Sweet and Sour Chicken

This is a recipe from my friend Mariana. It is always a favorite! I have tried this recipe with boneless, skinless chicken and was not as happy with it. I have also tried it in the crock pot (instead of baking for an hour in the oven, place the chicken and then the sauce in the crock pot and cook on low for about 8 hours). The breading is not as crispy, but the flavor is fabulous! It definitely works well as a crock pot dish.



2 1/2 pounds chicken pieces (not boneless-skinless--our favorites are drumsticks)
garlic powder
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup flour
4 Tbsp margarine
2 cups sugar
1 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp soy sauce

Wash and pat dry chicken pieces. Sprinkle with garlic powder. Dip in beaten egg, then in flour to coat. Brown in margarine in a saute pan. Place in baking dish. Combine all other ingredients and pour over chicken. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour, turning once.

Angel Chicken (Crock Pot)

This is a recipe that I was given many years ago. I tried it and loved it, and then passed it on to a few friends. It soon became a favorite of their families, too. It's fun to hear, 10 years later, that it's still one of their favorite dishes to make for their families.

1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup butter
1 0.7 oz pkg. dry Italian salad dressing mix
1 10 1/4 oz can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 of 8 0z tub of cream cheese with chives and onion

Hot, cooked angel hair pasta

Place chicken in crock pot. In medium saucepan, melt butter. Stir in dressing mix. Stir in soup, broth, and cream cheese until combined. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low heat for 4-6 hours. Serve over hot cooked pasta. Makes about 6 servings.

Crock Pot Apple Crisp

This is a recipe that was passed down to me, and it actually works really well in the crock pot!

8 cups peeled, sliced apples
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup quick oats
2 tsp cinnamon
2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened

Turn crock pot on high and put sliced apples inside. Mix remaining ingredients and put in top of apples. Do not stir. Cover and cook on LOW about 6 hours. Serve with vanilla ice cream. Yum!

Perfect Crock Pot Gravy

After you've cooked chicken or beef in the crock pot, remove all meat and vegetables, leaving the juices in the crock pot. Prepare a smooth paste of 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup cold water. Pour into crock pot, stir once, and heat on high for 15-20 minutes. This is the most perfect, and most easy gravy you'll ever have!

Crock Pot Chili with Baked Potatoes

2 lb ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 cove garlic, chopped
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 (15-16 ounce) cans kidney beans, drained
2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
4 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried basil
I also sprinkle chipotle seasoning to taste

1. Brown beef, onion, green pepper, and garlic in saucepan. Drain.
2. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.
3. Cover. Cook on low 5-6 hours.
4. Serve over baked potatoes with cheese, sour cream, bacon, and broccoli.

Chicken Fricassee in the Crock Pot

3-4 lbs chicken pieces, skin removed (you may use boneless, skinless)
2 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
2 medium onions, sliced
3 stalks celery, sliced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 bay leaf
1 cup chicken broth
½ cup flour
½ cup water

1. Place vegetables and bay leaf in crock pot. Place chicken pieces on top and sprinkle with salt and paprika. Pour in broth. Cover and cook on low for 8-12 hours, or on high for 4-6 hours.

2. One hour before serving, turn to High. Remove chicken pieces and de-bone (if necessary), and return meat to crock pot. Make smooth paste of flour and water, and stir into liquid in crock pot. Cover and cook until thickened.

3. Serve over hot noodles; garnish with parsley. Serves 6-8.

White Chicken Chili

This recipe comes by special request. It is one of our family's favorites, and actually won a chili cook off about 7 years ago. It is more of a soup than a chili, in my opinion, though. It is not thick like a chili. Oh, but so yummy!

Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 10 minutes

¼ cup butter
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
4 cups cooked chicken or turkey, cut or shredded into bite-sized pieces
3 cups chicken broth
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp dried basil leaves
2 Tbsp ground red chilies or chili powder
¼ tsp ground cloves
2 cans great northern beans, undrained
1 medium tomato, chopped (3/4 cups)
Tortilla chips

1. Melt butter in large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic in butter, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender.

