Calico Beans

Looks like a great recipe, too!

http://darcyskitchenkapers.blogspot.com/2010/11/calico-beans.html

Lentil and Brown Rice Casserole

Found a very interesting and very inexpensive recipe (and did I mention healthy?)

Comes from $5 Dinners:

http://www.5dollardinners.com/2009/09/lentil-and-brown-rice-casserole.html

Kielbasa Stew for Crockpot

I saw this recipe and it looks like it will be easy to make and taste real good...

Here is the link:

http://leslievaleska.com/blog/?p=1516

Clams Alfredo

2 (~6 to 7oz) cans of clams, drained
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 cup Italian Style bread crumbs
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup melted butter
1 1/2 cups half and half
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
Dash of pepper or to taste
1 lb Pasta - your choice (wholegrain, fettuccine, ziti, etc.) prepared according to package directions.

Saute onion in butter then combine rest of ingredients down to pepper.  Cook through to simmer. Top ingredients on freshly cooked warm pasta.

Crockpot Stuffing

This is my favorite crockpot stuffing that I like to use for potlucks or when I need to have several things cooking at the same time and can't use the stove/oven.

•1 cup butter

• 2 Large Onions, chopped

•2 cups chopped celery

•2 tablespoons chopped parsley

•12 to 13 cups slightly dry bread cubes

•1 1/2  teaspoons poultry seasoning

•1/2  teaspoon salt, or to taste

•1 teaspoons dried sage

•1 teaspoon dried leaf thyme (don't use unless I can get it fresh)

•1/4 teaspoon pepper, or to taste

•1/2 teaspoon ground marjoram

•2 to 2 1/2 cups chicken broth

•2 eggs, beaten

Preparation:

Melt butter in skillet and saute onion, celery, and parsley. Pour over bread cubes in a very large bowl. Add seasonings and toss to blend ingredients well. Pour in enough chicken broth to moisten. Before adding eggs, taste to check seasonings. Add more salt and herbs if necessary. Add beaten eggs and mix together well. Pack lightly into a greased slow cooker. cover and cook on HIGH 45 minutes; reduce to LOW and continue to cook for 4 to 8 hours longer. You may use 14 ounces seasoned stuffing mixture in place of bread cubes, but omit herbs and salt (or add seasonings just to taste) and add about 1 extra cup of chicken broth.

Glazed Carrots

This recipe I use mostly for entertaining and special occasions, not for everyday.  You can scale it as you see fit.

6 Pounds baby carrots (or equiv. frozen)
1 cup butter
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons pepper (I use slightly less.)

Bring carrots to a boil and simmer 20 to 30 minutes.  Carrots should be slightly firm and not mushy.

Drain carrots and return to pot (or use crockpot) and add remaining ingredients. Cook on lowest setting for 5 to 7 minutes until the sugar mixture is bubbly.

I have used frozen carrrots, added to crockpot with rest of ingredients, and cooked on low for serveral hours.  Or add cooked carrots and remaining ingredients to crockpot and cook on low for a few hours.

Libby’s Famous Pumpkin Pie

Libby’s Famous Pumpkin Pie


¾ cup sugar
2 large eggs
½ tsp salt
1-15oz can pumpkin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1-12oz can evaporated milk
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground cloves


1 9-inch unbaked pie shell

Mix sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Pour into pie shell. Bake in oven at 425 for15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 bake for 40-50 minutes or until knife comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack 2 hours.

Vegetarian Split Pea Soup

Ingredients:Serves: 6-8,


Vegetarian Split Pea Soup
16 ounces split peas

4 medium carrots, peeled and diced

1 -1 1/2 cup white onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, smashed

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon salt (or Season All)

1/2 teaspoon pepper

6 cups hot water


Layer ingredients in order listed above. Do not stir.  Cover and cook until peas are soft. High: 4-5 hours or Low: 8-10 hours. Remove bay leaf before serving.

See also: Thai Twist Slow Cooker Vegetarian Split Pea Soup


http://www.food.com/recipe/thai-twist-slow-cooker-vegetarian-split-pea-soup-364337

White Chicken Chili

White Chicken Chili

1 pound dry great northern beans - soaked 24 hours - then cooked overnight in crock pot.

Add:
 1 can of Lower Sodium (Aldi's brand) Chicken Broth (~15oz) and two cans water
2 or more cloves of garlic - sliced or minced
1 large onion chopped
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon gr. Cumin

Simmer 1 hour or until beans tender.

Then add:
1 to 1.5 teaspoons salt
A good shaking of pepper
1 additional can of Lower Sodium Chicken broth
2 cans Sam's club chicken or up to 5 cups chicken

Simmer 15 minutes or until heat through and flavors mixed.

