Zesty Slow Cooker Chicken Barbecue

Super easy recipe with hardly any prep!! I discovered this recipe when we were going to an impromptu cookout and I didn't have anything to make! I googled to see what I could make with frozen chicken breast and this did not disappoint! I have added this to our meal rotation to change up the pulled pork.

Zesty Slow Cooker Chicken Barbecue
adapted from:All Recipes

Ingredients
6 frozen skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 12 oz bottle BBQ sauce
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Directions
In slow cooker, mix the barbecue sauce, Italian salad dressing, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce. Add chicken and stir around a bit.
Cover, and cook 3 to 4 hours on High or 6 to 8 hours on Low.

Two Step Slow Cooked French Dip with Au Jus

This was so easy! I also used my bread maker so we would have some fresh bread! This is a meal that A will often get at fancy steak places so I figured I'd try making it at home. I also want to use my slow cooker for more then pulled pork and beef stew.

I used chuck roast which can also be used in beef stew and it comes in a family pack from Wegman's. Other sites recommend using Sirloin because it is less greasy.

These can be served as sliders, on hoagie rolls, or on french bread. I used my bread maker to serve it with fresh bread!

2 Step Slow Cooked French Dip with Au Jus

adapted from All Recipes

3 lbs beef - chuck roast

1 can beef broth
1/2 bottle of dark beer

1 packet onion soup mix
1 pinch rosemary and thyme
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp browning sauce
1 onion, sliced

1. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and then set for 7 hours on low. 
2. Slice beef and then put back into the juice until ready to serve on crusty bread. 

Turkey Meatloaf

I'm not crazy about meatloaf but my family loved this! I actually made it ahead of time and froze it wrapped up in tinfoil. I let it defrost in the fridge over night and then baked it for almost 2 hours.

When making the loaf shape lean towards flattening so that it will cook evenly. No pictures this round! We ate it too quickly :)

If you are freezing the meatloaf I'd suggest the ketchup topping after the loaf has defrosted.

Enjoy!

Turkey Meatloaf
Adapted from Ina Garten
Serves 8-10

3 cups chopped yellow onions (2 large onions)
2 tablespoons good olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried) or oregano
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste
5 pounds ground turkey breast (Optional: use a combination of turkey sausage and turkey breast)
1 1/2 cups plain dry bread crumbs
3 extra-large eggs, beaten
3/4 cup ketchup

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a medium saute pan, over medium-low heat, cook the onions, olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme until translucent, but not browned, approximately 15 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste and mix well. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Combine the ground turkey, bread crumbs, eggs, and onion mixture in a large bowl. Mix well and shape into a rectangular loaf on an ungreased sheet pan. Spread the ketchup evenly on top. Bake for 1 1/2 hours until the internal temperature is 160 degrees F. and the meatloaf is cooked through. (A pan of hot water in the oven under the meatloaf will keep the top from cracking.) Serve hot, at room temperature, or cold in a sandwich.

Beef Stew

Here is a yummy (and easy) slow cooker beef stew recipe! I found the recipe off All Recipes. I selected it based off the over 2000 reviews. Because this was a meal that included kids (and they will refuse to eat a meal based on seeing certain ingredients) I blitzed the onions and celery in the food processor so that there were no visuals. Keep the potatoes and the carrots in the larger chunk sizes so that way they aren't mush after cooking for so long.

I prepped and assembled the meal the night before and kept it in the fridge. I woke up on Saturday morning, plugged in the slow cooker, then we ran our errands and attended our sporting events. We came back to a delish and warm stew!

I also made a loaf this dutch oven bread.

My dad's tomato based beef stew recipe can be found here!

Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Serves 6-8

3 - 4 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1 heaping tsp paprika
1 heaping tsp garlic powder
2 bay leaf
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp of gravy master
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced
4 potatoes, large dice
4 carrots, sliced thick
2 cups beef broth

12 oz frozen peas

Put all the ingredients (minus broth and peas) in the slow cooker and stir together so everything is coated. Then add the beef broth and give another stir. Everything will be a soupy mess.
Cover and cook on low for 10-12 hours or on high for 4-6 hours.

About 20 minutes before serving add the bag of frozen peas.

