Crock Pot Risotto

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup uncooked Arborio rice

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup white wine

3 3/4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 t dried onion flakes (I use finely chopped onion)

5 cloves chopped garlic

1 t kosher salt

1/4 t black pepper

2/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese (to add at the very end)

The Directions.

Toss the uncooked Arborio rice with the olive oil in your crockpot stoneware. Add the seasonings, onion and garlic. Pour in the broth and white wine, stir to mix flavors.

Cover and cook on high for 2 hours, or until the rice is tender. It took 2.5 hours for me.

Stir in the shredded or grated cheese and leave uncovered for about 15 minutes to let a bit of the moisture escape

Jen's Notes: It will be very porridge like, so its not quite as attractive as you might like for a big night of entertaining but it tastes just as delicious! Enjoy!

Crockpot Chili

1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef, pork, chicken or turkey
5 cloves garlic minced or 1 tablespoon bottled chopped garlic
2 onions, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
2 cans (19 oz eacuph) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (28 oz) tomatoes, coarsely chopped, with juice
1 can (5.5 oz) tomato paste
2 cups frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup salsa
2 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon each dried cumin and dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon each salt, pepper, and hot sauce
1 each, red and green sweet pepper, finely chopped

Suggested toppings: chopped tomatoes, avocado, green onion, jalapeno peppers, cilantro, grated cheddar cheese, tortilla cuphips, sour cream.

Directions
In large non-stick skillet, cook ground meat, garlic and onion over medium-high heat, breaking up meat with spoon, for 9-10 minutes or until fully cooked. With slotted spoon transfer to Crock-Pot slow cooker stoneware. *** Or, in place of a skillet, you can use the Crock-Pot® VersaWare™ slow cooker. It offers a single pot meal solution. Sauté, Cook, Serve, Store and Reheat all in a single pot!
Add the meat mixture and remaining ingredients, except sweet peppers, to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Cover and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours or on High for 3 to 4 hours or until bubbly and hot.
Stir in peppers; cover and cook on High for an additional 15 minutes.
Adjust seasoning and serve with suggested toppings. Refrigerate prepared chili in airtight container for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 1 month.

Harvest Vegetable Soup

3 cups tomatoes chopped
2 cups carrots sliced
2 cups zucchini
1 cups green beans
1 large onion
1/8 cup diced red bell pepper
1 cup corn
1 cup frozen peas
1 bay leaf
½ tsp thyme and marjoram (optional)
3 cups water

Combine all (except peas) in crockpot.
Cook on low heat for 5-7 hours. Add peas and cook 1-2 hours more.
Remove cover 15 min before serving (remove bay leaf)

Crockpot Beef Stew

INGREDIENTS
2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups beef broth
3 potatoes, diced
4 carrots, sliced
1 stalk celery, chopped

DIRECTIONS
Place meat in slow cooker. In a small bowl mix together the flour, salt, and pepper; pour over meat, and stir to coat meat with flour mixture. Stir in the garlic, bay leaf, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, onion, beef broth, potatoes, carrots, and celery.
Cover, and cook on Low setting for 10 to 12 hours, or on High setting for 4 to 6 hours.

Slow-cooker Chicken Tacos

1 1/2 pounds frozen chicken breasts

1 - 14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies

1 - packet taco seasoning

Directions:

Place frozen chicken breasts in crockpot.

In a separate bowl, mix together the can of diced tomatoes & the taco seasoning packet. Pour over the chicken breasts.

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Shred & serve.

**Cindy's notes: I ladle back into the shredded chicken part of the cooked-down tomatoes & juices but not the whole thing or it's too much liquid. I just like to make it moist. This chicken is great for soft tacos, enchiladas, or quesadillas.

Recipe from Cindy Fisher

Crock Pot Root Vegetables

--2 pounds carrots

--2 pounds rutabagas

--2 pounds parsnips

--1/2 cup chopped parsley

--3 T olive oil

--1 tsp kosher salt

--1 tsp black pepper

--1 tsp basil

The Directions.

Peel all of your vegetables, and cut into 2-inch chunks. Chop the parsley.Put all the vegetables into your crockpot, and add the olive oil, basil, salt, and pepper. Toss with your hands to coat fully coat the vegetables.

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4-5. The vegetables are done when they have reached desired tenderness. I cooked ours on low for 6 hours, then on high for about 90 minutes.

(Jen's Notes: I make this with whatever I have on hand: turnips, potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash. Just nothing too flimpsy that couldn't withstand being cooked for a longer period of time)

from: A Year of Crockpotting