Crockpot Week 1

I tried three recipes in my crockpot this week.  There was enough for leftovers for days (lunch and dinner), so it was an awesome, awesome call to do these three recipes.

Max was obsessed with the French Dip sandwiches and the Chicken Taco soup.  When I say obsessed, he ate about 2 plates more than usual.   As if he didn’t love me enough, he loves me even more now that this miracle appliance has reared its head into our lives.  🙂

Crockpot French Dip Sandwiches
The recipe (I used a 2 lb pot roast) is enough for about 7 or 8 sandwiches. To cut cost, I would use a cheaper cut of beef, use french bread instead of hoagies, use Publix brand beef broth. (I spent about $20 on the meal, I could have cut it to $15, which is awesome for a dinner and a day or two of lunch) The original recipe is below:
-Beef Roast
-Garlic salt
-Pepper
-Beefy onion soup packet (lipton)
-1 can beef broth (condensed)
-1 can beer
-3cups water
-hoagie buns
-mozzerella or provalone slices

Directions:
1. Put beef in the crockpot. Season with garlic salt and pepper to liking.
2. Put water, soup packet, beef soup, and beer in saucepan and heat throughout.
3. Put heated mix on top of beef roast.
4. Heat on low for 8hrs OR high for 6hrs.
5. Shred Beef
6. When done, start the oven broiler. Open the hoagies and place cheese inside. Put under the broiler till melted.  Use the soup to dip sandwiches in.

Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 7 Hours
Ready In: 7 Hours 15 Minutes
Yields: 8 servings

INGREDIENTS:

1 onion, chopped
1 (16 ounce) can chili beans
1 (15 ounce) can black beans
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle beer
2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies (Rotel), undrained
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning
3 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts shredded
Cheddar cheese (optional)
sour cream (optional)
crushed tortilla chips (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Place the onion, chili beans, black beans, corn, tomato sauce, beer, and diced tomatoes in a slow cooker.
2. Add taco seasoning, and stir to blend.
3. Lay chicken breasts on top of the mixture, pressing down slightly until just covered by the other ingredients. Set slow cooker for low
heat, cover, and cook for 5 hours.
4. Remove chicken breasts from the soup, and allow to cool long enough to be handled. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup,
and continue cooking for 2 hours.
5. Serve topped with shredded Cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips, if desired.
I obviously used the cheddar cheese and sour cream and tortilla chips would have made it even more awesome but ours were stale as hell. The meal in total was about $15, and we have enough for lunches for at least two more days. ENJOY IT!

Potato Chowder
This was amazing. When it was cooking, I wasn’t sure (the smell was a little weird) but the second it hit my tongue… mmmmm.
This is the original recipe. What I’m going to try next is to cook some bacon and put bacon plus a little bit of fat while it’s cooking. I think it would be PERFECT that way 🙂

INGREDIENTS:
8 cups diced potatoes (unpeeled)
1/3 c chopped onion
3 cans (14-1/2 oz each) chicken broth
1 can (10-3/4 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup
1/4 tsp pepper
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, cubed (1/3 less fat)
1/2 lb sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled, optional
Snipped chives or green onions optional
Cheddar cheese, optional
Note: I added garlic powder in the beginning.  Just a touch.

DIRECTIONS:
In a slow cooker, combine the first five ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until potatoes are tender [Note: For Gold potatoes, it took about 9 hours]. Add cream cheese [Note: I’d make sure it was room temperature before. This was a pain in the ass.]; stir until blended. Garnish with bacon, chives, green onions, and cheese if desired.

The Obligatory Intro Post

I’ve always thought that if I put my thoughts down, people would either think I’m genius, need to be committed, or wonder what the hell I ate for breakfast.   Alpha-Bits, thank you.

So, this blog is going to be a “mish-mash” of all the projects I am working on, conversations I have with my family (they’re epic, promise).

I didn’t make new year’s resolutions this year. . . well, because I found out I was pregnant with our FIRST LITTLE GIRL in January.  So that 20 lbs. I should commit to (and have for years) needs to go on the back burner.  However, I have come up with mini-projects I would like to accomplish:

1. I have had a budget laid out for us for months (years, really) and we’ve finally committed to staying JUST to the budget.
2. I want to start cooking every meal at home, regardless of our busy schedules – committing to eating out only once every two weeks.  This means, I have started CROCKPOTTING.  Yes, I verb-ized cooking with a crock pot.   She’s a beauty.
3. I am starting to coupon.   I now know the difference between smartsource and redplum.  I still suck and finding deals.  One step at a time, eh?
4. I am hoping, and praying, to be good enough to be a stay at home mom.  (Yes, I am praying to make myself even more insane.  And I can’t wait!)
5. Crochet hats with flowers on them.  (Or something that LOOKS like flowers.  Just like my “hats” LOOK like “hats”…)

Really quick family intro:

– Max: He’s my husband.  He is just wonderful – loving, caring, compassionate.  He snores like he’s taking in all the air from the universe and then shooting it back out.  It’s cute and hilarious to anyone NOT in the situation.

– Giggles: He’s two.  He thinks he is Lightning McQueen.

– Goo: He’s one.  He tortures Giggles and has enough personality to fill the room.

– Lady: She’s baking in my belly.

Hope you enjoy.