Pulled Pork Pita Pizzas

Have you ever eaten a meal at a restaurant and just kept obsessing over it until either a.) you went to the restaurant again specifically to have that dish one more time, or b.) you finally broke down and tried to duplicate it in your own kitchen? That exact thing happened to me after I tried the pulled pork pizza at Rivage Atlantique during a lunch with my family a couple of months ago. It was so delicious that I thought about it for weeks until I finally decided to make my own version at home.

This may sound simple, and it is; it's just pulled pork, coleslaw, cheese, and pickles on a pizza. But the end result is insanely delicious. It's such a wonderful combination of flavors, and one that most people enjoy on a sandwich -- so why not on a pizza?

Instead of using pizza crust, I pulled a package of pitas out of the freezer and used those -- they're the perfect size for personal pizzas. The hands-on cooking time is very minimal, making these pizzas perfect for a weeknight. And I can guarantee that they'll make your family very happy! You'll definitely have pork left over, but that's okay; you'll probably want to make these again the next night...and the next.

Pulled Pork Pita Pizzas
inspired by a meal at Rivage Atlantique

For the pork:

1 2-pound pork shoulder or butt
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce

For the pizzas:

4 pita breads
2 cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese
Prepared coleslaw
Refrigerated pickles, sliced

1. Combine garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, olive oil, and vinegar. Rub pork with garlic mixture and refrigerate overnight. Cook in a Crock pot on low for 8 hours. Turn off the heat and stir in the BBQ sauce; replace the lid and let sit until warmed through.

2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the pita breads on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and top each pita with 1/2 cup of the pork, 1/2 cup of cheese, and sliced pickles to taste. Return to the oven and bake for 10 minutes, or until pita is crisp and cheese is melted. 

3. Top with coleslaw and cut each pizza into slices. Serve immediately.

Slow Cooker Chicken Bacon Ranch Sandwiches with Ranch Slaw

It happens every year around this time, when the weather starts gradually changing from fall to winter: I get really, really lazy when it comes to cooking. It gets dark earlier, my kids are more likely to be under my feet while I'm preparing dinner since they can't play outside, and basically I just want to curl up on the couch in my pajamas with a good book. Alas, my family needs to eat, so I still have to make something. 

So around this time of year, dinners start getting much simpler in our house. I start making more skillet dinners, more slow-cooker dinners, and other dishes that require very little hands-on work. 

These sandwiches are a perfect example of my late-fall-and-winter cooking philosophy. They require basically no hands-on work, and the results are absolutely delicious. You guys know what a sucker I am for the chicken-bacon-ranch combo, and when you cook them together and top them with a creamy slaw, you have one delicious dinner on your hands. And yet another thing to love about these sandwiches is that the leftovers can be turned into a completely different and delicious dinner the next night...which I'll share with you on Wednesday. 
 
(P.S. If you guys are getting sick of this whole make-it-once-use-it-multiple-times style of cooking I've adopted lately, I should warn you that it won't be stopping anytime soon. I just love the convenience and cost-effectiveness of it!)

Slow Cooker Chicken Bacon Ranch Sandwiches with Ranch Slaw
adapted from Eat at Home

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 package ranch dressing mix
1 3-ounce package real bacon bits
1 bag cole slaw mix
Ranch dressing
Sliced cheddar cheese
Sandwich buns for serving

1. Add the chicken to the slow cooker. In a small bowl, whisk together the chicken stock and ranch dressing mix. Pour over the chicken. Top with bacon bits. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours. Shred the chicken.

2. Before serving, toss the cole slaw mix with ranch dressing to taste in a large bowl. 

3. Serve the shredded chicken on sandwich buns, topped with a slice of cheddar cheese and a pile of the ranch slaw. 

Rigatoni with Italian Beef Ragu

You're getting a two-for-one recipe today. Remember the amazing Chicago-style Italian beef sandwiches I shared with you last month? Well, you really need to make them. And then you need to use the leftovers for this pasta.

What's great about both of these recipes is that they require so little time to prepare, because the Crock pot does all the work. You don't even need to make the recipes on consecutive nights; just have the sandwiches one night, and freeze the leftovers for later, which is exactly what I did. The meat tasted just as good after it had been frozen -- maybe even better!

