BBQ Beef

Recipe:
3 pounds brisket
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder or cumin
1/2- 1 bottle BBQ sauce

Cut all visible fat off beef. Place in crock pot. Mix water, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and chili powder. Pour mixture over beef. Cover. Cook 5-6 hours on high or 10-12 on low in crock pot. Take beef out. Shred. Put back in crock pot with BBQ sauce until warm.

Recipe from Biggest Book of Slow Cooker Recipes by Better Homes and Gardens.

Changes:
Used bottom round beef instead of brisket. We use chili powder. Put 1/2 bottle in with beef and then use more to top beef on buns.

Review:
Great anytime recipe. This recipe is very mild in flavor and can be turned into any kind of shredded beef flavor, if you don't want BBQ.

Next Time:
Make in the smaller crock pot.

Brisket in Ale

Recipe:
1 3-4 lb. beef brisket
2 medium onions, thinly sliced and separated into rings
1 bay leaf1 12 oz. can of beer
1/4 c. chili sauce1 T. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T. cornstarch
2 T. cold water

Trim fat from brisket and cut to fit into slow cooker if necessary. Place onions, bay leaf, and brisket into slow cooker.In a medium bowl, combine beer, chili sauce, sugar, thyme, salt, pepper, and garlic. Poor over brisket. Cover and cook on low for 10-12 hours (or high for 5-6).

When brisket is cooked, transfer brisket and onions to a platter and keep warm. Discard bay leaf.To make gravy, skim the fat off the cooking liquid.Measure 2 1/2 c. of the liquid and discard any remaining juices. In a saucepan, stir together the cornstarch and water, and stir in the cooking juices. Cook and stir until thick and bubbling. Serve over brisket.

Recipe from Biggest Book of Slow Cooker Recipes by Better Homes and Gardens.

Changes:
Instead of chili sauce I used 1/4 cup tomato sauce and 1/4 teaspoon chili powder and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Cooked on high 6 hours.

Review:
Rating 9. So good, very moist. Sweet and good flavor. Served with baked potatoes and made into tacos for left overs- both were delicious.

Next Time:
See if cooking on low 10 hours makes any difference.

Pork Loin with Veggies

Recipe:
2 lbs pork loin
3 medium potatoes, sliced 1 in thick
2 cups baby carrots
1 1/2 cups celery, chopped into 1 in pieces
1 medium onion, cut in wedges
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon basil
3-4 cloves garlic, crushed

Cut veggies and place in crock pot. Put loin on top of veggies. Mix water, salt, pepper, basil and garlic. Pour over meat. Cook on high 6-7 hours. Slice meat. Serve with veggies on the side. Scoop juices over meat.

Recipe by me.

Review:
Rating 7 3/4. Good meal- flavored, but still can taste original flavor of all the ingredients. I am not a huge fan of pork, I am a beef girl, but this was still good- especially with juices on meat- made it really moist.

Next Time:
Maybe a little more garlic.

Favorite Beef Pot Roast

Recipe:
2 to 2 1/2 lbs boneless beef check pot roast
1 tablespoon cooking oil
3 medium potatoes, quartered
8 carrots, chopped into 1 in chunks
3 small onions, cut into wedges
2 teaspoons instant beef bullion
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon basil or oregano

Trim all visible fat from meat. In large skillet brown all sides of meat in hot oil. Put potatoes, carrots and onion in crock pot. Place browned meat on top. Mix beef bullion, Worcestershire sauce, basil and water. Pour over meat. Cook on low 10-12 hours or on high 5-6 hours.

Recipe from Biggest Book of Slow Cooker Recipes by Better Homes and Gardens.

Changes:
Used 3 1/2 lbs beef. Used5 med potatoes and left skins on. Used baby carrots- left whole. Used 1 large onion. Used basil. Cut meat up when done cooking and served it stew style.

Review:
Rating 8 1/2 . Great hearty meal. No waste- delicious left overs!

Next Time:
Make again soon.

Crock Pot Enchilada Casserole

Recipe:
1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts
1 jar (16 oz) salsa
1- 4 oz container green chilies
1/2 cup water or chicken broth
8 corn tortillas
1 lb cheddar cheese

Place chicken in crock pot. Mix salsa, green chilies and water/broth. Pour over chicken. Cook on low at least 5 hours. Take out chicken and shred. Put back in crock pot 1 hour. In a 8x8 in baking dish layer tortilla, crock pot mixture and cheese. Repeat layering. Cook at 350 for 20 minutes.

Recipe from Just Like Mama Made by MOMS Club of Rio Rancho South.

Changes:
Started with frozen chicken, so I cooked it on high the first hour. Used colby cheese.

Review:
Rating 7. Good meal- very good amount of food for the calories- you can eat 1/4 for 450ish. I liked it with sour cream.

Next Time:
Broil for a few minutes after baking for the 20 mins to slightly brown cheese. Could probably get away with 2 cans of green chilies if you wanted a little spicier meal.

Dijon Pork Chops and Potatoes

Recipe:
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
1/4 cup Dijon style mustard
1 teaspoon thyme
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon pepper
5 medium potatoes, cut into 1/4 in slices
1 medium onion, sliced
4 pork loin chops, cut 3/4 in thick

In a large bowl combine soup, wine or broth, mustard, thyme, garlic and pepper. Add potatoes and onion, stirring to coat. Transfer to slow cooker/ crock pot. Place chops on top. Cover- cook on low 7-8 hrs or high 3 1/2 hrs.

Recipe from Biggest Book of Slow Cooker Recipes by Better Homes and Gardens

Changes:
Used Garlic cream of Mushroom soup and omitted actual garlic. Left skins on potatoes. Used regular mustard instead of Dijon, but filled the 1/4 cup with 1/4 in of honey, 1/4 in apple cider vinegar and the rest of the cup with mustard. Used 8 chops instead of 4.

Review:
Rating 5. Too fancy for our tastes- we like a more basic taste. Great idea to do with the crock pot, just using other flavors.

Next Time:
Do potatoes and onions the same, add carrots and celery and more basic flavors.

Beer Brisket

Recipe:
2 1/2 lbs. lean beef brisket
12 oz light beer
1/2 cup ketchup
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp tarragon
1/4 tsp marjoram
1 bay leaf

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Trim any visible fat from meat. Place meat in heavy dutch oven. Mix all remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Pour over meat. Cover pan. Cook 3-5 hours or until meat is very tender. Turn meat occasionally and add water if it gets too dry. Remove bay leaf before serving.
Can also be cooked in a crock pot for longer period of time.

Recipe from Mom's Updated Recipe Box by Donna Weihofen

Changes:
Used top round, sliced thick, instead of brisket. Doubled the recipe. Cooked in a crock pot on high for 7 hours- meat was still slightly frozen before cooking.

Review:
Rating 8 1/2. It was really a good flavor for the beef. The beer taste came through, but not too strong. Very tender. Great with mashed potatoes. Leftovers are great! Meat also makes great tacos.

Next Time:
Good recipe. "Meat is good."-Chad