Crock-tober Week 2

How was your first week of Crock-tober? Was it everything you hoped it would be and more? Did you love that you knew what you were having and didn't have to beg for suggestions? Great!!

Crock-tober Menu #2

Chicken Taco Chili

Cheeseburger Soup

Hawaiian Chicken

Meatball Subs

Yum-e-setti

I got to use Crock-tober to get a new, beautiful Crock Pot. For $17 whole dollars at The Target. It's 4 quarts, but that's enough for my family of 4 and for my Main Man to have leftovers for his lunch. He then found my 8 qt one and wondered why I needed a smaller one. Because the fuller it is, the longer it takes to cook. It makes things much tastier, and doesn't accidentally burn. Lets just hope he doesn't find the dip sized one. 

I have a problem. I'm okay with it.

Chicken Taco Chili

I'll confess. I haven't made this. But it's pretty straight forward. No, I will not be adding the beans. They're gross.

http://rita-may-recipes.blogspot.com/2011/11/crock-pot-cream-cheese-chicken-chile.html

Cheeseburger Soup

I've made cheeseburger soup generally this way. I tend to just add stuff until it looks/smells good. Someone, we won't name names will we Mom, doesn't trust herself to do that, so here's the recipe.

http://joyerickson.wordpress.com/2010/11/28/cheeseburger-soup/

This is also a great time to talk about the awesomeness of starting it the night before, cooling it and letting it go on warm all day the next day. The ground beef will get super soft and all the veggies will spread their love. It's worth a try if you don't want to do a lot of prep in the morning.

Hawaiian Chicken

4-6 chicken breasts, hawaiian style BBQ sauce, and a can of crushed pineapple all thrown in for 6 or so hours on low. Serve with roasted broccoli and rice.
I'll be doing a lot less chicken. 2-3 depending on the size. If you're into gluten, you could also serve it on those wonderful little Hawaiian buns. 

Meatball for Subs or Pasta

Dump a bag of frozen meatballs (Sam's has gluten free!) and a jar of your favorite pasta sauce (I'm obsessed with Prego Pesto Marinara.) in your Crock Pot. Cook on low all day, or high from lunch on. Sounds simple but it's better than you can imagine. When you make your subs, put the mozzarella cheese in your bun first. 

Yum-e-setti
This comes straight from 'Fix-it and Forget-it Cookbook'. Mom makes a similar version. It's not complicated and wonderful.
1.5 lbs Browned and drained ground beef
10 oz tomato soup
8 oz cooked noodles (I suggest egg)
1.5 cups of prepared Cream of Chicken soup
1 cup of celery, chopped and cooked to tender (this one is not a must have)
salt to taste
1 lb frozen mixed vegetables
1/2 lb Velveeta cheese, cubed (this is 1/4 of a log)

Combine ground beef and tomato soup.
Combine chicken soup, noodles and celery.
Layer beef mixture, chicken soup mixture and veggies. Lay the cheese on the top.
Cover and cook on low for 2-3 hours.


Shopping List

Meat

6+ Chicken breasts

2 lbs ground beef

Meatballs

All the rest

Rotel

Corn

Black Beans

Ranch dressing mix

Cumin

Chili powder

Onion powder

8 oz Cream cheese (one brick)

Carrots- 2

Onion

Celery

Potatoes- 5 lbs

Chicken broth (Or use the base from week 1)

Sour Cream (we got 3 lbs at Sams Club. THREE POUNDS!!)

Velveeta

Crushed Pineapple

Hawaiian BBQ sauce

Pasta Sauce (Points if it’s homemade!)

Egg noodles

Tomato soup

Frozen Veggies

Questions, comments, concerns? 

Coming soon: we hung a TV on the wall, and now I need to do something with that. Including, but not limited to, hiding some wires.