I used a sturdy pasta with lines for this recipe to stand up to the robust sauce. Because the meat had already stewed in so many delicious ingredients, all I really had to do was make a quick tomato sauce for it, and the flavor was amazing. This dinner was a show-stopper, and definitely tasted like it took a long time to cook -- even though it was ready in the time it took to boil the pasta.

Rigatoni with Italian Beef Ragu

1 pound rigatoni or other sturdy pasta

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups Italian beef with its juices

1 sprig thyme leaves, finely chopped

1 14.5-ounce can Italian-style stewed tomatoes

1 large can tomato sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Freshly-shredded parmesan cheese

1. Cook rigatoni in boiling salted water according to directions on package; drain.

2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large, high-sided skillet. Add onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the onion is softened and translucent. Add garlic cloves; cook and stir for 30 seconds. Stir in Italian beef with its juices and cook for a couple of minutes until heated through.

3. Add thyme and both cans of tomatoes to the pan and stir gently to combine. Heat through, then taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Serve sauce over rigatoni and top with shredded parmesan cheese.

Crock Pot Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic

My story of making this dinner is very similar to the story Stephanie shared when she posted the recipe. I was prepping it the night before I planned to serve it when Joe walked into the kitchen. Upon seeing (and smelling!)  the piles of garlic on the cutting board, all he could say was, "Uhh..." When I told him all of the garlic was for one recipe, he was well beyond skeptical. Later on in the evening, we were sitting on the couch holding hands, and he raised my hand to give me a kiss (awww) but stopped short when he smelled the scent of garlic that no soap can completely remove. Not that I blame him; I'm not a fan of walking around smelling like garlic on a daily basis, which is why I use the minced stuff from the jar whenever I can get away with it (deep dark culinary confession!).

Anyway, the lack of hand kisses was completely worth it, I have to say. It really does sound like a lot of garlic, and it is a lot of garlic, but after cooking all day in the Crock pot the flavor totally mellows and becomes similar to that of roasted garlic. The flavor is intense, slightly sweet, and absolutely delicious, and the paprika adds a nice smoky quality to the broth. This was a hit with the entire family, and the leftovers worked great in these Tuscan-style chicken sandwiches. This meal is perfect for this time of year; you get all the flavor of a chicken dinner without even turning on your oven. 

Crock Pot Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic

adapted from Stephanie Cooks

1 medium onion, chopped

3 bone-in, skinless chicken breasts

2 teaspoons each salt, paprika, and freshly ground black pepper

40 cloves of garlic, peeled

1 cup chicken stock

1 bay leaf

2 sprigs fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon butter

1. Cover the bottom of the Crock pot with the chopped onions. Then add the chicken and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and paprika. Stir the chicken, spices, and onion together with your hands until everything is well coated.

2. Add the garlic to the Crock pot and mix so the cloves are in and around the chicken. Pour in the chicken broth. Add the bay leaf and the thyme sprigs. Top with the butter.

3. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours. Discard bay leaf and thyme.

4. When serving, pour the broth over the sliced chicken.

Crock Pot Chicago-Style Italian Beef Sandwiches

I've been on a sandwich kick lately. I'm not sure why, but I'm not questioning it, because my current obsession has resulted in some really, really delicious sandwich-based dinners for us recently. The sandwich I'm sharing today is OMGgood, so delicious that there really are no words. The balance of flavors is just so perfect. And this sandwich is made mostly in the slow cooker, making it perfect for warm weather, busy nights, and lazy people such as myself.

Let me break it down for you. The sandwich starts with a beef roast that's seared in a hot Dutch oven until it's beautifully browned on all sides. Then it takes a bath, along with some garlic, onions, and spices, in red wine for 8 or so hours. As if that wasn't delicious enough on its own, the meat is then shredded, placed in a toasted bun, and topped with sweet bell peppers, marinated fresh mozzarella, and spicy chopped giardiniera. And! Even better! You'll probably have some meat left over, which you can freeze for an easy dinner later.

Honestly, the most difficult part of this recipe is lifting your heavy Dutch oven to pour the wine into the Crock pot. And sweet mercy, this is just delicious.

