The last recipe of season 4! Crock Pot Caramel Apple Crisp

This recipe was submitted by WGLR listener, Kris! Her recipe was the winner in the "Julie's Crock of the Week" giveaway for season 4. Enjoy! It's delicious!

Slow Cooker Caramel Apple Crisp

6 golden delicious apples
2 boxes yellow cake mix
1/4 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons cinnamon
1 stick butter (melted)
1/4 cup caramel sauce
Ice Cream {optional}
Caramel sauce for the finale {optional}

What to do ...
1. Slice and peel apples
2. In a large bowl, combine the yellow cake mixes, sugar, and cinnamon
3. Add in the melted butter and stir to combine and crumbly
4. Put apples into slow cooker.
5. Set slow cooker on high.
6. Pour the caramel sauce over the apples.
7. Pour dry ingredients over the apples and caramel. Spread it out with a spoon so that the entire surface is covered.
8. Cover with a lid and cook on high for 2 hours. Set the slow cooker to low and remove the lid. Let sit for 30 minutes without the lid so the top of the crisp can harden.
9. Serve with Ice Cream and additional caramel drizzle.

Crock Pot Hamburger Soup

**originally posted on www.WGLR.com on 3-16-15**

Hard to believe this is almost the last "Julie's Crock of the Week" for season 4! You will get one more next week, but that will be from the winner of the Julie's Crock of the Week Giveaway (MAKE SURE TO ENTER TO WIN! Click on the link above to enter your recipe in the contest!). This recipe reminds my of my grandma, who passed away about 10 years ago. She was a fantastic cook. I wish she would have lived a few more years to see my family and help me out with recipes and tips now that I am cooking for a family instead of just myself! While I retained some tips from her over the years, there is so much more I could have learned from her. This soup is one she made. This one and her bean & ham soup were ones I remember most. My grandpa had polio, so his mobility was limited, and since he couldn't do manual labor, the two of them invested in a lot of businesses, and worked hard! They ran and owned a few restaurants and taverns, and my grandma handled the cooking. After my grandpa passed in the 70's, she went on to be the head cook for a hospital, so let me tell you, she knew her stuff. My dad is an excellent cook, too. He helped as a kid with working in the tavern and restaurants with them. I like to think I'm carrying on her passion and traditions with my family, and with sharing my love of cooking with you all through WGLR over the years. Thanks for making this so fun for me. So, make this soup and whip up a loaf of beer bread like my Grandma Bernice did whenever she made soup, and enjoy it with your family! It's an easy and relatively inexpensive recipe, too! It's Crock Pot Hamburger Soup.

 

 

CROCK POT HAMBURGER SOUP

• 2lbs lean ground beef
• 1 white onion, peeled and diced
• ¹⁄₄teaspoon ground black pepper, more to taste
• ¹⁄₂teaspoon dry oregano, more to taste
• ¹⁄₂teaspoon dry basil, more to taste
• ¹⁄₄teaspoon seasoning salt
• 1 (1 1/2 ounce) envelope onion soup mix
• 6 cups water, more to desired consistency
• 1(8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1(15 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1(15 ounce) can corn, drained
• 1 cup celery, sliced
• ¹⁄₄ cup celery leaves, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup fresh carrot, sliced
• 1 cup white potato, peeled and cut into small cubes
• garlic salt, to taste (after cooking)

Brown ground beef with the onion in a pan. Drain. Transfer to slow cooker and add all remaining ingredients, and stir it up. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Sprinkle on garlic salt to taste when done. Serve with shredded cheese or sour cream on top, if desired!

Crock Pot Crab Rangoon Dip

**originally posted on WGLR.com on 3-2-15**

One of my favorite things to get when we go out for dinner at a Chinese restaurant is Crab Rangoon. Oh, how I love them, dipped in sweet & sour sauce especially! So, when I came across this recipe online, I knew I had to try it! It isn’t bad, although I prefer it surrounded in a deep fried wonton wrapper! But this was quite tasty on a cracker, and easy to throw together. You could even use it as filling to make your own rangoon at home if you are feeling adventurous! For this recipe, use a small crock pot like the little dipper, or a 2.5 quart one (which is what I did).

