Crock pot recipes that save time and taste great
Cooking on the Colorado
Leigh Pless

With springtime comes ball season, and that means spending several evenings per week at practice and at the ball field. These crock pot recipes are great and supper will be waiting for you when you get home instead of you waiting in the drive through line.

Fuss Free Swiss Steak

This delicious Swiss steak is made in a cooking bag and cooked in the crock pot. Clean-up is a breeze!
1 (Reynolds) cooking bag
2 Tblsp. all-purpose flour
2 (15 ozs.) cans diced tomatoes
1 tsp. celery seed
2 Tblsp. tomato paste
1 Tblsp. prepared mustard
1 Tblsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tblsp. brown sugar
3 ribs celery, thinly sliced
1 or 2 carrots, sliced into 1/4
inch rounds
1 small onion,

chopped,
or 1 Tblsp.
minced
dried onion

1 to 1 1/2 lb. round steak, 1/2 inch thick, cut into serving-size pieces

Measure flour into cooking bag. Add tomatoes, celery seed, tomato paste, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and brown sugar. Squeeze bag (carefully hold the top to keep it from spilling) to mix all ingredients. Add vegetables and steak. Secure top of bag with tie; place in crock pot. Cut several small vents in the top to allow steam to escape. Cover and cook on Low for 7-9 hours, then pour into a serving bowl.

Ground Beef Dinner

2 lb. lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tblsp. chili powder
1 Tblsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 (46 ozs.) can tomato juice
4 C. cabbage, shredded
1 C. uncooked rice
1/2 lb. green beans, tipped and
cut

Shape meat into a large patty. Brown in a large skillet for 5 minutes on each side, then break up into chunks. Push to one side. Add onion and garlic; sauté for 5 minutes or until soft. Stir in chili powder and cook 2 minutes. Add salt, pepper and tomato juice; bring to a boil. Layer 1/3 each of the cabbage, rice, green beans and meat mixture into a crock pot, repeating 2 more times. Cover crock pot. Cook on Low for 8 hours or on High for 4 hours, or until vegetables are tender.

Chicken Pineapple Oriental

1 to 1 1/2 lb. chicken tenders,
cut in 1-inch pieces
2/3 C. pineapple preserves
1 Tblsp. plus 1 teaspoon teriyaki
sauce
2 cloves garlic sliced thinly

1 Tblsp. dried
minced onion
(or 1 bunch
fresh green onions,
chopped)
1 Tblsp. lemon
juice
1/2 tsp. ginger
Dash cayenne,
to taste
1 (10 ozs.) package
sugar snap
peas or snow
peas, thawed

Place chicken pieces in crock pot. Combine preserves, teriyaki sauce, garlic, onion, lemon juice, ginger, and cayenne; stir well. Spoon over chicken, toss to coat. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours. Add peas last 30 minutes.

Chicken Stroganoff Pot Pie

1 envelope chicken gravy mix
1 (10 1/2 ozs.) can chicken
broth
1 lb. boneless chicken breasts,
cut into 1-inch pieces
16 ozs. frozen stew vegetables,
thawed, drained
4 ozs. sliced mushrooms,
drained
1/2 C. sour cream
1 Tblsp. flour

1 1/2 C. baking mix (Bisquick
or Jiffy)
4 medium green onions,
chopped
1/2 C. milk
1 C. frozen peas, thawed

Combine gravy mix and broth; stir until smooth. Pour into crock pot. Add chicken, vegetables and mushrooms. Cover and cook on Low for 5-6 hours until chicken is tender. Separately, combine sour cream and flour; pour into crock pot 45-50 minutes before serving. Add frozen peas; stir. Combine baking mix and chopped onions; stir in milk. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons onto chicken/vegetable mixture. Cover; and cook on High 45-50 minutes until biscuit topping is done.

Blueberry Dump Cake

1 (21 ozs.) can blueberry
pie filling
1 (18.25 ozs.) box yellow
cake mix
1/2 C. butter
1/2 C. chopped walnuts
Place pie filling in crock pot. Combine dry cake mix and butter, then sprinkle over filling. Sprinkle the walnuts on top of cake mixture. Cover and cook on Low for 2 to 3 hours. Serve warm in bowls topped with cool whip.

Chocolate Brownie Pudding Cake

1/2 C. brown sugar
3/4 C. water
2 Tblsp. cocoa powder
2 1/2 C. brownie mix (half
of a 21.5 ozs. package)
1 egg
1/4 C. peanut butter
1 Tblsp. soft margarine
1/4 C. water
1/4 to 1/2 C. milk chocolate
chips, if desired

Combine 3/4 cup water, brown sugar, and cocoa in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Meanwhile, combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk together or mix well with a spoon. Spread the batter evenly in the bottom of a lightly buttered crock pot. Pour boiling mixture over the batter. Cover and cook on High about 2 hours; turn heat off and let stand for about 30 minutes. Spoon into dessert dishes while warm; serve with ice cream.