Dad's Beef Stew

I know, its practically summer and is expected to be in the 70s this weekend. But I've been a little slow with updating and this was from a cold snap we just had! I swear!

But if you are looking for a hearty stew recipe, look no further! Here is my dad's famous beef stew recipe!!

Feel free to substitute varying amounts of the root veggies (carrots, potatoes, parsnips, etc) depending on what you enjoy eating. Since this will simmer for a while, it is okay to rough chop everything on the larger side since they will cook much longer.

This is a great meal because it is easy to make larger portions of without any added time. Chopping up the veggies can take a little longer but you can use pre cut veggies as well. Once everything is in the pot it is easy to leave and just let is simmer away for a couple hours.

Carrots, onions, celery

Potatoes, Parsnips, Turnips

Beef coated in flour

Onions and Celery

Floury and softened meat mix

Add root veg and some broth

Add more broth and cook until the stew is tender

Dad's Beef Stew

Makes approx 6 - 8 servings

2 lbs stew beef,  roast: top round or chuck), diced and trimmed into 1 x  1 inch pieces

3 Tablespoons oil

6 Tablespoons flour

1 Tablespoon salt

1 1/2 c onions, diced

4 cloves garlic, use the garlic press

1 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 jar of tomato sauce

1 teaspoon Gravy master (its a small bottle with an orange cap)

A few dashes of Worcestershire sauce

14 oz of chicken broth

1 cups chopped celery

3 chopped/cubed potatoes

1 cups carrots - sliced

1 cups parsnips cubed --optional

1 cups turnip cubed --optional

Heat oil in large pot. Mix the salt with the flour, dip the beef into the flour mixture and then add into the hot pot. Brown the meat. The bottom of the pan might get caked with the flour.

Add onions, garlic, and thyme to the beef. Cook about 15 minutes until the onions are soft. Add in a couple cups of the chicken broth and stir. The flour will be thickening the broth. Add tomato sauce, gravy master, and Worcestershire sauce. Add in celery, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and turnips to the stew. Stir around for a couple minutes.


Cover with the rest of the broth. Simmer stirring occasionally until the meat is tender and the veggies are soft. If the broth isn't thick enough add in a few tbsp of flour every 15 minutes until it reaches the consistency you want. If the broth is too thick add additional water or broth.

Marlborough Man sandwiches

I made this a while back and just got around to writing it up... I found this recipe online at the request of Nate who wants "meat." This is from the Pioneer Woman's website. This was another under 20 minute dinner and reminiscent of a Sloppy Joe with different meat.

It uses cube steak which is round steak that is extra tenderized. It reminded me of a really flat piece of steak with a breaking apart texture of ground beef.

Melt a tablespoon of butter at medium heat. Add in sliced onions. Once they are clear and starting to brown remove from the pan. It asked for more onions but I didn't have enough.

Meanwhile slice meat and season with the Lawry's seasoned salt. Add to frying pan. Let it brown. Flip once its turning a nice deep brown. Approx 5 minutes.

Add Tabasco sauce, I used Sirracha because that's what I had. Add in Worcestershire sauce and an additional tablespoon of butter. Add onions back in.

Let the sauce thicken for a few minutes. Griddle buns in some butter.

Place meat and the sauce on the bun. 

Any changes? Nope! Good as it was! Enjoy!

Cube Steak Sandwiches

1 whole large onion
1 sticks Butter
2 pounds Cube Steak (tenderized Round Steak That's Been Extra Tenderized)
Lawry's Seasoned Salt
1/2 cup Worcestershire Sauce
Tabasco Sauce, To Taste
4 whole French/deli Rolls

Slice onions and cook in 1/4 stick butter until soft and light brown. Remove and set aside.

Slice cube steak against the grain. Season with Lawry’s.
Heat 2 tablespoons butter over high heat (in same skillet) until melted and beginning to brown. Add meat in single layer. Cook one side until brown, then flip and cook until brown, about a minute on both sides.
Add 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce, 5 to 6 shakes Tabasco, and 2 tablespoons butter. Add cooked onions. Stir to combine.
Butter halved French rolls and brown in skillet.
To assemble, lay bottom half of French roll on plate. Place meat mixture, followed by a spoonful of juice from the pan. Top with other half of roll.