Crock Pot Chicago-Style Italian Beef Sandwiches

adapted from Ezra Pound Cake

For the beef:

1 boneless beef chuck eye roast (about 3 1/2 pounds)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium onion, roughly chopped

6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/2 cup dry red wine

3 cups beef stock

2 sprigs fresh thyme

For the sweet bell peppers:

2 green bell peppers, seeded and cut into strips
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sugar

For the sandwiches:

4 soft, hinged sub or hoagie rolls, toasted
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced (I found some marinated with basil, sun-dried tomatoes, and crushed pepper flakes, which I highly recommend if you can find it)
Hot giardiniera (Italian pickled vegetables), chopped

1. Season the entire roast with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Brown the roast on all sides, and transfer the roast to the slow cooker.

2. Reduce heat to medium. Add onions and saute, stirring occasionally until just beginning to brown. Add the garlic, and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer to slow cooker.

3. Increase heat to medium-high, and add red wine to the Dutch oven. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the stock, and bring back to a simmer. Add Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper, and fresh thyme. Pour the mixture into the slow cooker.

4. Set slow cooker to low, cover, and cook until tender, about 8 hours. (Or, set the slow cooker to high, and cook for 5 to 6 hours.) The meat should fall apart easily. Shred the meat with two forks, and put it back in the slow cooker with the juices.

5. To make the sweet peppers, add the olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Add the pepper strips, garlic, and salt and pepper. Saute until peppers are softened. Sprinkle with sugar, stir to combine, and cook for 1 more minute.

6. Place some beef on a roll. Top with peppers and cheese. Set the oven to broil and cook until cheese is melted. Top with hot giardiniera and serve.

Pineapple BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Pineapple Coleslaw

It's March!! Yay!! Not only is this my birthday month, but it's also the month when spring officially arrives -- and I couldn't be more excited about that. I'm certainly ready for the warmer weather for many reasons. I'm going to be honest here: one of the main reasons is that I can send my children outside to play when they're driving me nuts. Love them as I do, I think we're all going a little bit stir-crazy after being cooped up together in the house for so long.

One of the other reasons, of course, is food-related. Since I've been longing for warm weather lately, I thought I'd make something that reminds me of warm weather: pulled pork. And since pork goes so well with pineapple, and I always top my pulled pork sandwiches with slaw, I decided to make a pineapple coleslaw to top them off. The result is so delicious, I don't even know where to begin. The pork is sweet and smoky, the slaw is creamy and tangy. Basically, it's Heaven on a bun.

Pineapple BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Pineapple Coleslaw

For the pork:

1 2-3 pound pork roast

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup pineapple juice (use the juice from the can you use for the slaw)

1 bottle BBQ sauce

For the slaw:

4 cups shredded cabbage

1 can pineapple rings, finely chopped

1 cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

3 tablespoons sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

Sandwich buns, for serving

1. Combine brown sugar, chili powder, paprika, salt, garlic powder, and pepper in a small bowl. Rub generously over the pork and place in a Crock pot. Pour the pinapple juice over the pork. Cook on low for 8 hours, or until the meat shreds easily with a fork. Shred the meat, add the BBQ sauce, and continue cooking on low for 30 minutes.

2. To prepare the slaw, combine mayonnaise, vinegar, and sugar in a large bowl. Add cabbage and pineapple and toss to combine. Taste for seasoning and season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Serve the pulled pork on sandwich buns with a generous scoop of the slaw.

Cheesy Salsa Chicken Spaghetti

I think most of us can agree on the following two things: 1. Salsa chicken is one of the simplest, most delicious ways to serve chicken; and 2. Chicken spaghetti is one of the yummiest, most comforting meals on the planet. Now that we've established that, I think we can also agree that combining the two dishes results in a meal that is simple, flavorful, and delicious.

This meal really couldn't be easier. Salsa chicken, cheese sauce, spaghetti, and boom; dinner's ready. Joe liked this a lot, but the boys loved it. It's one of the only times I've ever successfully convinced them to eat Mexican(ish) food.

Salsa chicken is one of those things I always make in a big batch and freeze for later, and this is the perfect way to use it. Tacos one night, cheesy chicken spaghetti the next.

