Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

Submitted by Karla Kelsch

1 pound (aprox) Whole Frozen Chicken Breasts
2 Cans of Diced Tomatoes (or 4 fresh tomatoes)
1 (10 ounce) Can of Enchilada Sauce
1 Can Black Beans
1 Medium Onion, chopped
1 (4 ounce) Can of Chopped Green Chile Peppers
2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
2 Cups Water
1 (14.5 ounce) Can Chicken Broth
1 Teaspoon Cumin
1 Teaspoon Chili Powder
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper
1 Bay Leaf
1 (10 ounce) Package Frozen Corn
1 Tablespoon Chopped Cilantro

7 Corn Tortillas
Vegetable Oil

1. Place all the ingredients into a slow cooker (except for the tortillas and vegetable oil). Stir Well. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours. Shred chicken with two forks a little bit before you serve it.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

3. Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with oil. Cut tortillas into strips, then spread on a baking sheet.

4. Bake in preheated oven until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. To serve, sprinkle tortilla strips over soup. (This are optional...if you feel like being lazy -like I do sometimes- just serve it with corn chips!)

5. I like to serve the soup with sour cream and cheese sprinkled on top!

Easy Italian Chicken

Submitted by Karla Kelsch

Chicken Breasts (as many as you need to feed your family)
1 8 oz. pkg of cream cheese
1 to 1 1/2 cups prepared Italian dressing
optional....1 package frozen veggies (whatever sounds good to add in)

Place chicken in crockpot. Mix cream cheese (soften for about a minute in the microwave) and dressing together, pour over chicken. Add veggies, if desired. Cook on low 7-8 hours or high 3-4 hours. Shred chicken and serve the whole thing (sauce and all) over rice or noodles.

BBQ Pork Roast

Submitted by Patricia Schroeder

pork roast
favorite bbq sauce (might use 1-2 cups total)
brown sugar, optional

Pour about 1/2" layer of bbq sauce into crockpot. Add 2-3 tbs. brown sugar if desired. Add pork roast, cut in fourths if desired. Spoon sauce over roast. Cook on low for ~4-5 hours, turning over a few times. When meat is tender, shred with forks. Add more bbq sauce if needed. Cook another hour or so to allow meat to soak up sauce. Serve on rolls or hamburger buns.

Cran-B-Que Chicken

Submitted by Nicole Sizemore

1 can whole cranberry sauce
1/2 can BBQ sauce
chicken, 3-4 breasts

Add all together in crock pot & cook. Serve with Veggies, rice, or potatoes as a side.

Sunday Pot Roast/Mexican Meat Mix

Submitted by JoDee Leahy

Pot Roast
1. Sear the roast on all sides in a skillet before placing in the crock pot to seal in the juices and to create some very tasty crispy ends.

2. Place in a crock pot on low for as long as possible(6 - 10 hours). The slower you cook it, the more tender it will be.

3. Do not salt or add water at first. Later if it is still dry in the pot (not likely) you can add about a 1/2 -1 inch of water to the crock pot. More likely you may have to drain some of the juices out of the pot so that the meat is not boiling (that will make it tough). You don't want more than 1 inch of liquid in the pot. Salt in the beginning will also make the meat tough. Sometimes I'll throw a packet of Lipton onion soup over the top for flavoring (however, better to wait to add this till later); but often as not, it tastes great with nothing else on it.

4. If desired, add chopped onions, potatoes, and vegetables, and maybe a little salt, for the last hour or two of cooking, depending on how soft you like them.

5. Cook as large a roast as your crock pot will handle and here's a wonderful recipe to do with the leftovers (from Make-A-Mix Cookbook).

Mexican Meat Mix
5 lbs beef roast or combination of beef and pork roasts (cooked low temp and slow)
3 Tbsp butter
3 onions
1 (4oz) can chopped green chilies
2 (7oz) cans green chili salsa (I've used regular salsa and it's still great!)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
4 Tbsp flour
4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
Juices from beef roasts

Drain cooked meat, reserving juices. Cool meat, then remove bones. Shred meat, and set aside.

Melt butter in a large skillet. Add onions and green chilies. Saute 1 minute. Add salsa, garlic powder, flour, salt, and cumin. Cook 1 minute over medium-low heat. Stir in reserved meat juices and shredded meat. Cook 5 minutes until thick. Cool.

Put about 3 cups mix each into 1-quart freezer containers, leaving 1/2 inch space at top. Seal and label containers. Freeze. Use within 6 months. Makes about 9 cups of Mexican Meat Mix.

This mix is perfect to use in just about anything Mexican: burritos, enchiladas, tacos, tostados, taco salad, etc. The flavor is fantastic, and I've even used tough meat before (that I cooked too fast on too high a temp) and it still was great. Wonderful on those nights you don't want to cook; just reheat and add some tortillas and toppings.

Italian Meatball Subs

Submitted by Kristeen Teeples

(Makes enough meatballs for a family of 4-6)

1 lb. pre-made frozen meatballs (can buy frozen in 6lb. bags from Costco or Sams)
1 can (26 oz) of your favorite spagetti or marinara sauce
Hoagie Rolls
Cheese slices

Place meatballs and sauce in crock pot for 3-4 hours on high. Serve on hoagie rolls with provolone cheese and sliced tomato. Easy and filling!