Chicken

- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 20 oz of hot chili beans
- 8 oz tomato sauce
- 8 oz diced tomatoes
- 8 oz corn
- 1 package of taco seasoning
- 2 packages of sazon
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 3 tsp of sofrito
- 2 tsp of cumin
- 2 tsp of onion salt
- 2 tsp of garlic powder
- 2 tsp crushed red pepper
- 1/4 cup of hot sauce

Throw everything in the crock pot, mix and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.

This is good alone or can even be used to make tacos.

Slow Cooker: Enchiladas

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 1/4 cup water
• 1 package of taco seasoning
• 2 packages of sazon
• 1 14 oz jar of enchilada sauce
• 4 cups of shredded mexican cheese
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 4-5 corn tortillas, quartered


1. Brown meat, drain fat. Add water, taco seasoning & 1 package of sazon. Simmer for 15 minutes.
2. In a bowl mix all but 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce, 3 cups cheese, soups & package of sazon.
3. Spray crock pot with cooking spray. Add a layer of corn tortillas to the bottom, covering it completely. Add a thin layer of meat, then add a layer of the cheese mixture, then a layer of tortillas. Do this until you run out of everything, making sure the top is a layer of tortillas. Put remaining sauce on top & sprinkle remaining cheese on top of that.
4. Cover & cook for 1 hour - 1 hour 15 minutes.
** The only trouble I had with this recipe was getting it out of the crockpot. It fell apart a bit, but I think it was cause from a stupid spoon I used to get it out.

Also, this recipe yields a lot! So either serve it for a group, or prepare to freeze some leftovers.

Slow Cooker: Pork Stew

You can... throw it in the pot!

I had a package of pork tenderloin medallions that I cut up into smaller pieces, added carrots, potatoes and some chopped up onion. Threw it in the crockpot with seasoning (sea salt, pepper, cumin, garlic powder) & 2 bags of brown gravy (dry) mix and then added about 3 cups of water.

I cooked it on high for 8 hours, and since I am gone for work for 12 hours, it then was on warm for the last 4.

Turned out delish! The meat was so tender, it was falling apart. I was pretty nervous about it since it was my first time just throwing things in, but we loved it.

This is a good hearty meal, perfect for winter. Definitely freeze leftovers!

Slow Cooker: Chicken Tetrazzini

• 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix (can substitute with onion soup mix)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 small onion, sliced and separated into rings (if you used onion soup mix substitute, omit)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (can substiute with 1/2 tsp minced garlic from jar)
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup (can substitute with cream of mushroom soup & 1 chicken boullion cube)
• 1/2 cup chicken broth (I used 1 cup instead)
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1. Place chicken in the slow cooker crock. Top with 2 tablespoons melted butter; sprinkle with Italian dressing or onon soup mix.
2. Cover, and cook on High for 3 hours.
3. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion and garlic; cook and stir until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Mix in the cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, and cream cheese. Pour mixture over the cooked chicken in the slow cooker.
4. Cover, and continue to cook on Low until chicken in fork tender and the sauce has thickened, about 1 additional hour. **IF you chose to add 1 cup of chicken broth instead, cook on low for 20 minutes and then switch back to high for remaining 40 minutes. Once hour is up, unplug & let sit for 15-20 minutes COVERED!

I made this with egg noodles and poured them right into the crock to mix it with it.

Soooo yummy!

Slow Cooker: Chicken and Dumplings

* 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves cut into bit sized pieces
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup
* 1 packet of onion soup mix
* 1 package refrigerated biscuit dough, torn into pieces
* salt & pepper to taste
* garlic powder to taste



1. Place the chicken, butter, soup, onion mix & seasonings in a slow cooker, and fill with enough water to cover.
2. Cover, and cook for 5 to 6 hours on High. About 45 minutes before serving, place the torn biscuit dough in the slow cooker. Cook until the dough is no longer raw in the center.

This recipe calls for 2 packages of biscuit dough but I've done it and it's just too much.