Crock Pot Shredded Buffalo Chicken

Well, it is that time of year! Superbowl time! Even though my Green Bay Packers are not making a repeat appearance this year, we will still watch, of course. And that also means eating lots of food at a Superbowl party! So, if you are hosting or bringing a dish to a Superbowl get-together, I will help you out with this week's recipe, Shredded Buffalo Chicken! I posted a Buffalo Chicken Penne recipe a few months back that got a lot of good comments, so I am sure you will all enjoy this one too. The best part is that you can use it as a base for SO MANY dishes! My family enjoyed it this weekend in sandwich form, on toasted sourdough sub rolls. But it would also work great for tacos, nachos, on crackers, or even made into a buffalo chicken cheese dip, just throw it together with some velveeta! You can even freeze it to use later if you don't eat it all. Yum. Also, if you are like me and often forget to thaw the meat you intend to cook for dinner, this uses FROZEN chicken, so you don't even have to think too much in advance :) So, have fun with it, it will be a big hit at your Superbowl party, or any time of the year!

Shredded Buffalo Chicken

3 pounds FROZEN chicken breasts (I like tenderloins, but regular breasts will work well too)
1 large bottle Frank's Red Hot Buffalo WINGS sauce
1 envelope ranch dip dry mix

Place the frozen chicken breasts in the crock. Pour about 3/4 of the bottle of Frank's over the chicken (I used the whole bottle but it was a bit too juicy, you can always add more sauce at the end of you think the mixture is too dry). Sprinkle the envelope of ranch dip over the chicken. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours.

Take the breasts out of the crock onto a plate, and use 2 forks to shred the chicken (if it doesn't shred easily, the chicken isn't quite done, but after 6 hours that really shouldn't be an issue), and return the shredded chicken into the crock pot. Continue to cook on low for another hour, to let all of the shredded chicken soak up the sauce. Enjoy!

Apple Pie Breakfast

OK, this week, I am doing another breakfast/brunch treat! The hashbrown breakfast casserole I posted a few months ago was a big hit, so I thought I would do another breakfast crock. This one is actually pretty healthy too, which is always a plus, especially if you are trying to lose those holiday pounds :) It uses steel cut oats (also called Irish or Pinhead oats), which are supposed to be the healthiest of oats! Don't use rolled oats, as they will just turn into mush. Unless you like mush, then maybe it would work! Now, the original recipe for this says you can cook it on low overnight 7-8 hours without stirring a lot, but that you need to add an additional cup of liquid for that. Honestly, I don't think it would work well, but you can try it. I prefer the 2-4 hours on high, which could make for a nice late morning weekend breakfast or brunch. Also, peeling the apples is optional, I left the skin on this time, just because I was lazy! It all depends on your taste preference. For my taste, I also sprinkled on some brown sugar when serving, because it isn't quite sweet enough for me, but the kind of apple you pick effects that too. I used Pink Lady apples, because that is what I had onhand, but that is a pretty tart apple.

Apple Pie Breakfast
1 cup of steel cut oats
3 medium sized apples, diced or thin sliced
1 cup apple juice
3 cups water
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and cook for 2-4 hours on high or 4-6 hours on low until it reaches the consistency that you like. Be sure to stir every hour or so. Makes six 1 cup servings. Leftovers last for a few days in our house.

This recipe even has nutritional info for you! Here ya go! Each 1 cup serving (before any additional toppings) is: 115 Calories; 1g Fat; 26g Carbs; 2g Fiber.

I got this original recipe from the blog, Cooking with Jax.

Cheesy Chicken and Rice

Wow, Monday came fast this week! But, I was able to cook up this tasty meal over the weekend. My mom was visiting, and even she had two helpings, so that tells you a lot about how good this is, haha! On the surface, it may sound a bit bland, but the Zatarain's yellow rice really adds a nice spice blend to the dish. Make sure you add the rice already cooked! You can cook it the night before and put it in the fridge, or just prepare it when the chicken is almost done and throw it on in.


Cheesy Chicken and Rice

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1-1/2 lbs)
1 large onion, chopped
1 -8 ounce box Zatarain's Yellow Rice Mix, cooked according to directions
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 - 10.5 ounce can cream of chicken soup (regular or fat free)
1 -15 ounce can whole kernel corn, drained

Place chicken in bottom of slow cooker. Scatter chopped onion over top. Spoon cream soup over top of that. Cover and cook on low 7-8 hours or on high 3-4 hours.

A few minutes before serving, take 2 forks and shred the chicken up in the crock (it is so tender, this only takes a minute to do). Then add in COOKED rice, corn, and cheese. Stir to combine. Serve hot.

Honey Parmesan Pork Roast

OK, the holidays are over, so we can all get back on track! I haven't had much time for crocking over the holidays, so I apologize for not getting a recipe up last week. But I am making up for it with this one! Now, let me just say that I am not a huge fan of pork, but my husband is, so I thought I would try this recipe, because if seasoned right, I do enjoy a pork roast. Awesome thing about making this in a crock pot is that the leftovers shredded up so easily, that we have a bunch of shredded pork in the freezer, just waiting to be thawed and slathered with sauce for some pulled pork sandwiches. Now THAT is a pork dish that I enjoy! This dish also makes it's own gravy, although I didn't have the best of luck with it, but I am not good at gravy in general. I made some mashed baby red potatoes with it, and it was a very tasty supper.

