RECIPE: Fajita Soup

Fajita Soup

3 chicken breasts cut into strips1 16oz. can Rotel (I like the chunky)
1 32 oz. can black beans, rinsed
4 cups chicken broth
3 bell peppers (various colors) cut into strips
1 medium onion cut into strips
1 packet of fajita mix (you can't go wrong with McCormicks)
1.5 cups rice (we love the Rice Select brown texmati) 

• Saute chicken until no longer pink
• Add peppers and onions and cook until translucent
• Transfer to slow cooker
• Add broth, rotel, beans, and fajita mix
• Cook on Low for 4 hours
• Add Rice, cook until rice is soft (1 hr. on high)
• Serve with shredded cheddar cheese, a slice of avocado, and tortilla chips
• ENJOY!

RECIPE: Pork Posole

Posole is a common Mexican stew which varies from region to region in Mexico.  I enjoy it with pork, but try it with chicken pieces or shrimp.  In the slow cooker, it is one of those easy, delicious weekend meals that will fill your home with great aromas.  Serve with some crunchy tortilla chips or crusty bread and a dollop of sour cream.

1 tbsp. canola oil
2 (1-pound) pork tenderloins, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
4 fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth 
1 medium chopped onion (about 1 medium)

2 carrots, chopped 
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper
4 large garlic cloves, minced
2 (15.5-ounce) cans white hominy, rinsed and drained (Bush's Best is always a good choice)
2 (4.5-ounce) cans chopped green chiles, undrained
1 cup packaged angel hair slaw
4 radishes, thinly sliced radishes
1/2 cup diced peeled avocado
2 limes, each cut into 4 wedges

• In oil, brown your pork cubes with the minced garlic
• Combine pork, broth, onion, carrot, beans, chiles, and spices in slow cooker
• Cook on LOW for 8 hours
• Ladle posole into bowls, top with slaw, radishes, and avocado
• Serve with lime wedges
• ENJOY!

You got your slow cooker... now GET CROCKIN'

 Was this the BEST CHRISTMAS EVER? Did Santa get it just right and give you a brand new slow cooker?  CONGRATULATIONS.  Perhaps you've been crockin' for years and this is an upgrade, perhaps one crock is just not enough, or maybe this is your first journey into crock pot cooking.  Regardless of your path, you are on a great crock pot journey, and you are not alone.  Visit the King of Crock Blog often for the best recipes and crockin' insights.

Here is a quick, easy, and DELICIOUS crock pot recipe to get you started.

Seasoned Pork Roast

3-5 Lb. Pork Roast

2 tbsp. oil

1 cup brown sugar

2 tsp. spanish paprika

2 tsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. black pepper

pinch of salt

• mix all dry ingredients together

• rub roast with seasoning mixture / let sit for 10 minutes

• heat skillet with oil

• brown roast on all sides

• place roast in slow cooker and cook on low for 4-6 hours (until internal temp is 150)

• ENJOY!

A cool promotion from my friends at REDPACK tomatoes!

Canned tomatoes are a critical piece of many of the recipes found right here at the King of Crock blog.  Redpack is an american company that prides itself on high quality, delicious canned tomatoes.  Their products, from their whole peeled to their diced, are full of amazing flavors and available at most of your local food stores.  If you haven't tried Redpack yet, YOU SHOULD!

Right now, Redpack is serving up a terrific promotion where lucky winners can win tote bags or a VISA gift card!  Here's what you do...

FIRST

Hop on over to their Facebook page and LIKE Redpack - https://www.facebook.com/redpacktomatoes

NEXT

Follow the link and complete the sweepstakes form.

LAST

Go to your local market, pick up some REDPACK and make yourself a big pot of the King's sausage tortellini soup.

RECIPE: Apple Shmapple

It's apple season!  Did you go pick apples this weekend and are looking for the perfect, easy, apple dessert?  Look no more.  This slow cooked apple crisp recipe is delicious... a real fall favorite.  It's Apple Shmapple!

6 - 8 apples, peeled and sliced
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup flour
1 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 tablespoons peanut butter

• Place apple slices in slow cooker
• Mix brown sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon, and nutmeg in mixing bowl
• Cut in butter and peanut butter into flour mixture
• Sprinkle crumble on apples
• Cook on LOW for 6 hours
• Enjoy a la mode!

This recipe is posted in honor of my friend, Julie, who thought I would never call a recipe apple shmapple.

RECIPE: Easy Slow Cooker Apple Butter

This year has been an AMAZING year for apples in New England.  The fruit trees are just filled with delicious, sweet apples.  I you haven't been out picking, the season has also been a long one and there is still time to get out there.  If you are North of Boston, two spots I recommend are Russell Orchards in Ipswich and Smolak Farms in North Andover.  One of my favorite things to do with our fresh apples is make apple butter.  Because you are cooking them down, you can also use the "not-so-pretty" fruit (you might also be able to get these cheap at your local market.  

EASY SLOW COOKER APPLE BUTTER

6 lbs. of apples
1 cup of white sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

• Core, peel, and slice apples

• Place apple slices in slow cooker

• Mix sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in separate bowl

• Sprinkle sugar mixture over apples

• Cover and cook on HIGH for 1 hour

• Turn to LOW and cook until the apple mixture is spreadable and dark brown (this could be as long as 12 hours)

• ENJOY!

FUN IDEA: to spice things up a bit, try adding RED HOTS from the Ferrara Candy Company.

Chicken and Butternut Squash Chili

This is the first time I have used either butternut squash and bulgur in a slow cooker recipe.  In fact, I didn't even know what bulgur was.  I found it in the natural foods section of our market and picked up a bag of Bob's Red Mill light bulgur.  In this recipe, the bulgur serves to thicken up the base of the chili and add a nice sweet grain flavor to the chili.  

Anyway, this is a light recipe and came out really good.  To save time, you might wish to get frozen butternut squash in your market instead of cutting the squash yourself (I always feel like a kitchen accident is going to happen when I try to cut up butternut squash).  Enjoy!

Chicken and Butternut Squash Chili

2 red bell peppers
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. chili powder

1tsp. black pepper
2 cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 small butternut squash, peeled, halved, seeded, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup bulgur
1/4 tsp. salt
1lb. diced chicken breast

• Spray large skillet with nonstick spray and set over medium heat
• Add peppers and onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add chicken and cook through  
• Stir in garlic, pepper, and chili powder and cook, stirring constantly
• Transfer chicken mixture into a slow cooker
• Add beans, broth, squash, bulgur and salt
• Cover and cook until squash and bulgur are tender (LOW for 4 hours)
• ENJOY!