Serve over Tortillas with sour cream, Cheddar cheese, olives, salsa, or whatever you want.

Taco Lentil Rice

http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/tacolentilsrice.htm

Lentils and Rice Taco


3/4 cup dried lentils

3/4 cup brown rice

4 c. tap water

4 beef bouillon cubes (or 4 t.)

2 t. chili powder

1/2 t. cumin

1 t. onion powder

1/4 t. garlic powder


In a 2-quart saucepan bring the water to a boil. As the water is heating, add the lentils, rice, bouillon, chili powder, cumin, onion powder, and garlic powder. Bring the whole thing to a nice fat boil. Reduce the heat to low. Place a lid on the lentils and allow the mixture to simmer for about 45 to 50 minutes. The water should be mostly absorbed. You may serve this as it, topped with a little cheddar cheese if desired. Or you can use it to fill burritos or tacos instead. Both ways are very tasty. This is one of Tommy’s favorite foods in the whole wide world.

If you have never tried lentils and are looking for a way to make them acceptable to the kids, this one is a good bet. Our favorite way to eat it is as a taco filling. If you are having a busy day and don’t have time to cook this on the stove, it can cook in the crock pot on low for about 6 to 8 hours instead. I’ve never cooked it on high, so I’m not sure how quickly it would cook that way. I suspect about 3 hours would be enough.

Variation:

changed the rice and lentils to 1 cup each and added 1/2 cup of water. Everything else I did the same . I put it in my small crockpot on low for four hours and then turned it on high for the last 1 1/2 hours.

Baked Beans

From Saving Dinner.com

Slow Cooker Baked Beans


Serves 6



6 cups navy beans, drained

1/2 pound bacon, fried, broken up

1 onion, diced

3 tablespoons molasses

2 teaspoons sea salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper, ground

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup brown sugar



Mix all ingredients together in slow cooker then cook on low for four to six hours.



Tip: If you have an electric pressure cooker you can cook dried beans fast like this:



Rinse and examine dried beans moving rocks then cover in pot with cold, salted water. Bring to a boil and boil for five minutes, then soak for one hour. Drain. Add to electric slow cooker, cover with liquid, cook for 12 minutes on high pressure. Using chicken or veggie broth as the liquid will add more flavor. You can also throw in a ham bone, rinsed country ham, ham pieces, and or a chopped onion for even more flavor.



Quick Baked Beans

Serves 10



1 pound bacon, fried, drained, crumbled

4 cans pork & beans (16 ounce cans)

1 bottle chili sauce

1 large sweet onion, chopped

1 cup brown sugar, packed



In a large bowl, combine all ingredients, reserving some bacon for topping, in a 9x13 casserole. Bake in preheated 350◦ oven for up to an hour until hot and bubbly.



Spicy Baked Beans

Serves 12



1 pound ground beef

1 pound bacon, diced

2 medium sweet onions, diced

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup ketchup

1/4 cup barbecue sauce

1 tablespoon dried mustard

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (can add more to taste)

2 cans (16 oz cans) pork and beans

1 can (16 oz cans) kidney beans, drained

1 can (16 oz cans) Great Northern beans, drained



In a large frying pan cook meats and onion until the meat is don and the onion is tender. Drain. Combine all ingredients together well, put into a casserole dish. Bake, covered at 350◦ F for 1 hour or until hot and bubbly all the way through. Take cover off last five minutes of baking.



Meatless Baked Beans

Serves 6



1 pound navy beans, cooked

1 cup vegetable broth

1/3 cup molasses

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup homemade catsup

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 cup butter



Precook beans either with the pressure cooker method mentioned above, or use drained canned beans, which will translate into six cups of canned beans. Combine all ingredients into slow cooker, cooking on low setting for 6 to 12 hours.

Cranberry Walnut Quinoa Salad

Cranberry Walnut Quinoa Salad
Recipe courtesy Juan-Carlos Cruz
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/juan-carlos-cruz/cranberry-walnut-quinoa-salad-recipe/index.html

1 cup quinoa




1 cup dried cranberries



1 cup frozen green beans, defrosted



1/4 cup walnuts, chopped



1/4 cup green onions, sliced



1/4 cup balsamic vinegar



1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil



4 cloves garlic, minced



1/2 teaspoon salt



1/4 teaspoon pepper



Combine quinoa with 2 cups water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and continue cooking until all water is absorbed.



In a medium bowl, combine cooked quinoa, dried cranberries, green beans, walnuts, and green onions until well mixed. In a small bowl, whisk the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and garlic until well blended. Pour over the quinoa mixture. Toss until well blended. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving