Smothered Shredded Beef & Green Chile Chimichangas

"I turned my recipe for Slow Cooker Pepperoncini Beef into these scrumptious Chimichangas.  They are delicious pockets of spicy beef and peppers all wrapped up in a crunchy, golden brown tortilla and smothered with a creamy green chile sauce.  These Chimis are perfect for a weeknight dinner and would be a crowd-pleaser at your next Super bowl party." 

 

 

To prepare Slow-cooker Pepperoncini Beef:
1 (3 lb) chuck or rump roast

1 envelope of dry beefy mushroom or onion soup mix (from 2-envelope package)

1 (16 ounce) jar of sliced pepperoncini peppers, undrained

1 (14.5 ounce) can of beef broth

 

Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.  Place roast in slow cooker.   Sprinkle dry soup mix onto roast.  Pour jar of undrained peppers and can of beef broth over roast.  Cook on low setting for 8-10 hours.  Shred meat.  Reserve meat, along with peppers, for chimichanga filling.

To make Chimichangas:
8 Extra-large flour tortillas (from 10-count package)*
2 cans (7 ounces each) whole green chilies (each can will contain 4 whole chilies)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese + additional cheese for topping
1 (3.8 ounce) can of sliced black olives, drained (for topping)
canola oil, for frying

In the center of each tortilla, place one green chile that has been split open and layed flat.  Spoon about 1/2 cup of reserved shredded beef and peppers on top of green chile.  Top with 1/4 cup shredded cheese.  Fold all 4 sides in to form a square and use a toothpick to hold tortilla closed.  Repeat to make 8 chimichangas. 

In a large skillet, pour canola oil to about 1/4 inch depth.  Heat oil on medium-high heat.  When oil is hot, cook chimichangas on all sides until golden brown and crispy.  Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.  REMOVE TOOTHPICKS.  Serve each chimichanga topped with 3 Tablespoons of Creamy Green Chile Sauce (recipe follows), additional shredded cheese and sliced black olives.

Creamy Green Chile Sauce:
1 (10 ounce) can green enchilada sauce
1/2 cup sour cream

Combine enchilada sauce and sour cream and stir until smooth.  Serve 3 Tablespoons of sauce over each chimichanga.      

*TIP:  To make it easier to fold tortillas, I heated the stack of 8 tortillas in the microwave for about 30 seconds. 

The following is a step-by-step diagram to help you:   

 

Slow Cooker Cubed Steaks with Onion Gravy

"I love these cubed steaks.  They are so tender and the onion gravy is so, so delicious.  One of the best parts of this recipe is that the slow cooker does all of the work for you!"

"I love to serve these cubed steaks over sliced bread, with a side of mashed potatoes and slathered in the onion gravy."

4 beef cubed steaks

1/2 of a large onion, diced

1-(10-3/4 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup

1 envelope dry onion soup mix (from 2 envelope package)

1/2 cup beef stock or broth

 

Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.  Place cubed steaks in slow cooker.  Sprinkle diced onion over steaks.  Stir together soup, dry soup mix and beef stock or broth and pour over onions and steak.  Cook on low for 6 hours.  Serve with mashed potatoes, if desired.  ENJOY!

 

Slow Cooker Taco Meat

"This taco meat is perfect for lunch, dinner or even potlucks.  It uses only 4 ingredients and can be served right from your slow-cooker.  It would be perfect for tacos, enchiladas and as a beefy topping for nachos."

2 pounds ground beef
1 onion, diced
1-(1.25 ounce) packet taco seasoning
1-(8 ounce) Frontera Texas Original Taco Skillet Sauce*
3/4 cup water

Brown ground beef with onion.  Drain beef and place in slow cooker that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Add taco seasoning packet, skillet sauce and water and stir to combine.  Cook on low for 4-6 hours.

*NOTE:  I found the Frontera Taco Skillet Sauce on the ethnic aisle of my local grocery store.  If you are unable to find it, you could substitute a different brand or canned enchilada sauce.

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff with Buttered Egg Noodles

"My Mom shared this recipe with us recently and it's now one of our favorite dinners.  The stroganoff is creamy and delicious served over buttered egg noodles."

1-1/2 pounds of beef round steak, cut into 1 inch cubes (You can also use beef stew meat.)

