Crock Pot Ribs

With baseball practice, church, and miscellaneous events, life is busy these days. So any time I can throw something in the crock pot and not have to worry about it too much is a win. I've made these ribs from Mmm... is for Mommy a couple times, and tonight I'm making them again. Aaron and the kids are big ribs fans, and they all loved these. They're easy, and they have a nice glaze/crust on the outside and they're fall-right-off-the-bone tender.

INGREDIENTS

• 1.5 tbsp sweet paprika
• 1 tbsp light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• S&P to taste (about 1 tsp each is what I used)
• 2 lbs pork baby back ribs (leave the membrane on the ribs to help hold them together)
• 1 cup barbecue sauce

DIRECTIONS

In a small bowl, mix together paprika, brown sugar, cayenne and S&P.  Rub this mixture all over both sides of your ribs well.  Arrange ribs in the slow cooker by standing them up against the wall of the stoneware pot, thicker side down and meaty side against the pot. Pour barbecue sauce over the ribs, cover and cook for 6-8 hours on low (I did 7 hours and they were perfect).

Once the initial slow cooking is done, very carefully (as they are tennnnderrrrr) remove the ribs to a baking pan which you have lined with foil and put a rack on, bone side up and set aside. Skim any fat that has risen to the top and strain all of the remaining juices from the slow cooker through a mesh strainer into a small saucepan. Bring to boil and allow to simmer and reduce by about a third, approximately 15 minutes.  Put your oven’s broiler on to preheat and make sure that there is an oven rack about 10 inches below the broiler element.  Once the broiler is preheated, brush the ribs with sauce and broil for 3 or 4 minutes. Take them out and very carefully flip them over, brush with sauce and broil again, meat side up, for approximately 9 minutes, taking them out once or twice to baste with more sauce. Serve any remaining sauce on the side with the ribs.

Pork Carnitas Tacos

This pork carnitas from 100 Days of Real Food is delicious and (even better) easy! Aaron also discovered (and highly recommends) that the leftover pork makes delicious nachos the next day!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 to 2 ½ lbs pork shoulder or Boston butt roast, cut into 5 or 6 small pieces
• 3 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 onion, cut into 6 or 8 chunks
• 3 garlic cloves, whole
• 1 recipe tomatillo salsa
• Corn tortillas
• 2 avocados, sliced
• Fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix together oregano, pepper, salt, and cumin and rub on outside of pork pieces in bottom of slow cooker.
2. Throw onion and garlic on top of pork.
3. Slow cook on low for 6 – 8 hours or until meat is falling apart.
4. When finished discard the onion and garlic. Drain meat and shred with a fork.
5. Serve warm with tortillas, tomatillo salsa, avocados and cilantro.

Ranch House Pork Chops

These Ranch House Pork Chops are a go-to recipe for me when I want something hearty, but don't have much time to cook. If you want the full recipe with the homemade mashed potatoes, go here, otherwise, here's my easier version.

INGREDIENTS 
6 Pork Chops (I like the thick ones)
1 packet Ranch dressing mix
1 can cream of chicken condensed soup

Simply Potatoes Garlic Mashed Potatoes 

DIRECTIONS 

1. Place all ingredients in crock pot and cook on low 4-6 hours. 
2.  Cook mashed potatoes according to package instructions.
3. Serve pork chops over mashed potatoes and pour sauce generously over the top.
4. Try not to laugh when your husband licks his plate clean.

Chicken Lime Tacos

Chicken tacos are one of my new favorite foods, and they're healthy (especially if you swap the sour cream for salsa). And letting the crock pot do most of the cooking, well... you know I love that! (Recipe from Taste of Home)

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 cup chunky salsa
• 12 whole wheat flour tortillas (6 inches), warmed
• Sour cream, shredded cheese, and shredded lettuce, optional

Directions

• Place the chicken in a 3-qt. slow cooker. Combine lime juice and chili powder; pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until chicken is tender.
• Remove chicken; cool slightly. Shred meat with two forks and return to the slow cooker; heat through. Stir in corn and salsa.
• Cover and cook on low for 30 minutes or until heated through. Serve in tortillas with sour cream, cheese and lettuce if desired.

