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 Corned Beef & Cabbage Stew

**originally posted on WGLR.com on 3-9-15**

Oh my, with temps in the 50’s coming this week, and St.Patrick’s Day next week, spring is in the air! Yay! This week’s recipe is perfect for your St.Patrick’s Day celebrations this weekend and next week. It’s Crock Pot Corned Beef & Cabbage Stew! This is a great way to prepare the traditional St.Patty’s Day tradition, or it’s a great way to use up the leftovers from a meal of corned beef & cabbage! We really liked it, and the leftovers were even better. My only suggestion is to chop the cabbage up well and get the corned beef in a bite size way, because my pieces were a bit to large and made quite a mess when we tried to eat it, but the mess was worth it! Bake some crusty soda bread to go with it, and you have a perfect Irish meal to celebrate this fun holiday with. I got this from the awesome Skinnytaste blog. a serving of 1 3/4 cups is only about 280 calories. And if your corned beef brisket doesn’t come with a seasoning packet, you will have to season this up yourself.

CROCK POT CORNED BEEF & CABBAGE STEW

Ingredients:

• 2 leeks, chopped (whites and light green only)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 medium carrots, chopped (I just used matchstick carrots to save some prep time)
• 1 yellow pepper, chopped
• 1 lb lean corned beef brisket (yields 9 oz cooked)
• 6 cups of water
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
• 1 small head cabbage, cored and chopped
• 1 large potato, peeled and cubed

Place the corned beef brisket in your crock pot. Add leeks, garlic, carrots, yellow pepper, water, bay leaves, and parsley. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until the brisket shreds easily. Remove the brisket from the crock pot onto a plate, and shred it up. Return meat to the crock pot, and then add the chopped cabbage and potato. Cook on low for another hour, and serve!

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.

Crock Pot Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joe

Last week, Mr.Jacobs was my guest “Crocker,” kicking off the new year with a low-cal healthy recipe. I must point out that he has lost 110 pounds in the last year, in large part to the healthy and delicious recipes I whipped up in my crock pot for us. So proud of him! So, if your New Year’s resolution is to get healthier, have your slow cooker help you!

Another New Year resolution that many make, is to save some money, and groceries are a good chunk of everybody’s budget. Slow cookers can help you stretch your pennies, too! So, this week’s recipe helps with that resolution, Slow Cooker Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joe’s! This recipe is made with ground beef, and was honestly REALLY good! Better than I was expecting it to be. Depending on how lean your beef is, this recipe costs about $10 total to feed your whole family, and that includes the buns to serve it on. Now, I realize this isn’t an “authentic” Philly Cheesesteak, but get over that. It tastes darn delicious anyway!

Crock Pot Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 large onion, slivered
• 1 large green pepper, sliced
• 1-1/2 cups sliced mushrooms (optional…I didn’t use)
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1 can condensed french onion soup (or beef broth)
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella or provolone (or a combination of both)

Brown the beef in a pan with the garlic. Don’t break it up too much, you want some good sized chunks. Drain fat and place into slow cooker with onion, green pepper, and mushrooms (if using). Toss with the flour and black pepper. Pour soup and Worcestershire sauce over the mixture and cook on low for 4-5 hours.  Sprinkle the cheese on top and replace the lid for a few minutes to let it melt.  Serve on buns/rolls. I think it would be tasty over pasta or rice, too!

Dr.Pepper Slow Cooker Roast Beef

Perhaps one of the most popular things to make in a slow cooker is a beef roast. This week, I offer you a recipe for just that, and it uses an unusual ingredeint…it’s  Dr. Pepper Slow Cooker Roast Beef! This would be a nice main dish to prepare for a holiday gathering this year, or just to enjoy year ’round. Nothing says comfort food like a delicious chunk of slow cooked roast on your plate, yum!

Dr. Pepper Slow Cooker Roast Beef

• One 3-5 lb beef roast (make sure it fits in your slow cooker, i used a chuck roast)
• 1 can Dr. Pepper (12oz)
• 1 cup water
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 3 cloves minced
• salt & pepper

Place roast in crock pot, and add all ingredients over the top of the roast. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, depending on the size of you roast. When serving, spoon out the juices and pour on roast slices.

Remember, all recipes from ALL the years of Julie’s Crock of the Week are archived on my blog at http://juliescrockoftheweek.blogspot.com/ to view ANYTIME!

- Julie Jacobs

Slow Cooker Shepherd's Pie

(originally posted on WGLR.com on
3-11-13)

HAPPY ST.PATRICK’S DAY! 