1/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup shortening

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 cup water

1 packet dry onion soup mix (I used Lipton onion soup mix.)

1 (8 ounce) container sour cream

 

 

Combine flour, salt and pepper.  Toss beef cubes in flour mixture until completely coated.  In a saute pan, cook beef in shortening until browned on all sides (it won't be completely cooked through).  Remove beef from saute pan and place in a slow cooker that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Combine Worcestershire, water and onion soup mix and pour over beef. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or until beef is tender.  Stir in sour cream and serve over Buttered Egg Noodles (Recipe follows).

 

Buttered Egg Noodles  

1 (16 ounce) package of medium egg noodles

1/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

 

Cook egg noodles according to package directions.  Drain.  Return noodles to pan and stir in butter until it's completely melted.  Add salt and pepper.  Serve with Beef Stroganoff.

 

TIP:  This stroganoff would be delicious served over mashed potatoes or rice.  

Hot Crab Dip

"This recipe was given to us by one of my hubby's coworkers.  It is so delicious and the best thing about it is that it's made in the slow cooker so it's perfect to make for parties.  Take it along to your next hors d'oeuvre party and be the hit of the bash!"

 

 

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup salsa

3-(8 ounce) packages of cream cheese

16 ounces of crab meat

3-4 green onions, sliced

1-(4 ounce) can green chiles, such as Ortega

 

 

Combine milk and salsa.  Place everything in a slow cooker.  Cook on low heat for 3-4 hours, stirring every 30 minutes to combine.  Serve with tortilla chips or your favorite dippers.

 

 

 

 



Slow Cooker Apple Cider

"I make this apple cider every Halloween.  I mix it up in the slow cooker and let it simmer all afternoon.  Which by the way makes the house smell so good!  Then my hubby and I drink it while we watch our Halloween movies.  I wait for Halloween night all year!"

1 large container of apple cider (I used an 89 ounce container of LITEHOUSE brand apple cider.)
1/2 cup brown sugar (You can add more if you like it sweeter.)
1 Tablespoon McCormick apple pie spice

Whisk together cider, brown sugar and apple pie spice in a slow cooker.  Cook on low heat for 4-6 hours.  Ladle into cups and sip away!

Mom's Beef Stew

"My Mom makes this easy, beefy stew and my Husband and I love it.  It combines a store-bought seasoning packet, stew meat and fresh vegetables and the best part is that it cooks in the slow cooker so dinner can be cooking while you go about your busy day."

1 packet of McCormick Slow Cookers Hearty Beef Stew Mix

2 pounds stew meat, cut into 1-inch pieces

5  cups of cut-up fresh vegetables (My Mom uses a combination of fresh sliced mushrooms, chopped onions and sliced carrots.)

1-1/3 cups water

Place stew meat and vegetables in slow cooker that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Mix seasoning packet with water and pour over beef and vegetables.  Stir well.  Cook on low for 8 hours.

TIP:  We love to serve this stew over mashed potatoes.  It's also great with french bread. 

 

Slow-Cooker Ravioli Casserole

"This is a very easy casserole to put together.  Just layer in the ingredients, turn on your slow-cooker and let it do all the work for you!"

1 bag of frozen meat ravioli, uncooked
1 jar of spaghetti sauce
1 (2 cup) package of Italian blend cheese or Mozzarella cheese

Spray slow-cooker with non-stick cooking spray.  Layer ingredients in slow-cooker in the following order:  spaghetti sauce, ravioli, cheese, sauce, ravioli, cheese, sauce and end with a sprinkling of cheese.  Cook on high heat for 4-6 hours.  Serve with salad and garlic bread for a yummy, Italian meal.

Slow Cooker Lasagna

"This recipe is so delicious with layers of ooey, gooey cheesiness!  It's wonderful to come home from a busy day and know that it's ready and waiting for you!"

1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork or 1/2 of a roll of Jimmy Dean Sausage
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 jar of spaghetti sauce, any flavor
1 (9 ounce) package of no-cook lasagna noodles, like Barilla*
4 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
1- 1/2 cups of cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook ground beef, ground pork, onion and garlic until meat is browned.  Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.  Drain off excess fat.  Stir in spaghetti sauce.  Simmer for 10 minutes.  In a large bowl, stir together cheeses.  In a slow-cooker that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, layer ingredients in the following order:  1/4 of the meat mixture, 1/3 of the noodles (broken to fit), 1/3 of the cheese mixture.  Repeat layers two more times and end with the remaining meat mixture.  Cook on low for 5-6 hours.