Crock Pot Crab Rangoon Dip

2 8oz bricks of Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 Cup Sour Cream

4 Green Onions, chopped

1 1/2 Teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce

2 Tablespoons Powdered Sugar

1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

1 12oz Package Imitation Crab Meat, pulverized

Add all ingredients to the crock pot and mix together as well as you can (it helps to cube up the cream cheese). Cook on low for about 2 hours, stirring at least once. Serve on crackers or any dipper of your choice!

Crock Pot "No Fail" Macaroni and Cheese

*originally posted on www.WGLR.com on 2-24-15*

With another super duper cold snap upon us, I was craving some comfort food! One recipe in the crock pot that has not been a success for me in the past is mac n cheese. I made a recipe back in season 2 of The Crock of the Week, and it was good, but it wasn’t quite the creamy consistency I was looking for. I tried again last fall and failed miserably. It always curdled on me! I came across the recipe below online a few weeks ago, and the author of the blog had the exact same problems and frustration as me, and THIS is the recipe that worked for her. So I decided to try one more time, but if it didn’t work, I was never going to make mac n cheese in the crock pot ever again! Haha! Well, since I am sharing it with you this week, you can probably guess the outcome. It was AWESOME! The key is NO EGGS! Don’t use a crock pot recipe that calls for eggs in the ingredient list! This recipe uses a can of condensed cheddar soup in the mix, and I think that is what made it work so wonderfully. YUM YUM YUM!!!

Crock Pot “No Fail” Macaroni & Cheese

3 cups uncooked elbow macaroni

5 tablespoons butter

18 oz grated medium cheddar cheese (about 2.5-3 cups)

1/2 cup sour cream

1 (10 3/4 ounce) can condensed cheddar cheese soup

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup whole milk

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Boil elbow macaroni in a saucepan for about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside. Then, melt butter in a saucepan, and slowly stir in the grated cheddar cheese over low-med heat until it is completely melted. It should only take a few minutes, and stir almost constantly to avoid burning.

Transfer melted cheddar to the crock pot, and add in sour cream, milk, soup, dry mustard, and salt & pepper. Stir in partially cooked elbow macaroni. Cook on low for about 2 hours, stirring a few times. Keep an eye on it, as all crock pots cook differently. It was done in about an hour and 45 minutes for me.

Slow Cooker Cheesy Grits with Garlic Butter Shrimp

Ingredients

Grits:

• 2 cups uncooked stone-ground grits
• 6 cups water
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup Parmesan, grated
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoons freshly ground pepper

Shrimp:

• 24 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 1/4 sticks butter, sliced into pats
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Combine grits and water in slow cooker and let grits settle to the bottom. Skim any solids off the top of the water. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or overnight.
2. Stir and add in cream, cheeses, salt, pepper and butter.
3. Preheat oven to 350º F.
4. Toss shrimp in olive oil and minced garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Spread out on a baking tray.
5. Place in oven and cook for 6-8 minutes, or until shrimp is pink, opaque and cooked through.
6. Add butter directly to baking tray and toss shrimp in it.
7. Spoon grits into bowls and add shrimp and butter on top.
8. Serve warm.