Cheesy Salsa Chicken Spaghetti

2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

1 cup salsa

1/4 cup chicken stock

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/2 pound dry spaghetti, broken in half

4 tablespoons butter

1 red onion, finely diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 4-ounce can chopped green chilies, drained

Salt and pepper

3 tablespoons flour

2 cups milk

1/2 cup sour cream

2 cups freshly shredded cheddar or Monterey jack cheese

Chopped cilantro for serving

1. Combine chicken, salsa, chicken stock, chili powder and cumin in a Crock pot. Cover and cook on Low for 4 to 6 hours, until chicken shreds easily with a fork. Shred chicken and set aside.

2. Cook the spaghetti in boiling salted water until al dente; drain.

3. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until translucent. Add garlic and green chilies, season with salt and pepper, and cook for another minute or so.

4. Stir in the flour until smooth, then add the milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until sauce is thickened and bubbly. Mix in the sour cream, then add the cheese in increments, letting each addition melt before adding more. Add the chicken to the cheese sauce.

5. Pour the cheese sauce over the spaghetti and stir to combine. Top each serving with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of cilantro, if desired.

Slow Cooker Cube Steak and Gravy

All I want to eat lately is comfort food. I know this directly correlates to the season -- not the weather, necessarily, since it's been pretty mild here, but more the fact that it's winter and psychologically I just want to curl up in flannel pajamas and not move for 3 months. Hearty, soul-soothing dishes are just the kind of thing I like to eat this time of year, and this recipe is perfect for that. A traditionally tough cut of meat is cooked all day long in the slow cooker then topped with a rich gravy, making it unbelievably tender and flavorful. This was a hit with the entire family, even the boys, who each ate an entire cube steak on their own. We still had leftovers, which Joe put between slices of Texas toast with some Swiss cheese and grilled to make a kick-ass sandwich. I think I may make this again expressly for that purpose.

Slow Cooker Cube Steak and Gravy

adapted from Tasty Kitchen

1 pound cube steak (4-6 pieces)

Salt and pepper to taste

Flour

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 onion, thinly sliced

3 cups water, divided

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

3 1-ounce envelopes beef gravy, onion gravy, or mushroom gravy, or a combination of all three

1. Season cube steak with salt and pepper and roll in flour until evenly coated. Shake off the excess.

2. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Working in batches if necessary, fry the cube steak until both sides are browned.

3. Place cube steaks in crock pot along with mushrooms on onions. Cover with two cups of water. Cook on low for 8 hours.

4. Half an hour before serving, mix the gravy packs with the Worcestershire sauce and the remaining cup of water. Pour the gravy mixture over the cube steaks. Let cook for 30 minutes more or until the gravy has thickened.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos with Cheddar, Beer, and Black Beans

I’ve reached the point in my life that, even though I still love to cook and bake, making dinner in the evening is more of a hassle than anything. There are two very valid reasons for this, and their names are Andrew and Will. My two little boy tornadoes make focusing on dinner preparation completely impossible. They’re either arguing with each other, or playing together too well (meaning, they’re up to mischief). And lots of times, they’re right there in the kitchen with me serving as a distraction: trying to spoon the soap bubbles out of the sink full of dishes, riffling through the refrigerator in search of a pre-dinner drink or snack, or dragging the dining room chairs over so they can “help” me.

Oh yes. Making dinner is far from a peaceful, easy affair in my house.

That’s part of the reason I love my Crock pot so much. I can throw a bunch of ingredients in there the night before, turn it on in the morning before we leave the house, and have dinner waiting for me when we get home. It makes the evenings go much more smoothly, because it allows me to focus more on boy-corralling.

In this particular Crock pot meal, chicken breasts are stewed in beer and Mexican spices, giving them tons of flavor and making them so tender. Black beans and cheddar cheese are stirred in after the chicken is shredded to make a hearty, flavorful filling for tacos. The black beans were my own addition; I didn’t have as much chicken on hand as I thought and wanted to stretch it, so the black beans were the perfect use for that. I loved the way their earthiness paired with the yeasty flavor of the beer. I really just loved everything about this meal, from the way it tasted to how wonderfully hands-off it was to prepare.

Crock Pot Chicken Tacos with Cheddar, Beer, and Black Beans

adapted from Sweet Beginnings

2 to 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 cup beer

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup freshly-grated cheddar cheese

Flour tortillas, sour cream and avocado for serving

1. Mix chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic, onion, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk the beer into the seasoning mixture, until well combined.

