Crock Pot Chocolate Cake

If you follow my blog you know I use my Slow Cooker a lot. Nothing's better than coming home after work and having dinner ready to go. As you continue to use your slow cooker you learn some dishes are more suited to the slow cooker than others.

Until recently, I had never used my slow cooker for a dessert. A few weeks ago during one of our first camping trips, I tried this Apple Crisp. Wow, dessert does work in the slow cookert!! After my first success, I found this recipe for Crock Pot Chocolate Cake. I never would have thought a chocolate cake would bake in the slow cooker but it does. Don't expect the same texture as a cake baked in the oven. The texture of a slow cooker cake is more like a flourless chocolate or pudding cake. A trick I learned when I made the Apple Crisp is to take a towel or a few paper towels and put them under the lid. You'll find this absorbs the steam and moisture and helps the desserts to bake. If you're a camper, like I am or if you don't want to heat up your oven this summer, give this cake recipe a try!



Crockpot Chocolate Cake

• 1 pkg. two layer chocolate cake mix
• 3 oz. pkg. instant chocolate pudding mix
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup water
• 2 cups sour cream
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup milk chocolate chips

Preparation:

Spray a 4 quart crockpot with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix and pudding mix. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the water, then add the sour cream and oil and beat until smooth. Add to the dry ingredients and beat well. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Pour into crockpot. Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours, until top springs back when touched very lightly with finger. 8-10 servings

I am linking this to Tasty Tuesday's, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday and Tuesday's at the Table.

CrockPot - Breakfast Casserole

If you read my blog you know I use my crock pot frequently for dinner. Breakfast? I've never cooked breakfast in it. Maybe because I thought we'd be too hungry before it would be done? A few weeks ago when Tim and I went camping, I thought this recipe would be fun to try.

This recipe is easy, versatile and delicious. Since this only takes a couple of hours, we were able to enjoy a late Saturday morning breakfast.



Crockpot Breakfast Casserole - Adapted from Finding Joy in My Kitchen

1-2 thick slices of "older" bread
1 C fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 C fresh green veggies (I used banana peppers)
1 C diced ham, sliced kielbasa sausage (I used Canadian Bacon)
4 eggs
1/4-1/2 C milk
1/2 C colby jack cheese, shredded
salt and pepper, as needed

Begin by spraying the crockpot with olive oil or a cooking spray.

Then, break apart the bread into small chunks. Sprinkle these in the bottom of the crockpot.
Over the top, layer the mushrooms, green veggies and meat. Lightly beat the eggs and milk together, then pour this mixture over the top! Sprinkle with cheese, salt and pepper, as desired.
Cover and cook on high for 1 1/2 -2 hours.

I am linking this to Tasty Tuesday, Tuesday's at the Table and Tuesday Night Supper Club.

Slow Cooker Apple Crisp

I use my slow cooker all the time for main dishes and every once in a while for side dishes but I've never made a dessert in it. Recently I've seen several recipes for cobblers or crisps made in the slow cooker. Curious, I decided to give it a try.

I cooked this on low for about four hours. I removed the lid and placed a towel underneath to help remove the moisture and increase the "crispness". The addition of the butterscotch pudding gives this a wonderful caramel flavor. While this doesn't have quite the same crunch and as one baked in the oven, it makes a delicious dessert and you can't beat the smell of the apples cooking in the kitchen.



Slow Cooker Apple Crisp
Recipe courtesy of CD Kitchen

5 large sliced peeled tart apples
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1 package (3-1/2-ounce size) cook-and-serve butterscotch pudding mix
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup cold butter or margarine
Vanilla ice cream or Whipping Cream -- optional


PREPARATION:

Place apples in a 3-qt. slow cooker.

In a bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, oats, pudding mix and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over the apples.

Cover and cook on low for 5 hours or until apples are tender. Serve with ice cream or whipping cream, if desired.

I am linking this to Tasty Tuesday, Tuesday's at the Table, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday and Tuesday Night Supper Club.

Nacho Cheese Chicken Chowder

If you read my blog, you know I use my slow cooker a lot. The slow cooker is perfect for soups! I am always looking for new soup recipes to try. I found this great soup recipe over at My Kind of Cooking. Linda has the best recipes!!

I only had one can of Rotel tomatoes on hand, so I used regular diced tomatoes for the second can. Am I glad I made this change! I can't handle really spicy recipes. If I had used two cans of Rotel, this would have been too spicy for me. The cheese thickens the soup and adds a delicious flavor dimension. This one's a keeper, we'll be having it again soon!

Nacho Cheese Chicken Chowder

Recipe Courtesy of Linda at My Kind of Cooking

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

2 (14.5 ounce) cans Mexican style tomatoes, undrained

1 (10 3/4 ounce) can nacho cheese soup

1 (10 ounce) package frozen whole kernel corn

Shredded Mexican style or cheddar cheese

In slow cooker, combine chicken, tomatoes, soup, and corn. Mix well. Cover. Cook on low 4 to 5 hours or high 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Sprinkle each serving with cheese. makes 6 servings.

I am linking this to Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum.