Recipe found at 12tomatoes.com

Crock Pot Lemon Spoon Cake

**originally posted on www.WGLR.com on 2-9-15**

I was in Florida for a long weekend last week, and wow, did that make me desire spring and summer even more! I have had this recipe saved in my files to try for a long time, so I decided that I needed a taste of summer RIGHT NOW. Summer and fresh lemons go hand in hand, right? Plus, I LOVE lemon desserts. Lemon cake is a close second to chocolate, in my opinion. So, I tried this and wow! So delicious and moist and bursting with lemon flavor! It takes a bit of elbow grease to zest and juice the lemons (you’ll need about 4 for the whole recipe), but it was soooooooo worth it. It’s called a “spoon cake” because you spoon it out of the crock when it’s still warm and soft. Top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and you will have something to smile about. It is great when it’s warm right out of the crock pot, but I brought the leftovers to work the next morning and they were great, too. Making it in the crock pot, and the glaze over top makes the cake super moist, so you can enjoy it for a few days after you make it if you want. Good luck not eating it all in one sitting though if you love lemon cake like I do! That’s why I had to get the leftovers out of the house so I didn’t eat it all! 

**Disclaimer! The Husband thought it was “too lemony” (is that even possible??) so if you aren’t someone who adores lemon like me, you may want to cut back on the lemon juice a tad, and just add a bit more water to get the right amount of liquid needed. But I thought it was perfect!**

CROCK POT LEMON SPOON CAKE

• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 1/2 cup lemon juice (plus 2 tablespoons for glaze below)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 3 eggs
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest (packed)

GLAZE:

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 cup powdered sugar

(You’ll use about 4 lemons total)

In a mixing bowl, combine dry cake mix, 1/2 cup lemon juice, water, melted butter, and lemon zest. Stir until well combined, but don’t over mix. Spray a 6 quart crock pot with non-stick cooking spray or baking spray (I use Wilton’s cake Bake Easy spray). Pour batter into the crock pot and smooth it down evenly.

Cook on high for 1-2 hours, covered. Cook time will depend on your crock pot. I have a metal one, and it was perfectly done in 1 hour 15 minutes. It was just starting to brown on the edges and pull away, and was firm in the center. Check after an hour to see how yours is looking.

Before serving, mix up the glaze ingredients and put over the cake in the crock pot. Spoon it out to serve warm. Top with vanilla ice cream if desired. Makes about 8 servings.

Once the cake cools down it will be more firm to get out of the crock with a spatula, if you want to pack up leftovers.

Crock Pot Kalua Pork

**Originally posted on www.WGLR.com on 2-2-15***

This week's recipe was probably the easiest thing I have ever made in my crock pot. But that's not all, it was also one of the most delicious! It also took my husband back to our honeymoon in Maui when we ate it. Just 3 ingredients, and you will have many delicious meals from this recipe. It's Crock Pot Kalua Pork! It slow cooks for a loooooooong time (that isn't a typo in the recipe!) and cooking it so long is what makes it so so so tender. We enjoyed it in a lettuce wrap with some rice and barbecue sauce (the Husband used hoison sauce). It seriously tastes like the pulled pork we had in Maui from the pig in the pit that we ate at a luau. And it is so versatile! I used leftovers for pulled pork tacos. You could use it in so many ways, like on a sandwich, nachos, in a casserole, you name it. I used a shoulder blade roast, because that tends to be more lean, but still has enough fat to keep the pork moist and flavorful. I'm sure a loin roast would work, but I would reduce the cooking time so it doesn't dry out too much. But I had plenty of flavorful juices in my roast after cooking for 12 hours (my roast was about 2.5lbs, the recipe calls for 3lbs). No issues with drying out at all! You may be tempted to eat it just when it's "done," but don't! Let it slow cook as long as possible!

CROCK POT KALUA PORK

• 3 lb pork shoulder blade roast, lean, remove any large chunks of fat
• coarse sea salt
• 1 tablespoon liquid mesquite smoke

Place pork in the crock pot and stab it all over with a knife. Rub sea salt all over the pork. Drizzle the liquid smoke all over the pork. Then, cook on low for 16 hours (yes, that is not a typo). Adjust cooking time if you have a different size roast, or if you know your crock pot cooks hot (some have their own personality!).

When done, remove from crock onto a platter. Remove any fat you may have missed before cooking, and then shred it all up with 2 forks. Remove any liquid from the crock pot (but don't toss it, I used some of it to put over leftovers in the fridge to help keep moist). Return the pork to the crock pot to keep warm for serving.

Crock Pot Bacon Cheeseburger Dip

**originally posted on www.WGLR.com on 1-26-15**

Super Sunday is this weekend! I wish my Packers were still playing, but oh well. Still had a great season! And it's still a good reason for a PARTY! If you are hosting a party for the big game, or need a dish to pass at somebody else's party, I'm helping you out this week. I made this around Christmas and it is really yummy! Lo-cal? No. BUT, it's the biggest game of the year, and gobbling up extra calories is part of the fun, right? It's Crock Pot Bacon Cheeseburger Dip! Nom nom nom! We ate it with tortilla chips, but I think it would go great on some chunks of big crusty bread, too.

CROCK POT BACON CHEESEBURGER DIP

• 1 lb of lean ground beef or turkey
• 8 oz package of cream cheese, cubed
• 2 c shredded cheddar cheese
• 10 oz can of diced tomatoes with green chiles (like Rotel)
• 6 oz package of real bacon bits, divided
• 1 t dried parsley
• assorted dippers like tortilla chips, bread chunks, etc.

Brown the meat in a skillet and drain. Add to the skillet over low heat: cheeses, the diced tomatoes with it's juices, and all of the bacon bits except for 2 tablespoons (save that for garnish on top when ready to serve). Cook until all cheeses are melted and the mixture is well blended. Transfer to crock pot (a 2 quart one is best unless you are doubling the recipe) and cook on low for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally. Stir in parsley and top with bacon bits just before serving.

Crock Pot Honey Mustard Chicken

**originally posted on www.WGLR.com on 1-19-15**

One of the meats I cook with most in my crock pot is chicken. We love chicken in our house, and it’s so versatile with how you can cook it and what you can put it in, like soups. I came across this week’s recipe online as a healthy crock pot recipe. It is only 200 calories per serving, and this recipe makes 4 servings. It’s easy to throw together, and I had most ingredients in my house already actually. Now, I am generally not a fan of mustard, but this is delicious. The honey balances out the mustard nicely, along with the other spices and ingredients. The original recipe says to cut the chicken in strips, but I chose to shred it up and serve it over mashed baby red potatoes, SO GOOD! The sauce from this is pretty tasty, which is why I chose to serve it over potatoes, but you can just serve it on it’s own if you would like with a side of your choice.  I did thicken the sauce up to make it a bit more gravy-like (2 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 1 Tbsp cold water, then added to the crock pot), and it was really delicious.

Crock Pot Honey Mustard Chicken

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 large onion, sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon country-style (coarse-grain) mustard
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Pinch cayenne pepper

Place chicken in the crock pot, and add sliced onions on top. In a small bowl, mix together all remaining ingredients, and then pour over the chicken & onions in the crock. Cook on low for about 6 hours.

Serve on it’s own or shred up to serve over potatoes or rice. If you want a thicker sauce, add in 2tsp corn starch dissolved in 1 Tbsp cold water at the end.

Crock Pot Ground Beef Picadillo

**originally posted on www.WGLR.com on 1-12-15**

This week's recipe is probably one you haven't heard of. I follow an awesome blog for healthy DELICIOUS recipes called Skinnytaste, and that is where this recipe came from. I had never heard of the dish, but thought it sounded good and was willing to give it a try. It's called Crock Pot Picadillo (pronounced peek-uh-DEE-yo). Apparently, the term means "chopped" and is used for a few types of dishes. This picadillo is ground beef based, and is popular in Cuba and central american countries. It is typically served over rice (which is what I did with it initially when I made it), but it can also be used as a meat filling for tacos, nachos, or even as a sandwich. I used leftovers to make some hearty nachos with and wow, it was good! Lots of flavors mix together in this dish, and it isn't spicy.  So give it a try, I bet you'll like it.