2. Place the chicken in the Crock pot and pour the beer mixture over it. Cover and cook for 7 to 8 hours on low, or 4 hours on high.

3. Shred the chicken with two forks (don’t drain the liquid). Add the black beans and cheese and stir to combine. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, or until heated through.

4. Spread the chicken mixture over warm tortillas. Top with sour cream and avocado (and any other toppings you like).

Salsa Ranch Chicken Taco Salads

Everyone seems to love salsa chicken, and everyone seems to have their own version of it. My favorite version is basic, simple and delicious: a jar of salsa, a cup of chicken stock, and spices. When I made the chicken for these salads, I added a packet of ranch dressing mix, which was a stroke of genius on my part, I must say. I piled the cooked chicken on top of taco salads loaded with tons of toppings and drizzled the entire thing with even more ranch dressing. These salads were so delicious, and made for such an effortless weeknight dinner.

(Sorry my posts have been short the past couple of days. I’ve been beyond busy!)

Salsa Ranch Chicken Taco Salads

For the chicken:

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 16-ounce jar salsa

1 cup chicken stock

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 packet ranch dressing mix

For the salads:

1 head iceberg lettuce, chopped

1 packet of Mexican rice, cooked according to package directions

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can corn, rinsed and drained

Shredded cheddar cheese

Corn chips

Salsa

Ranch dressing

1. Place the chicken in a Crock pot. Add salsa, chicken stock, chili powder, cumin, and ranch dressing mix; stir to combine and evenly coat the chicken. Cover and cook on High for 4 hours or Low for 8 hours. When ready to eat, remove chicken and shred with two forks.

2. To assemble the salads, arrange lettuce on a plate. Top with rice, beans, corn, chicken, cheese, and corn chips. Add more salsa and drizzle with ranch dressing.

Crock Pot Ranch Pork Chops

Every time I look at this picture, it makes me laugh. Can you guess why? It's because of that massive pile of mashed potatoes! This is my plate, you guys. I remember glopping them on there with a big old spoon, and then, when I realized how much I spooned out, shrugging my shoulders and saying, "Oh well." I can't remember if I managed to eat all of them, but I guess it wouldn't surprise me if I did (she says, lowering her head in shame). I love me some mashed potatoes.

What do mashed potatoes need to make them taste even better? A really delicious gravy! And that's exactly what this pork chop recipe produces: a rich, flavorful, creamy gravy that is perfect for spilling down over a gigantic pile of potatoes. And don't forget the pork chops, which are tender and moist. Including the pork chops themselves, you are only three ingredients and one Crock pot away from a really delicious plate of food.

Crock Pot Ranch Pork Chops

from Picky Palate

6 pork chops, 1/2 inch thick

1 packet dry ranch dressing mix

1 10-ounce can cream of chicken soup

Place pork chops, ranch seasoning and soup into a Crock pot. Cook on high heat for 4 hours or low heat for 6 hours. Serve with mashed potatoes.

Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken and Rice

I am the sort of person who really, really values sleep. After having two boys in 20 months, both with their own set of sleeping issues (especially the second one), I have come to fully appreciate the importance of a good night’s sleep. Because I love sleep so much, it is so hard for me to get out of bed in the mornings.

I know this about myself, so I try to plan things accordingly to make my typically rushed mornings go more smoothly. I lay out my clothes the night before, and have the boys pick their outfits the night before. I make their breakfast and their lunches. If I’m making a Crock pot meal for dinner the following night, I make sure it’s prepped and ready to go the night before so all I have to do in the morning is turn it on.

Since the new year started, I’ve been making an effort to get up earlier in the mornings, so I’m not rushing around trying to make it out the door on time. I’ve been getting up at 5:30 every morning, and I think my body is finally adjusting to the change. Now I have time for all kinds of things in the mornings and I’m not nearly as rushed. If I wanted to, I could prep Crock pot meals in the morning instead of the night before. Who knew getting up earlier would add so much time to my day?