Pot Roast + Beef and Artichoke Fettucine (2 meals)

These are both delicious and easy meals. Make the pot roast on night one, and then use the leftovers to make the Beef and Artichoke Fettucine the next night!

Pot Roast 
You can use your own recipe if you like or this is the one I used last week

Ingredients

4 lb. Chuck Roast
2 packs of brown gravy mix
1 c. water

Directions

• Place roast in crock pot. 
• Stir 1/2 cup water into each packet of gravy mix and stir. 
• Spread thick gravy mix over roast and cook on low 6-8 hours. 

Reserve 1-1.5 lbs for tomorrow's dinner.

Beef and Artichoke Fettucine

Aaron, who does not really like pot roast (something I will never understand), says this dish makes him look forward to having roast in the future for the leftovers!
Ingredients

8 oz fettucine
6 oz jar marinated artichoke hearts
1/4 c. finely chopped onion
1 c. half and half
1 c. shredded parmesan cheese
2-3 c. chopped roast beef from Meal 1

Directions

• While pasta is cooking, saute onion in 1 T of artichoke oil in large skillet. 
• Cut artichokes into fourths and discard remaining oil. 
• Add to skillet: half and half, cheese, artichoke hearts, and beef. Stir until hot. 
• Drain pasta, return to pot and pour mixture over pasta. Toss. 

Serve with: steamed broccoli and garlic bread.

Coconut Rice

I love rice. But unless it's the instant variety, I'm not so good at making it. I somehow always over or under cook it. I hear that a rice cooker is the way to go, but I haven't been able to justify spending the extra money. So the other day, I did some research in order to improve my skills, and I discovered that I can cook rice in the crock pot! Then I decided to get creative and see if I could do something fancy with it, and I made coconut rice. And it turned out good! (Hear the shock in my voice?) And, while it tastes fancy, between you and me, it's quite easy to make!

Ingredients

1 c. Jasmine or Basmati Rice
1 c. Lite coconut milk (or more if you want. You just need 2 cups liquid total between the coconut milk and water.)
1 c. Water
1 T. butter
Salt to taste
Cilantro (optional)

Crock Pot Directions
Rub butter on inside of crock pot. Pour rice, coconut milk, water, and salt in crock pot. Turn to high and cook 1 1/2 to 2 hours (or low for 3-4 hours). Garnish with chopped cilantro if desired. Serve and enjoy!

Stove Top Directions
Bring Coconut Milk and Water to a boil. Add salt and butter. When boiling, add rice. Lower heat and let simmer for 15 minutes. Fluff and serve!

Flank Steak Fajitas

I got this recipe from one of my favorite blogs, 100 Days of Real Food, and not only is it tasty, but it's easy too. I love being able to throw something in the crock pot mid-day and not having to worry about it.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ lbs flank steak
• 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce, preferably the low-sodium variety
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 – 5 bell peppers, any color
• 1 onion
• Other fajita fixings: Whole-wheat tortillas, grated cheese, fresh sliced avocado, cilantro, lime slices, salsa, sour cream, etc.

Directions

1. Mix together the dry spices with a fork including the chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper.
2. Rub the spice mixture over all sides of the flank steak and place it in the bottom of the slow cooker. Sprinkle the soy sauce on top.
3. Top the flank steak with the diced jalapeno and minced garlic. Slice the bell peppers and onion and throw those on top of the steak as well.
4. Turn the slow cooker onto HIGH and cook for 5 – 6 hours or until the steak can easily be shredded with two forks.
5. Drain the meat and peppers well then serve with the recommended fajita “fixings” (listed above). Enjoy!