Slow Cooker Parmesan Honey Pork Roast

1 (2-3 pound) boneless pork roast
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup honey
3 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp dried basil
2 Tbsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water

Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Place roast in slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the cheese, honey, soy sauce, basil, garlic, oil and salt; pour over pork. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees.

Remove meat to a serving platter; keep warm. Skim fat from cooking juices; transfer to a small saucepan. Bring liquid to a boil. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth. Gradually stir into pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Slice roast; serve with gravy.

Mac N Cheese!

This week, howabout one of THE best comfort foods EVER? Macaroni & Cheese! My 2 year old asked for seconds, which is indeed rare, so I consider this recipe a success :) As a note, this recipe would probably work best in one of the older tall crockpots, as opposed to the new ones which are oblong and tend to run hot (like mine). You just jave to be vigilant about stirring occassionally, this isn't a put in the pot and leave it alone until it is done recipe. But it's tasty!

Crockpot Mac n Cheese
•2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
•4 Tablespoons butter
•2 1/2 cups freshly shredded cheddar (I use a mixture of medium and sharp)
•3 eggs (optional, I don't always use, or sometimes just use 1)
•1/2 cup sour cream
•1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cheddar cheese soup
•1/2t salt
•1 cup whole milk
•1/2t dry mustard (I don't use)
•1/2t black pepper
Boil the macaroni in water for six minutes. Drain. In a medium saucepan, mix butter and cheese. Stir until the cheese melts. In slow cooker, combine cheese mixture and add the eggs, sour cream, soup, salt, milk, mustard and pepper. Add the drained macaroni and stir again.

Cook on low for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Makes 4-6 servings.

Crockpot Meatballs & Wienies

This week's recipe is like last week's sugared pecans, in that this would make a great dish to take to a potluck Christmas party, or it would be a tasty addition to any appetizer table you may be hosting or attending. I got this recipe from my Dad. When I was growing up, I was active in sports, music & theatre, so we had lots of potluck banquets to attend. My Dad usually brought these, and they were a hit. When I asked him for the recipe when I was in college, I was so surprised at how simple it was, and what the ingredients were. I whipped these up yesterday when we got home, made for a nice quick supper, too! Don't let the ingredients scare you, the sauce is not sweet, like you may think it would be with the grape jelly.

Crock Pot Meatballs & Wienies

One 32oz jar Grape JELLY (NOT jam)
Two 12oz jars chili sauce (chili sauce is by the ketchup/BBQ sauces in the store)
One 32oz bag frozen meatballs (I prefer the Italian style)
Two 14oz bags pork cocktail wienies, beef cocktail wienies, or Lil Smokies weiners (I like to use 2 different kinds, I usually do 1 pork and 1 beef)

For this amount, use a 6 quart slow cooker or larger. Now, you can put the jelly and chili sauce in the crockpot until the jelly melts, but I find that takes waaaay too long. So I throw the jelly in a glass dish (don't use plastic, the jelly gets really hot) and microwave it for about 5-6 minutes to melt it, then I combine it in the crock with the chili sauce. Then add the meat, stirring to coat all the pieces.

When I make these, they are usually for a potluck or holiday get together at midday. So I turn them on high in the morning for an hour or 2 while I get ready. Then I transport them and leave on low for a few hours when I get to where I am going, until it is time to eat. When at home, I cook on high for an hour, then low for at least 3. Everything in there is already fully cooked, so it is up to you how long you want to cook them. The longer you cook, the more tender and flavorful they are. But don't leave on high for long, because the sauce will get too thin and you don't want it to burn.

These are GREAT for football parties too! You can also make a half batch for a smaller event. which is what I do when I make them at home. Just use 1 smaller jar of jelly (around 18oz), 1 jar chili sauce, 1/2 bag meatballs, and one package of wienies. I use my smaller 4 quart crock for that.

Sugared Pecans or Walnuts

I am offering a bit of a different recipe for your crock pot this week. It is a nice treat for a holiday get-together. I love the roasted sweet nuts you get at fairs and festivals. This recipe is similar to those, but you can make them at home! I used pecans, but walnuts would work well too. I am posting the recipe I used, although I admit I tweaked it some. After I dusted them with the spices, although they were tasty, I didn't think they were quite sweet enough. So I dusted on some more powdered sugar while they were still warm (a small bowl with a lid helps that process a lot!). Then they were just right! be warned though, they are so tasty when they just come out of the crock pot all warm and buttery, they may not make it to your party :)

Crock pot Sugared Pecans or Walnuts

16 ounces pecans or walnut halves
1/2 cup melted unsalted butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Turn slow cooker to HIGH about 15 minutes in advance. In hot slow cooker, stir together the nuts and butter. Add the powdered sugar, stirring to blend and coat evenly. Cover and cook on HIGH for 15 minutes.

Reduce the heat to LOW and remove lid; cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 2 to 3 hours, or until the nuts are coated with a crisp glaze. ***Make sure you stir often enough to prevent burning. I had a few pecan casualties on the bottom of my crockpot.


Transfer the nuts to a bowl. In another small bowl, combine the spices; sift over the nuts, stirring to coat evenly.


Let cool before serving (yeah right! Good luck with that!).