No matter if you prep this the night before or the morning of the day you’re making it, this slow cooker chicken and rice is definitely a recipe you should try this winter. It’s like the perfect comfort food. Chicken, rice, cheese, corn, a creamy sauce…Mmm. Absolutely delicious. All you have to do before you serve it is cook the rice. You could even cook the rice the night before, or, if you’re into the whole “getting up early” thing, the morning of the day you’re serving this.

Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken and Rice
adapted from Southern Plate

2 to 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, chopped (I think scallions would also work great)
1 10.5-ounce can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 15-ounce can whole kernel corn, drained
1 8-ounce box Zatarain's Yellow Rice Mix, cooked according to directions

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place in bottom of slow cooker. Top each breast with 1 tablespoon of butter. Scatter chopped onion over top.

2. Combine cream of chicken soup and sour cream and pour over chicken.

3. Cover and cook on low 7 to 8 hours or on high 3 to 4 hours.

4. A few minutes before serving, add in cooked rice, corn, and cheese. Stir to combine. Serve hot.

Sweet Pork Tacos with Cilantro Ranch Dressing

It’s hard to find the words to describe a meal this good. I’m being completely serious. I cannot tell you enough how delicious these tacos were, and how perfectly they paired with the cilantro ranch dressing. Just sitting here typing this post is making my mouth water. I think I’m going to have to put this meal on our menu again next week. I actually would love to put this meal on our menu every single week.

What I love about Crock pot cooking is that it’s so incredibly easy. You can throw everything together the night before and turn the Crock pot on in the morning – and this is a meal that actually requires that. Letting the pork marinate in the Coca-Cola, brown sugar, and seasonings overnight really intensifies the flavor. The pork is sweet and spicy, with a welcome molasses undertone from the Coke. The cilantro ranch dressing (which is very, very similar to this) brightens up the tacos and adds a whole new level of flavor. I ate these tacos as leftovers for days, and was a little bit sad when they were all gone. They’re so delicious.

Sweet Pork Tacos with Cilantro Ranch Dressing
adapted from Just Cook Already

For the pork:

2 to 3 pound pork roast
3 cans Coca-Cola
1 cup brown sugar
2 cloves garlic
1 can diced green chilies
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 packet taco seasoning

For the dressing:

1 cup salsa verde
1 packet ranch dressing mix
1/3 cup cilantro
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 cup sugar

Tortillas and shredded cheese for serving

1. The night before you want to serve, place pork in the bottom of a slow cooker. Mix together all other ingredients for the pork and pour over the roast. Cover the slow cooker and refrigerate overnight.

2. Cook pork mixture on low for 6 to 8 hours, or until the pork shreds easily with a fork.

3. Blend all dressing ingredients in a food processor or blender. Serve drizzled over pork.

Slow Cooker Peanut Butter Fudge Cake

I typically try to bake something every weekend. I usually never know what I’m going to bake until I wake up on Saturday morning, though; it just depends on what I’m in the mood for. One weekend when I was looking through all of my bookmarked recipes, I realized I was missing at least one ingredient for every single thing that sounded good. So I moved on to my cookbooks, and that’s where I ultimately found this gem of a recipe. I had everything on hand, so it seemed like the perfect treat to make for my family.

I’ve seen (and bookmarked) lots of recipes for slow-cooker desserts, but I’d never tried one myself. I was happy with both the ease of this recipe, and with the result. I’ve since made it again, with a couple of modifications, and it’s been really well-received by everyone who’s tried it.

This is a lot like a pudding cake, so the chocolate is poured in on top of the cake mixture, but the cake mixture “floats” to the top while the chocolate becomes the sauce. The cake itself is moist, and the chocolate sauce is rich and decadent. The peanut butter flavor is subtle, but not overwhelmed by the chocolate. This cake is definitely best served warm right out of the slow cooker with a dollop of whipped cream, and it is a divine dessert.

Slow Cooker Peanut Butter Fudge Cake
adapted from Taste of Home

1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup peanut butter (do not use reduced fat)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sugar, divided
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons baking cocoa
1 cup boiling water
Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for serving

1. In a large bowl, combine the milk, peanut butter, oil and vanilla; beat until well blended. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup sugar, flour, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture until blended. Spread evenly into a 1 1/2-quart slow cooker coated with cooking spray.

