Pork Tenderloin with Au Jus

This recipe from allrecipes.com is not only easy and quick to cook (relatively - we are talking about a slow cooker here!), but deliciously moist too.

Ingredients:

1 - 2 lb pork tenderloin

1 - 1 ounce envelope dry onion soup mix

1 cup water

3/4 cup red wine

3 tablespoons minced garlic

3 tablespoons soy sauce

ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Place pork tenderloin in a slow cooker with the contents of the soup packet.

2. Pour water, wine, and soy sauce over the top, turning the pork to coat.

3. Carefully spread garlic over the pork, leaving as much on top of the roast while cooking as possible.

4. Sprinkle with pepper, cover, and cook on low setting for 4 hours.

5. Serve with cooking liquid on the side as au jus.

What we did differently (it's what we do!):

Not much different this time!  I did mix the water, wine, and soy sauce together in a small mixing bowl before pouring over the pork, so I could be sure all three ingredients reached all of the pork.  I chose an Australian Merlot to cook with - Lindeman's for $5.99/bottle at Food Lion.  I will also say that this wine was great for drinking - you often find some hidden gems in the inexpensive wines!  We served with mashed potatoes & steamed broccoli & there was plenty of flavorful au jus for the meat & the potatoes.

Balsamic Chicken

I've been looking for Mediterranean-style recipes for their healthiness and hit the jackpot with this one - light & flavorful and perfect with a glass of red wine!

Ingredients:

• 4-6 cut up boneless skinless chicken breasts (mine were huge, so I used 3 which was 2.5 lbs)
• 2 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (with juice of course)
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp each: dried oregano, basil, and rosemary

Directions:

Place ingredients in the crockpot in this order:

• Pour the olive oil in crockpot
• Add chicken
• Add sliced onion
• Add dried herbs and garlic cloves 
• Pour in vinegar
• Top with tomatoes
• Cook on high 4 hours, serve over pasta or rice.

What we changed (it's what we do):

1. We served the dish over angel hair pasta which I think was perfect - thin and light and allowed the flavor of the chicken & sauce be the highlights.

2.  We were out of fresh garlic, so I used 8 tsp of minced garlic, and admittedly had a slightly heavy hand.  But there was not an overt taste of garlic, so I'd say it turned out just fine!

Our thoughts:

Fantastic!  The chicken ended up shredding itself when the dish was stirred, so it soaked up even more of the tasty sauce.  No one spice or seasoning stood out - everything, including the vinegar, blended together perfectly.  We served with a Portuguese red wine (Samora - Vinho Regional Tejo) which balanced the hearty flavors nicely.  This dish will definitely be in our dinner rotation!

Zucchini Ziti

There's nothing I like better than an easy recipe for the slow cooker, so imagine how excited I was to find this recipe from Skinny Ms that only requires 2 hours cooking time!  Perfect for those times when you don't have time to throw a meal in the slow cooker before work and you'll still be able to eat before bedtime!

Ingredients:

1 (24 oz.) jar marinara (no sugar added)

3 cups whole grain ziti shells, optional penne

2 cups fat free cottage cheese

2 cups skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 large zucchini (1/4” slices)

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon fresh basil (finely chopped)

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

kosher or sea salt to taste

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients. Pour mixture into slow cooker, cover and cook on low approximately 2 hours, or until ziti is al dente (firm but not hard).

Skinny Ms Tip: If you're on a tight budget try Ragu Lite (no sugar added) and if you're not, we like Amy's Organic Marinara Pasta Sauce.

What we changed (it's what we do!):

1.  Instead of ziti, we used whole grain penne pasta.

2. We couldn't find either of the suggested marinara sauces, but we did find a reasonably priced marinara that was no sugar added, so we were happy...and it tasted quite good.

3.  At 2 hours, the pasta was not hard, but still a little chewy.  When we checked again at 2 hr, 15 minutes, the pasta was al dente!

Our thoughts:

Very tasty!  The zucchini really picked up the flavors from the marinara sauce.  Another plus is that the zucchini wasn't soft or soggy, but still had the right amount of crispness, in my opinion.  After the success of this recipe, we can't wait to try a zucchini lasagna in the slow cooker!

Savory Superfood Soup

Cool fall weather has arrived and this time of year always makes me crave soups & stews - great autumn comfort foods!  I found this recipe from Skinny Ms awhile back on Facebook and pinned it on my Crockpot Recipes board on Pinterest.  The beauty of crockpot cooking when working from home is that I can chop veggies & throw everything in the crockpot at lunch and it's ready just in time for supper!

Ingredients:

2 cups sliced carrots

1 large sweet potato, cut into 1/2" cubes

1 cup fresh or frozen green beans

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 small onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

Kosher or sea salt to taste

2 cups vegetable juice (Skinny Ms used R.W. Knudsen, Organic Very Veggie Juice, no sugar added)

2 cups vegetable broth, low-sodium

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in the slow cooker, cover and cook on low 6-8 hours, or until veggies are tender. Add a tablespoon of reduced fat cheddar cheese, if desired.

NOTE: If you prefer a less subtle onion and garlic taste, saute onion in 1 tablespoon olive oil until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute 1 additional minute. Add to slow cooker along with other ingredients.

To make this even more of a Superfood Soup, add 2 cups coarsely chopped kale the last 5 minutes of cooking, or until wilted.

What we changed (it's what we do):

1. We left out the cilantro (we're just not fans of its flavor).

2. We used Harris Teeter brand Vegetable Juice Cocktail which did not have added sugar...and was lots cheaper than anything organic.