2. Stir in remaining ingredients except tomato and tortilla chips. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

3. Serve with fresh tomatoes and tortilla chips.

Note: I often cook this in my crock pot. After step one, I add all ingredients (except for the tomato and chips) to the crock pot and cook on low for several hours. Because the chicken is already cooked, this doesn’t need all day in the crock pot.

New England Clam Chowder (Crock Pot)

I love to cook Clam Chowder in the Winter! And my family loves eating it! I was happy to find a crock pot version a few years ago. It is just as good as the original!

2 (7 oz) cans of clams, undrained
3 slices bacon, diced
1 onion, chopped
½ cup green onions, sliced
2 potatoes, finely diced
1 ½ cups water
¼ tsp pepper
1 can evaporated milk
1 ½ tsp salt
½ tsp thyme

Place clams and their liquid in crock pot. Saute bacon and onion until golden and place in crock pot. Add all remaining ingredients except evaporated milk. Cover and cook on low 6-9 hours or high 2 ½ -3 ½ hours. Stir in evaporated milk and serve.

Sesame Pork Ribs (Crock Pot)

1 medium onion, sliced
¾ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup soy sauce
½ cup ketchup
¼ cup honey
2 Tbsp cider or white vinegar
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp ground ginger
¼-1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
5 lbs country-style pork ribs
2 Tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
2 Tbsp chopped green onions

1. Place onions in bottom of slow cooker.

2. Combine brown sugar, soy sauce, ketchup, honey, vinegar, garlic, ginger, and red pepper in large bowl. Add ribs and turn to coat. Place on top of onions in slow cooker. Pour sauce over meat.

3. Cover and cook on low 5-6 hours.

4. Place ribs on serving platter. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions. Serve sauce on the side.

Yummy served with rice and veggies!

Lemon-garlic Chicken (Crock Pot)

1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp seasoned salt
¼ tsp pepper
2 lbs chicken (breasts or drumsticks both work) **Boneless work great, too!**
2 Tbsp butter or margarine
¼ cup water
3 Tbsp lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp chicken bouillon
1 tsp minced fresh parsley

1. Combine oregano, salt, and pepper. Rub mixture onto chicken. Brown chicken in melted butter in skillet. Transfer to crock pot.

2. Place water, lemon juice, garlic, and bouillon in skillet. Bring to boil, loosening browned bits form skillet. Pour over chicken.

3. Cover. Cook on low 4-5 hours, or on high 2-21/2 hours.

4. Add parsley and baste chicken. Cover and cook on high 15-30 minutes.

Note: I added extra oregano and generously sprinkled with lemon pepper.
Serve over rice or pasta.

Cheesy Vegetable Soup

5 cubed potatoes
2 cups sliced carrots
1 cup diced onions
2 cups chopped celery
2 cups chopped broccoli
6 cups chicken broth

Sauce ingredients:
1 stick butter
1 Tbsp mustard
½ cup flour
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
2 cups milk
12 oz American cheese slices

Put first set of ingredients into crockpot and cook on low for 4-6 hours or until vegetables are soft. 30 minutes before serving, prepare sauce: On the stove melt butter, then add flour, mustard, and pepper. Slowly add milk and cook on medium heat until thickened. Add sauce to crockpot along with cheese. Stir until melted.

Caribbean Black Bean Soup

1 lb dried black beans
3 onions, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 ham hock, or ¾ cup chopped ham
1 Tbsp oil
1 Tbsp ground cumin
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 Tbsp salt (I use seasoned salt)
½ tsp pepper
3 cups water
2 Tbsp vinegar
sour cream
fresh cilantro

1. Wash beans and soak overnight. Drain

2. Combine beans in crock pot with all ingredients except for vinegar, sour cream, and cilantro (last 3).

3. Cover. Cook on low 8-10 hours, or on high 4-5 hours.

4. For a thicker soup, remove half of cooked beans and puree until smooth or mash with a potato masher. Return to cooker.

5. Add vinegar and stir well. De-bone ham, cut into bit-sized pieces, and return to soup.

6. Serve with a spoon-full of sour cream and fresh, chopped cilantro.