2. In a small bowl, combine the cocoa and remaining sugar; stir in boiling water. Pour into slow cooker. Do not stir.

3. Cover and cook on high for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until a toothpick inserted near the center of comes out clean. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

Mexican Pulled Chicken Stuffed Peppers

I love making Mexican-style shredded chicken in the Crock pot, but I usually use it for burritos or tacos. I was really excited when I saw this recipe, because I love stuffed peppers, and I always try to put some version of them on our menu whenever bell peppers are on sale.

These were absolutely delicious, and so easy too. The chicken cooks itself, basically, so all you have to do the night you serve this meal is stuff and cook the peppers themselves. I always halve my peppers before I stuff them, because I think it makes them easier to eat (and they cook faster too!). I haven’t tried it, but I bet they’d freeze well too.

With our favorite sour cream rice on the side, this was a hearty, satisfying, and easy meal.

Mexican Pulled Chicken Stuffed Peppers
adapted from Life As A Plate

3 chicken breasts
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can corn, drained
1 package taco seasoning
4 cups salsa, divided
4 large bell peppers, any color
Shredded Mexican-blend cheese

1. Put chicken breasts, black beans, corn, taco seasoning and 2 cups salsa in the Crock pot. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Shred chicken with two forks and mix well.

2. Using a sharp knife, halve peppers and pull out all the seeds and ribs. Stuff each pepper half with chicken mixture.

3. Spread 1 cup salsa on the bottom of a baking dish. Place peppers in dish and top with remaining 1 cup salsa. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until peppers are soft.

4. Top with shredded cheese and cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

Roast Beef with Mushroom Gravy

It’s rainy, chilly, windy and gray outside today, so it seems like the perfect day to share this recipe, which will warm you up from the inside out.

Believe it or not, I’ve never had pot roast made in the oven. Not once! My mom always made roasts in the Crock pot, so that’s what I’ve always done too. I love the results so much, I’ve never felt the need to try it another way. For this version of roast beef, I decided to add lots and lots of mushrooms, in the form of actual mushrooms, mushroom gravy mix, and cream of mushroom soup. This mixture makes the gravy for the beef, and it cooks right in it, which makes the meat so tender it literally falls apart. It’s so flavorful and so delicious. With a big pile of mashed potatoes on the side, there simply couldn’t be anything more satisfying on a chilly fall day.

Roast Beef with Mushroom Gravy

1 2- to 3-pound beef roast
2 tablespoons butter, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic
1 10.75-ounce can cream of mushroom soup
1 packet mushroom gravy mix
1 cup beef broth or water

1. In a Dutch oven, heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat. Season beef roast liberally with salt and pepper. Add beef roast and sear on all sides until caramelized. Add to the bottom of a Crock pot.

2. To same pot, add remaining tablespoon of butter, mushrooms and onions. Cook until mushrooms are brown and onions are soft, then season with salt and pepper. Stir in garlic and cook and stir for 30 seconds. Stir in beef broth and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to release browned bits. Add mushroom mixture to meat in Crock pot.

3. Mix together cream of mushroom soup and mushroom gravy mix. Pour over meat and mushroom mixture.

4. Cook on Low for 8 to 10 hours, until meat begins to fall apart.

Pepperoncini Beef Sandwiches

I’ve been using my slow cooker more and more lately. I used it a lot this summer, and I think I’m using it this week for four different meals. More than any other method of cooking, slow cooking works perfectly with my lifestyle. Being a full-time working mom of two energetic little boys doesn’t leave a lot of time to get dinner on the table. I love that using my Crock pot allows me to cook things while I’m not even at home, and the results are always so tasty.

A while ago, when I posted this recipe for chipotle beef tacos, I mentioned how my grocery store often has a “buy 1 get 1 free” special on beef roasts. I always stockpile when that happens – it just makes frugal sense. When I saw this recipe, I knew I’d be using one of my hoarded roasts for these sandwiches. Plus – look at the short list of ingredients! Short ingredient lists are a budget cook’s best friend.

These sandwiches are quite delicious, and even the boys liked the flavor of the meat. The leftovers are really versatile, too; I used ours for pot roast hash and eggs, but I could also see the meat being delicious wrapped up in flour tortillas or even cooked into an omelet.