3.  The soup cooked for 6 hrs, 45 minutes and the veggies were plenty tender.

Our thoughts:

The soup was much more savory than expected (which is a good thing)! The spices really complemented the vegetables well and made the broth very hearty.  The consistency probably puts it in between a soup & a stew, but either way, it was tasty and perfectly suited for today's cool weather!

Barbecue Meatloaf

Cool weather has arrived and that means it's time for some comfort food from the slow cooker.  It doesn't get more comfort foodish than meatloaf, so Ed went looking for recipes that could be done in the slow cooker, and this one caught his eye.

Ingredients:

• 2 to 2 1/2 pounds ground chuck (we used 2 lbs ground sirloin - why?  it's leaner & it was on sale at Kroger this week)
• 1 can tomato soup, divided
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1 cup crushed Ritz crackers
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, divided
• 2 tablespoons dried minced onions
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 teaspoons prepared mustard
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

Preparation:

1. Combine ground chuck with half of the tomato soup, egg, crackers, honey, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, onions, salt & pepper.  
2. Mix well and form into a ball/loaf.
3. Place a crinkled length of aluminum foil in the slow cooker so the ends extend an inch or so out of the pot.
4. Place the meatloaf in the pot (the foil will make it easier to lift the meatloaf out & keep it out of the drippings.
5. Combine remaining soup, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, water, mustard, and brown sugar.
6. Whisk together and pour over the meatloaf.
7. Cover & cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. (9 hours worked well in our slow cooker.)
8. Serves 4 to 6.

Our thoughts:

The meatloaf turned out moist with a slightly smoky flavor.  Next time we will probably add some more spicy spices, like chili powder, cayenne, cumin, and maybe some chopped adobo chiles just to give it some kick.

Slow-Cooked Meatball Stew

I subscribe to several recipe distribution emails and have gathered quite a few simple but tasty recipes from these groups.  This meatball stew recipe came from pillsbury.com and we were very pleased by our finished product.  

Ingredients:

1 bag (1 lb) ready-to-eat baby carrots

1 lb small red potatoes (2 1/2 to 3 inch), cut into quarters

1 jar (4.5 oz) sliced mushrooms, drained

1 small onion, cut into thin wedges

1 bag (16 oz) frozen cooked meatballs (about 32)

1 jar (12 oz) beef gravy

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained

Freshly ground black pepper, if desired

Directions:

1. In 4 to 5 quart slow cooker, layer all ingredients in order listed.

2. Cover, cook on low setting 8 to 10 hours.  Before serving, gently stir stew.

Note:  In this recipe, it is important to place ingredients in the cooker in the order listed.  Longer cooking vegetables are on the bottom where they cook more quickly.  Already cooked or faster cooking ingredients are layered on top.

What we changed (it's what we do!):

1.  I cut the red potatoes into smaller pieces to make them more bite-sized when served.

2.  Since I didn't have a real onion on hand, I used 2 teaspoons of minced onion.  Couldn't tell the difference in the finished product.

3.  I used turkey meatballs to be a bit healthier.  Kroger has a 2 lb. resealable bag that worked perfectly, leaving us a pound to use for another meal.

4.  The can of diced tomatoes was a can of Hunt's No Salt Added, with Basil, Garlic & Oregano.  I figured extra spice flavor and no sodium was a win-win!

5.  Besides sprinkling black pepper on the top, I also sprinkled some garlic powder and chipotle chili powder, because we like spice.

6.  At the 8 hour mark, I stirred the stew and sampled for doneness.  It was done, but Ed wasn't home yet, so I turned the slow cooker to warm for another 30 minutes until he arrived which worked nicely.

Our thoughts:

This stew definitely fits the definition of comfort food!  Hearty flavors that blend well, not soupy like some recipes get in the slow cooker, but just the right consistency to be called "stew".  Even though it's about to be summer and you might think of stew as more of a winter meal, this dish makes for a great dinner without heating up the house.  We'll be keeping this recipe in our dinner rotation!

Hawaiian BBQ Chicken

Yeah, I know that we post a lot of chicken recipes here, but there are just so many different ways you can cook a 2.5 lb. bag of frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts! And this recipe may be the simplest one yet...!

Ingredients:

4-6 boneless chicken breasts (this is about one 2.5 lb. bag of frozen chicken breasts - and yes, you can use frozen, no thawing required!)

1 bottle Archer Farms Hawaiian Style Barbecue Sauce (from Target)

1-20 oz. can pineapple chunks, drained

Directions:

1. Spray the inside of your slow cooker with cooking spray for an easy cleanup (or use one of those handy-dandy liner bags).

2. Place frozen chicken breasts in the slow cooker and cover with sauce.

3. Empty can of drained pineapple chunks on top.

4. Cook on High for 2-3 hours or Low for 4-6 hours.

5. Shred chicken with two forks while still in the slow cooker so the chicken will be well-coated with sauce.

6. Serve over rice.

Our Thoughts:

We were very pleased with how moist and flavorful the chicken turned out. The sweetness in the pineapple along with the orange/mango/pineapple accents in the bottled sauce were nicely balanced by the tangy BBQ flavor. We chose to spoon the chicken-cue over Bisquick drop biscuits (we were out of rice) which gave the dish a Southern feel. Next time I think we will serve the chicken on King's Hawaiian Rolls to bring some additional sweetness to a BBQ chicken sammich.

Possible Additions in the Future:

chopped green/red bell peppers or jalapeno peppers, if you want to be more adventurous & add more kick.