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!

Slow Cooker Ham Tot Breakfast Casserole

**originally posted on WGLR.com on 12-9-13

‘Tis the season for overnight holiday guests! Or just for more hearty breakfasts to warm your belly and carry you through the day. This dish is perfect if you have some family or friends staying at your home for the holidays, for a holiday brunch, or for Christmas morning, especially since opening presents may come before breakfast that day, if you have kids in the house! Eliminate the need to prep breakfast, and enjoy the time with your loved ones with this week’s “Julie’s Crock of the Week,” Crockpot Ham Tot Breakfast Casserole! I did a similar recipe back in season one of Julie’s Crock of the week that used shredded potatoes, but this one uses tater tots (which are their own food group, right? ha!).

Now, this would work best if you have one of those fancy programmable crock pots (I have asked Santa for one this year), because you can make it go to a “warm” setting at 4 or 5 am so it doesn’t scorch at all. I just cook it overnight, but my crock has a hot spot that does make some crispy edges. BUT, I just scoop that part off, and the rest is fine to eat  Just a heads up! You know your own crockpot the best. Also, another “hazard” of this is that the delicious smell of breakfast may wake you in the middle of the night and confuse your mind and body, LOL!

Also, the tater tots WILL NOT HOLD THEIR SHAPE. So, don’t expect that to happen. If you overcook, it may become too mushy for some, but I liked the consistency. My husband said he really enjoyed it, too. This original recipe is called “bacon tot casserole” but that is with Canadian bacon, which I think is more like ham. So I changed the name 

Slow Cooker Ham Tot Breakfast Casserole

• 1 lb. frozen tater tots
• 1/2 lb diced Canadian bacon or ham
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 6 eggs (or 1.5 cups egg substitute)
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 Tbsp flour
• salt & pepper

Use a 4-5 quart crock pot for this. Layer ingredients in order: one third of the tater tots, bacon, onions, green peppers, and cheeses. Repeat layers two more times, ending with cheeses. In a medium bowl, combine eggs, milk, and flour and beat with whisk or egg beater until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour mixture over layers in crock pot.

Cook on low for about 6 hours. Could be less, could be more, depending on your crock pot. If you have a programmable one, I’d set it on low for 4 to 5 hours, then switch it to warm until you wake up to eat it.

Bell Pepper Stew with Ground Turkey

(originally posted on WGLR.com on 3-18-13)

Hard to believe this is my last Crock of the Week for the season (You’ll still get one next week, BUT it will be the winning recipe from “The Crock of the Week Crock Pot Giveaway!”).

So, remember, I told you at the New Year that you would be getting some healthier crock pot recipes because the Jacobs’ household was making an effort to get healthy? I am happy to say we have stuck to the resolution, haha! This soup is one I have made a few times for us in the last few months. It is delicious AND healthy, and works great for The Husband and I to take to work for lunches. Make a double batch, and you’ll have lunch at work for a week for you and another person.

So now, let’s talk ground turkey. Some love it, some hate it. It is a healthier option than ground beef, BUT I have to say I am not a fan of a regular old boring turkey burger. However, I am a HUGE fan of it in combination recipes. It works awesome for Mexican dishes like tacos, and also in Italian dishes like lasagna. So, if you aren’t usually a fan of ground turkey, give it a chance in this recipe. You won’t be disappointed. Don’t let the recipe name scare you away! This tastes like stuffed peppers in a soup, it really does! And a 1 cup serving is only 140 calories!!! For real!

GROUND TURKEY BELL PEPPER STEW

1.5 lbs lean ground turkey

1 onion, diced

salt & pepper

paprika

1 tsp minced garlic

30 oz canned diced tomatoes (you can use no-salt if you’d like)

32 oz chicken or turkey broth (I use low-sodium)

Two bell peppers, diced (you can use green, red or yellow. I use one green and one red)

4 oz uncooked brown rice

curry

Brown the turkey in a skillet with the onion, garlic, some dashes of salt & pepper and paprika. transfer mixture to the crock pot and add all the remaining ingredients. You can throw in some more salt & pepper and curry to taste if you would like once everything is mixed together.  Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4.5 hours. Serve with some shredded mozzarella cheese if you would like.

This week's recipe is something that you may have prepared before in your oven, but honestly, you should make them in your slow cooker! STUFFED PEPPERS! They made our house smell REALLY good! And everybody feels special with their own little pepper on their own little plate :)

This recipe made 5 peppers and they fit well in my 6 quart crock pot (I took one out to cool down for my 3 year old before I remembered to take a photo, oops!). I probably could have fit a 6th one in too if I had to, but I used all the filling in 5 peppers. Look for wide & fat peppers with straight bottoms, as opposed to tall and skinny ones. The fat ones will sit in the crock better.

***TIP!! Traditionally, stuffed pepper recipes call for COOKED rice, but save yourself some time and use uncooked minute rice in the mixture! Works like a charm and saves you a dirty dish/pan too!

SLOW COOKER STUFFED PEPPERS

- 5-6 green peppers (yellow or red work too!)

- 1 lb ground beef

- 1 cup cooked rice or 3/4 cup uncooked minute rice

- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

- 2 T ketchup

- 1 tsp black pepper

- 1 tsp salt

-1/3 cup water

Wash peppers and slice the tops off, save tops. Scrape out the center/seeds. Mix the ground beef, rice, Worcestershire sauce,  ketchup, and salt & pepper together in a medium bowl. Generously fill each pepper with the meat mixture, and place in the crock pot. Set the tops back on each pepper. Pour the water into the bottom of the crock.

Cover and cook for 6-8 hours on low, or 4 hours on high. Serve each pepper whole! Yum!