Pepperoncini Beef Sandwiches
slightly adapted from Our Best Bites

Salt and pepper to taste (at least 1/2 teaspoon of each)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 3-pound beef roast, trimmed of excess fat
5 cloves minced garlic
1 16-ounce jar sliced pepperoncinis, undrained
Crusty sandwich rolls
Sliced provolone cheese

1. Heat oil in a pot or high-sided skillet over high heat. While the oil is heating, combine the salt and pepper and rub it into the meat. Add more if necessary. When the oil is hot, sear the roast on all sides so the outsides of it is browned and a little crispy.

2. Transfer the roast to a slow cooker and add the minced garlic and the entire jar of pepperoncinis. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or until the beef is fork tender.

3. For sandwiches, slice the rolls. Spread them lightly with mayonnaise and then top with the shredded beef. Add a slice of provolone cheese and then place under the broiler for 1 to 3 minutes or until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

Chipotle Beef Tacos

One of the specials my grocery store runs pretty frequently is a “buy one beef roast, get one free” sale. Whenever that happens, I always stock up. And then I sit around wondering what I’m going to do with them besides make a standard roast beef in the Crock pot. I was happy to come across this recipe, which adds a spicy Mexican spin to a standard roast.

The original recipe calls for making this in the oven, but I used my Crock pot and slow-cooked the beef all day. I love making shredded meat for tacos in the Crock pot. I’ve done it with pork and with chicken (and have another recipe using chicken coming up soon), but never thought to try it with beef. These tacos were absolutely delicious. The beef was so flavorful and tender, and it had the perfect amount of spice. We topped ours with honey-lime coleslaw, which added a sweet, tangy, cool flavor and a nice textural crunch to the tacos. The leftovers freeze beautifully – either the meat by itself, or wrapped up in individual tortillas.

Chipotle Beef Tacos
adapted from Everyday Food

1 boneless beef chuck roast (about 3 pounds), excess fat trimmed
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo
1/2 cup ketchup
8 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper, plus more to taste
Flour or corn tortillas
Honey-lime coleslaw (optional, but highly recommended)

1. Heat a small amount olive oil in a Dutch oven or very large skillet. Season beef with salt and pepper to taste and sear beef well on both sides. Transfer to a Crock pot.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together chiles, ketchup, 1 cup water, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. Pour over beef in Crock pot.

3. Cook beef until fork-tender, about 4 hours on high heat and 6-8 hours on low.

4. Transfer beef to a bowl. With a large spoon, skim off and discard fat from cooking liquid. Shred beef with two forks; moisten with cooking liquid as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Serve beef with tortillas and desired toppings.

Crock Pot Asian Peanut Butter Pork

My entire family really likes savory sauces made with peanut butter, so as soon as I saw this recipe I knew I’d be trying it. Any time I can tell my boys “It has peanut butter in it,” I know they’ll gobble up their dinner, and that always makes for a good evening in our house.

We all really enjoyed the flavors of this meal, and the part we didn’t like was completely and totally my fault, not the recipe’s. I cooked the pork too long (as you can probably tell from the photo) and the sauce got way too thick and heavy-tasting. I usually find Crock pot recipes very forgiving regarding the length of time to cook them, but that wasn’t the case this time. And I’d say it’s really important to give the pork a stir every once in a while, if you can. I didn’t (because I worked the day I made this), and the sauce on top was very brown.

That said, though, this was really flavorful. Joe actually wished there was more peanut butter, but I thought it was the perfect amount. And the boys asked for seconds, which is a sure-fire way to get a meal back on the menu in our house.

I served this with a frozen blend of Asian-style vegetables and white rice. Taking a hint from this recipe, I stirred peanuts into the rice to provide some texture, and we thought that was delicious.

Crock Pot Asian Peanut Butter Pork
seen on The Picky Apple and originally from A Year of Slow Cooking

1.5-2 pound pork tenderloin
1 onion, sliced in rings
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons water
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup creamy natural peanut butter
2 tablespoons chopped peanuts

1. Add onion slices to the bottom of the Crock pot and top with pork. Add brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, water, garlic, and peanut butter.

2. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4 to 6. One hour before serving, flip the meat over in the Crock pot to allow the other side to soak up the sauce. Garnish with chopped peanuts, if desired.

One year ago: Roasted broccoli or cauliflower