CROCK POT PICADILLO

• 2 1/2 lbs ground beef ( I used 93% lean)
• 1 cup minced onion
• 1 cup diced red bell peppers
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup minced cilantro
• 1 small tomato, diced
• 8 oz can tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup alcaparrado (manzanilla olives, pimientos, capers) or green olives
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 2 bay leaves
• salt and pepper, to taste

Brown the meat in a skillet, making sure it is well broken up into small pieces. Generously salt and pepper the meat while cooking. Drain. Add in onions, bell pepper & garlic and cook for another 3-4 minutes.

Transfer meat mixture to your crock pot, and then add tomato, cilantro, tomato sauce, 1 1/4 cups water, alcaparrado (or olives), and then add the spices (you can also add some of the olive brine for some flavor).

Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8. Taste when done and add more salt and spices if desired. Serve over rice (I use brown) and enjoy!

Crock Pot Creamy Chicken Fajita Soup

**originally posted on www.WGLR.com on 1-5-15**

Well, with a cold week ahead like the one forecast, I pretty much only feel like eating soups & stews!! So, if you agree, here's a soup for you to help warm you up! It's Crock Pot Creamy Chicken Fajita soup! Pretty easy to throw together, and it has just enough spice to give you an extra warm-up while you eat it :) I was able to use some of the salsa I canned over the summer and some sweet corn off the cob that I froze. Was nice to enjoy some summer in this soup!

 

 

CROCK POT CREAMY CHICKEN FAJITA SOUP

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup salsa
2 cups frozen corn
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 - 1/2 cups water
2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried cilantro (optional)
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
favorite toppings like sour cream, tortilla chips, avocado, extra cheese/salsa, etc

Place the chicken breasts into the crock pot. Combine chicken soup, salsa, corn, beans, water, cumin & cilantro in a large bowl. Mix well and pour over chicken in the crock pot. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or high for 2-3 hours. Remove chicken from the crock and shred it up with 2 forks. Return it to the crock pot, add the shredded cheddar, and cook for another 15 minutes.

Serve in bowls with your favorite fajita toppings!

Crock Pot Kielbasa Bites

**originally posted on www.WGLR.com on 12-29-14**

I tested this week's recipe on my lovely co-workers here at QueenB Radio at our Holiday Potluck last week, and it was liked! So, thanks to their approval, I am sharing it with all of you! It's Crock Pot Kielbasa Bites! This is a great dish to take to any New Year celebrations or playoff footbal/Super Bowl parties! I doubled the recipe for the work potluck. Just make sure you don't overcook it though, and Hubs said that the leftovers the next day weren't all that fantastic. But they sure are delicious when eaten fresh right out of the crock! You may look at the ingredients and think I'm crazy, but for real, it's a wonderful flavor. I used a mix of kielbasa and smoked sausage when I made it. I imagine this would taste great on any kind of sausage you wanted to slice up and throw in! Even cocktail weinies!

 

 

CROCK POT KIELBASA BITES

• 1 lb. kielbasa (or smoked sausage)
• 1 cup apricot preserves
• 1/2 cup dijon mustard

Slice up the kielbasa and put in the crock. In a bowl, mix together the apricot preserves and mustard until well combined. Pour into the crock and stir together to evenly coat all of the sausage. Cook on low for 2-3 hours or high for 1-2.

Slow Cooker Eggnog Cranberry Steel-Cut Oatmeal

**originally posted on www.WGLR.com on 12-22-14**

Ah, Christmas morning. The morning where everyone wants a delicious special breakfast, but nobody want to cook one! Spend more time with your family and make breakfast the night before! This week's recipe is Slow Cooker Eggnog Cranberry Steel-Cut Oatmeal! Now, there are two kind of people in this world: Those who eat oatmeal and those who don't. If you are not generally a fan of oatmeal, this recipe will not change your mind, even though it is good! Haha! But, if you enjoy oatmeal, this is a nice twist on the regular stuff. I topped mine with some extra cranberries and some chopped pecans, and it was a nice, filling dish. I would recommend doing this if you have a digital crock that can switch to "warm", otherwise it may get a bit overdone on the edges if you cook it overnight. But if you are up late and plan to get up early (about 6 hours), then you are fine if you don't have a digital one! I cooked on low for 6 hours and then my crock switched to warm for a few hours and it was fine. You could probably cook it on high for 2-3 hours too, if you just get up early enough.

 

SLOW COOKER EGGNOG CRANBERRY STEEL-CUT OATMEAL

• 4 cups eggnog
• 4 cups water
• 2 cups uncooked steel-cut oats
• 1 cup dried cranberries or Craisins
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds or ground flax seeds
• (optional toppings: chopped nuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, additional eggnog or cranberries, etc)

Spray your slow cooker with cooking spray. Put all the ingredients in the slow cooker (except optional ingredients) and mix together. Cook on low for 6 hours or until oats are cooked and softened and the edges have browned a bit. Spoon it up in bowls to serve and add additional toppings if desired! Merry Christmas!

Crock Pot Black Beans & Rice

**originally posted on WGLR.com on 12-15-14**

When I make Mexican meals at home, I have a hard time coming up with a side dish! In a restaurant, they include yummy beans and rice, but that seems like too much work, doesn't it? Well, thanks to the crock pot, it isn't! We had some guests for supper a few weeks ago and I made a delicious baked sour cream enchilada dish (which is in the photo below, too!), but I really wanted something to go along with that. So I hit Pinterest, and found this recipe for Crock Pot Black Beans & Rice. It was easy to throw together, and pretty delicious! Not only can you use this as-is for a side dish (or a meal in itself!), but I'm sure it would be great as a burrito filling or even just eaten with tortilla chips. It is nice because it doesn't take long to cook, too. I actually had two crock pots going for this meal, one with the rice & beans, and one with the chicken breasts for the shredded chicken mixture I used to fill the enchiladas with! Embrace your slow cookers, people! They help make meal prep easy!! :)

CROCK POT BLACK BEANS AND RICE

• 2 (14OZ) cans black beans, drained & rinsed
• 3/4 cup UNCOOKED rice
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 3/4 cup salsa
• 3 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Spray your crock pot with cooking spray. Add all ingredients into the crock pot and stir well to combine. Cover and cook on low for 3 hours. Stir well before serving! You can top it with additional salsa or sour cream, if desired.

Crock Pot Peppermint "Muddy Buddies"

**originally posted on WGLR.com on 12-8-14**

Holiday baking season is here! Did you know that your crock pot can help you with that? Here is a delicious treat that can be made quickly and easily in your crock pot, and it will be loved and devoured quickly by all! In October, I did a Crock of the Week for Autumn Harvest Chex Mix. This is a similar recipe, except it's full of chocolate and Christmas joy! It's Peppermint Muddy Buddies! Muddy Buddies are the chocolate cousin of Chex Mix :) I made a double batch of this recipe, and there was plenty of room to mix it in my crock pot. You could use a double boiler for a single batch if you wanted, but if you are doing a double batch, you won't have enough room in a double boiler. It only took about 10 minutes for the chocolate to melt completely for a double batch in my crock pot. And I only got the crock dirty which made clean up a snap! Loved it! I brought it along to the WGLR Holiday Auction this past weekend for the crew and volunteers to enjoy, and got many compliments! So add this easy treat to your holiday baking list. It would be a nice thing to package up in ziplocs and ribbon to hand out to co-workers, neighbors, or wherever you need a bunch of small gifts this holiday season.