Root Beer Pulled Pork

Pulled pork is one of those dishes that is perfect for a slow cooker. I am always looking for new and different ways to prepare a pork loin. I've read about Coca Cola and Dr. Pepper pork loins but have never made one. I love Root Beer and just happened to have a couple of bottles in the fridge when I saw this recipe. Tiffanee of One Crazy Cookie has a fun blog and shares some great recipes.

This is a delicious recipe for pulled pork. The root beer adds a nice sweetness that blends well with any tangy BBQ sauce. Being from Kansas City, I'd like to think I know my BBQ sauces. My favorites are from two of Kansas City's best barbeque restaurant's, Jack's Stack and Gates. I used the Gates in this recipe, it's a little more tangy and a little less sweet than Jack's Stack. This makes a lot, perfect for a crowd or to freeze for a quick weeknight dinner.



Crock Pot Root Beer Pulled Pork
adapted from Gooseberry Patch
Courtesy of One Crazy Cookie

2 cups onions sliced and divided
2 Tablespoons minced garlic
4 pound pork roast (loin is best)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons liquid smoke (optional)
3 cups Root Beer divided
16 oz bottle BBQ sauce ( or two cups)

Place 1 cup onions and the garlic it the bottom of the crock pot. Sprinkle roast with salt and pepper, place in crock pot. Add 1 1/2 cups root beer and liquid smoke. Cover and cook on low setting for 8-10 hours or on high setting for 5 hours. Remove roast and set aside to cool. Discard onion and liquid in crock pot. In a saucepan, bring the BBQ sauce and 1 1/2 cups root beer to a boil and then simmer for 15-25 minutes. When roast is cool enough to handle, shred with a fork. Discard fat. Return shredded meat to the crock pot. Stir in sauce mixture and remaining onion. Cover and cook on high for 1-3 hours, until the onion is soft.

* I didn't add onions to the sauce. I added the sauce and cooked another hour. We were hungry!
* Be careful with the liquid smoke. Too much can be overpowering!!!

I am linking this to Tasty Tuesday, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Tuesday's at the Table and Tuesday Night Supper Club.

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Soup

Do you use canned black beans or do you make your own? Since canned beans can be as much as 1.00 something a can, I decided to make my own. After doing some research, I settled on cooking them in the Slow Cooker. I soaked the beans for about 6 hours and cooked them for about 4 hours on high. The interesting thing was, my black beans became brown beans. It seemed most of the dark color was either in the water from soaking or in the water from cooking. Has anyone else experienced this?

I've seen quite a few recipes for soup with black beans and sweet potatoes or butternut squash. With these recipes as inspiration, I created my own recipe. This recipe makes a delicious but very spicy soup. I love the flavor from the addition of just a touch of cinnamon. You could easily add chicken or even some sausage to this soup.


Slow Cooker Black Bean and Sweet Potato Soup

1 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 T. olive oil
1 large sweet potato, diced
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
2 cups black beans
1 can Rotel peppers
1T. chili powder
2 t. cumin
1 t. smoked paprika
1/2 t. cinnamon

Chop garlic and onion. Heat olive oil in a skillet until sizzling, add garlic and onion. Saute until soft. Dice sweet potato. Combine all ingredients in crock pot. Cook on low 8 hours.

I am linking this to Tasty Tuesday's, Tuesday's at the Table, Souper Sunday at Kahakai Kitchen and Tuesday Night Supper Club.

Beer and Onion Chicken Carbonade

A few weeks ago I made Pot Roast Carbonade. The layers of flavors in this dish are amazing! Last week I saw, Yvonne at Stone Gable's recipe for Beer and Onion Chicken Carbonade. She'd taken an Epicurious recipe and made it Slow Cooker friendly. If you read my blog, you know I've been all about these Slow Cooker recipes lately. I love coming home from a long day of work and except for a side or salad, dinner is done!

I didn't have dark beer. I used Blue Moon, a light belgian beer, which is what is called for in the Pot Roast Carbonade recipe. I realized when I was reading Yvonne's post again, AFTER I'd finished making the carbonade, I forgot the allspice! This recipe is delicious and I can only imagine the allspice will add yet another layer of flavor. I will be trying this one again!!



Beer and Onion Chicken Carbonade
Recipe courtesy of Stone Gable
1 TBS unsalted butter
1 TBS olive oil
4 large chicken thighs with skin and bones
3/8 tsp ground allspice
1 1/2 cups onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup flour
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1 cup baby carrots
3 tsp dark brown sugar
4 small or 2 large bay leaves
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 cup dark beer
1/2 cup beef broth
1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Melt butter and add olive oil in a large non stick skillet over medium high heat. Salt and pepper chicken. Add chicken to the skillet and saute until the skin is brown for about 4 minutes each side. Transfer to the slow cooker.

Add onions and 2 tsp of brown sugar. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and saute until deep golden brown stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add bay leaves, mustard and remaining tsp of sugar and gently stir. Add to slow cooker. Add mushrooms and carrots to slow cooker.

In a jar with a lid, make a slurry using flour and beef broth. Add slurry, beer and balsamic vinegar to the slow cooker. Gently stir the ingredients to incorporate. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, this is a guess. Make sure chicken is done through.

Serve this in a large shallow bowl on a bed of wide noodles.

I am linking this to Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum!