Homemade Yogurt

1/4 cup full fat plain yogurt
8 cups whole milk (NOT ultra pasteurized)

Step 1: Pour 8 cups milk into crock-pot. Cook on LOW, covered, for 2 1/2 hours.

Step 2: Turn crock-pot off, leave lid on. Leave alone for 3 hours.

Step 3: Remove 1-2 cups of warm milk from crock-pot and mix in 1/4 cup of yogurt.

Step 4: Stir milk/yogurt mix back into crock-pot.

Step 5: Put lid back on the crock-pot, then cover with a heavy towel to insulate remaining heat. Leave overnight.

Store your homemade yogurt in refrigerator and enjoy when cool!
Remember, this is plain yogurt, not sweetened. Add fruit and honey or a bit of sugar to sweeten to taste. It will be a bit thinner than store-bought yogurt, but you'll be so happy about all the money you're saving, you won't mind!

ETA: If you strain off the whey using cheesecloth, you'll have thick yogurt. Delicious!!

Turkey Corn Quiche

2 Tbs. red palm oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cans cream-style corn
8 eggs
1 C. evaporated milk
2/3 C. flour
4 cups diced cooked turkey
2 C. sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
salt & pepper to taste

Sweat onion in red palm oil about 5 minutes. Set aside. Whisk corn, eggs, milk, flour, salt & pepper, then add in onion. Stir in turkey. Transfer to lightly greased crock-pot.
Cover and cook on HIGH 3 hours, or until knife inserted comes out clean. Turn crock-pot off.

Sprinkle with cheese. Cover and allow cheese to melt. Serve immediately.

Serves 8

Note: I use red palm oil because it's full of Vitamin E and so good for you! I buy it here:

Vegetarian Burritos

First, make the spice mix:

1/4 cup chili powder
4 tsp. oregano
1 Tbs. cumin

Then layer these ingredients in the crock-pot in the following order:

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 can black beans, drained
1 can pinto beans, drained
half of spice mix
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped (I substitute poblano)
1 bell pepper, any, chopped
remaining half of spice mix
2 cups frozen corn

Cover and cook on LOW 5 hours or until sweet potato is tender. Turn off, and stir in:

1/3 cup lime juice
2 Tbs. chopped cilantro

Spoon 1 cup of filling into softened burrito-size tortillas. Top with:

2 Tbs. Monterrey Jack cheese before folding all four sides to close the burrito.

Serve with sour cream, if desired.

Serves 8

Better For You Mac & Cheese

3 cups barely cooked macaroni

1 Tbs. red palm oil (can substitute butter)

3 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese

2 cans evaporated milk

1 red bell pepper, diced

2 carrots, grated

1/4 cup onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. white pepper

Toss macaroni with oil in the crock-pot. Add remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on HIGH 2 hours, stirring once or twice.

NOTE: Serves 4.

I use red palm oil because it is high in Vitamin E and so good for you! I buy it here:

Coq Au Vin

4 slices thick-cut bacon

2 C. pearl onions

1 C. sliced button mushrooms

2 carrots, sliced thick

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp. thyme

1 tsp. fresh basil

1/2 tsp. black pepper

6 boneless chicken breast halves (about 2 lbs.)

1/2 C. dry red wine

3/4 C. chicken broth

1/4 C. tomato paste

1/4 C. all purpose flour

Cook bacon in medium skillet over medium heat. Drain and crumble. Layer ingredients in crock-pot in the following order:

onions

bacon

mushrooms

carrots

garlic

thyme

pepper

chicken

wine

broth

Cover and cook on LOW 6-8 hours. Remove chicken and veggies. Cover to keep warm. Ladle 1/2 cup cooking liquid into small bowl; allow to cool slightly. Turn crock-pot to HIGH & cover. Mix reserved liquid, tomato paste, and flour until smooth. Retun to crock-pot; cover and cook 15 minutes.

*Serve over egg noodles.

NOTE: Serves 6.

Orange Chicken

1 lb. chicken, diced
1- 8 oz. can sliced water chestnuts, drained
3 cups orange juice
grated peel of 1 orange
3 Tbs. soy sauce
2 tsp. grated gingerroot
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups dry brown rice
2 cups chicken broth
1- 10 oz. bag frozen broccoli florets

Put all into crock-pot, except broccoli, and cook on LOW 6-7 hours (edited). 1 hour before serving, add broccoli and continue cooking. Do not stir until ready to serve.

Beef & Bean Burritos

I soak the beans Nourishing Traditions -style (covered in water and 1-2 Tbs. whey for boosted nutrition), then drain and add to crock-pot for this hearty hand-held dinner:

1 lb bag of pink or pinto beans, rinsed and soaked
2 lb ground beef
7 cups of water
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 poblano pepper, diced
1 onion chopped fine
1 Tsp oregano
2 Tbs. salt
1 Tbs. cumin
2 Tbs. chili powder

Cook on LOW 8 hours. Serve in heated oversized tortillas and add:
salsa, cheese, sour cream, & guacamole.

