Chicken Tikka Masala

Ingredients

    * 2 cups plain yogurt
    * 1 tablespoon lemon juice
    * 2 teaspoons ground cumin
    * 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
    * 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    * 2 teaspoons ground ginger
    * 3 teaspoons garam masala
    * 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
    * 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
    * 3 cloves garlic, minced
    * 1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
    * 2 teaspoons paprika
    * 2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce

    * 1 cup milk
    * 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (we use less, we're not cilantro fans)

Directions

   1. Throw everything in crock-pot.  Mix together well.  Cook for 6-8 hours on low, 3-4 hours on high.  Serve over rice, with naan.

*This is SPICY.  You can tone it down by removing the jalapeno and upping the yogurt/milk amount. 

Crock Pot Ribs

INGREDIENTS
3 pounds of back ribs (beef)
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 T. vinegar
2 t. beef bouillon granules
1 t. mustard
1 t. chili powder
1/2 t. ground red pepper
2 large garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar

DIRECTIONS
1. Remove membrane from back of the ribs (use a spoon to get underneath it, then rip it off). Cut ribs to fit your crockpot.

2. Mix together water, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, bouillon, mustard, chili powder, red pepper, and garlic. Reserve 1/2 cup liquid to make BBQ sauce--place in fridge. Pour remaining sauce over ribs.

3. Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours (4-5 hours on HIGH).

4. 20 minutes before serving, remove ribs from crockpot and place on a broiler rack. To make BBQ sauce: In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup liquid reserved from step 1 with the juices left in the crock pot. Mix in ketchup and brown sugar--heat until mixture is smooth (you can add more brown sugar if you want your sauce sweeter).

5. Brush ribs with BBQ sauce, broil until sauce sizzles. Turn ribs over, repeat. Serve immediately with remaining BBQ sauce at the table. Good with rolls, baked potatoes, and steamed veggies.

Pot Roast

(credit to Dad Blood & Lynda)

For a super delicious and tender roast, start the crock pot the night before and cook on LOW until dinner the next day

INGREDIENTS
1 big hunk of beef (chuck or rump roasts work well)
3/4 cup water
baby carrots*
potatoes, cut into chunks*
1 medium onion, cut into rings
1 package onion soup mix
8-10 garlic cloves, slivered

*the amount of carrots/potatoes depends on how big your crock pot is. Use enough to fill the sucker up

DIRECTIONS
1. Place a layer of potatoes, carrots and onion on the bottom of the crock pot.

2. With a steak knife, stab the roast all over the top and sides. Make the cuts deep enough to fit in the slivers of garlic. Stuff the holes with garlic. (If you want, at this point you can rub the roast with pepper or whatever seasonings you'd like--I don't usually do anything because the garlic and onion are enough flavor for us). Set in crock pot on top of veggies.

3. Fill the rest of the crock pot with carrots, potatoes and onions. If you have left over garlic slivers, toss these in, too.

4. Pour the onion soup mix over the top of the roast, then pour the water over the mix. Cover, and cook on LOW overnight. (8-10 hours on LOW otherwise, or 3-4 hours on HIGH if you're in a hurry). Serve with rolls.

Sweet Pork Burritos

These are SO INCREDIBLY GOOD. A lot of work, but definitely worth it. Plus, there are TONS of leftovers.

(credit to Mindy and Cafe Rio)

INGREDIENTS
2 ½ lb. pork roast
1 cup Coca Cola (regular, not diet)
1 T. minced garlic
2 T. lime juice
Tortillas-burrito size
Mild green chili enchilada sauce, 3 cans
2 cans black, pinto beans or refried beans
shredded cheddar cheese
3 cups brown sugar
3 cups Cilantro Rice
Tomatillo Lime Dressing

DIRECTIONS
Place Coke, lime juice, garlic in crock-pot; mix. Add pork. Cover and cook overnight on LOW (it's SO tender if you cook it overnight).

When pork is done, shred it and LEAVE IN crock-pot (much easier done when still warm). Add enchilada sauce and brown sugar. Stir well; let sit for 20 minutes (or until sugar is melted). You can add more sugar if you're still tasting the enchilada sauce too strongly. Skim some sauce from the mixture (enough to drizzle over two 9x13 pans of burritos).

Place rice, beans, meat, and cheese in the burritos. Wrap them like a pro, then place in greased 9x13 pan. Pour some sauce over the top of the burritos and sprinkle with cheese. Cook at 350 for 20-25 minutes. Serve with Tomatillo Lime Dressing.

*Makes about two 9x13 pans full.

Cream Cheese Chicken

(credit to Sagers)

INGREDIENTS
2-3 large chicken breasts cut into small pieces (I usually just do 2 for Jon & me. You can use up to 4 if you're feeding a group)
1 Family Size (26 oz) can cream of chicken or mushroom soup
1/4 cup milk
1 package Good Seasons Zesty Italian Dressing Mix
1 8 oz cream cheese package

DIRECTIONS
Mix soup, milk and Dressing Mix together in crockpot. Add chicken, stir.
Cook for 4 hours on HIGH, 8 on LOW
Cut cream cheese into chunks, add 1/2 hour before serving
Serve over rice

Crock Pot Chicken Enchiladas

This is what we make on Cinco de Mayo--they're pretty dang good.

INGREDIENTS
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
30 oz. (2 cans) red enchilada sauce
4 oz (1 can) chopped green chilies
15 oz (1 can) black or pinto beans, rinsed and drained
cheddar or mozzarella cheese
bunch of 6 in (fajita size) tortillas (I haven’t ever made a consistent number—somewhere around
12 usually)
sour cream

DIRECTIONS
-Put chicken (frozen or not—doesn’t matter), enchilada sauce, and chilies into crock pot.
-Cover and cook on low for 8 hours (usually 6 hours is fine too).
-Remove chicken and shred.
-Reserve 1 2/3 cups cooking juices, pour remainder into large bowl.
-Add beans and shredded chicken to bowl.
-Put 1/3 cup chicken mixture into tortilla, sprinkle with cheese, roll and place in 9 x 13 pan.
-After you’ve stuffed all the enchiladas you can fit in the pan, sprinkle the top with cheese.
-Cover and bake at 350 for 20 minutes (or until cheese in center is melted).
-Serve with baja sauce (or sour cream) and lettuce. Good side dishes are refried beans and Mexican rice.