CROCK POT PEPPERMINT MUDDY BUDDIES

• 3 squares white chocolate bark
• 3 squares chocolate bark
• 3 cups rice (or corn) Chex cereal
• 3 cups chocolate Chex cereal
• 10 crushed up mini candy canes

Crush up the candy canes and set aside. Then start with the white chocolate bark, and place that in your crock. Cover and turn the crock on high until it melts. Add in the rice or corn chex, and stir until the cereal is completely coated with the white chocolate. Then pour the mixture out onto a piece or wax paper or foil, and spread it out. Immediately sprinkle the crushed peppermints all over the mixture, before the chocolate starts to harden up, because you want the peppermints to stick!

Then add the chocolate bark to your crock (no need to clean it from the white chocolate that was just in there). Cover and melt. Then add the chocolate Chex until well coated, and pour the mixture onto wax paper or foil, just as you did with the white chocolate mixture. Let it harden up.

When both mixtures are set, break up and mix together in a lidded bowl or big ziploc bag. And watch it quickly disappear!! Yum!

Crock Pot Balsamic Chicken

**originally posted on WGLR.com on 12-1-14**

This week's recipe is so so sooooooo simple! And so so sooooooo delicious! I served it with mashed potatoes and gravy, but it is so versatile that it could be served in many different ways, like with pasta, veggies, tacos, gyros or even on a salad. It is Crock Pot Balsamic Chicken, and you probably have all the ingredients needed already in your kitchen. I did! It smells delicious while cooking too :)

CROCK POT BALSAMIC CHICKEN

• 2 lbs chicken breasts or thighs, bone-in or out, your choice
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 tsp dried minced onion
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 pinch fresh chopped parsley (if desired)

Combine the garlic powder, basil, salt, pepper & minced onion in a bowl. Spread it over the chicken pieces, on both sides.  pour olive oil and the garlic on the bottom of your crock pot, and add chicken on top. Pour the balsamic vinegar over the chicken. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6 hours.

Crock Pot Green Bean Casserole

**originally posted on www.WGLR.com on 11-24-14**

Thanksgiving week is upon us! I would like to wish all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving, and I hope you enjoy a delicious meal with family and friends this year. If you are hosting the big meal, or need to bring a dish to contribute to a gathering, I am helping you out! This recipe is a traditional holiday dish at my family celebration, and likely at yours, too. Using your crock pot to help with meal prep is a great idea, especially if your turkey is hogging the oven. So, put your GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE in your crock pot! This is easy and delicious. I tweaked the original recipe I found for this online by adding a few dashes of soy sauce, but the grated parmesan cheese in this recipe really stepped this dish up a notch, so I was happy I found it! Sometimes we never revisit recipes we have been making for years, but this one proves that it doesn’t hurt to do that now and then.

CROCK POT GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE

• 3 cans (14.5oz) green beans (I prefer french cut. You can also use fresh or frozen beans)
• 2 cans cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup milk
• a few dashes soy sauce
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1-6oz can french fried onions

Drain the beans and pour into crock. Stir in soup, milk, soy sauce, parmesan cheese, salt & pepper, and HALF (3oz) of the container of french fried onions. Stir until well combined. Cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2. Just before serving, sprinkle the remaining french fried onions on top.

Crock Pot Ham in Cider Gravy

**originally posted on WGLR.com on 11-10-14**

Oh do I have a good one for you this week! Are you like me, and still have some apple cider sitting in your fridge from a trip to an orchard this fall? I came across this recipe a few weeks ago and thought it would be a good one to try to use up the cider. Can’t get much easier than a 3 ingredient recipe! I admit I was a big skeptical, because generally, I am not a fan of fruit and meat together, but let me tell you…the gravy that this dish creates is AMAZING! For real. It’s worth making just to get the gravy. I was expecting sweet, and it wasn’t. It’s a super delicious combination of flavors. I’m so glad I decided to whip up some mashed potatoes to enjoy the gravy even more!

Putting a ham in a crock pot for your holiday celebrations is so easy, and it really helps to juggle other entrees because your oven is free for many other delicious Thanksgiving and Christmas dishes. I used a boneless hickory smoked ham, mainly because I could cut it in half to help it fit into my crock pot! So keep that in mind when choosing a ham, you want it to fit in your pot! Try this recipe this year, you won’t regret it!