*Serve with Spanish rice.

African Curry Confetti

2 pounds ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs. curry powder
2.5 cups dry brown rice
6 cups water
3 tsp. Beef bouillon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
6 tablespoons peanut butter
2 tablespoon honey or brown sugar

Add all to crock-pot and cook on LOW 6 hours.

Turn the crock-pot to WARM and stir in the following:

2/3 cup raisins
2/3 cup peanuts
2/3 cup coconut

Enjoy!

Pizza Pasta

We have a lot of fun making this meal, assembly line style. Each child gets to be in charge of one item. This is a favorite meal at our house.

1 large jar pasta sauce (2 lbs. 13 oz. size)
1 cup water
4 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1 large onion, chopped
2 Tbs. Italian seasoning
2 lbs. wide egg noodles
8 oz. pepperoni slices

Cook the egg noodles for 3 minutes, until just barely tender. No longer!
Combine the sauce with the water. In another bowl, combine cheese, onion, and Italian seasoning. Layer in the crock-pot: 1/4 of each item in the following order:
noodles, sauce, pepperoni, cheese

Cover and cook on LOW 3-4 hours. *Serve with garlic breadsticks.

Italian Sausage & Bean Soup

2 cups dry Great Northern beans
1- 14 oz. can Italian style tomatoes
2 cups beef broth
1 lb. Italian sausage
1 medium onion, chopped
1/3 cup dry red wine
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 bag frozen spinach
2-3 large squash, sliced & quartered
Grated Parmesan cheese for topping

Cover beans with water and cook on HIGH 1 hour. Drain and add remaining ingredients to crock-pot. Cook on LOW 8-10 hours. *Serve with rosemary bread.

Thai Rice Bowl

2 Tbs. Olive oil
1 lb. chicken, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. Thai fish sauce
2 cups water
2 cups chicken stock
2 cuts jasmine rice
2 cups baby shrimp, optional
4 scallions, chopped
20 leaves fresh basil, rolled & sliced
fresh pepper to taste

Cook on LOW 4 hours. Watch closely. Serve with fortune cookies.

This recipe has been crock-pot converted from:

Mexican Rice Bowl

Here is yet another Rachael Ray conversion. Can you tell I'm a fan??



2 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. EVOO
1 lb. chicken, cubed
salt & pepper to taste
3 cups rice
1 1/2 qts. chicken broth
1 Tbs. Sazon seasoning
2 cups salsa
1/4 cup olives & pimentos, sliced
2 Tbs. chopped flat-leaf parsley

Add all but the last 3 ingredients to the crock-pot and cook on LOW 4-5 hours. Stir in last 3 ingredients just before serving. Serve with tortilla chips and extra salsa.

This recipe has been crock-pot converted from:

Smoked Sausage Chowder

Note: This recipe yields 4-6 servings.


1 lb. Kielbasa sausage, chopped
1 C. salsa verde
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 C. frozen corn
15 oz. can diced tomatoes
15 oz. can garbanzo beans, drained
2 C. chicken stock
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro

Add all but the cilantro to crock-pot and cook on LOW 3-4 hours. Add cilantro just before serving. *Serve over rice.

Zuppa Osso Buco

This is another of my Rachael Ray conversions, and our family's all-time favorite meal. We serve it for special occasions as it's the most requested dinner in our repertoire. The gremolata makes the dish, so do not skip it and expect to still be impressed.

Put the following into crock-pot and set to LOW:

4 carrots, diced

4 ribs of celery with greens, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2 Tbs. Olive oil

2 bay leaves

1 cup white wine

6 cups chicken broth

4 cups beef stock

Mix the meatballs and drop into crock pot:

1 lb. Ground turkey

1 large egg

1/3 cup crushed Italian croutons

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

black pepper, to taste

Cook for 4-6 hours. DO NOT STIR!

Add 1 bag of barely cooked egg noodles to soup and stir to mix well. Set crock-pot to warm and prepare Gremolata:

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tin anchovies

¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley

grated zest of 1 lemon

Chop all together until thoroughly minced and mixed. Put one teaspoon of gremolata on top of each bowl of soup. *Serve with Garlic Bread.

This recipe crock-pot converted from:

Hominy & Sausage Chili

1 lb. Smoked sausage, chopped
1 med. Onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeño chili or poblano pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cans yellow hominy, drained
2 cans white hominy, drained
1 can Louisiana style red beans

Cover and cook on LOW 4-6 hours. *Serve over rice and/or with cornbread.