NOTE:  If you purchase a 12 ounce package of no-cook lasagna noodles, only use 3/4 of the box.

Slow-cooker Pot Roast

"This is one of my Mom's yummy recipes!  It makes mouth-watering, tender roast and vegetables all-in-one pot!"

1 (3 pound) beef chuck roast, we have also used a rump roast
1 pound of red-skinned potatoes, cut in half
1 large onion, quartered
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 packet of beef stew seasoning mix
1 Tbsp of chopped garlic
1 pound of sliced mushrooms (my Mom has also used 1 can of mushrooms)
1 (28 ounce) can of stewed tomatoes, with Italian seasonings

Combine potatoes and onion.  Put in a slow cooker that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Place roast on top of vegetables.  Stir together soup, stew seasoning and garlic.  Pour over roast.  Top with mushrooms and tomatoes.  Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

Slow-Cooker Pepperoncini Beef

 "I originally tasted this recipe when a co-worker brought it to a potluck.  I added a few ingredients to the recipe to adjust it to our tastes.  The juice from the peppers helps to make a very tender meat that can be sliced to make spicy french dip sandwiches or shredded to use in enchiladas, tacos, nachos or any other Mexican dish."

1 (3-4 lb) chuck or rump roast

1 envelope of dry beefy mushroom or onion soup mix

1 jar of sliced pepperoncini peppers, undrained

1 can of beef broth

hoagie rolls or tortillas

Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.  Place roast in slow cooker.   Sprinkle dry soup mix onto roast.  Pour jar of undrained peppers and beef broth over roast.  Cook on low setting for 8-10 hours.  Shred meat and serve on hoagie rolls, using juices as au jus for dipping.  You can also use the shredded meat in tortillas for tacos or enchiladas.
 

Note:  For a less spicy version, only use 1/2 of the jar of pepperoncini peppers. 

Slow-cooker Sausage Stew

"This is a recipe that we like to make in the Fall and Winter.  It's one of our favorite comfort foods!"

  

8 Tbsp. or 1/2 cup Zesty Italian salad dressing
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
6 small unpeeled red potatoes, cut into 1 inch slices
1 medium onion, sliced
2 medium carrots, sliced (or 1/2 of a 12 ounce bag of mini carrots)
2 cups of green cabbage, chopped (or 2 cups pre-shredded coleslaw mix)
1 ring fully cooked smoked sausage or kielbasa, cut into 1 inch slices
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with green pepper, celery and onions, undrained

In a small bowl, mix salad dressing and mustard.  Spray slow-cooker with non-stick cooking spray.  Layer potatoes, onions, carrots and cabbage in slow cooker.  Pour mustard mixture over vegetables.  Arrange sausage on top of vegetables and cover with can of undrained tomatoes.  Cover and cook on low setting for 7-8 hours.  Serve with extra Dijon mustard if desired.

NOTE:  We love to eat this stew with warm french bread to soak up the juices!

Sweet and Savory Country-Style Ribs

"Here's a recipe that my husband and I made up several years ago for the slow cooker.  It's so easy and so good and it's a recipe that I turn to over and over again for a delicious dinner.  It has been featured in Taste of Home and Gooseberry Patch's Dinner on a Dime cookbook, along with several websites!  We are so proud!"

2-3 lbs country-style bone-in pork ribs

1 onion, sliced

1 (18 ounce) bottle barbecue sauce, any flavor

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup spicy brown mustard

salt and pepper, to taste

Place ribs in a slow cooker that has been sprayed with cooking spray.  Place sliced onions on top of ribs;  sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Mix together remaining ingredients;  pour over ribs and onions.  Cover and cook on low setting for 8-10 hours.

NOTE:  We love to serve our ribs with mashed potatoes and pour some of the juices over the potatoes as a gravy.  ENJOY!!!

You can find this recipe in Gooseberry Patch's Dinners on a Dime Cookbook. 

*Photo by Taste of Home Magazine.