Last year for this Irish holiday, I posted the classic St.Patrick’s meal of  Corned Beef & Cabbage , made easy peasy in your crock pot! So I am offering you another traditional Irish meal this week, Slow Cooker Shepherd’s Pie! This recipe uses beef, and I have to say that I really like how it turned out. I have made it before in the oven, and the potatoes tend to get overdone and too dry, in my opinion. But, the potatoes stayed nice and moist when made in the slow cooker. Yum, yum YUM! This meal is great year round, and will make all of your leprechauns, young and old, very happy!

SLOW COOKER SHEPHERD’S PIE

• 2 lbs potatoes (yukon gold work well)
• 1/3 cup milk
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste (or ketchup)
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
• salt & pepper
• seasoned salt

Prick potatoes all over with a fork. Microwave potatoes on high, turning once, until tender, about 15 minutes (I have one of those cool baked potato microwave bags) . Remove from microwave, let cool slightly, then peel and mash with milk and butter. Season with salt and pepper. You could also peel and then boil and mash, or even use instant mashed potatoes if you like.

In a skillet on medium heat, pour in the olive oil. Add onion and cook for a few minutes, until the onions start to get translucent. Add garlic and cook for another minute, then add in the ground beef.  When the meat is almost browned, add the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and thyme.  in a small bowl, whisk together the corn starch with the 1 cup of water, and add to the ground beef mixture when it is all browned up. Once it thickens up some, transfer the mixture into the slow cooker. Layer veggies on top of the meat, and then top with potatoes.  Sprinkle some seasoning salt on the potatoes.  Cook on low for 3 hours.

Slow Cooker Sauced Chicken

This week’s recipe is mainly for the sauce. I got the recipe from a friend, and she says they use the sauce on many things, but it is especially good on chicken and ribs. I made it with chicken breasts, because that is what I had on-hand, but you can use any cut of chicken you like, bone-in or out, fresh or frozen. It just seems to be a good sauce for many different meats. Plus it is easy to make! I had everything in my pantry for it, I love recipes with basic ingredients that are so versatile and easy to whip up! I served the chicken with sauce over white rice, and it was delicious.  If you try it on ribs, let me know how it is!

SLOW COOKER SAUCED CHICKEN

• 1 can tomato soup
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1tsp chili powder
• 1 to 1.5 pounds chicken pieces of your choice

Place the chicken in your slow cooker. Mix all the other ingredients together in a medium bowl and pour over the chicken. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Despite the fact that we had some days last week with near record high temps in the 70's, I am passing along a true chill-in-the-air-yummy-in-your-tummy classic recipe today, Slow Cooker Beef Stew! This goes great with some fresh made baked bread. It is also one of those recipes that you can tweak to your liking, by adding or taking out some veggies and seasonings. I like to throw in some seasoning salt when I make it.

NOTE: I have a 6qt slow cooker, so if yours is smaller, you may want to cut the recipe.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

-2 lbs cubed stew beef

-1T olive oil

-1 large onion, chopped

-3 ribs celery, diced

-4 large carrots, sliced

-potatoes of your choice (I use about 6 yukon golds, unpeeled) diced into bite sized pieces

-one 28oz can crushed tomatoes

-1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning blend

-3 cups reduced sodium beef broth, divided

-3 bay leaves

-1 cup frozen peas

-1/2 tsp salt

-1/4 tsp black pepper

-1/2 cup all purpose flour

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and then lightly brown the meat in batches. Transfer browned beef to a plate and set aside.

Dump the tomatoes into the slow cooker, then add the onions, celery, carrots and potatoes. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning over the vegetables and then add the beef and any drippings. Pour 2 1/2 cups of the beef broth over the meat and veggies. Stir and then add the bay leaves.

Cover and cook on low for 8 – 10 hours.

About 20 minutes before serving, add the peas (no need to defrost first), salt and pepper. In a small bowl whisk together the flour and remaining 1/2 cup of beef broth, creating a smooth paste. Stir into the stew. Cover and cook until thickened (about 15-20 minutes). Remove the bay leaves before serving.

Crockpot Beef Stroganoff

This week, I decided to bring a beef recipe into the mix! One of the best things I like about using a slow cooker, is the great comfort foods you can create. Beef Stroganoff is one of those dishes to me. Nothing better than meat and cream cheese combined together, right? This recipe has just a few ingredients too, which is also a plus! This can be served over noodles (which is my favorite), rice, or even mashed potatoes. Leftovers heat up well too.

Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff

2 cans Golden Mushroom Soup

1 large onion, diced

1/2 cup water

3 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

1 tsp garlic salt

2 pounds cubed stew meat

1 - 8oz brick cream cheese

In the slow cooker, combine all the ingredients, except the meat AND the cream cheese. Then add the meat and mix together.

Cook on Low for 8 hours. Cut up the cream cheese into cubes just before serving and turn crockpot on high. Stir the cream cheese in until all combined. You might have to put the lid back on and leave for 10 minutes. Serve over egg noodles, or whatever else you think it would be tasty on top of!