Paul's Chili aka Easiest Chili Ever

1 lb. Ground beef

2 onions, chopped

2 cans light red kidney beans, undrained

2 cans dark red kidney beans, drained

1- 28 oz. can diced tomatoes

1 can stewed tomatoes

1 poblano pepper, chopped

3 Tbs. Chili powder

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. oregano

¼ tsp. ground red pepper (optional)

⅛ tsp. black pepper

Cover and cook on LOW 6-8 hours. Serve with crushed Fritos and shredded cheese.

This recipe crock-pot converted from:

Jambalaya

1 Tbs. Olive oil

1 med. Onion, chopped

8 oz. kielbasa sausage, sliced

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 cups brown rice

2 cups chicken broth

2 cups water

¼ cup white wine

½ tsp. each:

onion powder

thyme

oregano

pepper

1 can white beans, drained

1 can black beans, drained

1- 14 oz. can stewed tomatoes

½ cup frozen small shrimp, optional

Cook on low 6-8 hours.

Kielbasa & Cabbage

2 lbs. Green cabbage, shredded

2 med. Onions, chopped

3 med. Red potatoes, cubed

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2/3 cup white wine

1 lbs. Kielbasa sausage, sliced

1 Tbs. Dijon mustard

¾ tsp. caraway seeds

½ tsp. pepper

¾ tsp. salt

Cover and cook on LOW 7-8 hours. *Serve with herb bread.

Red Beans & Rice

I soak the beans Nourishing Traditions-style overnight, then drain and add to crock-pot:

1 lb. Dried kidney beans

3 qts. Water

2 cups brown rice

1 large onion, chopped

¼ cup olive oil

1 lb. Smoked sausage, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 bay leaf

1 Tbs. Pepper

2 Tbs. Chopped parsley

1 tsp. thyme

2 tsp. salt

Cook on LOW 6-8 hours. *Serve with cornbread.

Lentil Spinach Soup

This soup is delicious, trust me! Cocoa is the secret ingredient that will keep everyone guessing.

2 med. Onions

2 cloves garlic

3 Tbs. Red palm oil

6 cups chicken or vegetable broth

4-5 tsp. Salt

1 Tbs. Cumin

2 Tbs. Cocoa

1 lb. Lentils

Cover and cook on LOW 5-6 hours. Then, set to WARM and add:

zest of 1 large lemon

2 Tbs. Lemon juice

1 lb. spinach

*Serve over rice and jack cheese.

I get my red palm oil here:

Turkey Soft Tacos

1 lb. ground turkey

2 cans pinto beans (or 2 cups dry, cooked)

1 pkg. green onions, sliced

1 bunch fresh spinach

5 carrots, shredded

3 red potatoes, diced small

1 Tbs. chili powder

1/4 tsp.: garlic salt, oregano, & pepper

1 1/2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. paprika

Cook on LOW 4-5 hours. Serve in heated burrito-size tortillas.

Chicken & Dumplings

1 large onion, chopped

4 small-med. Potatoes, cubed

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 lb. Chicken, cubed

1 bag frozen peas & carrots

6 cups chicken stock

2 cans Cream of Chicken soup

pepper, to taste

dash of rosemary

Add all ingredients to crock-pot and cook on low for 4 hours. Then add:

4-6 flour tortillas cut into 1-2” squares

Cook on LOW for 1-2 more hours. *Serve with Rosemary Bread.

Frito Chili Caliente

1 lb. Ground beef

½ cup brown rice

3 Tbs. Chili powder

1 Tbs. Beef base
1 quart water

1 tsp. Cumin

1 tsp. Oregano

½ tsp. Salt

¼ tsp. Pepper

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 large stalks celery, diced

1 med. Onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 Tbs. Hot sauce

28 oz. Can diced tomatoes

27 oz. Can kidney beans, undrained

1 can diced green chilies

¼ cup tequila (optional)

Cook on LOW 8-10 hours. Serve with cornbread or Fritos.

Chicken Chorizo Tortilla Soup

Originally a Rachael Ray recipe, I've tweaked it to make it crock-pot friendly and added a few ingredients as well. This is a family favorite! Yum-o!

1 lb. Chicken breast, chopped

½ lb. Chorizo sausage

2 Tbs. Olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

4-6 red potatoes, diced

2 cans kidney beans, drained

2 cups frozen corn

1 can fire roasted tomatoes

1 qt. Chicken stock

1 sack tortilla chips, crushed

2 cups pepper Jack cheese, cubed

chopped cilantro

Add all except last 3 ingredients to crock-pot and cook on LOW 6 hours. Put crushed chips in bottom on each bowl. Top with cheese and cilantro.

This recipe crock-pot converted from: