Pork Roast with Twist of Orange

OH...my...WORD! This was outstanding! I actually wasn't sure about it once I had it all mixed together and in the crock pot. It wasn't smelling at all like I had imagined and I was worried that it wouldn't be good. I was so wrong! It was absolutely awesome! VERY flavorful! Not spicy (even though it has a whole jalapeno pepper in it)! You can taste the flavor of the pepper, but not the heat...in fact, my kids who all hate spicy all LOVED it! Belle gave it a 10!

I got this from the Nov/Dec 2008 Simple and Delicious cookbook...

Pork Roast with Twist of Orange

Ingredients:
4 bacon strips, diced (I used pre-cooked bacon bits)
1 package boneless pork tenderloin (it called for a boneless pork shoulder but they didn't look very good at the store)
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded (remove membrane!), and finely chopped - wear gloves!!!
4 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 cup chicken broth, divided
2/3 cup orange juice
1/4 cup flour
hot mashed potatoes, optional

Directions:
1. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain; set aside. Cut roast in half. Brown meat in drippings (or in 2 Tbsp olive oil if using pre-cooked bacon) on all sides. Transfer to 5-quart slow cooker, reserving 1 Tbsp drippings.
2. Brown onion and garlic in drippings. Add the jalapeno, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Gradually stir in 1/2 cup chicken broth, orange juice, and bacon; pour over roast. Cover and cook on low for 4 1/2 to 5 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees.
3. Remove pork and onion; keep warm. Pour cooking juices into a small saucepan and skim fat. Combine flour and remaining broth until smooth; stir into cooking juices. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with pork and mashed potatoes, if desired.

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

A friend of mine made these for a party and shared her secret...and I just had to make them today because they are SO good and super easy!

Ingredients:
Chicken pieces - I used 3 breasts and 4 thighs (with bone and skin)
Franks Hot Sauce - I used about 1/2 cup
Sandwich Rolls
Blue Cheese Dressing or Ranch Dressing, optional

Directions:
1. Put chicken in crock pot and cook on high for about 3 hours or until cooked through.
2. Remove chicken from crock pot, and empty out juices from meat (can throw this away). Pull chicken apart; throw bones away and put meat back in crock pot.
3. Add hot sauce to the chicken and cook until heated through.
4. Put meat on sandwich roll. Add blue cheese or ranch dressing, if desired.

Crock Pot Chicken and Veggies

Here's another one I just found and want to try!!!
I found this recipe here

Crock-pot Whole Chicken with Vegetables

Ingredients

1 whole chicken (note, make sure the size you buy fits in your crockpot)
rosemary
sage
thyme
black pepper
red pepper flakes
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp butter
10 red potatoes, cut in half
1/4 of a medium onion, sliced
8 oz baby carrots
1.5 cups water

Directions

1. Remove chicken from packaging and take out gizzards. Rinse chicken thoroughly and place in crock pot. Using a butter knife, spread the butter over the chicken. Be sure to get the legs and wings as well as the breast. Sprinkle a generous amount of the spices over the chicken and then drizzle the honey on top.

2. Add the vegetables to the crockpot. Cook on low for 10 hours.

Crock Pot Roast Beef and Gravy

I made this one time just because I had a bunch of old steak that was getting freezer burn, and it was so good we've made several times since! The steak literally FALLS APART! And the flavor is outstanding!

Ingredients:
3 lbs boneless round steak (I don't think it really matters what cut, go with CHEAP!)
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
2 cans (10 3/4 oz each) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 cup water
8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced (optional)

Directions:
1. Cut steak into six serving-size pieces; place in a 3 quart crock pot. Combine soup mix, soup, and water; pour over beef.
2. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or until meat is tender. Serve with mashed potatoes, if desired.

IF DESIRED? We think mashed potatoes with a meal like this is a necessity! :-)

Chipotle Lime Chicken Thighs and Jamaican Beans and Rice

I forget where I got this recipe! I think it might have been a Taste of Home Crock Pot Cookbook.
The first time I made this not only did we not lot it, we really really didn't like it. We couldn't put our finger on it, but we just didn't like it at all. BUT, I didn't have chipotle peppers, so I had used green chiles. BIG MISTAKE!
LUCKILY we both decided that we should give it another try, this time using the right peppers...and boy are we glad we did! We LOVE this meal! It's so flavorful, the meat is so tender, and it's another cheap chicken meal that can feed a crowd!
Again, I don't have a picture, but this one's on our menu for the next week or so, so hopefully I'll get a picture of it up soon!

Chipotle Lime Chicken Thighs

Ingredients:

1 cup sliced onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
4 lbs skinless chicken thighs
salt and pepper
15 oz tomato sauce
1/4 cup lime juice
1 Tbsp minced chiptle chiles in adobo sauce with 1 tsp sauce from can
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 avocado, diced (optional)

Directions:
1. Arrange onion, celery, and carrots in bottom of crock pot. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper and arrange over vegetables.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together tomato sauce, lime juice , chipotle chiles with sauce and garlic. Pour mixture over chicken.
3. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Serve over rice. Garnish with fresh diced avocados.

Jamaican Beans and Rice

Ingredients:
2 cups instant white rice
14 oz can coconut milk
1 cup water
15 oz can red beans, drained and rinsed
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp lime zest (or lime juice)
1/4 cup chopped scallions
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. In a medium saucepan, combine rice, coconut milk, water, beans, thyme, and lime zest/juice. Set pan over high and bring to a simmer.
2. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 5 minutes, until liquid is absorbed. Fold in scallions and season to taste with salt and pepper.