Slow Cooker Beef Stew

• non-stick cooking spray
• 1 package of lean beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes (approximately 2 lbs.)
• black ground pepper
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 packages dry onion soup mix
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• 5 potatoes, washed, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 package baby carrots
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 cans cream of celery soup
• 1 cup ketchup

1. Spray the non-stick cooking spray to coat the inside of the slow cooker.
2. In a plastic bag, put the paprika and the onion soup mix. Shake to mix well.
3. Blot the meat pieces dry with a paper towel. Shake pepper over the pieces. Add the meat to the mixture and shake until all pieces are coated.
4. Heat the olive oil in a skillet.
5. Brown the pieces in two batches about 10 minutes. Some people skip this step, but it will enrich the flavor if you do so.
6. Layer the meat in the bottom of the slow cooker.
7. Layer the vegetables on top of the meat.
8. In a separate bowl, stir the celery soup and ketchup until blended. If you have any leftover seasoning from the plastic bag, you may add this also and stir to distribute it.
9. Pour over the vegetables in the crockpot.
10. Cover the with lid and cook for eight hours on low.
11. Before serving, stir to distribute the sauce more evenly.
12. Serve and enjoy.

Chili Sauce Apple Jelly Meatballs

• 1 jar Chili Sauce
• 1 jar apple jelly
• 1 ½ cups ketchup
• 2 packages Armour frozen meatballs.

1. Place all ingredients in a 2 quart crockpot.
2. Stir.
3. Let cook for 4 hours on high.
4. Serve and enjoy.  

Beef Bourguinon

Beef Bourguinon

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ pound sliced center cut bacon, chopped
• 1 package lean beef stew meat, cubed into 1 inch pieces
• salt
• ground black pepper
• 1 bag of baby carrots, cut in half diagonally
• 2 Vidalia onions, sliced
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic (refrigerated in a jar)
• ½ cup Cognac
• 1 750 ml bottle Pinot Noir
• 2 beef bouillon cubes, dissolved in 2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 4 tablespoons butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 bag frozen whole pearl onions
• 1 package of fresh mushroom caps, washed and sliced
• sliced sourdough bread, sprayed with olive oil and sprinkled with garlic powder

1. In skillet, heat the olive oil and brown the chopped bacon, cooking about 10 minutes over medium heat. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside.
2. Blot the beef cubes to dry with a paper towel. Salt and pepper them.
3. Sear the cubes in two batches about 3 to 5 minutes, making sure that the cubes are browned on all sides. Some people do not sear the cubes, but it really makes a huges difference in how it tastes in the end, so I recommend searing. Remove the cubes and set aside.
4. Toss carrots and sliced onions with 2 teaspoons of salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Put in the fat in the pan and cook for 10-15 minutes on medium, until pieces are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for one minute more. Do not add the garlic before that or it will burn and become bitter.
5. Using a butane lighting stick (like you use to light a grill), tilt the pan slightly, pour the cognac in it and immediately set it on fire. Once flaming, you can level the pan and allow the cognac to burn off. This step will enrich the flavor of the vegetables. Stir in the flour.
6. Pour all the vegetables including the pearl onions, meats, the bottle of pinot noir, the beef bouillon, two tablespoons of the butter, and tomato paste in a crockpot. Stir and place lid on the crockpot and cook at low 8 hours until vegetables are fork tender.
7. Brown the mushroom slices in two tablespoons of butter in a skillet until lightly brown. Add to the crockpot and cook another hour.
8. Toast the slices of sourdough bread, sprayed with olive oil and sprinkled with garlic powder in the oven. Remove when slightly brown.
9. Plate the bread, and spoon the mixture over the bread.
10. Serve and enjoy.  

Parmesan Rosemary Potatoes

• ½ bag of small potatoes
• 1/3 cup salt
• 1 stick butter, melted
• black pepper
• 3 Tablespoons dried rosemary
• ½ tub shredded parmesan cheese

1. Wash potatoes and cut in half.
2. Cover the potatoes by 2 inches with water.
3. Add 1/3 cup salt to the water.
4. Boil the potatoes for 15 minutes.
5. Drain.
6. Melt the butter at 350 degrees in a 13 x 9” dish.
7. Add the pepper and rosemary and stir to distribute well.
8. Sprinkle the shredded parmesan over the butter mixture.
9. Place the potatoes, cut side down in the dish.
10. Baste the potatoes with the liquid mixture.
11. Brown in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
12. Remove and serve.

Orange Glazed Pork Chops

• 8 half or 4 whole butterfly pork chops
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper
• ½ red onion, chopped finely
• 1 tablespoon minced jarred garlic
• 1 tablespoon thyme
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cube chicken bouillon dissolved in 1 cup water
• 4 Tablespoons orange marmalade

1. Salt and pepper the pork chops.
2. Heat the olive oil in a skillet.
3. Brown the pork chops under medium heat in two groups on each side.
4. Remove to a plate to set aside.
5. In the same skillet, sweat the finely chopped red onion.
6. Add the minced garlic (not too soon or it will burn).
7. Add thyme, Worcestershire sauce and the chicken bouillon and stir.
8. Cook under low heat for several minutes.
9. Add the orange marmalade and stir.
10. Return the chops to the liquid and let them simmer for 10 minutes.
11. Remove from heat and serve.

Beef Stroganoff in Slow Cooker

• 1 ½ lb. stew meat cut in ½ inch pieces
• 2 cans golden mushroom soup
• 1 package mushrooms sliced
• 2 beef bouillon cubes dissoved in 1 ¾ cups warm water
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon refrigerated minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 8 oz. reduced fat cream cheese
• 8 ounces fat free Greek yogurt
• 12 ounce package of whole wheat noodles

1. Wipe the inside of the crock with olive oil to prevent sticking.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients except the cream cheese, yogurt, and whole noodles.
3. Cook on high for 5 hours.
4. Cut the cream cheese into chunks and add. Stir every few minutes until melted and distributed throughout.
5. Add the yogurt and stir every few minutes until well melted.
6. Meanwhile, cook noodles in plenty of water according to package directions. Drain.
7. Add noodles to crock and stir.
8. Cook additional 15 minutes so the flavors can blend.
9. Serve and enjoy.

Sausage, Cheese and Pepper Boats

• 1 lb. ground sausage
• ½ teaspoon ground sage
• 2 large green bell peppers
• 8 oz. Pepper jack cheese bar
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon salsa
• 8 slices bacon
• 8 hot dog buns

1. Mix ground sage into the ground sausage. Separate into into 16 pieces and roll into little logs.
2. Slice cheese into 16 strips.
3. Slice each pepper in half, lenthwise. Remove stems and seeds. Make each half into 4 wedges. You will have 16 pieces altogether.
4. Cut bacon slices in half.
5. Nest each sausage log into a wedge of bell pepper.
6. Place a strip of cheese on each one.
7. Wrap each “boat of green pepper, sausage, and cheese with a ½ slice of bacon. Secure with a toothpick. (I didn't have any, but next time I will be doing this).
8. Bake on a rack for 40 minutes at 350 degrees or until the bacon is brown enough for you.
9. While boats are baking, combine ½ cup mayonnaise and 1 tablespoon salsa. Mix well.
10. Remove from oven and let them sit for a few minutes so they don't fall apart.
11. Place 2 boats in each bun.
12. Drizzle sauce over them.
13. Serve and enjoy.

Note: Next time I make this, I am going to toast the buns in the oven or on the grill.