Slow-Cooked Ham in Cider Gravy

• One ham, 1-4 lbs
• 2 cups unsweetened apple cider
• 3/4 cup REAL maple syrup (not the fake stuff!)
• 3 Tbsp cornstarch

Place ham in the slow cooker and pour cider and syrup over it. Cook on Low for about 6 hours.

Then, remove the ham to a plate. Put liquid into a large 4 cup measuring cup or bowl.

Now, make the gravy. Whisk the cornstarch with 1/2 cup of the cider on the stove-top over low heat until smooth. Turn the heat up to medium, and continue to add the cider a bit at a time, whisking constantly, until all the cider is in the gravy.  Serve with the ham.

Crock Pot Beef Barley Soup

**originally posted on WGLR.com on 11-3-14**

This week's recipe is one of those that will "stick to your gut!" This one is for the beef lovers out there...it's Crock Pot Beef Barley soup! This is a really easy way to make a barley soup. On the stovetop, it takes a long time for barley to cook, and you have to keep an eye on it. For this recipe, the uncooked barley goes in with all the other ingredients at the start, and cooks to perfection, with no babysitting required! Good one to throw in your slow cooker before work, so you can come home to a perfectly cooked soup. It's more like a stew though, as it's quite hearty. Similar to an Irish Stew, but without potatoes.

Crock Pot Beef Barley Soup

2.5 lb. chuck roast - cut into bite size pieces (or just buy stew meat)
1 cup pearl barley
2 medium onions - chopped
1 green pepper - chopped
6 carrots - chopped
1 14oz. can diced tomatoes
48oz. beef stock - more if needed
5 sprigs of fresh thyme - leaves pulled off stem (or 5 teaspoons dried)
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper

Add all ingredients to a 6-qt crock pot. Stir it all up and cook on low for 6-8 hours. You may want to check for liquid level and add more stock or water if needed, as the barley will absorb a lot of liquid as it cooks.

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Chili

**originally posted on www.WGLR.com on 10-20-14**

It's BACK! Season FOUR of "Julie's Crock of the Week" is here! I just want to say thank you to all the folks who chat with me year 'round about the Crock of the Week. It is so much fun for me! Happy to be kicking off another season here on WGLR!

I'm going to start with a chili I made over the summer. This isn't your typical chili recipe though! This caters to those with a love of heat, specifically, the kind of heat you get when you eat some buffalo wings covered in sauce. My husband LOVED this one, it's definitely a "man-pleasing" meal, haha! I am a fan of dousing buffalo wings in ranch dressing when I eat them to counter the heat. So, this chili was a bit hot for me, BUT I stirred in a few tablespoons of light ranch dressing into my bowl and it gave it a great flavor and helped turn it down a notch for me to enjoy. Leftovers tasted even better with this one. Top with some crumbled blue cheese or mozzarella, and it's a delicious meal in a bowl! Enjoy!

BUFFALO CHICKEN CHILI

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ cup diced onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• ½ cup diced bell pepper (any color you prefer)
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 cups diced chicken breast
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 2 cans pinto beans rinsed and drained
• 1 28 oz canned diced tomatoes
• 28 oz chicken broth
• ¾ cup Buffalo wing sauce (or to taste. I used 1/2 cup of Frank's)
• Blue cheese or fresh mozzarella for topping (optional)

Throw veggies and garlic with the olive oil into a skillet, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Dump into crock pot. Using the same skillet, salt and cook the diced chicken breast until it is browned up. Add to slow cooker. Stir in remaining ingredients of cumin, paprika, chili powder, oregano, pinto beans, canned tomatoes, and chicken broth. Cook on low for 7.5 hours. THEN add wing sauce, and cook for another half hour on low.  When serving, top with cheese if desired (or stir in some ranch dressing to "cool" it down a bit!).